Health

An annual flu vaccine is the best way to reduce your chances of contracting influenza and spreading it to others, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet some people remain nervous about getting the flu shot. Can the flu shot actually give you the flu?

Nobody looks forward to crying, whether alone or in the presence of someone else. But there are some surprising benefits to letting it all out for both the mind and body.

Before you slip on a new pair of shoes and potentially suffer unpleasant consequences, read up on the ways your favorite footwear may be harming your feet.

Ah, the joys of being a girl. It all starts with your period, and all of the mood swings, menstrual cramps, and breakouts that can accompany that. Eventually, your journey to womanhood will take you straight to the gynecologist's office — probably by around age 21.

As anyone who's seen 50 Shades of Grey can tell you, a blindfold that masks your sense of sight can go a long way toward heightening anticipation for the evening's activities. Conversely, the opposite approach works best for your sense of smell.

Are you left-handed? If so, you are part of a small group of people worldwide. Only approximately 10.6 percent of the population is left-handed. Why are some people left-handed?

One factor people tend to base the efficacy of workouts on is the amount they sweat. There are several different reasons to explain why you're sweating so much while exercising.

Hold the door for someone, and you could grasp some flu germs. That's because the influenza virus can live for up to three days on plastic and stainless steel, two materials we touch daily on doorknobs and door handles, faucets, light switches, and cell phones.

Fainting, also known as syncope, is when you have a drop in blood flow to the brain, which causes temporary unconsciousness. You might have a medical condition that causes fainting, or you might not know why you fainted in the first place. Here's what really happens when you faint.

After all the effort that goes into pretty nails, from choosing the perfect color polish to finding the time for a manicure, finding that first chip is irritating. It can also be the cue to start picking off what's left of the polish. That might not be the best idea, though.

How often should you disinfect your phone? Here's what to consider when reducing your germ exposure.

One of the scariest symptoms you can experience, especially if it just hits you out of the blue, is chest pains. The first thing that comes into your mind may be, 'Am I having a heart attack?' Here's the first thing you should do if you experience it.

If you feel pain in your lower back, the last thing you might want to do is exercise. But when we don't move enough, our core muscles become weaker, which worsens the pain. Here are a few easy exercises to do if you have lower back pain.

If you live long enough on this planet, there's one thing you can be sure of -- you'll eventually go grey. Read on to find out why that happens.

When we fear our breath might smell bad, most of us just reach for a mint or some gum. But if bad breath is something you're noticing regularly, it's time to start paying attention. The smell emanating from your mouth can be an important indicator of overall bodily health.

Whatever your reason for needing a little nighttime cooling, a fan might seem like the perfect solution for making sure that your room alone gets cooled down. But it turns out that sleeping with a fan on may, under certain circumstances, be harmful to your health.

For all the effort that's being put into disinfecting our world, hopefully we're doing it right. With the huge number of cleaning products on the market, knowing which product to use for the job can be a challenge.

When you're attracted to someone, blood rushes to your face, causing you to blush. Why does this happen?

The feeling of being unable to fill your lungs is frightening. So much so, that anxiety can actually make the condition worse as it constricts the muscles that control breathing. If you find yourself feeling short of breath, it's important to think about what might be contributing to the condition.

Face masks have quickly become a big part of our everyday lives. But if you want your face mask to continuously be effective, it's important that you know all the dos and don'ts, especially when it comes to reusing it.

We hear ourselves talk all day long, and most of us don't give a second thought to the sound of our voice — until, that is, we hear it on a recording. Suddenly we cringe and sometimes even feel embarrassment over the way we sound. What's going on?

If your heart pounds and your cheeks flush whenever a certain someone is near, it's not just their sparkling eyes or rapier wit causing you to feel that way. Chalk up those fluttery feelings to the brain chemicals activated when you have a crush, scientists say.

Feeling anxious can make it hard to enjoy life, and it's not easy to just "fix" being overtaken by a racing reel of negative thoughts by keeping a gratitude journal, or taking deep, cleansing breaths, or whatever else it is your non-anxious friends say helps them deal with their worries.

Germs seem to always find a way to invade the house. And even if you're a diligent disinfecting machine, you are most likely neglecting these spots.

Coconut oil is everywhere these days. From improving our food to beautifying our hair, skin, lips, and even teeth, there seems to be no superpower this popular fat can't claim. But experts agree that coconut oil does has an Achilles heel; it should not be used to treat sunburn.

If you or your child have ever had an upset stomach, complete with vomiting and diarrhea, chances are someone has suggested you try the BRAT diet. Is it a good idea to do so, though?

If your mornings as an adolescent consisted of your parents nagging you to eat breakfast, consider yourself lucky — breakfast really is one of the most important meals of the day, and skipping it is way riskier than you think.