6A
FEATURES
A twist on daughter’s sleepovers
Dear Annie: I have a situ- roof between her and her boy-
ation at my home that I really friend or anyone else. As with
any privilege that you give to
don’t know how to deal with.
We have a blended family, your children, it’s all about trust.
with an 18-year-old daughter
Dear Annie: I read with inter-
est the letter from “Weird, Stupid
and two boys.
My stepdaughter is a senior or Selfish?” — whose husband
in high school and just
eats all the decorative
DEAR
let her mother know she
candy she puts out. His
likes girls, even though
inability to resist sugar
ANNIE
she has a boyfriend.
resonated with me, as
We would never let
I have sugar sensitiv-
any boys spend the night
ity and have engaged in
at our house, but she
exactly the same behav-
iors. I simply could not
has had her girlfriends
resist sugar.
over four or five nights a
After years of strug-
week at times.
Lane
gling
and dieting and
With this new knowl- Annie
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
edge, what do we do?
sitting in work meet-
ings obsessing about the
We certainly wouldn’t
condone sex with either gender, doughnuts instead of the topic
and we have made that clear to at hand, I discovered the book
her. Certainly, it comes down to “Potatoes Not Prozac,” by Kath-
trust, but what about the over- leen DesMaisons. Her theory is
night situations now with her that people who are sugar-sen-
sitive have brains that respond
girlfriends? — Unsure Parents
Dear Unsure Parents: See- differently to sugar, alcohol and
ing as your stepdaughter is 18, refined carbs and that what they
she is mature enough to listen eat and when they eat it have a
to you. Make clear that she is huge effect on them. She shows
still allowed to have occasional how to rebalance blood sugar
sleepovers — as in once or twice levels, serotonin and beta-en-
a month, not four or five nights a dorphins through small life-
week — but there is to be noth- style changes and offers the lat-
ing sexual happening under your est research, free online support
and seven steps to change your
life. It is not about willpower; it’s
about biochemistry, which her
program can slowly improve,
just one tiny step at a time, with
amazing results.
I have been sugar-free for
six years now, lost 25 pounds
and never gained any of it back.
I can go to dinner with family
and don’t even think twice when
someone orders dessert. I don’t
have cravings, and sugar is no
longer on my radar. I am more
focused and more tolerant, and
the daily mood swings are gone.
The woman who wrote to you
could suggest to her husband
that he check out https://radi-
antrecovery.com to see whether
he does have sugar sensitivity.
At the very least, she would be
better informed about this con-
dition. — Happy Without Sugar
Dear Happy Without
Sugar: I hadn’t considered that
health issues might explain her
husband’s behavior. In fact, I
hadn’t even heard of sugar sen-
sitivity. Thanks for opening my
eyes to the condition. I’d like to
encourage all readers to talk to
their doctors if they find them-
selves compulsively eating sug-
ary snacks.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Watch out for
laziness in others, and be vigilant against the
tendency yourself. As the ancient wisdom
suggests, “He who is lazy in his work is brother
to him that destroys.”
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). It’s time to travel
light, both metaphorically and literally. Why carry
more than is necessary? Leave past pain and
future worries out of the satchel. Carry only
what you’ll need in this hour.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Did you know that
over half of college graduates don’t wind up in
the field of their major? Relatedly, today you
will not apply what you’ve learned in a direct
and logical fashion. You’re still better for having
learned it, though!
CANCER (June 22-July 22). To handle the
current problem, you will need more data about
it. You’ll also need a few different tools and
resources. Gather information, and look for peo-
ple who have already solved this or something
similar.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It’s not too late. It’s nev-
er too late. If you knew with every fiber of your
being that this was the truth, what would you do
now? That’s the best way to spend your day.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Getting out of
yourself will be the biggest challenge. One way
to settle in more comfortably (which is the first
step) will be to turn your focus to the environ-
ment and become curious about the people in it
and all that’s going on there.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Seductive and
glamorous propositions abound. Before you
head further into this, find out more from trusted
sources. Ignorance, like darkness, is a lack of
illumination that can cause some pretty serious
stumbles.
FRANK AND ERNEST
BLONDIE
THATABABY
SALLY FORTH
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN
B.C.
LOLA
DILBERT
SIX CHIX
BIZARRO
MUTTS
NON SEQUITUR
BABY BLUES
WIZARD OF ID
ZITS
ROSE IS ROSE
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). What if you knew
that trying to make something better was as
absurd as trying to perfect the sea or improve
upon the sunlight? What then? Maybe this isn’t
about changing so much as it’s about learning
the magnificence of a thing.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Some use
the term “free spirit” as a put-down akin to
“flaky.” It’s a stance rooted in the fear that, given
the entire range of choices, we’d go all wrong.
Loosen the reigns on yourself today and you’ll
see how untrue this is.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Love will be
like talking to the moon. The light inside you
will be quietly, constantly reflected. You’ll feel at
once big enough to hold the vastness of space
in your palm and small enough to be enveloped
in it.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Any harm that is
done in the name of believing the wrong thing
can be undone in the name of believing the
right thing. Go back and examine the beliefs
that led to the discontent. One or more of them
is faulty. Root it out.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The message
can be the most eloquent, reasonable and
perfectly crafted expression in the world, but if
it is pitched to a non-receptive person it’s still a
communication fail.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 17). If there’s
one thing that will make this solar return a sweet
dream for you, it’s good timing. Don’t rush! Life
only happens one moment at a time and trying
to cram in too much will rob you of the delicious
experience. Stick to your top wish. Prioritize and
hold it sacred and you will succeed beyond your
wildest imaginings. Leo and Gemini adore you.
Your lucky numbers are: 9, 22, 23,14 and 38.