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1500 questions
34
votes
1 answer
What effects does alcohol have on underage children?
In most countries, there is a legal drinking age: 21 in the U.S., 18 in most European countries. I've always been told that legal drinking age is in place because alcohol has harmful effects on underage people. I've never been told what these…
michaelpri
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33
votes
2 answers
Is there evidence that eating too much sugar can increase the risk of diabetes?
I'm sure this question is asked a lot. I asked it of two different doctors myself recently, one of them a diabetes specialist. They both said that causing too much sugar did increase the risk. Neither offered any actual evidence. The specialist gave…
Faheem Mitha
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32
votes
2 answers
If human life is so long largely due to modern medicine, does every illness shorten lifespan?
One of the most often-cited facts about human life, compared to those of other animals, is that the main reason we live so much longer is modern medicine. Because we can treat illnesses that would previously affect lifespan, we are far more likely…
TheEnvironmentalist
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31
votes
1 answer
Is it better to sleep without a pillow?
I have read several web pages that mention the potential benefits of sleeping without a pillow.
Examples:
http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Sleeping-Without-a-Pillow.html
Is Sleeping Without a Pillow a Good Choice? Yes, it is. Not only will sleeping…
Franck Dernoncourt
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31
votes
3 answers
How can I prevent a cold from spreading to the people around me?
I have to attend classes at the university, band rehearsals, I live with my family, so I come close with many people during the day. I have to meet most of these people on a daily basis, even when I have the (common) cold.
How can I prevent it from…
Shevliaskovic
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29
votes
2 answers
Why do I feel shaky after only a small amount of caffeine?
I like coffee, but caffeine seems to 'wire' me much more extremely than most other people. I feel energized or even shaky after less than half a normal cup, and a whole 8 ounces will usually cause me to sweat or make my heart race uncomfortably.…
Nate Barbettini
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29
votes
2 answers
Would the human seasonal coronaviruses be just as deadly as COVID-19 in a population with no prior immunity?
Presuming that we were able to find a person who was never exposed to any of the human seasonal coronaviruses (part of the viruses that cause the common cold), would the virus be just as deadly for that person as the SARS-CoV-2 currently circulating…
JonathanReez
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29
votes
3 answers
Why do doctors prescribe steroid tablets even though they know the side effects?
Sometimes doctors prescribe steroid tablets to suppress pain for diseases, such as arthritis. Why do they prescribe it even though they know the side effects?
bprasanna
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28
votes
7 answers
Why do doctors ask for your race?
Things like gender and age and height and weight make perfect sense to me, but I don't really see why most doctors ask for your race. Is there a medical reason behind this or is it just for identification purposes?
TheRealTengri
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28
votes
2 answers
What are known health effects of smoking e-cigarettes
E-Cigarettes have been recommended by a fair share of physicians as a substitute for cigarettes because they are supposedly healthier.
What is the scientific consensus on the health effects of e-cigarettes?
Narusan
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27
votes
2 answers
Is drinking water during or after a meal better?
Is it better to drink water during or after a meal?
Clearly, there are different opinions about this topic.
In this Mayo Clinic article, it is mentioned that drinking water immediately after or during a meal should not make much difference, and in…
AADHealth
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26
votes
1 answer
What should I do if someone has a seizure in front of me?
What first-aid measures should be taken when someone is having a seizure?
Akshay Vasu
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26
votes
1 answer
Are alternative sleep pattern viable?
I'm curious about possible health consequences of polyphasic sleep patterns, which involves sleeping multiple times in a 24-hour period — usually more than two, in contrast to getting all sleep in one block (monophasic). I'm interested in cases of…
Dave Liu
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26
votes
4 answers
What should I consider when deciding to remove a blister or not?
While playing indoor soccer a couple days ago, I was fouled and fell forwards so that my hand skidded across the court a bit. It left the blister as you see in the image here:
What should I consider when deciding to remove this blister? I could…
Zach Saucier
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26
votes
2 answers
Does hot water kill germs better than cold water?
I was recently told that I should use hot water to wash my hands rather than using cold water because the hot water will kill germs better. The person who told me this isn't a very reliable source, so I'm not sure if I should believe them or not. It…
michaelpri
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