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TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Treating chronic kidney disease

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your column every day. I haven’t seen any information on chronic kidney disease (CKD). There are many articles on the internet about this subject, telling us how to combat it with easy, at-home remedies. Most articles discuss how to cleanse your nephron filters with things such as pumpkin seed oil, cinnamon, etc. I’m a borderline Type 2 diabetic, and I take Jardiance. My last eGFR was 52. My last creatinine level was 1.39 mg/dL. Could you possibly provide me with some useful information on this subject? Is there a simpler way to combat CKD? There are millions ...

Dear Annie: A season of distance, not goodbye, from daughter

DEAR ANNIE: I am an 86-year-old mother of three children, a grandmother of six and great-grandmother of eight. We have always had a great relationship with our children. Our youngest daughter, who has always been close to us, went through a stressful divorce. Her husband had an affair, and she divorced him. She always came home every few months, or we went to see her. In the past few years, she has only come home twice a year, only for a day or so at a time. I am no longer driving, so going to visit her is not an option. She calls almost every day. She says there is nothing wrong. But ...

Hints from Heloise: Hints from Heloise

DEAR HELOISE: Here’s a hint about maintaining clothes’ absorbency. Perhaps I had previously learned this from you, but it’s worth repeating as long as we’re on the subject. Softeners decrease clothes’ absorbency, so dry them without any softener. — John S., in Newbury Park, California DEAR HELOISE: To open plastic bags at the grocery store, I lick the inside of my wrist (much cleaner than my fingers) and touch this spot to dampen the fingers on my other hand. — Joanne M., in Rancho Mission Viejo, California DEAR HELOISE: I just read about someone who was stressed ...

To Your Good Health: Parasite detoxing usually not necessary

DEAR DR. ROACH: After learning that my brother drank a recommended solution to detox his body of worms, I did a little research. Sources claim that parasitic infections are found in many unsuspecting people. They claim that 300,000 people have Chagas disease per year, and cysticercosis causes the hospitalization of 1,000 people per year. About 14% of the population has been exposed to toxocariasis, and 60 million people are chronically infected with toxoplasmosis on a yearly basis. How accurate are these statistics, and should I detox my body system? — M.C. ANSWER: These numbers ...