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HINTS FROM HELOISE: Cleaning spray can harm skin

DEAR HELOISE: I saw the advice to put window-cleaning spray on your hand to get rings off and immediately Googled if this was a good idea. It is not! It can be very drying to the skin. I’d think that using window-cleaning spray regularly could also be damaging to the skin. — Carol B., via email Carol, great catch, and thank you for pointing this out! I don’t imagine that people would use a spray of this kind on their skin very often. If they did, not only would it dry out their skin, it could potentially cloud their rings with chemicals that could damage soft stones (such as ...

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Sharp rise in A1C level is pondered

DEAR DR. ROACH: How could I have an A1C of 5.9% in March, then 8% in July? My diet has been the same. I rarely eat fast food and never drink sodas; I avoid carbs such as sweets and breads whenever possible. Because I was so encouraged by my A1C of 5.9%, I increased my vigorous swimming routine to 2 hours a day. I’m cutting this down to 1 hour on most days, since it didn’t do any good. I do have anemia with hemoglobin and hematocrit at low to low-normal levels, which is always due to AVMs (arteriovenous malformations). I’m 77, and my BMI is over 30. I do need to lose some weight, ...

Dear Annie: Husband weighs in on wife’s weight loss

DEAR ANNIE: My wife, who is 62, has always been insecure about her weight, even though I’ve never once cared or thought she needed to change anything. A few months ago, she decided on her own to start a GLP-1 medication for weight loss, and she’s doing it under a doctor’s supervision. She’s thrilled with the results so far. I’m happy she’s happy, but I can’t shake the feeling that she’s the guinea pig for a drug that’s still fairly new. What if there are long-term side effects nobody’s caught yet? I’ve mentioned this to her once, and she brushed it off. Am I ...

Hints from Heloise: Education starts at home, too

DEAR HELOISE: Education begins at home! I recently encouraged all the parents of teenagers in our rural community to teach the kids three basic hand signals when they’re riding their ATVs or bikes on/near the roadway. Lots of kids ride them in the rural country areas and on the back roads. The feedback from parents was astounding in the fact that the general response was: “They don’t teach this in driver’s education.” Ugh! Children and teenagers do not need to learn everything from teachers. Parents should look it up and teach them the three basic hand signals at home! It’s ...

To Your Good Health: Concerned by mild decrease in kidney function

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a relatively healthy 54-year-old male. My daily medications are 20 mg of lisinopril, 20 mg of atorvastatin, and 145 mg of fenofibrate. I also take a 500-mg dose of naproxen on an as-needed basis for various aches and pains from military-service-related conditions. My naproxen intake varies anywhere from 0-4 doses per week. I exercise regularly and stay hydrated as well. Every six months, I see my primary care physician for a wellness check that includes a blood lipid panel. Over the past few visits, I noticed that my kidney function results indicated a “mild to ...