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Lifestyles

HINTS FROM HELOISE: Touch base with loved ones daily

DEAR HELOISE: I read a letter about keeping track of elderly people who live alone and their pets. A friend of my mother’s was left three days after having a stroke before someone found her. After this, I began calling my mother daily at 8 a.m. She’d answer and say, “I don’t know anything,” and I’d say, “I don’t know anything.” Then, an hour later, we’d hang up after chatting. I miss these calls. Now I’m the one living alone, and I text my son daily that I’m OK. I also keep a bowl full of dry cat food for my Katie, just in case something happens. —Linda H., ...

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Access to records shouldn’t be difficult

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’ve decided that it’s time for me to find a new primary care doctor. My biggest concern is access to my medical records. I currently have access to a patient portal to request doctor appointments or prescription renewals and review test results. Since the healthcare providers in my area use different portals, I need to know if I’ll have access to my past records. More importantly, will my new physician have access to my CAT scans, doctor’s notes, and other information that I’m not privy to through the patient portal? In the past, I know I could request that ...

Bridge by Steve Becker

It may at times seem amazing how some declarers are able to figure out what to do when they are faced with a difficult decision. While many might attribute this to a mystical quality known as “table feel,” in reality it is simply the ability to place the cards from clues gleaned during the ...

All about alpha-gal syndrome

WASHINGTON — It’s common knowledge that ticks can spread infections that cause serious illnesses, including Lyme disease. Now health officials are trying to raise awareness of a lesser-known problem: a life-threatening allergy to meat triggered by tick bites. The problem, known as ...

FDA panel backs first-of-its-kind flu vaccine using mRNA technology

WASHINGTON — A new kind of flu vaccine moved a step closer to the U.S. market Thursday as federal health advisers recommended approval of the first made with the same mRNA technology that was key to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. The Food and Drug Administration is evaluating Moderna’s new shot, dubbed mFlusiva, for older Americans ahead of the winter flu season. Moderna is seeking full approval for the vaccine’s use in people ages 50 to 64 — along with authorization for use in those 65 and older while it conducts additional testing. The FDA’s independent advisory committee ...