Innehållsförteckning för August 2021 från Prevention

REMEMBER HOW LAST YEAR every day felt like a week? It was so disorienting to be stuck at home during the pandemic that it was hard to even track how long we’d been stuck there. A few months into this year—around when my son finally began going to school full-time—every day started to seem more like 45 minutes. The contrast was so stark, I felt as if I’d barely gotten to know 2021 before it was half over. As we get older, time does go faster, don’t you think? A month becomes a much smaller fraction of our lives than it is to, say, a 9-year-old who is not impressed when I say that it’s “only a few months” until he gets to see Grandma again. Entire years can even…

Growing up in Philadelphia, I learned to garden from my mother, who helped me tend the tiny patch of land behind our row house. I’ve been hooked on gardening ever since, no matter what climate I’m living in. Aside from growing my own food, one of the things I love most about gardening is its positive effect on my mood: Digging in the dirt has always brought me a pleasant sense of tranquility, and I’ve found it to be a great form of exercise. I’m not alone in my experience. Gardening really took off last year with the additional time people spent at home during the pandemic—and there are many healthful reasons to keep it up. Increasing evidence supports the idea that gardening can benefit both body and mind. For…

There was a time when couples therapy was spoken of in hushed whispers, when outside help was sought only in absolute worst-case scenarios. But now nearly half of married couples have been to couples counseling, and more and more people come into our offices before things get really bad or so they can get ahead of potential issues. Remnants of stigma against therapy are still very present, however, in some cultures and communities more than others. And research shows that couples wait an average of six years after identifying a problem before seeking help. So how can you know when the time is right for you and your partner? If you’re in a relationship crisis, such as after sexual, emotional, or financial infidelity, it may seem obvious that assistance is…

First, a science lesson: Simply put, sugar is a carbohydrate, which means it contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules. When we eat carbs, they are digested and broken down into glucose, which serves as the preferred energy source for cells throughout the body. If glucose levels in your blood drop too low (say, if you have hypoglycemia or you haven’t eaten anything in a while), that can hinder your brainpower, cause fatigue, and even make you shaky. There are two main types of sugar. Simple sugars (monosaccharides or disaccharides) are made up of only one or two sugar molecules and found in foods like candy, soda, fruit juice, honey, and table sugar. Complex sugars involve three or more linked sugar molecules and are found in foods like apples, broccoli, lentils,…

1 | Listen to your body. “Just because you have a craving for something sweet, that doesn’t mean you have to eat sugar,” writes Michele Promaulayko in her book Sugar Free 3. Take a minute to notice what’s going on in your body and address the root cause of your discomfort. Do you have a headache? Are you stressed out? Do you feel physical hunger? Are you bored? Do you need an energy boost? Or do you really want a sweet treat? If that’s what you need, go ahead, be present with it, and mindfully enjoy every bite. 2 | Keep a food log. It sounds tedious, but it will really help you see the bigger picture of your diet. “Keep a sugar log for a week to figure out…

▶ Your doctor decides which Omron products you need—a blood pressure monitor, a body-weight scale, or both. ▶ The VitalSight kit is delivered to your home along with an electronic data hub to transmit your stats and readings to your doctor—no other Wi-Fi or cellular data use is required. ▶ If an issue or a red flag pops up, your doctor will be alerted and can address it immediately. ▶ VitalSight is currently covered by Medicare. Why is this program so helpful? For one thing, it makes it easy for people to keep up with their medical care without frequent in-person appointments. It also fills a hole for those living in underserved communities or geographic areas with limited health care access. Omron hopes the closer monitoring will result in fewer heart…

1 Place a looped resistance band just above your knees, then get on all fours, hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keep your back flat like a tabletop. 2 With your knee remaining bent at a 90-degree angle, slowly lift one leg straight back and up toward the ceiling in one motion, then bring it back down. That’s one rep. 3 Do 10 reps, then switch sides and repeat for another 10.…

After more than a year of working from home and wearing face masks, we’ve gotten used to giving our makeup bags a bit of the cold shoulder. Many of us who previously wore a full face every day are now happily going more bare much of the time, even as we tiptoe back into office life and in-person socializing—and not just because it’s easier. More time spent outdoors (and less spent in bone-dry, glow-zapping office building air) can have a positive impact on skin, and there are a slew of new skincare formulas to help us feel polished with less makeup. Here’s what to know about putting your best face forward. MAKE SURE YOUR SKIN HAS MOISTURE A lit-from-within glow is beauty-speak for skin that has a healthy moisture barrier.…

Five years ago, right around when I turned 30, I started noticing a lot of changes in my body. I’d always had a slim face, but I would look in the mirror and notice that my face was getting rounder. I was like, OK, I guess I’m getting cheeky! I also started gaining weight. I figured my metabolism was slowing down, but that didn’t make sense. I worked out almost every day and ran around after my three kids; plus, I was trying to eat as healthily as I could, and I still gained 40 pounds over the next year! One time someone asked, “When is the baby coming?” and it was so upsetting. There were a lot of other weird symptoms: My neck got really swollen on one side,…

The Food and Drug Administration recently did a much-needed update of the nutrition facts label on foods and beverages. One of the main changes: Both total sugars and added sugars are now listed. “Total sugars” includes both added and natural sugars, whereas the “added sugars” value underneath that indicates the amount of sugar that has been added to the product. One other thing to keep in mind: Ingredient lists are ordered by weight, so if an added sugar is a product’s first ingredient, the item’s nutritional value is likely to be poor.…

■ SODA: Sip unsweetened fruit teas or add fresh fruit, ginger, or herbs to H2O. ■ SWEETENED COFFEE AND TEA: Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, coconut collagen, or cocoa powder for a flavor kick. ■ DESSERTS: Cover dates with cocoa powder, dip berries in dark chocolate, make ice cream with frozen bananas, or grill peaches or plums. ■ SUGARY TOPPINGS: Use chia jam, mashed fruit, sweet spices like nutmeg, or chopped unsweetened dried fruit. ■ CEREAL: Bake no-sugar granola, keep homemade protein pancakes in the freezer, or mix sliced dates, ripe banana slices, or stewed apples into oatmeal. ■ FLAVORED YOGURT: Blend frozen berries into plain versions. ■ CANDY: Opt for dark chocolate, which is high in helpful flavanols. Sources: DJ Blatner, R.D.N., author of The Superfood Swap; Christina Liew-Newville, R.D.N.,…

We’re staring at our devices more than ever, and besides eating up our time, they’re giving off tons of light. Blue light has gotten an especially bad rap, but that’s not quite fair: It’s just one piece of the visible spectrum emitted by tech (and the sun), and invisible UV light is worse. However, blue light is the most intense wavelength we see, and there are legit reasons to shield yourself. A new class of products claims to help. Which are duds, and which are true-blue? BLUE-LIGHT SKINCARE WHAT IT IS: Creams and serums to shield skin from visible light. WHAT WE KNOW: UVA and UVB light are most strongly linked to skin cancer and aging, but visible light can be harmful too; one study found that repeated exposure produced…

ACTIVE 25 MIN. TOTAL 25 MIN. SERVES 4 1 cup all-purpose flour2 tsp baking powder½ tsp ground cinnamon½ tsp kosher salt½ cup 2% milk, at room temp½ cup unsweetened applesauce2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted1 large egg, at room tempCanola oil, for pan1 large apple (we used Gala), peeled and cut into thin rounds, then cored 1. In small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. 2. In medium bowl, whisk together milk, applesauce, butter, and egg. Add dry ingredients to wet ones and mix until just combined. (Batter should be slightly lumpy.) 3. Lightly coat large nonstick skillet with oil and heat on medium. Spoon 3 scant ¼-cupfuls batter into skillet and place 1 apple ring in each, pushing rings in slightly. Cook until bubbles begin to appear…

Watch Their Posture Pets communicate lots of information through their body language, but we’re not great at reading it. “Research has shown that pet owners are not always good at identifying when their dogs are fearful, or misinterpret some of those signals as threats or even happiness,” explains Suzanne Hetts, Ph.D., a certified applied animal behaviorist and the founder of Animal Behavior Associates Inc. A fearful dog or cat may crouch or lean back to look smaller, flattening their ears and tucking their tail. A threatening dog or cat may stand up taller, stare directly at you, and raise the fur on their back as a “back off” sign. By contrast, a dog who wants to play will often “bow,” with their front legs on the ground and their tail…

Why dogs? KC: They’re excellent translational models for the study of aging in people—dogs get most of the same diseases, are genetically diverse, and share our environment. By better understanding how lifestyle and genes impact dog health, we can offer dog owners better guidance to help them make the best care decisions for their dogs. Could we actually slow aging in dogs—or humans? MK: We’ve already identified interventions that slow aging in lab mice, and everything I know about biology makes me believe some of these will have the same effect in dogs and also in people. As part of DAP, we’re studying one such intervention. What stage is the project in now? MK: The DAP Pack has over 30,000 participating dogs, and soon we’ll start separating them into sample…

AURA BORA Check out these sparkling-water flavors: Lemongrass Coconut, Peppermint Watermelon, Lavender Cucumber, Basil Berry, and Cactus Rose. The cans are almost too pretty to recycle! aurabora.com NIXIE Have you tried sparkling iced tea? Choose Peach Black Tea or Pomegranate Green Tea, both organically flavored with no regular or artificial sweeteners. drinknixie.com ELEMENTS If you like a hint of sweetness, Elements is just right, with 4 g of sugar per can—none of it added sugar! Each flavor contains a specific blend of good-for-you adaptogens such as holy basil and ashwagandha. elementsdrinks.com LA CROIX This sparkling-water brand has been around, but fresh flavors are launched regularly, and this summer brings three newcomers: Beach Plum, Black Razzberry, and Guava San Paolo. They’re all free of sweeteners, sodium, and artificial flavors. lacroixwater.com VOLAY…

SERVES 4 1 Squeeze juice from 2 limes and add to blender. Slice 4 scallions, separating white and green portions. Transfer scallion whites to blender; reserve scallion greens. $1.10 2 To blender, add 3 cups fresh corn kernels, two 13.5-oz cans light coconut milk, 4 tsp fish sauce, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, and ¼ tsp kosher salt and puree until smooth. Strain through fine-mesh strainer; discard solids. $5.08 3 Transfer soup to bowls; top with reserved scallion greens and 1 cup fresh cilantro. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve with lime wedges if desired. 22¢ PER SERVING 310 cal, 10 g pro, 38 g carb, 4 g fiber, 12 g sugars (0 g added sugars), 17 g fat (10 g sat fat), 0 mg chol, 650 mg sodium…

1 A Hairy Situation Thankfully you can’t tell, but we’re as hairy as chimps. Like your monkey cousins, you have about 5 million hair follicles, only 100,000 of which are on the scalp. This means most of your body (save your palms, the soles of your feet, and your lips) is covered in hair—it’s just that most of our hairs are so small and colorless that they’re almost invisible. Yet they’re busy trapping warmth for you when you’re cold (hello, goose bumps) and wicking away sweat. The thicker hairs, the ones you can see, have other jobs. For example, your lashes protect your eyes from dust and excess light, while your eyebrows help you communicate confusion or surprise; head hair guards against harmful UV rays and is, of course, available…

IT’S HARD TO GET AWAY FROM SUGAR. Sure it’s in your favorite desserts, but it was also hiding in the ketchup and hot dog buns at yesterday’s barbecue as well as in the dressing of the otherwise healthy salad. In fact, the average American downs about 57 pounds of added sugar every year! That’s concerning, because research shows that consuming too much can up your risk of conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. But sugar provides the fuel your body and brain need to function properly, so we consulted nutritionists to better understand what we’re eating and how we can cut back.…

Because our bodies need glucose, we’re evolutionarily programmed to seek it out. “When sugar hits our tongue, it activates certain taste buds that send a signal up to the brain,” says Nicole Avena, Ph.D., an assistant professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and author of Why Diets Fail: Because You’re Addicted to Sugar. This activates the brain’s reward system: Feel-good dopamine is released and the behavior is reinforced, which makes us want to repeat it (just one more cookie!). Sugar isn’t the only dopamine-producing food, but it’s unique in terms of how the body reacts to it. “Usually when we eat something new and tasty, dopamine is released the first time we taste it,” explains Avena. “This is an evolutionary advantage to help us pay attention to…

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS ■ Examples: acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose Artificial sweeteners are synthetic chemicals that our taste buds perceive as sweet. “They are 200 to 600 times as sweet as sugar,” says Christopher Gardner, Ph.D., a nutrition scientist at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. That means just a tiny amount is needed to sweeten things, so there’s little caloric impact. Unfortunately, research shows a link between artificial sweetener intake and stroke, obesity, and diabetes. “Artificial sweeteners trick the brain into thinking you’ve had sugar, but ultimately your body knows you didn’t, so you’re likely to end up craving more,” says Laura Iu, R.D., a certified intuitive-eating counselor and owner of Laura Iu Nutrition. NATURAL NONNUTRITIVE SUGAR SUBSTITUTES ■ Examples: allulose, monk fruit, stevia, yacon syrup These are also essentially zero-calorie,…

The beefy armed guard at the door of the Church of Entheogenic Plants chuckled at the sight of me, and I guessed what he might be thinking: What’s that 60-something lady doing here? It wouldn’t have been unreasonable to wonder—and not just because everyone else waiting to pass through the metal detector that day last winter was roughly 40 years younger than I. Vice News has called the Oakland, CA, church, also known as Zide Door, America’s “most prominent ‘magic mushroom club,’” implying that its religious decor is a ruse to evade state and federal laws against selling psychedelic drugs. In accepting “contributions” for strains of ’shrooms with names like “Blue Meanies” and “Penis Envy,” Zide Door claims the same exemption that lets the Navajo legally ingest peyote, a traditional…

Calling all “Water is boring” types! We’re here to change your mind about good ol’ H2O, because hydration is about more than alleviating your thirst. “Water is essential for every body function and reaction, from blinking to flexing your biceps,” says Julie Upton, M.S., R.D., cofounder of Appetite for Health Consulting, Inc. “It also helps control your heart rate, liver and kidney function, and overall metabolism.” But drinking for hydration isn’t the only way to go. While you can’t totally ditch what comes from the tap, foods with super-high water content can help you reach your hydration goals. Take a bite out of these picks to augment your daily water intake. CANTALOUPE Melon is so juicy and satisfying because it’s brimming with water. “Cantaloupe is 90% water, and it also…

ODD ONE OUT Which of these doesn’t belong? NEXT, PLEASE! What numbers come next in this sequence? REMEMBER THIS TAKE TWO MINUTES FOR THIS CHALLENGE: WRITE DOWN THE NAMES OF PEOPLE YOU HAVE MET WHOSE LAST NAME STARTS WITH T. SHAPES & NUMBERS If each symbol represents a number in the sums below, then which symbol will make the equation at the bottom correct? ANSWERS: Odd One Out: Shoes; they are the only “pair” that isn’t physically connected. Tell us if you have another idea by emailing letters@prevention.com. Next, Please!: 4, 6. Shapes & Numbers: Circle (circle = 4, triangle = 3, star = 2, square = 1).…