Hung up on Cell Phones
For years experts have been arguing about whether cell phones cause brain cancer, with most saying there’s little or no evidence of risk. The debate was supposed to be settled by the Interphone study—a big, long-term, long-awaited, long-delayed, 13-country, $25 million endeavor—the results of which finally appeared in May. That turned out to be wishful thinking, since the conclusions were muddled. Naturally, scientists and advocates on both sides of the debate managed to claim vindication, while the Interphone researchers called for still more research, and the rest of us just got more static. Full Story

Low Blood Sugar Blues?
Lots of people blame their fatigue, dizziness, irritability, inability to concentrate, and other vague symptoms on hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). One Internet site says, “Most people in our society suffer from hypoglycemia and don’t even know it.” Hypoglycemia is frequently self-diagnosed, but there’s no scientific evidence to support the notion that it’s rampant in healthy people. How big a problem is it really?

X-rated Meals
How many calories does a meal at an American chain restaurant serve up? Far more than you may think. The nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest recently gave out its 2010 Xtreme Eating Awards, which make McDonald’s look like Weight Watchers. Here’s a look at some calorie “winners.”

Easing the Turbulence of Jet Lag
Growing numbers of sleep researchers are studying jet lag, perhaps in response to the explosive growth of international air travel. Like the hangover and common cold, however, jet lag remains hard to prevent and hard to treat—despite claims to the contrary. Time is the only certain remedy. Still, several strategies can help minimize the sluggishness and disorientation that follow a long flight.

Safe Sips for Your Trips
One of the joys of visiting places far off the beaten path is that you never know what you’ll find. The same can be said for things you’d rather not find, such as unsafe drinking water. Avoiding water-borne illnesses caused by such organisms as E. coli, rotavirus, norovirus, and protozoa like Giardia and Cryptosporidium is a challenge even for experienced travelers. Luckily, there are many portable disinfectant products you can buy on the Internet or at stores that sell travel and camping gear.

Can-do Salmon
What’s pink inside but should be read all over? Canned salmon. It is an excellent—and relatively inexpensive—source of heart-healthy omega-3 fats and other nutrients. But to net the most benefits, read the fine print on the cans.

Be Chary of Charring
The tantalizing sizzle of grilling burgers and steak is a classic backdrop of lazy weekend afternoons. As tasty as that sounds, however, grilled meats expose you to potentially dangerous chemicals, especially when the meat is charred or overcooked. Grilling and other cooking methods that expose meat to extremely high temperatures create potentially cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). Moreover, when fat drips on the heat source, the plumes of smoke can coat meat with other dangerous chemicals. Here are ways to reduce the risks.

Memories Are Made of This?
Few things are more unnerving than the memory lapses most of us experience as we grow older. Naturally, we yearn for a pill to prevent mental decline. There are countless dietary supplements marketed to improve memory. All sorts of herbs (notably ginkgo), vitamins, and fish oil, as well as countless cocktails of herbs and other ingredients, come with more or less blatant claims to improve memory and mental ability. Here’s a rundown of the latest scientific evidence about some of the most widely promoted ingredients.

ASK THE EXPERTS
Our readers ask: What are hemp hearts, and how nutritious are they? Is exfoliating good for the skin? Why do most nutrition labels list only A, C, calcium, and iron and not other vitamins or minerals? Is it true that calcium should not be taken with a high-fiber meal? Full Story

WELL & INFORMED
Tips, Short Takes, and Other News You Can Use
Block that bite . . . Clean hands, clean conscience?

WELLNESS TIPS

• Taking good care of your teeth may help protect your heart. People who have poor oral hygiene are at higher risk for heart disease than those who brush twice a day, according to a recent Scottish study.

• If you wear contact lenses, ask your eye-care provider about ones that block ultraviolet (UV) light. These lenses help reduce the risk of cataracts and other damage to the eye caused by UV exposure. But you should still wear sunglasses.

• If you’re watching your weight, eating more protein at breakfast may help you consume fewer daily calories. In a recent study from the University of Connecticut, men who ate a high-protein egg breakfast reported less hunger several hours later and consumed fewer calories at lunch compared to when they ate a bagel breakfast.

• Yet another reason to stop smoking: Children who are frequently exposed to secondhand smoke show signs of early atherosclerosis, according to new research from Finland. Even modest exposure was associated with artery thickening, suggesting that there is no safe amount of secondhand smoke.

• Vary your exercise program with “deep water running” in a pool. If done with enough intensity, this low-impact activity can maintain cardiorespiratory fitness and maybe even improve it, according to studies.

• If you take oral contraceptives (OCs) and are very overweight, talk to your doctor about the possible need for additional or alternative birth control methods. Some studies have found that the effectiveness of OCs may be impaired in women who are markedly obese. In addition, both obesity and OCs slightly increase the risk of blood clots.