Healthy Living:Mind and Body

2008’s Top 20 Medical Breakthroughs for Women

December 1, 2008
medical-breakthroughs-woman

Lisa Spindler
By Curt Pesmen
From Health magazine

We’re ready. A cure for cancer. A safe, long-term weight-loss pill. A dark chocolate that cures what ails us. These are the modern medical breakthroughs we’ve been waiting for. OK, only the chocolate has actually made it onto our list of advances this year.

That’s all right, though—there are 19 other milestones from the front lines of women’s medicine that will make news and change lives. There’s no cure for cancer, but there are several promising developments in cancer treatment and diagnosis, including targeted radiation for breast cancer. There’s no miracle weight-loss pill, but researchers hope that by manipulating the hormone leptin they’ll be able to help those who do lose weight keep it off.

And to make things even more exciting, a Viagra-inspired sex lotion for women has created a big buzz in the lab (and in test bedrooms nationwide). We knew there was a reason we loved science.

Next page: Obesity

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19 Ways to Really Relax This Season

November 24, 2008
family-hiking-woods

Istockphoto
By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen
From Health magazine

The shopping and crowds. The back-to-back diet-busting parties. The interminable chats with the in-laws.
We understand how easy it is to feel not so wonderful at this most wonderful time of the year.

That’s why we’ve rounded up these 19 expert-endorsed ways to help you dodge the seasonal blues and stay happy, healthy, and energized. From quick stress-survival strategies to mood-brightening foods, here’s your cheat sheet to holiday cheer. View the slideshow.

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Straight Talk About Nail-Biting, Body Piercing, and Stretch Marks

November 21, 2008
nails-mitts-biting

(Illustration: Diane Bigda)
From Health magazine

You don’t have to pull out the oven mitts yet; our medical expert Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, presents simple solutions for nail biting and more. Read More

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How Young is Your Brain?

November 21, 2008
mistletoe-brain-interaction

Istockphoto
From Health magazine

Like your muscles, your brain gets flabby if you don’t exercise it. To find out the best ways to strengthen your brain, take Health’s anti-aging quiz (below), developed with Louis Cozolino, PhD, a professor of psychology at Pepperdine University and author of The Healthy Aging Brain: Sustaining Attachment, Attaining Wisdom (W.W. Norton, 2008; $35). Read More

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New Way to Gauge Bone Health

November 21, 2008
From Health magazine
bone-density-Xray

Istockphoto

A bone-density test, known as a dual-energy X-ray (DXA) exam, is a proven way to gauge your risk of osteoporosis, but it’s not the only way. Now Swiss researchers say a simple ultrasound of the heel can offer a useful assessment with less risk because it doesn’t use radiation. Read More

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Can’t Get Pregnant? New Reasons to Try Acupuncture

November 21, 2008
pregnancy-in vitro-acupuncture

Istockphoto
From Health magazine

Couples who don’t have any luck with in vitro fertilization may want to head straight to an acupuncturist. Research out of IVF centers in Colorado and New Mexico shows that combining in vitro with acupuncture may lead to 26 percent more pregnancies—if women undergo at least 11 acupuncture treatments.(Previous research showed that a smaller number of treatments could boost pregnancy rates, but not as much.) Read More

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Can’t focus? Try Tai Chi

November 21, 2008
stretch-meditation-tai chi

Istockphoto
From Health magazine

Here’s a workout for your body and mind: A study in the journal Sleep found that people who did six months of a slow-motion version of Tai Chi called Chih—a meditative sequence of 19 movements—felt less tired during the day and could concentrate more, compared with people who received only health education over the same period.

It’s unclear whether the benefits stemmed most from mental or physical effects, but the Tai Chi participants also got the benefit of burning 272 calories an hour. Find a class near you. Read More

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How to Donate Your Hair to Cancer Patients

November 20, 2008

Istockphoto
By Margaret Renkl
From Health magazine

This holiday, in the midst of hurried shopping and party preparations, consider stopping a moment and giving of yourself. Donate your long locks to provide wigs for cancer patients and children with hair loss. Read More

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Who Gets Lung Cancer And Why

November 20, 2008
traffic-pollutants-lung cancer

Istockphoto
From Health magazine

As many as one in seven people who develop lung cancer don’t smoke, and now scientists at Louisiana State University think they know why. Widespread air pollutants that have flown under the radar—until now—seem to tax the body in the same deadly way cigarette smoke does. They form when gases cool down in smokestacks, car-exhaust pipes, and chimneys. The most polluted areas of the country (like
Los Angeles and Pittsburgh) are the riskiest places to live. What can you do to fight back? Studies suggest that eating lots of fruits and veggies may help curb lung cancer risks by up to 23%. Read More

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How to Give to Charity the Right Way

November 20, 2008
By Leslie Goldman

With more than 1.7 million charities vying for your hard-earned and well-intended dollars, how do you know where to give and how? “We’ve seen cases where as much as 95 cents of the dollar goes to the fund-raising agency, not the charity,” says Ken Berger, President and CEO of Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest evaluator of charities—not exactly the most efficient use of your hard-earned dollars. Plus, scams abound during the holidays when, swept up in the spirit of giving, people tend to give willy-nilly. Here, our surprising do’s and don’ts of donating will help you give wisely. Read More

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