No on both counts. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised consumers to steer clear of over-the-counter weight-loss products that contain HCG. HCG is human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone produced during pregnancy.

As a prescription medication, HCG is used mainly to treat fertility issues. HCG is not approved for over-the-counter use, nor has it been proved to work for weight loss. HCG medications are required to carry a label from the FDA noting that the medication is not effective for weight loss. Some over-the-counter HCG weight-loss products are labeled "homeopathic" — but the FDA says they're still not safe. Companies that sell over-the-counter HCG weight-loss products are breaking the law.

So why has there been so much talk about the HCG diet? Perhaps it's because the diet recommends severe calorie restriction — typically just 500 to 800 calories a day. People who follow diets so low in calories are likely to lose weight, at least in the short term. Some research has linked HCG weight-loss products to a possible increase in cancer risk. HCG might encourage the production of androgen cells, which could result in the growth of certain types of cancers.

However, diets that so severely limit calories have risks, such as gallstone formation, irregular heartbeat, limited intake of vitamins and minerals, and an imbalance of electrolytes.

Side effects have also been reported with the HCG diet and include fatigue, irritability, restlessness, depression, fluid buildup (edema), and swelling of the breasts in boys and men (gynecomastia). Another serious concern is the risk of blood clots forming and blocking blood vessels (thromboembolism).

If weight loss is your goal, there are safer ways to lose weight. Talk with your doctor or other health care provider about how to make healthy changes that lead to permanent weight loss, such as eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise.

There are proven remedies to treat lice, but some over-the-counter products claim to actually repel them. More scientific research is needed to prove the safety and efficacy of these products.

Small clinical studies have suggested that ingredients in some of these products — mostly plant oils such as tea tree, anise, ylang-ylang, eucalyptus and lemongrass — may work to repel lice, but their effectiveness is uncertain. Additionally, these products are classified as natural, so they aren't regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and they haven't been tested to FDA standards.

Because instructions for using these products aren't regulated either, it may not be clear how to use them safely. In fact, some products may:

• Be flammable
• Irritate the lungs if fumes are inhaled
• Be toxic or irritate skin

Head lice prevention products can also be more expensive than typical hair care products, and they need to be used repeatedly to maintain their protective effects. Without a guarantee that the product will work, the cost may outweigh the benefits, especially if you're treating more than one person.

Until more research proves the effectiveness of head lice prevention products, you can take simple measures to minimize your child's risk of getting lice:

• Ask your child to avoid head-to-head contact with classmates during play and other activities.
• Instruct your child not to share personal belongings such as hats, scarves, coats, combs, brushes, hair accessories and headphones.
• Tell your child to avoid shared spaces where hats and clothing from more than one student are hung on a common hook or kept in a locker.

To prevent or relieve mild headaches during pregnancy without taking medication, try the following:

• Avoid headache triggers. If certain foods or odors have triggered a headache in the past, avoid them. A headache diary might help you identify triggers.
• Include physical activity in your daily routine. Try a daily walk or other moderate aerobic exercise.
• Manage stress. Find healthy ways to cope with stressors.
• Practice relaxation techniques. Try deep breathing, yoga, massage and visualization.
• Eat regularly. Eating regularly scheduled meals and maintaining a healthy diet might help prevent headaches. Also, drink plenty of fluids.
• Follow a regular sleep schedule. Sleep deprivation might contribute to headaches during pregnancy.
• Consider biofeedback. With this mind-body technique, you learn to control certain bodily functions — such as muscle tension, heart rate and blood pressure — to prevent headaches or reduce headache pain. If you'd like to try biofeedback to treat headaches during pregnancy, ask your health care provider for a referral to a biofeedback therapist.

Most pregnant women can safely take acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) to treat occasional headaches. Your health care provider might recommend other medications as well. Make sure you have the OK from your health care provider before taking any medication, including herbal treatments.

Headaches during pregnancy are common. However, if you develop a severe headache, call your health care provider. There are many causes of headaches, including some problems related to high blood pressure.

Healthy chocolate sounds like a dream come true, but chocolate hasn't gained the status of a health food quite yet. Still, chocolate's reputation is on the rise, as a growing number of studies suggest that it can be a heart-healthy choice.

Chocolate and its main ingredient, cocoa, appear to reduce risk factors for heart disease. Flavanols in cocoa beans have antioxidant effects that reduce cell damage implicated in heart disease. Flavanols — more prevalent in dark chocolate than in milk chocolate — may also help lower blood pressure and improve vascular function.

In addition, some research has linked chocolate consumption to reduced risks of diabetes, stroke and heart attack. But more research is needed to confirm these results.

In the meantime, if you want to add chocolate to your diet, do so in moderation. Why? Most commercial chocolate has ingredients that add fat, sugar and calories. And too much can contribute to weight gain, a risk factor for high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

On the other hand, cocoa itself, unlike chocolate, is low in sugar and fat while offering potential health benefits. If you enjoy chocolate flavor, add plain cocoa to your low-fat milk or morning oats.

It's great that you want to improve your heart health. Don't think that you have to make big changes to have an effect on your heart health, though. Even small, basic steps can have dramatic effects.

One of the biggest drops in heart disease risk occurs when you go from living a sedentary lifestyle to being active for as little as one hour a week. Obviously, the more active you are, the better. But just one full hour of activity over the course of a week makes a difference.

Health professionals at Mayo Clinic have developed the Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart Plan. The entire plan is contained in the book "Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life!" But one of the key messages is that even little steps may make a big difference.

Some of these steps for getting started are included in the "Eat 5, Move 10, Sleep 8" section of the book, which describes a two-week quick start to the Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart Plan. Here's a summary of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart Plan's quick start:

• Eat 5. Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day to boost your heart health. Start by eating breakfast and including at least one serving of fruit or vegetable. Snack on vegetables or fruits in between meals. Make a conscious effort to include fruits and vegetables in your daily meals. Don't worry so much about foods you shouldn't eat — just work on getting five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

• Move 10. Add at least 10 minutes of moderately intense physical activity to what you do every day. Sure government recommendations say to include physical activity for 30 minutes or more a day, but the bottom line is even 10 minutes makes a difference.

  For example, studies have found just 60 to 90 minutes a week of physical activity can reduce your heart disease risk by up to 50 percent. That's a big benefit from a pretty small commitment on your part. It doesn't have to be elaborate — take the stairs, take a walk, just get moving. As you become more active, you can try to increase your total amount of activity each day.

• Sleep 8. Quality sleep is good for your heart. It can be a challenge to make time for good sleep, but it's important. For two weeks try to get eight hours of good, quality sleep each night. Yes, each person's sleep needs vary slightly, but eight is a good number to shoot for.

All of these tips from the "Eat 5, Move 10, Sleep 8" section of the book are meant to be tried for two weeks before you move on to a more established heart-healthy plan. But there's nothing wrong with continuing this quick start for longer periods. Consider trying other reputable diet and exercise plans offered by the American Heart Association and government agencies. The point is to get started with something and keep at it.

Secondhand smoke exposure is a risk factor for having a heart attack. Breathing secondhand smoke can cause the cells in your blood that are responsible for clotting (platelets) to become stickier, making your blood more likely to clot. This can cause a clot to form that may block an artery, causing a heart attack or stroke.

Secondhand smoke also causes endothelial dysfunction, which makes the arteries unable to dilate. This condition is associated with many forms of cardiovascular disease.

Chemicals in secondhand smoke also irritate the lining of your arteries, causing them to swell (inflammation). This inflammation can narrow your arteries, increasing your risk of having chest pain related to your heart (angina) and even a heart attack.

Many studies have found that heart attack rates go down in areas after smoke-free laws are passed.

To avoid secondhand smoke, try:

• Avoiding the smoke others exhale
• Avoiding places others are smoking, even open spaces
• Explaining to smokers that their smoke may be harmful to you and others
• Encouraging smokers you're around regularly to smoke in outdoor areas that reduce the amount of secondhand smoke others will breathe
• Encouraging smokers you're often around to quit smoking

It's especially important to avoid secondhand smoke if you have had a previous heart attack or have been diagnosed with heart disease.

If you smoke, the best way to reduce your heart attack risk is to quit.

Heart cancer (primary cardiac tumor) is cancer that arises in the heart. Cancerous (malignant) tumors that begin in the heart are most often sarcomas, a type of cancer that originates in the soft tissues of the body. The vast majority of heart tumors are noncancerous (benign).

Heart cancer is extremely rare. For example, one study reviewed more than 12,000 autopsies and found only seven cases of primary cardiac tumor. At Mayo Clinic, on average only one case of heart cancer is seen each year.

Although still rare, most cancers found in the heart have come from elsewhere in the body. Cancers that begin near the heart, such as lung cancer, can grow to involve the heart or the lining around the heart (pericardial sac). Or cancer can begin elsewhere in the body and spread to the heart through the bloodstream. Cancers that may affect the heart include breast cancer, kidney cancer, lung cancer, leukemia, lymphoma and melanoma, among others.

Cancer can affect the heart in other ways, as well. A rare type of cancer known as carcinoid tumor at times produces hormones that can damage heart valves.

Cancer treatments also can damage the heart. Cancer treatments linked to heart problems include several types of chemotherapy drugs, certain targeted therapy drugs, radiation therapy aimed near the heart, and hormone therapy. Some heart problems are detected during treatment, while others may not become apparent for many years after treatment. In many cases, the heart damage is reversible, though some types of heart damage can be permanent.

Taking care of your teeth isn't a proven way to prevent heart disease. While there appears to be some connection between oral health and heart disease, more research is needed to understand it.

Poor oral health has been debated as a possible cause of heart disease for many years. In 2012, experts from the American Heart Association reviewed the available scientific evidence and concluded that poor oral health hasn't been proved to cause heart disease — and that treating existing gum disease hasn't been proved to reduce the risk of heart disease. Still, studies have shown:

• Gum disease (periodontitis) is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease.
• Poor dental health increases the risk of a bacterial infection in the blood stream, which can affect the heart valves. Oral health may be particularly important if you have artificial heart valves.
• Tooth loss patterns are connected to coronary artery disease.
• There is a strong connection between diabetes and cardiovascular disease and evidence that people with diabetes benefit from periodontal treatment.

Even though oral health isn't a key to heart disease prevention, it's important to take care of your teeth and gums:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
• Floss daily.
• Schedule regular dental checkups and cleanings.

If you're concerned about heart disease prevention, ask your doctor about proven ways to reduce your risk — such as stopping smoking and maintaining a healthy weight.

If you're living with heart failure, you know that physical activity may leave you feeling fatigued or short of breath. If exercise makes you feel winded you might wonder — is it safe to have sex?

Sex is typically a moderate form of exercise — it generally falls into the same activity level as climbing two or three flights of stairs. So, it's not uncommon for those with heart failure to worry that having sex might further harm the heart, especially after surgery or a procedure. Also, heart failure medications may dampen the sex drive or cause unpleasant sexual side effects. An estimated 60 to 87 percent of those living with heart failure say they have sexual problems.

However, remaining sexually active is important for maintaining a healthy quality of life and to stay connected to your partner. How do you do that with heart failure? Stick with your cardiac rehabilitation plan. The American Heart Association says cardiac rehab and exercise can cut the risk of sex-related complications in those with heart failure. Research suggests that participating in an exercise program helps boost oxygen levels and reduces your heart rate during sexual activity, making it safer and more pleasant.

Keep in mind that sexual intercourse may not be safe for your stage and type of heart failure, but kissing and touching is okay. For example, you're considered high-risk for complications during sexual activity if you have New York Heart Association class IV heart failure or if you had heart surgery within the last one to two weeks.

So skip sex until your doctor says you are stable. Start with kissing and touching. Take all your medications as directed, and don't skip meds for fear of sexual side effects. Don't try over-the-counter herbs or supplements to boost your sex drive, either. If you have any sexual difficulties, don't be shy about talking to your cardiologist or other doctor. The American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology want everyone with the disease to be screened for sexual problems and offered counseling as part of their rehabilitation. Some evidence suggests that five hours of sex therapy can help you return to sexual activity more quickly after a cardiac event.

A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute.

Generally, a lower heart rate at rest implies more efficient heart function and better cardiovascular fitness. For example, a well-trained athlete might have a normal resting heart rate closer to 40 beats per minute.

To measure your heart rate, simply check your pulse. Place your index and third fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe. To check your pulse at your wrist, place two fingers between the bone and the tendon over your radial artery — which is located on the thumb side of your wrist.

When you feel your pulse, count the number of beats in 15 seconds. Multiply this number by four to calculate your beats per minute.

Keep in mind that many factors can influence heart rate, including:

• Age
• Fitness and activity levels
• Being a smoker
• Having cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol or diabetes
• Air temperature
• Body position (standing up or lying down, for example)
• Emotions
• Body size
• Medications

Although there's a wide range of normal, an unusually high or low heart rate may indicate an underlying problem. Consult your doctor if your resting heart rate is consistently above 100 beats a minute (tachycardia) or if you're not a trained athlete and your resting heart rate is below 60 beats a minute (bradycardia) — especially if you have other signs or symptoms, such as fainting, dizziness or shortness of breath.