Blueberries. This super fruit is known for its high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. The powerful berry has also been linked to slowing the aging process, reducing the risk of diabetes, lowering cholesterol and even improving urinary health and vision. Pesticides are easily absorbed by blueberries so buy organic to ensure you reap all the benefits without any exposure to chemicals. More on FoxNews: Whole Fruit Deters Diabetes, While Juice Boosts Risk, Study Finds Wild salmon and fatty fish....

Dermatologists are like health detectives. One look at the outside can give them important information about what’s bubbling up on the inside. “The skin can be a good reflection of the overall health of the body,” says Marisa Potter, MD, a board certified dermatologist at Baumann Cosmetic & Research Institute in Miami, FL. Changes in your skin could be indicative of something as innocent as needing more sleep or an extra layer of moisturizer, but in the event it’s something more, you need to know....

Slip into a calming bath Your mom was onto something with her post-poison ivy Rx. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, oatmeal soaks can help normalize skin’s pH levels, relieving itchy, dry skin. “Oatmeal baths are great for persistent eczema, contact dermatitis, and other rashes,” says Jessica Hayman, ND, a naturopathic doctor in Sedona, Arizona. But you don’t need a rash to benefit—oatmeal soaks moisturize and soften skin, minus harsh additives and drying chemicals in many bath products....

One of the major differences between sea salt and ordinary salt is the mineral content: Sea salt is laden with minerals, including magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium, all of which play a key role in our skin’s health, function, and cellular communication. When your skin’s mineral balance is off-kilter, symptoms such as dryness, dullness, irritation, and blotchiness ensue, especially as the colder, dryer weather sets in. Bringing sea salt from the kitchen into your beauty routine can help balance and improve hydration, strengthen the protective barrier of our skin, and kick-start the cell-to-cell communication signals that slow down with age....

In her new podcast, “Where Should We Begin?”, psychotherapist Esther Perel invites listeners to eavesdrop on real, raw sessions she’s held with couples, who open up about their most intimate realities, from infidelity to child rearing to waning sexual desire. Some patients’ names are removed, but their voices and stories (with permission, of course) are their own. (Want to pick up some healthier habits? Sign up to get healthy living tips, weight loss inspiration, slimming recipes and more delivered straight to your inbox!...

A new study from the Penn State College of Medicine found that foods high in fat were associated with daytime sleepiness, while high-carb foods helped subjects stay alert for longer. So does that mean you get free reign to keep a box of Lucky Charms at your desk and go for the lo mein at lunchtime? Not exactly. Nutritionist and Prevention advisor Ashley Koff, RD, has the scoop on nutrient-balanced meals and snacks that will keep you up and alert throughout the workday—without any spikes or crashes....

The problem is, labels can be misleading. You’d need several pairs of hands to count the number of “100% Natural” claims you see in just one aisle of the supermarket. But that’s not because food manufacturers have suddenly gone on a health kick. Nope, it’s because neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nor the Federal Trade Commission have a strict definition for the term; the FDA says it “has not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances....

CarrotsCooked: Eating raw carrots every day for 4 weeks barely affected blood beta-carotene levels, one study found. But eaters of canned carrots had levels three times as high, because cooking skyrockets the body’s ability to extract beta-carotene.Raw: Cooking carrots may destroy some of their polyphenols—plant-derived antioxidants that can’t withstand heat. KaleCooked: Kale is high in beta-carotene, so cooking gives the nutrient a boost. Steaming especially improves its ability to bind bile acid—linked to lowering cholesterol—much more than in its raw state, found one study....

But the person who drinks almond milk is an “ignorant hipster,” apparently. That’s what Mother Jones’s Tom Philpott called me and my almond-drinking ilk in a recent editorial. Truthfully, on some level, I agree with him. Almond milk is, as he notes, relatively devoid of protein and has to be fortified with vitamins and minerals to meet its label claims. It’s also an eco-wasteful, water-intensive product, consuming 1.1 gallons of water per almond, according to Philpott and Mother Jones....

The Anti-Aging Cut: Long Layers “One haircut? ARE YOU KIDDING?! My hair is back to its health from my mid-30s.” –Alexandra Jamieson, 40, holistic chef and functional nutrition coach Why it chops off the years: Serious hair loss is determined by a genetic lottery, but hair thins for nearly all of us after 40. Long layers make up for lost density by adding volume at the crown and sides of your head, says Eva Scrivo, owner of Eva Scrivo Salons, where the youth-boosting cuts in this story were done....

You don’t have to devote too much time to stretching; in fact, all you need are a few minutes before bed to make your body that much healthier. Besides increasing your muscles’ strength and flexibility, these stretches will relax your body and help you get ready for quality sleep. 5 Evening Habits That Are Affecting Your Sleep Almost anyone, from runners to office workers, can benefit from stretching out tight hips....

A million things can go through your head when you get the results of a biopsy from your doc. But asking if the results belong to you probably isn’t one of them—though new research suggests that maybe it should be. Turns out getting someone else’s results isn’t exactly rare. After a biopsy is collected at a doctor’s office, it goes through several steps. The biopsy is transported to a pathology lab, processed, turned into a glass slide, and then delivered to a pathologist who writes up a report....

The verdict? Women who took black cohosh showed nearly four times as many markers of bone growth at the end of the 12-week study as those in the other two groups. Future studies will examine the effects of long-term use. Though these results are promising, make sure you don’t overdo it (in the study, the women took the equivalent of 20 mg twice daily). British researchers have noted a rare link to liver injury in some takers....

Is This The Future Of Antibiotics? [CBS News] Health experts are growing increasingly concerned about the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance, warning that dangerous microorganisms are quickly becoming immune to the effects of common medications. Now, one team of scientists have an unusual solution: Giant pandas. A group of investigators have isolated a compound in the bloodstream of the adorable animals that they suspect is capable of rapidly killing bacteria, including drug-resistant strains....

For home testing, the easiest method is a body composition scale that uses a low-level electrical current (you won’t feel a thing) to determine body fat; try out . Accuracy can vary, so don’t obsess over the number; instead, test yourself once a month and focus on changes. If your body fat is too high and you start eating right and exercising, you should see that number go down. Time of day, hydration level, menstrual cycle, eating, and exercising can all affect the measurement, so for the most accurate results, test yourself under the same circumstances, such as in the morning, before breakfast or exercise, and not during your period....

[sidebar] The only problem: Many women don’t go in for their initial evaluation. “Once you hit menopause or go 6-12 months without a menstrual cycle, every woman should go get a bone density test,” says Felicia Cosman, MD, Senior Clinical Director of the National Osteoporosis Foundation. But many women neglect to do just that. In fact, a 2008 study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that only 30% of women in their mid-sixties had undergone a bone scan....