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DR. WALLACE: I’m 18 and live at home with my mom. Her birthday is coming up in the first week of September and when I asked her about a few hints for gifts she might enjoy, she said she’d like to try a weighted blanket and a new leash for our dog.

The leash I can handle as I also walk our wonderful dog a lot, and his leash is kind of old and frayed. I even have a friend who works in the dog-training business, so I can ask her about what new leashes are best for big dogs these days. Our buddy weighs nearly 90 pounds, so we definitely need a good, sturdy new leash for him.

When I asked my mom the question about gifts for her, she was heading out the door to go shopping with a friend, so I didn’t take time to ask her what the heck a weighted blanket is, plus I didn’t want to appear ignorant about this. I asked a friend, and she said those kinds of blankets are really heavy, like the heavy bibs they put over you for X-rays at a dentist’s office.

I just don’t get the whole idea. What are they and would it make sense to get her one, or should I just get her a bottle of her favorite perfume? — Confused Daughter, via email

CONFUSED DAUGHTER: Well, since your mom mentioned it, I would look into buying her a weighted blanket! You can always get her perfume for the holidays or Mother’s Day or any other occasion that’s appropriate.

A weighted blanket looks like a regular blanket, but it’s quite heavy due to the pellets, which are often plastic beads, that are inside of it. The idea is that this type of heavy blanket puts pressure on a person’s entire body, and this creates a sense of calm for the person under the blanket. Think of the concept of a baby being swaddled, as this is similar to how an adult (or teen!) would feel under a weighted blanket.

I’m not a medical doctor, but the brief research I conducted on this topic indicated that these blankets might be able to help some individuals feel less stressed and less anxious. It might help lower heart rates for some people, and there are those who claim that it can ease insomnia!

Finally, I did notice that weighted blankets may not be appropriate for everyone, so if you get one for your mom, have her call her medical professional’s office just to let them know she’d like to try one and get approval for her specific health profile. Better safe than sorry here, so do be sure to follow up on this. Having said that, and assuming mom gets medical approval, I think it’s a great idea and a unique gift. You can also likely try it once it’s in your home to see if you notice any benefits for yourself. Just have mom ask about its use for you as well.

DR. WALLACE: I’m a guy who is 16 and of course, I have a pretty good appetite! Most males my age are good eaters, and I’m no exception. Normally I just power through the great food my mom and dad cook for us, but lately my older sister, who’s 19, goes on these long discussions about proteins.

She kind of rants about this and that, and she analyzes every meal like it’s under a microscope! She’s always telling me that I need lots of protein as a growing teen, but that I should eat healthy proteins and take care to notice what I’m putting in my body.

Is this really necessary? I’ve gotten to be 16 now just by eating what we’ve always had at home and I’m pretty healthy, as is our whole family. I’m an athlete at our high school and I’m a bit larger than most kids my age.

What can you tell me about proteins so that I can drop some facts on big sister the next time she goes into one of her “seminars” on healthy eating? — Teen With an Appetite, via email

TEEN WITH AN APPETITE: Your sister is likely well-informed, even if the delivery of her knowledge is a bit less than optimal to your ears. Basically, she’s correct. Proteins are an essential part of good nutrition, and healthy proteins are the best of all.

The next chance you get, you can tell her that experts recommend 7 grams of protein daily for every 20 pounds of body weight an individual has. I don’t know your precise body weight, but for example, if you weigh 170 pounds, you’d need about 60 grams of protein daily. Do the math with your actual weight and you can impress her with your command of your own needs!

Some of the best sources of protein include meats, legumes such as beans, lentils and nuts, eggs, soy products, whole grains and even seeds like sunflower seeds. If you’re a baseball player, eat your sunflower seeds while playing and never, ever put smokeless tobacco in your mouth.

Dr. Robert Wallace will answer questions from readers in this column. Email him at rwallace@galesburg.net.

The city of Goshen is asking residents to help them plan the growth of the city through a survey, listening groups and focus sessions. There will be several opportunities for the public to voice their opinions on topics involving the growth of the city for the next 10-plus years. Do you plan to participate?

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