Prevention May 2020

NOT LONG AGO, MY FAMILY took a little weekend trip to visit my brother, which was all fun and games—until it suddenly wasn’t. We had a great time playing Clue (I remain undefeated, thank you very much), going to a women’s hockey game, and seeing how happy a hike made our dog. But then my husband lost his wallet—and our car broke down. As we waited for AAA, feeling more than a little untethered with only one of us in possession of a driver’s license and credit card, I thought about this month’s anxiety story (page 46). True anxiety can make you feel as if your life is falling apart even when it isn’t, even when you’re not literally stranded on the side of the road. But there’s help for…

Power Up With Artichokes In honor of spring, its peak season, we’re shining the spotlight on an underrated nutritional superstar: the artichoke. Besides being pretty to look at and tasty to the tongue, artichokes are also super good for you—they’re low in carbs and sugar and rich in lots of the best stuff. “Whether you’re eating them fresh, frozen, or canned, artichokes are an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C, folate, and magnesium and even contain a bit of protein,” says Elizabeth Shaw, R.D.N., owner of shawsimpleswaps.com. The nutrients are found in both the tender heart and the leaves (use your teeth or a spoon to scrape off the layer of flesh), making artichokes a versatile pick if you're among the one in 10 Americans who don't get enough produce.…

The 20th Surgeon General of the United States, Vice Admiral Jerome Adams, M.D., M.P.H. (a.k.a. "the nation’s doctor”), took part in a Hearst panel on mental health. Here are some of his thoughts: Can you speak to the stigma surrounding mental health issues? Sharing stories is critical to lowering stigma. That’s why I tell the story of my brother, who is incarcerated right now due to crimes he committed to support his substance use disorder. People told me not to talk about that, but the way we tear down stigma is by showing that there is no “us” and “them”—by showing that substance use disorder can happen to anyone, even the family of the Surgeon General of the United States. And we have top female officials in the Army and…

Manuka honey is all the buzz right now: From the hives of bees that pollinate the manuka plant, native to New Zealand, this darker-hued honey is thought to contain a compound that has more medicinal properties than regular honey, says Birnur Aral, Ph.D., director of the Beauty Lab at Prevention’s partner the Good Housekeeping Institute. But not all manuka honey is equal: “For manuka honey to be therapeutic for skin, it should be certified to have a minimum of 10 UMF, or Unique Manuka Factor, which rates its medicinal efficacy,” Aral says. Try using plain manuka honey as a face mask (apply to clean, dry skin, avoiding eyes; rinse with warm water after a few minutes) or, for less stickiness, seek out skincare products with this type of honey near…

Blue light (also known as High Energy Visible, or HEV, light) gets a bad rap for its effect on eyes and sleep—and some preliminary research shows that it can prompt the formation of free radicals, which break down skin’s collagen and cause inflammation, leading to redness, dark spots, and wrinkles. “The majority of blue light comes from the sun,” explains Deanne Mraz Robinson, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale New Haven Hospital. “Screens aren’t a huge problem for skin on their own, but when you are getting exposure from the sun and spending a lot of time in front of a computer, the combined exposure can be concerning.” Keep skin protected with the same defense you use against the sun: In the morning, “apply a serum with…

Smoky PB Chicken Tacos SERVES 4 1 In a small saucepan, sauté 1 small onion and 2 cloves garlic (all finely chopped) in 1 Tbsp olive oil, covered, on medium until just tender. 38¢ 2 Stir in one 8-oz can tomato sauce, 1⁄2 cup water, 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter, 1 Tbsp chopped chipotle in adobo (plus 1 tsp adobo sauce), 1⁄2 tsp each ground cinnamon and salt, and 1⁄4 tsp pepper; simmer 5 minutes. 92¢ 3 Stir in 1⁄4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips until just melted. Toss sauce with 3 cups shredded cooked chicken. $5.09 4 Stuff 12 small tortillas with chicken and top with fresh salsa and sliced avocado. 96¢ NUTRITION (per serving): 308 cal, 21 g pro, 22 g carb, 3 g fiber, 7.5 g sugars (3.5 g…