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Certain sugar-sweetened beverages (we’re looking at you, root beer float) put you at higher risk for painful kidney stones, according to a new study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Researchers analyzed 16 years of health data from about 194,000 participants, all involved in large cohort studies. The results, published in Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, showed that while doctors advise guzzling lots of liquid to ward off kidney stones, not every drink will do the trick....

[header=Sneaky Sugar in Fruit Juice]Of course, if you’re concerned about your weight or you have diabetes, you already knew that you should avoid soda. However, fruit juices—even without added sugar—are almost as bad. Think about it: You don’t have to add sugar to fruit juice to come up with a sugar-sweetened beverage. All the sugar in fruit is in the juice. When you take the juice from several pieces of fruit and put it all in one glass, you, in effect, create a sugar-sweetened beverage....

With miles of highway ahead, and not much else to do, the car might seem like an ideal spot to multitask. And of course, you wouldn’t dream of texting and driving—we’ve all heard those warnings. But thanks to your hands-free device, chatting on the phone can still be convenient and safe…right? Not according to a new study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Researchers from St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada, wanted to find out what our gray matter looks like while we drive under various conditions....

Most people don’t get serious about health until their doctor hands them a script for blood work instead of a lollipop. Then it’s “uh-oh time” and they try to become Dean Ornish overnight. It’s so much easier to prevent trouble than it is to fix it, especially when you have time on your side and can take baby steps toward living a little more healthfully every day. Agree? Then, let’s start, shall we?...

MORE: 9 Discoveries About Fat That Will Clarify A Lot

No one knew that my weight bothered me, but it affected everything I did, from shopping to commuting. Whenever I crossed the street, I assumed everyone was staring at my size-26 body, and when I had to travel, I imagined that the other passengers were hoping I wouldn’t take the seat next to them. There I was, a smart, funny, vivacious, and successful woman working in the skin care industry, but when I looked in the mirror, all I could see was fat....

Folic acid, often touted as a superhero for healthy pregnancies, may be even more important for prenatal development than experts previously suspected. A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that rates of autism spectrum disorders drop significantly when children are exposed to folic acid during gestation—though many women may not be taking the vitamin early enough. The JAMA study tracked the diet and vitamin intake habits of 85,000 women, and found that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rates increased from 0....

Researchers at Imperial College London conducted a series of experiments with propionate, a short-chain fatty acid produced when dietary fiber ferments in the colon. Previous studies have suggested that increasing propionate levels in animals staves off weight gain by altering the release of hormones that regulate appetite. But conducting a similar trial on humans proved more difficult. A human would have to eat about 100 grams of dietary fiber to naturally achieve significant propionate levels like the kind seen in the animal studies—a feat that would cause some pretty serious GI discomfort....

Cherries In one small study, participants drank eight ounces of tart cherry juice in the morning, and another eight ounces in the evening, for two weeks and reported better sleeping habits. Why does it work? All varieties of cherries are naturally high in melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy. Eat a cup of whole cherries as a late-night snack if you’d rather not drink juice. FishFish are rich in tryptophan, a natural sedative, with shrimp, cod, tuna, and halibut having the highest levels, even more than turkey....

Produce pick: Radishes, sliced Calories per cup: 19 % water: 95% Produce pick: Cabbage, shredded Calories per cup: 17 % water: 93% Produce pick: Spaghetti squash Calories per cup: 31 % water: 92% Produce pick: Cranberries, whole Calories per cup: 44 % water: 87% Produce pick: Brussels sprouts, whole Calories per cup: 38 % water: 86% Produce pick: Kale, chopped Calories per cup: 34 % water: 83%

Sidestep slips and falls. Falling–either from tripping on clutter or slipping on a wet surface–is by far the greatest danger in the garage, according to the survey. More than 33% of all reported garage-related injuries resulted from taking a tumble. To keep yourself out of the ER, eliminate any piles on the floor. Izsak advises picking one area and doing a gross sort, culling the obvious throwaways, such as a broken VCR or a moldy bag of birdseed, and setting aside items to sell or donate, like the stroller your kids have outgrown....

This type of diabetes develops during pregnancy, typically in the second or third trimester. It’s caused by a surge of insulin-impairing hormones produced by the placenta which raise blood sugar. Over time high blood sugar can lead to insulin resistance, and in some cases, it can progress to gestational diabetes. All pregnant women are at risk for gestational diabetes, but being overweight before getting pregnant, gaining too much weight during pregnancy, or having a family history of diabetes can all increase your risk, according to The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases(NIDDK)....

The Makeup Fix Cost: $ Start by applying a luminizing foundation with subtle light-reflecting particles, like CoverGirl & Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation ($15, covergirl.com). “The more taut your skin is, the more light bounces off of it, and the particles in this type of foundation mimic that quality,” says New York City-based makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur Sonia Kashuk. For an added lift, “dab a brightly colored moisturizing cream or liquid blush right on the apples of your cheeks so they look full, plumped up, and perky,” she says....

For healing benefits on the cheap, try these DIY techniques from Rich Poley, author of Self-Massage for Athletes, on any sore muscle. Doorway Chest OpenerStand facing a doorway and stretch arms out to sides, elbows bent, forearms and palms pressing into wall. Walk forward to feel a stretch in chest and arms. MORE: 5 Ways To Give Yourself An Awesome Massage Desk-Chair Hip StretchStand about 2 feet in front of a sturdy chair that won’t move and place right foot on seat, hands on hips....

Get your best night sleep ever The key? Pink noise, or the type of sound with a perfectly consistent frequency, e.g., rain falling on the pavement. According to a new study from China’s Peking University, 75% of participants reported more restful sleep when exposed to pink noise. And when it came to brain activity, the amount of “stable sleep”—the most restful kind—increased 23% among the nighttime sleepers and 45% among nappers....

Are you seeing the wrong doctor? A new survey from Healthgrades, a website that provides information about physician and hospital quality, shows that Americans spend way more time researching their next car than their healthcare provider—a decision, it turns out, that could cost you your health. To avoid medical mishaps, check out how and where to find a better doc. The trick that adds minute to your day While there will never be more than 24 hours in a day—sigh—new research published in Psychological Sciences shows having experiences that change the way you perceive the world can give you the illusion you do have more time....

Applegate Farms Organic Roasted Turkey Breast ($7 for 7 oz; natural food stores) Yves Meatless Hot Dog ($3.50 for 9.7 oz; grocery stores) D’Artagnan Apple Wood Smoked Bacon ($6 for 12 oz; dartagnan.com) Morningstar Farms Veggie Breakfast Sausage Links ($4 for 8 oz; grocery stores)