Lifestyles

To Your Good Health: Heart attacks no longer ‘rare’ at 57

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m always saddened when a young person dies of an old person’s calling. I read about an actor dying of a heart attack at age 57. Apparently, he was athletic and in otherwise good health. Why do healthy young people suffer from unexpected heart attacks? — A.C.G. ANSWER: A heart attack is very rare under the age of 30 — in the order of about 2 men per 100,000 per year. But this number continues to increase throughout lifetime. (Women also get heart disease but at a lower rate than men do at any given age. Roughly speaking, a woman’s risk for a heart attack is ...

Friday evening TV

Bridge by Steve Becker

1. Two spades. Generally speaking, the double of one diamond shows at least an opening bid and implies support for the unbid suits. If the double is based on minimum values, the doubler should not bid again after his partner responds at the lowest level in his chosen suit. Thus, if the ...

Dealing with noisy spouse during remote work

DEAR ANNIE: My husband and I both work from home and each have our own offices. The problem is our walls are thin and his voice is LOUD. It travels through walls and doors and can even be heard by colleagues I’m speaking with when we both have meetings at the same time. It honestly sounds like he’s screaming in there. I’ve resorted to noise canceling headphones while doing focus work, but even then I can sometimes hear him. I love him dearly, but I feel like I’m co-working in a sports bar. Is there any hope? — Drowned Out DEAR DROWNED OUT: There are ways to solve your ...

Remove support stockings before tucking in for bed

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m 70 years old, and my whole family is prone to edema, varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis due to venous insufficiency. I’ve been wearing support pantyhose for 45 years whenever I get dressed, and I recently increased the compression. My question is whether it’s OK to wear the support hose all the time, even while I’m sleeping? — P.H. ANSWER: The most common reason to develop edema (swelling) in the legs is venous insufficiency, which is caused by the failure of the valve structures in the veins. Without these valves, blood tends to pool in the ...

Bridge by Steve Becker

Declarer is sometimes so certain he’s spotted the best approach to his contract that he often begins to play without stopping to double-check his plan. It is in such situations that a disciplined player restrains his impulses until he first makes sure he’s really following the right path. For example, take this deal where West led the diamond four against six hearts. South took East’s king with the ace and quickly formulated an endplay. He drew two rounds of trump, then cashed four club tricks, discarding the jack of diamonds. Next, he ruffed dummy’s last diamond and re-entered ...