For those who believe health is wealth, these most searched questions about health for 2015 must be a valuable resource worth bookmarking. This list, which is based on Google searches, can also serve as a reflection of this year's health trends and most pressing issues. Check out the 5 oft-asked questions of the year and their answers below.
"How many calories should I eat?"
Understandably asked by the weight conscious, the answer to this question is a tricky one.
"Calorie needs are based on age, height, weight, activity level, health status, and if you're pregnant or breastfeeding," explained Healthy Grocery Girl CEO Megan Roosevelt, RD, according to Health. "For the most accurate calorie intake calculations, you should meet with a registered dietician."
Keri Gans, RDN, a nutrition consultant, said that rather than make her patients count calories, she instead make them "focus their attention on creating well-balanced meals that include nutrient-rich foods and portion control." However, she conceded that calorie counting helps individuals keep track of their food consumption.
"How much water should I drink?"
Gans said that the easiest way to figure out the answer to this question is considering your weight and dividing it in half.
"The number you get is the amount of water, in ounces, you should consume each day," she advised, as noted by FOX News. Gans also added that you may need to consume more water if the weather is hot or if you're exercising, pregnant, or breastfeeding, and other factors.
The 8-glasses-of-water a day rule had since been repeatedly debunked as a health myth, as the said rule has "no science behind it," according to Aaron E. Carroll, Indiana University School of Medicine professor of pediatrics.
"Many people believe that the source of this myth was a 1945 Food and Nutrition Board recommendation that said people need about 2.5 liters of water a day," he revealed in his New York Times piece. "But they ignored the sentence that followed closely behind. It read, 'Most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods.'"
"What is gluten?"
Gluten is a type of protein commonly found in grains such as wheat, barley, and rye, among others. This question must have arose in the wake of the rising "gluten-free" trend.
"Is pneumonia contagious?"
Some who believe it isn't may be surprised to know that, yes, pneumonia is contagious. But there's more to it than that.
"Most cases of pneumonia-an infection that causes the lung's air sacs to fill up with fluid-are bacterial," Health said. "So if you come in contact with someone suffering from bacterial pneumonia, it's possible for those bacteria to be transmitted to you, although that might not necessarily cause you to develop pneumonia."
"There are also types of pneumonia that are viral rather than bacterial, and those viruses are more contagious," it added.
However, pneumonia is not spread as readily as other viral infections affecting the upper respiratory system. According to Yale University Prevention Research Center director David L. Katz, MD, pneumonia generally isn't contagious when the coughing stops, which usually happens after taking antibiotics.
What is lupus?"
"Lupus, short for systemic lupus erythematosus, is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects more than 1.5 million Americans," FOX News noted. "Depending on its severity, the disease can impact the skin, kidneys, joints, heart, nervous system, and blood cells."
Additionally, lupus is difficult to diagnose as its symptoms vary from one patient to another.
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