Although hoodia is marketed as an appetite suppressant to aid weight loss, there's no solid evidence that hoodia is effective.

Hoodia — whose scientific name is Hoodia gordonii — is a succulent plant native to Africa. Interest in its use for appetite control and weight loss arose because of reports that native Africans use hoodia to reduce hunger during long hunts.

However, there's no evidence from scientifically sound clinical trials that hoodia aids weight loss. Evidence about the safety of hoodia also is lacking.

Still, some dietary supplement manufacturers market hoodia products as a way to suppress appetite and aid in weight loss. The Federal Trade Commission has taken action against companies that have made unsubstantiated and misleading claims about hoodia and weight loss.

In addition, the quality of hoodia products varies widely. In some cases, products have been found to contain ingredients that could be harmful.

Remember, just because an herbal supplement may be natural doesn't mean it is safe. Steer clear of products that make unproven claims. And always check with your doctor before taking supplements.

Hookah smoking is not safer than cigarette smoking.

Also known as a narghile, shisha or goza, a hookah is a water pipe with a smoke chamber, a bowl, a pipe and a hose. Specially made tobacco is heated, and the smoke passes through water and is then drawn through a rubber hose to a mouthpiece.

The tobacco is no less toxic in a hookah pipe than in a cigarette, and the water in the hookah does not filter out the toxic ingredients in the tobacco smoke. Hookah smokers may actually inhale more tobacco smoke than cigarette smokers do because of the large volume of smoke they inhale in one smoking session, which can last as long as 60 minutes.

While research about hookah smoking is still emerging, evidence shows that it poses many dangers:

• Hookah smoke contains high levels of toxic compounds, including tar, carbon monoxide, heavy metals and cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens). In fact, hookah smokers are exposed to more carbon monoxide and smoke than are cigarette smokers.
• As with cigarette smoking, hookah smoking is linked to lung and oral cancers, heart disease, and other serious illnesses.
• Hookah smoking delivers about the same amount of nicotine as cigarette smoking, possibly leading to tobacco dependence.
• Hookah smoke poses dangers associated with secondhand smoke.
• Hookah smoking by pregnant women can result in low birth weight babies.
• Hookah pipes used in hookah bars and cafes may not be cleaned properly, risking the spread of infectious diseases.

Some forms of menopause hormone therapy may cause monthly bleeding. This includes cyclic hormone therapy preparations that contain a combination of estrogen and progestin. Progestin helps protect the uterus from endometrial cancer if you have an intact uterus.

Menopause hormone therapy can result in light bleeding or bleeding that's as heavy as a normal period. If your bleeding concerns you, make an appointment to see your doctor or health care provider.

Abnormal bleeding during or after menopause also might result from:

• Thinning of the tissue lining the vagina and uterus due to a decrease in estrogen
• Uterine polyps
• Infections of the uterus, such as endometritis and cervicitis
• Abnormal growth of the lining of the uterus (endometrial hyperplasia)
• Endometrial cancer

Along with discussing your medical history and performing a physical exam, your doctor may order lab tests or a diagnostic procedure to identify the cause of abnormal bleeding after menopause.

You may be able to reduce the intensity and severity of your hot flashes by controlling your physical environment or adopting certain behaviors.

Since ambient temperatures may affect how frequent and severe your hot flashes are, keeping your environment — and your body — cool may help.

To keep from overheating, try these tips:

• Remain in cool temperatures or air-conditioned areas.
• Keep air circulating around you with a fan or the breeze from an open window.
• Dress in layers and remove clothing when you become warmer.
• Wear open-weave cotton clothing to allow air to pass over your skin.
• Avoid drinking warm beverages, eating spicy foods, using tobacco, consuming caffeine and drinking alcohol.

Certain behavioral strategies also might be worth a try:

• Slow, deep breathing — known as paced respiration — when you feel a hot flash coming on
• Regular practice of relaxation exercises, such as yoga or mindfulness meditation
• Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine practice that involves inserting thin needles through your skin
• Hypnosis, a mind-body therapy that brings about deep relaxation and heightened focus

Paced respiration and relaxation exercises work best with proper instruction. Ask your doctor for recommendations on where to learn more.

Studies on acupuncture have had mixed results. When compared with no treatment, acupuncture seems to improve hot flashes, but when compared with sham acupuncture, no benefit is noted. Acupuncture has few side effects or risks when performed by a trained acupuncturist, and it may help some women. More research is needed, though.

Hypnosis — useful for managing medical conditions such as pain, anxiety and insomnia — may relieve hot flashes by reducing anxiety and stress. Preliminary studies provide limited but promising evidence that hypnosis may work to relieve hot flashes. Research into this potential therapy continues.

Caregiving can be rewarding — but those rewards don't make the role any less challenging. Guilt is a common and normal feeling among Alzheimer's caregivers. You'll likely experience a range of emotions throughout your caregiving journey. Each emotion is important and valid. But it's also important to address those feelings — especially guilt.

Ignoring the guilt can lead to problems with eating, sleeping and concentration and result in unhealthy methods of coping with the stress of caregiving — such as substance abuse.

Take these steps to get past the guilt:

• Allow yourself forgiveness.
• Accept yourself and your limitations, and recognize that you simply can't do it all.
• Seek help from friends and family who offer it.
• Look into local resources, such as respite care.
• Join a support group for other caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer's disease, as it can be helpful to talk with someone who's in a situation similar to your own.

Encourage positive thinking and be kind to yourself. Try to avoid your own inner thoughts that start with "I could" or "I should." These tend to be critical, judgmental thoughts and aren't helpful. Remind yourself that your most important job is to take good care of yourself and do your best to support and care for your loved one.

Taking care of yourself means putting your own needs first and includes getting consistent sleep, regular exercise and healthy nutrition. This kind of self-care will allow you to be a better caregiver. Try to live in the moment and seek peace within yourself. You still deserve to enjoy life, laugh and have fun — so don't feel guilty for your own happiness when you're gifted with moments of joy.

With all the talk about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing in the news, it's not surprising that there's confusion about tests and how they differ. Antibody testing determines whether you had COVID-19 in the past and now have antibodies against the virus. A test to diagnose COVID-19 determines if you currently have the disease. Here's what you need to know about testing.

When is antibody testing done and why is it important?

Antibody testing, also known as serology testing, is done after full recovery from COVID-19. Eligibility may vary, depending on the availability of tests. A health care professional takes a blood sample, usually by a finger prick or by drawing blood from a vein in the arm. Then the sample is tested to determine whether you've developed antibodies against the virus. The immune system produces these antibodies — proteins that are critical for fighting and clearing out the virus.

If test results show that you have antibodies, it indicates that you were likely infected with COVID-19 at some time in the past. It may also mean that you have some immunity. But the World Health Organization cautions that there's a lack of evidence on whether having antibodies means you're protected against reinfection with COVID-19. The level of immunity and how long immunity lasts are not yet known. Ongoing studies will eventually reveal more data on this.

The timing and type of antibody test affects accuracy. If you have testing too early in the course of infection, when the immune response is still building up in your body, the test may not detect antibodies, so you may have to wait several days to get tested. Also, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized and verified certain antibody tests, but many tests with questionable accuracy are now on the market.

Another benefit of accurate antibody testing is that people who've recovered from COVID-19 may be eligible to donate plasma, a part of their blood. This plasma could be used to treat others with severe disease and boost the ability to fight the virus. Doctors call this convalescent plasma. In the U.S., the COVID-19 expanded access program is recruiting participants for this promising treatment study, already used in some severe cases on an experimental basis.

What tests are used to diagnose COVID-19?

The FDA approved two types of tests for diagnosing COVID-19 — molecular and antigen.

• Molecular test. This test detects genetic material of the virus using a lab technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Also called a PCR test, a health care worker collects fluid from a nasal or throat swab or from saliva. Results may be available in minutes if analyzed onsite or one to two days if sent to an outside lab. Molecular tests are considered very accurate when properly performed by a health care professional, but the rapid test appears to miss some cases. The FDA also approved certain COVID-19 at-home test kits, available only with doctor approval: A nasal swab kit and a saliva kit. The sample is mailed to a lab for testing. The FDA warns consumers against buying unapproved home tests, because they may be inaccurate and unsafe.
• Antigen test. This newer COVID-19 test detects certain proteins that are part of the virus. Using a nasal or throat swab to get a fluid sample, antigen tests can produce results in minutes. Because these tests are faster and less expensive than molecular tests are, some experts consider antigen tests more practical to use for large numbers of people. A positive antigen test result is considered very accurate, but there's an increased chance of false negative results — meaning it's possible to be infected with the virus but have negative antigen test results. So antigen tests aren't as sensitive as molecular tests are. Depending on the situation, the doctor may recommend a molecular test to confirm a negative antigen test result.

What do I do if I'm interested in a COVID-19 diagnostic test or an antibody test?

Contact your doctor or other health care professional to discuss your situation and whether he or she thinks you need a COVID-19 diagnostic test or an antibody test. Before seeking a COVID-19 test in person, contact your doctor to discuss your situation and describe any symptoms.

Typically at this time, most doctors only suggest a test to diagnose COVID-19 if you have symptoms or you've had exposure to someone with COVID-19. To get antibody testing, you have to be fully recovered from COVID-19. But in a limited number of communities, people who never had symptoms of COVID-19 are included in testing. Some have positive results, meaning they likely were infected by the COVID-19 virus at some time.

Access to either test depends on where you live, test availability and whether you're viewed as eligible. In the U.S., collaborative efforts to make more tests available are ongoing. The nationwide goal is to test more people as more tests become available.

How can diagnostic and antibody testing help reduce the spread of COVID-19?

When more COVID-19 diagnostic tests are available, people who test positive and have symptoms can get care earlier. Contacts can be traced and self-isolation or quarantine started sooner to help stop the spread of the virus.

But no COVID-19 test is 100% accurate. It's possible to test negative yet actually be infected (false-negative result). So it's vital to continue to follow COVID-19 guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such as social distancing, until further notice.

When accurate antibody tests become widely available, results will indicate how many people had COVID-19 and recovered, including those who didn't have symptoms. This aids in determining who might have immunity. It can also help in contact tracing to assess who else is at risk of infection and how far the disease spread. All of this data will help improve strategies to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brown fat, also called brown adipose tissue, is a special type of body fat that is turned on (activated) when you get cold. Brown fat produces heat to help maintain your body temperature in cold conditions.

Brown fat contains many more mitochondria than does white fat. These mitochondria are the "engines" in brown fat that burn calories to produce heat.

Brown fat has generated interest among researchers because it appears to be able to use regular body fat as fuel. In addition, exercise may stimulate hormones that activate brown fat.

It's too soon to know whether brown fat's calorie-burning properties can be harnessed for weight loss. In the meantime, be sure to include physical activity in your weight management plans.

The amount of sleep you need depends on various factors — especially your age. While sleep needs vary significantly among individuals, consider these general guidelines for different age groups:

In addition to age, other factors can affect how many hours of sleep you need. For example:

• Pregnancy. Changes in the body during early pregnancy can increase the need for sleep.
• Aging. Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as younger adults. As you get older, however, your sleeping patterns might change. Older adults tend to sleep more lightly and for shorter time spans than do younger adults.
• Previous sleep deprivation. If you're sleep deprived, the amount of sleep you need increases.
• Sleep quality. If your sleep is frequently interrupted, you're not getting quality sleep. The quality of your sleep is just as important as the quantity.

Some people claim to feel rested on just a few hours of sleep a night, but their performance is likely affected. Research shows that people who sleep so little over many nights don't perform as well on complex mental tasks as do people who get closer to seven hours of sleep a night.

Tummy time — placing a baby on his or her stomach only while awake and supervised — can help your baby develop strong neck and shoulder muscles and promote motor skills. Tummy time can also prevent the back of your baby's head from developing flat spots (positional plagiocephaly).

If a baby's head is left in the same position for long periods of time, the skull bone plates might move in a way that creates a flat spot. While it's recommended that you place your baby on his or her back to sleep to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), tummy time gives a baby the chance to experience a different position. This can help reduce the risk of flat spots.

Tummy time can also help your baby build strength needed for sitting up, rolling over, crawling and walking.

Start tummy time by spreading out a blanket in a clear area. After a diaper change or nap, place your baby on his or her stomach on the blanket for three to five minutes. Try doing this two to three times a day. As your baby gets used to tummy time, place your baby on his or her stomach more frequently or for longer periods of time. You might arrange age-appropriate toys within his or her reach.

Remember, however, that both you and your baby should be awake during this time. Never leave your baby unattended during tummy time.

Diet may play a supportive role in helping with symptoms of overactive bladder, such as the need to urgently and more frequently. Sometimes overactive bladder is accompanied by leaking urine (urinary incontinence).

First, talk to your doctor about your symptoms. You'll likely get a thorough exam and specific recommendations, which may include exercises to train your bladder. In some cases, medication may be prescribed.

In addition, the following dietary changes may help you manage urinary urgency and frequency:

• Monitor your fluid intake. Start by keeping a fluid diary. Write down how much and when you drink during the day. Most experts recommend decreasing total fluid intake by 25 percent. In particular, cutting back on fluids before bedtime is recommended. However, don't drink less than 1 liter a day (about 34 ounces, or a little over four 8-ounce cups).
• Cut out carbonated beverages (regular, diet, caffeine-free, sparkling waters). It's well-documented that carbonated beverages are associated with overactive bladder.
• Cut back on caffeine. There's conflicting evidence about the effect of caffeine on urinary urgency. Experts have found that some people who cut back or avoid caffeine experience relief of their symptoms.
• Limit alcohol. Evidence of a connection between alcohol and urinary urgency is inconsistent. Experts may recommend cutting back or cutting out alcohol to see if symptoms improve.
• Skip artificial sweeteners (in beverages and foods). Artificial sweeteners (acesulfame K, aspartame, sodium saccharin) seem to increase urinary frequency and urgency.
• Eat a vitamin-rich diet. Vitamin C from fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased urinary urgency. However, supplemental vitamin C, especially at high levels, is associated with worsening symptoms. Studies have found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased urination. So, getting enough vitamin D may be protective. Good sources of vitamin D include fish (swordfish, salmon, tuna and sardines), fortified milk and yogurt, and eggs.