Are You an Apple or a Pear?
If you are overweight, do you carry most of your extra pounds around your waist or your hips? Of course, being significantly overweight is unhealthy, but it’s important where the fat is stored. In recent years research has shown that having an “apple-shaped” body (a lot of abdominal fat) increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, several types of cancer, and possibly other disorders. A “pear-shaped” body (fattest in the hips, buttocks, and thighs) is less risky, and may be protective in some ways, especially in women. Full Story

LASIK: Reading the Fine Print
LASIK surgery for presbyopia, as the farsightedness of aging is called, was approved by the FDA last year for people who are also nearsighted. Presbyopia makes it hard to focus on near objects, such as a book or computer screen. It develops after age 40, and until recently could be managed only with reading glasses or, in some cases, contact lenses. If you already wear glasses or contacts for other vision problems, the onset of presbyopia may mean bifocals, which are sometimes hard to get used to. So LASIK for presbyopia has a ready market. As a treatment for presbyopia in nearsighted people, the surgery results in one eye that sees close up, while the other eye sees at a distance—this is called monovision. Your brain adjusts to the different input from both eyes. But this procedure certainly isn’t for everyone.

Quercetin Mysteries
Plant foods are also rich in compounds known as phytochemicals, which may affect human health. Among them are a large group known as polyphenols, some of which are flavonoids. Among these, one of the most frequently studied is quercetin. It’s in apples, red and yellow onions, hot peppers, red grapes, grape juice, citrus fruits, leafy green vegetables, broccoli, raspberries, and cherries, as well as black and green tea and red wine—an appetizing line-up. Quercetin—in foods and supplements—has been under study for its potential health benefits. How bioavailable is quercetin—that is, how much of it can the body absorb and use? No one knows for sure. However, it is an antioxidant, and if it is absorbed, it might help reduce cell-damaging free radicals. Quercetin could theoretically reduce the oxidation of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in blood vessels and thus help prevent heart disease. And yet, findings about quercetin, while sometimes encouraging, have been far from clear.

Body Oddities
Ever wonder why you yawn, get goose bumps, get “ice cream headaches,” sneeze at the sun, creak and twitch, or do other odd things? Here are some explanations.

Test Your Summer Savvy
Here’s a quiz to help you stay safe this summer—in your backyard, at the sea, on the road, or wherever else you may be.

Shoulders in Motion
The shoulder is a complicated mechanism, consisting of three bones—the collarbone (clavicle), upper arm bone (humerus), and shoulder blade (scapula). It is your most flexible joint, with a wide range of motion. You can rotate your arm 360 degrees and put your hand almost anywhere in a wide arc. Your shoulder enables you to catch a ball, hit a ball with a racquet or golf club, lift a box, and propel yourself through the water. A trained athlete can throw a ball with enormous speed and accuracy. This versatility and range of motion, and the complex structure it takes to provide them, helps explain why the shoulder is so easily injured—and why it pays to think about protecting it.

ASK THE EXPERTS
Our readers ask: Our readers ask: Will moderate alcohol consumption (a drink a day) reduce the risk of heart disease as much as daily exercise? Why is some produce in the supermarket sprayed with water, and is this safe? What is prolotherapy, and does it work? Will calcium supplements increase calcium deposits in my arteries and thus make a heart attack more likely? What is jicama? Full Story

WELL & INFORMED
Tips, Short Takes, and Other News You Can Use
Why older people usually latch on to the positive. . . Corn chip chat . . . Managing your microwave.

WELLNESS TIPS

• Prospective fathers should consume more folate, suggests a new study from the University of California, Berkeley. Men with a high intake of this B vitamin had significantly lower rates of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm, compared to men with moderate or low intake. Women need adequate folate before and after conception to protect against birth defects, but this is the first study to show that folate may also be key for dads-to-be.

• Black tea may help prevent Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study in the American Journal of Epidemiology that followed more than 63,000 middle-aged and older people for about seven years. No association was seen for green tea.

• Don’t assume that omega-3-fortified foods supply the same heart-healthy fats found in fish. There are two different sources of omega-3s. The types from fish—eicosapentenoic acid and docosahexenoic acid—have known heart benefits. But most fortified foods contain the related omega-3 fat found in plants called alpha-linolenic acid, which may have some health benefits of its own, but can’t replace the fats in fish.

• Another good reason to keep your blood pressure under control: This may help prevent, or at least limit, age-related cognitive decline, suggests a recent study.

• Oats improve blood cholesterol levels, a new review of research has confirmed. Oats are rich in a cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber called beta glucan. Still, it takes several servings of oats a day to get a significant effect. And you can also get soluble fiber from many other plant foods including beans, barley, apples, oranges, and carrots.

• Don’t buy “drugs” on the Internet that claim to prevent or cure sexually transmitted diseases. The FDA has issued an alert against a number of products that are being marketed illegally for use against herpes, chlamydia, HIV, and human papillomavirus. No pill, ointment, or dietary supplement can prevent STDs.