Inhaltsverzeichnis für August 2023 in Prevention

WE’RE MORE THAN halfway through The Year of Making Noise here at Prevention. That’s the name of our series of special reports about health and health care issues that are too easily overlooked. I’m proud of the stories we’ve done. We’ve covered how menopause needs to be taken more seriously in the workplace, why it’s so problematic that clinical trials include mainly white people, and barriers to mental health care. We’ve talked about cancer, invisible disabilities, and sexual trauma. (You can find these stories at prevention.com/making-noise.) All these articles have highlighted gaps in our medical system and how they affect people across the country. This month’s Making Noise story does that too, but in an area that I know is fraught: reproductive health. Specifically, we’re looking at how reproductive health…

Cutting back on the amount of fresh food that gets tossed and sent to landfills is going high-tech. Now you can find mobile apps that help you rescue food that would normally be thrown out by grocery stores or restaurants. Flashfood is a platform that uses your zip code to match you with meat, dairy, produce, and other products that are nearing their “best by” dates but still perfectly edible; once you fill a bag, just pay using a credit card or SNAP EBT and head to the store to pick up your packed bag. Too Good to Go is a similar app, except that it is more focused on eateries aiming to sell leftover food at a seriously discounted price—claim a “surprise bag” from your favorite spot and have…

Just like us, pets can end up with minor cuts and tummy troubles that can be dealt with using basic first aid skills, says Alejandro Caos, D.V.M., of The Vets mobile team. CUTS, SCRAPES, OR BREAKS Clean the area with a mild antiseptic, then apply antibiotic ointment to head off infection. If it’s bleeding, apply pressure, and if the cut looks deep or you notice signs of infection like redness, swelling, discharge, or foul odor or if your pet’s in pain, call the vet. If you cut their nails too short and they bleed, stay calm and apply gentle pressure to stop the bleeding. You can dip the affected nail into a little styptic powder or cornstarch to help with clotting. This goes for species like guinea pigs, rabbits, and…

1 Stand with feet about hip-width apart, arms hanging straight down at your sides.2 Cross your right foot behind your left one; just the toes of your right foot should be pressed against the ground. Bring your hands up to rest on your hips.3 Sink into a lunge; go as deep as you can and hover for a few seconds with your bent knee a couple of inches off the ground.4 Return to starting position, then repeat on the opposite side.5 Do 10 to 20 curtsy lunges on each side.…

As warmer months arrive, so do a host of beauty issues. “The increased heat, humidity, and UV exposure during the summer months can impact both the skin and the hair,” explains Marisa Garshick, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Cornell University. Heat and UV rays are stronger in the summer, leading to dry skin and hair; meanwhile, humidity causes frizzy strands and oily faces. And then there are the bugs! Here’s how to combat all these summer beauty issues. SUNBURN With the extra time outdoors and the sun’s direct rays, a particular danger of summer is UV exposure, which can damage skin cells. Think painful, stinging burns in the short term and increased risk of skin cancer later. “I do…

One morning around 20 years ago, in my second year of teaching, I woke up feeling sick. I was about to call in and ask for a sub when I had this overwhelming sense of dizziness. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor. My then-husband told me that I’d had a seizure and he’d called 911. Apparently my arms and legs had been moving, but I had been passed out the whole time. I was so scared—I’d had no awareness that any of this had happened. At the hospital, the doctors examined me and said I was fine. They thought I’d had the seizure because I was sick with a flu or other virus (given that I was teaching second graders at the time, there was always…

VOTE! Elected offcials at the state and federal levels are the ones passing abortion bans and appointing anti-choice judges to courts. Local officials also play a role via ordinances that ensure buffer zones protecting clinics. The most important way to impact what’s happening is to always go to the polls (and bring your friends) and treat abortion rights as your main priority. VOLUNTEER! Local clinics are under siege, says Gavin of A Woman’s Choice. Ask one near you how you can support it, whether by escorting patients through the gauntlet of protesters at its door or by sending staffers lunch so they know they’re not alone. GIVE! Traveling out of state for a procedure is costly—an average of $2,500 for a person inTexas. Donate to the National Network of Abortion Funds…

ACTIVE 20 MIN. TOTAL 20 MIN. SERVES 4 1 cup bulgur3 oz pea shoots (4 cups)1 ½ Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil1 Tbsp fish sauce3 scallions, thinly sliced, divided2 tsp avocado oil6 large eggs, beaten¼ cup unsalted roasted peanuts, crushed Lime wedges, for serving 1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in large saucepan. Stir in bulgur and simmer, covered, until nearly tender, 9 min. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 3 min. 2. Meanwhile, roughly chop two-thirds of pea shoots from stem ends, leaving more tender tops intact. Fluff bulgur with fork and fold in coconut oil, fish sauce, chopped pea shoots, and half of scallions. Divide among 4 shallow bowls. 3. Heat avocado oil in large nonstick skillet on medium. Add eggs and scramble to desired…

Ice cream on a hot day: such a treat, and it’s even cooler when it makes both your gut and your taste buds happy! Alec’s Ice Cream churns out its tubs using milk from 100% grass-fed heritage cows that is naturally free from a type of protein known for causing tummy troubles, meaning some people with lactose sensitivity (not full-blown intolerance) can enjoy a bowl or a cone without cramping and bloating. Every flavor is deliciously unique, but standouts include Honey Blueberry Lavender, Matcha Chocolate Chip, and Peanut Butter Fudge Honeycomb. Find your future faves at Whole Foods or order from alecsicecream.com.…

SERVES 4 1 Finely grate zest of 1 lime into large bowl, then squeeze in lime juice from this and 2 more limes (¼ cup total). Whisk in ¾ cup light coconut milk and 1 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce. $1.86 2 Stir in 2 cloves garlic, one 1-in. piece fresh ginger, and ½ red chile (all finely grated) along with ½ cup cilantro (finely chopped) and 2 scallion whites (thinly sliced). 56¢ 3 Using spiralizer fitted with finest noodle blade, spiralize 1 large carrot (at least 1½in. in diameter), then use larger blade to spiralize 2 medium zucchini (12 oz to 14 oz total). Toss voodles in coconut milk mixture; let sit 10 min. $1.26 4 Fold 1 red pepper (thinly sliced); 1 lb cooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp; and 1…

Since 2019, we’ve been hosting a virtual walk, in which the walking is real and the community is everywhere. It’s an incredible way to make a commitment to your health, meet a goal that feels great, and join a group of people across the country who love walking too. This year one of those people is Denise Austin, fitness icon and walking devotee. “I love to walk because it’s so great for you all around! I love to walk with my sisters, my girlfriends, or my daughters. Getting in a workout and quality time is a win-win!” she says. She has even created a terrific six-week plan to get you ready for your personal 5K. Here’s how the Walk for Wellness works: YOU’RE IN CHARGE: We call our event a…

About 3.4 million adults and children in the U.S. have epilepsy, a chronic condition that causes recurring, unprovoked seizures. Asynchronous activity in the brain results in physical manifestations that can include involuntary movements, “spacing out,” or full-body convulsions. “Many other things can cause seizures, including alcohol, drugs, an infection, or electrolyte imbalances,” explains Pooja Patel, M.D., a neurologist at Marcus Neuroscience Institute, part of Baptist Health in Boca Raton, FL. “But when someone has two seizures with no known cause, it may be diagnosed as epilepsy.” Sometimes epilepsy can be traced to genetics or a brain injury, but in many cases there’s no known cause. Stress can trigger seizures in someone who has epilepsy, as well as lack of sleep, flashing lights, and the menstrual cycle. While researchers are…

1 MYTH: You can tell when someone has had fillers or Botox. MYTHBUSTER Ideally, all injectables should be used evenly and conservatively, in a way only you would notice, says plastic surgeon David Shafer, M.D., of Shafer Clinic in NewYork City. A gradual approach is especially key when you’re first starting out. You could try a small amount of filler to see if you like the effect, says Konstantin Vasyukevich, M.D., a facial plastic surgeon in NewYork City. If you want more, you can get it at a future session. With neurotoxin treatments like Botox and Dysport, which paralyze muscles to smooth out wrinkles, your goal should be “relaxing the muscles as opposed to freezing every movement,” he adds. It’s best to choose a board certified doctor or nurse with deep…

THE MAPLE SYRUP CLEANSE For 10 to 40 frightening days, you are commanded to ingest nothing but six to 12 glasses of a mixture of maple syrup, cayenne pepper, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and spring water. This cleanse’s purported purpose is to remove heavy metals and excess candida from your body. (Spoiler alert: Drinking this concoction won’t do what is claimed, so spare yourself the stomach upset.) THE ARMPIT DETOX This hot trend involves applying a homemade mask of apple cider vinegar, baking soda, charcoal, and cornstarch to your armpits for 15 minutes. It supposedly draws toxins out of skin and sweat glands and, as a bonus, stops body odor. The problem isn’t that these ingredients are dangerous (the worst risk is potential skin irritation) but that this doesn’t work…

For those of us who grew up learning that bacteria cause disease and decay, the idea of probiotics can be a little hard to…um…swallow. But the fact is that these “good bacteria” have positive impacts on our health literally from head to toe. Here’s a look at just a few of the head-to-toe benefits you may experience while taking a supplement, such as the probiotics from Solgar. BRAIN Research shows that probiotics may promote brain health, boost mood, and lower the effects of stress. IMMUNE SYSTEM Research shows that some species of Lactobacilllus can exert beneficial effects on the respiratory system and may help alleviate symptoms of certain respiratory diseases. DIGESTION Strains of good bacteria have been shown to aid in healthy digestion and regular bowel movements, among other benefits.…

PREP EXTRA MARINADE “Make more marinade than you need, then use the surplus to dress veggies. They’ll have similar flavor notes to your meat and seafood,” Blatner says. Save marinade in the fridge or freezer, then brush it on thick slices of cauliflower, broccoli, or cabbage to grill along-side your steak, chicken, or tofu. MAKE VEGGIE RICE No, we don’t mean ditching the grain for rice made solely of cauliflower. “When you cook white or brown rice, mix in riced veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots,” Blatner suggests. “You can find riced veggies in the fresh or frozen section or pulse your own in a food processor.” Add even more flavor by stirring in aromatics like garlic and minced onion or chopped herbs, or cook it all in your go-to…

THEY SAY THE BEST JOB is one that doesn’t feel like work, right? For Zack DiCristino, P.T., medical manager for USA Climbing and physical therapist for the national team, climbing is a form of exercise that’s so fun it doesn’t feel like a workout. “It’s quite a blend of fitness and physicality,” he says. “It’s a full-body workout, but there’s never-ending learning in terms of technique and strategy.” WHEN YOU WATCH SOMEONE scale a rock face, it’s easy to think of the physical feat and forget about the cognitive power it takes to get to the top. “They call some of the routes ‘problems,’ which are basically sequences of movements,” says DiCristino. “It’s a bit of a puzzle, especially if you’ve never done that route or that climb.” In fact, most gyms…

There’s a good chance that your otherwise fabulous doctor who’s helping to keep you healthy has never addressed your ability to have satisfying sex. In defense of your doctor, this topic is barely mentioned in medical school, completely passed over during residency, and never part of specialty training. I can help: One of my areas of expertise is the impact of medical conditions on the ability to have pain-free and pleasurable sexual activity. Virtually every medical condition can be accompanied by fatigue, anxiety, pain, or insomnia—all of which have an impact on libido. But some conditions are associated with specific challenges. Anything that alters hormones—such as hypothyroidism, diabetes, and of course menopause—can be problematic. A medical condition that compromises blood flow can have an impact on vaginal health, arousal, and…

“I PUT OFF MY COLONOSCOPY FOR MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER MY DOCTOR RECOMMENDED IT—I WAS REALLY WORRIED ABOUT HOW I WOULD HANDLE THE PREP.”—MARISA, 55 Colon cancer is on the rise for people under 50, and the best way to discover it early is with a colonoscopy. With that in mind, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently updated its recommendations: Now your first screening should be at age 45. Still, studies show that about half of all people have moderate to severe anxiety about the procedure, in which a long, flexible tube with a camera is inserted into the rectum so a doctor can look for potentially cancerous growths in the colon. Colonoscopy fears range from worries about sedation to the dread of a cancer diagnosis, says Loren…

Lyme disease (mostly in the Northeast and the upper Midwest) and alpha-gal syndrome are just two conditions that can result from tick bites. Here’s what to look for in three other tick-spread illnesses. ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER can occur across the U.S., with most cases reported in North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Look for fever, headache, nausea, rash, and loss of appetite. EHRLICHIOSIS is found mostly in southeastern and south central states; it can be fatal for those under 10 and the elderly. See a doctor ASAP if you have a severe headache or confusion. BABESIOSIS is mainly in the upper Midwest and Northeast, especially NewYork. See an M.D. if a bite leads to fever, chills, sweats, or abdominal pain—and if you are elderly or have a weakened immune…

JICAMA Reach for this high-fiber root vegetable when you need a hit of immunity-boosting vitamin C. To make prep simple, buy thinly sliced precut jicama wraps. RED CABBAGE One leaf of this cruciferous veggie serves up potassium, which regulates fluids in your cells to maintain their structure, as well as magnesium, a vital mineral that helps your body absorb potassium. EGGS These protein-rich wraps contain both vitamin B12 and folate, which can work together to help improve mood. NORI The savory and slightly briny sheets are rich in a host of minerals, including magnesium, which is important for muscle contraction and relaxation—key for keeping your heartbeat regular. RICE PAPER Typically made with a combination of rice and tapioca flours, this gluten-free pick offers a surprising dose of iron, which can help…