Should Anyone Still Take Vitamin E?
Researchers at UC Berkeley discovered vitamin E in 1922, and since then countless studies have been done on this still mysterious substance. Because its chief function seems to be as an antioxidant, neutralizing potentially harmful free radicals in the body, E became a superstar as the antioxidant theory of disease gained wider and wider attention. Would high doses of vitamin E prove to be the key to good health—preventing cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s, as well as producing glowing skin, good eyesight, and other benefits? Studies have yielded contradictory findings, but so far the answer seems to be no. Full Story

Calories: Burning Questions
Calorie-consciousness has lately been on the upswing, as people turn away from disappointing low-fat or low-carb diets, and as more and more restaurants post calorie counts, often in response to new local laws. But many people have no idea what calories are and how they work. What is a calorie, and how are calorie counts computed? How do calories make you gain weight? Do you really have to cut out or burn 3,500 calories to lose a pound? We answer these and other questions.

Pasta Perfect
Whole-grain foods, which retain the bran and germ of the kernel and thus all the fiber and most nutrients, have been linked to many health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes. Because the fiber in whole grains makes you feel full longer, they may also help with weight control. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines thus recommend that at least half the grains we eat be whole grains. One good way to get more whole grains into your diet is to switch to whole-grain pasta. Once found only in health-food stores, these pastas are now in mainstream markets. And with improved technology, many of them are less chewy and gummy than they used to be. Here’s how to make the most of your pasta.

Hearsay About Earwax
Ear candling is promoted as an ancient healing practice and a natural way to cleanse your ears. Numerous websites sell inexpensive kits, and some beauty salons and spas offer it as a “relaxation” service. But it’s neither “natural” nor safe. According to limited studies, ear candling does not create enough suction to extract ear wax—and it can leave candle wax behind. Worse, it can burn the ear canal, perforate the eardrum, and cause infection. And it’s a fire hazard. Serious injuries have been reported. A review in the Journal of Laryngology & Otology in 2004 concluded that ear candling “clearly does more harm than good” and should be banned. There are better, safer ways to remove earwax.

New Advice About Kidney Stones
About 1 in 15 of us will have kidney stones in our lifetime. Men are about three times more likely to be stone-formers than women. A kidney stone may not cause trouble. It can even pass painlessly out of the kidney through the urinary tract. But passing a stone, small or large, may cause severe pain, as well as nausea, vomiting, and fever. If it blocks the urinary tract, that’s an urgent medical problem. One stone often means another is forming—and that other stones will eventually occur . . . . Diet plays a poorly understood role in kidney stones, and diets aimed at preventing stone recurrence vary widely. Advice that once was standard (such as “cut back on calcium”) is now known to be incorrect. Here is the latest thinking.

Movement Training for Aching Backs
At one time or another, almost everybody has low back pain. It’s a major cause of missed work and disability. In about 10 to 20% of people with low back pain, the condition becomes chronic. Chronic back pain is, unfortunately, often hard to treat. It’s encouraging news that a team of researchers in England, as reported recently in the British Medical Journal, have come up with a promising plan. Their well-designed clinical trial found that the Alexander Technique can help back-pain sufferers. This is a method of improving posture and reducing muscle tension, among other things, and requires formal training.

No Smoke Is Good Smoke
Woodstoves and fireplaces are sources of both indoor and outdoor air pollution. They produce carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and other harmful chemicals, as well as fine particles that you inhale. In fact, woodstoves (especially older models) and fireplaces are the largest residential source of fine-particle pollution in most parts of the country. Pollutants released by burning wood can cause nose and throat irritation, trigger or worsen respiratory conditions such as asthma, and may contribute to heart disease and lung cancer. Fortunately, woodstoves today are safer, more efficient, and less polluting than they used to be. . . . If you use a woodstove or fireplace, follow these guidelines for cleaner air.

ASK THE EXPERTS
Our readers ask: Can Ameal BP reduce blood pressure? I was told that my 65-year-old husband should not get the shingles vaccine because he never had chickenpox—would it give him chickenpox? Does nonfat milk have a lot more calcium than whole milk? Is it wise to ice a burn? What is carob, and is it a good chocolate substitute? Full Story

WELL & INFORMED
Tips, Short Takes, and Other News You Can Use
Squash for all seasons . . . Chicken soup in the test tube?

WELLNESS TIPS

• If you are 65 or older, here’s another reason to get the pneumococcal (pneumonia) vaccine: it may help prevent a heart attack. A recent study of people at high coronary risk found that those who had gotten the vaccine at least a year earlier were less likely to have a heart attack than their unvaccinated counterparts.

• If you have osteoarthritis of the knee, do strength training, especially for your quadriceps, the muscles in front of the thighs, which help stabilize the knee cap and protect against cartilage loss under it. Such exercises can reduce pain and improve mobility in people with arthritis of the knee, according to a new review.

• Don’t take “tanning pills.” Most contain canthaxanthin, a pigment related to beta carotene that is approved by the FDA only in very small amounts as a food coloring. The pigment may also get deposited in other body parts including the eyes, where it can form yellow crystals that can affect vision. Side effects may also include nausea, cramps, diarrhea, itching, welts, and liver damage.

• Try nonfat or low-fat sour cream, if you’re looking for a change from yogurt. A cup of nonfat sour cream contains 160 to 240 calories, versus 100 in plain nonfat yogurt, and it supplies at least as much calcium—up to 450 milligrams. Try it with sweet fresh fruit; it’s especially good with bananas.

• If you use Ayurvedic medicines, you may be endangering your health. A study from the Boston Medical Center recently found dangerously high levels of these heavy metals in many such products, whether made in the U.S. or India.

• If you have—or think you have—sleep apnea, don’t use an off-the-shelf “boil-and-bite” device. Such prefabricated devices that you mold yourself are not an effective substitute for those custom-made at the dentist’s office, according to a recent study.