Q: Is silicone cookware safe?
A: Silicone is a synthetic rubber that contains bonded silicon -- a natural element, abundant in sand and rock -- and oxygen. Although I still prefer stainless cookware, silicone kitchen products seem to be everywhere these days. You can now get cheery, brightly colored cake pans, muffin tins, colanders, potholders, baking mats, ice cube trays, pastry brushes, spoons, cake pans, and even roasting pans made out of silicone. Sales of these products have mushroomed into the millions.
Q: I like to drink green tea, but it is staining my teeth brown. Do you have any suggestions?
A: Like coffee and colas, tea can stain teeth, although it's not as big an offender as tobacco (smoked or chewed). Any food or drink capable of staining clothes or carpets can also stain teeth -- that includes fruit juices, red wine, blueberries, soy sauce and curry.Good-quality green tea that is really green in color is less likely to stain teeth than inferior grades of "green" tea that looks brown when brewed. The best way to get rid of stains from any food or drink is with a professional teeth-cleaning, but afterward, it's up to you to keep your teeth free of stains from foods and beverages.
Q: I have a ginkgo biloba tree in my backyard. Naturally, I would like to take advantage of the famous ginkgo directly instead of shelling out money at a health food store. But how do I use it?
A: Ginkgo biloba is one of the most well-researched herbs in the world and is full of antioxidantsdefine and flavonoids. Ginkgo supports healthy circulation to both the brain and extremities of the body. Studies suggest that this traditional Chinese remedy is capable of improving cognitive function as demonstrated by increased mental sharpness, better concentration, and improved memory.
Q: I would like to know about low blood pressure and what might cause it. Also, what foods or natural methods might increase the blood pressure?
A: Generally speaking, low blood pressure (hypotension) is regarded as a sign of good health. It is most likely the result of genetic factors and suggests that your risk of heart disease is lower than normal. The most common symptoms are dizziness and lightheadedness, or fainting. In rare cases, low blood pressure may suggest a serious medical problem, such as a cardiacdefine, endocrine or neurological disorder.
Q: I've been reading about electroshock therapy because it's been recommended for a severely depressed friend. I'm horrified by the side effects. This seems to be a barbaric treatment. What are your views?
A: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), popularly known as shock therapy, is sometimes used to treat severe depressiondefine, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses that haven't responded to drugs or psychotherapy. It involves the passage of a weak electrical current through the brain, producing a seizure that typically lasts 30 to 60 seconds. A series of six to 12 treatments is the usual recommendation.
Q: A friend who is a former smoker has a CTdefine scan of her lungs every year. Fortunately, nothing bad has shown up, but I worry that all that radiationdefine is dangerous. She's convinced it's perfectly safe. Is she right?
A: A "CTdefine" scan or "CAT" scan are terms used to describe a diagnostic technology known as computerized tomographydefine, or computed axial tomography. The CT scanner uses X-rays to take pictures of cross-sections of the body, which are then digitally assembled to give physicians detailed, cross-sectional views of internal organs and tissues. This makes it possible to diagnose lung, liver and pancreatic cancers, measure tumors, and determine their precise location. They have also proved invaluable in diagnosing skeletal injuries and vasculardefine diseases.
Q: I hear there's a new blood test for colondefine cancerdefine. Does it work as well as a colonoscopy? What can you tell me about it?
A: A blood test for colondefine cancerdefine has been developed by researchers at Johns Hopkins and is now being studied to see if it is as accurate as early research suggests. It looks for proteins made by cancer cells in the blood. In a study published in the June 15, 2007, issue of Cancer Research, the Hopkins investigators reported that when they tested 107 patients, they identified 28 with colon cancer, the same ones independently identified by colonoscopies. The test wasn't quite as accurate in identifying precancerous polyps -- it found only 14 of the 18 revealed by colonoscopies.
Q: Those Energy Star lightbulbs are great, but they contain mercury. So do we have to choose between being energy inefficient or contaminating the environment with discarded bulbs?
A: Energy Star is a U.S. government designation for compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) that use 75 percent less energy than standard lightbulbs. According to government projections, if every U.S. home replaced just one regular lightbulb with an Energy Star bulb, the energy savings would be enough to light more than 3 million homes for a year, reduce annual energy costs by $600 million, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.
Q: I read that early breast cancerdefine can now be treated with lumpectomydefine plus radiationdefine given on the operating table. True? If so, how safe is this?
A: "One-step" breast cancerdefine treatment, as it's being called, is so new that it is still considered experimental. The procedure was pioneered four years ago in Britain where more than 800 women are now participating in an international clinical trial. The one-step treatment is also being studied at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto.
Q: Is there a test for fish-odor syndrome, and if so, where can I get it? No matter how often I shower, use underarm deodorant or brush my teeth, my body and breath smell really bad. I can see how people react to me.
A: Fish-odor syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes people to emit the smell of rotting fish. The odor can be mild or strong, but it has nothing to do with personal hygiene -- the problem is an enzyme deficiency that prevents the breakdown of trimethylamine (TMA), a byproduct of protein digestion released by bacteria that live in the gut. The medical name for the condition is primary trimethylaminuria.
