Daily Health News Blog

(BPT) - Most Americans know texting and driving is dangerous but it continues to be a problem, especially for young drivers. While 97 percent of teens agree that texting and driving is dangerous, 43 percent still admitted to continuing to do it, according to a recent survey. The 2012 AT&T survey of teen drivers also found 75 percent of teens say texting while driving is common among their friends and the majority of respondents said they have texted when stopped at a red light and often glance at their phones while driving. While teens might be the worst offenders when it comes to texting and driving, plenty of adults are guilty too. As the evidence continues to mount concerning the dangers of texting while driving, 39 states have made it illegal. Whether it's legal or not in your state, here are three good reasons to quit once and for all: * Texting drivers are 23 times more likely to be in an accident, according to Virginia Tech Transportation Institute research. * Text

If you find it hard to keep your sodium intake as low as the government recommends, you’re not alone: Almost no one is achieving these limits, according to a CDC report. Everyone over 50, all blacks, and people with hypertension, diabetes, or kidney disease--that's most adults--should consume less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium (the amount in about two-thirds of a teaspoon of salt) a day to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. But only 1 percent of them have cut down on sodium that much.   Other adults should consume less than 2,300 milligrams, but only 5 percent are doing so. Not only that, but according to a study from the University of Washington in Seattle, it’s nearly impossible to follow a balanced eating pattern that meets official nutrient recommendations yet stays within the 1,500-milligram sodium limit. The only way to achieve both these goals, the researchers found, is to restrict, if not eliminate, meat, poultry, fish, and grains and eat a diet primari