Bonnie’s Best Health Minute: September 2009

Source: Best Health Magazine, September 2009; photo by Michael Alberstat

Ways to Look Great

1. I’ve noticed that some nail polish removers are labelled ‘does not contain acetone.’ Naturally, I assumed that means this solvent is bad. Au contraire. We did some digging and found out that acetone is harmless, as are other solvents in nail polish removers. See page 46.

2. A toned, trim waist is something many of us aspire to (yup, me too), but it takes some work. Did you know you’ll reach your goal faster if you exercise the larger muscles before the smaller ones? Find out why (and get three toning moves) on page 30.

3. I had never before considered giving myself a spa-style facial massage. But experts say facial massage can make you look younger and feel refreshed. I figure, why not get the benefits for free? For 11 techniques, see page 44.

Ways to Get Healthy

1. Cool! For every hour of exercise you do, you will actually gain two hours of life, according to a Harvard study. I’ll think about that next time my alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m. and I consider staying in bed instead of going for a run. Find more motivation to exercise on page 54.

2. Know someone with thyroid disease? It seems everyone does these days. Symptoms include fatigue, changes to your menstrual cycle and thinning hair. Get more info on page 62 and ask your doctor about getting tested.

3. You can lose a pound in one week by eliminating 3,500 calories’that’s 500 a day. Which means that skipping 250 calories from your diet and exercising off an extra 250 calories will do it. Awesome (and pretty easy!). Ideas on page 52.

Ways to Eat Well

‘What the heck is ‘edamame’?’ I asked a friend the first time I saw it on a menu. ‘Soybeans in their pods,’ she said. Pronounced ‘eda-mammy,’ it’s a super-food you should try: It has more disease-busting nutrients than even black beans. Try tossing some shelled edamame in this Tangy Noodle Salad for an extra boost of antioxidants. For more super-healthy foods, see page 88.

2.I always thought that all vegetables are healthiest when eaten raw. But the antioxidant power of some veggies goes up after cooking. For example, corn is better when nuked, and eggplant is healthier when fried. Find a full list on page 17.

3. I’m going to pay more attention to the serving sizes on my dinner plate. Turns out a healthy serving of brown rice, for example, is just half a cup, according to Canada’s Food Guide (and I’ve been wondering why I can’t seem to drop a couple of pounds). See page 106.

Ways to Embrace Life

1. I lived in the Far East for a few years and saw many people doing tai chi. (I even tried it once.) It looked so soothing. What I didn’t know until reading our article on page 131 was that, more than being relaxing, tai chi can ease pain.

2. Did you assume that a drink before sex could give your partner, um, performance problems? Well, alcohol could actually make him a better lover. (See page 19.) That’s something I feel is my duty to tell my husband: Hmm, maybe I’ll do that over a martini ;).

3. If I’m embarrassed, I usually turn red and try to back out of the room. But a better way to handle it is to laugh; taking stressful things lightly is healthier. Find the five keys to happiness on page 128.

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