Weight-loss basics
Learning Center
Weight loss: Unhook yourself from food
Do thoughts and feelings about food stand in your way of learning healthy-eating habits? Try these five steps: 1. Know your habits. For a few weeks, jot down what, when and why you eat. See if any patterns emerge. 2. Take away temptation. Don't keep comfort foods in your home if they're hard for you to resist. 3. Enjoy an occasional treat to help curb cravings. 4. Don't give up on yourself. An occasional setback is to be expected. Get right back on the bandwagon.
Ward off dry skin
To keep skin moist and healthy: 1. Moisturize. Moisturizer seals skin to keep water from escaping. 2. Keep bath and shower time to 10 minutes or less. Turn the dial to warm, not hot. 3. Use cleansing creams or gentle skin cleansers and bath or show gels with added moisturizers.
Stop warts from spreading
If you have warts, you can spread the virus to other places on your body. Here's how to stop the spread: 1. Don't brush, clip, comb or shave areas with warts. 2. Don't use the same file or nail clipper on warts as you use on healthy nails. 3. Don't pick at warts. If you can't keep your hands off, cover your warts with an adhesive bandage. 4. Wash your hands carefully after touching your warts.
Have a cold? Fight it with fluids
You can't flush a cold out of your system, but drinking plenty of liquids can help. Try water, juice, clear broth, chicken soup or warm lemon water with honey. The fluids will loosen congestion and keep you hydrated. Avoid alcohol, coffee and caffeinated sodas, which may make dehydration worse.
Vitamin C: Can it prevent colds?
In most cases, vitamin C supplements won't help prevent colds. However, taking vitamin C before the onset of cold symptoms may shorten the duration of symptoms. Vitamin C may provide benefit for people at high risk of colds due to frequent exposure: for example, children who attend group child care during the winter.
Have a cold? Common sense rules
There's no cure for the common cold, but you don't need to feel miserable while you're toughing it out. Drink plenty of fluids. Try chicken soup. Rest as much as you can. Use saline nasal spray to relieve stuffiness. Gargle with warm salt water to soothe a sore throat. Turn on a humidifier. To prevent spreading your cold to others, wash your hands often.
Dandruff: Say goodbye to flakes
Is dandruff the only thing standing between you and a closet full of basic black? Follow these tips to keep dandruff under control: 1. Shampoo regularly. Use a medicated shampoo if necessary. 2. Learn to manage stress. It can trigger dandruff. 3. Get a little sun. Sunlight may be good for dandruff. But be sure to wear sunscreen.
Fall prevention: Simple tips to prevent falls
Have you ever tripped down the stairs? Slipped on a rug? It may seem silly, but falls are nothing to take lightly. Here are tips to fall-proof your home: 1. Keep electrical cords out of walking paths. 2. Securely fasten carpet, rugs and carpet runners to the floor. 3. Keep walkways and stairways free of clutter. 4. Use nonslip mats in the bathtub or shower.
Check your weight-loss readiness
Weight loss requires commitment. Ask yourself the following questions to help you determine your readiness: 1. Am I willing to change my eating and activity habits? 2. Do I have the time to spend on making changes? 3. Or am I too distracted by stress and other pressures? Talk to your doctor if you need help addressing stressors or emotions that seem like obstacles to your readiness.
Solutions for weight-loss setbacks
Everyone who successfully makes changes in his or her life has experienced setbacks. It's better to expect them and plan for dealing with them. Identifying potential roadblocks — a big holiday meal or an office party, for example — and brainstorming strategies to overcome them can help you stay on course with your weight-loss goals.
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