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Does aspirin help prevent sunburn?

Lifestyles

Q. During World War II in the Pacific, British and Australian medics were told to give soldiers aspirin as a substitute for quinine. They quickly learned that the problem of bad sunburns dropped noticeably. I thought you’d find this history interesting. A. There is indeed evidence that aspirin can help protect the skin from ultraviolet damage. It is quite a bit more recent than WWII (Journal of Investigative Dermatology, January 2023). Aspirin may help guard against sunburn, but dermatologists still warn people to use effective sunscreen or protective clothing as well. Chronic sun ...

Let’s take another look at mayapples

Lifestyles

In another article on ephemerals, I mentioned mayapples as spring flowers. I needed to get some for a forest area in my yard, so I began to research. Mayapples, Podophyllum peltatum, grow as colonies in shady forests. They come up in early spring and bloom between April and May. Everyone ...

Often overlooked gardening tool

Lifestyles

How is your soil? Is your garden ready for the growing season? Does the soil contain the nutrients needed for healthy plant growth? Is it rich in organic matter? These are important questions that can only be answered by obtaining a soil test from a reliable laboratory. Soil testing ...

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Weight-loss drugs can help heavy drinkers

Lifestyles

DEAR DR ROACH: My brother-in-law is a lovely man, but for years, he’s suffered from obesity. He also gambles and drinks alcohol too much. I hesitate to get too involved, but I recently read that the new weight-loss drugs based on GLP-1 agonists are also helpful in reducing alcohol and gambling addictions. This sounds too good to be true. Is it? — D.N.A. ANSWER: The evidence is very strong that GLP-1 agonists like tirzepatide (Zepbound) and semaglutide (Wegovy) help people lose weight. About 80% to 90% of people will experience a weight loss of more than 5% of their initial body ...

Valley Grows Calendar

Lifestyles

Here are upcoming gardening events through the Ohio State University Extension Office. For more information and a complete list, contact: • OSU Mahoning County Extension Office, 490 S. Broad St., Canfield. 330-533-5538. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. • OSU Trumbull County Extension Office, 520 W. Main St. Suite 1, Cortland. 330-638-6783. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Plant and Pest Clinic You can submit your questions by calling the Mahoning County office at 330-533-5538 or emailing us at ...