Expert Q&A: Health

How do I know whether I should still start annual mammography at 40?

Sharon Richardson
Elmsford, NY

Talk with your doctor about your needs and concerns. In general, the higher your breast-cancer risk, the more sensible it is to have annual mammograms in your 40s. To assess your risk, take the test at www.cancer.gov/bcrisktool and discuss the results with your doctor. Mammography is less effective for women in their 40s and can not only produce a higher rate of false positives but also result in unnecessary treatment.

Do alcohol-free hand sanitizers work as well as alcohol-based ones?

Paul Susman
Chesterfield, MO

Most alcohol-free sanitizers contain benzalkonium chloride, which has some antiseptic properties and may be helpful, federal health officials say. But they recommend washing hands with soap and water, and when that's not possible, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.

Can eating too many sweets raise my triglyceride level?

Paul Hemingway
Dover, NJ

Getting 60 percent or more of your calories from sweets and other carbohydrates would probably raise your level of triglycerides, a fat created when you take in more calories than your body readily uses. (Your body stores the excess fat, then converts it into energy when needed.) But eating too much in general can raise triglycerides to an unhealthful level, a risk factor for coronary disease. Other causes of high triglycerides include obesity, lack of exercise, cigarette smoking, and excess alcohol intake.

Can you recommend any natural ways to eliminate flatulence?

J. Davis
New York

Gas is made when intestinal bacteria ferment the carbohydrate remnants your body hasn't digested completely. Consider cutting back on common culprits, including beans and other legumes, whole grains, broccoli, cabbage, peaches, and pears. Dairy foods will produce gas if you have trouble digesting lactose. Also eat more slowly and chew with your mouth closed because swallowed air creates gas. Beano, sold over the counter, can reduce gas by helping your body digest troublesome carbohydrates.

Is the advice to drink eight glasses of water a day just a myth?

Frank Wisniewski
Haddonfield, NJ

That conventional wisdom stemmed from a misinterpretation of a 1940s government advisory that recommended ingesting about 64 ounces of water each day. But that figure included the fluid a person gets from foods and other beverages. Let thirst be your guide, and use the color of your urine to help you gauge whether you're adequately hydrated. (Clear or pale-yellow urine indicates you are; scant or darker urine may mean you need to drink more.) And remember, beverages or foods containing water will help hydrate you, some better than others.

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