Innehållsförteckning för October 2017 från Prevention

RECENTLY, MY eldest daughter, Charlotte, a new college graduate, and I flew south to spend a couple of days with my 91-year-old aunt, Vera, whom I hadn’t seen in a while. She’d always been in tip-top health, and when we arrived, I saw that not much had changed: She still cuts a stylish figure and has the same gift of gab and cheekbones to die for that she had when I was a new college graduate. A “career woman” in the ’40s, Vera started at an advertising firm and ended a few decades later as a vice president of education at the nation’s leading company for feminine hygiene products. She was a renegade, traveling the country in the ’70s as one of the first sex educators in public schools. She…

Atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor) What They Are: beta-blockers to treat high blood pressure Possible Switches: ace inhibitors like enalapril (vasotec) or lisinopril (Zestril), calcium channel blockers like diltiazem (cardizem) or amlodipine (norvasc) Chlorpropamide (Diabinese, Insulase) What It Is: prescribed to control high blood sugar in type 2 diabetes patients Possible Switches: Metformin (glucophage, Fortamet) or sitagliptin (Januvia) Paroxetine (Paxil), fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft) What They Are: ssris prescribed for depression, panic disorder, or anxiety Possible Switch: bupropion (Wellbutrin) Prednisone (Deltasone, Prednicot) What It Is: corticosteroid for long-term treatment of asthma, lupus, or ulcerative colitis Possible Switch: reduce steroid use to every other day Valproic acid (Depakote, Depakene) What It Is: prescribed for seizure disorders, bipolar disorder, or migraine prevention Possible Switch: topiramate (topamax)…

RELIEVE ARTHRITIS WITH FISH a new study published in Arthritis Care & Research found that eating fish may relieve swelling and joint pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis. researchers analyzed data from 176 patients and found that those who consumed fish at least twice a week had less-active arthritis than those who rarely or never ate it. previous research identified this link only with fish oil supplements. PREVENT HAIR LOSS FROM CHEMO The FDA has expanded approval for a cooling cap that stems hair loss in cancer patients who have solid tumors and are undergoing chemotherapy. In clinical trials, 66% of breast cancer patients treated with the DigniCap Cooling System during infusions lost less than half of their hair. DigniCap is now an option at over 80 clinical sites in 21…

Dizziness can result from many conditions: low blood pressure, migraines, ear infections, and Ménière’s disease, in which fluid buildup in the inner ear triggers a false sense of motion. But the problem is more often caused by a condition called benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo (BPPV), which occurs when tiny crystal particles in the inner ear break loose and disrupt the body’s sense of location. BPPV can happen at any age but is most common in people ages 60 and older. While it’s usually temporary and harmless, it can increase the risk of falling. See a doctor if you often feel dizzy or if the problem is accompanied by fever, chest pain, or vomiting. 40 Percentage of US population that will experience dizziness or a balance disorder PREVENTIVE MEASURES 1 Hydration…

THINNING HAIR is often attributed to unlucky genes: Male pattern baldness is the culprit for 95% of men who thin out on top. For the 40% of hairloss sufferers who are women, contributing factors can include hormonal shifts, a handful of medical conditions, and certain types of medications. In some cases, topical minoxidil, the hair-growing compound in Rogaine, can help—but it doesn’t work for everyone, and side effects can include unwanted hair growth on other parts of the body. You also have to keep using it to see continued hair-building benefits. Another solution, the prescription medication finasteride, poses a slight risk of sexual side effects, including decreased libido and erectile dysfunction. Finasteride can cause birth defects and isn’t FDA approved for women. Given these limitations, many people explore other options.…

You Told Us: “ That I already had everything I needed to be content and thrive. “ How little time you may have with someone. “ How to say no. “ That I am good enough. “ It isn’t always necessary to be compliant to be liked or loved. “ Worry less about things you can’t control. “ Things work themselves out. “ Life will get easier as you get older. “ Not to worry about every little thing. “ How important technology was going to be. “ Taking risks for personal happiness is always worth it. “ Live your own life, and don’t worry about what other people think. “ How to manage money. “ Not to be afraid to do the things I wanted to do instead of…

Help FOR DRY SKIN AND WRINKLES: Moisturizer It temporarily covers wrinkles with a mixture of water, moisture-locking occlusives like cetyl alcohol and lanolin, moisturizing substances (called humectants) like glycerin, and vitamins A and C, among other ingredients. Dermatologist Rebecca Baxt says there’s no significant difference between a $150 moisturizer and one that costs $10. FOR REDUCING FINE LINES AND DARK SPOTS: Retinoids These vitamin A derivatives were approved in 1987 to help increase skin cell turnover and stimulate collagen production, among other benefits, and are available by prescription or as less-potent retinols in over-the-counter products. FOR SKIN LIGHTENING: Hydroquinone Often used to whiten hyperpigmentation (dark spots) caused by skin damage, hydroquinone can cause irritation at higher concentrations but is effective at lightening skin, says Los Angeles–based dermatologist Tanya Kormeili. FOR…

PREMIUM Prevention Get FREE access when you subscribe to Prevention magazine today! Build strength, lose weight, and find calm with our Transform With Yoga Challenge. A subscription to Prevention magazine gets you free access to the online program, which includes yoga videos (listed below) with instructor Amy Ippoliti, recipes, and more. Ready? Go to preventionchallenge.com. Yoga for Strength Combat age-related muscle loss while restoring healthy posture. Yoga for Gentle Awakening Master basic seated postures to build strength and reduce stress. Yoga for Energy Wake up your body with gentle toning. Yoga for Deep Calm Enhance self-awareness while diminishing the stress hormone cortisol. Yoga for Self-Love Develop a deeper appreciation for your body as you unwind. Join the challenge at preventionchallenge.com.…

THE ULTIMATE GIFT While reading this article, I found myself asking, “Did I tell my kids how proud I am of them? have I said ‘I love you’ enough? have I called my mom enough?” It made me realize that life is short, and you never know when you will see your last day. Shawna Walsh / Carver, MA ADVICE FOR THE AGES Since I just turned 58, I appreciate that Prevention is a magazine that speaks to me. My husband and I are a fit and healthy example of what staying active, informed, and committed looks like. Pam Ritmiller / frederick, MD I am 84 years old and in fairly good health. I walk every day and go to exercise class three times a week. A large percentage of…

IT’S A good idea for every adult to create an advance directive—a set of legal documents that typically has two components: a health care power of attorney, in which you appoint someone called a health care proxy to make decisions for you if you’re unable to, and a living will, in which you lay out your end-of-life treatment preferences. You might specify, for example, that you’ll consent to antibiotics and pain medications but not CPR, which can cause internal injuries. You can also state that you prefer to die at home. In fact, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, people with advance directives are more likely to avoid dying in a hospital. Assembling the documents is easy. You fill out paperwork available online through your state’s Department of…

SERVES 2 Drain and press 12 oz firm tofu and cut into ½" cubes. $2.50 Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. $0.25 Add: 3 scallions, chopped $0.65 1 tsp minced fresh garlic $0.15 1 tsp minced fresh ginger $0.10 1 cup broccoli florets. Add tofu and cook, stirring, until tofu is browned on all sides, 10 minutes. $0.85 Stir in 2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce. Toss to coat and serve immediately. $0.25 Total: $4.75 NUTRITION (per serving) 194 cal, 18 g pro, 10 g carb, 3 g fiber, 4 g sugars (3 g added sugars), 11 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 347 mg sodium…

In a recent study from Boston University, researchers gave overweight adults meals with varying amounts of high-fiber, hearthealthy, and weight loss–promoting pulses (such as black beans and lentils). After 6 weeks, the testers (who previously weren’t regular eaters of beans) rated the foods higher in terms of flavor than they did at the start. The researchers believe that avoided foods can become more enjoyable with repeated exposure. Tip: Add a disliked healthy food to your diet once every day or two for a couple of months and see if it “takes.”…

PAIN IS one of the most common reasons people see a doctor. Treatments abound, and many are effective, especially for acute pain. But chronic pain—pain that lasts for at least 3 months—is fundamentally different. And, unfortunately, most patients who suffer from it are treated as if they had acute pain. As pain becomes chronic, portions of the brain change and begin to communicate with nearby areas that normally have nothing to do with pain. The involvement of these other regions gives rise to the symptoms and conditions that commonly accompany chronic pain, such as fatigue, insomnia, cognitive impairment, and depression. Medication is often used to treat chronic pain, but it can create more problems than it solves when it’s taken on its own. Mind-body medicine is an important alternative. In…

FOOD CRAVINGS arrive unexpectedly and without subtlety. You catch a glimpse of cheesy pizza or remember the chocolate chip cookies your mother used to bake, and soon you can think of nothing other than indulging in that food. Experts believe a complicated web of stimuli, memories, cultural influences, and hormones causes us to crave certain flavors and textures. Genetics also plays a role: A new Danish study found that people with one of two variants of a certain gene are more likely to have a sweet tooth than those who don’t have the variant. But there’s no consensus on how important each of these factors is. One thing we do know about why certain foods are commonly desired: When the brain detects sugar, protein, or fat, it releases reward signals.…

Every weekday morning at 10 AM, Hoda Kotb, 53, and Kathie Lee Gifford, 64, take over 3 million US households with a comic blend of true confessions, screwball hilarity, and tears, tears, tears—which has been honed over 9 years as TV cohosts. Their broad and sometimes bawdy Today commentary, whether on their own or accompanied by a guest, is usually punctuated by a glass of wine, a signature flourish that has earned them both enthusiastic plaudits and rebuke. GETTING OLDER IS SO MUCH FUN FOR ME. I THINK IT’S BECAUSE I DIDN’T KNOW THAT I’D BE ABLE TO DO THINGS FOR THE FIRST TIME AT 50-SOMETHING. —Hoda Kotb But why shouldn’t they toast themselves? They’re getting older in the public eye with pride and gusto and have recently grown stronger after…

Debbie Horwitz was 32 when she felt a lump while soaping up her armpit in the shower. Her mother had died of breast cancer when Horwitz was 9 years old, so she quickly made an appointment with her doctor. After an ultrasound and a biopsy, she was diagnosed with stage 1 triple-negative breast cancer, which can be very aggressive. The good news was that because Horwitz’s cancer was caught early, doctors didn’t need to remove her breast. “My surgeon told me there was the same statistical evidence for survival with a mastectomy as there was for radiation and a lumpectomy,” says Horwitz, now 45. The breastsparing lumpectomy would have removed only the cancer and a small amount of tissue surrounding it. The risk of complications would have been lower and…

IF ONLY our body parts were like lightbulbs and could be quickly swapped out when they malfunction. Of course, we don’t work that way, but Josie Znidarsic, a family medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute, offers solutions to annoying everyday health concerns. (If symptoms persist after 2 weeks, check with your doctor.) Twitching eye Step away from all forms of reading for 20 minutes. in particular, computer screens and devices can cause eye fatigue, which is why eyes tend to twitch toward the end of the day. Clicking jaw Use a bite guard from the drugstore or your dentist, and avoid gum or extra-chewy foods. Clicking can be caused by inflammation around the jaw from overuse or clenching in your sleep, so a massage therapist may also be able…

Scientists have long thought that the hardest part of having a secret is having to hide it. but researchers who examined 1,000 people in 10 studies identified a different source of distress: “the problem with having a secret is having to live with it and think about it,” says Michael slepian, an assistant professor at Columbia business school. secretkeepers dwelled on their secrets, which made them feel inauthentic and disingenuous, slepian says. The most common secret? romantic feelings for someone other than a partner. the healthiest way to let a secret go is to tell a trusted friend, see a counselor, or write about it in a private journal. “think about it from multiple perspectives, focusing on How can I move on from this thing?” slepian says. For more information,…

FEWER CARBS, MORE SATISFACTION MAKING A BIG decision in the morning? Your meal choice could be a factor. Researchers at the University of Luebeck in Germany gave 22 participants a high-protein, low-carb breakfast, then a low-protein, high-carb meal a week later. After each, subjects played a game: One player proposed a way to divide a sum of money; if the other player rejected it, no one got the cash. Those who ate the high-protein breakfast were more likely to accept unreasonable offers. Researchers believe the proteinladen meal created higher levels of the amino acid tyrosine—part of the brain’s “reward system”—which may have made players feel more satisfied with less. Get the yoga kit ($66) at shopprevention.com/yogakit. YOGA STARTER KIT Just a few minutes of yoga each day can lower stress,…

10 MINUTES TO SLIM & STRONG FOR LIFE! For the new 8-week program that helped Berlin and many other women get in shape with 10-minute meals and 10 minutes of daily exercise, go to Fitin10SlimandStrong.com. Has Fit in 10 transformed your life? Send your story to readerstories@prevention.com. “I love this wrap,” says Berlin. “The rainbow chard adds a really nice earthy yet sweet flavor. So filling!” MEAL OF THE MONTH Rainbow Chard Chicken Wrap Craving a deli sandwich? This light and delicious alternative is packed with metabolism-revving protein and energizing nutrients—and will save you more than 500 calories, compared with a 12-inch Italian sub. Serves 1 Prep time: 10 minutes Total time: 25 minutes 1 tsp olive oil ½ med onion, chopped ½ med sweet potato, peeled and chopped ½…

COLDS, FLU, and other respiratory infections affect hundreds of thousands of people each year and peak in the fall and winter. They’re brought on by microbes, including bacteria, viruses, and, rarely, fungi. Fortunately, our bodies are equipped with many defenses, including the protective barrier of our skin, the mucus and cilia in our respiratory tracts, the acid in our stomachs, and the healthy bacteria in our digestive tracts. Our lymph nodes trap microbes that are then destroyed by white blood cells. Some pathogens can be very dangerous, especially in older people with weakened immune systems. And more bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics. If your health care provider prescribes an antibiotic, ask whether it’s necessary. To protect yourself and limit the spread of germs, simply wash your hands with regular…

PREMIUM Prevention Find the complete survey questions and responses at prevention.com/premium. Life gets better after 40. That’s what Prevention found when we conducted an exclusive national survey: Defying society’s stereotypes about aging, our results revealed that women ages 40 and older are happier, more confident, and less stressed than they were 20 years ago. Their health is their top priority. They’re optimistic about the future. And while they’re dealing with the physical realities of getting older, they’re not obsessing over wrinkles or extra pounds. “Being 50, 60, or 70 is different now than it was a generation ago,” says Wayne State University sociologist Heather Dillaway, whose research focuses on women in midlife. “Women feel a decade or two younger than their actual age because what they do in their day-to-day…

If you met Robin Lapi, you’d never guess she’s 63 years old. Even without makeup (which she rarely wears anyway), her skin is smooth, her eyes are bright, and she radiates energy. Lapi attributes all this to a fastidious daily skin care routine, honed over 2 decades. Every morning, she washes her face with cleanser, then dabs on a toner made with witch hazel to tighten her skin. Then she applies an eye cream that claims to “repair and prevent signs of aging,” followed by a vitamin C– infused serum and a layer of moisturizer. At night, she uses a different round of products. “I get compliments,” Lapi says. “I don’t think I look 63.” A skeptic about commercial “antiaging” and beauty products might give the credit for her appearance…