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Q I’m 75. Seven months ago, I suddenly developed “Sjogren’s-like” symptoms. I take prescription lozenges for my severe dry mouth, but the relief is only temporary. Is there a cure?

Estelle, Colorado

A: Unfortunately, there’s no cure yet for Sjogren’s (SHOW-grins), an autoimmune disease that causes dryness in the body, especially in your eyes and mouth. About 4 million Americans, mainly women, have it. Lozenges will get your saliva going, but just for a while. If you’re not already taking one of them three times a day, talk to your doc about more frequent use. And these six simple steps should help you feel less like you’re in the desert without a water bottle.

1. Sip (don’t gulp) water or unsweetened drinks all day.

2. Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless hard candy.

3. Avoid caffeine and alcohol; both can be dehydrating.

4. If you smoke, quit immediately. It’s more dangerous to your mouth than to most people’s, not to mention what it does to your heart and lungs.

5. Keep a humidifier humming in your bedroom at night.

6. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, and floss at least once. Dry mouth makes you much more vulnerable to both decay and gum inflammation and disease, which can spread to your whole body.

Q: I have been battling plantar fasciitis for a few weeks. How can I combat the heel pain?

Juanita, via email

A: This is one battle you don’t want to charge into. In fact, the more you rest your foot, the better, at least for a week or so. Your plantar fascia — the thick ligament connecting your heel to your toes — needs a timeout, since inflammation (the “it is” in “fasciitis”) is often from overuse. Running, a tight Achilles tendon, a high arch, wearing shoes with high heels, poor arch support or worn soles, or being very overweight can take a toll on your sole, too.

Giving your foot a break doesn’t mean you have to sit around. Switch to activities such as swimming or rowing, or use weight machines at a gym that don’t press on your feet. Meanwhile, these remedies will ease that hot-coals feeling in your heel:

 ? Give yourself a 10-15 minute ice massage twice a day. Roll your foot back and forth over a can of frozen juice to increase blood flow and help break down adhesions from the inflammation.

 ? Take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen, for pain relief.

 ? Place drugstore heel pads in your shoes, and save the stilettos for weddings and parties.

 ? Do foot stretches before you get out of bed. They’ll reduce the pain, which usually is worse when your feet hit the floor in the morning. How? Sit up, bend forward and try to touch your toes, curling your toes toward your knees. Or just put one leg over the knee of the other, grasp the toes on the upper leg, pull them toward you and hold for five minutes.

 ? Stretch during the day. Put the ball of the sore foot on a step, hold the railing, and let your heel hang down.

Q: My ability to recall information and think quickly on my feet is no longer very good. I’m only 46. How can I improve my mind?

Susan, via email

A: Many of us are at that stage in life where we walk into a room and ask, “Why am I here?” And it’s not a philosophical question. Around 40, we all begin to notice a decline in some brain functions, like how fast we process information. In fact, we YOU Docs have so many words on the tips of our tongues that our next book may be a dictionary. (Actually, it’s called YOU: Stress Less. We remember!)

They tottered nervously on high heels and wore pink shirts emblazoned with the likeness of their hero: Vladimir Putin. Meet Putin's Army, a new group aiming to get their man back into the Kremlin.

About 20 of Putin's teenage "soldiers" gathered in Pushkin Square in central Moscow at rush hour on Friday, shouting his name and singing the 2006 hit A Man Like Putin.

The gathering came less than a week after the group, organised via a Russian social network, released a racy video calling on "young, smart and beautiful girls" to join their ranks and support Putin for president – by tearing their shirts – in a provocative move renewing the debate on Putin's potential return to the Kremlin.

With parliamentary elections less than five months away, and a presidential vote set for next March, Russia's version of electioneering has entered full swing. In addition to social media-originated movements – another, called I Really Do Like Putin, held a carwash only for Russian-made vehicles on Thursday – full attention has been put on the All-Russia People's Front, an amorphous group created by Putin in May.

Even its members have difficulty defining the group; analysts describe it as a means of rebranding Putin's increasingly unpopular United Russia party. It is unregistered and therefore subject to no laws. But that also means its members cannot stand for election without linking up with United Russia first.

"It's not an organisation," said Kirill Schitov, a prominent United Russia deputy and a leader of its Young Guard youth wing. "It's a platform for dialogue." Analysts see it as Putin's direct link to voters.

Two months after its creation, the front now comprises hundreds of trade unions and social organisations, as well as entire village streets.

The steel giant Severstal said its trade union, which has more than 20,000 members, joined this week. Russian Railways, which employs more than 1 million people, joined last month, along with the 415,000 men and women who work at the Russian Post. Banking and media tycoon Alexander Lebedev has also joined, via his Our Capital anti-corruption movement.

This week, the front began to hold a month-long series of "primaries", in co-operation with United Russia, to see which candidates would be put forward for December's parliamentary vote.

Schitov denied the front was simply a means of rebranding United Russia, which has seen its support fade as concerns over corruption and stagnation grow. "You rebrand when a brand loses popularity," he said. "United Russia is strong and well-known."

Yet its popularity, like Putin's, is slipping. A new poll by the Levada Centre, an independent pollster, showed Putin's approval rating had fallen to 68%, That puts him above any other Russian politician, including current president Dmitri Medvedev, but well below the 80% the prime minister garnered in early 2010 and even the 77% he got in July 2010. Of those polled, 31% said they disapproved of his work.

Groups such as Putin's Army and I Really Do Like Putin were designed to boost the prime minister's popularity with young people, said Nikolai Petrov, an analyst at Moscow's Carnegie Centre.

Baskets are back racing again and also the account of perfect lineup of Nike, which is using the Air Max 97 shoes. from the Air Max series shoe, the Nike Air Max 97 is among one of the most energetic figures. Unique design of the shoe that features the corrugated panels to acquire it revives obsolete. this latest version, we will meet to create a redefined Air Max 97 shoes in a complex mixture of white, silver patent metallic dark.

Previous versions of this type are finished in only a single particular mix - leather and mesh based. Nike Revolutionary concept offers a wide merger to make sure that people can now get one more attribute - patent leather. Integrating the complexity is not what Nike, but for the promotion of additional style, the patent dark positioned along the bottom using the shoe is a huge critical and as to the mode. The remaining parts away from your panel are alternated with leather and mesh-based light silver and metallic. With all the plot changed, Air Max shoes 97 Nile still have its perfect weapon that could possibly be the entire period of your Max Air unit time in France.

Finishline retailers such as are now present this maximum oxygen work in his subtle blend.

Prints are popping up in the apparel business and consequently we are also seeing them on our tennis pros!  The prints are not as technically complicated as we are seeing in other parts of the fashion business but at least it is a start.  Did you see Rafa and Verdasco sporting this Nike printed t recently?

This type of printed graphic is headed in the right direction. I would like to see the trend of prints and graphics crossover MORE into the tennis world.  It keeps the sport “hip” and competes with the best fashion companies in the world. Prints create motion, excitement and shout for attention.  They can be used for “marketability”. Why not add some spice to the game. Historically, tennis has stuck to classic solids with a punch of “color-blocking” or color trims. Boring!!!  Lacoste is one company that sticks to it’s classic colors with a touch of contrast trim and maybe a stripe here and there.  They offer terrific color options but it is time to mix it UP!

In this time of ever evolving textile technology, prints on sportswear can get very elaborate and make a variety of statements unlike we have seen before. It is easier now to print on fabrics- such as we print photos and paper.  The fashion business is booming with fantastic prints from Prada to Gwen Stefani. A Swiss company (are you reading this Roger?) named Akris has created a stir with its inspiring printed fashions.  Akris’ designer, Albert Kriemler recently used digitally printed photographs for his couture collection.  These powerful prints  have made Akris very successful throughout the world. On this dress below – Kriemler used  a photograph by Jürgen Schreiter of the Wedding Tower in Darmstadt, Germany, reproducing it on clothing with such precision that it’s a tribute to digital-printmaking.

K-Swiss is a leader in some of these “digital prints” – Here they mix color blocking and a digital printed photograph.

Nike is also offering some novelty prints that are rich and colorful.

It is time for street prints, ethnic graphics that  you can already find in skateboard wear and snowboard graphics. It is time for African prints, Batiks,  fractal prints (computer generated art-like prints and others.  It would also be great to see printed “hardwear” and “headwear” in the sport of tennis, too!  No – we don’t need printed logos.

There is enough of that!

Fila is trying here but I think this is a bit “mainstream”.

I want to see someone take more of a risk!  While Adidas, Nike and Fila have made some  small attempts  with this seasons styles I dare them to dig deeper into more creative graphics.

I propose more of of the digitalized photographic prints  and don’t stop with clothing. Stick  prints and graphics  on tennis racquets, caps and visors and shoes. Much like they use prints on surf boards, etc. The tennis world will explode with excitement !  Kick it up a notch! Create an appeal for the youth!

Although Southern Oregon wine production is a fraction of that in the Willamette Valley, growth and stability of existing wineries bodes well for the future, and new investment is narrowing the gap.

"It's mainly from people out of state looking to get into the wine industry, and they are choosing Southern Oregon for their new enterprise; we're starting to see significant investments of $5 (million) to $10 million," Olmo said.

With those substantial investments come estate properties of 100 acres where vineyards are planted, wineries are built and equipment is installed.

"A decade ago, people moved here and began in the garages, looking to grow a very small business," she said. "Now we're starting to see those business become a financial success, encouraging additional investment. They are aiding and attracting new businesses with larger visions and larger initial capital input."

Beyond that, Olmo said, those newcomers often arrive with more than passing business skills.

"We have a new neighbor who is building a winery who has lots of experience with international exports," she said. "He's helping us understand where there is an opportunity for our products not only outside of Oregon, but outside the U.S. For the majority of us in Oregon, those things weren't part of our original business plans."

With growth, however, come obstacles as competition from other wine regions intensifies. Small, family wineries can expect greater difficulty navigating through the wholesale tier in many states.

"The Willamette Valley pinot noir is well known, but particularly for Southern Oregon, there is still lot of work to be done on awareness and visibility," Miller said.

Additionally, the surge of planting between 2005 and 2008 is coming to fruition. History suggests that grape growers and wineries have the most financial difficulties when there are too many grapes.

"Over-supply is always a present danger for the wine industry," Miller said. "It's easy to over-plant. When you get a surge in demand for a variety in the region, everyone plants — they don't pay attention to what others are planting. You have to know how to sell the volume and have a concrete and reasonable plan before you add capacity."

Adam Mansbach, the author of "Go The Heck To Sleep" (or something like that), became a bestselling children's writer BEFORE his book was even published. Now he's richer than Donald Trump (probably) and more famous than Harry Potter.

I thought that when I became a writer, fame, fortune and a glamorous life would follow -- margarita lunches with editors, world tours with publicists, and intimate chats with Oprah (oops, missed that window).

The truth is, for most writers, the literary life is about as fictional as a character in a Dan Brown novel. I should know. I live it every day.

Here's a sample of my literary life, in case you were wondering why you haven't seen me on "The Jerry Springer Show" yet (he still won't return my calls).

6 a.m. -- Still asleep. Are you kidding me?

7 a.m. -- Open one eye. Find three cats sleeping on my legs. Legs are numb. Dreamed I was paralyzed. Get the newspaper. Scan the obituaries to see if anyone my age has died.

7:30 a.m. -- Roll out of bed, trying not to disturb cats. Take shower, dress, put on makeup so I don't frighten my cats or grandchildren.

8 a.m. -- Feed cats, take drugs and open laptop. Check email. Ignore irate letter regarding my gall bladder surgery column. Reply to a dozen Facebook posts regarding a spelling error I made. Watch six videos from my cousin featuring funny animals.

5 p.m. -- Say goodbye to grandkids and have a "glass" of wine. Wonder if there's still time in my life to become an alcoholic. Watch news. Nothing about me.

6 p.m. -- Eat dinner of leftovers -- chicken thigh, Chinese takeout and egg salad. Take Zantac and other drugs and wash them down with another "glass" of wine. Husband asks how book is coming. Wonder if wine bottle has been used as a murder weapon.

8 p.m. -- Watch "My Yard Goes Disney" and "Cupcake Wars" to relax. Decide a cupcake mystery set in Disneyland would sell a heckalot of books.

10 p.m. -- Go to bed and read a rubber stamping mystery. Fall asleep and dream about being stamped to death by my own grandkids while trying to write a sequel to "Go the Heck to Sleep."