MY STORY When I was growing up, the family dinner was meat and potatoes. Though I was never an athletic girl, I was active, and that, combined with my youthful metabolism, kept my weight in check at 120 pounds–until I grew up and got married. My husband, George, and I continued to eat heavy, high-fat dinners–including take-out fried chicken and pizza accompanied by lots of beer! After 15 years, George had put on 20 pounds, but I’d gained 85....
The answer is not good fortune. Psychologists have known for decades that even winning the lottery won’t make a person happier over the long haul. People simply adapt. Think of what happened when you got your last raise: Odds are, you felt great for the first few paychecks but soon adjusted to it, and now you may be back to feeling underpaid. Such observations have led researchers to conclude that each of us has a set point for happiness—a level of contentment that stays constant through changing circumstances, such as the loss of loved ones or winning big bucks....
The headlines were based on a new Johns Hopkins study published in the journal Pediatrics that doesn’t actually show that antidepressants cause autism. That’s because it was designed in a way that can’t establish cause-and-effect. And evidence on this issue conflicts: Two larger studies published in November and December 2013 found no evidence of a link between use of these drugs during pregnancy and autism after accounting for important factors....
[sidebar]Why does any of this matter? Apart from helping researchers create interesting graphics (like the one above), understanding how emotion and the body interact could help psychiatrists better diagnose and understand psychological disorders, Dr. Nummenmaa says. For example, depression appears to show up as a lack of feeling in the arms and legs. Knowing this—or recognizing a disconnect between the usual emotion-body sensations—could lead to more accurate diagnoses and treatments, Nummenmaa adds....
From refilling your wine glass to digging into a pint of Ben and Jerry’s after a stressful day, post-dining guilt can be seriously damaging to your psyche, and it’s rampant among health-conscious women. “It happens when I’ve been very good and diligent, and I eat something I know I shouldn’t be, “ says Kristy A., a 30-year-old New Yorker. “Afterwards, I’m really upset with myself, and I feel like I’ve ruined everything....
These days, we’re living in a fishy country: Over the last four years, the prevalence of salmon on restaurant menus has soared 43%, according to a recent report from Mintel. In fact, salmon is now our country’s most popular fish. That’s definitely a good thing, because these leaping aquatic beauties are ridiculously high in protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation. Unfortunately, most of the salmon on restaurant menus is farmed in cages and pens....
We challenge you to be proud of your age—to not just celebrate it, but flaunt it! That’s why we’ve deemed this Thursday, August 1, “Love Your Age Day.” As part of our August “Love Your Age” issue, we are taking to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+ to shout our age (63!) from the proverbial rooftops. Join in by changing your profile photo to an image of your numerical age for the day, and tell us what you love about your age with the hashtag #LoveYourAge....
Researchers at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles analyzed four years’ worth of death certificates (that’s 1.7 million) in seven locations across the country: LA County in California, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, Washington, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. What did they find? The death rate—due to heart attacks, heart failure, cardiovascular disease, and stroke—from January to March is up to 36% higher in winter than it is in summer, regardless of the area....
While many experts still believe there’s a place for whole wheat in a healthy diet, physicians like Mark Hyman, William Davis, and Frank Lipman caution against what they call “Frankenwheat.” What is Frankenwheat? Frankenwheat is a term used to describe the modern wheat Americans eat today. While our ancestors mostly consumed einkorn wheat, decades of cross-breeding and hybridization (to create high-yield crops) have created a shorter, stockier “dwarf wheat” that now makes up almost all of the wheat we consume....
How can one little ingredient derail an entire eat-right plan? Researchers found that when participants chugged a drink sweetened with fructose (fruit sugar), as opposed to glucose (carb sugar), participants not only responded much more strongly to photos of foods, but they also reported more treat cravings shortly after. [block:bean=bookmkt-sugarsmart688x185-h] So do we really need to start scanning labels for the types of sugars in our favorite foods and beverages?...
Happily, scientists have been asking the same question—and churning out answers, from dietary strategies to new takes on old standbys, like ice and compression. The latest attention-grabbing option: IV hydration therapy—consuming fluid intravenously (yes, via needle) before or after a workout to avoid dehydration, prevent cramping, and promote faster recovery. Some pro athletes and even weekend warriors swear the drip helps them bounce back more quickly, but a recent review of the sparse medical literature on it by researchers at Riverside Methodist Sports Medicine concluded that it’s probably no better than ingesting fluid the old-fashioned way and “cannot be recommended for the majority of athletes....
The research: A study team from Ohio State University measured markers of inflammation among 200 breast cancer survivors—half of whom practiced hatha yoga on a twice-weekly basis. The researchers also collected psychological surveys designed to gauge the participants’ energy and depression levels. Compared to the no-yoga group, the downward doggers enjoyed the lasting inflammation- and fatigue-lowering benefits detailed above. What it means: The meditative component of yoga is a proven stress fighter, says lead study author Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, PhD....
Lots of people start working out to lose weight. And for some people, once they start exercising, especially if they’re doing it for the first time, the pounds just melt off. But if you’re like most folks, it will take just as much diligence at the dinner table as it does at the gym. And studies have shown that it takes both exercise and healthy eating to shed pounds and make that weight loss last....
Sure, we’d all like to start every day with a bowl of unsweetened Greek yogurt and feel totally satisfied. But here in the real world, we can’t escape occasional cravings for sugary cereals for breakfast (or lunch or dinner). Good thing these varieties pack tons of flavor with 6 or fewer grams of sugar per ¾ cup serving—a solid benchmark in a food category full of surprising sugar bombs, from Kellogg’s Raisin Bran (18 g per serving) to natural products like Peace Cereal Walnut Spice Clusters and Flakes (just over 19 g per serving)....
But finding a foundation that actually lasts throughout the day, looks natural, and feels lightweight can feel like a battle; many formulas simply fade right off the skin as soon the air starts to feel a bit stuffy. That’s where waterproof foundations come in. While older, traditional formulas used to cake onto your face, new-generation bottles are packed with softening, hydrating ingredients to keep your makeup on for hours without clogging your pores....
