Larry King speaks from the heart about screening

Dear Heloise: In 1987, I had a quintuple bypass, which was the wake-up call I needed to take better care of my heart and arteries. I established the Larry King Cardiac Foundation to provide funding for lifesaving treatment for individuals who, due to limited means or no insurance, would otherwise be unable to receive the treatment and care they so desperately need.

Treatment, however, is only the first part. We need to do more to keep people from getting sick in the first place. That is why I am encouraging all of your readers to know their blood pressure, weight, cholesterol and blood sugar numbers, and to talk to their doctors about vascular screening.

Vascular screening is not as well-known as other screenings, such as mammography, and sometimes is not covered by insurance. But with cardiovascular disease the No. 1 killer in the world for both men and women, it is growing in prominence.

Vascular screening looks for atherosclerosis — fatty plaque buildup in the arteries that can lead to heart attack and stroke — using ultrasound, which is painless and has no radiation. Key areas of concern are the carotid arteries in the neck and the peripheral arteries in the arms and legs. I encourage everyone over the age of 50 to consider vascular screening as part of their preventive health care and to talk to their doctors to see if it is right for them. To learn more about how to take care of your heart and arteries, visit www.lkcf.org. Yours in health. Larry King Sr.

Thank you so much for sharing this important information for our readers. I’m sure many will be helped. Heloise

Dear Heloise: Thanks so much for all the helpful advice you have passed on to us. I put straight vinegar into a spray bottle, then put the nozzle of the bottle flush against the holes in the shower head and give each hole a few squirts. Let it sit overnight or several hours. This beats taking the loose shower head and soaking it in a container of vinegar. Dorothy, via e-mail

Dorothy, don’t you just love vinegar? Did you know that vinegar has been around for more than 10,000 years? It has been used as a preservative, a condiment, a beverage and, during World War I, to treat wounds. It has so many money-saving uses. I have a fabulous pamphlet filled with great ways to use vinegar around the house. For a copy, please send $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (59 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Pour vinegar that you’ve used to clean your coffee maker over a rubber drain board. It removes soap scum and lime deposits in no time! Heloise

Dear Heloise: We use shredded paper to mix in our soil for gardens, flowerpots and worm beds, and for birds to make nests. Nancy, via e-mail

• Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate