Definitive Answers to Biggest Health
Questions
Does olive oil prevent heart disease?
Short answer: Yes
The health
benefits of olive oil come from the presence of
polyphenols, antioxidants that
reduce the risk of heart diseases and
cancers.
But to get
these healthy compounds, consumers should buy
good-quality, fresh "extra-virgin" olive oil, which has
the highest polyphenol content. Most commercially
available olive oils have low
levels of polyphenols associated
with poor harvesting methods, improper storage, and
heavy processing.
Do cough syrups work?
Short answer: No
In 2006,
the nation's
chest physicians agreed that
the majority of over-the-counter cough medicines don't
actually work. These colorful syrups typically contain
doses of codeine and dextromethorphan that are too small
to be effective.
Only cough suppressants that contain
older antihistamines seem to relieve coughs. That
includes brompheniramine, an active ingredient in
Dimetapp.
Does sugar cause hyperactivity?
Short answer: No
Following a
review of 23 studies, a 1996
report published
in the Journal of the American Medical Association
concluded that sugar "does not affect the behavior or
cognitive performance of children."
The age-old myth that kids misbehave when
they eat large amounts of candy, cookies, and other junk
food, could be related to the type of events where these
foods are typically served. For example, kids are more
wound-up at birthday parties and during Halloween when
sweet treats tend to flow freely.
Do sugary soft drinks lead to diabetes?
Short answer: Yes
The majority
of health research is stacked
against sugar-sweetened soda.
A large 2004
study in
the Journal of the American Medical Association found
that women who drank one or more sugary drinks per day
increased their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by
83% compared to those who consumed less than one of
these beverages per month.
Do I need sunscreen with more than 30
SPF?
Short answer:
No
Sunscreens with an SPF (sun protection
factor) of 30 block about 97% of ultraviolet rays, while
sunscreens with an SPF of higher than 30 block 97%-98%.
It's more
important that you choose "broad-spectrum" sunscreen,
meaning it protects against both UVB and UVA rays.
Sunbathers also need to apply a generous
amount of sunscreen in
order to get the full benefit of the SPF.
Is the MSG in Chinese likely to give you
a headache?
Short answer: No
A review of
40 years of clinical trials, published in the journal
of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners in 2006,
found that all previous research "failed to identify a
consistent relationship between the consumption of MSG
and the constellation of symptoms that comprise the
syndrome," including headaches and asthma attacks.
The
misconception spawned from several poorly-done small
studies in the 1960s that seemed
to connect MSG
with a variety of maladies that people experienced after
eating at Chinese restaurants.
Learn more about the MSG myth here »
Do nuts make you fat?
Short answer: No
As much as 75% of a nut is fat. But
eating fat doesn't necessarily make you fat. The bigger
factor leading to weight gain is portion-size. Luckily,
nuts are loaded with healthy fats that keep you full.
They're also a good source of protein and fiber.
One study
even found that whole
almonds have 20% less calories than
previously thought because a lot of the fat is excreted
from the body.
Is walking as effective as running?
Short answer: Yes
Studies have shown that how long you
exercise — and thus how many calories you burn — is more
important than how hard you exercise. Running is a more
efficient form of exercise, but not necessarily better
for you.
A six-year study published
in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and
Vascular Biology in April found that walking at a
moderate pace and running produced similar health
benefits, so long as the same amount of energy was
expended.
Is drinking fruit juice as good for you
as eating fruit?
Short answer: No
Calorie for calorie, whole fruit provides
more nutritional benefits than drinking the pure juice
of that fruit. That's because when you liquefy fruit,
stripping away the peel and dumping the pulp, many
ingredients like fiber, calcium, vitamin C, and other
antioxidants are lost.
For comparison, a five-ounce glass of
orange juice that contains 69 calories has .3 grams of
dietary fiber and 16 milligrams of calcium, whereas an
orange with the same number of calories packs 3.1 grams
of fiber and 60 milligrams of calcium.
Are all wheat breads better for you than
white bread?
Short answer: No
Not all wheat breads are created equal.
Wheat breads that contain all parts of the grain kernel,
including the nutrient-rich germ and fiber-dense bran,
must be labeled "whole grain" or "whole wheat."
Some wheat breads are just white bread
with a little bit of caramel coloring to make the bread
appear healthier, according to Reader's Digest.
Can a hot tub make me sick?
Short answer: Yes
Hot tubs — especially ones in spas,
hotels, and gyms — are perfect breeding grounds for
germs.
The water is not hot enough to kill
bacteria, but is just the right temperature to make
microbes grow even faster. Even though hot tubs are
treated with chlorine, the heat causes the disinfectant
to break down faster than it would in regular pools.
The most
common hot tub infection is pseudomonas folliculitis,
which causes red, itchy bumps. A more dangerous
side-effect of soaking in a dirty Jacuzzi is a form of
pneumonia known as Legionnaire's disease. This is what reportedly
sickened more
than 100 people at the Playboy Mansion back in 2011.
Does coffee cause cancer?
Short answer: No
Coffee got a
bad rap in the 1980s when a study linked
drinking coffee to pancreatic cancer.
The preliminary report was later
debunked.
More
recently, health studies have swung in favor of the
caffeinated beverage. Coffee has been linked to a lower
risk of type
2 diabetes, Parkinson's
disease,
liver cancer, and even suicide.
Do eggs raise cholesterol levels?
Short answer: No
Although egg yolks are a major source of
cholesterol — a waxy substance that resembles fat —
researchers have learned that saturated fat has more of
an impact on cholesterol in your blood than eating foods
that contain cholesterol.
"Healthy
individuals with normal blood cholesterol levels should
now feel free to enjoy foods like eggs in their diet
every day," the lead researcher from a 25-year University
of Arizona study on
cholesterol concluded.
Can you drink too much water?
Short answer: Yes
It is very rare for someone to die from
drinking too much water, but it can happen.
Overhydrating is most common among elite
athletes. Drinking an excess of water, called water
intoxication, dilutes the concentration of sodium in the
blood leading to a condition known as hyponatremia. The
symptoms of hyponatremia can range from nausea and
confusion to seizures and even death in severe cases.
To avoid this, drink fluids with
electrolytes during extreme exercise events.
Can yogurt ease digestive problems?
Short answer: Yes
Our
digestive tract is filled with microorganisms — some
good and some bad. Yogurt
contains beneficial bacteria,
generically called probiotics, that helps maintain a
healthy balance. Probiotics can relieve several
gastrointestinal problems, including constipation and
diarrhea.
Certain
brands of yogurts, like Activa
by Dannon,
are marketed exclusively to treat tummy issues.
Do whitening toothpastes whiten teeth
more than regular toothpastes?
Short answer: No
Whitening toothpastes usually contain
peroxides and other strong abrasives that might make
your teeth appear whiter by removing stains. Unlike
at-home whitening strips and gels that contain bleach,
these toothpastes do not actually change the color of
your teeth.
Is it safe to microwave food in plastic
containers?
Short answer: Yes
But the
plastic container should display the words "microwave
safe." This means that the Food and Drug Administration
has tested
the container to
make sure no chemicals used to make the plastic leech
into foods during microwaving. If chemicals do seep out
into food, the amounts are tiny and not dangerous to our
health.
As a general guideline, plastic grocery
bags as well as most plastic tubs that hold margarine,
yogurt, cream cheese, and condiments are not microwave
safe.
Can watching TV ruin your eyesight?
Short answer: No
Watching TV
will not destroy your rods and cones as the outdated
myth suggests. Before the 1950s, TVs emitted radiation
that could
increase an individual's risk of eye problems after
excessive TV viewing. Modern TVs have special shielding
that blocks these harmful emissions.
Is red wine better for you than white
wine?
Short answer: Yes
Red wine
contains much more resveratrol than white wine, an
antioxidant found in the skin of grapes that has been shown
to fight off diseases associated with aging.
Is bottled water better for you than tap
water?
Short answer: No
Bottled water is no safer or purer than
tap water, although it is substantially more expensive.
A recent
study by Glasgow University in the U.K. found that
bottled water is actually more
likely to be contaminated than water from your faucet because
it is less well-regulated.
Bottled water and tap water typically
come from the same sources — natural springs, lakes, and
aquifers. While public water supplies are tested for
contaminants every day, makers of bottled water are only
required to test for specific contaminants every week,
month, or year.
~
Collected from the Internet ~
Tim Pedrosa
Tim
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