Blog Posts by Redbook

These women say breast cancer made them happier, braver, more inspired. But changing your life can happen without a health crisis. Use their lessons to live like a survivor, starting now. By Sunny Sea Gold, REDBOOK.

Say the love

"When I was going through chemotherapy, another survivor told me that breast cancer was the 'best thing she would never wish on anybody.' I now know what she means. Facing the possibility of dying freed me up from sweating the small stuff. Before breast cancer, I wasn't as forthcoming with my feelings toward my friends and family. Now I say what's in my heart. When a friend of mine was having a difficult time in her life, I told her how brave and courageous I thought she was. There's no reason why we shouldn't share these things with the people in our lives, even when no one is sick." --GRETA BESENDORFER, 42, diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer seven years ago

Tell people what you're going through

"Being a Southerner, I was taught that you

Everyone's telling you something different when it comes to which supplements you should pop - and which ones you should stop. Here, advice you can trust. By Kim Tranell, REDBOOK.

Which one of these is worth taking?If you buy into health headlines, your medicine cabinet may be full of bottles bought based on news of disease-fighting, symptom-easing superpowers…and then abandoned when conflicting reports emerge. "Supplements can be helpful to fill in a gap in your diet," says Carol Haggans, M.S., R.D., a scientific consultant with the National Institute of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements. "But if you think that taking a vitamin or mineral is going to prevent certain diseases like cancer or heart disease, there's just no good evidence that's true." To complicate matters further, some recent research has found that supplementing may do more harm than good. To sort through the hype and the horror stories, start with this quick primer on what experts say you do and don't need.

Multivitamin

The verdict: Yes

Is

Finally, you can give up the whole "no emotions" thing at work. Sharon Hadary and Laura Henderson, co-authors of How Women Lead: The 8 Essential Strategies Successful Women Know, explain why women's leadership styles are the style of the future. Get ready for a serious confidence-boost. By Ava Feuer, REDBOOK.

You know how to use rewards effectively.
There are two ways of creating a reward system, one that spotlights the individual, and the other that heeds the team. A man might offer his standout employees a trip or a cash bonus while a woman is more apt to give rewards based on group performance. That may mean you're not going to Vegas this weekend, but in the long run, prizing everyone's contribution leads to a culture of individual growth and greater dedication overall. "It's the idea that we all have the same goals, the same set of requirements, and will all benefit from this," explains Henderson.

You include everyone in the conversation.

When you're dealing with

Science is finally catching up to you, and worrying about the pooch around the middle. Check out the latest headlines, and how they could help you slim down where it matters. By Holly Corbett, REDBOOK.

Measure your waist
Having a muffin top not only makes you more likely to hide under bulky sweaters, it also ups your odds of everything from Type 2 diabetes to heart disease. BMI, or body mass index, a common tool for gauging whether you're overweight, may not be as good of an indicator of your health risk as measuring your waist circumference, according to new research presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Lyon, France. "BMI doesn't take muscle into account, which weighs more than fat," says Matthew Daniels, a certified personal trainer and founder of Asylum Fitness. "Your hip-to-waist ratio is a much more accurate predictor of health risks because where you carry your fat is more important than how much body fat you have overall." Women whose ratio is .08 or greater are at

Sometimes - through no fault of your own - the pudge just won't budge. These surprising culprits may be to blame. By Holly Corbett, REDBOOK.

Your thyroid is out of whack.
If the scale is creeping up, but your eating and exercise routine hasn't changed, it's a good idea to ask your doc for a TSH (or thyroid-stimulating hormone) test. Your thyroid hormones help regulate your metabolism, and in those with hypothyroidism, the body produces too little of them. Other symptoms include being tired all the time and hair loss. The good news is that you can work with your doctor to help get your thyroid - and metabolism - back on track, or begin taking a pill such as Synthroid.

You're feeling "blah."
Smile! Happiness may be a surprising weight-loss wonder. Worms given a boost of serotonin, a chemical linked to improved mood, cut their fat levels by up to 50 percent, finds a study in Cell Metabolism. "Serotonin signals the brain to speed up metabolism, which hinders fat storage in both worms

The season's bonanza of produce lets you create the best salads of the year. REDBOOK.

Provençal pear, Roquefort, and lentil saladProvençal pear, Roquefort, and lentil salad

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Lentils

1 cup Puy (green) lentils

1 small carrot, quartered

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs Italian flat-leaf parsley

1 bay leaf

2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed

¼ tsp kosher salt

Dressing

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper Pears

2 firm-ripe Bosc pears, quartered lengthwise

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 tsp packed brown sugar

3 oz Roquefort or Gorgonzola cheese, coarsely crumbled

1. Lentils: Rinse lentils with cold water. Tie carrot, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf in a bundle with string. Place lentils, bundle, garlic, and salt in a medium saucepan and cover with 4 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, 25 minutes or until lentils are tender.

The season's best desserts get an adorable update. Autumn never tasted - or looked - so good. By Brooke Parkhurst, REDBOOK.

Mommy's Lemony HelperMommy's Lemony Helper

Curd:
2 lemons, zested and juiced (1/4 cup of the juice set aside)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 stick (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
2 large eggs
Pinch kosher salt

Crunch:
1 cup animal crackers
2 tbsp butter

Meringue topping:
2 egg whites
2 tbsp sugar

For curd: In a small bowl, whisk together lemon zest and 3/4 cup sugar.

In a medium-sized bowl, use a a handheld mixer to cream 1/2 stick butter and lemon zest/sugar mixture. Add 2 whole eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour in lemon juice, add a pinch of salt, and mix until incorporated.

Pour lemon mixture into a large sauté pan and cook over very low heat, stirring constantly. (If you do not continue to stir, the eggs will scramble!) Stir for approximately 7-10 minutes,

We asked REDBOOK readers on Facebook about the utterly mortifying things their kids have spouted outside the comfort of their own homes. If it were possible to die from embarrassment, we probably would have lost many of them. By Lauren Le Vine, REDBOOK.

Guard those family jewels
"When getting in grocery carts or car seats, my boys have each shouted out, 'Mom, you are smashing my peanuts!'" - Bernadette H.

That's kind of a need-to-know basis, honey
"I was renting a movie at the video store and was asking the checker when I needed to return it when my little girl said 'We're just gonna copy it anyway.' How nice!" - Tina M.

Just sayin' what we're all thinking
"After a very long homily (sermon) at our church during Mass, my two-year-old clapped his hands and yelled out, 'Yeah, all done now!'" - Tami G.W.

Thanks a lot, Pixar
"When Toy Story first came out, my nephew got a new Woody doll. He was so happy he yelled, 'Hey everyone...I got my first Woody!'" - Julie R.

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