9 natural food frauds Sticking to a diet free of processed ingredients can be challenging. So we pick the seemingly best foods on the shelf—or at least we thought we were. Turns out that some of our favorite “natural” foods aren’t. Here’s what to look out for. The ingredient that hurts your health Triclosan, a germ-killing compound in personal care and household products such as anti-bacterial soaps, toothpaste and bedding, could harm your heart and significantly reduce your muscle strength. The results come from a series of animal studies, but researchers are so alarmed by the findings that they encourage people to steer clear of products with the chemical. Here’s what you need to know. The cure for office body Sitting in a chair all day increases everything from back pain, to your risk of type 2 diabetes and premature death. But the solution is simple: a standing desk. Seeing as most models are expensive, we sought out Kelly Hartshorne, RN, the health and safety services manager at Rodale, Inc (Prevention’s publisher) for DIY tips. Bonus: it’ll be way easier to dance along to Beyonce. The weird way to de-stress One word: relax. Sure, that can seem impossible when you think about your mile-long to-do lists, but it’s not. In fact, this past Wednesday was National Relaxation Day, and we rounded up five weird (but effective!) ways to reduce stress and anxiety. Didn’t know that there was a day dedicated to relaxation? Don’t fret: these ideas are good all year round. How to get over a fat day Ah, fat days. We all have them, and, as it turns out, those reality TV marathons and comfort food we indulge in to feel better aren’t doing us any favors. Why? Because it’s all in our head. In fact, Norwegian researchers reveal in a new study that feeling “fat” is a self-fulfilling prophecy. This means in order to stop feeling that way, we have to think thin. And if you need help in that department, we’ve totally got you covered with these 10 tricks.
