Rates of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, have been increasing steadily for the past two decades; specifically, they have been growing an average of 3.5 percent every year since 1992, according to the American Melanoma Foundation. In an almost direct parallel, sales of sunscreen have been growing at a pace of about 4.2 percent per year during the same time period. So if we’re using more sunscreen and still getting more melanoma, there must be something else at play....

WORKOUT # 1: Stairs & StretchEXPERT: Katy Bowman, MS, director of the Restorative Exercise Institute in Ventura, CASECRET WEAPON: The BOSU Strengthen the small connective muscles at your knees by standing barefoot atop a BOSU, which is half of an exercise ball. Put one heel on the rounded side, the other leg lifted a few inches. Hold for 3 minutes per leg; do 3 to 5 times a week. ($100 for BOSU Balance Trainer and 4 DVDs; bosu....

What, exactly, does free-range mean again? You pause for a moment, and turn to the other package before wondering And is organic better? Welcome to the confusing world of meat terminology, where it sometimes seems like a nutrition degree is necessary for decoding what you put in your fridge and your plate. “I think there’s more confusion because of the explosion of manufacturer-created logos and marketing terms that don’t have true regulatory oversight,” says Ashley Koff, RD, who runs the Better Nutrition Simplified Program....

If stress brought is on… Take L-theanine. —Cricket Eisele Doctor’s note: Although a 50 mg dose has been shown to relieve stress and improve focus, it’s also thought to lower blood pressure, so consult your physician before use if you’re on blood pressure medication. If allergies are to blame… A nasal spray with saline does the trick. —Amy Fowler If it’s inflammation-triggered… Swallow 1 or 2 capsules of turmeric and 1 teaspoon of yogurt, and chase it with a glass of water....

Your liver not only acts as a filter for your blood, but it also produces hormones, stores energy, and makes compounds that allow your gut to digest food. And those are just a few of its many essential duties. Considering your liver’s outsize role in keeping you hale and healthy, you’d think even small problems with it would stand out. But that’s not the case, says Bruce Bacon, MD, a professor of internal medicine and chair of gastroenterology at the St....

Nonstick Chemicals
Nonstick and stain-repelling chemicals are convenient, but in terms of health, they might not be worth it. Previously linked to infertility, high cholesterol, and ADHD, a September 2012 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine also shows a connection between perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) chemicals and heart disease. Regardless of age, body mass, or the presence of diabetes or other diseases, researchers found that people with the highest PFOA levels in their blood were twice as likely to have cardiovascular disease compared with people with the lowest levels....

Though it can be tempting to stay sedentary when you’re dealing with an arthritis flare-up, Jessica Matthews, author of Stretching to Stay Young: Simple Workouts to Keep You Flexible, Energized, and Pain-Free, says stretching can go a long way toward helping you feel better, fast. “When you have arthritis, dynamic stretches can help increase your range of motion and keep your joints lubricated, which can ease some of the stiffness and pain associated with the condition,” says Matthews....

Rethink obesity and diabetes. Not a dry eye in the house after Peter Attia, MD, got finished with us. He recalled his pre-op exam of an obese patient with type 2 diabetes prior to her leg amputation. Attia’s gut-wrenching honesty shocked us: He admitted to holding the patient in contempt for letting herself get so fat. Attia said he couldn’t empathize with this desperate woman who was about to have her leg chopped off....

The simplest way to picture a biodynamic farm might be as a closed loop. While many other farms rely on outside sources of energy, like fossil fuels or fertilizers (synthetic or natural), biodynamic farms strive to remain self-contained and self-sustaining. Energy sources—including compost, manure, medicinal herbal sprays (called preparations), or planned crop rotation—come from within the farm system itself, helping to increase soil fertility and reduce pests. Biodynamic farms also place a high value on water conservation and aim to preserve biodiversity by maintaining at least 10% of their land in the form of wetlands, grasslands, or forest....

The immune system releases histamines and other irritating substances in response to perfectly normal (and otherwise harmless) airborne particles like dust, mold, tree pollen, and animal dander (dandruff). Typical allergy symptoms include sneezing, nasal itching, and a dripping nose, along with congestion and red, swollen, itchy eyes. Whether or not you’ll develop an allergy is part genetics and part environment. A child with one allergic parent has about a 30 to 50% chance of getting allergies, while odds rise to approximately 60 to 80% if both parents have allergies....

The rules: Over the next 14 days, I bid farewell to my makeup bag, shampoo, soap, and skincare products. Instead, I’d cleanse my face, body, and hair with nothing but water. No lotion. No perfume. My only luxuries: A single shampoo session during the two-week period and continuing to use my favorite essential oil-based deodorant, Le Couvent de Minimes Every Day Deodorant ($13.50, lecouventdesminimes.com) daily. MORE: 4 Drinks That Are Healthier Than Water (Or Close To It!...