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Hangover Mythbusters
The Superbowl is just days away and for many revelers that means enjoying some cocktails while rooting for their favorite team. Too much imbibing also means a Monday morning hangover. There are a lot of misconceptions out there about how to avoid and cure hangovers—like eating a late night snack to absorb the alcohol in your stomach or drinking coffee to cure a hangover. Here are a few mythbusters:
Are You Stressed Out?
Are you stressed out? Here are some tell tale signs that you may be suffering from stress: Are you agitated easily when someone cuts you off on the subway stairs? Have you been visiting the local Starbucks more often because you are tired all the time? Do you suffer from frequent colds?
Confusing Fitness Advice, Decoded
The Confusion We know that food fuels us. But if you’re looking to lose weight, some people—possibly those who read the 1999 bestseller Body for Life—believe exercising with a growling tummy may help burn fat faster. “The rationale behind this theory is that low glycogen levels cause your body to shift energy utilization away from carbohydrates toward fat,” says Keri Peterson, MD, a medical contributor to HealthiNation.
Is third-hand smoke harmful too?
Not quite. Highlights are a safe health bet, as long as they’re applied only to the hair shaft and not to the scalp, where they could burn your skin or seep into your bloodstream. Women yearning for darker locks, however, should take note: Preliminary studies have found tentative links between some permanent dark-color dyes (typically applied to hair and scalp) and certain cancers. That’s not to say you shouldn’t tint your locks—just keep it to a few times a year, and ask your colorist about newer, safer dyes.
Does “holding it” strengthen or weaken your bladder muscles?
Your sinuses are lubed with a thin lining of germ-catching mucus. But when that layer becomes infected or irritated by allergies, it swells and starts to drip. First, try flushing out your nose with a daily saline rinse. If, after two weeks, the trickle persists, visit your doc and ask about a steroid nasal spray, which can reduce mucus build up and inflammation.
I can’t seem to stop biting my nails.
The myth that your nails contain an addictive chemical is just that: a myth. Most nail biting is simply a nasty habit— one that can spread germs and cause bleeding and infections. Try wearing unbreakable fake nails or coating your own with a bitter ointment like Control- It. In extreme cases, biting could signal an anxiety problem, so talk to your doc.
How much water is too much?
The amount of H2O you need depends on how much you sweat, not your size. If you’re a jogger in Miami, three liters might be perfect. But if you live somewhere cold and slack on exercise, it could be excessive. Keep an eye on your pee. If it’s dark yellow, you need to drink more; if it’s clear, you may have gone overboard. Sip about eight cups of water throughout the day (don’t chug it all at once!) and you should be just fine.
7 New Year’s Resolutions Health Experts Wish You’d Really Make
Disclaimer: of the right foods! “We’re big fans of goals that start with ‘eat more’,” says Lauren Slayton, RD, director of FoodTrainers, a New York City-based nutrition counseling service. For example, resolve to fit in more probiotic foods, like miso, apple cider vinegar, and yogurt to improve your mood and cut cravings. If you do want to cut out guilty pleasures, don’t nix them completely.
How to Survive Cold and Flu Season
Cold and flu season is upon us, and our main priority during this one will be avoiding the germs. During these busy fall months, it’s easy to get wrapped up in your demanding life and let yourself get run down. Whether you’re pulling all-nighters as a student or spending extra hours at work, it’s important to put your health first. When you run yourself down, your immune system becomes weak and you become more likely to catch a cold.
Preventing Illness During Cold and Flu Season
Flu season is in full swing. It hits hard and fast causing body aches, fever, cough and congestion right off the bat. If you do get the flu, there are antiviral medications available that will make you feel better faster and also prevent you from spreading it to others. But they must be given no later than 48 hours after the onset of symptoms so call your doctor right away.
Cold and flu season: Tips for prevention
Cold and flu season is upon us. And every year, it brings with it the same concerns and questions about prevention and treatment. To help get you through the next few months, we talked with Dr. Keri Peterson, a primary care physician with a private practice on the Upper East Side, for prevention and wellness tips.
Prepare Your Practice for the Upcoming Flu Season
When it comes to preparing your medical practice for the upcoming flu season, the key to success is being proactive, not reactive. A proactive approach means a more efficient and productive practice. And as Keri Peterson, MD, knows, there’s not much you can do once the horse is out of the barn.
How to Tell If It’s TOO Hot Outside to Exercise
You know how effective and beneficial outdoor workouts are, and when the weather is just plain gorgeous, it’s hard to pass up the opportunity to sweat outside. Unfortunately, though, summer heat and humidity are not always ideal workout buddies. Find out how to stay safe and when it’s smarter to work out indoors:
What You Need to Know to Avoid a Summer Cold
Summer colds last longer, and often feel make you feel worse than the colds you get in winter. Here, a few surprising ways to keep cold germs away. While summer colds strike less often than winter ones, according to the Wall Street Journal, they tend to hit between June and October and are about 25 percent as common as winter bugs.
Is It Spring Allergies or a Cold? Here’s How to Tell
Spring has sprung—and, with it, so has spring allergy season. If you suffer from random sniffles, red eyes, and skin rashes, you may already know that you’re allergic to various pollens that hit the air once things start blooming. Or maybe you assumed those symptoms were due to a passing cold and actually have allergies you’re not aware of yet.
Q&A: Can Water Really Help You Lose Weight?
The question: I’ve heard the rumor that you should drink water to lose weight. But can simple H20 really help you shed pounds? It sounds too good to be true. The experts: Brooke Alpert, R.D., founder of B Nutritious, and Keri Peterson, M.D., a physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and a medical advisor for Women’s Health
Tips To Stay Cool In Hot Weather
It feels like a jungle out there, and not the concrete kind. The weather is sweltering this week and that means we have to protect ourselves from the heat. Heat exhaustion doesn’t just occur when someone has been out in the hot wilderness without water. It can occur right in our homes, on a job site or any place where you are exerting yourself outside for long periods of time. The people most at risk for developing heat exhaustion are those who exercise outdoors and the elderly.