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    Whole Living

    Whole Living

  • 10 Best Foods to Fight Aging

    In the perennial quest for longevity, there are no miracle cures. But what's on your plate matters more than you think. Here are 10 foods to put in your pantry -- as well as delicious recipes to use them in.1. Healthy GreensThey contain folate, calcium, and other nutrients that support bone health, protect against cognitive decline, and help prevent age-related eye problems. Diets high in cruciferous veggies, such as broccoli and cabbage, help reduce the risk of memory loss and cancer.2. ...

  • What Those "Healthy" Beauty Labels Really Mean

    Scan the offerings in the beauty aisle and you'll see plenty of virtuous-sounding labels. "Vegan-friendly" shampoo, "cruelty-free" face cream, "natural" moisturizer, "biodegradable" toothpaste -- what do they really mean? Still more confusing: Some products have "certified" seals, while others sport symbols that don't quite look official.How do you choose a cleanser that's good for both you and the planet? With the help of our experts, we get to the bottom of the most common declarations and sort truth from empty promises.Label: OrganicClear rules make decoding this term easier. ...

  • Why Pushups Are the Perfect Exercise

    Thanks to awkward gym-class flashbacks, the no-frills, multitasking pushup is usually overlooked, but this highly effective exercise deserves a spot in your fitness routine."People think pushups are all about the arms. They're actually one of the only total-body exercises," says mind-body fitness expert Ellen Barrett. Beyond strengthening biceps and triceps, pushups also tone the chest, shoulders, back, core, and legs.If you're struggling, don't feel bad about bringing your knees to the floor. You'll learn alignment as you build necessary upper-body strength. Here's how to do it:1. ...

  • How to Wash Dry-Clean Clothes at Home

    Does the phrase "dry clean" make you cringe, either because of the toxic chemicals most cleaners use or because of the prices they charge? Good news! Many of these delicate items can be safely washed by hand at home with a gentle detergent. Just follow these simple steps to make your clothes clean and green.Decode the Care LabelsManufacturers only need to list one care instruction, even if a garment can be both washed and dry-cleaned. To prevent mishaps, they'll usually print "Dry Clean." These items can typically be hand washed. "Dry Clean Only," however, means exactly that. ...

  • 7 Healthy Eating Myths Debunked

    We're bombarded with food facts and fallacies around every corner -- from our families ("Eat your margarine"), fad-diet books ("Bread is the root of all evil"), the nightly news ("Milk saves the world!"), and, of course, the Internet."People are extremely confused about what to eat," acknowledges New York-based physician Jana Klauer, M.D., author of "How the Rich Get Thin." She and other prominent nutrition experts help us set the record straight, exposing seven myths you might have heard -- but shouldn't believe.Myth: A calorie is a calorie. ...

  • Try This at Home: A Ballet Barre Workout

    Get the lithe legs, lean core, and toned tush -- plus the poise -- of a dancer with this DIY "barre burner" workout.Note to beginner ballerinas: Rest your fingertips on a chair or table; don't pinch your back or lean too heavily on your "barre" or you'll miss out on the benefits.PencheWhat It Does: Works the entire lower body; builds balance and stabilityHow to Do It: With feet and thighs turned out ballerina-style, hinge forward to a flat back and lightly grasp the seat of a chair. Look at the floor to keep the neck long. ...

  • How to Make Your Own Kombucha Tea

    With a little bit of science and a whole lot of patience, you can mix up your own batch of fizzy kombucha tea. ...

  • Eat like a Nutritionist

    Your weekday breakfast is latte-only; your weekend breakfast is lumberjack-worthy. But each adds up to a cup (or heaping plate) of empty calories.Instead of starting off that way, reach for energy-boosting, nutritious, and tasty foods that health experts themselves eat. Whether you're in a rush or have some extra time, here are eight easy breakfasts from top nutritionists.What the Doctor EatsPamela Peeke, M.D., M.P.H. ...

  • The Dos and Don'ts of the Perfect Apology

    Sometimes people are truly sorry for what they have done to hurt someone else but can't convey it. The following techniques require five minutes and works almost every time.1. Make Your Apology Bigger than the CrimeDon't attempt to diminish your mistake by offering a lame apology or excuse. You'll only make matters worse.Instead of Saying "It's not a big deal," "I didn't mean it," or "You're overreacting" ...Try: "I made a big mistake," "I never should have done that," or "I should have known better."2. ...

  • 12 Ways to Prevent Food Waste

    What's in your trash? A few moldy apples, half a can of spoiled tomato paste, limp veggies, Saturday's leftovers? That might not seem like much, but it adds up: The average household creates about 1.28 pounds of daily waste, equal to 14 percent of the family's food purchases.It's bad enough that discarded items take up space in landfills. But rotting food also releases methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.The good news: We can reduce food waste. Here, experts tell us how to shop and eat a little more carefully.1. ...

  • 5 Healthy Homemade Snacks for Your Child's Lunch Box

    Kids love to snack, but choosing healthy, nutritious options (that they'll actually eat) can be a challenge. Here are our suggestions for fun and easy ideas that the little ones can take to school.Chocolate-Zucchini Cakes with WalnutsZucchini makes these treats nice and moist. You can substitute pecans for the walnuts. ...

  • How to Avoid Healthy Overeating

    Sometimes even nutrition-minded eaters may sabotage their best intentions. Read on for how your habits may make you eat more calories than you realize -- and how to prevent weight gain from whole-grain, high-fiber, organic, and other good-for-you foods.Habit: You Hit the (Whole-Grain) Bread Basket HardDon't let the earthy flavor and hearty texture confuse you. Whole-wheat breads and pastas have roughly the same number of calories as their white counterparts. ...

  • Are High Heels Bad for You?

    Q: I wear high heels every single day. Should I be worried about the long-term ramifications of wearing stilettos?A: The simple answer is that high heels aren't great for you. There are many potential long-term problems that can result from consistent, extended wear. Most notable among these is forefoot pain, bunions, hammertoes, neuromas (über-painful nerve growths), heel pain, and osteoarthritis.The good news is that you aren't doomed to have these issues if you wear high heels. Whether or not you'll ache depends on multiple factors, including your height, weight, and foot type. ...

  • 12 Money-Saving Ideas for Vegetable Scraps

    Eating more sustainably at home is good for our planet ... and your wallet. One of the easiest ways to make your plate more sustainable is to get into the habit of using up every last scrap of the fruits and vegetables you buy. Food waste makes up the second largest category of garbage that gets sent to landfills (second only to paper), where it generates methane, a greenhouse gas with more global warming potential than carbon dioxide. ...

  • Surprisingly Healthy Everyday Superfoods

    Read enough about superfoods like pomegranates and acai juice, and you get the impression that more ordinary fruits and vegetables aren't quite so super. That would be a mistake. The latest nutritional science has established that some of the most humdrum-sounding produce, usually relegated to comfort food status -- peas, corn, white potatoes, white button mushrooms, and kidney beans -- contain some of the best calories on the planet. Notes Julie Upton, M.S., R.D., author of "Energy to Burn," "Modern medicine is reaffirming what our grandparents told us was inherently good for us. ...

  • Will Running Next to a Highway Hurt My Lungs?

    Q: I jog along a path that's next to a highway. Will breathing in the pollution damage my lungs?A: Running is great cardiovascular exercise, but unfortunately, doing it along a heavily trafficked freeway might be tough on your lungs. A growing body of research shows that highway corridors have unhealthy pollution levels thanks to vehicle emissions (even when the air in the rest of the community is fine). ...

  • Breaking Bad Eating Habits

    Trudging home after work, you envision the ultimate healthy dinner -- that consummate amalgam of omega-3-rich, fiber-infused, yin-yang superfoods enhanced with a dash of chakra-balancing spices. But your intentions somehow evaporate, along with the half-wheel of cheese you down after stepping through the door.It's no secret that maintaining a nutritious diet requires an awareness of what, when, and how much we eat. But here's the catch: Many of our eating habits are just that -- habits. ...

  • One Hour to a Healthier You

    Got 10, 20, 30 minutes? See how much your well-being improves each time you exercise.5 minutesBoost your brain health. Among 1,740 adults age 65 and older, those who exercised for 15 minutes at least three times a week reduced their dementia risk by about one-third, says a 2006 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Plus: 5-Minute Workouts10 minutesBiking for this amount of time daily can rev up your energy and brighten your mood, shows a 2001 study from Northern Arizona University. If you add a 10-minute workout to your day, you'll pump up your cardiovascular fitness by 4. ...

  • The Food Mind Games We Play

    Every day at 4 p.m, a voice pops into my head and lists the contents of the vending machine down the hall. Fritos. This has been a really stressful week, the voice whispers, Fritos will help. In the middle row are salt and vinegar potato chips. You ate a healthy lunch; one bag is okay. And down near the bottom, there's that pack of chocolate-chip cookies. You can start getting skinny tomorrow. What's one more day?Some afternoons, I find this nonsense perfectly convincing. ...

  • The Psychology of a Healthy Refrigerator

    The Good News?Shuffling the food around can make a huge difference in what we consume every day. "Studies have shown that we reach for what's convenient and what's visible," says Janet Polivy, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Toronto in Canada. We talked to psychologists, dietitians, and food experts to create a refrigerator that fosters healthy eating. Here's what it looks like.Top Shelf: Fresh Food SnacksThink of this eye-level shelf as your kitchen's primary fuel station. Place washed, dried, and cut-up raw vegetables in airtight containers on the top shelf. ...