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Youngstown reader writes to Heloise

DEAR HELOISE: I just read your column that discussed using plastic bags. They shouldn’t end up in a landfill no matter what they contain. Our local grocer recycles plastic bags, so I save the bags and return them. I’m grateful that we have this service. Your readers should check to see if this resource is available in their area. — Donna B., in Youngstown, Ohio DEAR HELOISE: To drop your utility bill, close your closets. Keep the doors shut and unplug as many appliances as you can. If the coffeepot turns itself off, unplug it. You don’t need to heat or air-condition ...

CMV infection in woman causes developmental issues for baby

DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you please inform and educate us, especially pregnant women, about the effects of cytomegalovirus (CMV)? This is the No. 1 reason why children are born deaf to parents that aren’t deaf. My niece was pregnant and evidently caught a bad cold, but it was CMV. She remembers her ears being very stuffy, and she had a hard time hearing. Her doctor noticed that the baby had a smaller head size than normal and calcification in the ventricles of his brain. He had extensive treatments for a number of months. He has problems, including throwing up every time after drinking. ...

Bridge by Steve Becker

1. Win the heart lead with the king, draw all the missing trumps and cash the A-K of spades, hoping to catch the singleton or doubleton queen. If the queen does not fall, lead the ten of diamonds to the ace and return the queen from dummy, planning to discard a spade if South follows low. The overall chance of success with this line of play is about 60%. If you were to stake the outcome strictly on either a finesse in spades or in diamonds, you would have little more than a 50% chance for the grand slam. Note that it is far better to play South for the king of diamonds than North. ...

Does glucosamine for arthritis accelerate dementia?

Q. What can you tell me about the connection between glucosamine and dementia? I have taken glucosamine for a few years and just ran across one of these studies. I am in relatively good health with rheumatoid arthritis well-controlled with Cimzia. I also have osteoarthritis. While I don’t have cognitive deficits now, my mother had vascular dementia probably due to uncontrolled high blood pressure. A few years ago, I started lisinopril to keep my own blood pressure well-controlled and normal. When I heard this news several weeks ago, I stopped taking glucosamine. What is your ...

Dear Annie: Sees her own future in elderly neighbor’s

DEAR ANNIE: I’m 58, never married, no kids, no siblings, no nieces or nephews. A neighbor of mine is very ill and in a nursing home. She has a daughter, but the daughter barely even bothers to visit her, and it breaks my heart. I call my neighbor often to try to lift her spirits. At the same time, I’ve been dealing with some depression myself. I keep thinking about how I will be 70 one day — and who will be there to visit me? I have health problems, but I stay on top of my appointments. I’m terrified I’ll end up like my neighbor, alone in a home with no one around to show ...

Hints from Heloise: Know plants that aren’t pet-safe

DEAR HELOISE: Every year, we see cats and dogs in our clinic who suffer anything from a sore mouth to organ failure because they chewed on a plant — usually an indoor plant. Here’s a list of the worst offenders and most dangerous houseplants for pets: — Anthurium — Begonia — Chinese evergreen — Dracaena (aka dragon tree) — Snake plant — Aloe vera — Sago palm — Dieffenbachia — English ivy — Schefflera — Ficus — Fiddle leaf fig Either place these plants up high, or better yet, don’t grow them in your yard. — Kathy, ...