Innehållsförteckning för August 2020 från Prevention

LAST SUMMER, our test kitchen chefs found some beautiful figs when they were out shopping for other ingredients, and they were practically jumping with glee when they shared what they’d made. “We have to put these in the magazine!” we all said. The only problem: We were working on the November issue at the time. In magazine world, figs were out of season. But we found a little extra time on a day we were photographing food for fall and winter, sneaked those figs onto the set, and filed the pictures away. “It’ll be nice next year when we have this all ready to go,” we said. Little did we know that one year later would feel like a hundred and looking at the images again would be like opening…

When an ingredient’s name literally translates to “everlasting,” it’s no wonder someone thought to try it in skincare. Immortelle, a flowering plant (also known as helichrysum) found in the Mediterranean, is named for the fact that its flowers maintain their bright yellow color even after they are dried. Extract, oil, and water from it are now blooming in skincare products claiming to have skin-healing and anti-aging effects. Do the flower’s vibrancy-preserving properties really translate to skin? Maybe, but experts say more research is needed. “Some small analyses show that the extract has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects,” says Deanne Mraz Robinson, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT. Immortelle also shows some promise as an antioxidant and a wound healer, she says.…

1 Start on all fours, then lift your knees so you’re perched on your tiptoes with your knees hovering over the floor. 2 Lift your right hand and your left foot off the floor. Then pivot to the right on your right foot and kick your left leg up, bringing your right arm to your chest. 3 Swing your pelvis back and place your right hand and your feet on the floor so you’re back in starting position. 4 Reverse directions and do the same steps on the other side. Drills to Nail the Break Dancer This month’s move is a tricky one, but these tips and extra moves can help you perfect it in no time. PREP WITH THE BEAR CRAWL If you need to build up some core…

Standing and staying upright might seem like a simple act for your body to pull off, but it actually takes teamwork from three major systems: your vision, your inner ear, and your internal sense of limb position and movement, called proprioception. Take one away from the equation (say, by closing your eyes, or standing on an unstable surface), and balancing becomes trickier. However, challenging yourself is the best way to enhance your balance, as you’ll see when you do the exercises on these pages. All you need are a pillow (the firmer, the better) and a basketball or another object of similar weight. Trust us: Working on your balance throughout life will mean that by your senior years, when balance gets rockier, you’ll just need to maintain what you already…

When a patient calls me and asks, “Why am I spotting?” I’m not being difficult when I insist on an appointment. Of all the symptoms gynecologists deal with, the one that probably has the longest list of possible causes is spotting between periods. It might be originating from the uterus, but it also might be from the cervix, the vaginal wall, or even the vulva. It’s usually not an indication of anything dangerous—it might simply be a sign that you’re ovulating or because of your contraception. So before stocking up on black underwear and always carrying a tampon, check in with your gynecologist to figure out how to make the spotting go away and to be sure it’s not an indication of anything serious. And if your mind goes right…

You may be eager to hit the road, but car rides (and boat trips, as well as 3D movies and virtual reality) can bring on motion sickness, which hits when your brain gets conflicting messages: Your eyes perceive forward motion while your inner ear feels the up-and-down of the car. “The mind scrambles to reboot, and that causes a sick feeling,” says Gary LeRoy, M.D., president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Nausea triggers the vagus nerve, which connects to your GI system “and makes whatever is in your gut want to come up,” he says. So, should you pack these products in your go bag? ANTIHISTAMINES WHAT THEY ARE: The same first-generation antihistamines that treat allergies also tamp down motion sickness; in fact, Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) is of the…

ACTIVE 5 MIN. TOTAL 15 MIN. SERVES 2 In a bowl, whisk together 1½ Tbsp white wine vinegar and 1 tsp honey to dissolve. Add 1 sliced nectarine and toss to coat; let marinate 10 minutes. Add ¼ cup olive oil and 2 tsp very coarsely cracked black pepper and toss to coat. Spread fresh ricotta cheese on grilled or toasted bread and spoon nectarines and juices on top. NUTRITION (per serving): 484 cal, 9 g pro, 35 g carb, 3 g fiber, 9.5 g sugars (3 g added sugars), 35 g fat (7.5 g sat fat), 21 mg chol, 304 mg sodium…

INCLUDE A SALAD: Whether it’s your entire lunch or a filling dinner side, have a goal of eating some kind of salad once a day. SLOW DOWN ON SNACKS: Eliminating just one of your daily snacks can slash around 200 calories, which could result in losing nearly two pounds a month if you stick with it. DON’T SKIP MEALS: Experts say not eating enough can work against weight-loss goals. For one, you’re likelier to overeat later in the day if you skip breakfast or lunch. And your body needs steady fuel to keep blood glucose levels balanced—this is important to regulate metabolism, and having blood sugar levels that are too high or too low can lead to weight gain by affecting how your body burns and stores fat. WATCH THE…

1 Don’t shave their fur Contrary to popular belief, shorter hair doesn’t necessarily mean a cooler pup, explains Jason Nicholas, D.V.M., president and chief medical officer of Preventive Vet. Dogs’ coats are designed to insulate them in both hot and cold weather, so shearing can actually make them more vulnerable to the sun’s punishing impact, not to mention sunburn and skin cancer. Instead, brush them regularly to loosen their thick winter undercoats and help their fur work as nature intended. 2 Be mindful about exercise Dogs need time to acclimate to warmer weather and don’t always know when to slow down, so watch yours carefully and offer lots of water before, during, and after physical activity. Try to limit outdoor exercise to cooler times of day and keep walks short…

SERVES 4 1 Place 2 pitas (split in half horizontally), cut sides down, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 450°F until golden brown and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip over so cut sides are facing up. 92¢ 2 Meanwhile, combine 2 cloves garlic (finely grated), 3 Tbsp olive oil, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, and 1⁄2 tsp kosher salt. 35¢ 3 Transfer 1 Tbsp of oil mixture to a second bowl and toss with 1 lb large tomatoes (cut into chunks). Let sit until ready to serve. $1.99 4 Toss 1 small bunch spinach (thick stems discarded) in remaining oil mixture to coat. Divide spinach, 3 oz very thinly sliced provolone (torn), and 2 oz feta (crumbled) among pitas. Bake until cheese melts, 5 minutes. Serve hot with…

1 How They Grow Our nails make handy-dandy back scratchers and knot undoers because they’re made of layers of keratin, a super-tough protein produced by a clump of specialized cells called the nail matrix. This matrix is buried at the base of your nail, beneath the protective shield of the cuticle. As new nail cells develop, the older ones harden and push forward to form the part we see. On average, fingernails grow only about three millimeters a month, while toenails do so at around half that rate; both grow more slowly as you get older. 2 Health Info at Your Fingertips Nails are normally smooth, firm, and translucent and opaquely pale in that crescent called the lunula. But if they look or feel funky, it may be a symptom…

Food is supposed to be this great universal: Everybody eats, and mealtimes are how we connect with others. But if you suffer from a gastrointestinal condition, like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), food can quickly seem like the enemy. You never know what will trigger stomach troubles, and you hardly want to be around anybody when your body rebels. That’s why Prevention has just released the book The Beginner’s Guide to Low-FODMAP to help you lose the anxiety around food and enjoy it again. Many stomach issues can be traced back to a sensitivity to a certain group of carbohydrates known as FODMAPs. That’s a not-super-catchy acronym for a collection of fermentable shortchain carbohydrates (doesn’t roll off the tongue either!). This category of foods gets…

Poison oak and ivy SPOT IT: A super-itchy rash may show up as red bumps, blisters, or streaks where the plant brushed against your child. It can appear right away or take up to three days to surface. TREAT IT: “Clean the area immediately with dishwashing liquid to help remove urushiol, the allergy-causing oil from the plant,” says pediatric dermatologist Stephanie Jacks, M.D., a committee chair for the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. Next, apply hydrocortisone ointment twice a day for the first few days to calm the itch. If itching hinders sleep, consider an oral antihistamine such as Benadryl. Also worth a try: short colloidaloatmeal baths, calamine lotion, and cool compresses. (If the rash is severe or widespread and/or on your child’s face or genitals, they may need an Rx.)…

American households waste, on average, about a third of the food they buy—with nearly $2,000 going down the drain each year—so it’s both an environmental and a financial problem, says an analysis by Penn State researchers. Ready to waste less? Try these tips. CREATE A MENU Go a step further than simply bringing a list: Create a weekly menu to help you shop smarter. You’ll be able to gauge quantity so you won’t over- or under-buy (goodbye, leftovers that never get eaten!), and you’ll know exactly what each food item will be used for—no more scrambling to figure out what to do with the last of your produce and that half-eaten carton of eggs. STORAGE SAVVY Look online to learn how to store food to maximize freshness; for instance, certain…

GOAT CHEESE “I grew up eating this with my grandpa, so it’s one of my favorites. It has a tart yet earthy flavor that adds an extra layer of richness to the simplest of dishes,” says Riccardo Orfino, executive chef and partner at Osteria 57 in New York City. Try it with eggs—in a mushroom frittata, folded into an omelet, or simply scrambled, he suggests. GORGONZOLA This Italian blue cheese is a bit milder than other blues, says Orfino. “It has a nutty taste and a firm texture that crumbles well and turns creamy when cooked, so it’s great stirred into polenta or gnocchi.” Or, keep it simple by dolloping it on a piece of cooked steak and letting it melt into the meat, says Kate Homes, chef and founder…

Applying sunscreen may be second nature by now, but the sun is so powerful that even minor bad habits can be a big problem. “Sun damage can happen within minutes of unprotected sun exposure,” says Shari Marchbein, M.D., a dermatologist and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. Here’s how to take your sun protection to the next level. OLD HABIT: You stay in the shade. Shade’s great, but it’s not enough to protect you from indirect sun exposure or when UV rays bounce off reflective surfaces like water, sand, and concrete. Even your favorite beach companion doesn’t cut it: One small industry-funded study published in JAMA Dermatology found that relying on a beach umbrella alone boosted sunburn risk compared with using a high-SPF sunscreen. SAFER BET: Slather on…

Up to 30% of people who live in hot and humid conditions can develop a heat rash. This is a pretty cool body factoid: Each of us has our very own AC system, which works through sweating. Moisture rises to the skin’s surface, then evaporates to prevent us from overheating. But if you notice a splotchy red rash on the hottest days, this is a heat rash, and it’s a sign that your natural cooling system is overwhelmed. It develops when dead skin cells, salt, and bacteria clog sweat ducts, causing perspiration to get backed up below the skin’s surface, triggering inflammation that leads to redness, itching, and stinging. “It is sometimes called prickly heat and can be very uncomfortable,” says dermatologist Rajani Katta, M.D., a volunteer clinical faculty member…