Be honest, warn your friend about bigotry

Dear Amy: I’m a college student from the suburbs of San Francisco. I’ve been attending college in New York.

My best friend from school is coming to visit me this summer, and I couldn’t be more excited! But, excitement aside, I have concerns.

In a time where people of color, especially men, are having the police called on them for everything from waiting for a friend in Starbucks to taking a nap in a common area of a dorm building, I am worried about my neighbors’ potential reaction to a man of color showing up in this predominantly white suburb.

I have toyed with the idea of making a post on Nextdoor.com a neighborhood social media site asking people to think twice before panicking, should they see my friend walking down the street, as he belongs there as much as they do. I don’t want to upset my community by accusing them of racist behavior I have never witnessed, but I am aware of incidents taking place in similar communities.

I do not know what to do to offend as few people as possible, while still trying to make sure my friend feels safe and welcome in the place I call home. Your suggestion? — Toeing the Line

Dear Toeing the Line: Start by notifying your friend that your neighbors may be somewhat likely to “panic” and call the police if he is bold enough to walk through the neighborhood while also being black.

You seem to worry more about offending your neighbors by challenging their lofty notions of themselves than you do about the risk posed to your friend if he walks through your neighborhood alone.

Be completely honest with your friend about the kind of community he would be visiting, and the physical or psychological annoyance (or worse) he could face, simply by being there.

Dear Dr. Roach: I read your recent column on vitamin C. I am 88 years old, and my family and I have taken supplemental vitamins most of our lives. Five years ago, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and survived it with radiation treatments and a change of diet. I had taken a handful of vitamins every day for years, including 400 IU of vitamin E. My doctors told me that my cancer probably was caused by taking too much vitamin E.

My sister took a handful of vitamins every day and recently died from liver cancer. I believe her liver cancer was caused from vitamin toxicity, too, but the family is not talking about it, so I don't know for sure. I have stopped taking vitamins altogether and instead rely on a healthier diet, but am considering going back to taking a low-dose multivitamin or just vitamin C and a hearthealthy fish oil. What is your opinion? — E.O.

A large randomized, controlled trial published in 2011 showed that 200 IU daily of vitamin E by itself increased the risk of prostate cancer. There were about two extra cases of prostate cancer per year found per 1,000 men taking the vitamin E (9.3 cancers per 1,000 men per year on placebo, 10.9 cancers per 1,000 men per year of men taking vitamin E). Since there has been no significant benefit from vitamin E shown, it is not recommended.

Another study did not show an increase in risk of liver cancer among vitamin users. People with large intake of vitamin E, from diet or supplements, had a small decrease in risk of liver cancer.

A more recent study provides evidence that a daily vitamin supplement or a daily vitamin C has limited value. Fish oil (omega-3) remains controversial. Evidence is not compelling that it reduces heart disease risk the way eating two or more servings of fatty fish a week does.