Blog Posts by The Editors at Sharecare

Think you've outgrown the need for vaccines? Think again.By the Editors at Sharecare

Forget the kids: A recent study by Walgreens shows that nearly half of U.S. adults are unaware of government-recommended vaccinations for their age and health condition. More than 40,000 adults die every year from diseases they could have avoided with a simple vaccine.

How about you? Do you know what shots you should be getting? Ask your doctor about these four:

1. An annual flu shot. Not only does the vaccine help you avoid the flu, it reduces your risk of heart disease, according to Michael Roizen, MD, cofounder of RealAge and chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic. The shot takes about two weeks to start working, so get it as soon as it's available so you're protected throughout the flu season.

What's your excuse? 6 reasons you need a flu shot this year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend flu shots for everyone 6 months and older, with few exceptions. If you're allergic to eggs, for example, or have had a severe reaction

Eat fruits and nuts to keep cold and flu bugs at bay.By Michael F. Roizen, MD

Cold and flu season is around the corner, but that doesn't mean you have to stock up on tissues and wait for symptoms to make you miserable. To keep fever, sneezing, runny nose, and other gnarly symptoms at bay, just do a daily 30-minute walk and chow down on these foods to give your immune system a hefty boost.

Use the power of healthful protein. One of protein's many jobs is pumping up your ability to make disease-busting antibodies. Just steer clear of fatty red meats and full-fat dairy foods (they promote heart-hazardous inflammation). Pick up healthy-fat, high-protein foods, such as nonfat dairy, skinless white-meat chicken, ground turkey breast, tofu, fish, and beans.

Healthy snacks that help you lose

Load up on colorful fruits and veggies. Oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, kiwifruit … all are loaded with vitamin C and flavonoids, which help your body churn out protective immune cells. Or take 400 milligrams (mg)

Warm up tight muscles by stretching before each workout.by Su Reid-St. John, for Sharecare

To stretch or not to stretch, that is the question. Well, one of the questions. There's also when to stretch, how to do it, how long to hold each stretch -- you get the picture. When done right, it means longer, relaxed muscles. Done wrong, or not doing it at all, can mean aches, pains, and injuries.

To address common mistakes and how to correct them, we to turned to Mike Clark, DPT, Sharecare's chief science officer and CEO of the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Mistake #1: You don't stretch before you work out.
The fix: You do -- but it's bad to stretch cold muscles. "First, you need to release the muscles so they can be stretched," Clark says. The best way is by using a foam roller (or anything round, like a tennis ball). "It applies deep pressure to the muscle, bringing it back to its normal length," he says, undoing the shortening and tightening that sitting, sleeping and walking around in high heels causes. Roll your

Moves like the lunge tone your thighs and tighten your butt.by Su Reid-St. John, for Sharecare

Saddlebags sure are handy when you're riding a horse out on the trail or zooming along on a Harley, but when you're trying to slide into your favorite pair of skinny jeans? Not so much.

If you're saddled with saddlebags, you're in good company. "Estrogen inhibits fat in the belly and stores it on the thighs, which is why women are typically pear-shaped," says Michael Roizen, MD, adding that there's also an evolutionary reason for this bane of many women's existence. "Fat deposits on the thighs are almost exclusively used during late pregnancy and when a woman is nursing," he says. So back in the days when folks often had to scramble for a few meager bites, those thunder thighs could keep both you and your baby alive and well.

That's pretty cool -- but it doesn't really help on the skinny jean front. So what can you do to lose the "luggage" and slim your thighs? There's only one solution: good ol' diet and exercise.

4 moves to

Less stress can increase your chance of conception the natural way.By Michael F. Roizen, MD

More than 6 million women in North America have trouble conceiving or maintaining a pregnancy. Courteney Cox, Khloe Kardashian, and Giuliana Rancic all used in vitro fertilization (IVF) to aid conception. Some were more successful than others. About 5 million U.S. men will also seek medical help for fertility issues sometime in their lives.

Fertility treatments are a blessing for many (4 million babies are born as a result of fertility-enhancing procedures a year), but they also have their drawbacks. A new study found that intracytoplasmic sperm injection for male infertility and stimulating ovulation may increase the risk of birth defects. IVF did not increase these risks, but there's concern that IVF's intense hormone injections may promote ovarian cancer.

8 tips to improve male fertility

Good news! Meditation, stress reduction, and a good laugh are natural fertility boosters that can increase the likelihood of conception by as much as 30%.

Keep it short and simple if you text with your doc.By Deborah A. Wilburn

You have the flu, a 104 degree temperature, and haven't been able to keep anything down all day. You're not sure if you should go to the ER. Or you're post-op for knee surgery and need clarification on pill dosage. In these and other instances when you need a quick answer, the typical protocol is to call your doctor's office and leave a message with the receptionist or an answering service. When you'll hear back is anyone's guess.

But what if you could text your doctor with a simple question -- and get a response almost instantly?

That type of easy access is still more dream than reality. According to a National Physicians Survey conducted by Sharecare.com, a leading interactive health and wellness website, only 6% of physicians text with their patients. That translates to about 60,000 doctors nationwide.

How to prevent "text neck"

Two doctors who understand that we're living in an increasingly mobile world find that texting with

Whey protein powder can be found at health food stores in a variety of flavors. By Catherine Ulbricht, PharmD, for Sharecare

We know we should be eating healthy, but let's face it -- saying no to a burger and ordering the salad instead can be really tough. Choosing a banana over a banana split can be really, really tough. Nutritious fruits and vegetables help ensure our well-being and keep the pounds off, but sometimes it's nice to have a little help. That's where weight loss supplements can come in. But which ones are effective? Which ones are safe? Which ones actually do what they promise to do?

The following six have been reviewed and graded by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration, a group founded by researchers and healthcare providers to offer evidence-based information about alternative medicine treatments, including dietary supplements. Each of these received a Grade B -- the second highest rating -- meaning that positive scientific evidence backs the claims. Always consult your doctor and pharmacist for advice before starting any new

It's hard to avoid reading glasses after age 40.by Sharon Orrange, MD, for Sharecare

Like it or not, some inevitable signs of aging are hearing loss (huh?), memory lapses (who?), and increased Acid Reflux, thanks to the valve at the lower end of the esophagus that begins to relax on the job, allowing stomach acid to reflux, or flow backwards. Ouch. Inconvenient? Yes. But completely normal. Here are 10 bodily functions that change with age.

1. Eyes. "Can I have a light with that menu?" Once you reach age 40, you'll notice it's more difficult to focus on objects up close because of presbyopia -- a hardening of the lens inside your eye. When you first notice presbyopia you may be able to compensate by holding your reading material farther away or holding a light to it. Eventually you will need reading glasses, multifocal contact lenses, or multifocal eyeglasses.

2. Ears. "Say what?" Age-related hearing loss, or presbycusis, is the slow loss of hearing that occurs as people get older. Tiny hairs inside your ear help you hear