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Friday, January 7, 2011 – Daily News – 5A FEATURES Sapphic student suffers sexuality stress Dear Annie: I’m a 17- year-old high-school senior and homosexual. So far, only my closest friends know, but of course, that’s not going to last long. I’m wondering whether I should tell my track team now or wait until they ask about it. All of the guys are my friends, and we are really close, but I’m wor- ried that when they find out, they will distance themselves from me. My closest friend tells me I shouldn’t bring it up unless they do. The problem is, I’ve already been asked awkward questions and put in diffi- cult situations where I’ve lied to avoid having them find out. I know I could try to postpone it until graduation, but that’s a long time from now, and track practice continues the entire year. Annie, I have no idea what to do, and I trust your opinion. Please help. — Not Sure Dear Not Sure: Your track team may already suspect that you are gay. You do not need to make an announcement, but if they ask specific questions, you might feel better if you tell the truth. There may be some initial fallout, but if they truly are your friends, they will come around. It will help to have the support of the coach and a school policy that encourages acceptance. However, if you believe the team members will make your life difficult, it is OK to wait until after graduation. There is no right or Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar wrong decision here. You should do what makes you most comfortable. We hope you have confided in your parents, and we also sug- gest you contact PFLAG (pflag.org) for specific sug- gestions and support. Dear Annie: Now that the holidays are over, I have a gripe. I’ve been dating ‘‘Jack’’ for several years, and he still spends a portion of the holidays with his ex- wife and grown children at his ex’s home. Jack was divorced before I met him, but his children still expect him to come alone to these family gatherings. When I tell him I’m unhappy about this arrangement, he says he’s doing it to make the kids happy. I feel left out. I also worry that there may be unresolved feelings between Jack and his ex- wife. Do you think I am wasting my time with Jack? We have the same argument every year at holiday time, and I’m beginning to think things will never change. — Con- fused Dear Confused: It would be nice if the children wanted Dad’s girlfriend included in these family gatherings, but they do not. You can keep arguing with him every year, or you can take the classy approach and tell him to have a nice time with his children while you make your own plans else- where. If you suspect he is still interested in getting back together with his ex, however, that is a dif- ferent issue and should be openly discussed. Dear Annie: I have a better response to ‘‘Losing it in Canada,’’ whose children chew with their mouths open. The next time the kids start smacking when they chew, the par- ents should announce, ‘‘We have told you both repeatedly that is rude and unacceptable behavior. Since you cannot chew with your mouths closed, we will give you foods that don’t require chewing.’’ Then promptly replace their solid food with a bowl of soup — prefer- ably one that is nutritious but not appealing. Do this consistently each time for a week. Then return them to solid foods for dinner, but let them know that at the first smacking, it’s back to the soup routine. The kids will be chewing with their mouths closed in no time. — Been There, Done That Dear Been There: Your method may be effective, but it is also rather harsh. Punishments with severe ultimatums often escalate beyond what was originally intend- ed. We wonder what happens if they slurp their soup. Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. Manton youth succeed in food drive Cause of eye twitch requires investigation DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 58- year-old male. Over the last year, I have developed a twitch or spasm around my left eye. I take hydrochloroth- iazide and Accupril for my high blood pres- sure. Can you tell me what is going on? DEAR READER: Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) is a diuretic (water pill) that treats hypertension and helps prevent the body from absorbing too much salt, which can lead to fluid retention. It is prescribed for people with kidney dis- orders, congestive heart failure, high blood pres- sure and other conditions. Side effects can include loss of appetite, lighthead- edness, diarrhea, dizziness, temporary blurred vision, low potassium and loss of appetite. Severe allergic reactions can produce hives, difficulty breathing, low urine output, muscle pain or cramps and more. Accupril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE inhibitor), also used to treat hyperten- sion and heart failure. As with many drugs, it can be prescribed for other, seem- ingly unrelated conditions as well. Dr. Peter Gott should or you have a viable explana- tion, I urge you to see your primary- care physician, ophthalmologist or neurologist. You might be helped by allergy medication, Botox injections or drug therapy. Perhaps your drug combi- nation is too strong and something as simple as a dose reduction might alle- viate the problem. Because of the possibil- ity of an allergy involve- ment, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Allergies.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self- addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order made payable to Newsletter and mailed to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092- 0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com. DEAR DR. GOTT: You stated in a previous article that biotin was needed for healthy hair and to help stop hair loss. How much biotin is safe to take? I take 1,000 milligrams twice daily, but I lose a lot of hair every time I wash it, which is every other day. Side effects can include cough (known as an ACE inhibitor cough), light- headedness, nausea, fatigue, headache and more. Severe allergic reac- tions are similar to those of HCTZ. To the best of my knowledge, eye twitching is not a side effect of either medication, but you should seek the advice of your prescribing physician for the final word on the sub- ject. Courtesy photo First year Manton 4-H members Caleb Ramos and Alex Vieyra held a food drive during the month of December. They had a successful food drive collecting a few hundred pounds of food that was donated to the Manton Community Churches food pantry. Pastor Mike Steiner was very happy and felt this would help the churches food pantry greatly. Alex and Caleb were able to have three drop off locations, Julia's Diner,The Corners and Manton School.This was a great way for both boys to start out their 4-H year. Art reception tonight in Red Bluff The Montana Morrison Art Gallery, 625 Walnut St., will hold a reception 5-8 tonight for its exhibit “About Face,” an exhibit about faces of all kinds. Refreshments will be served. The gallery is open 2:30-5 p.m. Wednes- BOOK BARN 619 Oak St., Red Bluff (530) 528-2665 Tues-Fri 10am-5pm Sat. 10am-2pm Happy New Year Thank you to all our loyal customers. We are looking forward to serving you in 2011 Jack & Linda Gaines Mark's Fitness *Get into Shape, Get Healthy, & Enjoy a Good Quality of Life!* * Private Personal Training - FREE Consultations! ! * Public Spin Class: M-W-F @ 6 PM - Ask about monthly FREE classes! ACE Certified & Senior Fitness Assn. Certified Personal Trainer (530) 941-2832 821 Walnut St. Red Bluff day through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays. For more information visit www.montana-mor- rison-gallery.com or call 529-3347. RANDAL S. ELLOWAY DDS IMPLANTS DENTISTRY 2426 SO. MAIN ST., RED BLUFF 530-527-6777 FACT SHEET ON DENTAL IMPLANTS DENTAL IMPLANTS: * are the most advanced tooth replacement system ever devised *help preserve jawbone to prevent the appearance of premature aging *look and function like natural teeth *are placed/restored in the doctor’s office with minimal discomfort *improves comfort, appearance, speech * have a 95% success rate * allow you to eat the foods you love and talk, laugh and smile with confidence * represent a conservative treatment option-- adjacent teeth are left untouched * never develop decay * can provide great stability for lower denture * can completely eliminate the need for a denture * can help people of any age * give patients a third set of teeth that are natural looking and very long-lasting Ask yourself the following questions: Are you missing one or more of your natural teeth? Do you have a complete or partial denture that is no longer completely comfortable? Have you ever been embarrassed by a denture or a bridge? If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, call us today at (530) 527-6777 to schedule an evaluation appointment. We would be pleased to evaluate your oral health and discuss treatment options with you. www.rollinghillscasino.com Most twitching is benign and not an indica- tion of a serious medical problem. It can likely be handled without medical intervention; however, more serious and uncom- mon symptoms should be brought to a physician’s attention for evaluation. Technically known as ble- pharospasm, involuntary eye twitching is related to the nervous system. Benign twitches may be related to stress, fatigue, eyestrain, caffeine intake, allergies, a nutritional imbalance, dry eyes and alcohol use. A year is simply too long for you to suffer from this annoying condition. Unless there has been increased stress at work or at home, you are consum- ing more caffeine than you DEAR READER: Biotin, otherwise known as vitamin B7, is produced naturally in the intestines. When the body doesn’t manufacture adequate amounts, hair loss and other conditions develop. This can occur because of excessive exercise, too much alcohol, seizure dis- orders, lactation and aging. Biotin supplements are commonly available in 1,000-microgram or 5,000-microgram dosages. My guess is that you are taking micrograms, not milligrams. The National Institutes of Health indi- cates an adequate intake for people 18 and over is 30 micrograms. Dosing depends on health, age and other conditions. There is a lack of scientific evi- dence to confirm an appro- priate range of dosing for this product. Speak with your physician for clarifi- cation. Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including “Live Longer, Live Better,” “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook,” which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is www.AskDrGottMD.com.