You have burning health questions. We all do. But if you’ve spent any time scouring the internet for answers to them, you’ve probably stumbled upon some dubious information.
There’s that one influencer who swears chugging green tea is just as good for weight loss as Ozempic, or that delaying your morning caffeine will prevent your afternoon energy slump. Your next question might be: Is that quite right?
Our health reporters are here to help. They take your questions straight to experts and scour scientific journals to answer them with authority. Here are the 10 most popular Ask Well columns from 2024, with evidence-based answers to help guide you into the new year and beyond.
1. What’s the best way to clean your ears?
If it takes all of your might to not twirl a Q-Tip around your ear after a shower, you’re not alone. But cleaning your ears with tiny cotton swabs can do more harm than good, and it may increase the risk of an eardrum injury, experts say. In fact, they add, the best way to care for your ears is to leave them alone.
If you absolutely must poke around in there, we have guidance on how to do it safely.
2. How much Advil is too much?
Raise your hand if you pop ibuprofen like it’s candy. Raise your hand if you also wonder if you’re overdoing it.
It is indeed possible to take too much ibuprofen, experts say. It can pose certain health risks, especially if you have kidney or stomach issues. Read on to find out how much is too much.
3. Is green tea really ‘nature’s Ozempic’?
It seems too good to be true: Drink green tea and watch the pounds vanish. Many people on social media claim that drinking green tea can increase the body’s production of GLP-1, a gut hormone that drugs like Ozempic mimic, which helps people lose weight. But experts say to temper your expectations.
Here’s what green tea can — and can’t — do for weight loss.
4. How do I get rid of the ‘chicken skin’ on my arms and legs?
Have you ever noticed little red bumps on your upper arms, thighs or even your buttocks? These painless bumps that look like plucked chicken skin have a name — keratosis pilaris. The good news: While the condition is common, it’s harmless, and can be treated at home with products you probably already own.
Read on to find out how.
5. Should you delay your morning caffeine?
It’s been called “a game changer” for energy levels. Delay your morning caffeine by 90 to 120 minutes after waking, some prominent influencers say, and you’ll perk up more naturally, avoid an afternoon slump and sleep better the next night. But experts aren’t so sure. While there might be some health benefits to putting off your morning coffee, they say, there’s not much research to back up those claims.
Read more about what the science actually suggests.
6. Can I lower my cholesterol without taking a statin?
For many health conditions, the only good way to treat them is to take medication. But if you fall into the group of people whose cholesterol is only moderately elevated, certain lifestyle tweaks could be the first step toward improving your health.
Here’s how to tell if you fall into that group, and which lifestyle changes you can make to lower your cholesterol.
7. Is lip balm making my chapped lips worse?
We’re in peak chapped lips season. And when the skin on your lips is as dry as the Sahara, it’s tempting to wonder if constantly applying lip balm is helping or hurting the situation.
Some lip balms can indeed make irritation and dryness worse, prompting the need for more. So it’s important to know what to look for — and what to avoid — when buying and using lip products.
8. What’s the best way to get rid of a hangnail?
If you get frequent hangnails, you know how much of a pain they can be. That swelling, tenderness and throbbing can downright ruin your day. Experts say that most hangnails will go away on their own, but there are ways to speed up the process, and even prevent them from emerging in the first place.
Here’s how.
9. Is it a bad idea to drink alcohol on an airplane?
You sink into your seat before a long flight, order a glass of wine and gently dip into sleep so you can wake up refreshed at your destination. Or at least, that’s the idea. But some research suggests that drinking alcohol on an airplane could come with certain health risks. And it might not be the key to restful sleep.
Read on to find out what the research shows.
10. Why is it so hard to shower when I’m depressed?
When you’re feeling low, everyday tasks — brushing your teeth, cooking, showering — can feel like a slog. That’s because those activities require energy, and your depression has probably zapped it.
The first step is to give yourself grace, experts say. The second is to understand why you may be feeling this way, so you can try to lift yourself out of it.
The post Your Top Health Questions of 2024 appeared first on New York Times.
