By Jacqueline Howard, CNN Updated
10:29 AM ET, Fri December 13, 2019
(CNN)Google users in the
United States had a lot of questions about blood pressure, the keto diet and
hiccups in 2019.
Those topics were among
the 10 most-searched health-related questions on the search engine this year,
according to new data from Google.
The list was based on
search terms collected between January and early December.
Last year, the top
health-related questions Googled by people in the US included what is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, what is
endometriosis and how long does weed stay in your urine.
In 2017, what is lupus, how long does the flu last and what causes
hiccups were some of the health-related questions that had internet surfers
turning to Google.
For 2019, here are the
top 10 health-related questions people Googled -- along with the answers.
1. How to
lower blood pressure
High blood
pressure, or hypertension, is generally diagnosed when a person has
a blood pressure reading higher than 130/80. It's recorded as two numbers with
the top number referred to as systolic blood pressure and the bottom number as
diastolic blood pressure.
Eating
a healthy diet with less sodium and more potassium, losing weight, getting more
exercise and relieving stress can all help lower blood pressure, according
to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The
health benefits of controlling blood pressure include reducing the risk
of heart attack, stroke and even dementia.
2. What
is keto?
When
searching for information on the ketogenic diet, most people just use the word
"keto," for short.
The
keto diet was the top health-related search term on last year's list and ranked second this year.
The
diet is high in fats, moderate in proteins and very low in carbs, and
forces the body into a state known as ketosis. Ketosis causes the body to break
down ingested and stored body fat into molecules called ketones, which are then
used as energy. "Ketones circulate in the blood and become the main source
of energy for many cells in the body," according to the National Cancer Institute.
The
keto diet has grown in popularity, and many people tout its effectiveness in
weight loss, but last year, US News and
World Report ranked it last on its list of best diets.
Health
experts were concerned about the diet's high fat content -- about 70%
of daily caloric intake -- and its low carbohydrate requirement of around 15 to
20 net carbs a day.
The
government's 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends people
receive up to 65% of daily caloric intake from carbs and less than 10% from
saturated fats.
"When
you are on the keto diet, you drastically cut your carbs to only 20 per day.
That's less than one apple!" said nutritionist Lisa Drayer, a CNN
contributor.
For
some, "the keto diet is just not sustainable over the long term. It
doesn't teach you how to acquire healthy eating habits," Drayer said.
"It's good for a quick fix, but most people I know can hardly give up
pasta and bread, let alone beans and fruit."
3. How
to get rid of hiccups
A
question about what causes hiccups topped Google's list of trending
health-related questions in 2017 -- and now, in 2019, how to get rid of hiccups
ranked third.
Hiccups
seem to start and stop for no obvious reason, but the US National Library of
Medicine notes that hiccups often happen when something irritates your diaphragm,
such as eating too quickly, drinking alcohol, feeling nervous or excited or
taking certain medicines.
Most
cases of hiccups usually go away on their own after a few minutes.
For
chronic hiccups -- hiccups that last more than a few days or keep coming back
-- a person should contact a health care provider to discuss any underlying
causes and treatment options.
The 10
most-searched questions on health
There
were more questions that had people Googling in 2019.
The
full list of the most-searched health questions in the United States this year
also included questions about the flu, kidney stones and human papillomavirus or HPV:
1. How to
lower blood pressure
2. What is
keto?
3. How to
get rid of hiccups
4. How long
does the flu last?
5. What
causes hiccups?
6. What
causes kidney stones?
7. What is
HPV?
8. How to
lower cholesterol
9. How
many calories should I eat a day?
10. How
long does alcohol stay in your system?
CNN's
Sandee LaMotte contributed to this report.
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