Blog Posts by The Editors at Sharecare

Operator error -- even at the doctor's office -- is a leading cause of bad blood-pressure readings, and getting your numbers wrong is a bigger deal than you may think. Often called the silent killer, high blood pressure raises your risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and vision loss but rarely causes any symptoms until irreversible damage has been done. That's why getting your numbers right is vital.

What's your risk for heart disease? Get a quick check here.

Imprecise readings, even those that are off by just a few points, can jeopardize your health. If the numbers are falsely high, you may be given meds you don't really need. If they're falsely low, damage could continue silently, without a treatment plan to stop it.

Why is it so tricky to get your numbers right? You might be surprised. A whole string of ordinary things can throw them off, including talking (answering a nurse's question) or having a full bladder (because you thought you might be asked to

Here's a dirty little secret every photo editor knows: Nobody's skin is perfect. Not Natalie Portman's. Not Katy Perry's. Not even CoverGirl's top cover girl, Queen Latifah. If their complexions were flawless, magazines wouldn't have retouchers. (Yes, they do more than slim thighs and whittle waists.) Why do you think "Stars Without Makeup" is a tabloid-cover line that never stops working? We all like to see that, just like us, celebs can have dull, flaky skin; acne; and very visible fine lines. But, unlike us, they have makeup artists and skin docs on speed dial who always take their calls.

Manhattan dermatologist Amy Wechsler, MD -- RealAge expert and author of The Mind-Beauty Connection -- has been on the receiving end of those calls. Here, she shares the best nonprescription solutions for your skin troubles. Get ready for your close-up.

1. Problem: Persistent Whiteheads, Blackheads, and Occasional Pimples

Beauty solution: Regular cleansing with benzoyl peroxide

Soccer in 20 minutes? Marching band in 30? Shuttling kids between doctor appointments, play dates, and music lessons sometimes means everybody's gotta eat on the run or not at all. That's when your no-fast-food promise to yourself usually flies out the car window. No worries. A now-and-then fast-food meal can be had without a humongous overload of fat, sugar, sodium, and empty calories. We promise.

Related: Softie or drill sergeant: What's your parenting style?

The trouble with most pit-stop food isn't just the fat, salt, and calories. It's what's missing. Think about it. When was the last time you had a meal to go that included whole grains, fruit, and vegetables? In a recent survey of 3,000 children's meals at chain restaurants, over 95% didn't meet the basic nutritional guidelines for preschool and school-aged kids.

But the good stuff's out there if you pause for a moment and order smart. One caveat: Excess sodium seems to be a fast-food given. Even in kids'

Sometimes a headache is right out of a no-good-deed-goes-unpunished script. We're talking about the kind that happens when you're working out, spending a family day at an amusement park, or cuddling with your partner after sex. Don't let an unfair head banger spoil things. Stop it before it starts.

Workout Whopper
Why it happens: As you exercise, tension in your abdomen or chest triggers the expansion of blood vessels in your head, and that pressure hurts. The throbbing may vanish 5 minutes after your workout . . . or not.

What prevents it: Warm up slowly, dial back the intensity of your exercise (working longer can be as good as working harder), and take it indoors, where it's air conditioned during hot weather. If this kind of headache happens to you a lot, try taking aspirin (or the Rx anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin) before your tennis match or weight work.

Amusement-Park Ache
Why it happens: It's not the cotton candy or long lines. This headache comes on

Stretch pants, wooly sweaters, and platform shoes could be a health hazard. Here's why it can be risky to wear them, and what you can swap them for.

1. Soft, Comfy Stretch Pants

The trap: Yep, they feel good. But all that stretch lets you ignore an expanding waistline -- a huge risk factor for heart disease and diabetes. Not to mention self-esteem.

The impact: A wide middle -- over 35 inches for women, 40 inches for men -- kicks up your diabetes risk two to ten times, even if you're not overweight! Your odds for high blood pressure and high cholesterol go up, too. The cause: visceral fat around your middle. Its gooey globules inflame your liver, blood vessels, immune system, and more.

Swap 'em for: Pants that button at the waist. When they feel snug, exercise more and eat less.

Related: Use this waist tracker and watch your waistline shrink.

2. Cozy-Chic Wool Sweaters

The trap: Wool acts like Velcro for stuff (like cat dander) that causes sneezing

Foodies' demands for a sweet plant oil may have put virgin coconut oil back on grocery store shelves, but if you're concerned about keeping your heart healthy, better wait until the scientific dust settles on this one. Researchers are debating whether lauric acid, the saturated fat in coconut oil, is truly harmless. Meanwhile, there are plenty of heart-smart plant oils that deliver cholesterol-lowering benefits.

Related: Watch this video to learn how to season a cast-iron pan.

These oils are rich in healthful monounsaturated and/or polyunsaturated good fats -- unless you overheat some of them. Then, those perks go up in smoke. That's because heating oil at temperatures high enough to cause smoking not only affects the food's taste and destroys nutrients but also creates potential carcinogens. Here's how to pick the right oil for the right dish. Quick note: 1 tablespoon of all of these fats has about 120 calories and 14 grams of fat, but only 2 grams of saturated fat --

Want to boost the intensity of your partner's pleasure -- and your own? No, this is not a trick question. Yes, one little exercise can deliver the goods.

Related: Here's how to make good sex happen at any age.

If you do this exercise 30 times a day, "You will notice a difference in your lovemaking within a week," says Margo Anand in The Art of Sexual Ecstasy.

Related: Check out seven other ways to have better sex.

All it takes is strengthening your love muscle. Okay, love muscle isn't exactly the technical term. It's your pubococcygeal (PC) muscle, or pelvic floor muscle. But what it's called isn't half as important as what it does. Everyone's got one, women and men alike. Once you locate yours (pointers on that in a minute), you'll find it easy to get it into shape and share the payoff in pleasure. Here's what you need to know:

For women: Toning this muscle, which naturally contracts during orgasm, deepens pleasure sensations. It can also make the vagina

On a whim, a woman we know posted, "Am trying a day without chocolate," on her Facebook page. She got so many comments from friends, she was still resisting her craving a week later. Whether you go public online or announce it just to your family, telling other people is one of the simplest, most powerful ways to help yourself achieve it.

"Making a goal public isn't airing your dirty laundry or revealing anything too specific about yourself," says Kris Gethin, personal trainer and author of Body By Design. In fact, our chocolate-loving coworker didn't get explicit about her real desire: to lose 15 pounds by swimsuit season.

So why not make the leap and go public about a habit, wish, or burning desire? Here are three ways to do it:

Make a bet. Need to lose weight, and have a partner or friend who could shed a few pounds, too? Create a weekly weight-loss-reward fund; agree to lose, say, 1 to 2 pounds a week; and hold each other to the promise. If either of you fails,