better
HEALTH
SEND THE BLUES AWAY
D ro w n in g y o u r tr o u b le s : M a y b e n o t s u c h a g o o d id e a . B u t
w ritin g th e m o f f ? D e fin ite ly . It w o rk s , s a y U n iv e r s it y o f
T o ro n to r e s e a r c h e r s . J u s t d e s c r ib e y o u r u n h a p p y
e x p e rie n c e in a le tte r a n d th e n p a c k it a w a y in a b ox o r
e n v e lo p e . T h a t s im p le a c t w ill g iv e y o u c lo s u r e an d
im p ro v e y o u r n e g a tiv e fe e lin g s a b o u t th e e v e n t, s a y
r e s e a r c h e r s w h o s tu d ie d th e p h e n o m e n o n .
chip thrills
Sour cream and onion? That's so
stale. Now there's Beanitos—bean
chips that come in two South-of-the-
border flavors, black bean and pinto
bean with flaxseeds. But taste isn't
the only reason to dip in. These chips
are wheat-, corn-, gluten-, trans fat-,
and soy-free; protein- and fiber-rich;
and pack a heart-healthy punch of
omega-3s. (The pinto variety offers
1,200 mg, swimmingly close to a
3-ounce salmon serving's 1,900 mg.)
Find 'em at most supermarkets.
DOG TAGS 2.0
Jo g g e rs, h ik e rs, and an yo n e else w h o like s to v e n tu re o u t u n e n c u m b e re d ,
re jo ic e . L a u n ch e d th is su m m e r, th e V IT A b a n d is a sle e k, w a te rp ro o f w ristb a n d
th at g iv e s first re sp o n d e rs y o u r n am e , e m e rg e n c y co n ta c t in fo rm a tio n , and
m e d ica l h isto ry. You in p u t y o u r in fo in to a s e c u re w e b site — as m u ch o r as little
as y o u lik e — an d re sp o n d e rs ca n a c ce ss it in sta n tly v ia p h o n e , sm a rtp h o n e , o r
co m p u te r. You ca n also p re lo ad m o n e y stra ig h t fro m y o u r b an k a c c o u n t o n to
th e band. T h e n , c o n ta c tle ss p a ym e n t te c h n o lo g y lets y o u “w ave an d g o ” at
th o u sa n d s o f o u tle ts a c ro s s th e co u n try , in c lu d in g co n v e n ie n c e sto re s,
re sta u ra n ts, g as sta tio n s, d ru g
sto re s, an d even m o vie th e a te rs.
V IT A b a n d co sts $19 .9 5; se rv ic e is
$ 19 .9 5 a n n u a lly ; o n ly in b lack righ t
now , b u t o th e r c o lo rs a re in th e
w o rks. A v a ila b le at
vitaband.net.
IN EMERGENCY
(866)
97
Î
-8482
Quick Tip:
W hen motion- or seasickness strikes,
candv eveiy 15 minutes for one hour before your nip.
Gin Gins, 3 oz bag, S2.39 at specialty and natural food
stores, or online at
gingerpeople.com.
Q: My doctor says I have some bone loss and suggested starting
medication. But Fm worried about side effects. Is there any way for
me to increase bone density without drugs?
A :
T h e re are im p o rtan t things yo u can do to prevent fu rth e r bone loss and to red uce
th e d evelo p m en t o f osteop orosis. Eat a balanced diet o f n u tritio u s food, in clud in g
adequate ca lciu m and vitam in D. Lim it caffein e and alcohol intake; avoid sm oking. T ry to
get 3 0 -6 0 m in utes o f exercise m o st days, w ith a co m b in atio n o f w eig h t-b earin g exercise
(e.g. w alking, dancing, stair-clim b in g ), stre n g th -train in g (w eights, resistance bands, w ater
activities), and b ack-stren g th en in g exercises. Peak bone d ensity is reached aro un d age 30.
A fter that, effo rts are fo cused on keeping the bone m ass y o u have and preventing
fu rth e r bone loss that o c cu rs w ith aging and speeds up at m enopause.
H A V E A Q U E S T IO N A B O U T H O W T O IM P R O V E Y O U R H E A L T H ? E-m ail us at
W e ll select one question every issue and ask o u r health advisory
panel to answ er it (Sorry, the doctors can’t respond to all yo u r questions personally.) (
3
)
As d ire cto r of the O ffice of
W o m en ’s H ealth at M ayo
C lin ic in Rochester,
M innesota, Dr. Sh u ster is at
the leading edge of
w o m en -sp ecific m edicine.
208
AUGUST 2010 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
P H O T O S :
(C H IP S A N D B R A C E L E T ) K A T H R Y N G A M B L E . (E N V E L O P E S ) V EER
