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Dear Heloise: I agree with those who say, "Walk your way to better health." I've told so many of my patients to get out and walk. Start slow, then pick up the pace as you get used to walking. Make sure that you have the proper shoe design for comfort and support.
I have three patients: one who is 93 and walks 1 mile every day, another who is 88 and walks 1.5 miles daily, and a third who is 79 and walks around the block about three to five times every day — rain or shine.
Check with your personal physician to make sure that you're given the OK to start a walking program. If they give you the green light, start a plan to walk your way to a healthier life. You don't need to jog or do anything strenuous. Just keep moving! — A Physician, in Bangor, Maine
STATIC ELECTRICITY BUILDUP
Dear Heloise: In your column, I read about static electricity buildup and how to get rid of it with a wire hanger. Here in New Mexico, static electricity is a real problem, especially in the winter months. Well, I ran a wire hanger over my sweaters and a few other items, and the static was gone. Thanks for the terrific hint! — Lindsey M., Albuquerque, New Mexico
DOGGY URINE
Dear Heloise: I have an adorable French bulldog who I'm training to use the backyard as his bathroom. But because he's still a baby, he's had a couple of accidents on my wooden floor. I'd like to get rid of the odor to help discourage him from urinating there again. How can I get the odor out of my wooden floor? — Evelyn B., Provo, Utah
Evelyn, try this solution: Mix 1 cup of white vinegar in a bucket of warm water (about 5 cups of water) and add a few drops of either grapefruit or orange oil. Then wash the area with this mixture. Dry the area after washing. This may need to be repeated a couple of times. The vinegar will help neutralize the ammonia odor in the urine. — Heloise
KEEPING COFFEE FRESH
Dear Heloise: Our ground coffee became stale once half of the bag was gone. My ears could not take a loud bean grinder, so this solution works well for us:
I keep the ground beans in the freezer, and before bedtime, I get the coffee ready to be turned on in the morning by my husband. Now our coffee tastes fresh! — S.K., in Houston