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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!)