Reader’s Digest International — August 2017

August• 2017 | 113

READER’S DIGEST

appearance of a fuller mouth, which

makes you look younger. Whenever

possible, avoid darker lipstick col-

ours, which make lips look smaller.

Lateral.Snoozing on your side

could be associated with a lower risk

of neurological diseases such as

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s,

according to animal studies. A group

of scientists led by researchers at

New York’s Stony Brook University

observed that when rats slept on their

sides, a pathway that removes waste

chemicals from the brain worked

more efficiently. Research on humans

is needed.

Ankles.Even if you’re too self-

conscious to show your whole calf,

don’t hide your ankles. “As we age,

we’re consumed with how many

partsofourbodywefeellikewe

have to cover up, but a few don’t need

to be covered,” says Lauren Rothman,

a fashion stylist and the author of

Style Bible. “Elongating the leg with

a cropped pant is flattering and

sexy, and the ankle doesn’t tend to

show age.”

Spice.People who ate curry at

least twice a year scored better on

cognitive tests than people who ate

it once a year or less, a 2003-4 study of

1000 adults aged 60 to 93 in Singapore

found. Turmeric, the yellow spice used

in most curries, contains the plant

chemical curcumin, which has

motor skills and muscles, according
to a small study published by the
American Society for Horticultural
Science in its monthly journal
HortScience.It may even help offset
some of the strain caused by repeti-
tive motions such as typing or phone
swiping, especially if you alternate
gardening tasks.

Sing.Those who joined a choir
were in better health, used less medi-
cation, were less lonely and had fewer
falls after a year than a similar group
of non-singers, revealed a US study of
166 older adults. This could be due to
the effect that singing has on breath-
ing, as well as the emotional benefits
of creating harmony with a group.

Plump.According to an attention-
grabbing report by the US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention that
pooled data on nearly three million
people from all over the world, while
extreme obesity shortened lives, peo-
ple who were slightly overweight
(having a body mass index between
25 and 30) were actually less likely to
die early than those who were at a
normal weight. This doesn’t mean
that being overweight is healthy – but
if you have normal blood pressure,
cholesterol and blood glucose, slim-
ming down may not confer a signifi-
cant health advantage.

Gloss.Dab lip gloss on the mid-
dle of your lower lip. This gives the