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Ask Lucy

Ask Lucy Archive

2017 Ask Lucy

Illustration of a bathroom sink with water and question marks coming out of the tap
December 13, 2017
In hot water
Dear Lucy: A certain member of my family uses hot water for everything—rinsing chicken, washing vegetables, and even brushing teeth. I have heard that hot water should not be used for things like this. Can you please clarify? —Cool Cat
illustration of numerous sheep, some asleep, some awake, each labeled with a number
November 29, 2017
Is it morning already?
Dear Lucy: What is the minimum sleep a body needs? I have a problem waking up in the mornings and am trying to figure out how to handle it. —Sleepyhead
Illustration of a bar graph with beer mugs icons at the top of some of the bars
November 15, 2017
Is wasted sleep wasted sleep?
Dear Lucy: I recently bought a Fitbit, which tracks my exercise and my sleep. The sleep tracker gives me a graph for the night before that shows periods of sleep, wakefulness, and restlessness. But I’ve noticed an unexpected pattern: On nights when I’ve consumed alcohol near bedtime, Fitbit shows that I’ve slept deeply and have been less restless or wakeful. On nights when I’ve consumed no alcohol, my sleep appears very restless. On the other hand, I can’t say that I feel significantly better rested on post-alcohol mornings.     Anyway, everything I’ve read says that the concept of “a nightcap to help you sleep” is a flawed concept. But Fitbit seems to disagree. Am I an exception to the rule? What do you think is going on here? —Beery Bedtime
Illustration of a woman dozing off as she sits at a desk
November 1, 2017
Is it… perimenopause?
Dear Lucy: I assume I am in perimenopause. I just got my period after 10 months. Does that mean I am ovulating again? My energy level is very low, so I assume my iron is low. I take iron supplements plus a multivitamin, but this period has drained me. Is there anything I can take to feel energized? —Too Tired
Illustration of various containers of lotion and moisturizer
October 18, 2017
How dry I am
Dear Lucy: I have dry skin and would like to find a moisturizer that works for me, but I am confused by the plethora of options available in the market. Is a higher (unit) price typically correlated with a greater moisturizing effect? Are there differences between products labeled “face” or “hands” and those for general use? How regularly should I be applying moisturizer to see a visible impact? —Rough Hands, Soft Heart
Illustration of a person in a bed next to a window, with a bulldozer visible outside the window.
October 4, 2017
Turn it down!
Dear Lucy: My house is surrounded by major construction sites, and this will last for several years. Six days a week, the demolition, reconstruction, digging, pounding, and backup beeping begin several hours before I want to wake up. It’s bad enough with storm windows closed in winter; other times of the year, it’s much worse. I can wear headphones while sitting up, but not while lying down. Are there any types of earplugs that might be more effective and suitable for sleeping than the inadequate foam earplugs sold at drugstores? —Sound And Fury
Illustration of a female detective looking through a magnifying glass at an aerosol can placed on the back of a toilet seat
September 17, 2017
The curious case of the can in the can
Dear Lucy: I was just in the bathroom at work reading the fine print on a can of germicide spray. It says that it’s for “hard porous surfaces” and that it is effective against HIV among other things. What gives? I thought the HIV virus couldn't live outside bodily fluids. Am I wrong? —Nancy Drew
Illustration of a calculator and a math equation written on a notepad
September 7, 2017
There’s gotta be a formula for that
Dear Lucy: How do I figure out my basal metabolic rate (BMR)? When it comes to the number of calories I consume each day, should I aim for this number to maintain my weight? —Calorie Counting Cutie
Illustration of a man's chest and blue t-shirt as he pulls open his button down shirt.
August 22, 2017
Get cracking!
Dear Lucy: I’m a 22-year-old male. A few years ago, I got a pain in my middle chest from doing too many deep push-ups. I don’t know if the pain was in my bones or muscles. In any case, the pain came and went, lasting for a few minutes each time, once or twice a week for a few weeks. I haven’t had any pain for a long time, but now, when I spread my arms, I can crack my chest the same way people crack their fingers. It even makes the same sound. It doesn’t hurt when I do it. Is this related to my previous injury? Should I be concerned or get it checked out? —All I’m Cracked Up To Be
Cartoon illustration of a man burping
August 9, 2017
Should I squelch the belch?
Dear Lucy: Many years ago, I developed the ability to belch on cue. I still can, but only rarely do. Now I have acid reflux disease. Could the two be related? —Urrrrppp

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