According to data from the Pew Research Center, 72 percent of Internet users say they turn to the Web for health information in a given year. I know it’s tempting, especially late at night when the doctor’s office is closed, but I’d urge you to step away from the keyboard. Some online resources can yield inaccurate, even dangerous, advice. I asked the analysts at Google to share some of the most commonly searched health questions. Here are answers you can trust—and some online advice you should disregard.
根据美国皮尤研究中心的数据，在所给年份里，72%的互联网用户称自已曾在网上搜索过健康信息。我明白网络搜索很有诱惑力，尤其是在诊所已经关门的深夜。但我想劝你远离网络搜索。一些网上资源给出的建议可能是错误的，甚至会带来危险。我请谷歌的分析师分享了一些最热搜的健康问题。以下是你可以信任的回答——和一些你应当丢弃的网络建议。
Is there any way to stop snoring?
怎样才能不打呼噜？
Snoring happens when your airflow becomes partially blocked. Some easy fixes: Try sleeping on your side or stomach (research shows those positions may reduce snoring) and avoiding alcohol (liquor can relax throat muscles, making it more difficult for air to get through). If the racket is heavy and accompanied by gasping or pauses in your breathing, you might have sleep apnea; your doctor may suggest a mouthpiece or a breathing machine to ease your nighttime breathing.
当呼吸气流局部受阻，你就会打呼。有些简单的应对方法：试着侧睡或者趴着睡（有研究表明这些姿势可能会缓解打呼症状），以及避免饮酒（酒精会松弛咽喉肌肉，使空气更难通过）。如果鼾声很响且伴有呼吸困难或呼吸暂停，你可能患有睡眠呼吸暂停综合征。医生或许会建议你使用口腔纠治器或呼吸机来改善夜间呼吸。
Reality check: You may have read that throat sprays prevent snoring—not true. Snoring that arises in the throat happens because the muscles are too relaxed. There’s no reason lubricating or numbing your throat would have any effect.
事实纠正：你可能读到过喉头喷雾可以防止打呼——这不是真的。打呼是因为咽喉肌肉太松弛，润滑或者麻痹咽喉就会起作用的说法毫无道理。
Is coffee bad for you?
咖啡有害健康吗？
Just the opposite. Numerous studies have shown that coffee is associated with impressive health perks. It’s been linked to lower risk of heart disease, Parkinson’s, and liver cancer—and it might even help you live longer. In fact, a recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who drank coffee had a lower risk of death over the course of 11 years compared with those who skipped joe altogether.
恰恰相反。许多研究表明，咖啡对健康大有好处。它能减少心脏病、帕金森症和肝癌的发病风险——甚至可能帮你活得更久。实际上，美国流行病学期刊最近的一项研究发现，在11年里，喝咖啡的人比完全不喝咖啡的人死亡风险更低。
Reality check: Some people believe that drinking coffee before working out will leave you dehydrated. In actuality, one study found that java’s diuretic effects don’t exist with exercise.
事实纠正：有人认为运动前喝咖啡会让你脱水。事实上，有研究表明，咖啡的利尿作用并不会发生在运动中。
How many grams of sugar should I have per day?
每天应该摄入多少克糖？
The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that less than 10 percent of daily calories come from added sugars. That’s under 200 calories, or 50 grams, in a 2,000-calorie diet.
2015年《美国居民膳食指南》建议，从添加糖中摄入的热量要控制在每日总热量的10%以内。对于2000卡路里的饮食，就是少于200卡路里或者50克。
Reality check: If you’ve been avoiding fruits that are high in sugar, you can stop. The guidelines are only for added sugars, not those naturally occurring in unprocessed food.
事实纠正：如果你一直在避免高糖水果，你可以不用这么做了。膳食指南只针对添加糖，不包括未经加工的食物里自然含有的糖。
How can I get rid of love handles?
如何摆脱腰间赘肉？
An amped-up workout can help. A review in the Journal of Obesity found that women who did high-intensity interval workouts burned more of the subcutaneous belly fat that causes love handles than women who exercised longer at a lower-intensity, steady pace.
高强度锻炼会有帮助。《肥胖》期刊的一篇评论指出，比起以较低强度持续锻炼更长时间的女性，做高强度间隔训练的女性燃烧的腹部皮下脂肪更多。正是这些脂肪导致了腰间赘肉。
