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Daily exercise reduces your risk for heart failure by a whopping 46%, according to a big new study published in the journal Circulation. From 1997 to 2010, Swedish researchers tracked the exercise habits and heart failure rates of nearly 40,000 adults (all of whom were healthy at the outset). The more active folks were, the lower their risk of heart failure. And while any amount of exercise was better than none, those with the lowest heart failure risk did either 60 minutes of moderate activity (e....

Anyone living with diabetes is all too familiar with the first order of business at every doctor’s appointment: Take off your shoes. That’s because diabetes-related nerve and blood vessel damage can lead to poor circulation and a loss of sensation in the feet. Patients might not feel a blister or sore, and are also more susceptible to calluses and ulcers, which can cause infection if they go untreated. Now, one personal care company might help: Naterra recently announced the launch of Phase+, a skin care line specifically for diabetics....

A: This very common complaint has several explanations, but first you need to understand what causes bruising. Bruises are the result of any trauma that damages the network of very tiny blood vessels, known as capillaries, just below the surface of your skin. When these capillaries break, blood leaks into the soft tissues under your skin, creating dark purplish marks. As we age, we bruise more easily because our capillaries become more fragile and our skin and underlying connective tissue get thinner and provide less protection....

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Patients with emphysema have difficulty exhaling because their damaged lungs trap air and can’t exchange the old air for fresh air. While there is no cure for emphysema, there are plenty of steps you can take to ease emphysema symptoms, prevent progression of the disease, and enjoy life. Here’s how to save your energy for the things you really want to do. Stay Away From Smoking People with emphysema need to be especially aware of airborne irritants that will only make matters worse....

If opting for a fresh Christmas tree over a fake one is a no-brainer in your mind, you’re at odds with a majority of the public: Approximately 60 percent of Americans set up fake trees for the holidays, according to a 2004 poll by ABC News and The Washington Post. But – popularity aside – which is the healthier, more eco-friendly choice?Fresh Christmas TreesPros: Few Christmas trees come from forests anymore....

Ready to roll back the years? Our age-defying plan includes all the elements you need to get slimmer and feel younger—total-body strength, high-energy cardio, and stress-busting yoga. To improve results, we’ve also identified our favorite foods that fight fat and fend off age-related ills. Try our plan for 8 weeks and you’ll drop up to two dress sizes while boosting your health. The Program At a Glance Here’s what a week’s worth of workouts* would look like....

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Since then, I’ve reduced my consumption of animal products (much less meat and dairy) and virtually eliminated processed foods (almost no snack or junk foods at all, and no white pasta, bread, and so on during the day—I splurge at dinnertime). I eat mostly what I refer to as plants—beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. I’ve lost weight (35 pounds, to be exact), my cholesterol has dropped from 240 to 180, I sleep better, and I’m happier....

Finally, if you’re still in a diet-busting state of mind, head outdoors for a quick, fun workout such as inline skating, jogging, or tennis. Even a brief walk will burn off some of yesterday’s calories and renew your positive energy so you’ll forget that you ever considered burying your sorrows in Oreos. More from Prevention: Your 3-Day Diet Recovery

“Of course not!” I answered slowly. “I didn’t do anything. I just woke up and couldn’t talk.” But my mind was chattering faster than ever. “What if it’s a brain tumor? Did I have a stroke? But I’m only 32!” Tests did nothing to allay my fears. Doctors appeared to be stumped by my symptoms. “Possible multiple sclerosis,” said a neurologist, who later ruled it out. “Have you traveled recently to a foreign country?...

Here’s the big not-so-secret: It’s all in the seasoning. As simple as it sounds, when 150 people were given three different types of a meatloaf and veggie dish—a regular full-fat version, a reduced-fat version, and a reduced-fat version flavored with herbs and spices—they rated the spiced, less fatty meal as the most delicious of the three. The idea is to “fill in the taste gap” made by removing fat, which is a natural carrier of flavors, says John Peters, PhD, a professor of medicine at the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado, Denver....

Researchers looked at over 100 hair dyes and found that phenylenediamine (PPD), which can cause allergic contact dermatitis, was present in 89% of products. “There’s no real reason your body should identify PPD as a pathogen, but sometimes, it does. So it activates an immune response that results in a rash,” says Dathan Hamann, a researcher at the University of Arizona who presented the study. But it’s not just PPD that could be making you itch: researchers found that hair dyes have an average of six dye compounds that can cause a reaction....

Before migraine sufferers pop the champagne, you should know that by “medical device”, they mean a plastic headband worn across the forehead and over the ears. It connects to a self-adhesive electrode that, when positioned correctly in the center of your forehead just above your eyebrows, delivers a low-voltage electromagnetic current to the trigeminal nerve, a cranial nerve associated with migraine pain. Once you’ve applied your electrode and snapped in your headband, you can choose from one of three programs: a 20-minute prevention session that you should do every day to prevent the onset of migraine pain, a crisis session, and an anti-stress session....

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 secret to living longer? Start enjoying life now, according to a new British study that suggests that enjoying life can actually prevent illness and death. Researchers found that out of 10,000 Brits age 50 and older, the unhappiest people—those who ranked in the bottom third for life enjoyment—were three times more likely to die earlier than the happiest people. (Steal these five daily habits of happy women.) Good Cholesterol News For A Change [Time] When it comes to lowering cholesterol, Americans seem to be getting the message....

I have to admit that I used to be a skeptic about organic food. Recently, I had a change of heart. First I read Maria Rodale’s book Organic Manifesto: How Organic Food Can Heal Our Planet, Feed the World, and Keep Us Safe, which gave me a new appreciation for organic food. (In addition to being the author of the book, Maria is chairman and CEO of Rodale Inc., which publishes Prevention....

Get a biennial Pap test and mammogram. Both tests cost $50 to $200 without insurance, but it costs about $2,300 out-of-pocket annually to treat breast cancer, even with health care coverage–and late-stage cancer costs much more than early-stage. Get a free or low-cost Pap at Planned Parenthood and a mammogram at a mobile mammography van. Take your meds as prescribed. Financial worries, like any other stressor, can impair your health, so if you have a chronic condition, don’t risk aggravating it by cutting back on medication....

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