While ticks can be found year-round, they’re most prevalent during the warm summer months, which brings an increased risk for Bay Area residents who enjoy spending time outdoors. To protect yourself and your family from these pervasive pests and the health threats they present, consider the following tick prevention tips: Read more

After age 40, our eyes naturally begin to lose the ability to focus on near objects. The clinical term for this phenomenon is presbyopia, but the more common name is farsightedness. This condition can affect people who’ve never had problems with their vision before. With our growing reliance on smartphones and computers for our work and social lives, treating farsightedness is essential for daily comfort. Read more

“About one-third of women experience hair loss (alopecia) at some time in their lives; among postmenopausal women, as many as two-thirds suffer hair thinning or bald spots.”—Harvard Women’s Health Watch

In Western society, we often don’t talk about female hair loss, but the fact is that approximately 40 percent of hair loss sufferers are women. And with so much of our identity literally tied up in our hair, it’s important to get all of the facts. If you’re a woman concerned about hair loss, we have some answers and some help. Read more

Do you suspect you may have hearing loss? It may be time to get checked. In this video, Savvy Consumer Chris Bjorklund explains how to get an easy and inexpensive hearing test. Read more

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“I hate nature,” my 12-year-old daughter mumbled years ago as the urgent care doctor removed a tick embedded in the middle of her back. She’d been away at a week-long school camp in Northern California, so we had no idea how long the tick had been there. Fortunately, she didn’t contract Lyme disease from the bite.

I’ve always been afraid of ticks (along with snakes and poison oak), and I was reminded of my fears last month while taking a nature hike in the redwoods near the Russian River. Read more

If you’re going to be laid up for a couple of weeks with the flu, the Bay Area is a good place to do it. A remarkable number of services and conveniences are a phone call or swipe away.

For example, take-out food and grocery delivery services are a godsend when you’re sick. During a recent illness, I couldn’t leave the house for almost a week (my husband was out of town) and needed some basic groceries. The first delivery service brought canned chicken noodle soup, eggs, juice, bananas, ginger ale and a dozen other things in less than 90 minutes. I used a second grocery delivery service for a larger order, placed 24 hours in advance. Read more