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Send questions to askamy@amydickinson.com or to ask amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, ny 13068. dr. Michael Roizen is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four no. 1 new york times bestsellers. Reach him at questions@greatager

Dear Amy: How do I tell my best friend that I don’t like going anywhere with her if she insists on driving?

“Mildred” and I were best friends throughout childhood.

After high school, we went our separate ways, but stayed in touch over the years.

I retired last year at age 65 and moved back to my hometown area, where she also lives.

I quickly found out that her driving makes me a nervous wreck. She can’t seem to hold the steering wheel steady, and is constantly swaying the car from side to side, just enough to jostle us around.

Also, while in traffic not ideal for using cruise control, she does use it, constantly speeding up and slowing down as she tries to maintain her speed.

I’m so annoyed when we reach our destination, I’m a nervous wreck!

I have tried politely asking her to let me drive, and she gets upset.

I don’t want our friendship to be affected because of this, but I am at my wits end and feel that if I tell her the truth, it would hurt her feelings.

Help! — Scared

Q: I want to lower my blood sugar levels so I don’t have prediabetes. Can I do that if I walk more? — Amy G., Solon, Ohio

A: Battling prediabetes should include physical activity as well as a nutritional upgrade. But, yes, walking daily can help you reverse your prediabetes and extend your lifespan.

A new study in Diabetes Care looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on 1,194 U.S. adults with prediabetes and 493 with diabetes to discover what daily step count provided the most protection from death from any cause over the course of around nine years.

They found that moving a little bit — 3,500 steps a day for those with prediabetes and 2,500 steps daily for folks with diabetes — did offer protection from death ... slightly. After all, getting less than that step count means you probably don’t go out of the house some days, and when you do, you sit in a car and then sit at some other location.

Earlier studies have found that if you’re

Dear Heloise: The comments made about credit cards in one of your previous letters were basically correct: Credit cards don’t cost you anything as long as you pay off the monthly bill.

In fact, some cards even give back a reward of 1.5%.

But, they can cost the recipient up to 4%. So, if you make a donation to a worthy cause, for example, the bank takes its bite, reducing the amount of good it does. In those instances, it would be better to make out a check. — W. Carl Mayer, Saugerties, N.Y.

Dear Heloise: Here are additional hints for pill filling and organizing.

I, too, have a cheat sheet with the times of day. I keep this current and take an extra copy for doctor visits. I line the bottles up to coincide with my cheat sheet and times of day, as well. Also, I write in big letters and with marker whether it’s for a.m. or p.m. on the bottle. I circle the number of pills to take. I write both names of the drug, the generic and proper name.

When I’m filling them for seven days, if I have less than seven pills left, I keep that bottle out on the counter to remind me to set up a refill.

Dear Scared: Around 45 million Americans are senior drivers — and this number is rising — as boomers become seniors and seniors become elders, and most want to continue driving.

I bring this up because there is some likelihood that other drivers you are encountering on the road when you’re with “Mildred” are also older and perhaps have diminished reaction times to her swerving and unexpected braking.

Or they’re younger, aggressive and themselves.

If you or she are physically on the frail side, even a minor fender bender where the airbag deploys could be dangerous.

You could tell her, “Mildred, I’m a nervous wreck when I ride with you. I’m happy to drive when we go out, but if you don’t want to let me drive, I’ll meet you at our destination.”

Framing the issue in this way lets both of you know that your feelings are just as important as hers. reckless sitting for six hours a day — even if you also exercise — you’re severely damaging your health and shortening your life.

But the headline in the step-count study is that getting around 10,000 steps a day is the real game changer. Folks with prediabetes and diabetes who walk that much are doing precisely what they need to do to see the greatest reduction in their risk of death from any cause.

So my recommendations are:

• Get a step counter/pedometer. There are free apps for smartphones and wearables that work well too.

• Download a step equivalent chart from “MIT Getfit Convert activities to steps.” Explore ways to get “steps” in with alternative activities.

• Make a walking plan for your week. Some days you may go for 10,000 in four parts, some days in one. Then, get out there and/or in the gym or at home on a treadmill.

That way, I know I have a week to get it done. — Sabrina Ganaway, via email

Dear Heloise: I started sewing small cloth table runners. The fabric consists of cupcakes and party hats — very colorful! I sew on a coordinating pocket that holds a birthday card, candle, balloon and lighter. Rickrack, buttons and a bright tassel complete the festive look. — Corrine Berkland, via email

Dear Heloise: You had a letter about key management (my term), and you asked for ideas. We put self-stick hooks on the inside of a kitchen cabinet door. We put our keys on the hooks. A picture is attached. Of course, it is important to remember to do that “right away.” It is a true mystery to me how some keys disappear. Among the keys are those for cars, the outdoor storage shed, the front storm door and entrance door, the door leading to the garage, the patio door, and the keys for our children’s homes. For some doors, we have duplicate keys — just in case. — Timothy Davis, via email

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The Gazette, Colorado Springs