Innehållsförteckning för February 2020 från Prevention

A growing body of research suggests that too much screen time in childhood hampers brain development, most recently a small study published in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center found that among kids 3 to 5 years old, those who spent more than one hour a day in front of an electronic device had lower levels of brain development in regions that support language and self-regulation than those who interacted with screens for less time. Protect growing minds and set children up for smarter screen habits down the line by following these recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics: • Avoid use of digital media for kids younger than 18 months. • Limit screen use to one hour or less for kids 2 to 5, and choose…

Prevention + GLOBAL WELLNESS INSTITUTE You may want to explore these questions over a period of days, weeks, or even months. Remember to be inclusive—all dimensions of your life matter, from emotional health to environmental stewardship. Pull your insights together in a meaningful way, such as with a vision board, a voice recorder on your smartphone, or the old-fashioned pencil and paper. Note which responses give you the most energy and joy; use these to craft the personal wellness moonshot that means the most to you.…

Lips have just three to four protective layers of skin, compared with 15 or 16 on the rest of the body, says Dendy Engelman, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City, which is why lips are more vulnerable to the elements. Replenish moisture by layering on a lip balm with both emollient (hydrating) ingredients like glycerin, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid, which soften skin, and occlusive ingredients, such as shea butter and beeswax, which seal moisture in. PREVENTION PICKS: Vaseline Lip Therapy Original Tin, $4, drugstores; Nivea Blackberry Lip Care, $3, drugstores…

1 Stand up straight, feet slightly less than hip-width apart, with a dumbbell in each hand. Bend forward at the waist until your chest is about parallel with the floor, your back is straight, and your arms hang down toward the ground. This is your starting position. 2 Slowly raise each arm out to the side (like you’re flying), squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your torso tight. 3 Lower your arms so your body returns to starting position. This is one rep. Do 8 to 10 reps. Get more from Larysa in Prevention’s video program Tone Up in 15 (prevention.com/tone15)…

You’ve no doubt felt it: Whether it’s Bach or Beyoncé, music can elicit a variety of reactions in your body and mind. Now some therapists are using that concept to help patients combat pain. Here, Nada Milosavljevic, M.D., founder of the Integrative Health Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, CEO of Sage Tonic, and author of Holistic Health for Adolescents, explains how sound therapy works. First, what exactly is sound therapy? Sound therapy covers a range of treatments, from music therapy to sound baths. Like massage therapy, which delivers healing through touch, it’s a form of sensory therapy, and it has been used by various cultural groups for centuries. The most prominent form practiced in the U.S. is music therapy, but the use of individual sounds and frequencies has been growing.…

1| BEST DUMBBELLS Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells, $279, amazon.com Ranging from five to 52.5 pounds, these adjustable dumbbells replace 15 sets of weights. Here’s how it works: Keeping the weights on their plates, simply turn the dial to choose the amount of weight you want to lift. Then remove them from the plates to start exercising. They’re great for working out at home without feeling as if your living room is a gym. 2| BEST RESISTANCE BANDS Tone It Up Booty Bands, $10, my.toneitup.com Testers loved that these resistance bands were soft to the touch and didn’t irritate their skin when they did lower-body exercises like squats and glute kick-backs. They’re light and small enough to pack too. 3| BEST KETTLEBELL Onnit Kettlebell, $30, onnit.com While there are plenty…

HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I GO UPSTAIRS TO THE TEST KITCHEN: They offer me something (delicious) to eat, and then we sit down to go over their recipe ideas. I tend to love everything they suggest, and maybe you think there’s a direct connection there: Feed Sarah, and she’ll say yes to whatever we want to do! I’m not going to lie—I love to eat their food—but I don’t think that would work more than once (OK, maybe…three times?). Mainly, I say yes to the Test Kitchen staff’s ideas because they are smart, thoughtful, and creative cooks who have an amazing ability to marry nutrition and flavor. But if anything does put me in the mood to approve ideas, it’s actually not the food itself, but the warmth with which…

DIY skincare recipes with the kitchen staple have been around for decades, and now beauty brands are incorporating it into their formulas. Are the packaged baking soda products worth it? They do have a key advantage: “Applying pure baking soda to your skin can throw off its pH balance, which over time can cause skin to become more vulnerable to irritation, dryness, and acne,” says Heather Woolery-Lloyd, M.D., a dermatologist in Miami. “A skincare product that contains baking soda, on the other hand, will likely be pH-balanced to avoid this problem.” If you’re prone to breakouts, baking soda can help buff away dead skin that can clog pores (try Bioré Baking Soda Cleansing Scrub, $10, drugstores). Skip baking soda for your hair, though, experts advise: It’s too abrasive. Use a…

SERVES 4 1 Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil, 6 cloves garlic (pressed), 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest, ½ tsp fennel seeds (coarsely crushed), and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes in a large Dutch oven on medium for 2 minutes. 97¢ 2 Add 4 cups water, one 14-oz can tomato puree, and 1 tsp salt; cover and bring to a boil. 84¢ 3 Add 1 bunch Tuscan kale (leaves only, coarsely chopped) and simmer 3 minutes. $1.50 4 Add one 15.5-oz can chickpeas (rinsed) and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve with ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese and lemon wedges if desired. $1.76 NUTRITION (per serving): 300 cal, 17 g pro, 48 g carb, 11 g fiber, 8 g sugars (0 g added sugars), 8 g fat (2 g…

✓ PRE-WORKOUT Warm up for five to 10 minutes. “Far too many people skip this step, which can make exercise more uncomfortable and lead to injury,” says Zehetner. Walk on a treadmill, do some jumping jacks, or do other light cardio—this primes your muscles by increasing heart rate, blood flow, body temperature, and flexibility. ✓ DURING THE WORKOUT Stretch. It’s just as important to stretch throughout your routine as before and after. “It increases flexibility, which makes movements easier and more fluid, and it also significantly impacts your balance, coordination, and agility and can reduce your chance of getting hurt,” says Zehetner. ✓ POST-WORKOUT Recover. Chugging lots of H20 is great for rehydrating, but it’s also important to replenish carbohydrate and electrolyte stores in your body to help with muscle…

Cold, dry weather can wreak havoc on skin and hair, causing dehydration, flaking, redness, irritation, and more. To the rescue: our expert science-backed secrets for keeping your complexion and strands supple, soft, and radiant through even the harshest conditions. SWITCH TO NOURISHING CLEANSERS Cleansing is the essential basis of a good skincare routine, but any type of foaming wash, whether for face or body, can strip moisture from your skin this time of year. “Change to one that is a cream, milk, or oil, which won’t disrupt your skin’s moisture balance,” advises Amy Wechsler, M.D., a dermatologist and psychiatrist in New York City. These formulas are made with gentler surfactants (active cleansers) and more hydrating ingredients. PREVENTION PICKS: FOR FACE: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gentle Cleansing Lotion, $8, drugstores FOR BODY: Nivea Nourishing Care…

Every year, millions of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women dress in layers, carry portable fans, and tough it out because they’re convinced that treating hot flashes is dangerous. And they may think, Oh well, these flashes won’t last long, and even clothes-drenching ones never killed anyone. Here’s news: Hot flashes last longer than was previously thought—seven to 10 years on average. And emerging evidence shows that they’re not harmless but may be associated with potentially life-threatening heart damage. In a 20-year study of more than 3,000 menopausal women, those who had frequent or persistent hot flashes had a dramatic increase in factors associated with heart disease, which may explain why stroke risk doubles in the 10 years after menopause. YOUR HEART ON A HOT FLASH Every time you have a hot…

1| BEST GYM BAG Dagne Dover Landon Carryall, $155, dagnedover.com The organizing compartments in this duffel bag made it a clear winner with our testers: The shoe bag, laptop sleeve, interior zip pocket, mesh pouch, and exterior phone pocket are specifically made to fit everything you need to get to the gym and home again. 2| BEST SMART WATCH Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2, $280, samsung.com This next-level smart watch can track everything from your steps to your heart rate, but standout features include the ability to give you insight about your stress level. 3| BEST WIRELESS HEADPHONES Bose Sound Sport Wireless Headphones, $130, bose.com With high-quality sound and a comfy fit, these wireless headphones will stay on even when you’re running up and down steps and on uneven terrain. They…

1| BEST YOGA MAT Manduka X Yoga Mat, $58, manduka.com This yoga mat has a textured design that provides extra grip, cushioning, and durability for high-impact exercises. Its dense material offers support for sensitive knees and other joints and absorbs sweat easily, keeping the surface safe for free movement. 2| BEST POST-WORKOUT MASSAGER TriggerPoint MB Vibe Massage Ball, $80, triggerpoint.implus.com Excellent for targeting harder-to-reach areas of the body, this massage ball has three levels of vibration that helped loosen our testers’ stiff muscles and relieve cramps. 3| BEST FOAM ROLLER Melt Performance Roller, $40, meltmethod.com Foam rolling helps relieve tension and prepare the body for exercise, and it works to alleviate soreness post-workout as well. This foam roller is medium density (somewhat firm with some give), making it easier to…

A lot of us think about sleep approximately twice a day: at night when we’re tired and need to go to bed, and in the morning when we’re still tired and want to stay there. But lack of sleep affects our whole day: Poor sleepers miss out on immune and emotional regulation as well as tissue restoration and repair, says sleep-research psychologist Jessica Payne, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame. Stress may keep you awake, but insomnia can impair your ability to regulate stress the next day, creating a “sleep-stress snowball,” adds Payne. Stress increases levels of neurotransmitters and hormones such as cortisol and norepinephrine, keeping you in a hypervigilant state, always watchful for tigers (or office enemies). “The more you’re stressed, the poorer your sleep…

1 Watch for Signs of Pain Pets can slow down as they age for many reasons, including arthritis, back pain, and decreased muscle mass. Hesitance to jump up, yelping when moved, and foot dragging can point to arthritis in dogs, explains Mary Gardner, D.V.M., cofounder of Lap of Love, a veterinarian network specializing in pet hospice and euthanasia. Changes in grooming behavior or not using the litter box could mean a cat is hurting. If yours shows these symptoms, your vet may be able to prescribe anti-inflammatory or pain-relief options. 2 Ease Aging Anxiety At least 50% of dogs over age 10 have some form of cognitive dysfunction, Gardner says. It often shows up as panting and pacing, especially at night. “They can become restless and have a stressed look…

Vision Issues Like adults, kids can be nearsighted or farsighted or have astigmatism. But it’s rare for them to be able to put their troubles into words. “Children with poor vision in one eye may not even realize it unless the other eye is closed,” says Julia E. Reid, M.D., a pediatric ophthalmologist at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE. “And those with an issue in both eyes may have never experienced normal vision, so they don’t realize anything’s wrong.” CLUES TO LOOK FOR: Squinting, head-tilting, eye-rubbing, holding books super close, and sitting very near the TV. Kids may struggle to see the board and follow along in class, have poor hand-eye coordination, and/or have a deficit in early literacy skills. WHAT TO DO: For kids who…

MUSTARD GREENS These peppery leaves are packed with vitamin K, important for blood clotting, as well as fiber, calcium, and iron. “My favorite way to use these greens is in a warm salad,” says Homes. Brown sausage and thinly sliced potatoes in a pan, season to taste, add 1 to 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, then pour over chopped mustard greens and toss. BOK CHOY Part of the cabbage family, this leafy Asian staple contains the same inflammation-taming compounds (phytonutrients) as other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli. Try slicing baby bok choy lengthwise, then searing in a hot pan with a little salt and sesame oil until golden brown on each side; serve with a squeeze of orange and a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top, says Homes. WATERCRESS These delicate…

ACTIVE 15 MIN. TOTAL 45 MIN. PLUS COOLING MAKES 16 4-IN. COOKIES 2 cups whole-wheat flour1 cup old-fashioned oats1 tsp baking soda1 tsp pumpkin pie spice½ tsp kosher salt1 15-oz can pure pumpkin1 cup olive oil1 cup brown sugar1 large egg½ cup roasted salted pepitas½ cup dried cherries 1. Heat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, pie spice, and salt. 2. Using an electric mixer, beat pumpkin, oil, sugar, and egg on medium to combine. Reduce speed to low; gradually incorporate flour mixture, then pepitas and cherries. 3. Scoop 16 mounds (about ⅓ cup each) onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 in. apart; flatten into disks. Bake until dark brown on bottoms, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool. MAKE…