Best Health Magazine: December 2011

Looking for the tips and advice we mentioned in the December 2011 issue of Best Health? Find more on the topics covered in the magazine and share your thoughts with us right here

What's new @ besthealthmag.ca

Take the Best Health Challenge!
Register to get your very own member profile and personal blog, plus weekly challenges and loads of tips and advice from our experts.

The Ultimate Holiday Survival Guide
• Common holiday health hazards
• 8 ways to stress-proof the holidays
• Online gift guide
• Tips for avoiding the holiday bulge

Got an embarrassing sex story?
Did something happen that makes you cringe at the memory, or laugh when you tell your girlfriends about it? Share it— anonymously, of course—at besthealthmag.ca/sexstories.

New & Now

How to stop yourself from feeling guilty during the holidays • Your essential daily stretch • Eco-friendly beauty products • A peppermint smoothie • Does the pill really raise your risk of breast cancer? • Three reasons to get a pair of workout gloves • Kegels for men? • 3 cool freebies • A flash from the past • Eco-friendly gift-wrapping ideas • A look behind the label of Crabtree & Evelyn • Swap & Drop Food Court • These pretty gift sets make last-minute shopping easy • Two friends get a kick out of tae kwon do • The latest studies on family health • Great gift ideas for your pet

Look Great

34 Whole-Life Makeover, Part Four In the final instalment of this year’s Best Health Challenge, Kelly Mathews gets style and beauty advice to highlight her new body—and healthy attitude.
Bonus: Check in on Kelly's progress as she blogs weekly for the Best Health Challenge. Plus, watch a behind-the-scenes video from her photo shoot.
42 Beauty Bar Our makeup and skincare picks.
44 Staff-Tested Blushes We dusted on a variety of products to find out which ones give a healthy-looking glow.
46 Warming Trend A new trend in jewellery is soft browns and topaz shades. We rounded up a few starting at $7.
Bonus: Find out why your skin reacts to certain jewellery.
50 Paradise, Home and Away Two simply dreamy spas.
52 Nice Work If You Can Get It A globe-trotting spa writer gives us a glimpse of her world.
54 Scentimental Journey How do you know the fragrance that’s right for you? Read this to find out. Plus, we rounded up some of the latest scents.
Bonus: Take our quiz to find the fragrance that's right for you.

Get Healthy

60 The Courage of Chris and Tanya This B.C. couple took brave steps  to ensure their twins didn’t inherit Dad’s heart condition.
67 What Works, What Doesn’t Answers to everyday health questions.
68 Girlfriend’s Guide: Vaginitis There are remedies to relieve the  symptoms of this very common condition.
Bonus: Find out six things you should know about your genital health.
70 10-Minute Tuneups Too busy to work out? Fitting it in is easier than you think: Try one of these three quick cardio routines.
Bonus: For more quick ways to get healthy, try our ultimate 10-minute workout, or one of these five fast ways to burn calories.
73 Best Health for Him Is he a compulsive shopper? Here’s help.
74 The Checklist That Could Save Your Life This simple tool used in the operating room can be the key to safer surgeries.
76 Bye-bye, Warts Here are some treatments and remedies for getting rid of these unsightly viral growths.
Bonus: We've got plenty of natural remedies to get rid of warts.

Eat Well

80 Savour the Season Nothing says the holidays like the aroma of these surprisingly nutritious spices. Find out just how good they are for you.
Bonus: Everything you need to know about buying and storing spices.
82 Eat, Think and Be Merry Registered dietitian Sue Mah shares her tips for navigating the buffet table this holiday season.
Bonus: Find out how to make healthier choices at the buffet table by avoiding the worst holiday foods.
86 Portion Checker How many calories are in your favourite appetizers?
Bonus: Sail through the season with our healthy holiday party planner.
87 Watching Your Waist? Muffin pans aren’t just for muffins—they’re perfect for right-sizing appetizers and main meals, too.
Bonus: How much is a proper food portion? Take our quiz and find out just how much you know about serving sizes.
90 Community Kitchen Two readers share their favourite recipes.
92 Quick Fixes Good-for-you suppers you can make in about 30 minutes.
Bonus: Check out our recipes section for more quick and healthy meal ideas.
96 Happy Holidays! Fresh-food chef Paul Finkelstein shares his delicious recipe ideas from various cultural celebrations.
Bonus: Plan your holiday menu with these healthy appetizer recipes.
99 Canada’s Healthiest Restaurants We highlight four.
100 Salt of the Earth If you choose to add salt to your cooking, going with one of these flavourful gourmet varieties could actually help you use less.
Bonus: Do you know how much sodium is in your food? Take our quiz and test your salt IQ.

Embrace Life

104 Blue Christmas? Writer Rona Maynard shares how she learned to make the holidays a more joyful time.
Bonus: Don't let the season get you down. We've got eight ways to stress-proof the holidays.
106 Guys, Want to Know What Turns Her On? Try these 7 expert tips.
Bonus: Share your funny or embarrassing sex stories with us — anonymously, of course!
110 The Art of Making Friends It’s harder as we get older. Here’s help.
111 Wipe Out Germs at Home These cleaning strategies (and products) can help you and your familly avoid colds and flus.
Bonus: Try these 10 ways to make your home healthier.
113 Ask a Sex and Relationships Therapist “I want to quit my job and follow my passion, but my husband is against it because our income will go down. What should I do?”
115 Bad Vibrations Our writer tried some wacky remedies to cure snoring.
118 Best Health Minute Our editor’s roundup of this issue’s top tips.
120 My Healthy Life A fashion stylist shares her secrets to healthy living.