A new Greek study found that arteries relaxed immediately after a single glass of alcohol-free red wine almost as much as they did following a serving of the real thing–by 6.1 and 10.5%, respectively–in 15 people with atherosclerosis (arteries blocked by plaque). Blood vessels need to stretch with each heartbeat or blood pressure rise, and this raises the risk of obstructed arteries, which lead to heart attack and stroke. Polyphenols may help nip that process in the bud, experts say....

People often hate certain exercises simply because they’re challenging, says Emily Hutchins, trainer and co-owner of On Your Mark Coaching + Training in Chicago. Since you need to push your limits to boost your fitness, sometimes you should just suck it up and give tough moves a shot. But in other cases, your anatomy or problems with form lead you to do the motion incorrectly, triggering a pain that’s more physical than psychological....

The study surveyed over 300 couples about their marital stress—things like how often they felt let down by their partner or how often their spouse criticized them—and their symptoms of depression. Then, nine years later, they repeated those surveys with the same couples. They also asked participants to undergo emotional response testing, which basically involved measuring each person’s frown muscles as they looked at a mix of negative, positive, and neutral photographs....

The research: One hundred commonly prescribed drugs in the UK were studied, and 74 of them had lactose, gelatin, or magnesium stearate—ingredients that come from cows, pigs, and fish. Gelatin is often used in capsules or coatings, and lactose and magnesium stearate are often mixed with the active ingredients of the drugs. What it means: The researchers say doctors and patients often aren’t aware that prescription drugs are made with animal by-products....

“[Consuming] two hundred milligrams of cocoa flavanols per day is associated with cardiovascular benefits,” explains Tod Cooperman, MD, president of ConsumerLab.com. But depending on what kind of bar you buy, you might have to nibble more than two ounces of the dark stuff to get your daily flavanol fix, compared to just half an ounce of some other bars, the ConsumerLab report shows. While that’s a fun excuse to eat more chocolate, it also means you’d need to quadruple your calorie intake from chocolate to get the necessary amount of flavanols, Cooperman adds....

Ashley’s answer: No one’s shocked that we consume extra sugar during the holidays. What is shocking news is that sugar consumed during the holidays affects our health for the next four months, impacting the health of our cells until April. (One hemoglobin test shows that sugar stays “sticky” to our cell proteins for that amount of time.) And unfortunately, while added sugar tastes so sweet, it adds up on the health front, promoting inflammation, reducing immune health, and creating unhealthy fat, for starters....

Whether you have lower-back pain, neck aches, arthritis, or fibromyalgia, to name only a few, we have the scoop on what therapies can offer you relief—without drugs. MassageWhat it’s good for: Back pain, osteoarthritis, tension headaches, fibromyalgia, neck pain, and surgery-related discomfort.What the experts say: Sure, massages feel great, but they provide much more than a few “ahhhs” for people with back pain. “Massage therapy has been shown to boost levels of endorphins and serotonin—the body’s natural painkillers and mood regulators—and to reduce stress hormone levels,” says Dr....

In a series of five experiments on 445 adults, experts from the University of California, Berkeley, revealed that people in powerful positions are better able to cope with rejection. Furthermore, these individuals will continue to seek out scenarios (like relationships or job promotions) where rebuffs are likely, even after being told “no” on a given occasion. “The results showed that powerful people seem to have a kind of armor against rejection, and are less affected by it,” says lead study author Maya Kuehn, a PhD candidate in psychology at UC Berkeley....

“I Simplify Tamales” Put a slice of store-bought polenta in a ramekin. Mix shredded chicken with salsa and spread over top. Cover with another slice of polenta. Microwave for a minute and garnish with sour cream and scallions. –Michelle Ann Anderson, author of The Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook “I Stir It Up” My husband named them “ABC” chickens, for “already been cooked,” and in my house, they go quickly. Leftovers can be shredded and mixed with soy sauce, then tossed into stir-fried vegetables....

[sidebar] While any sauna will do, this particular case was made with research performed using a far infrared sauna (think of the ultrasound heat therapy physical therapists use, just without as deep of a penetration into the muscles). Michele Olson, PhD, a principal researcher at the Auburn University Montgomery Kinesiology Laboratory, had 12 volunteers sit in a far infrared sauna for 10-15 minutes, and then do typical stretches, like hamstring stretches, in the sauna....

So if you tell Aunt Ida that you’re going to pass on her signature holiday dessert because you’re watching your waistline, and then she praises you for your healthy eating efforts, you might give yourself a pat on the back for trying to accomplish your goal–and then go ahead and have that serving of sweets. We talked to New Jersey-based nutritionist Erin Palinski for her advice when it comes to sharing your weight loss intentions....

This handy hanger flowchart puts your marital spats in perspective: MORE: 7 Eating Mistakes That Make You Gain

Salvage your mattress Instead of shelling out a thousand bucks to replace her mattress, Linda Haugsted, of Whittier, California, put a 2-inch memory foam cushion on top on it. “Since I started using the cushion, I’m much less likely to wake up with sore hips and shoulders,” says Haugsted, who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 1992. Black out your bedroom Lights dampen your body’s secretion of melatonin, a hormone that helps you fall asleep and keeps you that way....

We’ve got an exclusive on the new fitness routine, including a detailed 2-week plan to get you started today! Plus, read real-life results from five women who followed the diet and the new “supercharged” exercise plan and lost up to 10 pounds and 7 inches after just 2 weeks, and up to 18 pounds and 12 1/4 inches after 6 weeks. YOUR 3-PART PLAN AT A GLANCE This 2-week eating and exercise plan kick-starts weight loss by gradually building strength and endurance, curbing cravings, and reining in calories....

While certain people might seem like they’re better at lying than others, it turns out that anyone can train themselves to fib. Researchers at Northwestern University found that 20 minutes of practice makes telling lies as easy as telling the truth. In a small study of 32 people, researchers asked half of the participants to remember three facts about a false identity: A new name, a date of birth, and a hometown....

Damage to the anal sphincter muscles, which hold stool inside the body. The most common cause in young and middle-aged women is an injury during childbirth, such as a tear. Damage to the pelvic floor nerves that control the sphincter muscles. This can affect your ability to sense when you need to use the bathroom and contract the muscles to hold the stool until you get there. This can also be due to injury during childbirth or a complication of stroke or diabetes....

The research: Researchers from Rush University Medical Center and Bellarmine University challenged 70 overweight men and women between the ages of 18 and 75 to meditate for as little as eight minutes a day for an average of eight weeks. Participants were trained how to meditate, and were instructed to then use meditation during times of stress, sadness, and boredom. The meditations involved a nonjudgmental self-assessment in which study participants would determine their emotions, and consciously establish a healthy reaction to whatever was going on at the time....

How Hypnosis Works Researchers in the Netherlands divided 50 children with IBS symptoms—painful cramps, bloating, and gas—into two groups. One group received hypnotherapy, where, under hypnosis, they were invited to imagine a normally working gut using metaphors, like cars running at a normal speed. Kids in the hypnosis group were also asked to place their hands on their bellies and imagine positive changes. The other group received dietary advice, extra fiber, pain medication, and supportive therapy instead of hypnosis....