Skip yolk if your cholesterol is high
YOU DOCS | While this part of egg is loaded with nutrients, it's also full of saturated fat
Q. I'm trying to eat a super-healthy diet and want to know if I should include egg yolks. I hear on one hand that the yolk has all the cholesterol and saturated fat, and on the other hand that it contains lutein and is a nutritional powerhouse. Can I eat the whole egg? -- Anonymous
A. That depends on your cholesterol. If your total number is below 200 and your LDL cholesterol is also low (below 100 is great), you can enjoy an egg, yolk and all, for breakfast nearly every day. But if you have borderline or high cholesterol, toss the yolk, even though it's brimming with nutrients. Or limit yourself to two eggs a week. The 210 milligrams of cholesterol in the yolk is a lot, but even worse is its 1.6 grams of saturated fat.
Otherwise eggs are an almost-perfect food. The quality of their protein is second only to breast milk, and the sight-saving lutein in the yolk is more readily ferried into your bloodstream than lutein from most other foods. Plus, the yolk is one of the few sources of natural vitamin D. Eggs score big for curbing hunger pangs, too; people who have one for breakfast tend to eat less during the day.
Q. Are organic skin care products better? Am I harming my skin if I use products that aren't organic? -- Kristina
A. First, we have to define "better." Products made with organic ingredients are generally kinder and gentler to the earth, so that's better. But some organic ingredients, such as lavender or mint, are just as likely to trigger a bad skin reaction as synthetic ingredients with unpronounceable names.
If "better" means more effective, we've found that many drugstore brands work just as well as those with fancy organic labels or luxury-line prices. If your skin is prone to reactions, what's more important is avoiding ingredients that can be irritating or block pores.
Put these potential troublemakers on your steer-clear list:
• Imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea, used as preservatives.
• Sodium lauryl sulfate, a suds-maker.
• Mineral oil, used as a base in some products.
• Monoethanolamin and triethanolamine, stabilizers
• Toluene, a solvent, most often found in nail polish.
• Dimethylethanolamine, a skin plumper.
Fragrances can be irritating, too, but they're not always easy to spot. If your skin is especially sensitive, choose products labeled "fragrance-free."
Q. I have endometriosis, and my doctor says I need a complete hysterectomy. I'm 40 years old, don't have children and don't want such drastic surgery. Do I have to have it? -- Anonymous
A. Having your uterus and ovaries removed is a last-resort treatment for endometriosis, especially for a woman as young as you. Get a second and maybe a third opinion. You need to know the pros and cons, the risks and benefits of all the treatment options, not just surgery. There are many non-surgical treatments for this condition now.
Anyone who's told they need an operation should consult at least two docs with expertise in the problem. Your insurance may even require it. Regardless, it's up to you to find Dr. Right. Here's what we would do before signing any consent form:
• Ask someone other than your first doctor to recommend a second. Docs who are friends aren't likely to contradict each other.
• Go to a specialist who is at least as qualified as your first physician and preferably more so. There's little point in seeing someone less experienced.
• Contact a hospital or university medical facility that's known for treating your problem and ask for their experts in this area. Or try the "doctor finder" tool on a specialty's Web site, such as the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (www.acog.org).
• Give the second doc all the medical information you have so far: biopsy reports, X-rays, scans, blood test results.
• Don't say, "My doctor said I should have. ..." You want a fresh opinion, not a knee-jerk approval of your first doc's approach.
• If it seems like you must go under the knife, ask about minimally invasive surgery (usually involving a laparoscope and maybe a laser). It's safer than a traditional hysterectomy, and the recovery is faster.
Submit your questions at www.RealAge.com. Dr. Oz appears on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and gives more advice in his podcast.