Hello, dear readers! Welcome to our monthly letters column. With long days, warm nights and plenty of outdoor living, it’s time for our annual summertime reminders. Please protect yourselves from the sun, take precautions against ticks and mosquitoes, always watch children playing in water, and never underestimate the physical threats of a heat wave.
President Donald Trump met with reporters in Scotland recently to tout his new trade deal with the European Union. Accompanied by United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump held court for more than an hour taking questions on trade, China, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and more.
Dear Doctors: I am a vegan, and after a meal, I have uncomfortable and smelly intestinal gas. It has only ever eased when I took an antibiotic and after colonoscopy prep. I assume that’s because these killed my gut bacteria. Is there a fast way to reset the gut? Is this problem a health risk?
DEAR HARRIETTE: Since I was young, I’ve found that I’ve always had strange anxiety-induced habits – pulling at the edges of my hair, sucking my thumb, picking at scabs, etc. Over time, I’d find a solution, or I’d just sort of grow out of it. At present, I scratch the insides of my palms when I’m nervous, stressed or frustrated. I think I may do it at other times, but I haven’t pinpointed all of the triggers. Lately, it’s been out of control. I haven’t been able to resolve this one, but I’m so ready to leave it behind. How do I find a lifetime solution for all these behavioral tics? – Old Habits Die Hard DEAR OLD HABITS DIE HARD: I feel your pain. When I was young, I used to suck my thumb; I couldn’t stop myself.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend and I were watching a reality show where contestants try to find love. At one point, we got into a friendly debate about whether one of the couples on the show was genuinely in love. She was convinced that they were, while I had my doubts and said I didn’t think their connection seemed all that real. What started as a lighthearted conversation suddenly took a turn when she looked at me and said, “That’s just because you don’t know what love is.” Her words hit me like a punch to the gut.
• Many kitchen sinks have a garbage disposal, and it’s a convenient way to quickly and efficiently dispose of food waste when composting isn’t an option. But there are a few organic waste items you should avoid putting down the disposal. Pasta and rice are starchy foods that can expand in your pipes and create clogs. Stringy vegetables like asparagus, corn husks and celery can wrap around the disposal’s blades.
Dear Doctors: I am 68 years old, and I am going to need a hip replacement.
Andrew Cuomo, candidate for mayor of New York City, meet John Carney, mayor of Wilmington, Delaware.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I find myself in some kind of an adversarial situation with my partner of 11 years almost every day. I say left, and he says right. I have an idea, and he shuts it down. It almost doesn’t matter what we are talking about; if I say something, he looks at me with disgust on his face and shoots down whatever words come out of my mouth without even considering what I have said. I hate this and find it intolerable. I have pointed out this behavior to him, and he brushes it off, saying I am too sensitive. I don’t believe that is true, but even if it is, so what? I am his partner. If I am sensitive, shouldn’t he understand that and act accordingly? The way I am is not new. This attitude he has is new and extremely unbecoming. How can I get him to lighten up and be kind – or at least show me some basic respect? – Stop Belittling Me DEAR STOP BELITTLING ME: Is anything different going on in your partner’s world? Has his employment changed? What about his financial circumstances? His health? Family dynamics? Perhaps something external is impacting his psyche, which, in turn, is impacting you. Ask him what’s going on and see if you can get him to open up.
DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my close friends has recently started gaining a lot of attention on social media, especially on TikTok. She’s gotten popular almost overnight, and ever since then, things have changed between us. She used to be someone I could talk to every day; we’d text, call, hang out and just be there for each other. Now, she barely responds to my texts and completely ignores my calls. I’ve tried to be supportive of her success – including engaging with her content – but it feels like I’ve been pushed aside now that she’s getting more attention online. I can’t help but feel like she thinks she’s better than me, like I’m not worth her time because I’m not an influencer.