Here, experts share the surprising things you’re doing wrong—and how to recover. You always order salad Don’t assume that bowl of lettuce is always the healthiest menu pick. Truth is, a lot of take-out and restaurant salads are basically a burger in a bowl, says Brie Turner-McGrievy, RD, clinical research coordinator for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in Washington, DC. That’s because add-ons like fried chicken, croutons, and full-fat dressing pack major calories, fat, sodium, and other unhealthy nutrients....

“When you choose to whiten at home, you’re choosing to take a slow and steady approach to whitening, which translates to less side effects, such as tooth sensitivity,” says New York-based cosmetic dentist Edward Alvarez, DDS. “You’ll also have a healthier mouth overall because you’re using products that will increase the pH of your mouth for a sustained period of time, ultimately killing bacteria and lessening decay.” These days, there are so many teeth whitening products on the market that the very idea of brightening your smile can become more overwhelming than exciting....

Lemon-Pepper ShrimpTiming Tip: Go ahead, eat this casual and delicious summer supper with your fingers! Marinate the shrimp first. Start the grill. Prep the side dish and make the sauce for the shrimp. Grill the vegetables before you throw the quick-cooking shrimp on the barbecue. WORK TIME: 25 minutes / TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes + marinating time / SERVINGS: 4 1 lb extralarge shrimp (16-20 count), peeled 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 lg cloves garlic, crushed or put through garlic press 2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest ½ tsp black pepper ¼ tsp red-pepper flakes ¼ c + 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 lemons) 2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp dry white wine 2 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp drained capers, chopped (optional) Lemon wedges (optional)...

Whatever is behind your arthritis pain, home remedies can play a significant role in reducing it, or even preventing osteoarthritis from occurring in the first place. Read on to see how these osteoarthritis treatment methods can help with the pain. Get To Your Ideal Weight “Being overweight is like carrying around heavy luggage,” says Neal Barnard, MD. “It hurts the knees, hips—literally every joint in the body. The basic rule of thumb is that every extra 10 pounds increases the risk of osteoarthritis in the knees by 30%....

[sidebar]Potassium Peppermint 1 sm frozen sliced banana + 1 c plain organic soy milk + ¼ c mint leaves + ¼ c raw cashews (soaked overnight) + ⅓ c silken tofu + ¼ tsp vanilla extract Get-Ahead Gingerbread 7 oz 2% Greek yogurt + 1 c ice cubes + ¼ c frozen sliced banana + 2 Tbsp almond butter + 1 Tbsp molasses + 1 tsp grated ginger + ¼ tsp cinnamon + ⅛ tsp each nutmeg and cardamom Powerhouse Pumpkin ½ c canned pure pumpkin, frozen in ice cube tray + 7 oz 2% Greek-style yogurt + ½ c water + ¼ avocado + 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 1 Tbsp maple syrup + ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice More from Prevention: 20 Perfect Workout Snacks

Between work, family, and life’s many other demands, sex can quickly fall to the bottom of a person’s to-do list. Even when stressed-out couples do have time to connect physically, they are often so tired, worried and disconnected that sex is the last thing on their minds. It seems that stress might also affect men and women differently. For a long time, we believed that men and women both went into “fight-or-flight” mode when faced with stressful situations, as this is what early humans would have done when confronted with dangers, such as wild animals....

The research team kept tabs on more than 400 adults by conducting daily phone interviews for several weeks. During those calls, the researchers asked each person questions about their social activities, any tension or conflict they’d dealt with that day, and whether they had been hugged. After the initial phone-interview period, the researchers quarantined all of the study participants at hotels and exposed them to some common cold viruses. (Yes, people actually signed up for this!...

Grab two matching 23 oz cans of soup, and you have everything you need for this sequence, which targets your shoulders, back, and arms. Perform 15 repetitions of each exercise, hydrate and stretch, then perform 2 additional sets of 15 reps each. Commit to this workout program 3 days a week with 1 to 2 days of recovery between workouts. (Looking for effective ways to tone up fast? Prevention has smart answers—get 2 FREE gifts when you subscribe today....

In the ’80s and ’90s, as Americans embraced “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” and sugary low-fat snack packs, obesity doubled. (As David Katz, founder of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center, says, “There is more than one way to eat badly, and our culture is committed to exploring them all.”) If you haven’t already, go ahead and stop buying foods labeled “fat-free.” Some more wisdom from the top nutritional experts in the US: Media Platforms Design Team Photo by Thinkstock Throw out the low-fat foods in your kitchen....

Migraine headaches are a whole dimension beyond regular headaches, which are content to do their dirty work above your neck. Migraines start in your head, but a blistering attack wages war on your whole body, causing severe throbbing head pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, cold hands, tremors and sensitivity to light and sound. They can hang on for a few hours but often last more than a day. Like a nuclear missile, some migraine headaches send out a “red alert” warning signal before they launch their attack....

No, we’re not talking the dry stuff you feed your feline friend every night (or worse, the totally disgusting wet stuff). We’re talking about gorgeous plates of bread, sushi, and pizza shaped to look like cats and kittens.And while any clean eater would avoid these foods like the plague—they’re chock full of forbidden things like refined flour and white sugar—there’s no denying they’re fun to look at. Here, six cat-tastic food masterpieces for your viewing pleasure: Cat Sushi What cat wouldn’t love to get his paws on this fishy treat?...

If the rash is: red, itchy, and has small painful blisters It’s probably: a herpes outbreak Surprise—this STD doesn’t only strike the mucus membranes of the genitals and mouth. “It’s not uncommon for herpes to infect the skin of your bottom, and the signs would be similar to that of an oral or genital herpes outbreak, including one or more tiny blisters grouped close together,” says Sarika M. Ramachandran, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at New York University Langone Medical Center....

However, it IS possible to make good choices when attending food-centered get-togethers. Here are some my healthier picks for your holiday BBQ: Stay active: Throw the Frisbee, play softball, sign up for relay race, take a group walk after a meal, or set up a badminton tournament. Keep yourself, and your guests, engaged in activities instead of sitting in lawn chairs drinking beer and pop. Go for the greens: Salads are a perfect choice for a picnic (but I’m not talking about macaroni salads)....