Blog Posts by The Editors of WOMEN'S HEALTH

Simplified (and slimmed down!) recipes for your fave Mexican foods

By Hollis Templeton, Women's Health

Tortilla and Avocado Soup

Belly-flattening Mexican recipes? Yes, they do exist. Here, creamy avocado chunks deliver a dose of monounsaturated fat for a filling meal that's ready in just 20 minutes.

Ingredients

5 cups low-sodium chicken broth

5 white corn tortillas (6"), sliced into 1/4" strips

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced crosswise

1/2 canned chipotle chile pepper, sliced, or 2 tablespoons hot salsa

3/4 cup halved grape tomatoes

1 cup chopped avocado

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. In a large, heavy saucepan, bring the broth to a boil, covered over high heat.

2. Meanwhile, scatter the tortilla strips on a toaster oven tray. Toast, turning the strips occasionally, until golden-brown in spots, about 5 minutes. Remove the tray from toaster oven

Acne and eczema aren't just beauty dilemmas—they may actually be your skin's way of sending out an SOSBeauty is more than skin deep, and we're not just talking about having a congenial personality. "Our skin can reflect what's going on inside our body," says dermatologist Anne Chapas, M.D., of Union Square Laser Dermatology in New York City. "As part of the immune system, the skin defends against environmental factors. But when your body is fighting an ailment, it can get overwhelmed and things like acne and redness can show up." Here, how to read the signs in the mirror.

Chin Acne
The cause: Hormonal imbalance
There's a reason many women have breakouts on their chin right before their period: That part of the face is particularly sensitive to rises in progesterone and testosterone. Many women simply experience mild acne, but if your breakouts tend to be more severe or painful and are no match for OTC treatments, it's time to see your ob-gyn.

"Deep, cystic acne on the chin or along the jaw line can be a sign of underlying polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS] and other types of hormonal

Check out these money saving tips to cut costs at the grocery storeThe average American spends just under 10 percent of his or her income on food every year. When money's tight, it's tempting to sacrifice quality to save a few bucks, especially since junk food prices are on the decline. The good news: you don't have to. Smart shopping can actually save you money:

1. Splurge on nutrition
Consider it an investment in your future: obesity-related medical bills aside, someone 40 pounds overweight is paid 9 percent less than his thinner colleagues. Our suggestion: pack as much nutrition as possible into the foods you buy.

2. Eat before you shop
A 2008 study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that even if you're on a tight budget, you'll spend more if you shop with a stimulated appetite.

Try These 10 Snacks That Fight Fat

3. Check yourself out
Checkout lines are stocked with high-calorie sweets. Using the self-checkout line lowers impulse buys by 16.7 percent among men, and 32.1 percent among woman, according to a study by the IHL Group research

Tired of basic chicken breasts? These sizzling chicken dishes will have your guests begging for more

By Adeena Sussman

Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Balsamic-Cherry Sauce

Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Balsamic-Cherry Sauce

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (6 oz each)

1/2 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper, divided

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1/8 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 cup dry fruity red wine, such as pinot noir

1 cup chicken stock

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp cherry jam

1/2 lb fresh cherries, pitted and halved

2 Tbsp chopped, lightly toasted pistachios

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper and place, top-side down, in pan.

2. Sear chicken without moving in pan until deeply browned and cooked almost halfway through, 10 minutes. Flip chicken and transfer to oven; bake until just cooked through, an additional 10 minutes.

Put down the mega-latte and back away from the high-cal energy bar. We have healthier ways to get a lasting boost. Exercising regularly and noshing on nutrient-dense foods are two smart ways to increase your energy. But let's face it: Sometimes you need a fix that's going to supply an instant kick in the butt. These five solutions are fast and won't leave you with that nasty Red Bull buzz.

Fire up your iPod
Blasting Jay-Z may snap you out of your stupor, but not just because you dig his furious beats. Music stimulates almost every region of the brain, says Daniel Levitin, Ph.D., author of This Is Your Brain on Music. When you perform the same tasks each day "it's easy to get lulled into sleepiness," he says, but background tunes combat the monotony, enhancing concentration and focus. For a stronger jolt, play a feel-good favorite for three minutes. Anything from Britney to Bach will work, as long as it's upbeat.

Our Favorite Playlists of Great Music to Move To

Watch that ridiculous YouTube clip
Laughter doesn't actually release endorphins, says psychologist Steven Sultanoff, Ph.D.,

You love your new hubby. Really. It's just that you'd finally figured out how to file taxes on your own, and now your new status is a big fat wrench thrown into your W-4. Luckily, this is one of the few things marriage doesn't make much more complicated. When you file taxes for two just keep these four simple rules in mind:

Make sure the IRS knows your new name
If you've changed your name, you need to let the government know at least three weeks before April 15. The IRS checks your information against your file at the Social Security Administration, and if it doesn't match, your return gets kicked back. Go to ssa.gov and download form SS-5. Fill it out and take it with your marriage certificate and your driver's license or passport to the SSA office. The change will be verified within 48 hours and your new card will arrive in about two weeks.

15 Moments That Define A Relationship

Unless you both make bank, file jointly
Most couples are better off going in together, particularly if

It's true that your DNA serves as a blueprint for your health future. But taking new scientifically proven steps can drastically reduce your risk for four diseases that strike women.

DEPRESSION
22% Average woman's risk
40% Risk if one parent had it

Though a recent study hinted at a genetic marker, there's no concrete test that reveals whether you'll get hit with the blues.

Reduce Your Risk
Swig some joe. Women who sipped two cups of coffee a day had a 15 percent lower risk for depression, according to a 2011 study. The key may lie in the caffeine, which could accelerate the release of mood-elevating hormones.

Eat Greek. Sticking to a Mediterranean diet--think salmon, sardines, olive oil, avocados--can lower depression risk by more than 30 percent. Such food is chock-full of omega-3 fatty acids that can help stabilize your mood, says Orlando-based psychologist Alan D. Keck, Psy.D.

Break a sweat. Working out can strengthen your mental health. A study in the American Journal of

Thinking of signing up for a fruit juice cleanse? You might first consider how your body reacts to a week with no protein or fat and fewer than 1,000 calories a day.

After the first sip
Your brain's hunger signals are answered with a dump of pure fruit-juice sugar. And don't get any ideas--veggie-based cleanses aren't any healthier.

The sweet stuff prompts the pancreas to squirt out insulin, which moves sugar--now in your blood in the form of glucose--into your cells.

After 30 minutes
As your cells suck up the glucose, your blood sugar level can start to plummet and you may feel dizzy.

Meanwhile, lacking enough calories, your body is operating off its supply of glycogen, a form of short-term energy stored in the liver and muscles.

The 76 Best Things You Can Do for Your Body

After two days
With each shot of juice, your insulin levels skyrocket, then crash. Your glycogen stores are pretty much gone, leaving your tank on empty--and you feeling weak and listless.

Since you're