Mark Wachter's List: DR. ANDREW WEIL

we have no conclusive scientific evidence to support contentions that mercury-amalgam fillings cause multiple sclerosis, ALS, or any other serious diseases or organ damage, as its foes claim. Nor, I’m sorry to say, do we have definitive scientific evidence to assure us that they are completely safe.

A: My opinion is simple: the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risks. And, yes, there are risks, mostly of immediate adverse reactions. But these are much lower than the risks of the diseases that vaccines prevent. If we still lived with diphtheria, polio, and tetanus, no one would question the wisdom of preventing these diseases.

The consensus among nutrition researchers I trust is that the benefits of eating whole soy foods in moderation—say, one to two servings a day—outweigh any risks for most of us. (Women undergoing anti-estrogen therapy for breast cancer should consult their oncologists.)

In general, substituting some whole soy foods for some meat and dairy reduces your intake of saturated fat, provides fiber and nutrients, and adds variety to meals.

A: Not really. This diet, developed by naturopathic physician Peter D’Adamo, is based on the theory that the different human blood types—A, B, AB, and O—require different diets for optimal health. D’Adamo gives very detailed recommendations for what each type should and shouldn’t eat. For example, he says shiitake mushrooms are great for type B’s but bad for type O’s. (For the record, I encourage everyone to eat shiitakes. These flavorful mushrooms help the body regulate cholesterol, and they also help to guard against viruses and cancer.)