You have about three or four days to safely eat most leftovers, says Bucknavage. Of course, this depends on the exact type of food, as well as other factors like refrigerator temperature, how much moisture is in the food, how long the food sat out after cooking, and sanitary practices used to prepare the food, he says.
Three to four days is a guideline, though some foods won’t be good for that long. “Cooked meals like casseroles, roasted veggies, and pizza usually hold up well for that timeframe, while delicate cold salads or seafood might spoil sooner,” says Alyssa Simpson, RDN, a digestive health dietitian in Phoenix, Arizona.
Eat cold salads that are dressed within one to two days, she recommends. Some salads, like romaine lettuce that’s been tossed in a vinaigrette, won’t hold up at all as leftovers — their taste and texture will be compromised (read: a soggy mess) — so you’re better off trying to make only what you plan on eating in one sitting, if possible.
If you’re going out to eat, stick to the three- or four-day rule for restaurant leftovers. But be advised that some experts, like Simpson, toss them sooner out of an abundance of caution. You don’t know how far in advance they were prepared at the restaurant, she says.
The weight loss medications on the market today are generally approved for adults with obesity who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or adults with a BMI of 27 or greater who have at least one weight-related health problem such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol.
But until recently, very few patients who met those criteria took drugs to lose weight. One study collected prescription data from more than 2.2 million adults eligible for treatment with weight loss medications from 2009 to 2015.
Part of the problem came down to safety concerns, particularly because so many of the first drugs used for weight loss decades ago had potentially life-threatening side effects.
As far back as the 1940s, cocktails of appetite suppressants known as “rainbow pills” were heavily marketed to American women. The brightly colored capsules often contained amphetamines, diuretics, laxatives, and thyroid hormones to maximize weight loss. They were typically mixed with drugs like benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and antidepressants. By the 1960s, after those potent cocktails of drugs had caused dozens of deaths, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed them from the market.
“None of these medications were tested in long-term trials prior to repurposing them for the treatment of obesity. This raises the risk that they will have side effects not recognized in short-term therapy,” says Frank Greenway, MD, the chief medical officer and a professor at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
In the 1990s, another untested weight loss cocktail nicknamed fen-phen started taking off. This cocktail mixed the psychiatric drug fenfluramine, which boosts levels of the brain chemical serotonin and induces feelings of satiety, with the appetite suppressant phentermine. An older version of fenfluramine, marketed as Pondimin, was on the market for more than two decades, and a newer version called dexfenfluramine, marketed as Redux, was sold for about a year, before both were recalled in 1997 because of concerns that the products caused heart valve defects.
An appetite suppressant called sibutramine, marketed as Meridia, was recalled by the FDA in 2010 after more than a decade on the market, because of an increased risk of cardiovascular events and strokes. Next up, the prescription weight loss drug lorcaserin (Belviq) was recalled by the FDA over cancer concerns in 2020, after more than a decade on the market.
Vitamin A derivatives like retinol and retinoids — and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid — are a dermatologist’s go-to for anti-aging. They speed skin cell turnover and increase collagen production for glowy, fine line–free skin. Using them together, however, does not have the same effect. Because they both exfoliate the outer layer of skin, “they possess potentially irritating side effects, especially in combination,” says Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, MD, a double-board-certified dermatologist in Dallas.
When skin shows signs of irritation (think: red, stingy, flaking, and peeling), you’re less likely to stick to the regimen. You don’t have to choose one or the other. She advises patients to use these topicals on alternate days (AHA on Monday, retinoid on Tuesday, and so on).
One exception? Products that have been specifically tested through clinical trials that combine retinoids and AHA, says Deirdre Hooper, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Audubon Dermatology in New Orleans. One such is AlphaRet by Skinbetter Science. A study found that this combination retinoid cream performed as well as a prescription retinoid product in diminishing the signs of aging with fewer side effects like redness.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, announced on Tuesday in a message posted on social media that she is in remission from an undisclosed type of cancer that was diagnosed last year.
Remission means a decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of cancer.
“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery,” the princess said in the message. “As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am, however, looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead.”
This is the first time the princess, formerly known as Kate Middleton, has shared information about her prognosis since announcing last year that she had cancer. She has not disclosed the type of cancer.
The Princess of Wales’s Cancer Journey
Catherine shared the news about her cancer diagnosis in March 2024. In a video statement distributed on social media, she revealed that she’d undergone abdominal surgery in January that detected the presence of cancer, and that she was receiving “preventative” chemotherapy as treatment.
Chemo is often considered once tumors start to grow or spread throughout the body. So-called preventive chemo, also called adjuvant chemotherapy, is often used to attack any cancer remaining after surgery to remove tumors.
In September 2024, the princess announced in a video posted on social media that she had completed chemotherapy.
Outlook for Cancer Has Improved Dramatically in the Past 50 Years
Remission is more common when patients are diagnosed with early-stage tumors, which are typically smaller and easier to treat, according to Cleveland Clinic. It happens less often, but is still possible, when patients are diagnosed with late-stage tumors that are larger or have spread further.
Today, roughly 7 in 10 cancer patients survive at least five years after their diagnosis, compared with only about half of patients in the 1970s, says Frank Penedo, PhD, a professor and the director of cancer survivorship and supportive care at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida. Dr. Penedo was not involved in the princess’s care, and spoke in general terms about cancer remission and recovery.
“Cancer is becoming more and more a chronic and manageable condition,” Penedo says. “Early detection and treatment advances account for much of this success, but much work remains to be done to address multiple challenges that come from the survivorship experience.”
What Is Remission in Cancer?
Generally speaking, cancer is in remission when the signs and symptoms of tumors are reduced by treatment, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Remission can be partial, meaning cancer has decreased or stopped growing, or complete, meaning all signs of cancer have disappeared.
“There needs to be confirmation via various diagnostic tests that there is no evidence of disease, through a physical exam, blood work, or imaging tests,” Penedo says.
Can Cancer Be Cured?
Doctors sometimes say that patients who remain in complete remission for at least five years are cured because most cancers that reappear do so within this timeframe, according to the NCI. But cancer can still return after more time passes, making it difficult to say with certainty that cancer is cured, even when remission has persisted for many years, the NCI notes.
Doctors typically monitor patients for many years to test for signs that cancer has returned and to assess whether patients are experiencing any lingering side effects of treatment, according to the NCI.
Even in Remission, Side Effects of Chemotherapy Linger
Late effects of chemotherapy, according to Mayo Clinic, can include:
Dental problems
Early menopause
Hearing loss
Heart problems
Increased risk of other cancers
Infertility
Loss of taste
Lung disease
Nerve damage
Memory issues
Osteoporosis
Problems with digestion
Reduced lung capacity
Beyond these physical effects of cancer treatment, patients in remission can also experience a wide range of emotions, as they repeatedly undergo testing to see if cancer has come back, Penedo says.
“Understandably, this can lead to elevated levels of anxiety and fear,” Penedo says. “Managing the uncertainty of whether a cancer will or has returned can be emotionally distressing.”
How Cancer Survivors Can Protect Their Well-Being
These are some strategies Cleveland Clinic recommends to help cancer survivors manage their physical and mental health:
Talk to your doctor. Your oncologist can help you understand your prognosis and what to expect while you’re in remission, so you know how to monitor for potential signs that cancer is coming back.
Connect with survivors. Cancer survivorship programs can connect you with a support group of other people in recovery and help you talk through the challenges you experience.
See a nutritionist. A healthy, balanced diet that’s tailored to your specific needs during remission can be beneficial for both your physical and mental health.
Get some exercise. Physical activity after cancer treatment can relieve stress and build strength and endurance that may have been sapped during cancer treatment.
Get some rest. Cancer and treatment to attack tumors can be hard on your body. Sleep can aid recovery.
If a blister appears infected, clean it gently with antibacterial soap and water. Then apply an over-the-counter (OTC) hypochlorous acid (HOCI) spray, which is an antimicrobial skin-care product that contains a substance made by the body’s white blood cells to help further disinfect the area. Pat the area dry with a clean towel, recommends Kseniya Kobets, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care Westchester in Elmsford, New York. Finally, apply an OTC bacitracin ointment (used to prevent skin infections) to the blister and cover loosely with a bandage, suggests Dr. Kobets.
If the infection appears worse the following day, call your primary care physician or dermatologist to request an urgent appointment, says Lauren Ploch, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in private practice in Augusta, Georgia. “If they are unable to grant that request, a visit to urgent care may be needed,” she says.
Sometimes, blisters are caused by a viral or bacterial infection. For example, cold sores (also called fever blisters) are caused by a herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection and typically form on the lips, skin around the mouth, nose, cheeks, or chin.
Shingles is another viral infection. It’s caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox and typically appears as a stripe of blisters on one side of your body.
Impetigo is a skin infection that occurs when staphylococcus bacteria enter cuts or scratches in the skin, sometimes leading blisters to form.
“If the blister is the result of an infection, the fluid can potentially spread the infectious agent to other areas of the skin,” Dr. Ploch says. This is why you should keep a blister cleaned and covered if you suspect it to be infected. Additionally, avoid sharing hygiene items like towels and soap with other people, as doing so can also spread an infection, Dr. Campbell says.
Many of the potential benefits of cranberry juice come courtesy of antioxidants, but there are plenty of other nutrients that offer perks. Here are a few of the potential health benefits of cranberry juice.
1. Cranberry Juice May Prevent Urinary Tract Infections
Roughly 50 percent of women experience a urinary tract infection (UTI) — a condition that occurs when E. coli bacteria that normally live in the gut enter the urinary tract and multiply — at least once in their lifetime, says Lyons. A review and meta-analysis of studies of nearly 4,000 people susceptible to UTIs suggests that compounds in cranberry juice called proanthocyanidins (the pigment that gives cranberries their red-purple color) may prevent E. coli bacteria from sticking to your urinary tract.
“We can simply pass the E. coli in our urine instead of having it colonize in the walls of the urinary tract and perpetuate it into an infection,” Lyons explains.
One meta-analysis of 18 studies found that drinking cranberry juice was associated with a 54 percent lower rate of UTIs than a placebo drink.
Cranberry juice helps with infection prevention and balancing the vaginal microbiome, says Lyons. But if you have an active infection, it’s best to seek medical care.
2. Cranberry Juice May Support Heart Health
The high-antioxidant content of cranberry juice may help keep the heart healthy. One meta-analysis found that cranberry juice can help manage systolic blood pressure (the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats) and improve high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol levels in adults.
Other studies show mixed results. For example, one study of adults with elevated blood pressure found only a slight decrease in blood pressure after drinking 500 milliliters (mL) of cranberry juice daily for eight weeks. Another review of 16 studies found that cranberries (consumed in multiple forms) had positive effects on heart health but not enough to be considered statistically significant.
“Cranberries can be part of a healthy diet promoting cardiovascular health, but I wouldn’t put all my eggs in the basket of cranberry juice if someone is particularly concerned about cardiovascular disease,” says Lyons.
3. Cranberry Juice May Prevent Stomach Ulcers
Cranberry’s proanthocyanidins may prevent stomach ulcers by stopping H. pylori from embedding inside the walls of your stomach and taking up root.
H. pylori are bacteria found in contaminated food and water that can damage the protective lining of the stomach or small intestine, leaving the tissue vulnerable to stomach acid. Over time, the stomach acid eats through the lining and produces an open sore (ulcer). “Cranberries can prevent the colonization and perpetuation of H. pylori,” says Lyons.
One study of 522 adults with H. pylori infections found that drinking 16 oz of cranberry juice twice daily for eight weeks decreased the rate of infection by 20 percent compared with those in the placebo group.
4. Cranberry Juice May Improve Gut Health
Cranberry juice may promote gut health by increasing the number of beneficial gut bacteria in your digestive tract, which aids digestion and helps your body absorb nutrients.
Research shows that the polyphenols (plant compounds) in cranberries promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria in healthy young women after consuming cranberry juice for 21 days. It’s worth noting that the study was partially funded by a company that sells cranberry juice.
Another study found that participants who drank cranberry juice for six weeks experienced some improvement in constipation, thanks to an increase of beneficial gut bacteria and a reduction in inflammation.
5. Cranberry Juice May Slow Cancer Cell Growth
Like other fruits, cranberries may reduce the risk of cancer, says Michelle Routhenstein, RD, CDCES, a preventive cardiology dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist in New York City. It’s believed that the plant compounds combat oxidative damage, an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants that contributes to accelerated aging and chronic diseases like cancer.
Most of the studies currently involve cranberry extracts — not juice. For example, one study found that cranberry extract slowed the growth of breast cancer cells. The authors of another review noted that cranberry extract may have protective properties that prevent oral cancer.
The research is still in its preliminary stages, so cranberry juice cannot yet be considered a proven method for cancer prevention or treatment in humans, says Routhenstein.
