Vomiting in Babies

Vomiting is actually a strong reflex action which involves an upward motion of all the contents in the stomach, from the body’s digestive system to the mouth. At the time of vomiting, all the muscles of abdomen and chest contract together, causing pain and exhaustion. It is actually a symptom and not a disease. The episode is troublesome for all, but affects babies deeply as their body is not strong enough to take in the pressure caused. It is normal for babies to vomit during the initial weeks, because this is the time when their body adjusts to changes in feeding patterns. Usually, an episode of vomiting subsides after six to ten hours, without any treatment, except a minor change in the regular diet. However, if vomiting continues for the whole day or every time your little one binges on food and liquids, it is a cause of concern and should be immediately consulted, to find out the underlying cause and the treatment. There are numerous reason as to why vomiting in small babies occur and most of them can be treated by using simple measures. in the following lines, we have provided detailed information on the causes and treatments of vomiting in kids.

Causes
A common physiological problem, vomiting in infants is mainly due to the under development of the digestive system. The posture of the baby is yet another major factor which causes vomiting or queasiness. In an infant body, there are valves at various places of digestive track. These valves are under developed and are mainly present to prevent the backflow of the content to the previous organs of digestive tract. Since these valves are in an under-developed stage, they allow the contents of the stomach to travel back to the infant mouth, thereby causing vomiting.

Some of the underlying reasons as to why vomiting in kids occur are acidity, indigestion, worms and certain infectious disease involving digestive systems like typhoid, cholera and enteritis. On rare occasions, dangerous situations in vomiting include bloody vomiting which suggest internal hemorrhage and tuberculosis. Dark greenish or some abnormal colored vomitus implies ingestion of poison.

Treatment
The best treatment for avoiding vomiting in infants is burping. It is a method wherein the infant is gently patted on the back, from top to bottom, so that all the milk consumed goes down in the stomach and nothing remains in the foodpipe. In case of vomiting in babies and children, the best treatment is to make them drink boiled water. This would prevent the infection which causes vomiting. Also, it is best advised not to over feed children. Leaving a small portion of the stomach empty is the best way to avoid vomiting or feeling of nausea.

The diet chart for kids should be such that it involves frequent eating of small meals rather than binging on large meals once or twice a day. Also, there should be a gap between two meals. This is mainly to ensure proper digestion of the food. However, if none of the above mentioned tips work, medications in the form of syrups, pills, tablets and injections that have anti-nauseant or anti-vomiting property is advised after proper consultation from a specialized doctor

What Causes Bad Breath?

Bad breath, or halitosis, can be a major problem, especially when you're about to snuggle with your sweetie or whisper a joke to your friend. The good news is that bad breath can often be prevented with some simple steps.

Bad breath is caused by odor-producing bacteria that grow in the mouth. When you don't brush and floss regularly, bacteria accumulate on the bits of food left in your mouth and between your teeth. The sulfur compounds released by these bacteria make your breath smell.

Certain foods, especially ones like garlic and onions that contain pungent oils, can contribute to bad breath because the oils are carried to your lungs and out through your mouth. Smoking is also a major cause of bad breath.

There are lots of myths about taking care of bad breath. Here are three things you may have heard about bad breath that are not true:

Myth #1: Mouthwash will make bad breath go away.

Mouthwash only gets rid of bad breath temporarily. If you do use mouthwash, look for an antiseptic (kills the germs that cause bad breath) and plaque-reducing one with a seal from the American Dental Association (ADA). When you're deciding which dental products to toss into your shopping cart, it's always a good idea to look for those that are accepted by the ADA. Also, ask your dentist for recommendations.

Myth #2: As long as you brush your teeth, you shouldn't have bad breath.

The truth is that most people only brush their teeth for 30 to 45 seconds, which just doesn't cut it. To sufficiently clean all the surfaces of your teeth, you should brush for at least 2 minutes at least twice a day. Remember to brush your tongue, too — bacteria love to hang out there. It's equally important to floss because brushing alone won't remove harmful plaque and food particles that become stuck between your teeth and gums.

Myth #3: If you breathe into your hand, you'll know when you have bad breath.

Wrong! When you breathe, you don't use your throat the same way you do when you talk. When you talk, you tend to bring out the odors from the back of your mouth (where bad breath originates), which simply breathing doesn't do. Also, because we tend to get used to our own smells, it's hard for a person to tell if he or she has bad breath.

If you're concerned about bad breath, make sure you're taking care of your teeth and mouth properly. Some sugar-free gums and mints can temporarily mask odors, too.

If you brush and floss properly and visit your dentist for regular cleanings, but your bad breath persists, you may have a medical problem like sinusitis or gum disease. Call your doctor or dentist if you suspect a problem. They can figure out if something else is behind your bad breath and help you take care of it

10 ways to save on your birth control

Some brands of the Pill can cost as much as $50 a month. What if you could throw that $600 into something way more fun this year?

A recent survey of more than a thousand women by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists found that many women are doing just that: Of those who switched their birth-control method in the past year, 14 percent did so in order to save cash.

Here’s how to save your dough.

Go Generic
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a generic version of the Pill, or do some research by looking at an online drugstore. Generic drugs are much cheaper than their brand-name counterparts, and they have the same rate of efficacy.

For example, the price of Ortho Tri-Cyclen is $41.99 on the Walgreens website, but its generic equivalents, TriNessa and Sprintec, cost only $27.99—nearly 30 percent less.

“Generic drugs have the same makeup as brand-name drugs,” says Nancy Cossler, M.D., an ob-gyn at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. “They’re all the same, so there’s no reason not to go generic.”

Be Straight with Your Doctor
Talk to your doc about your financial constraints. She’ll make sure to prescribe you a pill that has a generic version or talk to you about other cost-effective methods. Also, your doctor might have free samples available, but be warned: According to Cossler, drug companies only manufacture samples of brand-name pills like Yaz to fool you into getting a prescription for the expensive stuff once you do sign on. Make sure that when your doctor writes you a script, it’s for the generic version.

Bargain Shop
You scour supermarkets for the cheapest shampoo and the best deal on laundry detergent, so why shouldn’t you look for a bargain when filling your prescription? Call around and research your pill online to price your drug at the big pharmacies. Bonus: Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, and most of the others have prescription savings clubs. You can get a 90-day supply of the drug for $12 on some of the plans.

“There could be a very large variation in that cost, especially if you’re not on insurance. The variation can be as much as $100 a month from pharmacy to pharmacy,” says Scott Chudnoff, M.D., a gynecologist at Montefiore Centennial Women’s Center in the Bronx, New York.

Stick with Condoms
If you’re really pinching pennies, talk to your doctor about going off the Pill and protecting yourself with condoms. “If you’re not in a serious relationship and you’re going to have sex fewer than 10 times a month, it might be cheapest to go with condoms,” says Chudnoff.

Plus, since the Pill doesn’t protect you from sexually transmitted infections, you’ll want to use a condom anyway if you’re not in a monogamous relationship.

Make a Long-Term Investment
It’s a lot of cash up front, but the IUD is considered the cheapest form of birth control because it lasts the longest. Mirena (the hormonal type of IUD) lasts three to five years, and the copper IUD can last up to 10 years.

“From a purely financial point of view, the IUD is the best option,” says Chudnoff. “You can get one in the $300 to $400 range—and you might even be able to get it cheaper from different family-planning clinics, like Planned Parenthood.”

If you figure the average pack of pills costs around $10 a month, by the third year of your IUD, the cost has already balanced out.

Go Mail Order
Ask if your company has a long-term prescription plan, which allows you to mail order a 90-day supply of the pill for a lower co-pay. It also cuts down on trips to the pharmacy.

Ask for a Three-Month Prescription
Instead of going to your pharmacist and paying for a refill every month, see if your doctor will write you a prescription for three months at a time. “If your doctor will give you a three-month prescription, you might get away with paying only a single co-pay for it,” says Chudnoff.

Get Your Pills from Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood’s prices may be cheaper than the pharmacy’s--and you may even be able to get birth control for free. Check with them or a local family-planning service in your area.

Use Pretax Dollars for Birth Control
If you know you’ll be spending a given amount every year on your pills, and you have the option available with your company, put aside that amount in a health savings account so it is paid with pretax money.

Homemade Facial Mask for Dry Skin

Why spend a ton of money on products when you can do the same things at home for much less? Here’s one of my favorite recipes for when my skin feels parched, which is usually around this time (when the cold weather starts to kick in!).

Here’s What You’ll Need

2 oz/60g ripe avocado flesh
1 oz/25g orange juice
1 tsp/5g pure acacia honey
1 tsp/5g molasses
5 drops chamomile essential oil

Start by mixing all the ingredients in a blender. You can also mash them in a bowl if you fish. If you see that the consistency is too thick, add a little bit of orange juice. Apply to your face and neck using your fingers and leave on for 30-40 minutes. Once time is up, gently remove the mask using lukewarm water or a warm washcloth.

This homemade facial mask is great for dry skin because it cleanses the skin but moisturizes it at the same time, leaving your face feeling nice and soft. If you don’t use the entire mixture, you can store it in the fridge for about a day or two.

3 Tricks to Getting Gorgeous Eyebrows

Going to get your eyebrows done on a regular basis can empty out your wallet pretty fast, but if you know how to do them right, why spend a fortune and get them done by someone else? Here’s how you can do your own eyebrows in just a few simple steps. No money, no fuss, no pain

1.Start by brushing your brows upwards using a brow brush. Then snip off the long ends of any hairs that might stick out using a pair of brow scissors and continue brushing downwards. Doing this will ensure that you trim off the bulk of the hair, plus will reveal your natural brow shape.

2.Hold a pencil parallel to the side of the bridge of your nose: that’s where the inner edge of your brow should start. To determine the highest point of your arch, place the pencil parallel to the outside corner of your iris. To find out where your brows should end, just hold the pencil diagonally from your nostril to the outside corner of your eye. You can also just look in the mirror and find the highest point of your brow. From there, you can tweeze right underneath the high point to maximize the

3.Using a brow pencil, mark the spots you just found and begin tweezing accordingly. Be sure to remove no more than 2 rows of hair so your brows still maintain a natural shape and look. You may need to remove just a few hairs from the top of the brows to make them look neat and shaped.

Get the Perfect Manicure

Getting the perfect manicure can be a bit nerve wrecking, especially if you’re willing to do it yourself. The nail polish color never matches your outfits, and you always find yourself with chipped polish.

The answer? Simple. Use an off-white nail color on both your nails as well as your toe nails. It looks extremely elegant, it won’t chip off that easily (just make sure to use a base and top coat), and it just looks perfect.

Before applying the polish, make sure to clean your nails, get rid of your cuticles and hang nails, as well as file your nails to your preferred shape

How to Clean Your Room

Some people are just naturally good at keeping their rooms tidy, while some of us need to be reminded or told to do it a thousand times, whether by a frustrated parent or roommate, or by not being able to walk through our room without tripping over something. The problem is that if your room is a mess, the prospect of cleaning it can seem like an overwhelming task. But if you approach it in "layers" as described below, it'll be much less intimidating and, who knows? You might even have fun if you're lucky!

Close all computer programs but this, but first bookmark important sites you have up if you have to. Sign off from any chat programs and put up an away message. The temptation to chat or browse can be a major pitfall. If you are doing something, then turn off your screen or save what you are doing and shut down the computer. Also turn off your cellphone to avoid talking or texting so that you won't get distracted.

Put on an album that you enjoy singing or dancing along with. Stay away from mellow, relaxing music--you need motivation. Turn it up as loud as you're allowed to put it so you're not thinking of anything else. Make a game of seeing how much you can get cleaned up during one song.

Open all of your curtains or blinds and, if appropriate, the windows themselves to let some light and fresh air in. If you're cleaning at night, just turn on all of the lights. This will allow you to see everything and brighten your cleaning process. If you have a ceiling fan, turn it on. There's a good chance you'll work up a sweat.

Remove all big stuff out of your room. That way the room looks a little bit more tidy already

Sweep out everything from under the bed and dressers. You may be surprised to find just how much junk has accumulated there, much of which is probably stuff you'd thought you'd lost or may have simply forgotten about. Separate all of it into four piles: One is trash, the second is give away, the third is recycling, and the last pile is things that should stay in your room

Gather the trash and throw it away. Then recycle the recycling. Keeping a garbage bag in the room will help. Pull stuff out from under and behind the rest of your furniture like desks, dressers, end tables, nightstands or bookshelves. Your only concern right now should be trash and recycling so don't put anything else away, and don't start organizing just yet.

Put everything in your room that you need to put away in a big pile on your bed or in the middle of the floor. When stuff is all over the room it is easy to avoid, but when it's all right there in a big, tall pile, it is almost impossible to leave it there. As you're building up your pile, set any dirty clothes aside in a hamper or in a separate pile.

Fold or hang your clean clothes and put them away, while throwing the dirty ones in the laundry pile. If you come across something that you haven't worn in quite some time, try it on. If it doesn't fit you or isn't in season, give it to charity or put it in a container as long as it's not dirty or torn. Organize your closet and dressers. Close all drawers and doors; make sure nothing is sticking out.

Put everything in its place - don't just shove everything under the bed and call it a day - but don't organize yet. For example, put all the books where they're supposed to be, like on your bookshelf, but don't get caught up in organizing the bookshelf just yet, or else you'll lose momentum. Just keep grabbing an item from the pile on your bed, put it in its place, and move onto the next item. If you find something that doesn't belong anywhere, either consider giving it away, or make a place for it. Continue putting everything away (stuffed animals, photographs, purses, shoes, and so on) until your bed is cleared.

• If you find things that need to be put in another room (like dishes that belong in the kitchen) grab a laundry basket or box and put those items in there. When you're done putting everything away that belongs in your room, you can go and put the rest of the things away that belong in other rooms. Individually taking the items to their spots in other parts of the house is a big waste of time

Time for the bed. Strip it bare. Take off all the bedding and use this opportunity to rotate the mattress. Flipping over your mattress not only increases its lifespan, but it will also feel great to sleep on the under-used side. Now, get out some fresh bedding and change the sheets. Then, finally make your bed. An unmade bed will make any room look messy by itself.

Now take a break. 10-15 minutes should be plenty

Stack your books and magazines neatly, even those on the floor. Stack the by height, biggest on the bottom shortest on the top. Organize your bookshelf if you have one. Dust the books and the shelf surfaces with a feather duster or a moist cloth

Clean up your desk, organizing and dusting as you go along. Even a simple dusting can make your desk look more inviting to sit at again.