Dear Doctors: Is it true that we’re being told to eat even less salt than before? I’ve been hearing that there are new rules about that, but I don’t know what they are. How much salt is OK to eat? Why... more

Dear Doctors: My chorus has started meeting again -- outdoors and vaccinated -- to practice and sing. We’ve had a year off, and I’m upset that my voice is getting to be hoarse, and even cracking on lo... more

Dear Doctors: My husband and I are hosting a family holiday party this year. It will include one set of grandparents, our three adult children and the grandchildren. Everyone except the youngest is va... more

Dear Doctors: My uncle has Alzheimer’s disease. He goes through these awful phases where he’s agitated and afraid. We’ve noticed that music calms him down, especially when it’s something from when he ... more

Dear Doctors: There was a story in the news recently about a man who had a tapeworm living in his brain. Our two teenage boys also saw it and are now obsessed. They’re grossed out and fascinated, and ... more

Dear Doctors: I mentioned to a friend that I’m starting a low-carb diet that puts your body into ketosis. She said not to because ketosis is one of the dangerous complications that can happen to peopl... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome back to the monthly letters column. With holiday gatherings in full swing, we’ve focused today on your coronavirus vaccine and booster questions.... more

Dear Doctors: Our dad had Legionnaires’ disease 16 years ago. He was on a ventilator for a month, and after that, he was always frail. We figured it was from being so sick, but I just read about somet... more

Dear Doctors: My husband wants to see if he qualifies to be a liver donor for his cousin. They’re both 44 years old and have been best friends their whole lives. I’m trying to be supportive, but to be... more

Dear Doctors: Can you please talk about OCD in kids? We’ve noticed that our youngest daughter, who is 6, is developing some rituals with numbers and bedtime and mealtimes. She gets pretty worked up if... more

Dear Doctors: A friend who is 74 years old had an episode recently where she suddenly sounded as though she had dementia. Her physician diagnosed it as an effect of a UTI. Can you talk about how UTIs ... more

Dear Doctors: Would you please address the damaging effects of wearing extremely high heels? I think younger women need to know how this can cause them painful foot problems as they grow older. It see... more

Dear Doctors: I went to urgent care with bad stomach cramps, and the doctor there talked about something called “leaky gut.” But when I asked my own doctor about it, he said it’s not really a thing. W... more

Dear Doctors: My older brother is 33 years old and was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I don’t want to bother him with a lot of questions, but I would like to learn more about it. Can you ... more

Dear Doctors: You’ve written about the harm to the body from using tobacco products, which has been very helpful. I am especially interested in the details regarding chewing tobacco. I have two middle... more

Dear Doctors: I heard on the news about a study that says your gut microbiome determines whether or not it’s easy for you to lose weight. How did they figure that out? Can I change my gut microbiome t... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to a bonus letters column. We enjoy hearing from so many of you, and we are doing our best to answer as many of your questions and concerns as we can.... more

Dear Doctors: My wife and I are now six months out from our second shots of the Pfizer vaccine, and we want to get boosters. Can you please explain where things stand in terms of who is eligible, and ... more

Hello again, dear readers, and welcome back to our monthly letters column. You’ve kept our mailboxes overflowing, so we’ll dive right in.... more

Dear Doctors: Is there some reason I crave junk food when I’m really tired? I’m working double shifts, and if I don’t sleep enough, all I want is donuts and pizza. My husband says it’s because they’re... more

Dear Doctors: Can you please talk about the change of life for women? I have two grown daughters, and one of them went through it at a very young age. Why would that be? This part of a woman’s life do... more

Dear Doctors: I’m breastfeeding my 4-month-old son, and I’ve lost some weight. I’m naturally thin, but my sister thinks my baby is not getting the nutrients he needs. The pediatrician says my son is d... more

Dear Doctors: The recommendation against taking a daily baby aspirin seems to pit heart disease prevention against bleeding risk. But it doesn’t include aspirin's potential benefits in colon cancer re... more

Dear Doctors: Can you please explain about HLH? It’s the disease that my daughter passed away from. She was 47 years old when she got sick, and she lived only another four months. I was told that HLH ... more

Dear Doctors: I read that something called valley fever is getting to be more common here in Arizona on account of climate change. I’ve never even heard of it. Can you please explain what it is?... more

Dear Doctors: Do I really have to get a flu shot this year? I’m still social distancing, wearing a mask and not attending indoor events. I got the shot last year, but then there wasn’t any flu around ... more

Dear Doctors: I have a slight allergy to wasp stings. The morning after a sting left me with a swollen lower lip, and I woke with a dry cough. Then my throat closed, and I couldn’t breathe. It lasted ... more

Dear Doctors: We just heard a story on the news about a man who got bitten by a bat and then died of rabies a few weeks later. We see bats in our area a lot, so we’re worried. Why didn’t the rabies tr... more