Prevention

reach for it

ABOUT A YEAR AGO, Prevention’s smart and hardworking associate editor told me it was time for her to move on, but not to a job at another publication. She wanted to leave, she explained, because she was ready to fulfill her dream of becoming a yoga instructor—and she would do her training in Hawaii. Because if you’re going to take a leap, you might as well jump into one of the most beautiful places in the world! Nicol’s swan song for Prevention, her final big project, was conceiving of and then creating our 14-Day Meditation Challenge, a thoughtful, thorough guide to starting a meditation practice. Nicol spent many weeks getting it just right, and we turned it into a beautiful downloadable PDF that’s exclusive to members of Prevention Premium. (If you…

k-razy for kiwi

Wintertime is the season when this sweet, juicy, and fuzzy-jacketed fruit is abundant, and you should definitely load up. Kiwis are bursting with a wide variety of antioxidants as well as potassium, vitamin E, folate, and fiber—and the SunGold variety, known for flesh that’s more yellow than green, has three times the amount of vitamin C as an orange! Here’s a fun fact: Studies suggest that kiwifruit may be beneficial to digestive health. It contains a specific enzyme unique to this fruit that helps break down protein and facilitate flow. So make kiwis your go-to winter superfood and add them to smoothies, yogurt bowls, or your next fruit pie, or just enjoy one as a snack.…

why warm milk really does help you sleep

Ever wonder why Mom’s bedtime trick—a glass of warm milk—seems to actually work? It turns out that certain milk peptides (small pieces of protein) bind to GABA receptors in the brain and trigger sleep-enhancing and stress-relieving effects. Milk’s tryptophan content is also partially responsible; the amino acid increases melatonin production to help you nod off. Lactose intolerant? Sip a warm cup of soy milk, which contains tryptophan and magnesium, another sleep helper. MILK: CANBEDONE/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES. INTESTINE: YAGI STUDIO/GETTY IMAGES.…

put a ring on it

An oximeter measures oxygen levels by passing small beams of light through a finger; it detects changes in how light is absorbed in oxygenated or deoxygenated blood. (Blood oxygen levels lower or higher than normal can be dangerous, particularly for people with certain health conditions.) A WORRYING PROBLEM But these devices hold the potential for racial bias, say University of Michigan researchers. After analyzing pulseoximetry measurements in white and Black patients, they discovered that nearly three times as often as white patients, Black patients had occult hypoxemia (a below-normal blood oxygen level) that was not detected by pulse oximeters purchased over the counter. That’s because the sensors in finger-clamp oximeters send light through the top of the finger, but “if you’re pigmented, the sensors in pulse oximeters purchased OTC or on the…

blood pressure and your brain

Prevention BRAIN HEALTH Having high blood pressure isn’t just a risk to your heart. Hypertension is also associated with accelerated brain aging, says new research in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. Another interesting finding: Even elevated blood pressure that falls within the normal range appears to have an impact on brain health. Researchers from Australia, New Zealand, and Germany analyzed more than 2,000 brain scans from nearly 700 adults aged 44 to 76, as well as multiple blood pressure readings spanning 12 years. They found that those with blood pressure at the higher end of the normal range (less than 120/less than 80) had brain ages more than six months older than people with an “optimal” blood pressure of 110/70. If yours is on the higher side, ask your doctor…

our new favorite cookie

Everyone deserves a treat, and with Real cookies, everyone can get one. That’s because Real cookies are free of major allergens like gluten, dairy, eggs, and soy—something that was super-important to the founders, lifelong friends. Even the texture has a “something for everyone” vibe, with slightly crispy edges and a chewy center. Whether you bite into chocolate chip, peanut butter chocolate chip, or (swoon) lemon blueberry, you’ll love the taste. ($3.50 for pack of two cookies, realcookiesco.com) BLOOD PRESSURE: ADAM VOORHES/GALLERY STOCK. REAL COOKIES: COURTESY OF BRAND…