The Saturday Evening Post articles from September 2006

The Saturday Evening Post archives from September 2006

Lethal trinkets.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Your letter to the editor in your Medical Mailbox column about Dritz weights was certainly a timely warning. We just read of a boy in Minnesota who died from swallowing a small piece of a lead bracelet. That bracelet is being recalled, and we...

Prostate follow-up.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... In the July/August 2006 issue was an article on prostate cancer. There was no mention of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). I had this surgery on August 30, 2002, at the age of 81 and spent two nights at the hospital. At...

For whom does God provide?(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I was reading issue May/June 2006, page 84. "How come... ?" by Rose Madeline Mula. The line "And if God provides, how come He helps only those who help themselves?" really bothered me. I wish people would print the truth once in a while....

Good read.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I have to say I was very pleased in opening up the first copy of my subscription to the Post. I was familiar with the fact that the magazine has been around for several years; however, I never really looked through one until now! I am very...

Inside story.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I was the subject of a story in your magazine during WWII. The many historians labeled it one of the best articles covering that conflict. The author was Sidney Shallet and the title of the article is "We Asked for the Jap Fleet--and Got...

Uncrossing the eye.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... This is actually a comment for Dr. SerVaas and her Medical Mailbox, which is excellent. There was a letter in the May/June 2006 issue about "Crossed Eye," which happened to me this past year. My ophthalmologist gave me a clip-on patch to wear...

Product placement.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... In your May/June issue on page 20 there is an article on "Tomato Extract...." It mentions LycoMato, 250 mg capsule. I can only find capsules of up to 15 rag. Is the dosage mentioned a mistake? Al Hood Lake Placid, New York ...

Focus on macular degeneration.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I appreciate your articles and references to macular degeneration. There is, however a matter of concern. Most people with macular degeneration never go completely blind unless complications such as inoperable cataracts take all peripheral...

Supergrain search.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... In the May/June 2006 issue, on page 8, Jean Rose writes about Salba grain and the good results she has controlling her blood sugar with it. She mentioned "The Return of a Super Grain" in the November/December issue of The Saturday Evening Post,...

Donation decision.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... The article on organ donation (p. 32, Mar./Apr. '06) caught my attention, since my family just this past year has been through the adventure of transplantation of the kidney-pancreas. It appears, at first, to be a good idea, the harnessing...

More variety?(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I have always liked the Post. We still enjoy it somewhat, but not like the old Post where there were fictional stories. Nowadays the Post seems to be 90 percent health articles; we might as well subscribe to Prevention magazine. How about a...

Michael Milken.(Post People)
September 1, 2006... "I was highly motivated to change my diet because I believed it could mean the difference between life and death," wrote Michael Milken in The Taste for Living Cookbook. In 1993 when diagnosed with advanced cancer that had spread to his lymph...

Age hasn't slowed Art Linkletter.(Post People)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Age hasn't slowed Art Linkletter. At 94, the celebrity, businessman, and author delivers some 50 lectures a year on subjects ranging from drug abuse to positive thinking and gerontology. Linkletter is national chairman for the United Seniors...

Julie Andrews Edwards will forever be linked with her roles in Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music.(Post People)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Julie Andrews Edwards will forever be linked with her roles in Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. But for decades, the mother of five also has been writing children's books, most recently collaborating with her daughter Emma on the Julie...

Controlling systolic BP.(HEART HEALTH: ASK DR. ZIPES: A noted cardiologist answers your questions.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Reader: My problem is that there does not seem to be a drug that reduces high systolic blood pressure. My diastolic BP is normal, so most medications on the market reduced diastolic too much. I have tried beta blockers and one alpha blocker, to...

Blockage requires evaluation.(HEART HEALTH: ASK DR. ZIPES: A noted cardiologist answers your questions.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Reader: I am a white female, aged 60. In 2002 my heart went into atrial fibrillation (A-fib) in the recovery room after a two-hour procedure for an acute sinus infection and deviated septum. Despite several attempts of cardioversion and two...

More tests for chest pain.(HEART HEALTH: ASK DR. ZIPES: A noted cardiologist answers your questions.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Reader: I read an article regarding angiograms in the May/June issue of the SatEvePost. I had an angioplasty five years ago and was fine. About a year ago, while walking, I was getting chest tightness while attempting my exercise program....

Marriage--the best exercise: The wife walks a fine line between keeping her husband in shape and killing him outright.
September 1, 2006... One good thing about joining plights in the trough of holy wedlock, or however that goes: it saves the cost of joining a health club. As a normal married man--if there is such a thing--I have found that marriage provides about all the exercise...

The wit and wisdom of Benjamin Franklin: his enduring wisdom leads us to a higher appreciation of his genius.(Poor Richard Speaks)
September 1, 2006... The Proud hate Pride--in others. The busy man has few idle Visitors; to the boiling Pot the Flies come not. Calamity and Prosperity are the Touch-stones of Integrity. 'Tis more noble to forgive, and more manly to despise, than to...

Speak up for urinary health.(Women's Wellness)
September 1, 2006... For nearly 13 million women of all ages, urinary incontinence is an embarrassing problem that can limit one's lifestyle and affect relationships. Unfortunately, nearly 80 percent fail to seek treatment--and those who do consult their...

Healthy women, healthy babies.(Women's Wellness)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... For more than two decades, the Post has been urging all women of childbearing age to take daily folic acid supplements to avoid birth defects in their babies' spine and brains. Spina bifida (incomplete closure of the spinal cord) and...

Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survial.(Book review)
September 1, 2006... Dispatches from the Edge by Anderson Cooper, 212 pages, HarperCollins, $24.95 In the emotionally detached world of television news, there is little room for sentiment. But in his first book, Dispatches from the Edge, popular CNN anchor...

Full Swing: Hits, Runs and Errors in a Writer's Life.(Book review)
September 1, 2006... Full Swing: Hits, Runs and Errors in a Writer's Life by Ira Berkow, 289 pages, St. Martin's Griffin, $26.00 As a naive young journalist working for the Newspaper Enterprise Association, Ira Berkow once asked if he might spar with...

What dogs could teach us.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... * When loved ones come home. always run to greet them. * Never pass up the opportunity to go for a ride. * When it's in your best interest, practice obedience. * Let others know when they have invaded your territory. * Take...

Eating light--Mediterranean: the results are in! Go Mediterranean to prevent heart disease.(HEARTBEAT: Healthy Heart Report)
September 1, 2006... For years, experts have touted the health benefits of following a Mediterranean-style diet. Rich in healthy fats from olive oil or nuts, fresh vegetables, fruits, and low-fat poultry or fish, the diet continues to demonstrate health benefits in...

No money, no problems: many of our problems seem to stem from the fact that we're just so darn rich.(SPEAKING OUT)
September 1, 2006... Everyone is looking for a solution to illegal immigration. Big Labor fears immigrants will take away jobs from union workers. Big Environmentalism fears immigrants as they grow wealthier will increase their fossil fuel use, heating the...

You can't be in love every day: like the sun, marriage is different every day, which is what makes it exciting.
September 1, 2006... What's it like, you ask, being married to the same person for over 30 years? How do you do it? Well, it's like this. You know every word of his body language, can identify every freckle that dances across his shoulders when he walks...

New look at blood pressure.(FOCUS ON HYPERTENSION: What You Should Know About High Blood Pressure)
September 1, 2006... Emerging technology that noninvasively measures blood pressure at the level of the heart--rather than in the arm--may help doctors better predict an individual's risk of heart attack and stroke and evaluate the effectiveness of ongoing...

Prostate cancer: what every man needs to know: for men and the women who love them, knowing the facts on prostate cancer screening and prevention can save lives. An interview with Dr. Patrick Walsh.(Interview)
September 1, 2006... Prostate cancer. These are two words that no man wants to hear. Even though the disease is the most common cancer diagnosed among American men, the diagnosis sends a chill of fear and despair through even the strongest. The good news is...

Post editors' picks ...
September 1, 2006... Post readers are invited to send in nominations for the funniest greeting card, funniest print advertisement, and the funniest magazine cover. Make us laugh, and you could receive $200. Winners in the greeting card category NUN, NUN,...

Mike Wallace: speaking out on depression: the veteran CBS newsman helps to break the stigma surrounding a treatable disease.
September 1, 2006... Tough, hard-hitting, and respected, news correspondent Mike Wallace has made his living tackling complex problems. For years, the popular 60 Minutes anchor confronted corruption and fraud, interviewed the famous and infamous, and survived the...

America gets over its gas pains: long taboo, flatulence is being discussed everywhere these days.
September 1, 2006... Let 'er rip, America; flatulence is exploding. It's in new medical books for millions of people with the problem. It's the not-so-silent theme of a popular series of children's books and a plush toy called "Walter the Farting Dog."...

Don't know much about genealogy? In an excerpt from the bestseller You: The Smart Patient, you can learn how to become a medical sleuth, tracing your medical family tree to help you get the best healthcare possible.
September 1, 2006... The Smart Patient Family Tree is designed to bring joy (and longevity) to your life. You'll notice that the tree reaches only to your grandparents, not back to your Viking ancestors like some other family trees you may have seen. Why? Of course...

Homeschoolers: into the mainstream: excelling in and out of the home, homeschooled kids are thriving across the country. Students demonstrating exceptional academic honors are capturing the top slots at national competitions.
September 1, 2006... It wasn't so long ago that homeschoolers like Johanna Schilling, Jonathan Gainer and Eli Owens were oddballs in the education landscape. Not anymore. You name the contest--National Spelling Bee, National Geographic Bee, National Merit...

Rosy cheeks and rainbows: the art of Ellen Pyle: her soft, vibrant hues brightened Post covers of the 1920s and '30s.(Ellen Bernard Thompson Pyle )(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... "All the gestures of children are graceful," the artist Sir Joshua Reynolds once said--one reason, perhaps, that children make good subjects for magazine covers. In her first Post cover proposal, illustrator Ellen Bernard Thompson Pyle...

Order in the court: sometimes fearsome, often funny, always fair, Judge Judy rules with an iron gavel.(Judy Sheindlin )(Interview)
September 1, 2006... Judith Sheindlin jokes that as one of a handful of women in her 1965 New York Law School class, she felt "as welcome as a skunk at a lawn party." The mindset back then was that a female student shouldn't take the seat of a male student who...

When bugs bite.(first aid)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... A bee or wasp sting anywhere in the mouth warrants quick medical attention because sudden swelling may block airways. For common stings and bites on arms and legs: * Remove the stinger. Use a firm object like a credit card to sweep across...

At-home skin care.(Aquaphor, Johnson and Johnson First Aid, Vaseline)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Who knew? An inexpensive jar of Vaseline is a good moisturizer for elbows, lips, and feet. Dr. Oliver Zong, director of surgery at NYC FootCare advises, "First purchase a foot file. Soak your feet in warm, soapy water and then use the file on...

Back in the swing.(shoulder surgery replacement)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Advances in shoulder surgery may restore arm movement and relieve pain in people with arthritis and irreparable rotator cuff tears. The innovative approach, called reverse total shoulder replacement, utilizes the triangular deltoid muscle...

Blueberry-Apple Muffins.(Recipe)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Blueberry-Apple Muffins Add fiber and antioxidants to your diet with this delicious muffin recipe. Each muffin contains 4.9 grams of fiber. Dry Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour 3/4 cup toasted wheat germ 1 cup...

Open an AED, save a life.(automatic external defibrillator)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Armed with an AED, quick-acting church ushers, neighbors, and family members may be the best defense against sudden cardiac death. Portable defibrillators automatically provide instructions to the user and analyze the victim's heart rhythm to...

Choose your lifesaver.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... When selecting the best defibrillator for your home or NHW program, take time to review three or more models. AED manufacturers such as Medtronic, Philips, Zoll, HeartSine. Laerdal, and WelchAllyn offer comprehensive websites for convenient...

AED maintenance checklist.(automatic external defibrillator)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Routine AED checkups are a key component of all NHW programs. This checklist from the American Heart Association can help. Specific maintenance procedures and schedules are outlined in user's manuals provided by the manufacturers. AED...

AEDs: a review of the research.(automatic external defibrillator )(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Critical care experts agree that key advances in AED technology will significantly improve cardiac arrest survival rates and save healthcare dollars. Researchers credit AEDs equipped with automated prompts to improve performance and new ways to...

Water world: researchers have found that the private sector is better than government entities at providing a better quality of water.
September 1, 2006... In the time it takes you to read this paragraph, at least one child will die from an easily preventable disease. Two million a year, 5,500 a day, some four a minute (or one every 15 seconds) are killed by diarrhea, something which the...

Where in the world?
September 1, 2006... The "Wright" stuff, some stonework, the sea and the sand: everyone feels better when things go as planned. The answers are on page 105. 1. This "Wright Flyer" is a one-to-one replica of the machine that made the first successful sustained...

Diabetes update.
September 1, 2006... Armed with innovative new treatment tools, experts hope to better address the type 2 diabetes epidemic now facing the nation. And with more than 20 million Americans currently coping with the progressive disease, new options are generating...

Snacks help you snooze.(suggestions from Dr. Michael J. Breus)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Trouble sleeping? Dr. Michael J. Breus, a diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine, prescribes a small sleep-inducing snack approximately one hour before going to bed. The snack should be high in carbohydrates and calcium but medium to...

SoyBlendz.(new fruit smoothies introduced)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... SoyBlendz fruit smoothies (in strawberry/banana, orange citrus, mango/orange, and mixed berry flavors) contain eight grams of heart-healthy whole-soy protein in each 10-ounce bottle. We found them rather sweet, but also delicious and...

Oroweat Whole Grain & Oat bread.(Oroweat Foods Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Oroweat Whole Grain & Oat bread is the first bread product aimed at lowering cholesterol. Comprised of 100 percent whole grains, the bread also contains CoroWise, the plant-sterol product that has been clinically proven to reduce LDL...

Healthy Harvest Pasta.(from Hershey Pasta Group Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Healthy Harvest Pasta, a new Ronzoni line, has gone whole grain, offering a more nutrient-dense and fiber-rich product. Multigrain spaghetti--made from whole wheat, flax, rye, oats, and barley--includes heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. ...

Fiber weighs in.(FOOD IN THE NEWS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Three grams of dietary fiber daily may not seem like a lot, but University of Texas researchers recently found the small amount of fiber was the most significant factor in weight fluctuation when they compared the diets of obese people to the...

Give us the raspberries!(FOOD IN THE NEWS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Blueberries have been in the limelight for their high antioxidant content, but raspberries are close behind. Recent studies show raspberries are a major source of ellagic acid. Ellagitannins are antioxidants that have shown a remarkable ability...

Botts runs for his life: never before had he seen a client so hostile. And all Botts had done was lock him in an empty office.(Alexander Botts)
September 1, 2006... EARTHWORM TRACTOR COMPANY EARTHWORM CITY, ILLINOIS OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT Wednesday, January 10, 1951 MR. ALEXANDER BOTTS SALES MANAGER EARTHWORM TRACTOR COMPANY WALDORF-ASTORIA HOTEL NEW YORK, N.Y. ...

Can you name this picture?
September 1, 2006... ... contest: The Saturday Evening Post will award $100 to the author of the winning limerick for this picture. Your limerick must contain exactly five lines. Send your entry on a postcard. Entries will not be returned. Enter as many times...

Where do you think you are?
September 1, 2006... East, West, North, or South, each of the areas above appears on the map of a single state or province. Can you identify these locations? If you find the game too easy ('out you won't), try to guess this issue's theme. Answer (Theme:...

The perfect squelch.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Howard was a notable example of a sanctimonious hypocrite. He talked incessantly of loving his fellow man and posed as an almost saintly civic figure in public. Privately, he ran a sweatshop business and cheated and swindled to add to the...

You be the judge.(a divorcee husband is not required to support his wife's daughter)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Mrs. Jones, a divorcee, rented an apartment with her alimony but lacked companionship. So she persuaded an adult daughter by a former marriage to move in with her. Immediately Jones objected to paying alimony to support a daughter he never had....

Know your bones.(MEDICAL MAILBOX)
September 1, 2006... Dear Dr. SerVaas, As usual, your letters have helped me to understand the wealth of symptoms (and drugs) that I have had over the past several years and still have. I was especially intrigued by Arvella's experience with Forteo...

Colon cancer.(MEDICAL MAILBOX)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Dear Dr. SerVaas, We would like to know what you think of this situation: My husband had a colonoscopy--one polyp was cancerous but the doctor said that he was sure he got it all. He said sometimes cancer can get into the bloodstream...

Mercury in fillings.(MEDICAL MAILBOX)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Dear Dr. SerVaas, Recently our son had all the old fillings removed from his teeth after someone convinced him that the mercury in those fillings is harmful to our bodies. Since our whole family has similar fillings, we are wondering about...

Taming the "Yeast Beast".(MEDICAL MAILBOX)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Dear Dr. SerVaas, I am a 49-year-old female. I get yeast infections all the time--one after another. I have been to the doctor. I have used the creams and prescription Diflucan. It helps for a few days, then I get another infection. I have...

Ginger tea for health.(MEDICAL MAILBOX)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Dear Dr. SerVaas, I want to yell from the housetops how drinking ginger tea every two to four hours a day: * Got rid of acid reflux. I have been able to stop taking Nexium twice daily. * Evened out my blood sugar (glucose) levels...

Help for burning feet.(MEDICAL MAILBOX)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Dear Dr. SerVaas, I'm writing concerning my husband's feet. They get very hot during the late evening hours, and the problem keeps him up all night. The only relief he gets is putting ice on them, which we have been told is not good. ...

Cymbalta frees her of leg pain.(MEDICAL MAILBOX)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Dear Dr. SerVaas, Recently I came across an article in the SatEvePost, Sept./Oct. 2004, about peripheral neuropathy. I had that condition many years--operations, shoes, nothing helped. Now that I am 80, I have a new internist and he put me...

Sinus problem solutions.(MEDICAL MAILBOX)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Dear Dr. SerVaas, For years I had severe sinus infections that occurred during the start of fall seasons. Being a prostate cancer patient, I experimented with foods and supplements to study their effects on my PSA velocity and my overall...

Dementia from glaucoma eye drops?(MEDICAL MAILBOX)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Dear Dr. SerVaas, My wife has been using Cosopt, Xalatan, and brimonidine to treat glaucoma. Friends have observed that these medications may lead to dementia which, needless to say, is of some concern. We would be most grateful for any...

Fluid intake for glaucoma patients.(MEDICAL MAILBOX)
September 1, 2006... Dear Dr. SerVaas, I recently read a brief article that said glaucoma patients should drink "only a normal amount of fluids" to lower the eye pressure. Is this a valid statement? If so, how much fluid is considered "normal" and would it...

From the pharmacy.(MEDICAL MAILBOX)
September 1, 2006... * Counterfeit Drugs: On occasion, counterfeit drugs enter America's drug supply and are delivered to local pharmacies. While the risk is small, protect yourself from fake drugs by being familiar with the appearance of all your pills. When...

The things we learn with age.(POST SCRIPTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... An elderly woman went to see a new doctor and grew wary and uneasy over someone she didn't know. The doctor started to take down her history before his examination, and when he asked her age, she admonished him. "If you're such a good doctor,...

Fish tales.(POST SCRIPTS)(Poem)
September 1, 2006... Fish Tales The biggest fish. In all creation. Are caught on lines Of conversation.

Seer suckered.(POST SCRIPTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... When Ben sold his business of foretelling the future to Alex, he took his star employee with him. Alex tried to make a go of it for a year, but the business failed. There was no prophet in it.

All in a name.(POST SCRIPTS)(Poem)
September 1, 2006... All in a Name If we can remember so many old jokes With all of the details that mold them, Why can't we recall with comparable skill The people to whom we have told them?

Diet logic.(POST SCRIPTS)
September 1, 2006... Dieting is just a matter of following the path of feast resistance.

The surgeon's question.(POST SCRIPTS)
September 1, 2006... "Dissolving stitch or not, Each ready off the shelf. Which one's best for you?" Said I, "Doc, suture self."

Taxicab confessions.(POST SCRIPTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... A guy in a taxi wanted to speak to the driver, so he leaned forward and tapped him on the shoulder. The driver screamed and yanked the wheel over. The car mounted the curb, demolished a lamppost, and came to a stop inches from a show window....

Owed to Ogden.(POST SCRIPTS)(Poem)
September 1, 2006... Owed to Ogden Ogden Nash wrote balderdash, Like little nursery rhymes. Candy's dandy; liquor's quicker Was one of his best lines. My college professor, under pressure, Said he pitied Ogden Nash. Called him...

The philosophical bent.(POST SCRIPTS)
September 1, 2006... I think (let's see if I get this right), I think; therefore, I don't sleep at night.

Balk talk.(POST SCRIPTS)
September 1, 2006... I say there, amigo, please muzzle your ego. Don't brag about all you achieve. Put it back on the shelf: don't talk of yourself. Your friends will, long after you leave.

Priceless.(POST SCRIPTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... A little boy asked his father, "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?" The father replied, "I don't know, son; I'm still paying." --Unknown