Dear Doctors: Can you please talk about the idea that the order in which you eat your food has an effect on your blood sugar? I have a friend who never eats sweets unless she can also have some vegetables and protein. Does this really matter?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m a 30-year-old woman who’s fallen hard for a man I feel doesn’t truly love me. I’ve been with my partner for five years now, and while I love him dearly, I can’t shake the feeling that he doesn’t appreciate everything I do for us as a couple. I find myself going above and beyond to make our relationship work — from planning special dates to taking care of household chores and everything in between. However, it seems like my efforts often go unnoticed or unacknowledged. He rarely expresses gratitude for the things I do, and it’s starting to take a toll on me emotionally. I’ve tried to communicate my feelings to him, but he either dismisses them or fails to understand why I’m upset. I don’t want to sound needy or demanding, but I long for some recognition and appreciation for the contributions I make to our relationship.
We may not be looking forward to the November election — the polls tell us that — but this is not a country that likes to look back. Yet at this fraught moment, it might be salubrious to look back — back, back, back, as the sportscaster Chris Berman might put it, to the 41st president and to the life lessons he would have taught us as a nation, if only we had listened.
• Did you know root vegetables are among the most sustainable vegetables you should incorporate into your diet? A study by the Journal of Cleaner Production found carrots, potatoes and onions to be among the lowest greenhouse gas-emitting crops of all fruits and vegetables. In addition to the health benefits, root vegetables also last a long time, which makes them less prone to food spoilage and waste.
DEAR HARRIETTE: This week, I invited one of my friends over to my apartment to have dinner. We were having a great time. As the night came to an end and she was walking out, I spotted a ring on her finger that looked familiar. I told her that I have a ring that looks just like that, and I asked if I could see it up close. I had accidentally gotten a black dot of ink on it one time, and sure enough, the ink was on the ring she was wearing. I told her that this is my ring, and she silently took it off and walked out the door. We haven't spoken in a week, and I don't know if I ever want to again.
When Tom Stafford was a young boy growing up in Weatherford, Okla., I’m sure he had no idea the immense impact he eventually would have on space exploration and on the dreams and ambitions of millions of Americans.
ASK THE DOCTORS
DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm feeling so lost and alone. My dog Georgie and I are inseparable, having grown up side by side and having created so many cherished memories together. Lately, he's been really sick, and the vet mentioned that it might be kinder to let him go peacefully to end his suffering. I just can't bring myself to make that heartbreaking choice. The guilt of possibly being selfish by clinging to him is tearing me apart inside. It's a real gutwrencher. — Fur Best Friend DEAR FUR BEST FRIEND: First, I want to acknowledge the pain you are feeling. Pets become part of the family, and you love them just as you would a sibling or child. When they live a long time, like Georgie, it is only natural that you would have grown so close to him that you cannot imagine life without him. And yet, dogs do not live anywhere near as long as people do. So for people with dogs in their lives, learning how to let them go when it is their time is part of being a responsible, kind pet parent.
In June of 1987, Ronald Reagan stood at the barrier dividing East and West Berlin and challenged the leader of the Soviet Union to free the captive nations under his control. 'Mr. Gorbachev,' thundered the American president, 'tear down this wall!'
The fact is, I am spoiled. I never get sick. I've never spent a night in a hospital since I was born (and then, my mother stayed with me). I've never broken a bone. I've never had a major operation. I am absurdly healthy, and I can take no credit for any of this. So, naturally, when I get sick, I am insufferable.