Poop that looks like powder, sand, or fine crumbs usually means your stool is moving through your colon too quickly, or it lacks enough water and fiber to bind together. The medical term for this texture is loose or unformed stool, and it sits near the diarrhea end of the Bristol Stool Scale. It is … Read more
Flonase (fluticasone propionate) is a nasal corticosteroid spray used for allergies and nasal congestion. It is not generally associated with raising blood pressure in most people, and the evidence linking it to hypertension is weak. However, because it is a corticosteroid, it can affect the body in ways that theoretically matter for blood pressure, especially … Read more
Prunes are dried plums, but the drying process changes the fruit in ways that matter for constipation. Ounce for ounce, prunes contain more fiber and more sorbitol than fresh plums. Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that draws water into the intestines, and prunes also contain naturally occurring compounds that can stimulate bowel movement. Fresh plums … Read more
Donating plasma takes about 90 minutes from check-in to finish, though the plasma collection itself usually runs 30 to 45 minutes. The process starts with a health screening and a finger-stick blood test to check your protein and hemoglobin levels. If you pass, a needle goes into a vein in your arm, and a machine … Read more
Ovulation usually happens about 14 days before your next period starts — not on day 14 of your cycle. That single fact explains why ovulation lands on different cycle days for different people. In a 28-day cycle, ovulation typically falls around day 14. In a 30-day cycle, it shifts to roughly day 16. In a … Read more
Blood type is one of the most basic facts about your body, yet many people are unsure of their own. There are four main blood types — A, B, AB, and O — and each one is either positive or negative for a protein called the Rh factor. That makes eight common blood types in … Read more
An inner ear infection is usually viral, and most cases get better on their own within a week or two. At home, the main goals are managing dizziness and nausea, staying hydrated, and resting while your balance system settles. Antibiotics do not help viral inner ear infections, and no home remedy has been proven to … Read more
Neither Del Taco nor Taco Bell is healthier in any general sense. Both are fast-food chains built around high-calorie, high-sodium menu items, and the better choice depends entirely on which specific item you order and how you customize it. That is not a dodge. It is the actual answer. A chicken soft taco at either … Read more
Dust mites do not live on your skin. That single fact changes the answer to this question. The crawling, itching sensation people blame on mites is almost always an allergic reaction to proteins in mite waste, not an infestation of your body. So what actually “kills” the problem? For your skin, the fix is usually … Read more
Spring Dry Soap from Irsh is a bar soap sold as a general skin cleanser, not as a poison ivy treatment. There is no evidence that it removes urushiol, the oil behind poison ivy rash, any better than plain soap and water. If you have touched poison ivy, the proven approach is to wash the … Read more