Cooking means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Some people cook when they have to, some when they need to, and others because they love to. Whether you are just starting to dabble in the kitchen or a seasoned pro, these cookbooks belong in everyone’s kitchen collection:

Misleading food labels continue to dupe consumers with keywords and bold statements that feed into people’s dietary needs and weight loss goals. This doesn’t mean all food labels are lying because plenty of products are “fat free” or made with “real fruit,” but what about the other nutritional facts or ingredients? Unfortunately, the FDA does not regulate all food labels and cannot keep food manufacturers from using clever wording to avoid a potential lawsuit. What you can do is read the nutritional facts and ingredients list to find the truth behind the fancy wording and manipulative marketing. Here are 10 misleading food labels to look out for:

• “Zero grams trans fat”
  
  Since trans fat have become the ultimate no-no in today’s diet, many companies have cut trans fat from their products. However, it has led way to a manipulative marketing move to promote 0 grams of trans fat, without indicating the product’s level of saturated and total fat. Food labels know people are looking for the label that says “0 grams trans fat,” but they may skip over the saturated and total fat amount, which is just as important.
• “All natural”
  The “all natural” stamp is one of the most abused and misleading food labels used by food manufacturers today. Many of these so-called “all natural” products use citric acid, high-fructose corn syrup and other unnatural additives, but still get to bear that positive label. Always check the ingredients list to know exactly what’s in your food.
• “Whole grains”
  Chances are you’ve seen the label, “Made with Whole Grains,” pop up on bread, crackers or rice products now more than ever. The reality is that many of these whole grain products are actually made with refined wheat flour and maybe a small percentage of whole grains. In order to check the validity of the whole grains label, check out the listed ingredients. Unless “whole grains” is one of the first ingredients on the list or if you see “enriched wheat flour,” it’s likely that your product contains a small percentage of whole grains.
• “Fiber”
  Food products that contain fiber has become a growing trend in the food industry because consumers are looking for foods that are going to keep them fuller for longer, help regulate their digestive systems and lower their blood sugar. Shoppers might see their favorite cereal bar or yogurt is labeled “a good source of fiber,” but they won’t see where the fiber comes from listed anywhere. Many of the products you find with the label “contains fiber” actually contain isolated fibers, like inulin, maltodextrin, pectin, gum and other purified powders that are added to boost the not-so-fibrous foods.
• “Light”
  When a food label says “light” as in “extra light olive oil,” consumers are misled to think that a product is light in fat or the fat content has been cut in half. Unless the product says reduced fat, “light” is generally referring to a lighter color of the original product, such as light-colored olive oil.
• “Heart healthy”
  Many of today’s foods claim to be “heart healthy,” but don’t have FDA approval or scientific evidence to support such bold claims. These types of “heart healthy” labels mislead consumers into thinking they will improve their heart health by eating this particular food. Considering that heart disease is the number one killer in America, this food label is dangerous to promote if it’s not true.
• “Low fat”
  The label “low fat” can be very misleading to consumers because, while it may be low in fat, it may also be loaded with sugar or sodium that won’t be highlighted. In addition, manufacturers are playing into people’s awareness of fats and efforts to lower their fat intake by advertising exactly what they’re looking for. Don’t be fooled by a “low fat” food label without examining the rest of the nutrition facts, and making sure that the product is well-balanced and healthy in its other areas.
• “Low sugar”
  Just like “low fat” indicators, “low sugar” food labels are misleading for consumers because it plays up one nutritional factor to downplay a not-so-healthy factor, such as a high amount of calories, sugars or fat. Manufacturers also get around saying “contains sugar” by saying “lightly sweetened” or “no sugar added,” but you have to look at how much sugar is in each serving to know for sure.
• “Free range”
  The “free range” food label can be found on meat, dairy and eggs at your local grocery store, but this progressive way of farming is not always as it seems. What consumers may not know and won’t see on their “free range” foods is that the USDA regulations only apply to poultry. Therefore, “free range” beef, pork and other non-poultry animals were fed grass and allowed to live outdoors, but their products are not regulated by the USDA. Another misconception consumers have about “free range” is that these products are also organic. Unless it’s labeled free range AND organic, free range animals may be fed nonorganic fed that could contain animal byproducts and hormones.
• “Fresh”
  The “fresh” food label can be very misleading to consumers, by making them think their chicken was killed the day before, or their “freshly squeezed” orange juice was prepared that day. The label “fresh” simply means that it was not frozen or is uncooked, but many of these products are allowed to be chilled, kept on ice or in modified atmospheres to keep them from spoiling.

Despite being one of the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders and present in as many as one in 50 U.S. adults, obsessive-compulsive disorder tends to occupy a gray area in the public consciousness that’s marked more by myth than truth. Chalk it up to stereotypes or characters like Jack Nicholson’s in As Good as It Gets, but many people hold to a system of misconceptions about OCD that simply aren’t true. Those with the disease or who have a loved one with it know the truth, but for everyone else, here are the myths people believe and the truth behind them.

1. Any neat freak has OCD: OCD is a mental disorder. Period. It’s an anxiety disorder that leads those who have it to perform highly specific rituals as calming methods to fight they crushing anxiety. Being neat and orderly, even to the point of rigidity, doesn’t mean someone has OCD; it just means they like things clean. Someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder who keeps their house spotless isn’t doing it to look nice, but because they’re overwhelmed by anxiety when something is amiss. It’s a big difference, and one that’s often misunderstood.
2. OCD is just about cleaning: This one comes on the heels of the previous one, as many people assume that those with OCD are devoted to cleaning house. Yet that’s just one symptom, and far from the only way the disease manifests itself. Per the DSM-IV, compulsions can be a variey of things that the person in question does to reduce stress or prevent “some dreaded situation or event,” and these can include everything from praying to counting silently to repeating words. Yes, cleaning things can be one of these compulsions, but it’s not the only one.
3. People with OCD don’t have any willpower: This is a prevalent but insidious myth that paints people with obsessive-compulsive disorder as merely suffering from some kind of emotional weakness, as if their obsessions are something they could silence permanently if they’d only focus hard enough. As much as even people with OCD might wish this to be true, it isn’t. The disease is a mental one, and though many researchers are still targeting the specific cause, studies have shown that people with OCD have different patterns of brain activity than those without it.
4. People with OCD focus on one person or idea: People with OCD aren’t limited to the thoughts that can consume them, and in many cases these aren’t about a specific person or place. Rather, these intrusive and unwanted thoughts are often about horrible, unreal situations defined by violence or irrationality, such as the thought of injuring their child. People with PCD recognize the irrationality of these thoughts, but that doesn’t make them less real, or painful, or hard to talk about even with professionals. Obsessions can be incredibly varied.
5. OCD can be cured, and easily: There is no cure for obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, it is possible for many patients with OCD to gain control of the disease and enjoy a stellar prognosis. This requires, as you might expect, a ton of work. People with OCD typically need a combination of medicine and behavioral therapy in order to begin the process of modulating their thoughts to the point where they can successfully label and control them.
6. OCD affects more women than men: Some have observed that more women than men tend to suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, but those observations are anecdotal. In reality, the disease affects men and women in almost equal measure. Why the discrepancy between myth and truth? Because men typically have a harder time expressing deeper emotions than women do, and that reluctance is multiplied when some were asked to discuss the intrusive and often very dark thoughts that defined their obsessions.
7. OCD comes from stress: Again, if only wishing made it so, then people struggling with OCD could just take a few days off work and get back to “normal.” But that just isn’t the case. If you take away nothing else, remember than obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental one, not something brought on by a few hectic weeks at the office. It is true that major stressors can trigger symptoms, especially in traumatic situations like the death of a loved one. But the existence of stress can only ever exaggerate the OCD, not create it.
8. People with OCD were raised poorly: Parenting has nothing to do with contracting obsessive-compulsive disorder. Raising a child to follow certain rules does not cause the disorder. However, as with the myth about stress, the truth is complex. Parenting styles don’t cause OCD, but they can exacerbate it when parents go too far in accomodating OCD behaviors in a well-meaning but fruitless attempt to manage the child’s stress level. This can lead to a strengthening of symptoms and behaviors and make the disease that much harder to treat. Yet criticism and hostility can also have negative consequences. The best result is to work with medical professionals to begin treating and structuring the child’s life.
9. OCD is unchanging: This is an easy mistake to make: the public depictions of OCD are of people ritualistically cleaning dishes with no hope of an end in sight. Yet this is a total myth. As with many disorders, the earlier OCD is diagnosed, the better the person will be able to respond to treatment. Even if it’s not caught until late adolescence or adulthood, treatment and medication can do wonders to help people with OCD reduce the frequency and pwoer of the intrusive thoughts that are robbing them of mental freedom. With the right care, people with OCD can make speedy, giant strides toward a better life.
10. Any desire to collect or organize can be linked to OCD: This myth gets spread by people who confuse the mental disorder of OCD with the far more common trait of orderliness or passion for collecting. For instance, a child might become heavily involved in collecting baseball cards or memorizing player statistics; this isn’t OCD, just the manifestation of a burgeoning interest. OCD doesn’t encompass behavior built around collecting or memorization, so don’t let these normal (if devoted) traits lead you to an inaccurate diagnosis. As with all else, proceed with an open mind.

Face it – accidents happen and they are often impossible to avoid. What you can prepare for is having a first aid kit on hand and knowing the basic first aid procedures in a medical emergency. With these basic ABC’s of first aid, you’ll get an idea of what to put in your very own first aid kit and how to handle certain injuries and health conditions.

• Antiseptic
  Antiseptics, such as rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, sterile saline and other solutions are commonly used to disinfect minor wounds and are important to have in a first aid kit.




• Bandages
  
  Every first aid kit should include bandages to protect wounds, stop bleeding and provide support to the body. Bandages come in all shapes and sizes, from adhesive bandages, gauze bandages to compression bandages.




• Cold packs
  
  Cold packs are effective for treating muscle and joint injuries, by reducing swelling, inflammation and alleviating pain. Try an instant cold pack that gives immediate relief on the go.




• Disposable gloves
  
  Disposable gloves, whether latex or synthetic, are important for doctoring an open wound and protecting against contamination from blood and bodily fluids.




• Eye wash
  
  Emergency eye wash is a gentle saline solution that is very good to have in your first aid kit when and if you accidentally get chemicals or particles in your eye.




• Fever
  
  The normal body temperature is 98.6 degree Fahrenheit. Anything over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit is considered a fever and usually means you’re ill or have an infection. Some fevers are harmless as it’s your body’s natural defense against infections, but fevers can be treated with a fever-reducer or pain reliever, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.




• Gauze dressing pads
  
  Gauze dressing pads are multi-purpose bandages that are designed for cleaning wounds and applying medication and antiseptic, as well as layering on a wound to absorb fluid and apply pressure.




• Hydrocortisone cream
  
  Hydrocortisone cream is used to relieve minor skin irritations, itching and rashes from eczema, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac and other harsh irritants.




• Insect sting relief pads
  
  Insect sting relief pads clean and relieve pain and itching caused by insect bites.




• Joint pain
  
  Joint pain is often associated with arthritis, or inflammation of the joints. This painful condition comes with age, but it can be treated with prescription and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines, as well as a number of natural remedies.




• Keep emergency numbers on hand
  
  In the event of an emergency, you’ll need the phone numbers of the family doctor, pediatrician, local emergency service, the regional poison control center and other specialists that can assist when you or someone else is hurt or ill.




• Laceration
  
  A laceration is a cut or scrape that has severed the skin. It’s imperative that you clean the laceration with soap and water and other antiseptics to keep the area clean and dry. Deep lacerations and cuts that won’t stop bleeding may require stitches.




• Motion sickness
  
  Motion sickness can occur during any transportation, resulting in uneasiness, cold sweat, dizziness and vomiting. When traveling, you’ll generally want to sit in or near the front of your mode of transportation, as well as take an over-the-counter antihistamine 30 to 60 minutes before you travel.




• Nosebleeds
  
  Nosebleeds are more of a nuisance than a medical concern, but, either way they should be treated with care. To stop a nosebleed, sit upright, lean forward and pinch your nose using your thumb and index finger for five to 10 minutes. If bleeding lasts longer than 20 minutes, seek medical help immediately.




• Open fracture
  
  An open fracture is when the bone protrudes through the skin and is usually the result of trauma. Open fractures are extremely susceptible to local contamination and infection, therefore they deserve immediate emergency care treatment.




• Pain relievers
  
  Over-the-counter pain relievers are medicines used to reduce and relieve pain from headaches, sore muscles, arthritis, menstrual cramps and other minor aches and pains. OTC pain relievers are categorized by two types: acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, such as aspirin, naproxen (Aleve) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).




• Questions
  
  Whenever you’re helping someone who’s sick or injured, it’s important to ask them questions about what their symptoms are, what hurts and where and questions about their medical history. You may be the one talking to the doctor or answering for the patient. If symptoms persist or get worse, don’t hesitate and take them to the hospital.




• Rest
  
  Rest is very important for recovery. The human body goes through a great deal of stress and pain during medical emergencies, both big and small, which is all the more reason to take it easy and rest to prevent further injury and pain.




• Syringe
  
  Syringes are used for giving shots that inject or extract liquid and gases into body tissues. Syringes are important to have on hand when you or someone you know is diabetic or has to get injections for their health condition.




• Thermometer
  
  Thermometers are used to measure the body temperature and determine if a person has a fever or hypothermia. A thermometer is essential for all first aid kits.




• Upper respiratory infection
  
  A URI is any type of infection of the head and chest that is caused by a virus. It can affect your nose, throat, sinuses and ears. It could also affect the tube that connects your middle ear and throat, and your windpipe, voice box and airways. URIs can be treated with over-the-counter medications and self-care items to relieve pain or discomfort.




• Volunteer
  
  If you are certified in CPR or the Heimlich maneuver and see someone in distress, don’t wait for someone else to take charge, volunteer to help them. During a medical emergency, it’s important to help those in need, act quickly and remain calm.




• Water safety
  
  Swimming is a fun activity, but you should always take caution and follow the stated rules to avoid injuries or death. Young children and inexperienced swimmers should always wear a life vest and be closely monitored.




• X-rays
  
  After an injury or persistent pain, an X-ray may be necessary to determine a diagnosis. Before your appointment, try to rest and avoid extraneous activities or putting pressure on the injured area.




• You have to speak up
  
  When you’re hurt, you are the only one who knows what hurts and where. It’s very important to be in tune with your body and be able to vocalize your symptoms, because if you don’t speak up your condition might worsen.




• Ziploc bags
  
  Ziploc resealable bags are great for storing and organizing your first aid supplies, such as bandages, antiseptic ointments, cold compresses and other necessities. Plus, the see-through design makes it easy to find certain items during a chaotic medical emergency.

Have you ever claimed you were sick at 99 degrees, or believed your tummy ache is the sign of something bigger? Sure, we’ve all exaggerated our aches and pains and claimed we are sicker than it seems, but these are also common signs of hypochondria. According to MayoClinic’s Web site, hypochondria is a chronic mental illness, in which people fear they have an undiagnosed serious or life-threatening disease. Experts have linked hypochondria to obsessive-compulsive disorder, because they both exhibit debilitating and overwhelming effects on the human body and mind. If you find yourself endlessly seeking medical care for a condition that doctors say you don’t have, you may be one of the many people who are suffering from hypochondria. Here are 10 signs you’re a hypochondriac:

• You’re fearful or anxious about having an undiagnosed disease or condition
  Those with hypochondria believe they have an underlying disease or life-threatening condition, based on normal bodily sensations, pains or symptoms. Whether you’ve had a previous health condition or are healthy as can be, the fear of your undiagnosed disease continues to eat at you. If you find yourself excessively fearful or anxious about your health and are convinced that you have a disease, you may be a hypochondriac.
• You worry that every sensation or symptom means you are sick
  No matter how minor the pain, twitch or sensation is, you think this means you may have a serious disease. For example, a headache means you have a brain tumor, or an upset stomach means you have a digestive condition or cancer. If you find yourself obsessing over certain feelings or sensations and worrying that you’re sick, you may be a hypochondriac.
• You go to the doctor and seek examinations repeatedly
  In an effort to find the underlying disease or life-threatening condition you think you have, you’ll visit the doctor repeatedly to have tests, examinations and analyses done. If you find yourself visiting the doctor more often than usual and leaving their office with a clean bill of health, but continue to believe you’re sick, you might be a hypochondriac.
• You switch doctors often
  When you’re convinced that you have a life-threatening disease and your current doctor tells you that you’re healthy and nothing is wrong, but you continue to switch doctors, hoping one will find something, you may be a hypochondriac. You may become frustrated with doctors and health care because you feel you aren’t receiving proper treatment, despite the doctor’s reassurance that you are well.
• You have social anxiety and strained relationships
  Thinking you’re always sick takes a toll on your social life and relationships. You may find yourself staying at home a lot, avoiding social interaction and ignoring friends, family and others for various health and anxiety reasons. If you’re unable to find happiness spending time with your loved ones and all you can think about is your life-threatening disease, then you may be a hypochondriac.
• You obsess over health research
  When doctors turn you away or refuse further examinations, you may do thorough health research of your own. You may go to the Internet, read health books or watch television shows that explain symptoms and diseases you think you have. After your research, you are convinced that you have an illness that you read or heard about.
• You obsessively check your body for signs
  Your heightened body awareness leads you to obsessively check your body for problem signs, such as lumps, bumps, sores, bruises to support your belief that you have a condition or deadly disease. Even when your doctor says the bump is nothing to worry about, you continue to seek examinations and further consultations.
• You frequently check your vital signs
  Whenever you’re not having a doctor or nurse do it, you have your heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and other vital signs checked. Checking your vital signs allows you to take your health into your own hands and keep a close eye on these bodily functions. Whenever you spot any irregularities, you’ll have a reason to go to the doctor.
• You experience emotional distress
  Your excessive fear and anxiety that you may be seriously ill can cause major emotional distress, such as depression, anger and frustration, as well as obsessive/compulsive behaviors and stress. If you are experiencing similar signs of emotional distress, you might be a hypochondriac.
• You have substance abuse problems
  If you find yourself abusing any substance, including alcohol, illegal substances and over-the-counter medicine like painkillers, Tylenol or Advil, you may be exhibiting signs of a hypochondriac. The emotional distress, anxiety and pain that stems from this mental illness may push you towards abusing substances.

We rely on our memories every day to accomplish daily tasks, tell stories and stay organized. Despite our memory dependency, those who don’t use it will lose it. Thankfully, there are several ways to keep your memory fresh and retain important information. Here are 10 ways to improve your memory:

• Pay Closer Attention
  If we all paid closer attention to the things we were told, our memories would be excellent. But, considering the amount of distractions that surround us, and the little amount of information that we retain everyday, it takes more effort to strengthen your memory. If you have a short attention span or weak listening skills, try adjusting some of your bad habits. For instance, when receiving important information in-person try to keep consistent eye contact, take notes, sit up straight and ask questions. Becoming more engaged in a conversation, lecture, interview and virtually all encounters will help you retain more information and improve your memory.
• Take Pictures
  If you want to remember the important events of your life, take pictures and label them. Pictures evoke emotions and trigger memories that you may otherwise forget. One way to make memories more clear is to label pictures, noting the place, date and who’s in the picture.
• Eat Right
  Most people underestimate the role of diet in intelligence and memory. Low blood glucose can cause fatigue, not just physically, but also mentally. A good strategy to avoid this type of fatigue is to eat several small meals throughout the day to maintain a steady blood glucose level and ensure your energy level does not dip between meals. This will help your brain to function at its best throughout the day and improve your memory and deductive skills.
• Get a Good Night’s Sleep
  Like diet, sleep is an often underestimated part of brain functionality. When we sleep, our brain waves shift and our mind enters a state of rest and recuperation. Deep sleep is particularly helpful because it allows the brain time to form new neuronal connections and organize memories for easy retrieval when awake. Dreaming is also an integral part of the stress-relief process, which will clear your mind and allow for quicker learning and retention. Don’t underestimate the role of a good night’s sleep. Getting an average of seven to eight hours of sleep each night can be crucial when trying to remember vast amounts of information.
• Organization
  If your desk is cluttered with meaningless junk, chances are your brain is dealing with the same problem. In order to avoid clutter that can interfere with normal cognitive processes, organize the important things around you. Sometimes, even separating things to remember by general subject (i.e. to do or bills) is enough to keep things straight in your mind. Also, organizing will not only help you eliminate clutter, but it can also provide an easy way to save your brain the trouble of remembering tedious and unimportant information.
• Repetition
  The brain is very efficient at recognizing and categorizing patterns. The best way to reinforce a pattern is through repetition. Repeating the same task or phrase over and over again is one of the most efficient ways to memorize. This happens because the brain registers this information as a top priority and stores it in an accessible part of the brain. Flash cards, questioning and good old-fashioned talking to yourself, remain some of the best methods of memorizing and improving memory.
• Sign Posting
  One way to improve your brain’s ability to recall information is to attach a sign post to that information, which is easy to recall. What is a sign post? It can be a pneumonic device (an easily remembered phrase which helps to recall information), or a simple image that is attached to a given set of information. When you need to recall that information, simply remember the sign post and your brain will link that sign post with the information you need. Sign posting is a very effective technique and with some practice anyone can use sign posting to recall information quickly and accurately.
• Talk and Ask Questions
  One of the best ways to improve your memory and keep it fresh is to talk and ask questions. Talking with friends and family about old memories and past events will keep your long-term memory in-check. If you’ve lived a long, full life, share it with children, grandchildren, friends and others through storytelling. Talking about historical events or emotional experiences is beneficial to your memory and state of awareness, as well as the memory and education of those listening.
• Brain Exercises
  In order to improve your memory, you’ve got to exercise your brain. Brain exercises can be in the form of reading, playing trivia games, crossword puzzles or writing.
• Keep Learning
  Whether you take a cooking, painting or world history class, learning is one of the best ways to exercise your memory and store new information. You don’t have to be enrolled in a class to keep learning either; you can take up a new hobby, attend lectures and read instead.

It can mend a broken heart, lift your spirits and bring lovers together with its aphrodisiac qualities. Chocolate, as we know, is an emotional, feel-good snack, but what experts can’t seem to agree on is chocolate’s positive health benefits. As studies continue examining the effects of indulging in this sweet substance, we’ll continue to support the old and new-age theories of chocolate’s goodness. In moderation, chocolate has been thought to support a healthy heart, mood and prevent certain illnesses. Here are 10 illnesses you can cure or prevent with chocolate:

• High Blood Pressure
  Chocolate and cocoa contain flavanols, which have both antioxidant qualities and heart-healthy qualities. One of the vascular benefits of eating flavanols is lowering blood pressure.
• High Cholesterol
  When consuming chocolate, you’re ingesting flavanoids which have major antioxidant power known to lower the bad kind of cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol. Oxidized LDL-cholesterol damages the arteries and can increase your chances of heart disease or heart attack.
• Liver Disease
  Liver disease patients can snack on chocolate because its antioxidant-rich compounds have been found to reduce high blood pressure in the liver and reduce damage to liver blood vessels.
• Diabetes
  Eating dark chocolate in moderation has been found to improve processing of blood sugar, which may reduce the risk of diabetes.
• Stress
  Chocolate has mood enhancing qualities, as well as stress-busting benefits. Experts have found that chocolate may the ticket to reducing levels of unwanted stress hormones, resulting in happier, healthier people.
• Coughs
  Got a persistent cough? Experts have found that theobromine, a compound found in cocoa, can reduce a cough, by affecting the sensory nerve endings of the vagus nerve that run through the airways in the lungs.
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  Instead of drinking a soda or coffee when you feel fatigued, eat a square of chocolate to boost your energy level. In small doses, the caffeine in chocolate will give you a healthy jolt of energy to prevent chronic fatigue.
• Blood Clots
  Those who eat chocolate have been found to have slower clumping of blood platelets, which aids in the prevention of blood clots that can cause a heart attack.
• Stroke
  The flavanol compound found in chocolate, called epicatechin, has been found to guard against the damage of a stroke.
• Cancer
  While chocolate isn’t going to cure cancer, it may have preventative benefits like reducing cell damage that can cause tumor growth.

Hiccups might be a cute or funny bodily reaction, but when you’re experiencing them, they’re nothing but annoying. These not-so-pleasant spasms that make you say, “hic,” are the involuntary contractions of the diaphragm and sudden closure of your vocal cords. According to MayoClinic.com, hiccups can occur after drinking alcohol, eating a large meal or getting suddenly excited. Hiccups are usually nothing to fret over, but you also don’t have to deal with them all day, because there are several tried-and-tested home remedies designed to quiet your hiccups. Here are 11 popular ways to get rid of hiccups:

1. Breathe Into a Paper Bag
   This is an age-old trick that many hiccup sufferers swear by. Take a brown paper bag and, while holding the opening around your mouth and sealing it tightly, begin blowing in and out about 10 times. Some say to breathe fast or really hard to get optimal results, but it’s important to do it at your own level of comfort.
2. Drink Water From Opposite Side of a Cup
   This might sound complicated, but it’s fairly simple. First, fill a cup halfway with water and hold the cup right side up. Stand and bend over, while placing your mouth on the opposite side of the cup so the opening is around your chin. Drink as much of the water as you can and repeat until hiccups subside.
3. Swallow a Teaspoon of Sugar
   Swallowing a teaspoon of sugar is another tried-and-tested trick to get rid of hiccups. There’s really not much to it, but it may be easier to swallow if you tilt your head back and use a sugar packet, or hold the sugar on your tongue to moisten or wash it down with a glass of water.
4. Hold Your Breath
   When you don’t have any sugar, ice water or paper bags on hand, try holding your breath for 10 seconds. Repeat this exercise, while taking time to catch your breath in between so you don’t overdo it.
5. Get Scared
   If sudden excitement is what caused you to get hiccups in the first place, it may require getting excited or scared again to get rid of them. If you happen to be around friends when you get hiccups, scaring you shouldn’t be hard to arrange, but if you’re alone, try scaring yourself or watching something scary. It’s said that getting scared causes you to constrict your diaphragm and throws off the hiccup pattern.
6. Gargle with Ice Water
   Gargling with ice water is recommended on several reputable health Web sites and may just do the trick to get rid of your pesky hiccups. Be careful not to swallow any ice cubes, but then again, this could trigger number five.
7. Massage the Roof of Your Mouth
   Don’t gag, but massaging the back of the roof of your mouth with a cotton swab will stimulate the vagus nerve and stop diaphragm spasms that cause hiccups.
8. Pull Out Your Tongue
   This is the only time when pulling out your tongue in public is not considered rude. The act of pulling out your tongue works the same way as number six, to stimulate the vagus nerve and ease diaphragm spasms, while avoiding any dreadful gag reflexes.
9. Drink a Teaspoon of Vinegar
   Drinking a teaspoon of vinegar or another sour juice has been found to cure some hiccup attacks. Some people even combine the sugar-vinegar remedy to make it taste better. Bottoms up!
10. Eat a Tablespoon of Peanut Butter
    Peanut butter, without the jelly, is said to keep hiccups at bay. Peanut butter and other sticky foods are said to work similarly to swallowing sugar because it stimulates the vagus nerve, causing your diaphragm to constrict.
11. Cough/Sneeze/Burp
    Any one of these reactions can help get rid of hiccups. The thinking is that coughing, sneezing or burping causes the diaphragm to constrict and breaks the pattern of hiccups.

Doctors are very important people, who we admire, confide in and trust to keep us alive and well. While this may be true for many, there are tons of patients who repeatedly take doctors for granted and make it really difficult for them to administer the kind of care they are capable of. We sometimes forget that doctors are people too, but that doesn’t excuse inconsiderate, unprofessional behavior in their office. Here are 10 ways to irritate your doctor:

• Insist on a Prescription You Don’t Need
  Doctors are highly trained medical professionals with decades of schooling and experience under their belt. Just because you watched an all day marathon of House does not mean that you are capable of making a medical diagnosis, and it certainly does not mean that you know what medication, if any, you need. Let the expert make the decisions that could improve or even save your life.
• Be Late to Your Appointment
  Doctors are some of the busiest professionals on the planet. They do not have time for you to keep them waiting, but even if you do show up two hours late, they will do their best to fit you in to their hectic schedules. Try to be courteous and arrive to your appointment on time. The more punctual you are, the less time you’ll have to wait and the more time a doctor will have to answer your questions.
• Ask to See Your Doctor’s Notes
  Not only do doctors have notoriously bad handwriting, likely making the notes illegible, but such a request indicates a lack of trust in your doctor and is a slightly paranoid approach to trying to understand what your doctor is telling you. If you aren’t clear on a diagnosis or explanation, don’t ask for the doctor’s notes just ask some careful questions to clarify what he or she is trying to tell you.
• Request Multiple Doctors’ Notes
  Different from the doctor’s notes described above, doctors’ notes or excuse slips are used to verify that you were in fact at the doctor when you missed school or work. This official document tells whomever it may concern that you were at the doctor’s office because of an illness or condition that needed professional care. Patients who request multiple doctors’ notes irk physicians, because they may be trying to weasel their way out of work and hope the doctor will cover them with a note that says so. Don’t be a dishonest patient and don’t expect more than one note per visit.
• Ask Too Many Questions
  Asking the right questions is an important part of medical treatment. Asking your doctor about the molecular mechanism causing your sore throat is probably a huge waste of time for both you and your doctor. Your doctor is there to answer your questions and encourage you to ask them, but in order to get the most out of your time with a physician, you should focus on asking the right questions rather than as many questions as you can think of.
• Bring the Whole Family Into the Room
  The waiting room at your doctor’s office is not meant to be a family gathering. Doctors are usually patient with circumstances like your inability to find a babysitter or other family needs, but that doesn’t mean you can invite Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa and your six cousins to your annual checkup. Doctors try to maintain a pleasant and professional waiting room, so try to respect their facilities, as you would expect guests to do in your home.
• Complain Non-stop
  Doctors know you aren’t feeling well and that you’re likely grumpy. But guess what? You aren’t the only patient they will see that day that feels the same or worse. Complaining rather than discussing symptoms will likely get you nowhere. Doctors want to help, but they are also human beings and deserve courtesy and respect just like everyone else. Complaining about services, waiting time and the doctor’s colleagues will usually only make things worse for you. If you have a concern about wait time, try to courteously ask why you haven’t been seen and if you aren’t satisfied with your appointment, ask to see the doctor again. Doctors know they are running a business and they want to satisfy their patients, but prefer to handle issues in a calm, civil way.
• Vaguely Describe Symptoms
  “I’ve been feeling a little off lately” will not get you a diagnosis, because it doesn’t really tell the doctor anything. Try to be specific and detailed about your symptoms. If you aren’t, doctors won’t be able to help treat you accordingly. If you’re in pain, tell him or her where it hurts, when it hurts and if it’s constant or random spurts of pain. In other words, be specific. It will make your visit more efficient and help your doctor help you.
• Not Knowing Your Meds
  Whether you are visiting a doctor for the first time or the 100th time, you should always know which medications you are prescribed to. If you can’t remember, bring your medicine with you or make a list of your meds, as well as vitamins, supplements and other nonprescription drugs you’re taking. Don’t expect the doctor to know each and every pill you take on a daily basis, but DO come prepared with the names of your current medication, so they can provide safe and effective treatments.
• Lying to Them
  Not only is lying to your doctor a shameful thing to do, but it’s also a risky measure to take if your well-being could be at risk. Doctors aren’t mind readers, nor are they going to probe someone who they think is telling the truth. Tell them about everything that hurts or looks weird, and don’t hold back if you drink or smoke. You’re paying for their service, so get your money’s worth and be true to yourself.

Graduating from medical school with an M.D. degree is a huge feat, and one to be proud of, but that’s only half of the journey to becoming a doctor. After you walk across that stage, you have another three to seven years of graduate medical education, also known as your residency. During this time, you’ll work in a hospital under the supervision of physicians, gaining invaluable experience in patient care and independent practice in the medical specialty or subspecialty of your choice. Choosing a prestigious, accredited residency or fellowship program is just as important as attending a prestigious medical school. Competition is keen and space is limited in these elite graduate medical programs, but they’re definitely worth applying to. Here are 10 exceptional places to do your residency program:

1. College of Medicine Mayo Clinic
   Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is one of the most prestigious medical facilities in the United States, and a phenomenal hospital to do your medical residency program. For over a decade,
   Mayo Clinic has received high marks in its level of medical care, specifically in diabetes and endocrinology, gynecology, cardiology, neurology and other major specialties. Mayo Clinic offers 248 medical residency and fellowship programs in nearly all medical specialties.
2. Johns Hopkins University Program
   Located in Baltimore, Maryland, The Johns Hopkins Hospital has maintained its ranking as the best hospital in America, and a top performer in ear, nose and throat, urology, rheumatology and second best in psychiatry, ophthalmology, gynecology and geriatrics, according to the 2009-2010 U.S. News and World Report. With this level of prestige, it’s no surprise why Johns Hopkins’ residency and fellowship programs are so elite. This teaching hospital has dozens of residency and fellowship programs for students to choose from and determine their area of specialty.
3. Cleveland Clinic Foundation Program
   The Cleveland Clinic is another highly-ranked hospital, and a top performer in gastroenterology, rheumatology and urology specialties. This teaching hospital also has one of the largest graduate medical education programs in the nation, with approximately 57 accredited residency programs and more than 70 advanced fellowship programs in a variety of specialties.
4. Brigham and Women’s Hospital Program
   Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, is a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a highly-ranked hospital for nephrology and gynecology. BWH has about 220 accredited residency and fellowship programs in virtually all medical specialties.
5. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
   MD Anderson in Houston, Texas, is the number one hospital in the nation for cancer treatment, as well as a leader in ear, nose and throat and urology care. MD Anderson has a variety of excellent residencies and fellowships for students who are interested in anesthesiology and critical care, pediatrics, pathology and other divisions of cancer medicine.
6. Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital Program
   Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, is the leading hospital in psychiatry treatment, and a top performer in diabetes and endocrinology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, geriatrics and other specialties. It is also a great hospital to complete a residency or fellowship program in one of their many specialties, such as adult and child psychiatry, emergency medicine, radiation oncology or oral and maxillofacial surgery. Many of the specialized residencies and fellowships are affiliated with Harvard Medical School and share resources with other Boston-based medical facilities.
7. Univeristy of Pennsylvania Health System
   
   Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is another highly-ranked medical facility that excels in pulmonology, ear, nose and throat, cardiology and other specialty care. The University of Pennsylvania Program has superb graduate medical training in more than 50 accredited specialties and subspecialties.
8. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
   University of California Los Angeles Medical Center is a prestigious hospital and leader in a number of specialties, such as geriatrics, urology, rheumatology, gastroenterology, psychiatry and more. There are several prestigious residency training programs to choose from, including anesthesiology, dentistry, pediatrics, nuclear medicine and much more.
9. New York-Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia Campus) Program
   New York-Presbyterian Hospital is a leader in nephrology, as well as psychiatry, diabetes and endocrinology, neurology and neurosurgery. It’s also a prestigious teaching hospital to complete a residency and fellowship program in one of the many medical specialties available to students, such as otolaryngology, child and adolescent psychiatry or general surgery.
10. Duke University Hospital Program
    The Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, is a leader in several medical specialties, including gynecology, orthopedics, urology, ophthalmology and geriatrics. The Duke University Hospital Program also has an array of approved residencies and fellowships for students in community and family medicine, dermatology, pathology, pediatrics, radiology and other varied medical specialties.