5 Ways to Show Your Support This Military Appreciation Month

should be a reminder to all Americans of the importance of expressing our gratitude to the men and women in the military who sacrifice so much for us,” says Christopher Plamp, United Service Organizations (USO) senior vice president of Operations, Programs, and Entertainment and an Air Force veteran.

With its long history of keeping America’s military service members connected to family, home and country, the USO is providing five ideas for how to honor and support service members and their families.

1. Say “Thank You.” The simplest way to support service members is to thank them for their service. According to the Blue Star Families 2022 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, only one-third of active-duty families feel a sense of belonging to their local civilian community.

you can select a symbolic gift, such as a USO Care Package, from a catalog to be sent to service members. In 2022, the USO delivered 200,000 of these care packages globally.

3. Support Military Spouses. Deployments are challenging for military spouses. Aside from being separated from their loved ones, military spouses must also shoulder household responsibilities alone. For military families with children, this can be even more difficult. Offer to cook a family dinner or pick up groceries. Even simply reaching out to ask how they are doing can make a difference.

(StatePoint) U.S. military service members are ready to be called upon at any time to protect the country, and May, which is Military Appreciation Month, is the perfect opportunity to express gratitude for their sacrifices

Military Appreciation Month was initially recognized by a U.S. Senate resolution in 1999. Although the entire month is designated to honoring past and present military members and their families, there are several holidays sprinkled throughout the month that honor service members, including Loyalty Day, VE Day, Military Spouse Appreciation Day, Mother’s Day, Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day.

“This year in particular, many more service members are overseas supporting NATO due to war in Ukraine. These deployments

You can send a message of support and encouragement to service members through the USO’s website.

“Acknowledging the immense challenges of military life can have a real, positive impact. The simple act of thanks can show military members that their work is valued and appreciated,” says Plamp.

2. Send a Care Package. Sending care packages with items such as snacks and hygiene products lets service members know that the American people are thinking of them, even from thousands of miles away. The USO Care Package program simplifies the process of sending military care packages, which can be complicated. You can support this program by making a monetary donation to the USO. Another option is to check out the USO Wishbook, where

4. Volunteer. There are many challenging, but rewarding volunteer opportunities that serve the men and women in uniform, including with the USO, where you will see the impact of your support firsthand. Many USO locations need volunteers who can facilitate programs and events, and help ensure the military community has the resources and support they need to carry out their missions.

5. Donate. Show your support through the annual USO T-shirt campaign, which raises funds for the USO’s mobile and center operations, programs and entertainment, transition services and more. The campaign also builds awareness and understanding of military families. To learn more, visit https://www.uso.org/tshirt.

“From simple words of gratitude to hands-on volunteering, there are many ways to let service members who selflessly put their lives on the line every day know we value their service,” says Plamp.

May 14, 2023

Resolutions That Are Easy to Keep

Most people don’t keep resolutions because they try to do too much or what they want to accomplish isn’t realistic. Here are a few ideas that might be perfect for you.

—Vow to stay current on all the newest scams. For instance,there’s one now where you get a call saying a warrant is being issued for your arrest for failing to show up for jury duty. To try to clear things up,you’re asked to provide personal information,such as your Social Security number. Keep an eye on Snopes at www.snopes.com for rumor information.

—Do a little exercise each day. Best bet is if you invest in an hour of advice from a trainer especially skilled in helping seniors. Ask for a daily exercise plan with lots of variety.

—Ask at the local elementary school about reading to children. Many schools are shorthanded and would welcome your help. You might become a grandparent figure to dozens of children,especially in areas where kids are being raised by a single parent.

—Start a daily journal. Perhaps this could be a history journal where you tell stories about your childhood and what it was like as you grew up. What a wonderful bit of family legacy this would be! If writing is too difficult, consider using a tape recorder. Label the tapes.

—Block out a day on your calendar once a month to participate in your community. No matter the season, there’s always something that needs to be done. Libraries need shelvers, hospitals need people to answer phones,genealogy groups need typists to input data in a computer. Once you realize all the places you can help, you might decide you need to block out two days a month!

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions,but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service,P.O. Box 536475, Orlando,FL 32853-6475,or send email to columnreply@gmail.com.

Thyroid Illness Sometimes Is Silent

DEAR DR. DONOHUE:My doctor says I have to take thyroid hormone because my lab tests show I’m not making enough of it. I don’t have a single symptom. I feel like I have always felt — fine. I don’t like the idea of taking medicines. What do you say about a situation like this? — A.K.

ANSWER:When a person’s thyroid tests show a low production of thyroid hormone and when that person has no symptoms of hypothyroidism (a sluggish thyroid gland),the condition is known as subclinical hypothyroidism. Symptoms of too little thyroid hormone are weakness,fatigue,intolerance of cold,constipation,weight gain without an increase of calories,dry skin,brittle hair and poor memory. Not all symptoms occur to all hypothyroid patients,and the time for symptoms to develop can be quite long.

The first thing you should do is request a second test. Another test, done four to eight weeks after the first test,comes back normal half the time. If the second test comes back abnormal,then you’re faced with a decision. People like you — with no symptoms but an abnormal test — progress to the stage of symptomatic hypothyroidism at the rate of 2 percent to 5 percent each year.

Many doctors favor treatment in such cases. One reason is the possibility of developing symptoms. Another reason is that low thyroid hormone levels,even when not producing symptoms,can foster heart disease. Low levels also raise cholesterol and diminish the ability of insulin to permit blood sugar’s entrance into cells.

I’m on the side of treatment. It’s cheap,convenient and practically devoid of side effects. It entails taking only one pill a day.

The booklet on thyroid diseases discusses both an overactive and underactive thyroid gland. Readers can order a copy by writing:Dr. Donohue — No. 401W,Box 536475,Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

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DEAR DR. DONOHUE:I am 55 and have had,for the past three months,what I believe is thrush. My tongue is white and has sores on the back of it. I have gargled with many things; none has worked. I had been on prednisone and antibiotics. According to the Internet,they cause thrush. Is that true? What can I do? — P.P.

ANSWER:Thrush is an infection with the Candida yeast. It coats the tongue and the insides of the mouth with thick,creamy-white,curdlike patches. If the patches are scraped away,the undersurface is red,raw and bleeds.

Thrush can appear after antibiotic treatment. The Candida yeast lives in the mouth in low numbers. Mouth bacteria keep the population in check. Antibiotics can kill off the mouth bacteria that suppress Candida growth, and that’s why thrush is sometimes seen with their use. Prednisone can promote Candida growth too.

You need an accurate diagnosis by having scrapings of the white coating examined microscopically. Your doctor can do that. He or she can also prescribe medicines that are quite effective against Candida — nystatin, clotrimazole,fluconazole and posaconazole are some of those medicines.

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Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475,Orlando,FL 328536475.