A Healthier Husband

goodhousekeeping.com

WebMD Feature from "Good Housekeeping" Magazine

By Sari Harrar

How to get him to shape up - without nagging or driving yourself crazy

Last winter, Eric Lagergren caught a stubborn cold. "I was exhausted for a week and a half and just not getting any better," he says. He also was drinking water constantly and getting up eight or nine times a night to go to the bathroom. "Then I got clumsy," says Lagergren, 33, who's an editor at the University of Michigan English Language Institute. "One weekend, I broke two or three things around the house — dishes and a vase."

On his own, Lagergren would have waited until things got even worse before seeing a doctor. But his wife, Kathryn Taylor, stepped in. Taylor wasn't worried about her tableware; she was worried about her husband. An endocrinologist delivered the diagnosis: type 1 diabetes. Lagergren's doctors suspect that his respiratory virus caused his immune system to go into overdrive, attacking the insulin-producing cells in his pancreas. His body's ability to make insulin, the hormone that tells cells to absorb glucose (blood sugar), was shutting down. "I give Kathryn all the credit for my quick diagnosis," says Lagergren, who now uses an insulin pump to control his illness. "Catching diabetes early reduced my risk for long-term complications like heart disease. Thanks to my wife, I'm healthier now than I was before I had diabetes!"

Like Lagergren, many guys need a big — or little — nudge from a caring spouse at crucial turning points in their health. In a recent American Academy of Family Physicians survey of some 1,100 men, 92 percent admitted they wait at least a few days before getting care when they feel sick or have pain — and almost 30 percent will hold out "as long as possible." They skip routine care, too. More than half hadn't had a complete physical in the past year, even though 42 percent had a chronic health condition, including high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, or cancer. Many are also lax about recommended screenings, such as cholesterol tests, prostate checks, and colon exams. "One of the biggest obstacles to improving the health of men is men themselves," says AAFP board chair Rick Kellerman, M.D. "They'll wait to see a doctor until their symptoms are really severe. And if they're feeling fine, they won't go at all."

But there's hope: You have the power to motivate your guy to do the right thing for himself. "Nearly 80 percent of men in our survey reported that their spouse or significant other influences their decision to go to the doctor," Dr. Kellerman says.

Best of all, you can make a difference without badgering him or making yourself nuts. In fact, your actions may do your talking for you. When health economists Tracy A. Falba, Ph.D., from Duke University, and Jody L. Sindelar, Ph.D., from Yale, analyzed the lifestyle habits of some 6,000 couples, they found that a woman's own healthy changes often prompted her husband to follow suit. Men whose wives quit smoking were eight times more likely to kick the habit, too, compared to those whose spouses continued to light up. If women started having yearly flu shots, their husbands were six times more likely to get vaccinated themselves.

There are other motivators as well. Here's what top men's health experts and regular guys say works.

Health Hurdle #1: Checkups and Screening Tests

Smart nudge: Get yours done at the same time.

Men see their doctors for preventive care about half as often as women do, reports the national Men's Health Network. While they may not need as many checkups as we seem to (all those gyno visits!), they do need more than they're getting. This gap is one reason the average life expectancy for men is only 75.2 years, compared to 80.4 years for us. "Women are more accustomed to going to doctors regularly for gynecological exams and pregnancy visits. Also, seeing a doctor isn't viewed as a weakness," says Mark A. Moyad, M.D., M.P.H., a preventive-medicine expert at the University of Michigan Medical Center. "The challenge is helping guys get the regular care that prevents major health problems — or catches them early."

Your best strategy? Make it a joint project: Go for your routine checkups together. "Women and men have many identical health issues," Dr. Moyad notes. "Both sexes need to protect their hearts; lower their risks for diabetes, stroke, and cancer; and be alert for signs of osteoporosis and depression." Dr. Moyad and his wife go for their annual cholesterol and other screening tests together. "It even fosters a little healthy competition," he says. "We each try to have the best numbers."

Say it like this: I'll get my blood pressure and cholesterol checked with you. "Most men will agree to go," says Dr. Moyad. "Now it's a partnership."

Health Hurdle #2: Prompt Attention to Scary Symptoms

Smart nudge: Express concern; don't blame or shame.

If your husband isn't taking care of a health problem, you're probably feeling very frustrated, says psychologist William Pollack, Ph.D., director of the Harvard-affiliated Center for Men and Young Men at McLean Hospital. "But accusing him of dragging his feet will only backfire. It can make a guy feel like a bad boy, and he may become even more resistant."

Nor should you schedule a doctor's appointment for him unless he asks you to. "In my experience, most guys won't go if something's forced on them," Pollack says. "Instead, gather information about the best doctor in your area for the condition, then ask your husband to make the appointment." Offer to go with him, Pollack suggests. "He'll feel supported."

That's what helped get Ira Morrow, 54, a retired forklift operator from Vermilion, OH, to the doctor when he began having breathing difficulties. He was then referred to a specialist, who diagnosed silicosis, a lung disorder triggered by one of Morrow's earliest jobs as a sandblaster. Ultimately, he had to decide whether to have a lung transplant. "My wife, Linda, listened, but she never nagged, never insisted," says Morrow, who had the transplant and reports, "It turned my life around."

What medical issues might prompt your gentle urging? Inattention to already diagnosed health problems like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, as well as difficulty sleeping or pain that doesn't get better in a few days. But you also shouldn't overlook these less obvious signs of trouble.

• A growing belly. This can be a warning sign for metabolic syndrome, a condition that raises his risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and possibly even some cancers. About 25 percent of men have the syndrome.
• Discouragement or irritability. These may signal depression, but the disease can also masquerade as anger, fatigue, or sleep problems. An estimated six million American men have depression.
• Less interest in sex and/or erectile problems. He may have low testosterone, which can also manifest itself as fatigue, depression, or trouble concentrating. A low level of the male hormone is a problem for an estimated four to five million men.

Say it like this: I'm concerned about what I've been noticing, and I'll feel better if you see a doctor. Then follow up with facts about what you see, Pollack suggests. "Avoid criticism." If your spouse continues to ignore the problem or if it's serious, it's time for something stronger: I'm worried about you. I love you, I want to have you around a long time. It's important to me that you see the doctor. And if you think he's really in danger, says Pollack, try: If you keep going on like this, I'm afraid I'm going to lose you.

Health Hurdle #3: Exercise and Diet

Smart nudge: Adopt a healthy lifestyle with him — or without him.

Blame it on "hungry man" portions and an NFL season that never seems to end: Sixty-seven percent of men are overweight, reports the American Obesity Association.

How to get your husband to shape up? Tailor your tactics to his personality, Dr. Moyad suggests. One guy — like a patient of his who lost 50 pounds — might be inspired by a motivational speaker. Another could do well with a group program. Whatever he tries, keep supporting him, says Siegfried J. Kra, M.D., a cardiologist at the Yale School of Medicine and author of How to Keep Your Husband Alive. "By himself, he may do fine for a while. Then, unless he gets reinforcement, he may give up."

Tampa disc jockey "Marvelous" Marvin Boone, 52, credits his wife for helping him stay slim. Shortly after losing 120 pounds, Boone, who hosts a greatest-hits radio program, married Pamela in a Las Vegas ceremony that featured an Elvis impersonator escorting the bride down the aisle. Since then, Boone says his wife has "loved him tender" by revamping their menu. "Although Pamela was always very slender, she did eat a lot of fast food," says Boone. "Now we're into fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fish. We're doing it together."

And if your guy can't give up double cheeseburgers or get into an exercise routine, adopt healthy habits for yourself, sans lectures. (Remember what the Duke and Yale researchers found: Simply changing your behavior can have a profound influence on what your spouse does.) "As you get results," says Pollack, "he may be inspired to join in."

Say it like this: . Hear that silence? Lectures won't work here. Nonverbal action will, say our experts. And if your husband does start to change, don't become a lifestyle cop. "Men worry that they'll slip up, and everyone will come down on them," says Pollack. "They need a sense of trust."

CHECKING UP: HEALTH TESTS MEN NEED

If your guy's been avoiding the doctor, talk with him about scheduling an exam so that he's up-to-date on these lifesaving checks:

Blood pressure. By 45, more than one in three men have high blood pressure. Hypertension may take five years off a man's life — good reason to have an annual check. A healthy reading is 120/80 or lower.

Body mass index and waist size. BMI measures whether a person's weight is healthy for his height. A BMI of 25 and over raises risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and arthritis. A waist circumference over 40 inches increases chances of metabolic syndrome.

Cholesterol. Look beyond total cholesterol (healthy is under 200) and bad LDL cholesterol (generally, 100 to 130 is OK). Low levels of good HDL cholesterol (under 40) and high levels of triglycerides (over 150) put men at higher risk of heart attacks and stroke. Guys should have all of these blood fats checked every three years in their 30s, every two years in their 40s, and annually starting at 50.

Blood sugar. One in 10 men have type 2 diabetes, but many don't know it — and are at risk for complications. A healthy guy needs fasting–blood sugar checks starting at 45, earlier (ask his doctor when) if he has a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, low HDLs, or is overweight.

Colon cancer screenings. This is the third most common cancer and the third deadliest as well. Start screening (colonoscopy is considered the gold standard) at 50, sooner if there's a family history.

Prostate cancer tests. Every man should have an annual digital rectal exam starting at 50; make that 45 for African-American men and those who have a family history of the disease. Many physicians advise PSA screens, too, beginning at 50 (45 for African-American men).

Skin exams. More men than women die from malignant melanoma. A monthly self-check and an annual exam by a doctor can help find suspicious growths early. One danger spot for men: the upper back.

Mary J. Blige Resolves to Be Healthy

http://www.webmd.com/

The R&B and hip-hop soul sensation reveals the inspiring fitness, food, and anger-management lessons that are driving her on a powerful journey of personal and professional transformation.

By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD the Magazine - Feature

Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD

Mary J. Blige, the six-time Grammy Award-winning superstar, glides down the massive stone staircase of her Hollywood Hills home to the lower-level gym, where her trainer awaits. Looking toned in black track pants, white tank top, and black sweatshirt, Blige has wrapped a bandana around her head and is makeup-free -- a departure for this diva known for her glamour-girl styling and stilettos.

The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul is ready to sweat. Truth be told, she’s more than ready -- she’s driven. She is preparing to hit the road to promote her eighth album, Growing Pains, and the schedule ahead is grueling: three concert stops in South Africa, five in Japan, one in her adopted hometown of Los Angeles, plus an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Blige invited WebMD to join her for a vigorous one-hour body tune-up in the home gym of her modern manse perched high on Mulholland Drive. The house is airy and uncluttered and offers breathtaking views at every turn. But on this day, she is focused on only her music and her workout.

During and after the session, Blige, 37, confides the backstory of her new CD -- how decades of pain and disappointment have given way to a stepped-up self-image, improved lifestyle habits, better relationships, and more joy in every part of her life. She’s still struggling in some areas, she admits, and she elaborates with an endearing openness and honesty.

Mary J. Makes Fitness a Priority

One of the secret weapons in her ongoing "overhaul" campaign is Gregg Miele, an A-list New York City personal trainer flown in to whip Blige into concert shape. He's upbeat and optimistic, offering a steady dose of goals and encouragement during the workout. He’s given Blige, along with all his other high-profile clients, his trademark black wristband with “self-discipline” printed in simple white type. Looking at it can provide motivation for healthy living, he says. “It’s a reminder for the other 23 hours I’m not with them to make healthy, conscious decisions throughout their day -- a constant reminder that food does not just jump into your mouth!”

Miele makes such axioms a signature of his program. They are designed to goad his clients into the best shape of their lives, including one on his web site declaring: “The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do.”

Today, a one-hour workout is on the schedule. Miele kicks things off by asking Blige to take a brief walk on the treadmill. “A gentle warm-up peps you up mentally and physically,” he reminds her. His workout philosophy is goal-oriented and practical. The home gym is tightly edited: the treadmill, free weights and benches, resistance bands, mats for floor exercises, and a stair-stepper machine.

About 10 treadmill minutes later, Miele leads Blige through flexibility exercises on the floor and some resistance exercises for the arms. So far, everyone’s all smiles. But then the trainer hands her the jump rope, and Blige’s face hardens. She frowns. “I hate this rope,” she says.

Miele doesn’t seem surprised; clearly, it’s a protest he has heard before. And the look on his face makes it clear: The jump rope is not optional. So, Blige follows his instructions to skip for 45 seconds -- a time that seems brief only if you are not the one skipping.

Blige’s renewed dedication to her fitness regime -- along with a resolve to clean up her diet and tone down the rage that she says used to be her “default” mode -- reflects her new attitude and new lifestyle plan. She’s kicked the bad habits, excess alcohol and drugs among them, and is embracing healthier ones, despite a grade-A sweet tooth.

Mary J. Blige is learning to love living with a whole lot less drama.

The 411 on the New Mary J.

Her resolve to be healthy -- physically, mentally, spiritually -- didn’t occur overnight, acknowledges Blige after her workout. She is relaxing on a wheat-colored chaise in a grassy corner of her backyard.

Nor did the problems that led to the need for the overhaul pop up suddenly. Blige grew up in the Bronx, overcoming a childhood filled with poverty and witnessing violence to become a top-billed singer, songwriter, producer, and actress. Her albums have sold more than 35 million copies worldwide since her career debut in 1992 with her smash hit, “What’s the 411?”

As Blige’s rags-to-riches success story unfolded, so did the news that she could be difficult and temperamental, and suddenly fly into a rage. She admits to past struggles, including drinking too much, abusing cocaine, and being depressed. The out-of-control anger, Blige says, was programmed into her as a child -- the way nearly everyone around her responded to life’s disappointments.

“That’s all I ever saw, people reacting to things that way,” she tells WebMD. “When someone disappoints you -- bang! You automatically default back to that stuff.”

Over the years, the shame that followed her temper tantrums convinced her that she needed to change. Finally she said to herself: “You can’t keep doing this all the time -- screaming, throwing stuff, breaking things, kicking windows.”

She credits her husband, music industry exec Kendu Isaacs, 40, whom she married three years ago, with much of her resolve to improve herself. He has encouraged her to turn off the “old stuff” and begin anew. “He’s committed to me, his job, his children [her three stepchildren], himself,” she says. “He tries very hard. In some areas he is stronger than in others, and that’s where I come in to help. We balance each other well.”

Lessons learned from the past few years of self-improvement are packed into Growing Pains. Listeners hear the story of Mary, her work in progress, and perhaps, she hopes, their own unfolding tales.

One other new rule, Blige reveals: She surrounds herself only with positive people -- besides her husband, she says, people like her trainer. And Miele’s steady nature and constant support are evident. If she lags even a tiny bit during the hour-long sweat session, he’s right there: “Four more,” he says in an encouraging tone. “One more.”

Mary J. Steps Up Her Workouts

Exercise has been part of Blige’s life for years, but she’s pumped up her routine recently, motivated by appearance and health. “A couple months ago, I was walking up those stairs right there,” Blige says, pointing to the long, spiral staircase that connects her home’s upper and lower floors, “and I was out of breath.” Blige, who turns 38 on Jan. 11, knew she was way too young to be that out of shape. “Then I saw all this cellulite forming on my leg, and I started to cry. Then I thought, ‘OK, this [exercise] is for health reasons. OK, the cellulite might be a touch of vanity, but the fact that I can’t breathe when I am walking up stairs -- it’s like, I have to do this for myself.’”

Part of doing it for herself is sticking to the workouts, no matter her tour or rehearsal schedule. At home, Blige tries to do the one-hour routine five days a week. On the road, she admits, it’s not always easy, but she does what she can. That’s why Miele has designed a program that works for Blige’s jet-set life. He tells her to think of herself as a professional athlete. “For her, there is off-season, preseason, and in-season,” he says, with in-season being her concert tour. During in-season, he tells her, she can’t expect to work out as much or as intensely as at other times. But whatever the length of the workout, Miele designs routines that include cardiovascular conditioning, strength training, and flexibility and that can be done in any gym -- or even a hotel room.

His strategy works just as well for the rest of us time-strapped noncelebrities. For instance? If you have 30 minutes instead of an hour at the gym, get more mileage out of the workout by stretching rather than resting between exercises, Miele says.

Mary J. Cleans Up the Menu

Blige soldiers on, doing crunches on a floor mat. Miele holds the elastic resistance bands as she does arm work, and her limbs look strong and defined. But her newly buff body is not all due to hard time in the gym, she says. Blige has overhauled what she eats these days.

"Three months ago, I was 146 pounds," says Blige, who is 5 feet 5 inches tall. Since then, she’s dropped 11 pounds, weighing in at 135. She’s a size 8 now. “I want to get to 125 pounds with muscles,” she says.

The self-confessed sweets lover focuses on cutting down on refined carbs (including her favorite cookies) and limiting calories to about 1,500 per day.

Blige’s calorie goal is very realistic, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, a New York dietitian. “If you eat below 1,200, it’s hard to meet your needs nutritionally,” she says.

Likewise, Blige’s goal of 125 pounds is excellent, as is her focus on “quality” carbs, Taub-Dix says. And in moderation, “cheat” foods are OK, Taub-Dix adds. Blige is far from perfect, of course. She can’t name just one “cheat food,” for example. She has several, and they’re all sugary: cheesecake, oatmeal cookies, and chocolate-chip cookies.

To help Mary J. cope with her sugar cravings, her trainer has penned in a signature Miele-ism on the bulletin board in front of her treadmill: “What you eat in private shows up in public.”

Mary J. Reins in Her Rage

Consistent workouts, a newfound respect for what she puts into her body: What accounts for this new attitude? “Sometimes anger is positive,” she says. “It pushes you."

Blige reports that a few years ago she learned to redirect her rage with help from a Christian television show and the Bible. “I watched this pastor by the name of Joyce Meyer,” she says. “I’d TiVo her and watch her every morning. She was talking about anger one day. I started looking up these Scriptures [she referred to], and in one it said anger and vexation lodges -- meaning hangs out -- in the bosom of fools. And every Scripture I read ended with fool. And I thought, ‘Oh, no, I don’t want to be a fool.’”

Blige had just taken her first step toward reining in her rage problem.

About one in 100 adults is angry enough to benefit from anger management, estimates George Anderson, whose firm Anderson & Anderson in Los Angeles provides anger-management programs for businesses and individuals.

For many people, anger is the “default” mode, as Blige calls it, learned growing up, says Robert Allan, PhD, a clinical assistant professor of psychology in psychiatry at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

“There are vast numbers of people who have grown up learning that the way to deal with a problem is to get angry whenever you don’t get your way,” he says. People who yell or scream nearly always believe those who hear them will see the light and fix the problem, he says. But it doesn’t work. “The other person reacts to the anger and doesn’t hear the message.”

Blige continues to take heart from Scripture passages that advise trying to be slow to anger. She says she reads them every day.

On the new album, she opens up about her progress. In a song, “Work That,” the first verse says:

You can look in my palm and see the

storm cometh

Read the book of my life and see I’ve

overcome it.

While religion and a supportive spouse have provided the way for Blige, Allan cautions that many people need to go further and seek out professional help or a 12-step program for anger management. Whatever the path, “all require a lifelong commitment and a day at a time.”

Mary J. Skips Ahead

Miele guides Blige toward the workout’s conclusion: push-ups on a balance ball, more resistance training exercises for her upper arms, ab work to trim her torso, and 5-pound hand weights to tone her biceps. Blige reaches for the padded cylindrical weight bar Miele hands her, sits on the mat once again, and does ab crunches as she raises the bar, a movement to help strengthen abs and arms at once. There’s some sweat on her brow but she’s not breathing hard. Her pumped-up workouts are paying off.

Almost done. It’s clear Mary J. is ready to rest. But it’s not over yet. “One more time, Mary J.,” says Miele.

Wordlessly, she accepts the hated jump-rope handles. On this grand-finale skip, she stumbles but repositions the rope, finishing her 45 seconds. She puts down the rope, looking tired; but more than that, she looks satisfied.

Mary J. is in peak form -- physically, spiritually, emotionally. She’s taking it one jump-rope skip, one Scripture reading, one day at a time.

Growing Pains celebrates where she’s been and where she’s going. It reflects “everything that I am becoming and have to become,” Blige says.

“No anger, no self-hatred, no self-resentment. All that takes work,” she says. “It’s going to take a long time. And all these songs reflect that.”

As Blige announces for all the world, and herself, to hear on her new album: “It’s OK, show yourself some love.”

She certainly is.

Anger Management 101

Like Blige, Robert Allan, PhD, a clinical assistant professor of psychology in psychiatry at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, grew up in an environment where anger was the “default” mode. In his book Getting Control of Your Anger, Allan offers a three-step process for taming rage:

Identify the “hook” that feeds your anger. Knowing that a trigger sets you off is the first step toward changing your reaction and not allowing yourself to express the anger directly by screaming or getting physical.

Step back or disengage from the situation, and figure out the need behind the hook . Disengage by deep breathing, for instance. Or develop an “observing” self, a mini-version of yourself whom you visualize sitting on your shoulder viewing the big picture and warning you not to take the anger trigger, Allan says. When we get angry, the feeling is usually fueled by the need for respect or the need not to have our territory breached, or both, he adds.

Fill the need without expressing anger directly. Instead, ask for what you need.

Exercise: SOS for Menstrual Cramps

http://www.webmd.com/

The best relief for period pain? Get off the couch and on the move.

By Gina Shaw
WebMD the Magazine - Feature

Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD

Pam Kelly (not her last name) was only in the third grade when she got her first period. From the beginning, her menstrual cycle was a source of monthly dread. “I was out of school a couple of days just about every month, the pain was so bad,” says Kelly [real name withheld at her request], now a 46-year-old office worker living in Arlington, Va., and mother of twin 8-year-old daughters. “The school nurse would give me codeine for the pain, and I was finally put on high-dose birth control pills. Those helped some.” (Since birth control pills maintain more consistent hormone levels, they can help alleviate period pain.)

But then, as she entered junior high, Kelly found something that worked even better: exercise. “I joined the basketball team and then the soccer team, and I found that the pain was becoming less and less,” she says. “By ninth grade, I didn’t even need the birth control pills anymore.”

Dysmenorrhea -- which means menstrual pain -- affects many women. Some studies estimate as many as 90% of younger women have severe period pain, and it’s the leading cause of school and work absences for this group.

Exercise relieves cramps because it helps release beta-endorphins, which are internal opioids -- your own “human morphine,” according to Kelly’s doctor, Gustavo Rossi, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington. “It produces analgesia [pain relief] and helps to burn the prostaglandins -- chemicals released during menstruation that cause muscle contractions -- much faster.”

The best form of exercise for relieving menstrual pain, experts agree, is aerobic exercise -- something that gets your heart rate up, such as brisk walking, biking, swimming, or, in these cooler months, ice-skating. “The important thing is that you do it at least three times a week, for 30 minutes at a time,” says Paula Castano, MD, an assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York.

Kelly recently noticed her severe menstrual pain is back, after dropping her exercise routine last November because of family illness. While Rossi wants to rule out other problems, both he and Kelly agree that her new sedentary ways have to go.

“My neighborhood is very hilly, and I love to go on long walks with my dog, so that’s my plan for making time for it again,” Kelly says.

Walking for Cramp Relief

The Exercise: Break a sweat by walking at a brisk pace. You should be able to talk to someone accompanying you, but not without a little effort. Need to push yourself? Try doing what Kelly does: Hit the hills, or bring an energetic pooch -- or both.

The Benefit: Real relief from period pain seems to come from vigorous exercise, the kind that gets you breathing hard and your heart pumping fast. When that happens, your body releases endorphins that help counteract the cramp-producing chemicals that are part of the menstrual cycle.

Originally published in the January/February 2008 issue of WebMD the Magazine .

Antioxidants Rock

womenshealthmag

WebMD Feature from "Women's Health" Magazine

By Alisa Bowman

Inside your body, an army of Antioxidants is protecting you from the forces of aging and disease. Here's why we're huge fans of these stellar nutrients and how you can get more on your side.

Labels on everything from chocolate to pomegranate juice to moisturizer scream the benefits of antioxidants. And we're happy to report that it's not just hype. One study after another has shown that antioxidants help prevent cancer and heart disease, safeguard memory, reduce the risk of degenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, protect joints, soothe pain, reduce muscle soreness and fatigue, avert blindness caused by macular degeneration and cataracts, and even ward off wrinkles.

That's all amazing news, but it begs two big questions: What exactly are antioxidants? And how can they possibly fight off such a wide array of health problems? We investigated these warriors of the health world and discovered how they patrol every part of our body, repairing damaged molecules that if allowed to run rampant would accelerate aging and disease. By the time you're done reading this, you'll want every meal you eat--and every product you put on your skin--to be packed with antioxidant power.

When Radicals Attack

Before we can get to the "anti," let's explain the "oxidant" part. Unless you're a monk living in the Himalayas, eating pure food, breathing pristine air, and thinking Zen thoughts 24/7, you're constantly being bombarded by negative elements--from pollution to chemicals to UV rays--that damage your cells. Even your own body produces stress hormones and toxic chemical reactions. These toxins weaken the molecules in your cells, causing them to lose an electron--a unit in the cell that carries electrical charges and allows your cells to work together. These electron-deprived molecules, called free radicals, or oxidants, try to make up for their inadequacy by stealing electrons from other molecules; this damages, or oxidizes, those cells and turns them into electron-swiping free radicals too. Call it the invasion of the electron snatchers.

Once a free radical is created, the damage spreads fast. Free radicals in your blood vessels--usually caused by things like deep-fried foods, cigarette smoke, or air pollution--change the structure of the (bad) LDL cholesterol so it becomes more liable to gum up your arteries and cause heart problems. Sunlight and air pollution can create free radicals in your eyes, where they damage retinal or corneal cells, leading to cataracts and blindness, and in skin cells, where they damage cell DNA, raising the risk of skin cancer and accelerating wrinkle formation. And that's just for starters: "Free radicals can damage any cells that get in their way," says Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and director of the antioxidant lab at Tufts University in Boston.

Thankfully, there's a nutrient police force that can deal with these delinquents. Even better, you can find them in the foods you love--not just fruits and veggies but in wine, chocolate, and even beef. As their name implies, antioxidants stop the oxidative damage by replacing a molecule's kidnapped electron without damaging other molecules; this disarms free radicals and turns them back into law-abiding members of cellular society.

Antioxidants do more than rescue cells in distress. Like special ops agents, they're designed to take on specific enemies: Isothiocyanates, found in broccoli, home in on pollutants like nicotine and smog and help prevent them from causing cancer. Vitamin C blocks the uncontrolled cell division that leads to tumors. Selenium fires up the genes needed to break down carcinogens. Antioxidants are like a million microscopic Jack Bauers on a mission to save your bod from the inside out.

The magnificent seven

The same evolutionary process that transformed us from hairy hunchbacks with underbites to smooth-skinned consumers of whitening toothpaste also gave us the ability to fight free radicals on our own. Our bodies make a variety of antioxidants (all with tongue-twisting names, like superoxide dismutase) that break down the free radicals that can form during normal cell metabolism.

Unfortunately, no matter how much overtime they put in, internally produced antioxidants can't battle all the free radicals flying around--especially in today's world of mercury-filled fish and Hummer fumes. Again, evolution helps us out by filling our food supply with these molecular superheroes. "Our bodies evolved to take advantage of protective substances found in the foods available to us," Blumberg says.

Each day scientists are discovering more amazing ways antioxidants keep us alive and well--and they're still discovering new varieties. But these seven heavy hitters have the most research to back them up. Fill up your plate with the following nutrients and start mowing down those free-radical bastards.

Selenium: This overachiever isn't annoying like the teacher's pet back in high school. The trace mineral does double duty--it acts as an antioxidant itself and speeds up your body's natural antioxidant-making process. In a study at Cornell University and the University of Arizona of 1,312 patients with skin cancer, those who got 200 micrograms of selenium daily for 10 years reduced their risk of dying from any cancer--not just skin cancer--by 18 percent, compared with those who took a placebo.

• Shoot for: The DV of 55 micrograms
• Best food sources: Brazil nuts (95.8 mcg per nut), snapper (41.6 mcg per 3 ounces), and shrimp (33.7 mcg per 3 ounces)

Vitamin E: The health-conscious side of us appreciates that this antioxidant fights heart disease, boosts immunity, and helps stop cell damage that leads to skin cancer. But let's face it: We love that this vitamin also keeps the ravages of time from showing up on our face. In a Korean study, mice exposed to ultraviolet sunlight were less likely to wrinkle when they consumed vitamin E (along with a host of other antioxidants).

• Shoot for: The DV of 15 milligrams
• Best food sources: Sunflower seeds (10.3 mg per ounce), hazelnuts (4.3 mg per ounce), and peanut butter (2.9 mg per 2 tablespoons)

Vitamin C: It's not just for colds anymore. Now it protects your DNA and helps your body use vitamin E more efficiently. Research has shown that C has a talent for protecting blood vessels and reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. In a six-year study of 5,197 people at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, those who consumed the highest amounts of vitamin C had the lowest risk of stroke.

• Shoot for: At least the DV of 75 milligrams
• Best food sources: Papaya (187.9 mg per fruit), bell peppers (119 mg per cup), and broccoli (81.2 mg per cup)

Carotenoids: This pigment helps protect your eyes and skin from sun damage. In a study of 5,836 people in the Netherlands, consumption of beta-carotene--one of many carotenoids--was found to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness.

• Shoot for: Scientists have no standard goal for carotenoids other than the DV of 2,310 international units (IU) for vitamin A (a form of beta-carotene).
• Best food sources: Carrots, butternut squash, and spinach

Isothiocyanates: These antioxidants put cancer-causing enzymes in a headlock. In a study of more than 1,400 people at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, researchers found that people who ate more isothiocyanate-rich foods reduced their risk of bladder cancer by 29 percent.

• Shoot for: Scientists have no standard goal for isothiocyanates.
• Best food sources: Broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower

Polyphenols: Raise a glass of pinot noir to polyphenols--they've turned our favorite vice into a virtue. Researchers at Columbia University studied 980 people and found that those who drank up to three glasses per day of wine--rich in flavonoids, a polyphenol--were less likely to develop memory-loss problems such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease. In a test-tube study at the Leeds Dental Institute in the UK, the polyphenols in cocoa reduced the growth of two types of bacteria that can trigger gum disease.

• Shoot for: Scientists have no standard goal for polyphenols.
• Best food sources: Dark chocolate (the higher the cocoa content, the better), red wine, tea, and coffee

Coenzyme Q10: Its nickname sounds like R2D2's cousin--and CoQ10 is a cell-protecting machine. It's also been linked with the prevention of migraines, which it may accomplish by guarding brain cells. In a study of 42 migraine patients in Zurich, those who took CoQ10 had half as many headaches over three months as those who took a dummy pill. The enzyme may also help lower blood pressure.

• Shoot for: Scientists have no standard for CoQ10.
• Best food sources: Lean beef, chicken breast, and fish (all types).

Get Your Antioxidants Here

Want the most antioxidant bang per bite? Researchers from the University of Oslo in Norway, Virginia Tech, and the University of Minnesota analyzed 1,113 foods and beverages for their antioxidant content. Here are the top 50.*

Blackberries
5.746 per cup

Walnuts
3.721 per ounce

Strawberries
3.584 per cup (sliced)

Artichoke hearts
3.559 per cup

Cranberries
3.125 per cup

Coffee
2.959 per 8 ounces

Raspberries
2.870 per cup

Pecans
2.741 per ounce

Blueberries
2.680 per cup

Cloves, ground
2.637 per teaspoon

Grape juice
2.557 per 8 ounces

Chocolate, baking, unsweetened
2.516 per ounce

Cranberry juice
2.474 per 8 ounces

Cherries, sour
2.205 per 1/2 cup

Wine, red (merlot)
2.199 per 3.5 ounces

Power Bar, chocolate flavor
1.875 per bar

Pineapple juice
1.859 per 8 ounces

Guava nectar
1.858 per cup

Juice drinks, 10 percent strawberry or blueberry juice (vitamin C enriched)
1.821 per 8 ounces

Cranapple juice
1.790 per 8 ounces

Prunes
1.715 per 1/2 cup

Chocolate, dark, sugar free
1.675 per 40 grams

Cabbage, red, cooked
1.614 per 1/2 cup

Orange juice
1.510 per 8 ounces

Apple juice (vitamin C enriched)
1.462 per 8 ounces

Mango nectar
1.281 per cup

Pineapple
1.276 per cup

Oranges
1.261 per fruit

Bran Flakes breakfast cereal
1.244 per 3/4 cup

Plums, black
1.205 per fruit

Pinto beans, dried
1.137 per 1/2 cup

Canned chili with meat and beans
1.049 per cup

Spinach, frozen
1.045 per 1/2 cup

Canned chili with meat, no beans
1.040 per cup

Whole Grain Total breakfast cereal
1.024 per 30-gram serving

Chocolate, sugar-free
1.001 per 5 pieces

Kiwifruit
.987 per fruit

Molasses, dark
.980 per tablespoon

Potatoes, red, cooked
.956 per 1 medium

Cheese lasagna, frozen, reheated
.942 per serving

Potatoes white, cooked
.918 per 1 medium

Sweet potatoes, baked
.900 per 1 medium

Iced tea, brewed, unsweetened
.881 per 8 ounces

Potatoes, russet, cooked
.862 per 1 medium

Baked beans, pork and beans in brown sugar sauce
.852 per cup

Condensed tomato soup
.826 per cup

Broccoli rabe, cooked
.823 per 1/2 cup

Peppers, red, cooked
.820 per 1/2 cup

Broccoli, cooked
.780 per 1/2 cup

Tamarind nectar
.761 per cup

*Based on single-serving sizes. Amounts in millimoles (Mmol) per serving.

Drugstore Indecision

Womenshealthmag

WebMD Feature from "Women's Health" Magazine

By Madonna Behen

You feel too horrible to sort through the dizzying array of meds in aisle six. Which is why we've done the work for you: Here are pharmacists' top picks for the best over-the-counter drugs on the market.

Browsing through your favorite boutique trying to decide between the Citizens or the Sevens? Now, that's fun. But standing in the drugstore, puzzling out which heartburn medicine to buy as your lunch burrito burns a hole in your stomach? Not so much . . .

In a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive for the National Council on Patient Information and Education, 66 percent of adults said that picking the right nonprescription drug is enough to make their heads spin. But mulling over the endless choices--there are more than 100,000 OTC meds crowding the shelves--gets a lot easier when you check with the experts. That's what the American Pharmacists Association did when it surveyed 5,000 practicing pharmacists earlier this year to find out which OTC products they recommend most often. Here are their top choices for treating those annoying ailments--from hay fever to headaches--that can ruin your day. Study this list--and get well soon.

Cold Sores

The Drug: Abreva

Why it's No. 1: Got that telltale tingle that signals that a cold sore the size of Donald Trump's ego is about to sprout on your lip? Abreva can bring it to a screeching halt. "It prevents the virus from infecting healthy cells, which stops the cold sore from erupting," says W. Steven Pray, Ph.D., D.P.H., professor of nonprescription drugs at Southwestern Oklahoma State University College of Pharmacy in Weatherford. The drug works by creating a barrier around skin cells that makes it more difficult for the cold sore virus to penetrate them. "No other nonprescription product can do that."

Generic: None. The soonest one could be available is 2014.

Fine print: Dash to a drugstore the minute you feel a cold sore coming on. "Once the sore develops, using Abreva isn't as effective, because the time for prevention has passed," says Elaine D. Mackowiak, Ph.D., R.Ph., professor of pharmacy practice at Temple University School of Pharmacy in Philadelphia. "At that point, you can use any topical cold sore treatment, such as Anbesol, Orajel, or Zilactin, to reduce discomfort."

See a doc if the sore hasn't healed after 10 days.

Constipation

The Drugs: Metamucil and Ducolax

Why they're No. 1: When it comes to making regular deposits, the magic word is fiber. Metamucil is druggists' remedy of choice because it contains psyllium, a natural plant fiber that softens and bulks up your stools. (It may sound counterintuitive, but it's easier for your digestive system to transport soft, bulky stools than hard, small ones, which can stick to the walls of the colon and block the way.) Plus, "Metamucil is effective and safe to take every day," Pray says, which means you can use it to help prevent system backups.

The one snag is that the medication can take time to work--usually 12 to 72 hours--which is why pharmacists also recommend Dulcolax, a stimulant laxative that does the trick in less than 12 hours. "Dulcolax stimulates the nerves that propel food through your body's gastrointestinal tract," says Paul L. Doering, M.S., distinguished service professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in Gainesville. "It gets things moving, but it's gentler than other stimulants, so it won't leave you doubled over the toilet in pain."

Generic: Psyllium for Metamucil and bisacodyl for Dulcolax

Fine print: If you use Metamucil powder, gulp it down as soon as you mix it with water, says Janet Engle, Pharm.D., clinical professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy. Otherwise you'll end up with a thick, rubbery (and wholly undrinkable) blob in your glass. Doering also warns against taking a stimulant laxative like Dulcolax for more than a few days in a row. Use it longer than that, he says, "and your bowels may start to rely on the medication to do their job."

See a doc if you're backed up for more than week.

Diarrhea

The Drug: Imodium A-D

Why it's No. 1: When a case of the runs tethers you to the toilet, Imodium A-D can help slow the flow. "It reduces the frequency of bowel contractions, so everything moves at a calmer pace," Pray says. "It also gives your stools more firmness." All of which makes for a happy colon. Bismuth subsalicylate, the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol, another popular option, isn't as strong, which means the drug doesn't slow things down as efficiently, according to Kim Broedel-Zaugg, Ph.D., professor of pharmacy practice at Ohio Northern University College of Pharmacy. "But with Imodium, you're definitely going to find relief." So being more than five feet away from the nearest bathroom is no longer cause for panic.

Generic: Loperamide HCl

Fine print: Try to pinpoint the cause of your gastrointestinal distress before you pop a pill, Engle recommends. In some cases, you may actually be better off just riding it out. "If you've got a case of food poisoning, for example, taking an antidiarrheal drug will prevent toxins from being flushed from your body, prolonging the entire episode," she says.

See a doc if your diarrhea hasn't gone away after 48 hours or you develop a fever.

Hay Fever and Allergies

The drug: Claritin

Why it's No. 1: "Allergens trigger your immune system to release histamine (an inflammatory compound), which causes runny nose, itching, sneezing, and congestion," Mackowiak says. Claritin sets up a roadblock against that histamine release to prevent allergy symptoms from occurring. Plus, it's much less likely than other OTC antihistamines to cause drowsiness, a common side effect. In fact, a 2005 study by researchers at the Washington Neuro-psychology Research Group in Washington, D.C., found that seasonal allergy sufferers who took Claritin were as alert and focused as those participants who didn't have allergies.

Generic: Loratadine

Fine print: The drug works best if you take it before you're exposed to the allergy trigger, Mackowiak says. So swallow a Claritin 30 to 60 minutes before you head out to mow the lawn or visit your boyfriend's cat-lady aunt.

See a doc if your symptoms don't let up or they become more severe while you're taking the medication.

Heartburn

The drug: Prilosec OTC

Why it's No. 1: The top dog here is the first and only OTC option in a breakthrough class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). This one knocks out heartburn by shutting down the acid-­producing cells in your stomach. (Antacids like Tums or Mylanta merely neutralize stomach acid after your body has already made it.) "Plus, antacids work for only one to three hours, but Prilosec can give you relief for up to 24 hours," Engle says.

Generic: None. The soonest one could be available is 2008.

Fine print: Prilosec OTC works best if you have frequent heartburn (two or more days a week). If your symptoms are triggered by only certain foods--like that burrito lunch--you can also get relief, Engle says, by taking an OTC H2 blocker such as Pepcid AC or Zantac 75 before a meal. If you take it after a meal, when your belly's already in full revolt, you'll have to wait an hour or more before you start feeling better.

See a doc if your heartburn is accompanied by difficult or painful swallowing, vomiting, or bloody or black stools.

Hemorrhoids

The drug: Preparation H Ointment

Why it's No. 1: TV commercials for this product may feature geezers, but hemorrhoids (swollen, painful veins around the anus and rectum) aren't just a late-life affliction. Flare-ups can happen when you're constipated (all that pushing), and they're especially common during and after pregnancy (ditto). This tried-and-true remedy (it's been around for more than 50 years) contains a combination of three lubricants--mineral oil, petrolatum, and shark liver oil--to soften and protect the skin, plus a topical version of phenylephrine HCl, a vasoconstrictor that shrinks tissues and relieves itching.

Generic: Any hemorrhoid treatment that contains the same active ingredients

Fine print: Although the ointment got highest marks in the survey, Doering recommends Preparation H cream with maximum-strength pain relief. "It won't stick to your skin as well as the ointment, so it's messier, but it has a local anesthetic (pramoxine HCl) that reduces pain," he says.

See a doc if bleeding occurs, or if the problem persists for more than a week or worsens.

Motion Sickness

The drug: Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula

Why it's No. 1: If just the thought of getting on a boat makes you want to hurl, the drug to turn to is Dramamine, and this version is less likely than others to make you sleep through your scuba lesson. "The nausea occurs when the part of the brain that detects motion gets mixed signals," Pray says. "The same thing happens when you're reading a book while riding in a car. Your body feels motion but your eyes don't register the movement, which sets you up for what is called a 'sensory conflict.' Dramamine blocks the receptors in the central nervous system that give you those mixed signals." Meclizine hydrochloride, the active ingredient, is just as effective at preventing motion sickness but is less likely to make you nod off than dimenhydrinate, the ingredient in the original form of Dramamine.

Generic: Meclizine

Fine print:The key word in this product name is "less," Mackowiak says. In some cases, "it may still make you feel a bit sleepy," she says. So test-drive it before getting behind the wheel.

See a doc if you have severe, uncontrollable vomiting.

Poison Ivy or Oak

The drug: Cortaid

Why it's No. 1: Last off-the-grid adventure leave you with the itchies? Grab Cortaid, which will decrease the swelling and discomfort of poison ivy faster than anything else. Just read the label before you get in line for the cashier, Doering says. "Several products on the market bear the Cortaid brand, including a kit that gets the poison ivy toxin off your skin, but they don't all contain hydrocortisone, so you'll still feel pretty miserable."

Generic: Hydrocortisone

Fine print: It's not a good idea to use hydrocortisone on large areas (anything bigger than the size of your palm), because too much could be absorbed into your bloodstream, leading to side effects such as inflammation and peeling, itchy, or irritated skin, Doering says.

See a doc if itching remains severe despite use of the product, if symptoms persist for more than seven days, or if the rash covers a large area. You may need an oral steroid instead, Pray says.

Red Itchy Eyes

The drug: Naphcon-A

Why it's No. 1: Unlike drops that simply treat the appearance of red eyes by constricting the blood vessels, Naphcon-A also contains an antihistamine to relieve itchiness caused by allergies.

Generic: Allergy eye drops containing the decongestant naphazoline and the antihistamine pheniramine

Fine print: Using an eye drop containing a decongestant for more than three days in a row can make your eyes redder than they were to start. "A decongestant works by shrinking swollen vessels, which restricts the amount of blood in the area," Pray explains. "But if you use it too often, when it wears off, your body sends a flood of blood back, which causes a rebound effect"--essentially magnifying the original problem.

See a doc if your eyes feel gritty, your vision becomes blurred, or the condition worsens or persists for more than 72 hours.

Stuffy Nose

The drug: Sudafed

Why it's No. 1: You feel stuffier than a debutante ball, not because your head is full of mucus but because your blood vessels are swollen, Engle says. "The active ingredient in Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) is a vasoconstrictor that's very effective at shrinking those vessels." Decongestants that contain the vasoconstrictor phenylephrine don't work as well because most of the drug is broken down in the stomach before it even enters the bloodstream, Doering says. Another perk: Sudafed comes in sustained-release forms. "Some are formulated to last up to 24 hours, but a phenylephrine product will only work for four hours at most," Engle says.

Generic: Pseudoephedrine

Fine print: If Sudafed keeps you up at night, Doering recommends a nose spray or drop containing oxymetazoline, such as Afrin. "Its relief isn't as long-lasting, but you'll be spared the insomnia because the medication is deposited directly into the lining of the nose, rather than being circulated through your bloodstream." (Just don't use it for more than a week, or your body will try to compensate for the effect of the medicine by sending more blood to the area, leaving you even more congested.)

See a doc if your symptoms don't improve within a week or you're also running a fever.

Tension Headache

The drug: Tylenol

Why it's No. 1: Pharmacists are looking after your gut with this medicine cabinet staple. Aspirin and ibuprofen can also kill a headache, but druggists know they can irritate the stomach, causing cramps and sometimes bleeding. "Compared with other headache relievers, Tylenol has the fewest side effects and interactions with other drugs," Doering says.

Generic: Acetaminophen

Fine print: Knock back fewer than three cocktails a day if you're taking Tylenol, Mackowiak says. "Combining large quantities of alcohol and acetaminophen can cause serious liver damage."

See a doc if your headache worsens or lasts for more than 10 days.

Yeast Infections

The drug: Monistat

Why it's No. 1: When you've got an itch you can't scratch in public, reach for a tube of Monistat, which kills the overgrowth of the fungus that causes a yeast infection. "This is the only product that's available in seven-day, three-day, and one-day formulations," Pray says.

Generic: Miconazole

Fine print: While the one-day and three-day formulations can cut down on the number of nights you spend in misery, it can still take up to a week for the infection to disappear, Pray says. "Some women come in on the third day and say they need another package," he says. "I tell them to wait it out another day or two." The shorter formulas keep working even after the last dose, so you might not feel better until after you've emptied the package.

See a doc if your symptoms don't improve or they worsen after treatment.

Craving Mad

womenshealthmag

WebMD Feature from "Women's Health" Magazine

By Judi Ketteler

Outsmart any urge with these stick-to-your-diet tricks

If, in the next 30 seconds, you don't think about a

gooey slab of warm chocolate cake, Evan Forman, assistant professor of psychology at Drexel University, will mail you a check for a million dollars. Forman loves to pose this mind-screw to his study subjects because he knows that thoughts are like zits--they pop up whether you want them to or not. And that's the problem with cravings. "While there are things you can do to manage cravings, you can't stop yourself from thinking about the foods you love," Forman says.

Unlike run-of-the-mill hunger, cravings--intense desires for certain foods--seem to be linked to our brain's reward system. Emotions, situations, or pleasant associations (Grandma fed you Little Debbie snack cakes) can trigger a craving, says Susan Roberts, Ph.D., director of the Energy Metabolism Laboratory at the Tufts University Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging. When you eat a food you crave, your brain releases dopamine, a natural chemical related to pleasure. It's the same reward system you get from sex or illegal drugs, "but it's at much lower concentrations," Roberts says.

So what to do the next time you start jonesing for a pumpkin spice latte when you're already stuffed from lunch? The following stay-slim strategies will boost your ability to just say no.

Craving Killer No. 1: Accept Defeat

Playing head games isn't the only way Forman and his colleagues torture dieters in the name of science. They gave 98 study participants a questionnaire to determine how susceptible they were to food urges, then loaded them up with transparent boxes of Hershey's Kisses they had to keep with them at all times for the next 48 hours. Those who proved most successful at fighting temptation used an acceptance-based strategy they had been taught: Acknowledge the craving, accept it, and choose not to act on it. When you're struck by the desire for that double-fudge cake, practice what Forman calls cognitive "defusion": Instead of trying to ignore the craving, admit to yourself that you want a slice. It works on the same principle as getting the hots for a coworker when you're in a great relationship: Recognizing that you'll always be attracted to cute guys (or yummy food) prevents you from acting on the feeling every time it comes up.

Craving Killer No. 2: Give in - a little

Now this is our kind of news: Recent research from Tufts University revealed that surrendering to a craving is sometimes the best course of action--as long as you can practice portion control. In a study of 32 overweight women, all averaged an 8 percent weight loss after 12 months, but those who were most successful gave in to their cravings occasionally. When they did indulge, they ate small amounts--just enough to be satisfied, says Roberts, one of the study's co-authors. The key is practicing restraint, not deprivation. "When you forbid a food, it only becomes more attractive, and you become likely to overeat," says Janet Polivy, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. So when you need to feed the cocoa monster, reach for a prepackaged snack, such as Entenmann's Little Bites 100 Calorie Pack Brownie Squares, and call it a day. You'll be much less likely to break down and attack an entire hot fudge sundae.

Craving Killer No. 3: Fantasize

Being told to think of something else when you're in the grip of a powerful craving is about as helpful as being told to swim when you're drowning. But there is one way that advice can work: Researchers at Flinders University in Australia found that occupying your senses with a vivid non-food fantasy just might stifle your urge.

"Your short-term memory has limited storage," says study author Eva Kemps. To conjure any image--nachos or that spring break in Cancun--you need to pull them out of your long-term memory, the way an iPod cues up one song at a time from the gazillion it has in storage. But short-term memory has only so much room; it can't play "Cheeseburger in Paradise" and "Holiday" at the same time. "The idea is to keep your short-term memory busy by fantasizing about something else," Kemps says.

It worked for Kemps's study participants. When they were asked to drum up remembered smells and sights--the scent of freshly cut grass or a log fire, and images such as a hot-air balloon or the Sydney Opera House--their cravings for chocolate (which was right in front of them) were reduced by about 30 percent. Their minds couldn't handle the craving and the new sensory imagery at the same time, so the craving got dumped. Try thinking about what your guy looks like in nothing but a towel--you might forget all about that cookie.

Craving Killer No. 4: Swap smart

No one has ever made a longing for a jelly doughnut disappear by gnawing on celery sticks. But that doesn't mean substitutions never work. It's all about satisfying your appetite. The secret, Roberts says, is to get the flavor you want with minimal caloric damage. If you can't stop thinking about caramel corn, try LesserEvil "SinNamon" kettle corn (one cup has about 120 calories and 2 grams of fat). Or, give in to a sweet tooth with fruit--natural sugar can be amazingly satisfying. "Sometimes you have to reinvent a sweet," says Cheryl Forberg, R.D., nutritionist for the TV show The Biggest Loser. Try frozen grapes instead of popsicles and fresh cherries instead of candy.

One caveat: When it comes to chocolate (one of the most-craved foods in the world), it's better not to accept imitations. A study from the University of Toronto found that chronic dieters didn't have as much trouble resisting vanilla as they did chocolate. The reason, Polivy says, may be that although vanilla cravings may be sated by other flavors, like cinnamon or butterscotch, chocolate is unique--nothing else seems to hit the spot.

When you do indulge, keep an eye on how much. Get your fix in small (about 150-calorie) doses--that's two chocolate truffles or one snack-size chocolate bar. And don't tempt yourself by keeping supersize chocolate bars and trays of brownies at the ready--we already know who'll win that bet.

Is Alcohol Really Good for You?

www.health.com

WebMD Feature from "Health"

By Linda Formichelli

Just a glass or two raises your risks for some scary diseases—and lowers them for others. What’s right and wrong with drinking?

When you toast the New Year with a flute of champagne or down a glass of your favorite red wine on the weekends, it can actually be good news for your body: One glass a day (or less) can make your heart stronger and may boost your memory. But have a few too many, and your risks for breast cancer, uterine cancer, and osteoporosis rise fast. So when it comes to drinking, should you or shouldn’t you? Here, experts make sense of the contradictions and help four drinkers (and one abstainer) find the healthiest imbibing strategy.

Can a glass a day keep the doctor—and the pounds—away?

Gabrielle Studenmund, age 31, of Southern Pines, North Carolina, is trying to lose 10 to 20 pounds from her five-foot-five, 155-pound figure. She takes three-mile walks every day and watches calories carefully, but wonders whether giving up the glass of white wine (or sometimes two) that she has every night with dinner would make losing weight easier. At the same time, she doesn’t want to say no if wine is really helping her stave off Alzheimer’s, a heart attack, or some other scary disease.

What the experts say

The wine is probably doing more good than ill. In a study of almost 50,000 women, those who drank moderately (one drink per day) gained less weight than women who abstained—and less than those who had two or more drinks per day. It’s not clear why, but study author Eric Rimm, associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, thinks that alcohol may help burn calories. Plus, alcoholic beverages have no fat and typically have fewer calories than popular non-alcoholic beverages. A 5-ounce glass of red wine has 125 calories, for instance, but a Venti Cappuccino from Starbucks weighs in at 180.

Still, Gabrielle needs to watch what she eats when she’s drinking. Since alcohol often lowers inhibitions, she runs the risk of noshing to excess. To avoid that problem, it’s best to portion out your goodies beforehand and put away leftovers quickly, says Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietitian for the Mayo Clinic.

Down the road, Gabrielle’s well-behaved taste for wine should pay off in a lower risk for dementia, heart disease, and certain cancers. Alcohol may keep her brain sharp by increasing blood flow upstairs, says David Hanson, founder of AlcoholInformation.org and professor emeritus of sociology at the State University of New York at Potsdam. Moderate drinking also seems to raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, while decreasing blood pressure. It may even cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin. How does alcohol pull all that off? Nobody knows for sure, Hanson says, although the calorie burning and improvements in blood chemistry linked to drinking may explain it.

Will drinking too much make me age faster?

Lisa Concepcion Giassa, 36, of Bogota, New Jersey, goes out every other night during the week with the girls for a pitcher of marga-ritas or sangria, and downs two to three drinks per outing. On the weekends she gets a little more crazy. “For me,” she says, “it’s five drinks and three shots, with water in between.” She prides herself on being the one who can put it away and still have her wits about her. Lisa isn’t oblivious to the immediate dangers—like car accidents or simply falling down—but she’s more worried about premature aging and the risks of a disease like breast cancer or osteoporosis.

What the experts say

Alcohol by itself won’t make Lisa look old before her time. However, Rimm says, “Partyers tend to eat miscellaneous things at the bar (like greasy nachos, cheesy potato skins, and chicken wings) that aren’t great for them,” which can lead to that chunky, middle-aged look. People who drink this way are also more likely than nondrinkers to smoke and to breathe in secondhand smoke in bars, which contributes to wrinkles and higher risks of heart disease and cancer.

(Alcohol may also dehydrate you, and that’s never good for the skin.)

But the real problem with binge drinking—or even just two drinks a day for women—is the toll it takes on the inside of your body, not the outside. “If you have more than seven drinks per week, it actually reduces bone mass,” says Janet Greenhut, MD, MPH, senior medical consultant at HealthMedia, which provides online behaviorial help, like alcohol counseling, for health plans and employers. “Also, if someone is in the habit of binge drinking—having four or more drinks in a two-hour period—she’s more prone to falls, and she’s at higher risk for fracture because her bone mass is lower.”

Studies clearly show, too, that more than one drink a day makes you more prone to breast cancer. Researchers at the European Cancer Conference recently reported that the risk rises 10 percent for women who have between one and two drinks a day, compared with women who have less than one, and the risk increases by 30 percent at more than three drinks per day. And don’t think you lower the risk by drinking wine instead of beer or something harder. The same research says any kind of alcohol ups the risk. Uterine-cancer risks go up at two or more drinks per day, as well. What does alcohol have against breasts and uteruses? Experts say it seems to boost estrogen levels, which in some cases cranks up cancer risks.

Does having a drink or two take a toll on my energy?

Eliana Agudelo, 33, of San Francisco loves rock climbing, hiking, and marathons. “It’s part of who I am,” she says. “Being outdoors makes me feel alive, energetic, and connected to the Earth.” She also loves a good microbrew after a day outdoors and a glass of wine a few nights a week. She wants to know if she’d stay in better shape or have more energy if she didn’t drink at all.

What the experts say

A few drinks a week shouldn’t affect Eliana’s performance, says Eric Rimm, a professor at Harvard School of Public Health, whether she’s at the gym, in a road race, or on the trail. However, if alcoholic drinks end up cutting into her water intake during the day, she may get dehydrated. That can leave anyone feeling tired and less eager to work out. One more thing: Eliana should deep-six any drinking right before an athletic event or outing, as it takes four to six hours for the body to break down alcohol. Leave the beer at home, in other words, when you’re rock climbing, and get high on nature when you’re hiking. Otherwise, the risk of a bad fall rises fast.

Could my drinking lead to alcoholism?

The latest numbers from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism are discouraging: one in three people will become hooked, to some degree, on alcohol at some point in their lives, and only one-quarter of people with a problem will get treated. Connie Stelter, 41, of St. Paul, Minnesota, has often wondered whether she might need help. She currently has just two drinks a week, but it wasn’t long ago when four or five drinks three times a week was her norm. The heavy drinking happened after she suffered a divorce, two job layoffs, a burglary, and then more relationship turmoil. Now she worries she’ll end up like her brother, an alcoholic. “I know my drinking has really curbed my potential,” she says. Connie wants to know how to tell if she really has a problem, and, if so, what to do next.

What the experts say

Just wondering if you have a problem is a strong hint that you might, says Kevin Wildenhaus, PhD, director of behaviorial science for HealthMedia. (To take a quick test, see “Do I Have a Drinking Problem?” page 54). Connie’s family history is another red flag. “People who have a family history of alcoholism have about three times the risk of becoming alcoholics,” Rimm says. “Some say that it could be that you grew up in a setting exposed to alcohol, but even those who grew up apart from their parents have a higher risk.” Most experts classify alcoholism as a disease because of the genetic component and the tendency of some people to become psychologically and physically addicted. They say that Connie shouldn’t blame her brother for a personal failing. That attitude may lead her to blame herself and not seek help if she really does have a problem. Instead, Connie should talk to her doctor or a counselor.

Am I missing out on the benefits of drinking?

Laura Faeth, 44, of Boulder, Colorado, stopped drinking three years ago after experiencing a ton of abdominal pain during a night of partying. “I took it as a sign that my body didn’t want alcohol anymore,” she says. Now she finds socializing just as much fun when she’s sober. But since her father died of pancreatic cancer at age 53 and his mom died of breast cancer at 50, Laura can’t stop wondering whether she could lower her cancer risks by having some red wine every few days.

What the experts say

Women who don’t drink at all do have a slightly higher risk for certain diseases than women who drink just a little. But that’s no reason for Laura to start having wine with dinner in place of, say, water, or to throw down a few at the holiday party while toasting good health. (For tips on avoiding alcohol, see “Sneaky Ways to Just Say ‘No,’” page 56.) “We know so much about how to be healthy already,” Rimm says. “If you’re worried about the risk of diabetes and you’re eating right, for example, adding alcohol won’t do much more for you.”

The same goes for cancer: Ditch-ing cigarettes, eating more fruits and veggies, avoiding too much sun exposure, keeping your weight under control, and getting regular exercise pack a lot more prevention than a bottle of Bordeaux.

With additional reporting by Laurel Naversen Geraghty.

Experts share their thoughts on the top 5 things women can do to get healthy and well in the new year.

By Dulce Zamora
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Thirty-year-old Pierangeli has spent most of her adult life trying to do what thousands, if not millions, of women have resolved to do at the beginning of each year: Live a healthier life. This year, however, she is more optimistic about success as she's already started efforts at regular exercise and a well-balanced diet.

"This new year, I will continue and work on my eating habits, go to the gym, and practice balance in all areas of my life," says the Louisville, Ky. resident.

Health-related goals are, indeed, popular among people with New Year's resolutions. In the last 25 years, resolutions concerning weight, exercise, better relationships, and smoking cessation have been at the top of turn-of-the-calendar objectives for both sexes, says John C. Norcross, PhD, co-author of Changing for Good.

For many women, the path to good health is not an easy one, with plenty of roadblocks along the way. Procrastination, family obligations, work demands, and lack of time and energy are only a few culprits that can stop the best of health resolutions in their tracks.

To help women in their quest for better living, WebMD came up with five resolutions to improve physical and mental well-being, and asked the experts to provide tips for success. Their advice is by no means exhaustive, as different strategies work for different people. But, if you've made attempts at sounder mind and body before, here's another chance to make it happen. Good luck!
New Year's Resolution No. 1: Eat, but Don't Pig Out

When women resolve to lose weight, they are often black and white about it, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. She says women tend to want to cut out major food groups, telling themselves they cannot have any candy, dessert, or carbohydrates.

"It's a setup for failure, because by the time mid-January comes around, those resolutions are already in line for the next new year," says Taub-Dix. "It would be a much wiser decision to say, for example, 'I'm going to cut back on desserts.' Maybe pick a Saturday to have dessert." Instead of deprivation, practice moderation during the holidays.

The reduction approach is much more realistic than the all-or-nothing technique, which labels foods as "good" or "bad." When people see certain edibles as "bad," they can end up obsessing about it. Or they may see dieting as punishment for a year of unhealthy eating. Concentrate on getting adequate servings of whole grains, calcium, fiber, fruits and vegetables. This can be as easy as having a high-fiber cereal with milk and a banana.

Slashing entire food groups from the diet often backfires, because food is good and is one of the pleasures in life, says Taub-Dix. "There's no reason why we shouldn't enjoy food just because we're over the weight that we should be."

"Don't wait until the new year to have better eating habits, says Taub-Dix. "It should be a whole year's resolution, not a New Year's resolution."

(Have you resolved to go on a diet this year? Check out WebMD's Diet Assessment tool.)

New Year's Resolution No. 2: Jump Outside the Box

Many women who resolve to become more physically active think of going to the gym. They tend to hit the aerobic machines or join group exercise classes. They may get discouraged easily because they don't achieve desired weight loss or muscle tone in a certain time frame. They may quit because of lack of time, energy, or money. Or, they may tire of the gym atmosphere.

There are dozens of reasons why the best of workout intentions fall by the wayside come February. Yet they don't have to end up that way if you're willing to step outside of a certain mode of thinking -- that exercise has to be done a certain way, at a certain place, at a certain time, and for a certain amount of time.

"Sometimes people have this 'all or none' mentality and they're so gung-ho and so excited when they set the resolution that they judge themselves too harshly if they don't perfectly adhere to what they've established," says Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise.

He says many people make resolutions that are either unrealistic or too vague. A woman, for instance, may resolve to lose 10 pounds in two weeks. If she doesn't see desired results, she becomes discouraged and gives up.

It's better to set fitness goals that are realistic, achievable, and well defined. For example, a woman may strive to lose one to two pounds per week by exercising three to four times per week and holding off on seconds at the dinner table.

While the trend is changing, too many women don't do valuable resistance training, says Bryant. According to the Mayo Clinic, enhanced muscle mass can not only help better manage weight, it can also improve endurance, maintain the flexibility of joints, and reverse age-related declines in strength, bone density, and muscle mass.

Even very busy women can do resistance training and aerobic exercise, as they do not necessarily require a visit to a fitness center. "If you can't get to the gym, what can you do today to be more active?" asks Saralyn Mark, MD, senior medical adviser for the Office on Women's Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "Can it be walking a little bit further in the parking lot, and using the stairs, or raking your leaves?"

"There's a lot you can do with just what is around you," says Mark. "The best part is that you don't have to get into a fancy gym outfit. You can be comfortable and you can do it while you're watching the news."
New Year's Resolution No. 3: Guard Against the Bone Thief

This may not sound like a popular health resolution, but it is a crucial one for women and girls of all ages.
"A lot of women feel that when they're not babies anymore, they don't have to worry about their bones, but it's quite the contrary," says Taub-Dix. "Watching calcium in your diet even as a young child or teen is very important, because that is the setup for what your bones may look like later on in life."

Osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disease, is major public health threat for 44 million Americans, 80% of whom are women, according to the National Institute of Health Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases. One out of every two women over 50 years old will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in her lifetime.

To help prevent osteoporosis, Taub-Dix suggests getting at least three servings of dairy a day. Healthy sources of dairy include skim milk, low-fat cheeses, and yogurt. There are also nondairy options for calcium, such as canned salmon with bones, dark green vegetables, dried beans, and calcium-fortified juices and cereals. Calcium supplements can also help women meet their recommended daily intake.

Adequate intakes of calcium for women:

* From age 11 to 24, between 1,200 and 1,500 milligrams daily
* From age 25 to 50, 1,000 milligrams daily
* For postmenopausal women 1,000-1,500 milligrams daily if on menopausal hormone therapy
* For pregnant and breastfeeding women, 1,200-1,500 milligrams daily

Women also should be aware that without vitamin D, calcium absorption is reduced. This vitamin is found in some foods sources including fatty fish, fish liver oil, and diary products that are fortified with vitamin D. An adequate intake of vitamin D for adults ranges from 200-600 international units a day.

Weight-bearing exercises, which use gravity to put pressure on the bones, can also help strengthen bones. Examples include walking, running, aerobics, and dancing. Resistance-training exercises are also valuable as they help enhance muscle mass and bone strength.

Be aware that certain foods and medications may help weaken bones. There is some evidence that soda drinking can contribute to bone loss, primarily because many soda drinkers tend not to drink milk. Research also shows nicotine can slow down bone cell production and cause faster bone loss.

"It's important that you talk with your doctor about how much calcium you get in your diet, whether you smoke cigarettes, your family history, whether you've been on Depo-Provera, or you've had a history of other diseases that have required you to be on steroids or thyroid medications," says Mark.

The FDA recently issued a strong warning about potential bone density loss with use of the contraceptive Depo-Provera. Use of steroids and an overactive thyroid have also been associated with weak and thinning bones.
New Year's Resolution No. 4: Take Health Exams and Get an "A" for Good Health

Making a point to be up-to-date on health screenings may not sound sexy, but the tests could help you live longer and healthier.

An osteoporosis screening test is ideal for all women aged 65 or older, or for younger women with one or more risk factor. It is also important to get tested if this problem runs in your family.

There are other important health exams for women, and the optimal benefits usually correspond with certain age groups. Mammograms, for example, screen for breast cancer, a disease with a risk that increases after age 40. Consequently, the Task Force recommends that mammograms be performed every one or two years beginning at 40.

Pap smears, which screen for cervical cancer, are recommended to start within three years of onset of sexual activity or at 21 years old, whichever comes first, and to continue screening at least every three years. Also, discuss with your doctor the new HPV vaccine, which helps reduce your risk of cervical cancer.

Starting at 50, testing for colorectal cancer is also important. The disease more often strikes older men and women.

Other important areas of screening for women include blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, depression, and sexually transmitted diseases.

For more information on screening, check out WebMD's Health Checklist for Women Over 40.

There are risks to every exam, including the possibility of an inaccurate report. Overall, though, experts say they play an invaluable role in good health. "Screenings can't prevent anything, but they can make treatment more effective," says Cindy Pearson, executive director of the National Women's Health Network.
New Year's Resolution No. 5: Move Center Stage

Women are well-known caretakers and jugglers of several tasks at once. With responsibilities concerning home, work, and children, there just aren't enough hours to do all that needs done. The result: many women feel frazzled, frustrated, and forlorn.

The mere thought of taking time to take care of themselves sends ripples of guilt through many women. Where does one find the time for self-care?

Make the time, says Mark. Research shows stress can wreak havoc on health. It's not unusual for the stressed to have stomachaches, diarrhea, increased appetite, and weight gain. Constant stress can also compromise the immune system, making people more vulnerable to colds and other infections. The pressure can also aggravate illnesses, produce anxiety and depression, disrupt valuable sleep, decrease sex drive, and raise blood pressure.

The list of negative consequences goes on and on. But women do not have to be victims, or they can try to change unpleasant situations.

Peter A. Wish, PhD, a psychologist in Sarasota, Fla., suggests identifying stresses, prioritizing them according to importance, and then tackling them one at a time. He recommends starting with an easy objective, and then moving on to another minigoal. "It starts with something that you can be successful at, and nothing succeeds like success," he says. "It reinforces you to keep going."

If a woman is not able to accomplish everything on her list, Wish says not to fret. "The probability is that [women] won't be able to accomplish everything, and therefore, they shouldn't be too hard on themselves."

With the to-do list never ending, there's no better time than today to find time to do something for yourself, even if it's just for 10 minutes. The ideas vary with individual tastes, but some women have found doing simple things, such as walking, exercising, talking to a friend, soaking in the tub, or meditation to be highly enjoyable and relaxing.

So this new year, think of what's important to you, make your resolutions, and vow to make this the beginning of a happier, healthier you.