One factor I really like about enhancing the Ask Nicely column is the camaraderie of it. Each week we reply a well being query: Why am I so congested on a regular basis? (I’ve puzzled that too!) Why does my sleep worsen as I age? (I’m proper there with you.) Is my espresso behavior in want of an intervention? (Pour me one other whereas we determine it out.)
Once I survey our inbox, I’m amazed at what is available in — questions that cowl the fun, agonies, confusions and vulnerabilities of being an individual. And fortunately for us all, we get to hunt out the solutions.
Listed below are 10 of the preferred well being questions of 2023.
1. Is it unhealthy to clean your hair daily?
The reply is determined by your hair texture, how oily it’s, whether or not it’s color-treated and extra.
“Whereas it might appear that getting the scalp squeaky clear and with none oils is perfect,” stated Dr. Murad Alam, a dermatologist at Northwestern College, “needless to say the scalp is a dwelling a part of your physique, and never a dinner plate in your dishwasher.”
2. Is arthritis avoidable?
Ache, stiffness and swelling of the joints are widespread complaints for older adults — and they are often the primary signal of a dreaded analysis: arthritis. This umbrella time period describes greater than 100 circumstances that trigger irritation within the joints. Nevertheless it doesn’t must be an inevitable results of getting older. Listed below are some steps you may take to scale back your threat.
4. Can a nap make up for a foul night time of sleep?
Perhaps you stayed up too late doomscrolling, otherwise you whipped your sheets right into a twister replaying an uncomfortable dialog. Both manner, you’re questioning: Will a noon nap make up for these valuable hours of misplaced shut-eye? The reply is difficult, we discovered. Right here’s what naps can — and may’t — do on your well being.
5. Why am I so congested on a regular basis?
So that you get up each morning all stuffed up and also you need to know what’s happening. Is it that chilly you (and everybody else) appears to have? The anatomy of your nostril? Allergic reactions? Power congestion is difficult to deal with, consultants say, as a result of any variety of issues may very well be inflicting it. However there are some methods to search out reduction.
6. What ought to I eat or drink when I’ve a chilly?
If that stuffiness is certainly attributable to a chilly, flip to meals and drinks which are hydrating, nourishing and comforting (howdy, hen noodle soup!). Right here’s a have a look at how diet will help combat your an infection, together with what meals and drinks to keep away from.
7. Why does it grow to be more durable to sleep as I age?
As a flagrant tosser and turner, I’ve observed that the older I get, the much less seemingly I’m to get up refreshed. It turns on the market are medical causes for that: An getting older mind, sure well being circumstances, hormones and way of life adjustments might all be the trigger. The excellent news is that sleepless nights aren’t a destiny it’s a must to reside with.
8. Why do I get constipated once I journey?
Any exercise that interrupts your common consuming or sleeping schedule dangers backing you up. Dehydration, immobility, altering time zones and an altered weight loss plan are usually in charge. Right here’s the right way to get issues operating just a little extra easily while you’re out and about.
9. Do I really want all these skincare merchandise?
Should you spend any time on the personal-care facet of social media, you’ll see video after video of influencers dousing themselves in a whole drugs cupboard’s value of merchandise. However easier is commonly higher in terms of taking good care of your face. Right here’s what dermatologists say you really need.
10. How a lot espresso is an excessive amount of espresso?
Elevate your hand when you’re ingesting espresso whereas studying this. Hold it raised when you’re in your second (or third or fourth) cup of the day. Espresso comprises hundreds of chemical compounds that could be linked to good well being. Nevertheless it’s additionally a significant supply of caffeine, which in extra may cause points like jitteriness, anxiousness, nausea and hassle sleeping. Whereas consultants say that harmful unintended effects from coffee-drinking are uncommon, it’s nonetheless doable to overdo it. Right here’s the right way to know when you’ve poured your self an excessive amount of.
Have extra questions for our well being journalists? Ask Nicely.
