Lifestyle

Dear Amy: I am the grandmother of two wonderful kids – a 7-year-old girl and 3-yearold boy. My son-in-law has been overly critical of my granddaughter since she was four, and now is starting to treat the younger child the same.

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband has a tumor in the right sinus of his face, and the biopsy results show that it is cancer of the salivary glands (adenoid cystic carcinoma). The oral surgeon says it will continue to grow and cause discomfort, and wants to remove part of his jaw and teeth to do reconstructive work. All this involves several weeks in the hospital and a lot of trauma. He says radiation won’t help. My husband is distrustful and says “surgeons just want to cut.” He wants to study all the options, including chemotherapy. The tumor has “migrated” into the upper roof of his mouth and is causing ear and jaw pain, as well as loosened teeth. – K.N.

Q: I’ve gotten my food habits pretty well under control, but I’m still gaining weight! What could be causing that? – Kayla E., Tucson, Arizona A: That is a great question – because so many people find out that their weight issues develop from a combination of problems, not just overeating or eating the wrong foods. You know, of course, that for longterm weight management, you need to crank up your metabolism and build more calorie- burning muscles by getting plenty of physical activity (300 minutes a week minimum). Plus, muscle and metabolism decrease by 5 percent per decade, so you need to eat less to keep weight constant. But other contributing issues could include: 1. Lack of restful sleep. Too little sleep increases secretion of the “feed me” hormone ghrelin and suppresses the “I’m full” hormone leptin. It’s also linked to elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol and a growth hormone deficiency – both can contribute to obesity. For great sleep improvement info go to https://health.clevelandclinic. org and search for “insomnia.” And ask your doctor for a referral to a sleep clinic or expert.

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Delicious desserts certainly are the cornerstones of the holiday season. This is a time of year to indulge a little more, with cookies in break rooms at places of employment and cakes on the tables at family gatherings.

The holiday season is a great time to make any home a bit more merry and bright. Most individuals let their personalities show through their home decor, and holiday decorating is just as personal as decorating throughout the rest of the year.

Perhaps no day is more synonymous with a certain dish than Thanksgiving is with turkey. As tasty as turkey can be, this flavorful fowl doesn’t find its way onto many families’ dinner tables unless it’s Thanksgiving day.