Researchers reporting in the journal Cancer Prevention Research identified 3,439 participants aged 30 to 69 years from the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for whom data on oral health and whether 37 HPV types were present or absent in the oral cavity were available. “Participants were asked to rank oral health on a scale of poor, fair, good and excellent,” says Christine Markham, PhD, deputy director of The University of Texas Prevention Research Center....

According to recent research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, people who ate chocolate the most frequently had the lowest BMIs. It was all the recent healthy chocolate headlines—linking the sweet stuff to everything from lowering blood pressure to making the body more sensitivity to insulin—that got researcher Beatrice Golomb, MD, and her colleagues at the University of California, San Diego, thinking: Since these other studies are linking the benefit of chocolate with metabolism, is it possible that chocolate could affect metabolism in terms of weight loss, too?...

A case study presented at European Society of Cardiology’s Europace 2013 meeting in Athens, Greece analyzed the event. “This is an exceptional case of consumption, but it’s not the first case reported of extreme potassium loss due to large amounts of cola intake,” says case study author Nadir Saoudi, MD, professor of cardiology and the chief of the cardiology section at the Princess Grace Medical Centre in Monaco. Although it isn’t clear exactly how extreme cola consumption drains potassium, Saoudi believes the sweetener in the cola is at least partially to blame, while other medical experts also point to caffeine as a likely suspect....

Too few of us feel comfortable questioning our health care providers, finds a new survey from VitalSmarts, a consulting firm for companies and other organizations. The survey, which polled 158 adult Americans on their relationships with doctors, concluded that fewer than 50% of people speak up when they’re confused or concerned about a doctor’s diagnosis or recommendation. And a full 33% of people don’t voice concern even when they think a doc is prescribing an incorrect medication (like one that might interact with another drug)—even though such errors can endanger a patient’s life....

The research: Australian researchers found that three types of NSAIDs, bromofenac, carprofen, and vedaprofren, were actually able to block a “sliding clamp” on bacterial DNA, the mechanism in which molecules bind to each other and replicate themselves. Block this, and you inhibit bacteria’s ability to proliferate. However, all NSAIDs didn’t have this effect. “We found no activity for ibuprofen. Asprin and acetaminophen are also unlikely to work as inhibitors of the DNA-clamp,” says the study’s lead author Aaron Oakley, an associate professor of chemistry at Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute based at the University of Wollongong....

[sidebar]“Compared with women who took these pain relievers less than once a week, women who took ibuprofen 2 or more days per week had a 13 to 24% greater risk of hearing loss, and those who took acetaminophen that often had an 11 to 21% greater risk,” says Sharon Curhan, MD, lead author of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital study. The likely explanation? These drugs damage the cochlea, the spiral-shaped structure in the inner ear that is essential for hearing....

[sidebar]Why it worksThe suction caused by cupping is meant to free up and balance the flow of qi (pronounced CHEE), or life energy, in the body, says Bryn Clark, a licensed acupuncturist and diplomate of Oriental medicine. It also seems to improve blood circulation. How it’s doneThe practitioner may create suction either by using a flame to burn the oxygen from the cup and then applying the cup to your skin or by placing the cup on you first and then removing the air through a valve....

MORE: Surprising Signs You’re Happier Than You Think 9 am: Start your day green. People who drink 4 or more cups of green tea a day are 44% less likely to be depressed than those who sip it less often. Its amino acid theanine may spur the release of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin. 12:30 pm: Detox your lunch. Pack your plate with fresh fruit and veggies, in addition to fish and whole grains....

Author Angelina Grigoryeva, of Princeton University’s Office of Population Research, analyzed data from the 2004 Health and Retirement Survey (HRS), a detailed questionnaire that asks elderly Americans to report which tasks they need help completing, which people help them, and what length of time each person provides assistance. The final count revealed that daughters average 12.3 hours of care per month, while sons provide only 5.3. Even after adjusting for confounding factors (like a sibling’s geographical distance from a parent), daughters still gave 5....

My personal favorite thing that makes me feel beautiful down to my core is Latin dancing. I feel so young and free! It is truly invigorating. It’s what got me through my divorce and feeling sexy again. After a shower, I like to use Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue cream and perfume. I’ve been using it since I was 20. It reminds me of my youth and makes me feel beautiful....

Add 1 c unsweetened almond or coconut milk, 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cored and seeded pear, 1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 c Greek or almond nondairy yogurt, and 1½ c ice to a blender. Blend until smooth and serve. NUTRITION (per serving) 90 cal, 4 g pro, 16 g carb, 2 g fiber, 9 g sugars, 1 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 75 mg sodium MORE: Obsessed with Veggies?...

Want a clean dessert in less time than it takes to soften a pint of ice cream? These sophisticated bite-size treats are sweet without using refined sugar and creamy without going overboard on fat. Bonus: This recipe is a cinch to scale up or down. Make a couple for yourself after dinner or load up a platter for a party. Serves 1Total time: 2 minutes 2 whole dates (with or without pits) 2 walnut halves 1 Tbsp cream cheese...

How to Prepare Dried Mushrooms

A recent study published in PLOS ONE that analyzed exposure to 111 chemicals in women all over the U.S. found that those with the highest levels in their bodies experienced menopause 2 to 4 years earlier, compared with women with the lowest levels. “That’s actually an association that’s more profound than smoking,” says lead study author Amber R. Cooper, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist, and an assistant professor at Washington University in St....

Suppose you get in the way of some pollen being carried on a gentle summer breeze. When the pollen enters your nose, an SOS signal is immediately sent to your brain, which orders a specific response—maybe three sneezes and a small rush of mucus to eject the foreign invader. The response ought to be within reason: big enough to do the job, small enough to trigger only as many defenses as are necessary....

¼ head cabbage, shredded ¼ cup apple cider vinegar ½ tsp black pepper 2 cups cooked shredded chicken ¼ cup barbecue sauce 4 whole wheat burger buns 2 tsp Dijon mustard on buns COMBINE cabbage, apple cider vinegar, and black pepper. Set aside 30 minutes.2. COMBINE chicken and barbecue sauce.3. SEPARATE 4 whole wheat burger buns.4. SPREAD 2 tsp Dijon mustard on buns.5. FILL each bun with cabbage slaw, chicken, and 1 slice white onion....

Turns out, chili peppers don’t just set your mouth ablaze: “Spices and their bioactive ingredients, like capsaicin, may have beneficial antiobesity, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anticancer, and antihypertensive effects,” says study coauthor Jun Lv, PhD, an associate professor at Peking University Health Science Center, in Beijing. (Check out these 10 foods that help fight inflammation naturally.) All those “anti’s” may protect you from cancer, heart disease, and respiratory diseases. Lv says spicy food compounds may also change your gut microbiome in health-promoting ways....

Sweat Summary: Breathless is right. High-energy instructor Amy Dixon will have you huffing and puffing 5 minutes into this tough 55-minute workout. She starts with four rounds of high-intensity interval training and ends with 6 minutes of threshold training. Sweat Factor: Extremely sweaty: you’ll need a towel Mood: Invigorating What We Liked: No weights, no mats, no stability balls. Just you, your sweat, and Amy Dixon’s words of encouragement! What We Didn’t Like: Legs and butt were super (super) sore the next day, leaving arms feeling a little neglected....