Dear Doctors: I would like to know why it is that so many medications have side effects. Is it the medications themselves, or is it the additives that are used in making them? Also, why do some people have severe side effects and others don’t have any at all?
Afew days ago, there was a report that the Harris campaign is in trouble and the Trump campaign is “extremely bullish” on former President Donald Trump’s chances to win the presidency.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My partner and I have different political views, and with the election coming up, we’ve been clashing more often. I’m a strong supporter of Kamala Harris and her policies, while my partner has a different perspective. We’ve always respected each other’s opinions, but lately, our discussions have turned into heated arguments. I genuinely don’t want our relationship to be affected by politics, but I also feel that these important conversations shouldn’t be avoided. How should I approach this? Any advice would be great. – Political Disagreements DEAR POLITICAL DISAGREEMENTS: This political season is heated for anyone who cares to participate in it – and that is good. In America, we have the right to discuss and debate our views. That should also be true in your relationship. You may want to talk about how and when you two can discuss your differing views, establishing boundaries around such volatile topics. But it is important to know what each of you believes is important, what your values are and what you are willing to accept from your partner. Plenty of couples fall on different sides of the political fence and are able to have healthy bonds, but that is not always true. You should explore your beliefs and figure out if you are politically compatible – along with the other areas where you mesh.
• With nearly 10 million cut flowers sold every day, knowing where flowers are grown for your bouquets and arrangements is important. Most flowers come from faraway places like Africa, South America and Europe, where fields of colorful blooms are grown in monocultures that are far from eco-friendly. A new directory called Slow Flowers has more than 850 farmer and florist members who use domestically grown “farm to vase” materials. Learn more at slowflowers.com.
Two things can be true at once. Here are two things that are true about this year’s presidential race: One, Donald Trump is the most fundamentally unfit presidential candidate ever nominated by a major party. He’s a congenital liar, a dangerous demagogue, a convicted felon who has long shown contempt for the Constitution and has increasingly shown symptoms of psychological instability. Worse even than all that, he was the only sitting president in U.S. history to attempt to illegally, violently retain power after losing an election. For the good of the country — and virtually regardless of the electoral alternative — America must not return Trump to office.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m the mother of a 16-year-old daughter who loves shopping and frequently goes out with her friends to the mall, the movies and various other places. Up until now, I’ve always paid for her extra experiences – whether that’s her shopping sprees, lunches or outings with her friends. Financially, I can afford all of these things without issue, so it hasn’t been a problem to cover her extra spending. However, I’ve recently been thinking that maybe it’s time for her to get a part-time job and start learning to budget her own money for her personal spending. I want her to understand the value of hard work and how to manage her finances responsibly before she goes off to college or becomes more independent.
Dear Doctors: I had such bad abdominal pain that my husband took me to the ER. I was told I was passing a kidney stone. It took two days, and it was excruciating. What are kidney stones? Is there anything I can do to keep this from happening again?
There are three words that should guide any interpretation of the 2024 election: Mind the gap.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My younger brother, who is only 12, recently came out as gay, and while I fully support him, my parents are struggling to accept it. They keep insisting it’s just a phase, and it’s heartbreaking to watch.
The men who have been making the terrible noise are still at it. The construction on our building began in the early spring, before my husband, Peter, and I returned from Mexico. When we arrived, scaffolding had been set up all around the building and blue plastic had been taped over our windows to protect them from flying debris. Our balcony was unusable, and the driveway was blocked off, filled with piles of bricks.