DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have been an insulin-using diabetic for 15 years. The insulin pump idea intrigues me. I have to give myself as many as four shots a day, and I am getting tired of the inconvenience. What are your thoughts on the pump? Would I benefit from it? – K.K.

ANSWER: The insulin pump delivers insulin at a constant rate through a slender, plastic tube inserted with a needle under the skin at the same body depth where a person injects insulin. The pump itself is about the size of a thin beeper. It’s worn on the belt or put in a pocket. The plastic tube is taped to the skin.

Pumps have been around for more than 20 years. They’re a reliable way to get insulin into the body. They can be programmed to deliver larger amounts of insulin at the times of day and night when more is needed. For example, during sleep, just before wakening, blood sugar rises in the early-morning hours. The pump can inject more insulin at that time. The same goes for mealtimes.

A person with a pump must still check his or her blood sugar. If it’s high, the pump user can activate the pump to release a surge of insulin.

I think insulin pumps are wonderful, but they’re not for everyone. They take some getting used to, and a person needs special instructions to learn their ins and outs. More than 200,000 Americans avail themselves of a pump. For those who have to inject themselves many times a day, the pumps are a real boon.

At some future time, there might be a pump that tests blood sugar and then releases an appropriate amount of insulin. That’s the eventual goal for this technology.

Diabetes is discussed at length in the booklet by that name. Readers can obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue – No. 402, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6.75 Can. with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My granddaughter is a lovely girl, 22 years old and a recent college graduate. A couple of weeks ago, she visited me. I went out of my way to prepare meals for her, but she won’t eat anything but fruits and vegetables – not even milk or eggs. Is this healthy? I believe her vegetarianism is too extreme. – B.W.

ANSWER: A high percentage of the world’s population lives on a vegetarian diet, and they handle it well. That’s partly because they have had centuries of practice with it. They have learned over those centuries how to obtain a balanced diet without using any animal products. Your granddaughter doesn’t have the benefit of what these people have learned.

Women need iron because of the blood and iron they lose each month with menstruation. Meat iron gets into the blood better than does plant iron. Everyone needs vitamin B-12, and it’s found only in meat. Other foods are fortified with it, so your granddaughter had better research that topic. She and other vegetarians need calcium, which is found primarily in milk and other dairy products.

If your granddaughter has taken a crash course in nutrition and knows what she’s doing, she’ll do OK. If she’s flying blind, she needs to consult a dietitian, or she should liberalize her diet.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have hypertension, and I go to the beach often. Can salt in salt water get through the skin as medical patches get through the skin? My doctors have increased my dose of medicine and have added additional medicines without much improvement in my blood pressure.

Could the salt water I swim in be keeping my blood pressure high? – G.S.

ANSWER: G.S., I know I answered this question before, but you must not have seen it. I’ll do it again.

The salt in salt water doesn’t get through your skin. Swimming in salt water doesn’t raise blood pressure. It improves it. All exercise does.

If you miss the answer this time, G.S., I have to drop the question. People will think I’m obsessed with it.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Your column titled “Runner Gets Stress Fracture” reminded me of my son’s problems with stress fractures when he was in high school. He participated in both regular track and cross-country track. He had three stress fractures, including the upper and lower leg bones. He was finally fitted with orthotics and never had any additional problems, though he continued to run in high school and through college. ? F.H.

ANSWER: Stress fractures are minute breaks in the bone that come from overuse and too little rest. Orthotics are shoe inserts. Often they are specially fashioned for a special problem, like an anatomical misalignment. Your son’s story provides a nice way of preventing stress fractures for some athletes.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com