Several of my nieces and nephews are in college now. This summer, while getting things ready for their kids' apartments, my sisters went out and purchased new mattresses and furniture. I thought they were a little nuts for spending that money. When I think back to my first college apartment, my roommate and I had a couch we bought for $10, an entertainment center we found on the side of the road, and a chair we found abandoned at the apartment complex. After reading this article about bedbugs, however, I think my sisters did the right thing by not letting their kids go garbage picking for furniture.

College campuses and dormitories are like a luxury resort for these blood-sucking little critters. Students frequently visit each other's rooms (possibly transporting little friends as they do so). Universities like Texas A&M, Ohio State, Stanford, and the University of Florida have had to deal with outbreaks of bedbugs.

Bedbugs are hard to spot. Waking up with small, red welts is one tell-tale sign. You may also spot tiny black or reddish-brown spots on your sheets.

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Sometimes I don't know which one is worse: dealing with the bugs or dealing with the greasy, smelly, full-of-toxic-chemicals bug repellent! Thankfully there are natural ways to cope.

Boy Scouts, nature lovers and other outdoor enthusiasts alike have something in common: we all come into contact with nasty critters that sting and bite. You don't even really have to be outside all the time to feel the burn from such a bug. Regardless, here are some of the worst stingers in mother nature.

The first that jumps out at you is the bullet ant. This sucker ranks with the highest on the Schmidt Sting Pain Index -- a scale of pain for insects created by an entomologist. Thankfully the ants hail from South America, so I wouldn't worry about stepping on one in your backyard. Either way, I wouldn't want to experience something described as "like fire-walking over a flaming charcoal with a tree-inch rusty nail in your heel."

How about the Tarantula Hawk Wasp. That's three animal names in one! It usually doesn't go after humans, but instead uses its terrible sting to paralyze the infamously terrifying spider. After that, it's all over. The wasp lags narrowly behind the bullet ant in sting-power according to Schmidt's scale. Still hungry for more? Check out the complete list here, if you dare.

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I think there's a little germophobe in all of us, I mean who isn't grossed out by the average public restroom? Germs, viruses, and bacteria are all around us, and although we can never eliminate them completely there are things we can do to drastically reduce their numbers and our exposure in key areas like on toothbrushes and doorknobs. You might be surprised at how many handy gadgets are out there to help, including things you've probably heard of before like toothbrush sanitizers to things you may not have -- like the handy PursePal that keeps your bag off the floor in restaurants and bars.

See this slideshow for all kinds of great germophobe-friendly ideas and products.

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I love summer but there are a few aspects of it that I can do without, one of the bigger ones being bugs. I dislike them all -- spiders, mosquitos, bees, especially wasps. This summer, I've managed to avoid getting bitten much, but many of my friends haven't been so lucky. Here are some tips for avoiding bug bites from Everyday Health:

• Don't provoke insects
• Avoid rapid movement
• Don't wear lots of perfume or floral prints
• Cover up and apply insect repellent

If you do get stung, there are some great home remedies out there, including soothing a bee sting with lemons. What do you do to soothe a bite?

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I recently covered a study with results which showed that obesity may be socially contagious. So I was interested to see that another study reported on here points to a virus as a possible reason why some people become obese. A bug called AD - 36 is supposedly to blame, as it causes the fat cells in those who catch it go grow larger and multiply faster, resulting in excessive weight gain. While it is unethical to give purposely give the virus to humans, the bug has caused nearly all animals infected with it to put on weight. In addition, in one study 30% of obese participants whose blood was tested showed antibodies to the pathogen.

Personally, I think there are a variety of reasons why someone may become very overweight. It could be a social thing for some, while for others it could be the result of emotional eating or simply a high junk food diet mixed with a sedentary lifestyle. I find the virus explanation a little hard to believe though, because it doesn't explain why obesity rates have skyrocketed over the past coupe of decades. What do you think? Is obesity the result of a virus, or perhaps a gene? Is it a social disease or is it completely lifestyle related?

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It's flu season, and cold season, and every-other-bug-under-the-sun season it seems like. I personally haven't been sick yet, and so I'm living in fear every day....just waiting for it to hit me. Whether you've been lucky so far (and want to keep it that way), or haven't been and are just hoping to make it through the season in one piece, one of your best weapons for fighting off the flu could be your diet.

Boosting your immune system is one of the best ways to stay flu-free, along with frequent hand washing of course. What you eat can give your immunity a huge boost, and increasing your intake of green leafy vegetables, fruit (think kiwi, grapefruit, and OJ), and even garlic or ginger can give your system much needed nutrients. Snack on some sunflower seeds, or throw them on a salad, and make sure to get enough complex carbs to keep fueled up.

Good luck to you!

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