Creative shoe lacing helps ease foot pain
Q: I just bought my third pair of gym shoes, and none of them seem to be comfortable. Could I be tying them wrong? A: Today’s mass-produced shoes often don’t accommodate the quirks of individual feet, which may be wide or narrow, or have arches that are high or low. Retying your shoes can make adjustments for those differences, and in some cases, ease your pain. Foot pain might ... READ MORE
How to know if you have food sensitivities
Food intolerances are on the rise. Today more than nine million adults suffer from food allergies. The Internet is rife with ads for “food sensitivity” testing kits, and some healthcare providers offer quick testing to find the foods that ail you. However, many tests can give false results, which may do more harm than good. Food sensitivities defined There is no commonly accepted... READ MORE
Can brain games lower dementia risk?
Dear Mayo Clinic: Do puzzles and other activities or apps that claim to lower one’s risk of developing dementia actually work? Are there other things people can do to decrease the risk? Answer: Doing activities that stimulate your brain may reduce your risk of developing dementia. But it’s more complex than taking up puzzles or computer games at age 65. Research suggests that the ... READ MORE
How to safely buy medications online
Protect yourself and your family by using caution when buying medicine online. There are many pharmacy websites that operate legally and offer convenience, privacy, and safeguards for purchasing medicines. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that there are many rogue online pharmacies that claim to sell prescription medicines at deeply discounted prices, often without... READ MORE
How to avoid paying too much for drugs
“Do you have prescription insurance?” It’s one of the first questions consumers hear at the pharmacy counter, and many hand over their insurance cards in the hopes of getting a good price. But sometimes using insurance can actually cost you more — and even prevent the pharmacist from saying so. That’s because of so-called gag rules, which bar pharmacists from telling... READ MORE
Lower blood pressure may prevent dementia
Lowering blood pressure more than usually recommended not only helps prevent heart problems, it also cuts the risk of mental decline that often leads to Alzheimer’s disease, a major study finds. It’s the first time a single step has been clearly shown to help prevent a dreaded condition that has had people trying crossword puzzles, diet supplements, and a host of other things in hope ... READ MORE
Diet, exercise can keep your heart healthy
Q: My family doctor told me that I was at an increased risk of having a heart attack because I have a family history of heart disease. What can I do to reduce my risk? A: There are many lifestyle changes that can be made to help reduce your risk of heart disease. Diet and exercise will be your mainstays. You want to include plenty of fruits and vegetables, grains, and the healthy fats ... READ MORE
Issues with daughters over marriages
Dear Solutions: My daughter is getting married this summer, and although I’m thrilled at this news, I’m also very, very angry. My husband, her father, left me after 35 years of marriage, and is now living with the woman with whom he had the affair that broke up our marriage. Now my daughter is very upset because her father told her he won’t come unless that woman is part of the... READ MORE
Flavorful, warm roasted peach dessert
It might seem impossible to improve on a perfect peach, but we decided to try. We wanted a simple, warm dessert that amplified the peaches’ flavor. To achieve tender, flavorful peaches with a lightly sweet glaze, we began by tossing peeled and halved peaches with a little sugar, salt, and lemon juice to season the fruit and extract some juice. To help the peaches heat through and... READ MORE
Common weight-loss mistakes to avoid
From juice cleanses to super-early workouts, some common “good for you” fitness practices might actually be making it more difficult for you to get in shape. Here is a review of what not to do: Committing only to cardio. Despite what you may have heard, running or spinning shouldn’t be your only workouts — strength training is vital to fitness, too. After all, the more muscle... READ MORE