Prevention December 2015

[3] FUN, SMART THINGS we all learned this month— and how to act on them right now Bury Your Hatchets, Fight Your Blues Commonsense finding of the month that I needed to be reminded of: Letting resentment brew and stew is depressing. Literally. I usually stifle my childlike blaming (except with the love of my life—I’m sorry, honey, I’m sorry), but I admit that’s my go-to reaction inside when things don’t go perfectly for me. Now a study in Aging & Mental Health confirms that those who practice forgiveness end up with better mental health. The researchers looked at older men and women but believe that anyone can benefit. TRY IT NOW: The best part is you don’t have to tell the object of your anger, petty or otherwise, you’ve…

“These are the perfect arm candy for my stylish friends.” —Siobhan DeRemer, Copy Editor “I know what you’re thinking: bar shampoo? But it actually works! Throw it in a gym bag or carry-on (no spills). It’s my top stocking stuffer.” —Olessa Pindak, Executive Editor “Soft and silky, this scarf was love at first touch. In three fun prints, it’s a staple on my gift list.” —Amy Beal, Deputy Editor…

When Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad, people wondered how they’d use it; now 53-year-old former ballerina Sabina Allemann can plot her ascent up a cliff in the Blue Mountains of Australia. Using her agility (and downloaded guides), she’s climbed to spots she couldn’t imagine. “I love that you’ve got to do something physical to get somewhere,” she says. “And it’s an amazing feeling of achievement at the top.” You know what she’s talking about. Now turn to “26 Breakthroughs That Will Change Your Life Now,” on p. 80, to find your next climb.…

Turns out your body digs heat: People who eat spicy foods every day could have a 14% lower risk of premature death, per research in BMJ. Even those who ate hot stuff only once or twice a week saw their risk drop by 10%. Bioactive ingredients like capsaicin in spicy foods may fight everything from cancer to inflammation, says study coauthor Jun Lv, an associate professor at China’s Peking University Health Science Center. If you can take it, go fresh: Raw chile peppers offer more protection against cancer and diabetes deaths than oil or sauce does.…

They’re usually totally harmless, but in some women they’re actually a sign of stroke. Entirely unexpected, we know: Just 10% of women polled by Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center knew hiccups are one of a handful of stroke symptoms more often seen in women. Others: chest pain, whole-body numbness, and headaches. Unlike FAST (quick refresher: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911), there’s no handy acronym—yet—for these female-specific signs, which seem linked to a type of stroke common among women that occurs in the back of the brain rather than the top. Source: Diana Greene-Chandos, director of neuroscience critical care at Wexner Medical Center Stop Making These First-Aid Mistakes Banish these blunders from your treatment repertoire— for safety’s sake! OUT Cleaning cuts with antiseptics, which can…

IT CAN BE TRICKY to get a full range of nutrients from the typical (read: lackluster) American diet, but there are problems with an overzealous OTC fix. It’s definitely not true in the case of some vitamins that if some is good, more must be better. Vitamins A, B9, and E have been linked to cancer in daily doses higher than 3,000 IU, 1 mg, and 1,000 IU, respectively. The exception: People with deficiencies may need megadoses per a doctor’s recommendation. Generally, try to get your daily doses from a balanced diet. DR. JENNIFER ASHTON, an ob-gyn, is cohost of The Doctors. (Find local listings at thedoctorstv.com.) Come see her and other health-thought leaders speaking live at Prevention’s R3 Summit in Austin, TX, Jan. 15–16. Get tickets now at preventionr3summit.com.…