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Lifestyles

FDA approvess first-of-its-kind pill to help cut cholesterol

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a first-of-its-kind pill that can drastically reduce cholesterol in a way that's previously only been available with expensive, injectable drugs. The drug from Merck was OK'd on Thursday for patients with artery-clogging cholesterol that persists even after taking statins, the standard medications for cutting heart attack risk. Merck will market its pill under the brand name Lipfendra. It's the first noninjectable medication that works by blocking a liver protein called PCSK9. That protein limits the body's ability to clear ...

Get stove that shuts itself off

DEAR HELOISE: I read the hint from your reader, Jim, about leaving stovetop knobs slightly off the vertical line to remind him to turn them off. If anyone’s in the market for a new stovetop, may I recommend induction stovetops? Not only can you boil a cup of water in 60 seconds, but if you remove a pan from the burner, it’ll automatically turn off if it doesn’t detect the pan again. — Emily M., in Kingwood, Texas DEAR HELOISE: This is in response to the 85-year-old individual who kept a magnifying glass in her kitchen for troublesome labels that are difficult to read. I ...

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 ...