Blog Posts by The Editors at Sharecare

"Ice it" is a refrain heard from the practice rooms of Dancing with the Stars to the neighborhood soccer field. But actual proof that icing eases the pain of sprains or other bumps and bangs has been lacking. That hole in the evidence has been filled in recent years by rehab experts who've hit the lab. Here's a guide to when ice is nice, and when hot hits the spot. Print, and then tape it inside your medicine cabinet.

The 10-minute Rx. In an ankle-to-ankle study comparing on-and-off icing with longer bouts of intense cold, Irish researchers found that applying a bag of melting ice water for 10 minutes, taking it off for 10, then reapplying it for 10, and so on was a far better pain reliever for a sprain than icing for 20 minutes every 2 hours. Plus, keeping ice on an area for a longer time can actually increase inflammation and swelling, which is exactly what you're trying to prevent.

Related: Learn how to tell the difference between a sprain and a strain.

Keep it

The down economy's done little to darken the tooth-bleaching market. Americans spend $1.4 billion a year on at-home kits to brighten stained and yellowed chompers and request whitening more than any other procedure in the dentist's office. (Then again, who's begging for a root canal?) But, like anything that combines the potential of looking better (a twinkly white smile) with possible risks (sticking chemicals in your mouth), this one has attracted its share of controversy.

Before you run out for a lunchtime tooth-lightening session or apply your umpteenth -- or your first -- set of whitening strips to your bicuspids at home, here are four things you should know about chemical spiff-ups for your smile:

1. Give it a rest. There's a reason some products should be used only four times a year: worries about overuse. If lightening becomes as regular as a monthly haircut in your grooming routine, you may damage tooth enamel and take your teeth to the point of ghostly

You Can Tell THAT by the Way a Woman Walks?!

About to go for a walk? Don't move till you read this. A group of sex researchers has reported in the prestigious Journal of Sexual Medicine that you can tell whether a woman has a history of orgasms by watching her stroll down the street. Now, that should change your people-watching habits forever!

Related: Here's how good lovin' can boost your mood and more.

Here's the deal: After interviewing young women (Belgians, if you're curious, but that's not the point), researchers videotaped them walking down the street. Sex experts watching the videos were able to tell -- with a stunning 81% accuracy -- which women had experienced vaginal orgasms (as distinct from orgasms resulting from clitoral stimulation) and which hadn't.

Related: Check out seven ways to have better sex.

What tipped them off? The "fluidity, energy, sensuality and freedom" of the women's gait. Long, confident strides and a certain swing to the hips were factors, too. There's a practical lesson

You do all the right things: wear a moisturizer with sunscreen every day, winter and summer; slather on a heavy-duty sunscreen (at least SPF 30) when you play or work in the sun; never go to the beach without an umbrella and a big hat. But did you know you can also protect your skin from the inside? Researchers have found that certain nutrients are cellular warriors, defending your skin from the aging effects of the sun and even undoing some of the damage when you slip up. Here are five ways to put sun protectors on your plate all year long:

1. Go crazy for citrus. Lemons, oranges, tangelos, limes, grapefruit -- what you're after is their vitamin C. And because your body can't store C, you need to get it several times a day, every day. Make lemonade, squeeze limes on melon, add grapefruit to salad. And swap soda for OJ fizzed with sparkling water. It all adds up.

The payoff: Just a few minutes of exposure to the sun's deeply penetrating UVA rays alters production of

Breaking your addiction to burgers or sodas is not like breaking any other habit. Why? Three reasons: One, you've still got to eat. (You never have to smoke or drink alcohol again.) Two, you don't need to go cold turkey. And three, there are plenty of delicious substitutes.

To get you started thinking "Cut back" or "Substitute" instead of "No way," here are four easy swaps that make junk food rehab a piece of cake. Make that a fat-free blueberry muffin.

Better burgers: Trust us on this. Try mixing chopped unsweetened tart cherries (fresh, frozen, or canned) into lean ground beef. It cuts back the amount of meat (thus, fat and calories) in each burger, the cherries keep the burger juicy, and it only sounds strange. It tastes pretty great. Also, if you're cooking on a grill, adding cherries means fewer carcinogens will form during grilling. Blot any remaining grease from cooked burgers with paper towels.

Related: Add rosemary to your grilled meat. Here's why.

When you're in a public restroom, do you go for the paper towels or the air dryer after you wash your hands? To avoid grubby germs, here's a hands-down winner.

A recent study put the two drying methods to the test and showed that thoroughly drying hands with paper towels gives you the best chance of walking out of the restroom with germ-free hands. Skeptical? Check the details:

Germs love moisture. It's their ideal medium for multiplying and getting around. And this study showed that taking the time to really dry your hands means way fewer germs, no matter which method you choose. But vigorously toweling down beats rubbing your hands under a blower because -- here's a real surprise -- somehow the skin-on-skin friction created when you rub your hands under the blower seems to release germs that live deep in our pores. Ick.

Find out how not to get sick, even if everyone else is.

If You Must Blow Dry, Do It This Way
If paper towels simply aren't available, or

Meatloaf ranks high on the list of our favorite comfort foods, but unlike fried chicken or mac and cheese, it's easy to make it healthier without losing any flavor. It's not the calories you need to worry about -- many recipes are in the 200-250 range. It's the fat, which can easily account for half of those calories, and most of it is saturated, which kicks up your cholesterol, too. Think of these tips as a chef's equivalent of liposuction. You can adapt your favorite meatloaf recipe and still have moist, delicious comfort food, but without the guilt.

Related: Enjoy your meatloaf . . . just not too often. Here's why.

1. Start with extra-lean ground beef (aim for 5% fat) or a mix of extra-lean beef and ground turkey breast (not fatty dark meat).
2. To make your meatloaf rich and juicy, add about 1/4 cup of tomato juice, wine, or broth per pound.
3. Add chopped onions, mushrooms, green peppers, and/or grated zucchini or carrots.
   
   Related: Learn what meaty mushrooms can

Take a guess: What's the biggest beauty thief this side of sun damage (that's number one)? Diet? Drinking? Pollution? Nope. The number two skin ager is stress, says RealAge expert Amy Wechsler, MD, who's board certified in both dermatology and psychiatry, so she should know. It's the small stuff -- the day-to-day stresses -- that take the greatest toll. That's because, over time, frequent flow of the stress hormone cortisol through skin disrupts collagen production, making your skin thinner, weaker, and more wrinkle-prone.

Stress isn't pretty, but let's face facts: Life is stressful. If you're fairly average, you have about 50 brief stress attacks a day! Your best defense? Defuse it with these five stress-busting habits. They can't take all the tension and turmoil out of your life, but they can change the way your body -- and your skin -- handles it.

1. Take a Deep Breath

Shift your body's balance of oxygen versus carbon dioxide in favor of energizing,