Preventionの July 2024 の目次

GET OUT YOUR PENCIL! Going on vacation is one of life’s great pleasures—and science says it’s good for our health. Studies show that taking time off has a positive effect on a person’s mental state (more energy, less stress) and creativity, and simply having a vacay, staycation, or long weekend to look forward to contributes to overall well-being. Also, traveling boosts the brain because new experiences support cognitive function and neuroplasticity, studies indicate. What time-off excursions do you have coming up? WRITE DOWN AN UPCOMING VACATION OR BUCKET-LIST TRIP, THEN DAYDREAM TO REAP THAT “ANTICIPATION” MOOD BOOST.…

■ Hunched sitting and slouchy walking don’t just make you look sloppy: Poor posture can slow blood circulation and cause pain or creakiness. It may also be linked to chronic fatigue. Grab a pal and see where you stand by doing this posture test: GIVE IT A TRY! 1 Stand a wall with your heels planted six inches away from it and the back of your head touching the wall. Be sure your buttocks and both shoulder blades also make contact with the wall. 2 Have 2 someone measure the space between your neck and the wall and also the distance between the wall and the small of your back. The Results ■ If both measurements are two inches or less, your posture is great! Gaps greater than two inches suggest your…

WHEN YOU WAKE UP and can’t even swivel to look at the alarm clock, you know something is wrong. Unlike neck pain caused by nerve damage, which feels sharp and achy, a stiff neck is reduced mobility caused by muscle strain, says Toronto osteopath Liza Egbogah, D.C. WHAT CAUSES THE CRICK? ■ In addition to injuries and arthritis, these lifestyle factors can be culprits: STRESS: “We tend to store a lot of tension in the neck and shoulders,” says Egbogah. “This muscle tension can cause the neck to stiffen up.” PHONE USE: “It is amazing how often we see stiff necks caused by chronic forward head-leaning for texting,” says New York City chiropractor Karen Erickson, D.C. Cradling your phone between your ear and your shoulder can also cause stiffness and…

Whether you’re conquering an intense workout or spending hours outside in the garden, keeping cool in the heat is essential. Cooling towels to the rescue! “Unlike regular towels, cooling towels are designed to offer immediate relief,” says Katie Corio, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and the owner of Corio Fit. “They bring a cooling sensation to your skin, helping you stay comfortable and avoid overheating.” This makes them especially useful in reducing the risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. To use a cooling towel, just wet it with water, wring it out, and snap it a few times. Then apply the towel anywhere on your body that’s in need of relief (around your neck is ideal for full-body cooling). “When the cooling towel is placed on your skin, it…

IBD: Often confused with IBS, IBD stands for “inflammatory bowel disease,” and it includes two conditions characterized by chronic inflammation of the GI tract: Crohn’s disease (which can affect any part of the GI tract but most often affects the portion of the small intestine above the colon) and ulcerative colitis (this involves inflammation and sores along the lining of the colon and the rectum). ▶ SYMPTOMS: Persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloody stool, weight loss, fatigue ▶ TREATMENTS: Medications to reduce inflammation or suppress the immune response; in some cases, surgery to remove damaged tissue may be recommended. Celiac: With this autoimmune disease, the body reacts to the ingestion of gluten (the protein in wheat, barley, and rye) by attacking the lining of the small intestine. This can prevent the…

MYTH : 1 Beer before liquor, never been sicker. MYTHBUSTER No matter how catchy the rhyme, it’s the quantity you drink—and how fast you drink it—that matters, not the order of consumption, says Keri Peterson, M.D., an internist with a private practice in New York City. Any “standard drink”—whether it is 12 oz of beer, a 5-oz glass of wine, or 1.5 oz of liquor—contains about the same amount of alcohol. It is true, though, that lighter-colored alcoholic beverages may lead to fewer hangovers, as they contain fewer congeners (compounds that research shows contribute to hangovers). But as anybody who’s had one too many G&Ts can attest, “drinking too many alcoholic beverages of any color will still leave you feeling hungover,” says Dr. Peterson, whether you start with spirits and…

MY NIPPLES ARE LEAKING, AND I’M NOT NURSING. “Galactorrhea” may sound like a cool sci-fi show, but it’s actually the term for leaking of the nipples that’s not due to pregnancy or breastfeeding. The condition is usually related to an overproduction of prolactin, the hormone that causes breasts to produce milk. Because prolactin is created by the brain’s pituitary gland, leaky nipples may indicate a tumor in the area (usually a benign one), but such leaks can also be caused by medications such as birth control and antidepressants, by certain herbal supplements, or by overstimulation of the nipples or the breasts. Typically galactorrhea goes away without treatment, but if leaking persists for more than a few days or if discharge from your nipples is bloody or dark yellow, tell your…

When I was in high school, I was into everything: musicals, soccer, cross-country. I always sprinted hard toward big goals—that was one of my superpowers. But I would quickly burn out and have to miss weeks of school to recover. During my final year, I was up for a big scholarship, and when I didn’t get it, I was incredibly hard on myself. I missed a lot of school and struggled to turn in any work. That’s when my doctor diagnosed me with depression and put me on an antidepressant. A MANIC EPISODE But the medication caused an intense shift in my personality: I went from super-depressed to super-manic. I did dangerous things like jumping out of a 40-foot tree into a lake despite being afraid of heights. When you’re…

You’re standing outside your office building on a sweltering summer day when someone passes you a little too closely. It’s not a big deal but, sweating and uncomfortable, you suddenly feel like screaming “Watch where you’re going, #%*!” But they’re already down the block, so you stand there steaming, literally and figuratively. How unlike you! Yes, well, what you’re like—what we’re all like—may be shifting because of climate change. There’s been a lot of attention devoted to how a warming world affects our physical health, from additional heart and lung disease to increases in waterborne illnesses, ragweed allergies, and more. But less has been paid to the way climate change alters the mind. In fact, with temperatures and other climate effects continuing to rise, more people will find themselves suffering…

ACTIVE 5 MIN. TOTAL 5 MIN. SERVES 2 1 bunch spinach, thick stems discarded (about 4 cups)3 large ripe kiwis (about 10 oz), peeled, plus 2 extra slices, for garnish1 cup ice¼ large Hass avocado⅛ tsp kosher salt2 scoops collagen powder (optional)½ to 1 tsp lime zest (optional) In blender, combine spinach, kiwis, ice, avocado, salt, and 1 cup water with collagen powder and lime zest (if using). Puree on high until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses and garnish with kiwi slices if desired. PER SERVING About 130 cal, 5.5 g fat (0.5 g sat), 0 mg chol, 173 mg sodium, 21 g carb, 7 g fiber, 10 g sugar (0 g added sugar), 4 g pro…

1 Which is not a symptom of acute dehydration? A Fatigue B Dizziness C Dry skin D Headache 2 Only liquids (not foods) count toward your daily H₂O intake. A True B False 3 Which factor doesn’t impact your need for hydration? A How many hours you sleep B Climate C Your exercise habits D Medication 4 What percentage of a woman’s body is water? A 50% B 55% C 60% D 75% 5 How much water should you strive to drink each day? A 8 glasses B 2 liters C 72 oz D It depends ANSWERS 1 IT’S TRUE THAT DEHY-DRATION can mess with skin’s appearance and quality, but this is usually after someone is underhydrated over a long period. When you’re acutely dehydrated (a.k.a. in the moment), you may experience clues such as dizziness, headache, fatigue, and darker urine. Signs that you…

■ These lifestyle tricks from the American Academy of Ophthalmology can help keep eyestrain and dry eye at bay. TAKE BLINK BREAKS. We blink less when using digital devices, and that’s a problem when it comes to dry eye because blinking lubricates our peepers. Employ the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, shift your eyes to look at an object 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. ADJUST YOUR COMPUTER SETUP. Experts say to sit about 25 inches (about arm’s length) from the screen and to position the monitor or laptop so your eyes gaze slightly downward instead of straight ahead or up. Match your screen brightness to the light around you to reduce eyestrain; you can also increase the contrast to reduce symptoms like headache and dry eye. TRY…

SUPPLEMENTS CONTAINING PREBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS, AND POSTBIOTICS are very hot, but the truth is, these nutrients and micro-organisms are available through a wellrounded diet. Here’s what each P does for your gut. PROBIOTICS ■ These good-for-you live microorganisms, such as bacteria and yeast, live peacefully in your body, providing numerous health benefits and protecting you against other more harmful organisms. You can increase the ratio of good to bad bacteria through food (and supplements, if needed). ▶ HEALTH BENEFITS: Decades of research indicate that certain probiotics may ease constipation, prevent traveler’s diarrhea, and relieve IBS and ulcerative colitis symptoms. They may also help with atopic dermatitis, high choles terol, and gum disease. But though there are many different kinds of probiotics, they’re not interchangeable: These microbes are strain-specific, meaning each type…

Even though I’ve dyed my hair for years, I think gray looks gorgeous on others. Some of my favorite Jones Road models are completely gray, and I love the way they embrace it. With any hair color change, you’ll want to adjust your makeup. Whether you’re letting dark hair grow out to its natural silver hue or finding a few lighter strands for the first time, tweaking your products will help you avoid a washed-out complexion (which can happen with grays!). The best way to do this is to emphasize and define your features by incorporating color. But first, replenish moisture that is lost with age by applying moisturizer: This will plump skin so makeup won’t settle into fine lines. And always protect with SPF—it’s never too late to add…

Pilates is known for strengthening and toning, but many of the exercises will also give you a good stretch. You’ll bend and twist and reach for your toes while sculpting lean muscle. In fact, research has shown that people who do Pilates just three times a week have increased hamstring flexibility, which is especially important to avoid injury from walking or running. Better flexibility can reduce your risk of injury in general by relieving stiff muscles, thereby allowing you to move with more control. But today we’re all about the ways in which stretching can lower your stress levels. Not only is physical activity a proven stress reliever and mood booster, but deep belly breaths, which you’ll take while performing the moves on these pages, trigger physiological responses that have…

We know, we know: Sunscreen is essential, and one in five people will develop skin cancer by the age of 70. “Just one sunburn can increase the risk of skin cancer, and cumulative exposure to the sun, even without getting a sunburn, also contributes to that risk,” explains Marisa Garshick, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. In fact, having gotten five or more sunburns doubles your chances of developing melanoma, a particularly dangerous form of the disease that’s likely to grow and spread. Even when you don’t get burned, and even when it’s cloudy or rainy, the sun still does damage, including contributing to fine lines and wrinkles, says Mona Gohara, M.D., an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine. But none of us is…

HEADS UP, OUTDOOR MARKET FANS! The wait is over—summertime means local farmstands are piled high with a huge array of fruits and veggies for the next few months. And don’t be shy when loading up your tote—seasonal produce is at peak flavor and nutrition, so now is the time to enjoy your faves at their prime, says Jaclyn London, R.D., nutrition consultant, podcast host, and author of Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked): “Eating locally also allows you to explore the nuances in taste and nutritional density that are unique to your location. Plus, there’s so much joy in discovering what’s new and fresh each week—and it’s a great activity to do while traveling too.” Next time you’re perusing, chat up farmers or whoever is manning the various…

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