\nRecently, doctors diagnosed a case of popcorn lung, a rare,
potentially lethal respiratory illness brought on by
exposure to buttery microwave popcorn. Here, the lowdown on
this and other surprising health threats.
OD'ing on Buttered Microwave Popcorn
Inhaling the buttery smell exposes you to a chemical that
can lead to the aforementioned popcorn lung, which makes
exhaling difficult, says Cecile Rose, MD, a pulmonary
specialist at Denver's National Jewish Medical and Research
Prevent it by: Eating the kind that doesn't contain
butter flavor or never inhaling the odor directly.
Sleeping in Your Contact Lenses
Catching zzz's with your contacts in might hurt you,
especially after drinking, says Marguerite McDonald, an
ophthalmologist in Lynbrook, New York. Alcohol dehydrates
your eyes, making your contacts tighten up and scratch your
corneas. These abrasions could lead to an eye infection.
Prevent it by: Removing them, no matter how tired
and tipsy you are.
Handling Gym Gear
You get on the treadmill, adjust the speed, then rub your
eyes. If a member who used the machine before you had a
cold or the flu, you're probably going to get sick too.
"Viral particles left behind by an infected person enter
your body after you touch the equipment, then touch your
eyes, nose, ears, or mouth," says microbiologist Philip
Tierno, PhD, who studied gym germ transmission.
Prevent it by: Not putting your hands on your face
during a sweat session.
Guzzling Red Bulls and Vodka
A study found that when mixed into a cocktail, the caffeine
in the Red Bull stimulates your brain, masking signs of
drunkenness. Because you don't realize that the booze in
the vodka has affected you, you keep drinking — getting more
sloshed and putting your safety in danger, says Mary Ann
Prevent it by: Spacing out your Red
Bulls and vodka so you have only one per hour, giving the
booze time to clue you in to your physical state.
Ingesting Caffeine and Acetaminophen
Taking large amounts of these substances in a 24-hour
period may set you up for liver disease. All it takes is a
tall coffee in the a.m., a few Diet Cokes, espresso
postdinner, and chocolate (or tea) before bed — plus more
than eight 500-milligram acetaminophen pills in that time
Prevent it by: Popping only two acetaminophen twice
per day and nixing caffeinated food. Or switch to an anti-
inflammatory pain med like ibuprofen or naproxen, which
won't react badly with caffeine.