New research suggests that how you cook your food is just as important as what’s in it Continue reading
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The Cooking Trick That Makes You Healthier
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The Secret Ingredient for a Healthier Diet
Plus, five recipes that’ll help you work more of it into your meals Continue reading
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The Secret Ingredient for Healthier Skin
No, it’s not a miracle cream—in fact, it won’t cost you a thing Continue reading
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7 Steps to a Healthier Attitude
If you’re only thankful around turkey and pumpkin pie, you may want to start counting your blessings. People who feel the most grateful are also the healthiest, according to a recent article published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences.
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign looked at a diverse sample of 962 Swiss adults ranging in age from 19 to 84 years old. Through a series of questionnaires, they found that gratitude was significantly related to physical health, even when controlling for age and other personality traits.
It may seem like a big jump from “thank you” to staying fit, but the researchers actually found three links that explain the relationship: Psychological health, healthy activities, and a willingness to seek help for medical concerns. “We know that if you’re psychologically healthy that has an effect on the physical,” says Patrick Hill, Ph.D., postdoctoral research associate of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and coauthor of the study. “And the other links came from the idea that dispositional traits influence our behavior.”
Ultimately, you’re more likely to stick to your health goals when you’re feeling positive (since stress makes most people want to snuggle up to a bag of Doritos). “If you feel like every day is a blessing, you’ll want to live a healthier lifestyle more than someone who isn’t thankful for anything,” says Hill.
And if being appreciative can help you stay in shape during the season of holiday parties and starchy hors d’oeuvres, it’s time to get grateful, stat. Here are a few ways to foster your positive outlook:
Leave yourself notes. Research shows that writing what you’re thankful for can increase feelings of gratitude, says Jo-Ann Tsang, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Baylor University. Force yourself to jot down a few positive statements and stick them on your mirror. This way, you’re both actively thinking positive and passively being reminded to keep it up.
Give back. “Volunteering is proven to boost your mood, and it’s highly likely to increase your own gratitude,” says Tsang. If you don’t believe us, try helping out an animal shelter without feeling warm and fuzzy when you leave. Check out volunteermatch.org to find an opportunity that fits with your schedule and interests.
Think small. When we imagine being thankful, our minds usually go to big picture things like family and finances. But focusing on little stuff is just as crucial. Let yourself get excited when you’re having a crazy-good hair day or when your boyfriend cooks you dinner. “Those are the things that will still be there even if you lose your job tomorrow,” says Tsang.
Stock up on stationary. Whether you received a gift or your mentor met you for coffee, follow it up with a hand-written note, says Tsang. Sure, it makes you look good, but it also ensures that you act on your gratitude, which can make it a habit.
Step back from social media. The recent epidemic of Facebook friends posting what they’re thankful for may inspire you—or it could make you feel like you pale in comparison to their blessings. “If it’s bringing you down, take a break,” says Tsang. It may be easier to focus on your own appreciation when it doesn’t look like a competition.
Ditch the guilt. We often downplay how grateful we are when we know others aren’t as fortunate. “We think, how can I be thankful for this new purse when some people don’t even have food to eat?” says Tsang. Don’t get stuck in this trap. Remind yourself that you have a reason to be appreciative, and allow yourself to feel it. “You can be grateful and it doesn’t have to take away from another person’s situation,” says Tsang.
Fake it. If you really can’t boost feelings of gratitude on your own, skip to focusing on what you can control—like going to the gym twice a week. Sometimes you need a kick-start, so it’s OK to come at this from another direction, says Hill. “If you go out and exercise, you’ll be more grateful for your health,” he says. And that feeling will motivate you to stick with it.
photo: George Doyle/Stockbyte/Thinkstock
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What’s Healthier: Turkey Burgers Or Veggie Burgers?
It’s been decades since the veggie burger first captured the hearts—and landed on the dinner plates—of vegans, veggie-lovers, and health nuts everywhere.
But the burgers are still making news, most recently this past month when New York Magazine reported that former governor Mitt Romney chowed down on a crispy quinoa burger before the final presidential debate. And last fall, First Lady Michelle Obama shared her own broccoli and cheese turkey burger recipe on the Rachel Ray Show.
With so many burger options, which one packs the nutritional punch that deserves your vote? Figure it out with Prevention magazine’s latest Health Food Face-Off, as they pit turkey burgers against the veggie variety.
photo: iStockPhoto/Thinkstock
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The Dressing That Makes Your Salad Healthier
Salad is right up there with diamonds on a girl’s list of BFFs. But drizzling it with fat-free dressing could be drowning out your good intentions. A new Purdue University study published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research shows that eating fat—the right kind of fat—can drastically increase how many nutrients we absorb from food.
What Can Fat Do For You?
Combining dietary fat with foods that contain certain fat-soluble vitamins and other essential nutrients help our bodies absorb those nutrients, says study co-author Shellen Goltz. Without fat, all the good stuff in lettuces, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and other salad staples can’t get into your bloodstream and go to work warding off cancer, eye disease, and other ailments. A 2004 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that our bodies absorb essentially none of the carotenoids (a natural pigment and potent antioxidant found in vibrant-colored veggies) we eat when we don’t wash it down with fat. So while our muffin tops may not need calorie-rich, fat-laden dressings, the rest of our bodies do. The question is: How much?
When to Say When
The Purdue University study found that people who ate salads dressed with as little as 3 grams (a little less than a teaspoon) of monounsaturated fat (the good kind that’s found in food sources such as olive oil and nuts) absorbed just as many nutrients from their food as those whose dressing had more fat. Even better, far smaller amounts of monounsaturated fats were required to boost nutrient absorption, compared with all other kinds of fat (including polyunsaturated fat, the kind found in fish oil).
Keeping all this in mind, here are three ways to get more out of your next visit to the salad bar:
Use full-fat dressing. Just make sure it’s monounsaturated fat. Scan the ingredients label for canola, vegetable, sunflower, or olive oil. Just one teaspoon of any of these will replicate the nutrient absorption that occurred in the Purdue study, at a cost of only around 40 calories.
OR Toss in avocado, nuts, or olives. These foods contain the same kind of monounsaturated fats that promote absorption, says Goltz.
OR Hold the dressing now, indulge in dessert later. Although you’ll absorb the most nutrients from food by eating fat with your meal, you can achieve the same result (to a lesser degree) by having a high-fat meal–or dessert–later in the day. So if you’d prefer to put a cap on the condiments and savor something sweet instead, choose a meal-ender made with monounsaturated fat, such as walnut shortbread, orange-olive-oil cake with fresh berries, or avocado ice cream.)
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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Build a Better Salad
Salad Dressing Recipes
Salad: Low-Calorie Recipes
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The Lowest-Cal Dressing That Makes Your Salad Healthier
Salad is right up there with diamonds on a girl’s list of BFFs. But drizzling it with fat-free dressing could be drowning out your good intentions. A new Purdue University study shows that eating fat— the right kind of fat—can drastically increase how many nutrients we absorb from food.
What Can Fat Do For You?
Dietary fat helps our bodies absorb certain fat-soluble vitamins and phytochemicals, says study co-author Shellen Goltz. Without fat, all the good stuff in lettuces, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and other salad staples can’t get into your bloodstream and go to work warding off cancer, eye disease, and other ailments. A 2004 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that our bodies absorb essentially none of the carotenoids (health-boosting compounds found in fruits and veggies) we eat when we don’t wash it down with fat. So while our muffin tops may not need calorie-rich, fat-laden dressings, the rest of our bodies do. The question is: How much?
When to Say When
The Purdue University study found that people who ate salads dressed with as little as 3 grams (about half a teaspoon) of monounsaturated fat (the good kind that’s found in food sources such as olive oil and nuts) absorbed just as many nutrients from their food as those whose dressing had more fat. Even better, far smaller amounts of monounsaturated fats were required to boost nutrient absorption, compared with all other kinds of fat (including polyunsaturated fat, the kind found in fish oil).
Keeping all this in mind, here are three ways to get more out of your next visit to the salad bar:
Use full-fat dressing. Just make sure it’s monounsaturated fat. Scan the ingredients label for canola, vegetable, sunflower, or olive oil. Just one teaspoon of any of these will replicate the nutrient absorption that occurred in the Purdue study, at a cost of only around 40 calories.
OR Toss in avocado, nuts, or olives. These foods contain the same kind of monounsaturated fats that promote absorption, says Goltz.
OR Hold the dressing now, indulge in dessert later. Although you’ll absorb the most nutrients from food by eating fat with your meal, you can achieve the same result (to a lesser degree) by having a high-fat meal–or dessert–later in the day. So if you’d prefer to put a cap on the condiments and savor something sweet instead, choose a meal-ender made with monounsaturated fat, such as walnut shortbread, orange-olive-oil cake with fresh berries, or avocado ice cream.)
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
More from WH:
Build a Better Salad
Salad Dressing Recipes
Salad: Low-Calorie Recipes
Take control of your appetite! The Belly Melt Diet is designed to keep hunger hormones in control. Buy the book!
Healthier Hot Dogs
Fire up the grill! It’s finally barbeque season (oh, how we’ve missed you, food on buns and sticks), and we’re …
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