If you heard that menopausal hots should last about two years, you heard wrong.  A new study found the average was five years, with some women flashing for ten or more.  What to do?  The low-dose Vivelle patch would provide instant relief, but that same study found that women who want to go hormone-free can cut their symptom time in half if they exercise at medium intensity four to six times a week.  A new mattress from Japan called The Fumin (wind-sleep) has a built-in fan to keep you hotties cool while sleeping; no word on where you can get it here at press time.

Yes, this is plantar fasciitis Item #3!  Foot doctors are recommending that people with that nasty heel pain and other foot problems try wearing Crocs to stretch the foot and correct the problem.  I was alerted to this new therapy by nurses at a local medical center, who said that since they started wearing Crocs their foot pain had totally corrected itself, even when wearing other shoes!  Docs say even diabetics with ulcerations or those who’ve undergone bunionectomies or other foot surgeries are ok to try Crocs, bandage and all.