Tag: care

The Hack: Keep your unused batteries in the refrigerator. They’ll last longer that way!

The Flaw: First of all, it’s just bunk science. If anything, cold temperatures will actually damage your batteries. The cold air can cause condensation to form on contacts, which leads to corrosion, which leads to a ruined, leaky battery. Next to your food.

The Hack: Fill an old ketchup bottle with pancake batter to pour perfect flapjacks every time!

The Flaw: First of all, there’s the intense scrubbing you’ll have to give these bottles to keep your pancakes from tasting like ketchup. Then there’s the fact that you have to somehow get your pancake batter through the quarter-sized mouth of the ketchup bottle, which always ends in a horrible mess. We’ll pass, thanks.

The Hack: Put your toaster on its side to make a great, effortless grilled-cheese sandwich.

The Flaw: Two words: fire hazard. A 66-year-old woman named Suzanne Dale recently figured this one out the hard way. She tried the grilled-cheese life hack and her toaster burst into flames. What about oily cheese and enclosed heating elements aren’t people getting?

The Hack: Drill a few holes in the bottom of your kitchen trash can to prevent the suction that makes it hard to pull out the bag.

The Flaw: Garbage water is the flaw, and it’s the flaw to end all flaws. Picture a reeking stream of filth flowing through your kitchen, then reconsider this “life hack.”

The Hack: Use a bunch of tension rods to make a DIY baby gate!

The Flaw: First of all, who has that many tension rods lying around? The whole point of a “life hack” is that you don’t have to go buy a bunch of products designed to make your life more convenient. Secondly, babies are often stronger than a tension rod’s hold. Watch what happens when little Joey uses one of those things to practice his standing. Just make sure you have your ear plugs in, because that kid is going to scream.

The Hack: Throw a cup of water into the microwave when you heat up day-old pizza. It will make the crust crisper!

The Flaw: In a word, science. The argument behind this hack is that the cup of water will somehow absorb moist air, leaving only “dry” air to heat your pizza. Neither physics nor microwaves work like that.

The Hack: Use an old CD spindle to store your lunch bagel.

The Flaw: CD spindles aren’t air tight. Save a bagel sandwich for lunch in one of those, and it’ll be stale by noon. Besides, bagel holes are inconsistent. There’s no guarantee you’ll even be able to fit your chosen bagel around that plastic spindle.

The Hack: If you get stung by a jellyfish, pee on the wound for quick relief.

The Flaw: First of all, gross. Secondly, jellyfish stings deposit angry little venom-delivery structures called nematocysts into your skin. When the salt concentration surrounding the nematocysts changes, they release even more venom. Is the salt content of your pee always identical to that of ocean water? Nope.

The Hack: Lay a wooden spoon across the top of pot to prevent water from boiling over.

The Flaw: Proponents of this patently false life hack (we’ve tried it; doesn’t work) say that the spoon pops bubbles on the surface of the water before they can spread. That might work if bubbles only formed in a straight line beneath the spoon, but unfortunately, they rise up all over the surface of the boiling water.

The Hack: Fill your stinky shoes with tea bags to get rid of the odor.

The Flaw: Tea bags aren’t any better at absorbing the bacteria that cause foul smells than a handful of fallen leaves. Plus, jeez, what a waste of perfectly good tea.

The Hack: Boost the volume on your keyboard speakers with a plastic cup cut in half!

The Flaw: For this to work, you would have to reflect sound waves outwards, toward your ears. Half of a plastic cup will actually just send the volume straight back down into your computer. If anything, the sound will end up a bit more muffled.

The Hack: Serve condiments in a muffin tin at your next barbecue. It’s clean, organized, and easy to wash later!

The Flaw: If you’ve ever seen a spoon-based condiment station, you know that it always leaves a mess. Besides, there’s a much easier way to limit post-barbecue dishwashing duty.

The Hack: The slot on your pot handle doubles as a holder for your cooking spoon!

The Flaw: Wooden spoons come in a wide variety of designs, so there’s no guarantee that yours will fit into the slot on your pot handle. Those slots are there so you can hang up your cookware, not to hold your utensils.

The Hack: Cut up to 10 cherry tomatoes at once by sandwiching them between two Tupperware lids.

The Flaw: Where to start? First of all, your knife will have to be sharpened to a monomolecular edge to keep from pushing the tomatoes around while you “slice.” Secondly, cherry tomatoes come in all shapes and sizes, and leaving your cuts sloppy and uneven. Finally, it’s not much faster than simply slicing each tomato individually.

The Hack: Store your towels on a wine rack. Who doesn’t have a spare wine rack laying around?

The Flaw: If you are a wine-rack-owner, you probably use it to store wine. If you own more than one wine-rack, you can probably also afford a towel rack. So, you know.

The Hack: Use a shoe organizer to organize cleaning supplies! Or packaged foods! Or anything besides shoes!

The Flaw: To be fair, maybe this is our flaw, not the hack’s, but we had never heard of a “shoe organizer” before the internet came up with umpteen million ways to use them. Who’s hoarding all these shoe organizers?

As parents, we know that kids tend to get into everything, but somehow we always end up being surprised when our children find a new way to get themselves hurt.

Believe it or not, there are some unexpected things in your home that are way more dangerous than you ever thought they could be.

Dishwashers

Parents know that kids love to climb, and a dishwasher handle might as well come with an invitation for them to pull on it. Doing so could immediately result in the dishwasher door crashing down on their heads, but there are far worse consequences, too.

Any kids that do manage to get the door open could immediately have access to sharp knives and pointy forks, as well as tons of glass items that could easily break if dropped.

There’s also the danger of dishwasher detergents and powder packs, which could cause severe irritation if they make contact with the skin and eyes, and eat away at the mouth and throat if swallowed.

The solution?

When loading the dishwasher, make sure your forks and knives are pointing down. You should also avoid putting any liquid or powder detergents into the machine until you’re actually ready to run it. 

If you can latch your dishwasher closed when it’s not in use, make sure you do.

Later in this article, you’ll learn about more household appliances that are dangerous in ways you wouldn’t think.

Cribs

You’d think that something meant for a baby to be for extended periods of time would be pretty safe, but that’s not always the case.

For the most part, cribs aren’t usually dangerous on their own unless parents forget to adjust them as their child grows—instead, the real trouble lies in the things parents put into them.

It may seem intuitive to surround your baby in plush, cozy blankets and pillows while they sleep—hey, it’s what we like as adults, right?—but these items can easily form-fit to your baby’s face and cause them to suffocate. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that at least 900 babies die each year due to suffocation from plush bedding.

The solution?

Babies should sleep on their backs on firm mattresses—use sheets and mattress pads if you want, but only if they’re tight-fitting.

Keep toys, comforters, and pillows out of the crib until they’re at least a year old, and only use bumper pads that aren’t super thick. Any blankets you use should be lightweight, but you can avoid using them at all by putting your baby in a sleeper suit before bed.

Hand-Me-Downs

Hand-me-down clothes and toys can be a lifesaver for any new parent, but using them means you could be inheriting any problems these items have.

Used baby equipment from years past might not be up to current safety standards, and it’s not always easy to tell if something is broken or missing a piece—that is, until it unexpectedly breaks while your baby’s using it. Even something as small as a loose safety strap could allow your baby to wriggle out of their seat or swing and get stuck.

The solution?

Before using any baby items given to you from a friend or family member, look over them carefully to make sure everything is still being held together as it should be and no crucial pieces are missing.

Any cords or straps should be around seven inches or less in length, and any fraying strings should be removed. You should also keep children away from older toys that are painted or made of metal, as the paint could be lead-based.

Bathrooms

There are tons of products out there designed to make it easier to give your baby a bath, but they’re probably not as safe as you’d think they are.

Bath rings and seats are both popular items that help keep babies sitting upright while they’re in the tub, and some parents who use them probably think they can walk away from the tub for a few seconds without anything going wrong.

In reality, though, the suction cups that are often used to hold the seats in please could easily come loose, allowing your baby to tip the seat over in just a few seconds. In fact, the CPSC reported that 106 babies drowned because their bath rings tipped over from 1983 to 2003.

The solution?

Just because your baby is sitting in a bath seat or ring doesn’t mean they’re completely protected from harm. Parents should not leave their babies unattended while they’re in the bathtub, no matter how secure they seem at the time.

You should also make sure any bath products you have are out of your baby’s reach so they don’t accidentally ingest them.

Pets

You might think that your family pet will take no issue with your newest addition, but this isn’t always the case.

In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) has reported that around 100,000 children end up in the emergency room annually due to dog-related injuries.

Young kids don’t know any better when it comes to pulling Fido’s tail or sticking their little hands into his food bowl, and there’s no guarantee he’ll take kindly to either. Not to mention that your baby might find it interesting to eat your pet’s food or chew on its toys, both of which could be a potential choking hazard.

The solution?

Introduce your baby to your pets gradually, and never leave the two alone together. It’s also important to continuously teach your kids to be gentle with animals, including no hitting, no tail pulling, and leaving them alone while eating.

You should also keep toys and pet food off the floor when they’re not being used, and try to avoid buying smaller toys until your child is older.

Car Windows

We can all probably remember a time when we were kids and decided that playing with the automatic windows in the car was a good idea. You put your fingers over the glass, seeing how long you could hold them there before chickening out as the window came higher up.

Though daring, it’s definitely not a smart move—it shouldn’t be any surprise that hundreds of kids end up at urgent care each year for crushed arms and fingers. There’s also the immense danger that comes when kids lean out the window and accidentally hit the switch, getting their torsos, necks, and heads stuck.

According to the nonprofit group Kids and Cars, approximately 28 children have reportedly died in this very way.

The solution?

Child locks are there for a reason—use them! The window lock feature has become an increasingly common feature in cars, and they could easily help prevent something tragic from happening.

If you have all of the windows rolled down, make sure you ask your kids to bring their hands, arms, and heads inside before you roll them up.

Purses

Women often joke about the wide range of things you can find in their purses, and that’s exactly why you should keep the prying hands of kids out of them. However, there are many people who wouldn’t think about the harm that could come from a child digging in their bag.

Purses can contain medicine, hard candies, cosmetics, safety pins, pens—all things that could easily cause a child harm within seconds.

Children could even potentially try to grab a purse strap and cause the whole bag to crash down on their heads. Grabbing at a purse hanging off the side of a chair could even send that toppling over in the blink of an eye.

The solution?

Keep your bags in a room your child can’t enter or on some type of hook that they can’t reach. When you have guests over, make sure to keep all of the bags and coats in a separate room and keep the door closed so curious kids stay out.

Kitchen Appliances

We already know that the dishwasher isn’t as innocent as it seems, but what about everything else in your kitchen?

Aside from the basics—you know, keeping your child away from a hot stove and making sure cleaning products are out of sight—there are plenty of things to look out for in this room of your home.

It’s important to prevent your kids from climbing on appliances as they could easily knock something over if it’s not properly secured. When cooking, kids could even make a grab for an exposed pan handle and accidentally douse themselves with hot water, oil, or sauce.

The solution?

In addition to teaching your kids that appliances aren’t for climbing, install anti-tip bracket systems on your appliances if you can so they won’t topple over if your kids decide to briefly experiment with fridge climbing.

You should also keep kids at a safe distance while you’re baking or cooking to prevent spills and burns.

If you’re pro-canine, then you probably know not to give a dog chocolate—that one’s easy. But did you know there are plenty of other ways you might be risking the well-being of man’s four-legged best friend? Here are 18 things that could potentially endanger your pup.

Raw meat

Believe it or not, humans aren’t the only ones that “are susceptible to salmonella and other bacterial poisoning” after consuming uncooked meat. Dogs, as it happens, can also contract it when they eat uncooked meat.

So despite what old films might have you believe, it would be best to not let your dog chew on a piece of uncooked steak or any other type of uncooked meat.

Rawhide dog chews

Despite how much your dog might love chewing on these, they also pose a risk for Salmonella, along with other bacteria. The Daily Treat advises that you be sure to “monitor the storage, handout, use, and life of chews.”

Fabric softener sheets

Did you know that a) there are chemicals in these and b) that the sheets, as a consequence, aren’t good for your pup? Well, despite the inviting smell, which they might enjoy, you shouldn’t risk your dog getting near them, let alone attached to them.

Coffee

While plenty of humans may need a cup of coffee just to endure the long day ahead, you should avoid letting your dog near it at all costs. The caffeine in coffee is just as toxic to canines as chocolate is:“caffeine and theobromine cause toxicosis” and they can lead to your dog not only seizing but going on to Doggy Heaven. No puppuccinos for your furry friend.

Avocados

Though among the trendiest foods of our time, it’s safe to say that really, only humans should be consuming this delicious green fruit (yes, it’s a fruit). Why?

Well, the exact reason why is up for debate a bit, but as the Daily Treat says, “Even if the persin in avocados isn’t harmful to your dog, that big center seed is a choking hazard.” Persin , for the record, “is a fungicidal toxin.”

Though it doesn’t really affect us, it can pose a danger “when consumed by domestic animals in large quantities .”

Grapes

While fruits are great and healthy for us humans to munch on, dogs don’t always have quite the same reactions that we do. This is especially true when it comes to grapes, which, if consumed, could lead to your dog enduring acute renal failure.

In case you’re thinking that raisins might be a suitable alternative that won’t lead to canine kidney failure, think again, because in reality, “they’re just dried up grapes, so they count too.”

Onions

You might very well have never considered feeding your dog an onion (or anything with onions), especially if you’re not a big fan yourself. Regardless, you should avoid feeding any sort of onion—raw or not, even onion powder—to your dog.

As it turns out, this flavorful, and notoriously potent, vegetable has the ability to “kill canine blood cells and resulting Heinz Body Anemia can be life-threatening.” So much for a healthy food, right?

Garlic

While garlic isn’t as detrimental to dogs as its flavor-partner, the onion (and in fact, “small amounts may even appear in some dog foods”), if your dog is going to consume it, it has to be in moderation.

Otherwise, it can actually prove to be just as dangerous to them as onions. So as much as we might want to share the deliciousness of the spice with them, it’s really not worth the risk.

Macadamia nuts

Macadamia nuts may be the perfect—albeit pretty pricey—addition to your trail mix or white chocolate cookies, but dogs shouldn’t be let near them. They are said to be “particularly poisonous” to our innocent barking friends.

According to the ASPCA , they “can cause weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs,” and these symptoms can last anywhere from 12 hours to two days. Ensure that you’ve thoroughly checked the ingredients for any and all food you might want to share with your hungry pup.

Toys

Though your dog might take a liking to Legos and other toys you have lying around the house, did you know that “dog toys are specific so that pieces aren’t swallowed or lodged in the throat?”

As such, if you’re giving your dog something to play with that wasn’t constructed for them or their size, such as “balls and other playtime pieces,” it could risk their lives. As a precaution, anything with tiny pieces should probably be kept away from where your dog could get it.

Plants

While potted plants can prove to be a lovely aesthetic addition to your home, “that beautiful smell or texture may tempt your [dog] to lick or nibble.”

In case you’re determined to have a plant in your home, these are just some of the plants you should have nowhere near your dog, no matter what: Aloe Vera, Jade, Ivy, Elephant Ear, Philodendron, and Corn Plant.

Chicken bones

Of course your dog can eat meat, but you need to ensure that no bones are left in the meat you serve them.

As it happens, “cooked bones of any kind may be brittle and hazardous,” but chicken bones in particular “can splinter and do all sorts of harm.” So be thorough and particular about the quality of meat you’re serving them.

Batteries

While we’re sure you would probably never consider feeding your dog any batteries—at least we hope not—there is a risk of them eating them if they’re lying around on the floor or somewhere else accessible to your dog.

Avoid this at all costs though, as the acid in batteries can cause your dog to be stricken with “mouth ulcers, throat and stomach issues.” Again, anything small can pose a risk to your dog, so think twice the next time you’re about to leave small things on the floor.

Cleaning products

So long as you keep these high up where your dog can’t get to it, you’re probably fine, but if they do get into them, they can pose a real danger to your pup.

Detergents

Similarly to the cleaning products, you should ensure that detergents are kept somewhere up high, as they “may have ulcerous and fatal consequences for your dog.”

Antifreeze

Despite its misleading sweet smell, ensure that you aren’t fooled by antifreeze, as it could pose a truly deadly danger to your dog if consumed.

Heavy metals

In case there weren’t enough warnings about why small objects shouldn’t be left around your house, we have another for you. Did you know that pennies and paint chips, along with other things, could pose issues for your dog?

Specifically, make sure your dog avoids anything containing “lead and zinc [as they] can be toxic,” along with other heavy metals, as they can pose the same risk.

Xylitol

Before you go and let your dog try some of your (non-chocolate) candy, or even something freshly baked, beware of xylitol, which is “used as a sweeter in many products, including gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste.” Not only can consumption of xylitol trigger an insulin release, which has the potential to actually lead to liver failure, but it could also result in hypoglycemia.

Your dog’s first symptoms of toxicosis could “include vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination.” It might eventually lead to seizures, and “elevated liver enzymes and liver failure can be seen within a few days.”

Insecticides

While “the bait used in ant and roach traps might not be toxic,” there’s more to worry about, as your dog could be at risk of choking if they happen to swallow any of the traps used. On the other hand though, there are insecticides, such as those intended to get rid of snails, slugs, and flies, which could act as a poison for your dog.

Consider putting up a gate so that your dog can’t go wherever the traps are, or having someone dog-sit elsewhere until everything is safe for your pup again.

We all have a tendency to make a mountain out of a molehill when it comes to self-diagnosing ourselves. Thanks to sites like WebMD, we have turned into full-on hypochondriacs and have probably all thought at one point in time we have a serious illness, when, in fact, it was nothing more than a bad cold or weird bruise.

While we can’t offer legitimate medical advice—that’s what your doctor is for—it may ease your mind to know that those odd aches and pains are most likely something completely benign. With any of these symptoms, we always recommend checking with a medical professional if you are concerned or have any questions.

But if your mild hypochondria is getting the best of you and you’re curious to see the most common self-misdiagnoses, check out this list to find out what those body aches might actually be.

Symptom: An Inability to Focus

Self-Diagnosis: ADD/ADHD

What is probably is: Us no longer having an attention span

In today’s society, we all tend to think we have a little hyperactivity. In truth, however, we just have no attention span.

We are always easily distracted and desperate to know everything so quickly. There is a reason that videos that go viral on social media have incorporated subtitles: it’s because companies know that we are so scared to commit to watching a two-minute video. If they add subtitles then we don’t have to click on the video itself and feel that commitment; we can just stay on the main page and watch music videos without sound while reading the lyrics.

We can go on and on about the lack of attention span but feeling distracted or unable to focus does not necessarily mean you have ADD or ADHD. The next time you’re feeling hyperactive, try cleaning your apartment—you’ll quickly realize that you don’t have that much energy after all. Bring on the Netflix.

Symptom: A Mysterious Lump

Self-Diagnosis: Malignant tumor

What it probably is: Swollen gland

Every single one of us has felt a lump on our bodies at some point and immediately thought, “Okay, this is it, this is how I die.”

Now no one is saying it’s not something to take with caution and get checked out. In fact, we encourage it!

But quiet your mind for a moment by recognizing there is also the possibility that it is nothing more than a swollen gland. We have glands all over our body and when we fight off an infection, they put in overtime so they swell. It’s easy to think that since you’re already sick and your glands in your neck are swollen that it could be serious, but more times than not, it’s simply your body fighting extra hard to kill whatever is making you feel sick.

Give it a couple days and if they’re still incredibly swollen, go to the doctor, but if they’ve decreased, then it’s probably nothing to worry about.

Symptom: A New Mole

Self-Diagnosis: Skin cancer

What it probably is: Well… A new mole

Skin cancer is nothing to joke about. In reality, one in five people in the U.S will get skin cancer at some point in their lives. That is a heavy fact and something we should all take seriously.

However, every time we look in the mirror and find a new freckle or mole, our minds immediately go to melanoma or skin cancer. The fact is, as we age we get spots, colorations, moles, freckles, and more, and it’s nothing more than just that: aging.

There is a lot of research out there which tells us how to prevent getting age spots and also lower any chances for skin cancer. Always be safe and use sunscreen and stay out of the sun when possible, because no one wants to age quicker than they have to.

By protecting yourself from UVA and UVB rays with a broad spectrum sunscreen, you’ll also lower your chances of new freckles (which are caused by a group of cells in the skin making more melanin, a dark pigment, than the surrounding skin) which will then lower your anxiety of thinking you have skin cancer.

Bottom line: always take your skincare seriously and cover up, but don’t give yourself a nervous breakdown when you look in the mirror and find a new spot.

Symptom: Muscle Twitch

Self-Diagnosis: Something very wrong. You don’t know what, but it’s something.

What it probably is: Dehydration

We have all experienced those random, annoying muscle spasms. They can happen out of nowhere and in the most random spots—eyelids, lower back, feet, fingers—nowhere is safe.

When it first happens, it comes at a shock and can easily freak us out as we have no control over the spasm and aren’t quite sure what is happening. It is really nothing to worry about though as these twitches happen with over 90 percent of people and tend to happen at random locations in our body.

The truth behind them isn’t fully understood but most doctors think it depends on our stress level, caffeine intake, and amount of sleep. They are more common after a workout since you have some lactic acid built up in your muscles. The best thing to do is stay hydrated so your muscles can heal quicker.

Next time you get a series of these annoying twitches, go grab a coconut water that is full of potassium and it should help you out.

Symptom: Headache

Self-Diagnosis: Brain clot

What is probably is: Stress and lack of sleep

First off you’ll be happy to hear that your brain can’t actually feel pain so when you get a headache, it’s not your actual brain, but the area around your head, face, and neck. Now to be safe, of course you should always take precaution, but don’t give yourself more pain by automatically assuming the worst.

There can be a number of reasons you get a headache: too much caffeine (or lack thereof if you’re a habitual coffee drinker), stress, a strained muscle, sinus problems, a fever—the list goes on and on.

The best thing to do is try to relax, maybe take some ibuprofen, and wait it out. If it continues then of course you may want to see a doctor, but try to not over react at first.

There is also a trick to try to relieve some pressure if it’s a sinus headache. Take your thumbs and push them into the part right above your eye but below your eyebrow. You can also push your tongue into the roof of your mouth and then pinch the nerve right between your thumb and pointer finger. Try it next time and see if it helps!

Symptom: Stomach Pain

Self-Diagnosis: Crohn’s, cancer, or internal damage

What it probably is: Constipation, bloating, or gas

Stomach pain can be absolutely debilitating. You can have intense pain or trouble breathing, which leaves you feeling like a beached whale. It’s not uncommon to be keeled over, feeling overly sensitive and in pain.

There are a number of things that run though our heads in these situations and most are very serious, but in truth these symptoms can be caused by nothing more than constipation or gas. It’s not pleasant or pretty, but it can be the truth. A very relieving truth.

A lot of things can affect your body and stomach to create constipation or bloating. For instance, if you’ve just traveled on an airplane, or taken certain pain medications, or eaten your heart out on a charcuterie board, then try taking some Tums or a gentle laxative and see if that relieves the pain you’re feeling.

If it becomes more serious then of course the doctor is the way to go, but it’s worth trying before spending all the money and time waiting at the doctor’s office for him to simply say, “Yeah, you need to poop.”

Symptom: Knee pain

Self-diagnosis: A torn ligament or muscle—something that definitely requires surgery

What it probably is: Soreness

Knees are very sensitive areas and no one wants to have an injury that impacts their daily mobility like a knee injury. Therefore, every time something happens with our knees, we tend to think it is more serious than it really is. Especially if the pain lasts.

There might be a simple cause of this that we tend to overlook. For the majority of people with a job, that job takes place in an office and has us sitting at a desk for nine hours a day. We don’t really get up to walk around but a couple times throughout the day, and then when we leave, we walk to our car, sit in traffic, maybe go to the gym and rush in to make that intense workout class like kickboxing or soul cycle.

If this describes most of your week days, the soreness makes sense. You essentially just sat for nearly 10 hours without using your legs at all and then rush your body into an extreme workout where you extend your knee.

That can create intense pain and soreness and could lead to a serious injury. The next time you have pain in your knee, try scheduling some time to get a good warm-ups in and some stretching before rushing into that yoga class.

Symptom: Back pain

Self-diagnosis: A slipped disc

What it probably is: Sleeping (or sitting) in a bad position

Ever wake up and realize you slept in a funny position and now you can only turn your neck to the right? We know it’s due to sleeping all crammed up and in an odd position. The same rules can apply to our lower back and hips.

The correct way to sleep is on our side with a pillow in between our legs so our spinal cord can lay parallel with our bed in an even position. People who actually sleep like that are lucky. Most of us sleep on our backs, stomachs, or sprawled out like Spider-Man in the middle of our bed.

We wake up the next day and jump in the shower, rush off to work, sit in a chair, and then go home and sit on our couch. Then back to bed and repeat. Needless to say, this leads to soreness and pain.

The next time you incur some lower back pain and you think you’ve slipped a disc, try rearranging your sleeping position, buy a body pillow, and do some gentle stretches upon waking and see if that helps. No need to rush into back surgery just yet.

Now there’s no denying that children can injure themselves in any number of unforeseeable ways. And while some of these toys seem pretty darn obvious (giant darts?!), there are a few that you might be surprised made the list.

1. Snacktime Cabbage Patch Kid

Biggest issue: The “snacktime” to which their name refers included children’s hair and fingers.

The blood-thirsty doll was released by Mattel in 1996 and came equipped with a motorized mouth for “real chewing action” so that kids could feed it cookies and French fries made of plastic. What fun!

Unfortunately, the toy company did not foresee the doll developing an insatiable appetite for children’s hair and fingers until it was too late. As a result of the numerous complaints, the toy was taken off store shelves in 1997 and a $40 refund was issued.

2. Atomic Energy Laboratory

Biggest issue: Contained real radioactive materials to play with.

Six years after the first atom bomb killed 80,000 Japanese people instantly, the U-238 Atomic Energy Lab was released.

The “children’s toy” included a Geiger counter, electroscope, and Uranium-bearing ore samples among other real radioactive materials. Unsurprisingly, parents didn’t want their children playing with a radioactive toy and it was discontinued a year after its release.

3. Hannah Montana Pop Star Card Game

Biggest issue: Lead, lead, and more lead.

Hannah Montana was the hottest thing since sunburn in the mid-2000s, so of course a large number of toys and games were designed in her honor. One of these was the Hannah Montana Pop Star Card game. Wondering how on Earth a card game could be harmful? The answer isn’t paper cuts…

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that no toy contain more than 40 parts per million (ppm) of lead. The Hannah Montana cards had a stunning 3,000 parts per million. That’s 75 times as much. And the card game wasn’t Hannah’s only offending toy. The two hearts graphic necklace sold by the brand contained an unbelievable 406,510 ppm of lead.

4. Sky Dancers

Biggest issue: The “dance” turned into more of an air assault.

In the mid-90s, Sky Dancers were popular handheld toys that launched fairy princesses with propeller wings into the heavens with the help of a pull-string base.

A few months after the toy’s release, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) was flooded with complaints. The fairy’s flight pattern was often unpredictable and over 170 complaints were filed detailing injuries including “temporary blindness, broken teeth, a mild concussion, a broken rib, and facial lacerations that required stitches.” Not so magical after all.

5. CSI: Fingerprint Examination Kit and CSI: Investigation Forensics Lab Kit

Biggest issue: The powder used to investigate fingerprints was chock-full of asbestos.

Let’s be honest, a crime scene investigation kit seems like a bit of an oddity for a children’s toy to begin with. But hey, TV is big. Unfortunately, and to everyone’s surprise, an environmental group found the finger print dust in the kit contained a large amount of the most dangerous form of asbestos (7 percent in fact).

You don’t need a spy kit to figure out why the CSI: Investigation Forensics Lab Kit was pulled from store shelves at a blistering speed.

6. Aqua Dots

Biggest issue: Aqua Dots were coated with the toxic substance GHB, also known as the “date rape” drug.

These colorful arts and craft beads would stick together when wet to create various designs. Unfortunately, they also caused vomiting, seizures, and comas due to the toxic chemicals they were covered in. The dots were pulled in 2007 after being named one of Wal-Mart’s top 12 Christmas toys. Whoops.

7. Moon Shoes

Biggest issue: Kids were wearing mini-trampolines on their feet.

What could go wrong with a child sporting spring-loaded shoes? Apparently quite a lot. A broken ankle is basically the best-case scenario for any child wearing them.

In the 1970s, Moon Shoes were made with dozens of pieces of sharp metal making them one of the most dangerous toys to ever hit the market. But there are still quite a few pairs available on eBay if you don’t believe us.

8. Easy-Bake Oven

Biggest issue: The light bulb could reach 350 degrees Fahrenheit!

In 2007, almost a million Easy-Bake Ovens were recalled after the CPSC realized children can “insert their hands into the oven’s opening and get their hands or fingers caught, posing an entrapment and burn hazard.”

After the news broke, the Easy-Bake Oven was temporarily toast. It did make a major comeback following the release of a gender-neutral oven allowing both boys and girls to burn their bodies equally!

9. Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper

Biggest issue: It was the first toy to choke a child to death.

Mattel’s Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper is the toy responsible for the choking hazard labels you see on nearly every toy.

Unfortunately, a 4-year-old shot the Viper’s missile into his mouth causing him to fatally choke back in 1978. Needless to say, the toy is no longer sold.

10. Clackers

Biggest issue: The Clackers frequently broke sending shards of shrapnel flying in all directions.

Knockers, Click Clacks, or Clackers, as they were known, were a hot commodity in the ’60s and ’70s. That is until they were banned in 1985.

The heavy acrylic balls were attached to a string and “clacked” together as fast as possible, which lead to reports of numerous injuries after the balls shattered from heavy use.

11. JARTS

Biggest issue: They’re massive darts thrown across the yard.

On paper, it must have sounded like a good idea. Taking the game of darts outside, similar to cornhole bags, with two teams trying to hit each other’s bull’s eye.

After the its release, the injuries started to pile up—fast. With over 7,000 injuries, the toy was quickly banned by the CPSC in 1988 before it killed someone.

12. Creepy Crawlers

Biggest issue: Scalding hot liquid, toxic chemicals, you name it.

The Creepy Crawlers oven is a more dangerous version of the Easy-Bake Oven. It peaks at a higher temperature and its purpose is to bake toxic liquids into interesting shapes and sizes.

Adding insult to (many) injuries, all kids had to show for this dangerous toy were some disgusting looking bugs you couldn’t even eat. What was even the point?

Sure, most of us have heard of LASIK, and we know it has something to do with the eyes, but what is it really? What are the risks? Are you a candidate? Read ahead for some of what you should anticipate before jumping into LASIK—also, as with most medical procedures, it’s probably best to not just jump in.

What exactly is LASIK surgery?

First thing’s first, what does LASIK mean? Well, it’s an acronym, and it stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. To be fair, that probably doesn’t help clear up much of anything. FDA-approved near the end of the 20th century in 1998, LASIK is described by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) as “an outpatient refractive surgery procedure used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.”

Astigmatism is defined by the AAO as “an imperfection in the curvature of your cornea”. There are two types of astigmatism—corneal and lenticular—though both result in “your vision for both near and far objects [appearing] blurry or distorted,” which the AAO equates to a fun house mirror.

Understandably, the procedure varies based on your reasoning for getting it. Basically, it utilizes a laser that will “reshape the cornea … to improve the way the eye focuses light rays onto the retina at the back of the eye.” Sounds like a piece of cake, right?

If you’re nearsighted, your cornea will need to be flattened, and if you’re farsighted, you’ll need your cornea to be steeper. It’s said to be able to rectify astigmatism through normalizing the shape of the cornea. One thing you shouldn’t count on LASIK fixing though, is “presbyopia, the age-related loss of close-up focusing power.”

According to the AAO, over 90 percent of LASIK patients are able to come away with vision that lands between 20/20 and 20/40 sans contacts or glasses. They stipulate that patients should also prepare in case they need a subsequent surgery, also known as an enhancement or retreatment, and that glasses might still be necessary for things like nighttime driving, as well as reading.

What makes a good candidate?

As with any surgery, there are certain factors that will determine whether or not the impending patient is truly a prime candidate for said procedure. If any of these apply to you, you might want to rethink LASIK: dry eye syndrome, thin corneas, keratoconus, or large pupil size. These are only a select few of the conditions listed, so be sure to check out the FDA’s own advice.

Insofar as dry eye is concerned, leaving it untreated before you get the surgery could affect your post-op results, though if “diagnosed and adequately treated before surgery, you will have the same chance of a successful outcome as a patient without pre-existing dry eye.” If your dry eye is severe though, you might want to rule out LASIK entirely. The risk for dry eye increases with age, particularly for post-menopausal women.

While thin corneas may render you a less-than-ideal candidate for LASIK, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of other similar surgeries. You can and should ensure that “the thickness of your cornea” is examined prior to any surgery.

Keratoconous, “a condition in which the clear tissue on the front of the eye (cornea) bulges outward,” is something that your doctor should ensure that you don’t have, prior to the procedure. It’s always better to take precaution, after all.

In terms of your pupil size, which will be determined during your pre-LASIK exam, a large pupil “has been thought to be a factor in undesirable side effects such as ‘glare’ and ‘halos.’” As it happens, “the relationship between pupil size in low light and these disturbing visual symptoms” isn’t entirely clear.

According to Paula Cofer, who underwent LASIK only to have her eyes forever changed—and not for the better—says she was never briefed about the issues she might later encounter, as she should have never ben a candidate, given her large pupils and propensity for severe dry eye. Back in 2010, a decade after her surgery, Cofer not only continued to endure “severe dry eyes and blurry vision,” but she noted that her eyes were always burning, and she even had to use a slew of products for them, such as eye rinses, drops, a mask to help with dry air, and more. She was also wearing goggles to help maintain moisture, which she said made her resemble a fly, and she called them “very unattractive.”

What sort of preparations should be made prior to surgery?

In addition to speaking with your doctor and ensuring you don’t have any of the aforementioned conditions, as well as the others listed in the links above, there are still plenty of things you should be doing to prepare yourself, some of which vary depending on whether you wear glasses or contacts. For the latter, you should “stop wearing them before your baseline evaluation and switch to wearing your glasses full-time.” Though how far in advance you should stop wearing them varies, based on the type of contacts you wear—soft, toric soft or RGP, or hard—as they can alter the shape of the cornea.

Make sure you disclose any medical or eye-related conditions to your doctor, regardless of whether the condition is a current or past one, as well as any medications you’re currently taking or could possibly be allergic to.

During an eye exam prior to your surgery, ensure that your doctor covers “the risks, benefits, and alternatives of the surgery,” what to anticipate, what sort of candidate you are, and “what your responsibilities will be before, during, and after surgery.” Don’t forget to ask any and all questions you have regarding the surgery so you can make an educated decision about how to proceed.

The day before your surgery is scheduled, the FDA recommends that you stop using perfumes and cosmetics, as well as lotions and creams, as any of these could pose an increased risk regarding possible infections.

You should ensure you have a ride to and from the procedure, as well as to your first post-op visit. Aside from possible blurry vision, the medicine you’ll have “impairs your ability to drive.”

What can be expected during the procedure?

Referred to by the American Refractive Surgery Council (ARSC) as “quick and virtually painless,” a LASIK procedure should actually only take up about a half hour of your time, says the FDA, if not less. It sounds like a pretty comfortable setup, especially for a doctor’s office, as you get to lie down in a reclining chair.

The procedure begins with a topical anesthetic, says the AAO, and that’s meant to numb the eye, after which the area surrounding your eye is going to be cleaned. Just like those tools the dentist uses to keep your mouth wide open, something similar will occur here with your eyes. Get ready for the lid speculum.

If you want to read a more detailed and in-depth description of what exactly the procedure entails, the FDA provides a description on their site, as does the AAO. One thing you should be aware of is that you won’t need stitches after, but you will need to use some sort of shield to protect your eye. This will “prevent you from rubbing your eye and putting pressure on your eye while you sleep, and to protect your eye from accidentally being hit or poked.” This is something you will need to continue wearing until you’re all healed.

According to the ARSC, given the technological developments since LASIK was first approved, there are additional technologies now used in the procedure. Excimer lasers, whether wavefront-guided or optimized, are one such example, as is 3D digital mapping of your eye. The ARSC points out that these help to increase the safety and accuracy to patients, “enabling surgeons to customize procedures for the patient and better visual outcomes.”

What other normal activities should be avoided, when can they be resumed, and are there other things to watch out for?

If you’re used to an active lifestyle, LASIK might pose a bit of a problem for you. Granted, for non-contact sports, it’s only advised that you wait one to three days after your operation to resume these—though it’s dependent “on the amount of activity required, how you feel, and your doctor’s instructions.” For contact sports, it’s not quite so lenient, as you should not be participating in any of these for a minimum of four weeks following your procedure. These sports include, but are not limited to, karate, boxing, and football.

Regarding the creams, lotions, and other cosmetics that you were supposed to stop using prior to getting LASIK, you shouldn’t resume using them just yet. In fact, the FDA suggests that, “To prevent infection, you may need to wait for up to two weeks after surgery or until your doctor advises you otherwise.”

Be aware that your vision is prone to changing over the course of the months following your operation. For instance, it could take “three to six months for your vision to stabilize after surgery,” which sounds like a lot if you’re not prepared, but this is why you should know all the facts going in. During these months, it’s possible that symptoms such as “glare, haloes, difficulty driving at night, and other visual symptoms may also persist.” If you do happen to need enhancement, you’re advised to “wait until your eye measurements are consistent for two consecutive visits at least 3 months apart before re-operation.”

While distance-related vision has the propensity to improve after a subsequent operation, glare or haloes likely won’t, so keep that in mind. No matter what, if you find yourself having new or unusual symptoms, or anything is, again, turning worse rather than better, reach out to your doctor right away.

Are there alternative procedures? If so, what?

As mentioned above, it’s possible that you might have some underlying conditions that would mean you’re not a prime candidate for LASIK. Don’t give up hope though, there are other refractive surgeries you might be eligible for. One such procedure is called Wavefront-Guided LASIK, in which “computer imaging technology creates a very detailed three-dimensional ‘map’ of the patient’s cornea that looks a bit like a miniature mountain range. …Wavefront technology can measure very subtle abnormalities in the surface of the cornea, enabling wavefront-guided LASIK to achieve vision correction beyond what is possible with glasses or conventional LASIK.” This type of operation has, according to studies, also proved to “reduce side effects, such as problems with night vision and contrast sensitivity (the ability to clearly see objects against a background, such as black letters on a white page), and also to increase the percentage of patients who achieve 20/20 vision.”

Photo refractive keratectomy, also known as PRK, is another alternative, utilizing an excimer laser, as LASIK does. According to the AAO, the results for a patient’s vision correction are pretty comparable, though PRK doesn’t have anything to do with a flap. Apparently, it can take “a few days before vision stabilizes for PRK patients.” There’s also wavefront-guided PRK, though, as, “the FDA approval process has not yet taken place … wavefront-guided PRK is considered an ‘off-label’ use of the technology.”

Other options include LASEK and EpiLasik; in both procedures, the epithelial layer tends to take around four days to heal. Alternative surgeries you might prefer include Conductive Keratoplasty (CK), Phakic Intraocular Lenses, also known as IOLs, and Refractive Lens Exchange, also referred to as Clear Lens Extraction.

What are the extreme risks?

In addition to the risks mentioned above, you should be wary of both undercorrections and overcorrections, according to the Mayo Clinic. Undercorrections occur when “the laser removes too little tissue from your eye.” This then results in your post-op vision not being as clear as you might have been aiming for, though this is a more prevalent issue with nearsighted patients. If this occurs, you could need one of those enhancement surgeries previously noted, to get the rest of the necessary tissue. As with many things though, “Less is,” as the old adage says, “More.” In this sense, it’s much less of a hassle to be saddled with undercorrections than overcorrections—“a complication of refractive surgery where the achieved amount of correction is more than desired,” as defined by the FDA. As the Mayo Clinic says, this “may be more difficult to fix than undercorrections,” as it means too much tissue was removed.

You also run the risk of eventually regressing back to your “pre-surgery vision,” which, according to the Mayo Clinic, could occur because of “abnormal wound healing, hormonal imbalances or pregnancy.”

Oh, and remember when we told you LASIK can sometimes help your Astigmatism? Well, it can also cause it, if there’s “uneven tissue removal. It may require additional surgery, glasses or contact lenses.” That sort of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?

You might also recall us mentioning that people with severe dry
eye probably shouldn’t get the procedure. Well, the Mayo Clinic says that, “LASIK causes a temporary decrease in tear production.” If this is the case, you’re able to get an additional “procedure to get special plugs to put in your tear ducts to prevent your tears from draining away from the surface of your eyes.”

Remember, these aren’t the only risks, you can check out this link for more information.

What should you ask your doctor?

As is emphasized throughout this piece, there are certain things you and your doctor really need to go over before you decide to get LASIK. You should, as a precaution, ask these regardless of which refractive surgery piques your interest. Here are some of the things you should be asking, based on points made above.

Ask about the range in which your refractive error falls, and if it’s “within the approved range,” as “LASIK is approved by the FDA to treat certain degrees of nearsightedness, farsightedness and certain types and degrees of astigmatism, alone or in combination with near- or farsightedness.” As AAO says, if your refractive error is severe, it “reduces the chance of success and increases the chance that pretreatment may be needed.”

Ask if your current age and “life-stage” are ideal for you to undergo the procedure. Ask if, over the past 12 months or so, your eyes have constituted as “relatively stable,” which can be proven by your glasses and contact prescription. Inquire if and how LASIK will fit into your lifestyle. You should ask your doctor what retreatment could consist of, should you get it. Make sure you ask how other health conditions—be they related to your eyes or not—could affect your eligibility for LASIK, and whether they need to be taken care of prior to the procedure. Some of these could be diabetes, glaucoma, and autoimmune diseases.

Don’t forget to ask about the cost of the surgery and anything related to it, like subsequent treatments—should you need any of that.

Of course, these questions aren’t the only ones you should be asking, but they are a good place to start.

You’re not the only guy that doesn’t like going to the doctor. Visiting the doctor was easy when you were a kid. Your parents set up your appointment, drove you to the doctor, and gave you a treat if you got a shot. Now the responsibility is all on your shoulders, and if you’re being totally honest, you miss the days you could get chauffeured to the pediatrician. Many men have a hard time visiting the doctor. Men admit to being too busy, feeling afraid of what a doctor might tell them, and wanting to avoid being naked in front of a stranger at all costs. While these feelings are understandable, they can have serious consequences for your health. Read on to learn what doctors wish men knew, and see if you aren’t convinced to finally schedule that appointment.

1. Your doctor isn’t going to judge you.

Assuming this isn’t your doctor’s first year out of medical school, he’s likely already seen a lot. Whatever you’re going to tell him (or show him) probably isn’t going to surprise him. Whether it’s been a long time since your last checkup, or you eat too many cheeseburgers, or you have one too many drinks for time to time, your doctor isn’t going to judge you. Your doctor just wants what’s best for you. His job is to work with you so that you can be at your best health.

2. You should go to the doctor even if you feel healthy.

Even if you take great care of yourself, you should still see a doctor for regular check-ups. Getting regular physicals gives your doctor a good knowledge of where your healthy baseline is. If you have problems in the future, you and your doctor will both know how your body functions when it is healthy. Your doctor can also give you tips if you want to try to become even healthier. Exams can also reveal problems that may be hidden. Ana Fadich, MPH, the vice president of the Men’s Health Network explains, “You could have an accumulation of plaque that could lead to a heart attack or stroke. …You could have high cholesterol and not know about it. There are people who are vegan who have high cholesterol because it runs in their family.” You might find out nothing is wrong, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

3. Don’t wait for an emergency to see your doctor.

When we get sick, most of us just hope our body will eventually heal itself. While this sometimes happen, there are times when you need to see a doctor to get better. You may have had a cough for a few weeks and assume you just have a virus, but you could have something more serious like pneumonia. Waiting until your problem has gotten out of control will make it that much harder for a doctor to treat you when you finally go in for a visit. Regular check-ups can help doctors catch problems before they become major issues. Building a relationship with your doctor will also make it less scary to call when you get sick in between physicals.

4. You’re not alone in fearing bad news.

When people think something is wrong with them, they have a tendency to procrastinate calling their doctor. It’s not that they want their problem to get worse, they’re just afraid of what the doctor is going to tell them. While it might be easier not knowing what’s happening in your body, ignorance doesn’t make the problem magically go away. The longer you put off getting checked out, the worse your issue can get. If you’re in this situation, call your doctor and get some answers.

5. Doctors know what you’re going through.

Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt and Dr. Sijo Parekattil are the founders of the Orlando Health’s Personalized Urology & Robotics Clinic. They are men’s health activists, and they took a trip around the country to encourage men to prioritize their health. Brahmbhatt says that he understands why men are reluctant to see their doctor. He doesn’t look forward to having a rectal exam done either. Since he gets his health care at the hospital where he works, he also gets nervous about being naked in front of a colleague. He spoke with the Huffington Post about how doctors can relate to the apprehension of their patients. He said, “You’re getting some of the most sensitive parts of your body examined. But we, as physicians, are very [aware] about the sensitivity in some of these private organs, so we’re not out to hurt you.”

6. Visiting a doctor can challenge gender norms.  

In our society, men are supposed to be strong and impervious to weakness. You’re not supposed to be vulnerable, and there are few things more exposing than asking for help from a doctor when you’re wearing a paper-thin hospital gown. Professor Glenn Good teaches at the University of Florida and studies masculinity and male psychology. He says, “Going to a physician involves a couple of things that may feel uncomfortable for men. They don’t want to ask for directions and they don’t want to have to consult an expert about something that they know less about.”

Even though women are supposed to be the ones who struggle with their body image, many men also feel self-conscious about their weight and their appearance. This might be enough for some men to put off a doctor’s appointment. Good says that it can be good to think about strength in a different way. “The metaphor of a tree is a helpful one,” he said. “A truly strong tree can flex and bend in the wind, but a tree that is really rigid and stiff is more likely to get snapped.” If you can adapt your idea of strength to include getting naked at the doctor’s office without being totally terrified, you’ll be well on your way to better health.

7. Routine check-ups can save your life.

Dr. Brahmbhatt has seen this first hand. He had a patient who was a firefighter. The man was in great shape and exercised regularly. The man found a bump on his testicle, but like many people would do in his situation, he hoped it would go away if he just ignored it. When the man visited Brahmbhatt, he was told that he had testicular cancer. “If he had waited another six months or a year, it would have definitely spread to the rest of his body,” Brahmbhatt said. This is just one example of how regular visits to your doctor are necessary for optimal health.

8. Good health care is about teamwork.

Good health care depends on a strong doctor and patient partnership. Being open and honest with your doctor will help him give you the best care he can provide. He can’t treat you for something if he doesn’t know about it. This is why it doesn’t help to hide things out of embarrassment. Give truthful answers if your health assessment, and if you’re experiencing pain or are having problems, let your doctor know. Remember that you don’t have to handle everything by yourself. But because health care is a partnership between you and your doctor, you also have a responsibility to be forthcoming and to follow through on recommendations your doctor gives you. If your doctor suggests cutting back on red meat or trying to exercise more often, it’s in your own best interest to listen to what he says.

9. It helps to know your health history.

Obviously, doctors don’t expect you to know the exact date of every cold and virus you’ve ever had. But it helps them to know what you’ve experienced in your life. They’ll likely ask you if you’ve had any surgeries or major operations. They’ll also ask you about chronic conditions and what prescriptions you take (if any). Doctors recommend eventually keeping track of your medical records including copies of x-rays, pathology and operative reports, and medication lists with information about why and when you take them. This will help you stay “health literate” and be an expert of your own health.

10. An STI test isn’t a once in a lifetime thing.

Every sexually active person should be tested for sexually transmitted diseases. Doctors also recommend being retested every time you have sexual relations with a new partner. This is a health precaution but is also pretty logical. If you have contracted an STI since your last test, chances are your most recent partner infected you. This saves you the awkwardness of calling all of your past sexual partners to let them know about your STI test results. One last thing: if you have male sex partners, you could be at a higher risk of contracting HIV and other STIs. Even more reason to see your doctor regularly.

11. Watching TV (or searching the internet) doesn’t substitute for seeing a real doctor.

Don’t believe everything you hear on TV. Doctors wish their patients knew how to decipher between facts and exaggerated promises made in “direct-to-consumer” ads. Reading WebMD and listening to self-proclaimed health experts like Dr. Oz does not give you the ability to diagnose yourself. There is a reason websites and TV shows come with so many disclaimers. They are not evaluating you as an individual, so they can’t compare to the real examination your doctor can provide.

12. Know the recommendations for special health screenings.

Your doctor can tell you when you will need to be screened for certain diseases and conditions. There are age recommendations for when screenings are typically done, but based on your family history and other factors, your doctor may wish for you to have your screenings done earlier.  Prostate exams begin at age 50, but black men should get screenings done at 45 if they’ve had a close relative diagnosed with prostate cancer younger than 65. Most men between 18 and 39 should have a blood pressure screening every two years, but some men may need an annual check. Men above 45 need to have a diabetes screening every three years. This test may start earlier for men who are overweight. Cholesterol and heart disease screenings begin at 35 and occur every five years. Finally, colon cancer screenings begin at age 50 and continue every five to 10 years until you turn 75. Get in the habit of tracking your screenings now, then when you’re in your fifties, you won’t get scheduled for annual colonoscopies accidentally.

13. Don’t forget about mental health.

Many men are raised to not talk about their feelings or to show certain emotions. But studies show that about 30 percent of men admit to having experienced depression. If you think you may be depressed or are experiencing another mental health issue, speak to your doctor. Sharing your feelings, no matter how hard it may be, could save your life. Suicide is the seventh leading cause of death for men, and men are four times more likely to commit suicide than women. Even if you don’t feel that you are at this point, talking with your doctor may help you feel better.

14. Seeing the doctor when you’re young can help create healthy habits.

Seeing the doctor for routine check-ups when you’re in your twenties will give you opportunities to learn about creating lifelong healthy habits. Your doctor can give you information about how to achieve your best health and lower your risk for certain diseases. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in men and women, but certain habits can prevent people from getting the disease in the first place. Eating healthy foods, eating in moderation, exercising, not smoking, reducing sodium intake, and drinking alcohol in moderation are all way to keep heart disease at bay. See your doctor when you’re young so you’re not trying to cover lost ground after having something like a heart attack when you’re older.

15. This is the only body you get.

Like we said, there’s no reason to be embarrassed about your body, your habits, or your lack of visits to the doctor. If you haven’t seen your doctor for a while or haven’t even established with a doctor as an adult, now is the time to do it. “You can’t go rent another body and you can’t go use someone else’s body,” says Brahmbhatt. “It’s all you have, so why not take good care of it as you do everything outside your body that has a price tag?”

1. Spitting on Cake When Blowing out Candles

It’s finally your birthday. Your best friends and family come over to celebrate you, talk about how amazing you are, give you presents, and just celebrate you. Finally it’s time for the delicious birthday cake to come out and your loved ones begin singing “Happy Birthday” to you.

2. Backpacks

Think about the places you set your backpack throughout the day. Dirty places like gym floors, bathrooms, bus seats, car floors, and any other gross place you can think of. Classroom experiments at Kansas State University found the bottom of a backpack to be dirtier than the top of a toilet seat. Can you believe that?

3. This video is a must-see for anyone who uses a shower loofah:

4. Dirty Makeup Brushes

Makeup brushes are incredibly dirty from things like old makeup, bacteria from your skin, and bacteria from the environment (which could mean things like fecal matter depending on where you store your brushes). Super dirty makeup brushes can cause cause pink eye, skin irritation, excessively oily skin, and even acne.

5. Pumping Gas

Kimberly-Clark Professional performed a study to find the dirtiest things people interact with on the way to work. The study found handles of gas pumps to be the dirtiest.

6. Eating While Bowling

There’s no doubt about it, bowling alley food is downright delicious – fries, pizza, nachos, you name it! Sticking your digits in those germ-ridden bowling ball holes and then in your mouth is pretty gross when you think about it.

7. Taking Your Phone in the Bathroom

People take their phones everywhere from the kitchen to the bathroom to pretty much any place your could imagine that are often breeding grounds for germs.

8. Touching Shopping Carts

Shopping carts are actually pretty disgusting. A University of Arizona study found that 72% of shopping cart handles had traces of feces on them. If you think about it though, nobody probably ever cleans them and they are handles by hundreds of different people on a daily basis.

9. Stepping on Bath Mats

One of the dirtiest places in your bathroom is actually the first place you step after cleaning yourself. Because the mat is wet and left to dry on its own, it often houses mold and bacteria. This is especially true for bath mats shared by family members, because the mats are frequently wet, prolonging their drying times.

10. Sleeping on Dirty Bed Sheets

You may not consider your sheets to be a cespool for germ and bacteria but they actually really are. Philip Tierno, a microbiologist and pathologist at the New York School of Medicine has a lot to say about the cleanliness of your sheets.

11. Swimming in Public Pools

Summer days can seem unbearable in some parts of the country. With triple digit temperatures, sometimes staying indoors and basking in the glory of air conditioning simply isn’t enough. What you really need is a swimming pool and some good friends to beat the summer heat. But before you head to your local pool, you may want to think again.

12. Eating Hair

Although fast food is extremely convenient for people on the run, it is calculated that a frequent fast food eater will ingest around 12 hairs per year.

13. Wearing Perfume

Everyone likes to spray a little perfume every now and then; it smells nice, gives a good impression, and even makes you feel a little fancy. Since perfume is seen as a posh accessory you probably assume that most of the ingredients are delicate and pretty. What you probably don’t realize is that some perfumes contain ambergris to make the scent last longer. If you don’t know what ambergris is, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

14. Sharing Headphones

Ears are actually kind of gross. They contain wax and all kinds of germs that some people forget to clean. If you clean your ears regularly, then you are in the minority.

15. Using Old Sponges

Sponges are necessary to keep your kitchen clean, but they get very dirty very quickly. Instead of wasting money by throwing them away and constantly using new ones, try cleaning them. The best way to clean a sponge is by mixing three-quarters of a cup of bleach with one gallon of water and soaking the sponge for five minutes.

If you’d prefer not to use chemicals, try soaking the sponge for five minutes in full-strength vinegar. Be sure to clean sponges weekly and toss them every two to eight weeks depending on how often you use them.

16. Shaking Hands With Sick People

Refusing to shake hands with someone for no reason is just rude, but during the cold and flu season it’s important to protect your health. If you’re sick, it’s not at all impolite to refuse a hand shake so don’t be afraid to do so—just explain why! Everyone else will thank you. If you’re the healthy one, be sure to have tissues, cough drops, and hand sanitizer handy to keep yourself healthy.

17. Letting Your Dog Lick Your Face

You’ve probably heard that a dog’s mouth is cleaner than the mouth of a human, so you’ve been happy to receive the sloppy kisses your dog gave you. But a study in the journal “Archives of Oral Biology” concluded that allowing dogs to lick your face is not a good practice. The study found multiple bacteria types that can lead to conditions such as periodontal disease.

18. Keeping Your Toothbrush out in the Open

You keep your toothbrush in a container at the sink next to the toilet, right? Although you are unable to see it, every time you flush your toilet the contents spray in the air and land on the toothbrush. This same effect happens when a man urinates standing up and the urine causes toilet water droplets to splash in the air.

19. Breathing

Everyone releases gas from time to time (whether you admit it or not). What most people don’t know is that the average human inhales one liter of other people’s bodily gases on a daily basis! You also breathe in pollution, pollens, and whatever else happens to be in the air of where ever you live.

20. Relaxing in a Hot Tub

Everyone loves to have a relaxing soak in a nice hot tub every now and again. Unfortunately, these oasis-like pools of fun are actually pools of bacteria. The warm and moist environment is a perfect breeding ground for all kinds of invisible enemies. Make sure to bathe thoroughly after you spend some time in one of these. If you own a hot tub, be sure to give it a visual and chemical test it every three to four days especially if it is being used often.

21. Letting Your Cat Wander Through Your Home

Have you ever thought about what it means to own a cat? They’re great and cute, but think about their hygiene habits. They do their business in a little box, walk all over it and kick litter around, and then they are free to wander through your home with fecal matter on their paws.