A Warm Compress

Placing a warm compress over the affected eye for ten to twenty minutes can help to soothe the eye and speed up the recovery process. If only one eye is effected, the compress should only be placed over that eye. After one that is done with the compress, it should be washed by itself in the washing machine or thrown out. Pink eye is rather contagious and can easily be spread through the used washcloth.

Tea Bags

In addition to using a washcloth, a tea bag compress on the eyes has been known to soothe the irritations. This remedy is one that has been used for quite a few years. Teas such as chamomile, black and green are all ones that may prove helpful. The tea bag should be allowed to steep shortly in warm water. This is then placed on the eye for up to twenty minutes at a time.

Vitamins

As with any infection, a healthy body will speed up the recovery process. Taking supplements that include zinc can help the immune system and get rid of pink high quicker. Foods such as meats, seafood, legumes and eggs are naturally high in zinc. Vitamin A is also helpful in treating any eye problems. Foods such as carrots, spinach and potatoes are all high in vitamin A.

Antibiotics

The easiest and most effective way to rid one of pink eye is often through the use of antibiotics. These cannot be obtained over the counter and must be prescribed by a doctor. Antibiotics will come either in pill form or in eye drops. Children who are very reluctant to take the drops may do better with the pills. For a child who is infected with pink eye, his school or daycare may have different policies as to when he can be admitted back in school. Once a child is on antibiotics for at least 24 hours, he is usually able to return to classes.

Pink eye is not an enjoyable infection, but is one that people commonly get. It is easily treated and can be prevented by frequent hand washing. Also when one is infected, pillowcases, sheets and the towels need to be washed on a daily basis. It is spread all too easily and quickly by people who are careless. If children are infected, it is important that parents explain how they should care for their eyes and take steps to not spread the pink eye to friends or family members.

1. Prevent further damage

Age spots can darken and grow larger with more exposure to the sun, so always apply SPF 30 or higher sunscreen whenever you go outside. All it takes is a few minutes for the sun to damage skin.

2. Use aloe vera

Aloe vera has been shown to reduce the appearance of age spots when used at least twice a day. Aloe can be purchased almost anywhere, and it is effective in any form. It can take several months to start seeing a difference, but persistence will pay off in this situation.

3. Try common kitchen items

Apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice are home remedies that many people have used to reduce the appearance of age spots. Just like aloe, it can take several months before a difference can be noticed.

4. Over-the-counter skin creams

There are many skin creams available without a prescription that can work to quickly eliminate age spots. These often work by bleaching the skin, so it should carefully be applied to only the affected areas. Long-term use of these creams is discouraged as they can damage the skin after repeated applications.

5. Chemical peel

A chemical peel is a procedure performed by a professional that uses acid to remove the top layer of skin. This allows newer cells to take the place of the damaged cells. It may take several applications, but the results are guaranteed.

6. Scrub the age spots away

Dermabrasion is another procedure performed by professionals that can scrub away the top layer of old, damaged skin cells. It is slightly less effective than a chemical peel, but it is less damaging to the skin.

7. Pricey, but effective

The use of lasers is the most effective way to get rid of age spots. Lasers remove age spots by destroying cells that make the pigments that darken skin. This method has few side effects, but it can be extremely expensive if multiple treatments are needed.

Dealing with age spots is a part of growing older, but it is a battle that can be won. By using the treatments outlined above, you can improve your appearance with clear, even skin. This will boost your confidence and let the world see how young you feel!

Take a cool bath or shower

After a sunburn, the skin is going to be extremely sensitive to heat in all forms, so a hot shower could aggravate damaged skin. This will only provide temporary relief, but this will help wash away debris and dead skin that has accumulated on the burn.

Prevent further damage

Limit further sun exposure by covering up burned areas or by using sunscreen even when briefly exposed to the sun. The burned skin will be more sensitive to UV rays due to its natural defenses already being broken down by the burn. If possible, stay indoors for the next several days or until the redness lessens.

Use pain relievers

There are many over-the-counter topical and oral pain relievers that can help ease the pain and swelling of a sunburn. Creams that contain Aloe Vera, Lidocaine or Benzocaine are all effective in relieving pain. Medications such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen can help with the swelling and headaches that can accompany a sunburn. Note: Do not put oily substances such as butter on the burn as this can slow down healing and could cause infection.

Drink plenty of water and eat nutritious food

During the healing period, the body is working hard to repair damage done to the skin and needs fuel to complete this task. Be sure to drink plenty of water as this will hydrate the skin and tissues. Also, eating well-balancing meals will provide the body with energy and vitamins needed for healing.

Wear loose clothing

Don’t wear tight fitting clothes during the healing period as this will irritate the sunburn and can reduce circulation to the skin. Loose-fitting, natural materials are the best choices when you have a sunburn.

Leave peeling skin alone

Picking at the peeling skin during the final stages of healing can remove some of the protective skin the lower layers of tissue are still using to heal. This can even result in bleeding and infection.

The only thing that will completely heal sunburn is time, but these steps will lessen discomfort and speed up the healing process. Most importantly, if the healing seems to be taking longer than usual, a persistent fever develops, or infection sets in, talk to your doctor about further treatment.

Replace Your Electrolytes

If you are becoming dehydrated, you need to replace the electrolytes you are losing. There are solutions at the pharmacy that will take care of this, and Pedialyte will also do a good job.

Drink Water

Vomiting and diarrhea are bound to remove a great deal of fluids from your body. You need to replace the lost fluids by drinking plenty of water. For the period of time that you are running to the bathroom, continue to drink water so that you are replenishing whatever fluids you are losing.

Get Rest

Sleep is one of the best ways to give the body a chance to heal and restore itself. If you are able to rest, it would be advisable for you to do so. You are going to feel tired from your bout with food poisoning, and the more rest you are able to acquire, the quicker you will feel like yourself again.

Eat Light

If you start to feel hungry, you certainly do not want to eat anything heavy. The best foods for you to have would be toast with nothing on it, plain crackers or plain white rice. Cereals low in sugar can be eaten as well, but you will need to be careful with the milk, as it may cause stomach upset, especially if you suffer from lactose intolerance. You need to eat light until you have recovered sufficiently.

Try Papaya Juice

Papaya juice may help you to feel better. Boiling parts of a papaya in water will give you a drink that you can use, rather than buying something from the grocery store that may contain too much sugar. You want to avoid sugary drinks during this time.

Use Garlic

Half a clove of garlic in the water that you are drinking will help to detoxify your body, as garlic is a natural detoxifier and is also an antibiotic. You should allow the garlic to sit in the water a few minutes before you start to drink it.

Charcoal Tablets Can Help

When you first suspect that you have food poisoning, six charcoal tablets with eight ounces of water may help to neutralize the toxins in your bloodstream. You should take the tablets and continue to sip the water until a full eight ounces have been taken. After six hours, you may want to take another six tablets of charcoal with another eight ounces of water.

If No Improvement, See a Doctor

If, after a few days, you still do not feel well, check in with your doctor. Food poisoning that lasts more than a few days can potentially cause more damage to your body, so it’s always best to get it checked out by a medical professional.

Watch What You Eat

Some instances of food poisoning are most definitely avoidable. Keep an eye out for the classic signs of spoiled or tainted food – don’t eat any vegetables or meats that have a bad smell to them, and definitely don’t eat anything that’s growing mold! Common foods that grow mold fairly quickly are fruits, vegetables and bread.

A lot of times you hear about cases of food poisoning when people from the U.S. go on vacation overseas. More often than not, this is a result of bacteria in the water. Foreigners aren’t used to this bacteria from drinking the water all their lives, so they can become violently ill. Another good rule of thumb when traveling to a locale with questionable drinking water is to stick with bottled water throughout your trip.

Coughs can be caused by any number of irritants and allergies. Colds, the flu and smoking will also create the urge to cough. There are ways that you can control a cough so that it does not irritate everyone in the vicinity. You will also feel much better.

Suck on a Lozenge that will Soothe the Throat

If you suck on a cough drop or some type of lozenge made for the purpose of easing a cough, you will find that the urge to cough will not be as great. A dry cough is usually a tickle in the back of the throat. The dryness and tickle can be greatly relieved with a throat lozenge. A productive cough, usually associated with a cold, will contain mucus. There are over-the-counter cough drops that are specifically geared to handle various coughs. Find the drops appropriate for your particular cough and carry them with you.

Quit or Cut Down on Smoking

If you are a smoker, you know how to get rid of a cough. Get rid of the cigarettes. Even if you just lessen the amount of smoking you do each day, you will be helping to eliminate your cough as well. Nicotine is an irritant to the mouth, the throat and the sinuses. The less smoking you do, the less coughing you will do.

Treat Colds and Flu

Coughs due to a cold or the flu will be more easily managed if you treat the ailment that is causing you to cough in the first place. Cough medicine that contains an expectorant will help to rid you of the phlegm that is causing you so much misery. Remember to use those cough drops mentioned above.

Get a Checkup for Acid Reflux

If you have acid reflux with frequent heartburn, your doctor can prescribe medication to control the acid that rises up your esophagus and into your throat. This acid is highly irritating and can contribute to a bad cough. Treating reflux will not only help the acid problem, it will also help you to rid yourself of your cough.

Control your Allergies

Allergies will often cause coughing, whether you are allergic to dust, pet dander, pollen or something else entirely. There are allergy tests that your doctor can perform. There are also prescription medications that can be taken to control allergy symptoms, including coughing.

Chronic coughs with no known cause should always be checked out by your doctor in order to get to the bottom of the problem.

Understanding these blisters and why they occur can help you get rid of them easily.

What are Fever Blisters?

Fever blisters are facial lesions that occur around the lips, in the region of the mouth. Also termed as mouth ulcers, canker sores and cold sores, they can make even general activities like eating and kissing hard to do and irritating. These blisters are filled with fluid, and they often crack open towards their final stages, causing your lips to crack when you stretch them. These blisters can also affect your fingers, and in some cases, they can crop up near your ears.

How Fever Blisters Occur

These blisters are caused due to the herpes virus, although there’s no need to panic and assume that you have an STD. There are two types of viruses in the herpes category – the herpes simplex virus (type 1) causes fever blisters, while genital herpes (type 2) causes lesions in the genital region. The second type is more dangerous and less common, and blisters rarely occur under this type.

Getting Rid of Blisters

There are many medicines that you can opt for and some home remedies that can help you treat this problem as well. Medicines that are available over the counter like Famvir, Zoviraz and Valtrex can help in treating fever blisters.
Some effective ways to remove fever blisters have been given below.

• Give It Time – Fever blisters subside slowly and disappear after a point of time. The infection can last for a period of two weeks, after which the blisters start disappearing. It’s a good idea to let the blisters heal on their own, because they don’t leave back scars in this way.
• Use Petroleum Gel – Covering your lips with a thin layer of petroleum gel can help in speeding the healing process up, and can also help in preventing further infections from targeting the affected region.
• Tailor Your Diet – The right diet is very essential for getting rid of fever blisters. Salty food items, spicy foods and citrus based food items can aggravate the condition and make the blisters more painful. Fruit juices (the non-citrus ones); water and buttermilk can help in speeding up the healing process. Your lips will be open and prone to infection, so avoid dusty and unclean environments.
• Learn To Relax – Any form of emotional stress and physical stress can affect these facial blisters, so opting for simple activities like meditation, yoga and reading can help you get rid of fever blisters.
• Use A Cold Compress – Using a cold compress on the blisters can bring down the pain significantly. This method can also help in getting rid of such blisters.

Waiting for the blisters to disappear is the best way to treat this problem without making it worse, but you can opt for the above measures if you’re looking for a quick fix and don’t mind taking a little risk.

Yes, your feet do sweat and yes, it’s natural for shoes to stink beyond a point – but what are you going to do about it? You can try and pretend not to notice, even when people around you are making their grimaces more obvious, or you can opt for some of these methods that can help you combat smelly shoes.

Before you get to work, you need to understand that shoes get their distinct stink because of the bacteria (brevibacteria) that breed within them. Brevibacteria consume dead skin and they produce methanethiol from amino acid methionine. Methanethiol has an unpleasant and cheesy odor, and this is what makes your feet smell (learn more about how to get rid of smelly feet). So basically, all you need to do is eliminate these microorganisms, and this will solve your problem.

Bacteria thrive in spaces that are moist, dark and warm, and thanks to the sweat glands that are present in your feet; the insides of your shoes serve as an ideal place for their growth.

The Baking Soda Method

Every evening, roll up your sleeves and coat your shoes with baking soda on the insides. Once you do this, seal them up in a plastic bag and store them in the freezer. Bacteria can’t withstand the cold, and any existing odor will be removed fully by the baking soda.

Don’t wear the shoes soon as you take them out of the freezer. Keep them out in the open for a while before you slip them on again. This will bring down their moisture content, and reduce the chances of brevibacteria breeding in your shoes again.

The Rubbing Alcohol Method

You can opt for this method if you don’t have the time (or room) to freeze your shoes overnight. Apply a coat of rubbing alcohol along the insides of your shoes and place them in ventilated space for a while. Rubbing alcohol removes the bacteria quickly, as it evaporates fast. If you think your shoes are quite moist after this method, apply some baking soda on their insides, as this will soak up the remaining moisture.

Preventing Shoe Odor

There are a couple of preventive measures that you can opt for, to make things easier. Keep your feet clean, and dry them properly once you wash them. Moisture tends to accumulate in the region between your toes, so ensure that you use a good towel regularly. Antiperspirants can also help in this regard, and talcum powder can be used to soak up the moisture from your shoes.

Never wear wet shoes, and leave them out to dry for a long time before you use them again. Stuffing newspapers inside your shoes is a good idea that can help drain off the excess moisture. In case your shoes are wet, think twice before tossing them into the dryer because this may ruin them. Your shoes need to be cleaned regularly, so make this a part of your daily or weekly routine.

The good news is that smelly feet are definitely curable; at the very least you’ll be able to cover up the smell so that it’s not noticeable. You may even be able to get to the root of the problem and solve it altogether. Check out the different tips below to get started on the path to having good-smelling feet!

Causes of Smelly Feet

The reason for your smelly feet is actually quite simple. Your feet sweat – there’s no way around that. Sweat discharges waste from our bodies, and there are many types of bacteria that feed on this waste. The bacteria use organic acids to help break down the waste, which in turn, results in a very potent odor that can stink your feet up something awful.

Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Smelly Feet

One of the oldest and most effective remedies for food odor is taking a salt bath. You don’t literally need to get into the bathtub, but rather just soak your feet. Add some salt to a mixture of warm water and grab a seat. Let your feet soak for a good 20-30 minutes in the salt water. When you take them out, you’ll notice your feet are extremely dry; this is a good thing, the salt soaks up all the toxins and what not that are present in your feet’s sweat glands. Don’t rinse your feet off – just let the salt do its job and dry you up.

Cleaning your Shoes

Since we know that sweat is a direct contributor to foot odor, your shoes can be doing you lots of harm. Because your shoes house your feet for most of the day, it’s only logical that they’re being sweat on and are absorbing a lot of this smell while they’re being worn. You may start to reduce the smell of your feet through different methods, but your shoes can still smell!

The best way I’ve found to fix this problem is with baby powder or cornstarch. Sprinkle the powder or cornstarch in your shoes before you put them on and after you take them off for the day. Do this every few days and then monitor the smell. The powder will help to absorb some of the sweat and even do a little bit of “covering up” if the smell starts to seep out.

Try Different Socks

Ditch the synthetic socks and go for something more natural like cotton. Socks that are made out of synthetic materials tend to cause more sweating in the feet than socks made out of natural materials. So go to your local clothing store and pick up your new socks, and give them a try. Monitor the smell and take note of whether or not your feet are still sweating (or sweating as bad as before) over the next couple of weeks.

Store-Bought Products for Smelly Feet

Since smelly feet are a very common problem all over the world, there are a number of over the counter (OTC) products sold to remedy the problem. Simply put: some work, some don’t. You always need to be cautious when buying products to remedy a health issue – many times the makers of the product are relying on the fact that you’re in a desperate situation and are willing to “try anything”. That being said, some reputable and effective products include Odor-Eaters, Gold Bond Medicated Foot Spray and Lavilin Cream.

Don’t Make Your Eyes Worse

Pun intended, hindsight is 20/20! If you could go back and eliminate all the bad habits that were hurting your eyes over time, I’m sure you would. But alas, we must deal with the present – so eliminate the following habits that are proven to be detrimental to the health of your eyes: smoking, starting at computer or tv screen for extending periods of time, reading in the dark and not protecting your eyes from the sun.

How to Strengthen Your Eyes with Proper Diet

If you already have a need for glasses, focusing your diet to make your eyes healthier will only go so far. While some foods are proven to help fight off diseases of the eye and degeneration of the eye muscles in general, there’s no proof that they can actually make people with poor vision see better. That being said, a proper diet can help prevent future worsening of your eyes and may help you from ever getting glasses in the first place.

The primary nutrients that your eyes need to stay healthy are found in Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, E and in protein. This means you need to ensure you’re getting the daily-recommended intake of these 3 essential nutrients in order to keep and maintain healthy eyes. Aside from a multivitamin, these nutrients can be found in eggs, fish, broccoli, oranges, carrots, spinach and milk.

Contact Lenses

Whenever I suggest contacts as an alternative to someone who’s been wearing glasses for a while, I typically get some variation of the following reply: “Contacts? No Way! I could never put anything like that in my eye.” People, it’s really not as bad as you think. I was most definitely one of those people, but I eventually gave it a shot, and got used to it pretty darn quickly. Now I consider myself an absolute contact pro – I can put them in and out in less than 30 seconds. The freedom of being able to see without glasses and not having to clean off your glasses several times a day is well worth getting over the fear of “putting something in your eye”!

Laser Surgery (LASIK)

LASIK surgery is all the rave nowadays to correct poor vision. The benefit of LASIK surgery is that your eyes will be given close to perfect vision, completely eliminating the need for contact lenses or glasses. The surgery can correct all types of vision problems, including astigmatism, nearsightedness and farsightedness. It works by using a laser to change the shape of your cornea, allowing it to better focus on the retina and enhance your vision.

The surgery itself has very minimal risks or side effects, and thousands of successful surgeries are done every day throughout the world. However, as with any surgery, there is always some risk – that’s something you need to keep in mind before proceeding. Depending on the specifics of the procedure, your geographic location and the practice you choose to visit, prices range anywhere from $1200 to over $3500 per eye.

Note your worst areas and take pictures

Though it’s impossible to “spot reduce”, that is, to target a particular body area from which to reduce fat, you should take a good look at your face and note your trouble areas. Take a couple of pictures and write it down in a little notebook for future reference. You may have droopy eyes, puffy cheeks or a second (and maybe third) neck. Do not despair, these pictures and notes will be used for motivation and comparison further down the road to chart your progress.

Full body workout

You will need to start a full body workout regimen in order to start building muscle and losing fat everywhere throughout your body. Since you can’t just target your face, this is the only way to ensure you’ll lose the fat that’s there. depending on your schedule, plan to do weight training 3 to 5 times a week and cardio 3 to 4 times a week. You can do both in the same day, so you’ll have days off in between working out.

Proper diet and nutrition

Try to split your meals up throughout the day, eating between 5 and 6 total smaller meals, instead of 2 or 3 massive meals at the traditional times. This will help boost your body’s metabolism and keep you satisfied throughout the day, reducing your risk of cheating or overeating and putting that fat right back on.

Reduce your caloric intake

Since your primary goal will be to lose weight, particularly in the face, you’ll need to make sure your body is in a caloric deficit. That means, it’s getting less calories than it’s used to getting. This will force your body to feed off some it’s own fat instead of relying on the typical load of calories that you give it. Don’t lower it drastically, otherwise you won’t be getting enough calories to help build muscle and make your workouts worthwhile. Muscle is one of your best friends when it comes to burning fat.

Stay hydrated

Another crucial part of maintaining proper diet and nutrition to lose weight in your face is to remain hydrated. This means drinking around 8 12oz glasses of water per day, every day. Water is our lifeblood, and it helps our bodies to function properly. The fluidity it provides allows for all the vitamins and minerals we ingest through food to quickly and freely flow through our body, ensuring they get to the right place and get there quick.

Practice facial exercises

This may sound really silly, but there are actual exercises for your face! You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in the gym exercising their face, but nonetheless, these exercises do work to strengthen your facial muscles and help your face look healthier. Practice winking and smiling in the mirror for starters. Do 20-30 repetitions for each eye and another set of smiles.

Watch a video on facial exercises