Dear Heloise: You published a letter from John M., aka Uncle Johnny, who asked: “Why do food companies make it so hard to take the seal off of food jars?”

Obviously he doesn’t remember back in 1982 when seven people in the Chicago area died after ingesting capsules laced with cyanide. This led to a nationwide panic and a massive recall of 31 million bottles of the painkiller. The murders triggered significant changes in the way over-the-counter medications were packaged, with the introduction of tamper-resistant packaging.

Personally I am grateful for the seals and the sense of security that they give. — Sandy, in Ventura, California

Sandy, I remember that time too well. The manufacturing of medication changed for the better to prevent tampering. However, for people with arthritis or other issues with their hands, it became a nightmare.

If your medication is from a doctor, you can request an easy-to-open bottle or vial. If it’s a medication that does not require a prescription from a doctor, you can always have someone open the bottle for you and transfer the medication to another easy-to-open container.

If you opt for either method, be sure to keep your medicines covered in a cool, dry place and out of children’s reach. — Heloise

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Heloise@Heloise.com

SWEET POTATO MASHING

Dear Heloise: I have discovered that when a sweet potato comes out of the oven, you can put your hand on top and just roll the potato back and forth. This mashes up the potato and makes eating it easier. — Mary M., via email

Mary, here’s a hint for you since you like sweet potatoes: The purple sweet potatoes are usually considered the healthiest variety because they have antioxidants called anthocyanins. While both orange and purple sweet potatoes are good for you, purple sweet potatoes are slightly more nutrient-rich. The best way to cook sweet potatoes to preserve their vitamins is to boil or steam them. — Heloise

GOODBYE TO SKUNK ODORS

Dear Heloise: Regarding skunked dogs, the method that you suggested does help but doesn’t do a really good job of getting rid of the smell on a skunked dog. I’ve tried it and still had a dog stinking enough that they wouldn’t groom him at the groomers. Here’s what really works:

I got this from my daughter who was in veterinary college. She was doing necropsies on cattle. She said the stench was horrible and that everyone in her class complained they couldn’t even eat because of the smell on their hands, despite having used gloves. But she didn’t have any trouble.

She had showered and used her well-known brand of dandruff shampoo as usual. She did not have any leftover smells. Since then, I have used dandruff shampoo for stinky things. It gets the stink out of anything! I would not recommend using it on a dog regularly, but for a one-time emergency, it works great.

I take a washcloth, put some diluted dandruff shampoo on it, and gently wipe his face, being careful not to get it in his eyes. Then I rinse it off. I give him a full-body wash including his head and shoulders. It takes the odor out completely.

It works great on stinky garbage cans, too, but just a small amount. We’re talking a teaspoon or less per gallon of water in a garbage pail. Then just swish it around with a brush and rinse. No smell! Thank you again for all of your hints. — Carol B., via email