Welcome to Paging Dr. Gupta. I am excited to be back here to answer your health questions. I gotta say, it's really fascinating to hear what's on your mind. Today, Jesse's back with us and has some new questions. Who do we have first?

Okay, first up Violet from California is a little bit worried about her son's cell phone and technology habits. Take a listen.

My son is sixteen. How much of a risk do wireless headphones that use Bluetooth technology pose when it comes to health concerns such as cancer? He wears his AirPods daily, religiously, so just want to be able to answer his question as far as if they are harmful.

'Alright, Violet, I get it. The answer for this question really comes down to a basic understanding of radiation. The types of radiation that our devices emit, and then the actual level of risk that that might pose. I'll break it down for you right after this break. Okay, Violet, the question is about whether or not Bluetooth technology, especially when it comes to the headphones your son uses, poses any particular health risks like cancer. So, first of all, Bluetooth technology does emit a type of radiation, that is true. But it's important to know that there are two types of radiation: ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation. So, ionizing radiation means that it can ionize things. It's a high energy form of radiation that can alter or damage DNA when there is too much exposure. And when your DNA is damaged, that's what can increase your risk of cancer. Now, if you've had an X-ray or a CT scan in the past, then you have been exposed to small levels of ionizing radiation. But don't worry, it's not enough to cause cancer. The other type of radiation is non-ionizing. This is a much lower energy form and is generally considered harmless to humans. We are always exposed to non-ionizing radiation. You'll be exposed to it just by living on planet Earth. And there are radio waves that essentially run our world. Wi-Fi, TV signals, microwaves, even our remote controls, they all emit non-ionizing radiation. And yes, Violet, so do Bluetooth headphones. Now I was curious about this, so we decided to check in with the FDA, and they specifically looked into non-ionizing radiation for headphones and not found any link to health problems from the radio waves that these devices give off. In other words, the best available scientific evidence suggests that cell phones, headphones, they're not causing cancer. And that's important because cell phones are probably one of the biggest sources of exposure for most people, and Bluetooth headphones like AirPods do emit radio waves that are 10 to 400 times less powerful than our phones. Even though all these wireless devices do meet government standards for radiation exposure, I can fully understand why people still may want to limit how much they're exposed to. After all, we did not grow up with these types of devices. For our kids, it's all they've ever known. So here, Violet, are a few practical tips. If you're on the phone, try using the speakerphone function or a wired headset instead of holding the phone up to your ear, or even using Bluetooth devices. And when you can, take your phone out of your pocket, increase the distance even a little bit. And I'll end with this. Even though, again, AirPods don't pose much of a cancer risk, spending too much time on technology can affect a young person's mental health. So you gotta encourage some technology free time as well. Hope that helps. After the break, we're going to talk about another topic that a lot of you have had questions about, protein shakes. That's right after the break. All right, we're back. Jesse, what's next?

All right, Deb in North Carolina has a great one about nutrition that I think a lot of people are gonna relate to. Check this one out.

I have a question about the protein drinks that people are using to replace real protein. Are they healthy or could they be a shortcut to bad nutrition?

'Alright, Deb, I'm so glad you asked this because protein shakes, protein bars, protein snacks, they are everywhere. Seems like everyone is trying to increase the amount of protein they're getting into their body. So let's talk about the drinks, powders, shakes, because there's been a lot of research lately suggesting that many of them may have high levels of heavy metals, including lead. In October, consumer reports tested 23 protein powders and shakes and found more than two-thirds contain more lead than is considered safe to consume. Now, experts say that the lead levels are not high enough to pose an immediate danger. The concerns seem to be more about the long-term health impacts. Now you may be wondering immediately, how do metals like lead get into protein drinks? Well, it's because many of these protein drinks are plant-based, and that sounds healthy. When you extract protein from plants, that is a highly mechanized process. In other words, these drinks are by definition ultra processed, and every step along that process can increase the risk of contamination. Now, one thing I really love about your question, Deb, is you ask if these drinks are essentially a shortcut to bad nutrition. I think that's a fair way of looking at it, not just for protein drinks and snacks, but for ultra-processed foods in general. I know people are well-intentioned in pursuit of good health when they drink protein drinks that are trying to increase the amount of protein they get in their bodies, but if it's ultra-processed, you may be sabotaging yourself unwittingly. It's something I talked about on an earlier episode of the podcast with epidemiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Tim Spector. I remember really being struck by this idea that the real battleground for healthy eating isn't just the obviously bad junk food, it's the snacks that market themselves as healthy.

It's not fighting Coca Cola or Pepsi. It's fighting the the healthier versions of them, the diet drinks, it's the low fat foods, it's the high protein snacks that have brilliant marketing behind them, brilliant food chemists making them taste delicious, and distorting that original view that people know that fruit and vegetables are good, ultra processed food is bad. And they think, okay, I'm getting this high protein snack bar. It says it's low in fat. Oh, I've heard that's good. It's high in protein. I've heard that's even better. I'm gonna buy it. And the fact that it's packed with 20 chemicals they don't want, it's gonna mess up their gut. They don't know that. Never before in history have people been attacked on all sides to distort what they know is true and and and twist it so that the companies will use that information. Oh, this snack bar contains real fruit, right? So oh. I remember fruit is good for me. That's right. One of the top three reasons people buy junk food is 'cause they they see a little signal in there to say, Oh, I'm gonna buy that.

'That's quite something, right? Let me end with this. Most Americans already get more than enough protein through their regular diet. Even athletes usually meet their needs without supplements. Some people may need to use protein shakes or other nutrition drinks to fill a gap. Most just need to stick to some simple advice. Focus on a well-balanced diet. Eat whole foods, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and get lean sources of protein, like fish, eggs, beans, or nuts. Look, I really believe that most of us know what to do. Sometimes we just need a reminder to stick to the basics. I hope that helps. Thanks everyone for sending in those questions. Keep them coming. If you have one, send it our way. Don't keep it to yourself. Record a voice memo, email it to AskSanjay@CNN.com, or give us a call 470-396-0832 and leave a message. Thanks so much for listening.