Man With Pacemaker Must Be Careful Around Induction Stovetops
DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband has a pacemaker. We have an induction stove, and his cardiologist was uncertain if it was safe for him to use it. So, he does not cook on the stovetop and stays clear of it when I am cooking.
Is it safe for him to use at least the back burners? When I am out of town or just not home, he is afraid to use the cooktop. I feel like at least the back burners should be at a sufficient distance to be safe. Do you know if it would be safe for him to use? He is 5 feet, 5 inches tall. Thank you. — V.S. ANSWER: Induction cooking stoves use powerful electromagnets to create a magnetic field. Inside the metal of your cookware, this creates electronic currents, which dissipate heat through electric resistance. However, this powerful magnetic field can also “tell” your pacemaker to turn itself off or change its mode of activity. This is why it’s important to avoid strong magnetic fields when one has a pacemaker. For an induction stovetop, the recommendation is to stay 60 centimeters (2 feet) away from the device while it’s turned on. This doesn’t mean that he can’t use it at all, just that he shouldn’t be touching the pot continuously and should be using the back burners, which will likely keep him the requisite distance away. • • • DEAR DR. ROACH: My oncologist tries to type out his own notes from my office visit, but I think that he copies and pastes info from old notes. My history with him is very long and detailed (MRIs, CT scans, lab results, etc.). In addition, notes from all my hospital stays for chemo are there. After my last office visit, he scheduled me for an MRI but made no mention of any change in medication. I read his notes on the app and noticed there was an order for a new medication that was sent over to my pharmacy. It was for procarbazine, which I took as part of my chemotherapy in early 2024. It was a mistake, but it was very upsetting. I had to make several phone calls to get it straightened out. So, if people have access to online notes, please make sure that you are looking at the most recent information. — M.D. ANSWER: Having the ability to read your physician’s notes is, in my opinion, a very good thing. Correcting mistakes is probably the most important reason why. One study found that 25% of doctors picked up an important mistake in their record based on patient feedback. Procarbazine, by the way, is an extremely powerful chemotherapy drug and would never have been dispensed by the pharmacy without confirmation from your doctor. In the hospital, there are multiple layers of protection to make sure that the right person gets the right dose of the right medicine. It wouldn’t be given out lightly. Reading your doctor’s note hopefully gives a person some insight into a doctor’s thought process and may help people understand why their doctor made the recommendations that they did. Occasionally I have people who ask to change their medical records. This isn’t allowed, but a note can be made about what the mistake was so that the information can be corrected. Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer
individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to [email protected]. © 2025 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved 
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* "Here's a fun game to help kids learn their sight words. BINGO! Make your own bingo cards with sight words in all the spaces. Use flash cards to call out the words, and the kids can mark them off as they hear them. We tape the bingo card to a small magnetic dry erase board, and the kids use refrigerator magnets to cover the words. We can use the boards over and over, really reinforcing the lesson. And it's fun!" — A.J. in Florida
* Glass and chrome will shine if you clean them with newspaper. You can mist the paper with water first, but not too much. Rub, and the shine comes right out -- plus no streaks or lint! * "Use purified water in your coffeemaker to lengthen its life. Water deposits build up and affect both the flavor and function of your machine. They can be cleaned, but it's much better if you use purified drinking water from a jug. It's very easy to fill the machine, too." — M.E. in Wyoming * If you need to pick up small shards of glass, you can use a cotton ball that's been moistened, or a slice of white bread (insides only) wadded up. * "That time of the year is almost here for us. You know, the time when running the heater gives the whole house the zaps. To keep our carpets from giving us static shock, we fill a water spray bottle with one part laundry softener and four parts water. Give the air and carpet a spritz, and it kills the zaps." -- A.O. in Canada * When you are frying up ground beef, add a tablespoon or two of water. It will help the excess grease pull away from the meat, making it easier to drain off. * No apron? No problem. String a dishtowel around your waist using a belt, a bungee cord or a simple ribbon. * "Want the smells of the season? Here's a great herbal tea that doubles as a whole-house fragrance: Combine one orange cut up, a cinnamon stick, a pinch of ground cloves and nutmeg with a few fresh cranberries and enough water to cover. Boil and waft. Then cool and drink! Happy fall." -- A.D. in New Hampshire * "Dentists say to replace your toothbrush every two months, but they DON'T say to get rid of the old one. There are plenty of good uses for it. In the bathroom and kitchen to clean around the sink. Or for scrubbing stains after you dip it in pretreater. Just make sure you mark it well". -- V.E. in Washington * Use baking soda to clean your stainless steel sink. It is a mild abrasive and will remove gunk and make the sink shine. * For use when camping: Mix together your dry spices and carefully pour into a straw. You must fold over the end and secure it with tape. Do the same to the other side to seal and you can stick it right in a plastic bag for use at the campsite. You can have many spices without having to bring a bunch of jars. Steaks taste terrific, or maybe you like cinnamon sugar for oatmeal or on baked apple. * Here's a tip to preserve an arrangement of greens, maybe the last of the season for some of you: Spray with hairspray. Arrange and spray again. Send your tips to
Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. © 2025 King Features Synd., Inc. 
Try This Zucchini Chile-Cheese Bake
PHOTO CREDIT: Donna Erickson
Leaves that were green may be turning to brown, gold and red, but summer’s growing season isn’t over yet. Tall and free, sunflowers still climb upward like Jack’s beanstalk. Their bright yellow blooms sway with afternoon breezes, crossing property lines and surpassing the heights of fences. They’re so full of life and growth, and I recently observed a bright sunflower bold enough to peek into a second story window.
Lower to the ground, to accommodate my granddaughter’s reach, a few cherry tomatoes ripen for her picking in our backyard. Lurking under a last pepper, three zucchinis are another happy discovery. Just what I need for this delicious, nutritious, family-style dish! A last hurrah to the growing season, this Zucchini Chile-Cheese Bake with tomatoes and peppers is a healthy side for dinner or a hearty main vegetarian dish paired with a salad for lunch. Zucchini Chile-Cheese Bake
Makes 8 servings 1 cup uncooked rice
3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced 2 cups sour cream 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon oregano 1/4 cup green onion, chopped 1/2 cup red or green peppers, loosely chopped 7-1/2-ounce can diced green chiles 12 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded or thinly sliced in strips Handful of cherry tomatoes (about 8), sliced; or one large tomato, sliced 1/4 teaspoon black pepper To prepare oven and casserole: Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 3-quart casserole. To prepare rice, zucchini, and sour cream mixture: Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cook zucchini in water until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Drain. Or saute in olive oil, if you prefer. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, garlic powder, salt, oregano, onions and chopped pepper. To assemble: Spoon the cooked rice for a base layer in the casserole. Spread chiles evenly over the rice, then sprinkle half of the cheese. Place zucchini slices evenly over cheese, then add a layer of tomato slices. Crack or sprinkle pepper over tomatoes. Spoon and spread sour cream mixture over tomato layer. Sprinkle remaining grated cheese or arrange strips over all. To bake: Bake for 50 minutes uncovered. Let stand a few minutes. To serve: Spoon freely out of casserole or cut into portions. • • •
Donna Erickson creates relationships and community through food and fun. Find more to nourish and delight you at www.donnaerickson.com. © 2025 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd. 
A handful of patience
is worth more than a bushel of brains. —Dutch Proverb |
