Tips About Anything

Archive for the ‘Health and fitness tips’ Category

Pregnancy is exciting, but like most good things, it has its challenges.  One of the physiological changes that can occur is headaches.  Pregnancy related headaches can be caused by fluctuating hormone and blood sugar levels, caffeine withdrawal, lack of sleep and dehydration.  Many headache medications and herbal remedies should be avoided during pregnancy; it’s not the time for experimentation.  In general, use non-medicinal approaches before you resort to medications.  Here are some worth trying:

1. Monitor triggers:  Foods such as chocolate, aged cheese, preserved eats and peanuts can bring on headaches.
2. Take care of yourself:  Exercise, maintain good posture (especially important in the last trimester), and don’t skip meals.
3. Use warm or cold clothes.  Put a warm washcloth over your eyes and nose for sinus headaches.  For tension headaches, place a cold washcloth or gel pack at the base of your neck.
4. Relax:  Consider getting seated head/neck/shoulder massages for tension headaches.

If your headaches do require medication, acetaminophen is the usual choice, but ask your doctor first if it is right for you.

Taking your ponytail from flat to full is easy.  Before you gather your hair, tease the underside of the top layer with a comb.  Then, gently smooth it over with a brush (without pressing down).  Gather your hair with a hooked band rather than an elastic band to keep your volume intact and help prevent breakage.

Common symptoms of diabetes:

• frequent urination
• excessive thirst
• extreme hunger
• unusual weight loss
• increased fatigue
• irritability
• blurry vision

A new study found that women who drink three or more cups of coffee per (or six cups of tea) are 30% less likely to have memory decline at age 65 than those who sip one cup or less daily.  It seems that caffeine may help reduce levels of beta amyloid, a protein that accumulates in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study done by the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research.

If shuttling kids to and from sports prevents you from exercising on a regular basis, here is a tip to fit exercise into your busy schedule.  Instead of sitting on the sidelines watching your kid(s) play, round up other parents and walk around the perimeter of the field.  This way you get to socialize, exercise and support your kids sports, all at the same time.