(NBC/WAND) - Who among us has not turned to "Dr. Google" with health questions? These are the top 10 health questions people turned to the search engine for this year.
Google released it's annual "Year in Search" report.
The most searched health questions this year in the U.S. were:
1. How to lower your blood pressure
One in three adults have high blood pressure, but only about half have it under control. Natural ways to lower high blood pressure include losing weight, eating less salt, quitting smoking, managing stress levels, and exercising. Medication can also help get it under control. High blood pressure increases your risk of a heart attack and stroke.
2. What is keto?
The ketogenic diet has become extremely popular recently. It allows your body to enter a state of ketosis when stored body fat becomes its primary energy source. The diet is heavy on the proteins and fats and very lean on carbohydrates.
3. How to get rid of hiccups
Breathing into a paper bag, gargling with ice water, holding your breath and even getting scared can help get rid of persistent hiccups.
Drinking from the backside of the cup can also work, because the water hits the roof of the mouth and stimulates nerves and contracts the diaphragm.
4. How long does the flu last?
Who hasn't wondered this when in the midst of a bout of body aches, chills, and nausea? For most of us, the flu lasts around five to seven days. If you have had the flu shot, it will be less intense and not last as long. Taking flu medications like Tamiflu or Xofluza within 48 hours of the symptoms starting can also lessen its length of time.
5. What causes hiccups?
The cause is an unplanned spontaneous contraction of your diaphragm. Being nervous or excited, eating too much or drinking too much alcohol, even chewing gum can bring them on.
6. What causes kidney stones?Â
Kidney stones are common and extremely painful. One in ten people will eventually get one. A kidney stone can be as small as a grain of sand, but as large as a golf ball.
They form when substances in the urine become concentrated and harden. The primary cause of kidney stones is dehydration.
Symptoms include:
- Extreme pain on either side of your lower back
- A vague and persistent pain or stomach ache
- Blood in the urine
- Nausea or vomiting
- Urine that smells or looks cloudy
- Fever and chills
7. What is HPV?
The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is sexually transmitted virus that is the main cause of cervical cancer, anal cancer, and is linked to rising rates of mouth and throat cancer. Most sexually active adults in their 20s have been exposed to it, but in most cases the infections clear up without causing harm.
HPV is very common: 80% of people will get an HPV infection at some point in their lives.
There is an HPV vaccine that is very effective and recommended for men and women up to age 26.Â
8. How to lower cholesterol
The liver combines substances from natural compounds found in the body to produce cholesterol. Cholesterol also comes from foods that contain animal fat, including full-fat dairy products, fatty meats, and foods that are made with trans fats. Foods that come from plants are cholesterol free.
About 28 percent of Americans over 40 take a cholesterol-lowering drug and more than 90 percent of these take a statin, NBC News reports.
9. How many calories should I eat a day?
To maintain current weight, a 40-year-old, sedentary woman should aim for 1,800 calories a day, compared to a 25-year-old, sedentary male should consume about 2,400 calories a day, guidelines recommend.
A pound is equal to 3,500 calories. People on weight-loss plans often try to restrict consumption to 1,200 a day. Â
10. How long does alcohol stay in your system?
A standard drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of an 80-proof liquor.
Our liver can only process around one drink an hour, with the rest of the alcohol staying in the body.
However, age, weight and gender can impact whether your body breaks down alcohol slower or faster than the average.
