| How to Digest Food Faster Posted: 21 Nov 2016 04:00 PM PST Digestion breaks down food into smaller parts, allowing your body to take full advantage of the energy and nutrients it contains. Different foods break down in different ways, some faster than others. Although the rate of digestion is dependent mostly on your body's natural mechanisms, there are some things you can do increase the speed and quality of your digestion. Keep reading to learn how to digest food faster. EditChanging Your Lifestyle - Exercise regularly. Increased physical activity helps keep food moving through the digestive system. This can increase the speed with which food is digested, and assist in the overall digestive process.
- Exercise can prevent constipation and increase the speed of digestion by decreasing the amount of time food stays in the large intestine, thereby limiting the amount of water absorbed from the stool back into the body.[1]
- Movement also helps stimulate the natural contractions of the smooth muscle in the digestive tract, expediting the breakdown of food.[2]
- However, it is best to wait an hour or so before exercising, in order to allow the body's natural blood supply to concentrate in the digestive system, rather than fueling the heart and other active muscles.
- Get rest. Sleep gives the digestive organs the time needed to rest and repair, increasing their ability to digest food quickly and efficiently.[3] Making some changes to your sleep will have digestion benefits that are far-reaching.
- Don't fall asleep immediately after eating, wait two to three hours to ensure your body has had adequate time to digest.
- Try sleeping on your left side. Some studies have shown that sleeping on the left side increases digestive capability.[4]
- Drink fluids. Drinking fluids, especially water or tea, during or after a meal aids in digestion. Fluids help your body break down food, and water can help by hydrating you.[5]
- Being hydrated is key to maintaining the appropriate levels of saliva production and fluid in the stomach.
- Water also softens stool, helping prevent constipation.
- Additionally, water is crucial to your body's effective use of dietary fiber, a crucial component of digestion.[6]
EditEating Foods that Promote Digestion - Eat high-fiber foods. Fiber-rich foods aid digestion in a variety of ways. Eating these foods can speed digestion by reducing constipation and maintaining general bowel health.[7]
- Fiber works by absorbing water, adding weight and mass to your stool. For this to work, adequate (and sometimes increased) water consumption is also needed. Otherwise, constipation can occur.
- By adding bulk to your stool, these fiber-rich foods regulate digestion. This can also help reduce gas, bloating, and diarrhea.[8]
- Some high-fiber foods include: whole-grain products, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
- Eat yogurt. Yogurt is a great natural source of probiotics, and other live cultures that are essential to digestion.[9] The digestion benefits of yogurt are thought to come from the way that yogurt:
- Encourages the growth of good bacteria, due to its naturally occurring live cultures.
- Decreases the length of time it takes to recover from infections, as well as lessens the immune system response in people with irritable bowel syndrome.
- Speeds the time that food takes to go through the bowel.[10]
- Eat ginger. Ginger has been used for thousands of years as a digestive aid, and its popularity has continued to the present day. Ginger is thought to stimulate the release of enzymes in the digestive tract that increase the efficiency and ease of digestion.[11]
- Ginger has been shown to increase muscle contractions in the stomach, helping to move food to the upper small intestine faster.[12]
- Choose low-fat foods and avoid fatty, fried foods. Foods high in fat and fried foods can cause acid reflux and heartburn because they overwhelm the stomach's ability to properly break down its contents.[13]
- Your stomach finds these foods hard to digest, and slows the entire digestive process.[14]
- Examples of high-fat and fried foods are: processed meats, french fries, ice cream, butter, and cheese.
- Choose mild foods and avoid extra spicy foods. Spicy foods can irritate the throat and esophagus, leading to acid reflux and heartburn.[15] Additionally, these foods can upset the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract, slowing down digestion and causing diarrhea and other digestive ailments.[16]
- Limit or avoid dairy. Yogurt, in general, helps people. However, if you have any symptoms of lactose intolerance, yogurt should be avoided along with all other dairy. Although the exact mechanism by which dairy causes indigestion and constipation is unknown, it can definitely hamper the digestion process.[17] Intolerance to lactose can cause bloating, gas, and indigestion, all of which can be the result of slowed or impaired digestion.
- Limit or avoid red meat. Red meat can make you constipated, and prevent the regular bowel movements necessary for speedy digestion. There are a variety of reasons for the negative effect of red meat on digestion.
- Red meat is high in fat, so the body takes longer to process it.
- Red meat is rich in iron, which can also lead to constipation.
EditChanging Your Eating Habits - Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. Rather than overburdening your digestive system with a large meal, eat smaller meals throughout the day to help speed your digestion. Aim for 4-5 evenly spaced small meals throughout the day. Try to eat every three hours to prevent excessive hunger.[18][19]
- Choose whole foods over processed foods. Foods that are highly processed are more difficult for your body to digest. Instead, choose whole foods that are not full of preservatives, additives, and other chemicals. Eat fruits, vegetables, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, beans, nuts, seeds, and other whole foods throughout the day to ease the digestive process and help make it more efficient.[20]
- Chew your food well. Chewing starts the engine of the digestive train, but is often under-emphasized. Proper chewing multiplies the surface area of the food particles many times and allows your enzymes to access more of the food you have put into your body. Exposing huge surface areas of food to your saliva is a great start in achieving smooth, efficient digestion.[21]
EditUsing Supplements - Consider taking probiotic supplements. Probiotics are bacteria that help maintain the natural balance of microorganisms in the intestines.[22] There are some indications that consuming additional probiotics in supplement form can aid in digestion by bolstering the amount of beneficial bacteria found in the intestines. Probiotics are also in many different types of foods, so if you'd rather not take a supplement, you can get the benefits of probiotics by incorporating probiotic foods into your diet.
- Since the FDA does not regulate probiotic supplements as a drug, there are certain things that you should look for when choosing a probiotic supplement. Make sure that you can find the following information on the label:[23]
- genus, species, and strain of the probiotic (such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG)
- number of organisms that will be alive by the use-by date
- dose
- company name and contact information
- The types of different probiotic strains within the supplement are vary important. Some people react to certain bacteria strains better than others. For this reason, a probiotic with several different strains should be chosen.
- Take digestive enzyme supplements. Over-the-counter digestive enzymes may aid in digestion by supplementing the body's naturally occurring enzymes. Enzymes break down food into its component parts, allowing the body to absorb it more easily. If these enzymes are effective, they could aid in the efficiency and speed of the digestive process.
- Digestive enzymes are created by four glands in the human body, primarily the pancreas.[24]
- Although some alternative healthcare specialists and producers of nutritional supplements argue for the benefits of enzyme supplements, many doctors say more human studies are necessary to determine their potential effects.[25]
- Some commonly sold supplements are:
- Lipase. Lipase aids in the digestion and absorption of fat.[26]
- Papain. Papain is said to be useful in the digestion of proteins.[27]
- Lactase. Lactase aids in the digestion of lactose, the protein found in dairy products. Individuals who have low natural levels of lactase are considered lactose-intolerant.[28]
- Take bitters. Bitters are tinctures (often alcoholic) derived from a variety of herbs, bark, and roots, that are thought to aid in digestion. Alcohol can act as a solvent for the botanical extract and helps to preserve it. Taking bitters before, with, or after a meal can aid in speeding digestion.[29] However, bitters are not proven to have a positive effect on digestion, and there has been very limited research done on their efficacy.
- Avoid sitting for a long period of time after heavy meals because it reduces metabolic processes.
- Try peppermint oil supplements. Some studies have suggested that peppermint oil capsules may help improve digestion, but there is no conclusive evidence to support these claims.[30]
- Don't exercise intensely after eating, as this may lead to cramping and other unpleasant sensations.
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| How to Relieve Ingrown Toe Nail Pain Posted: 21 Nov 2016 08:00 AM PST When a toenail is ingrown, the sides or corners of the nail curl down and dig into the skin of the toe. This can cause swelling, pain, redness, and occasionally pus discharge. This condition, also known as onychocryptosis, usually affects your big toe, although any toe is susceptible to ingrown toenails. The condition is easily treatable, but while you're waiting for your toe to heal, it can be fairly painful. After you diagnose your ingrown toenail, use home remedies to relieve the pain. If the pain is severe or your toenail is infected, you may need to see your doctor. EditDiagnosing an Ingrown Toenail - Check to see if there is swelling on your toe. An ingrown toenail will usually cause a small amount of swelling in the area next to your toenail. Compare your toe to the same toe on your other foot. Does it look puffier than normal?
- Feel the area for pain or sensitivity. The skin around the toenail will feel tender, or painful when touched or pressed. Gently press your finger along the area to isolate where the discomfort is coming from.
- An ingrown toenail might also have a small amount of pus.
- Check where the nail is. With an ingrown toenail, the skin alongside the edge of the nail appears to grow over the nail. Or, the nail might look like it's growing underneath the skin alongside the nail. You might not be able to locate the top corner of the nail.[1]
- Take into account your health conditions. Most of the time, an ingrown toenail can be treated at home successfully. But if you have diabetes or another condition that causes neuropathy, or nerve damage, you should not try treating an ingrown toenail by yourself. You should make an appointment with your doctor immediately.[2]
- If you have nerve damage or poor blood circulation in your leg or foot, your doctor will want to check out your ingrown toenail right away.[3]
- Talk with your doctor. If you're not sure if you have an ingrown toenail, it's best to see your doctor. She will be able to diagnose the toenail and give you recommendations for treating it.
- If the condition is particularly bad, your physician may recommend seeing a podiatrist, or foot specialist.
- Don't let your toe get worse. If you think that your toenail is ingrown, you should start treating it immediately. Otherwise, you risk letting it cause more serious problems like infection.
- If you have symptoms for more than 2-3 days, you should see a doctor.[4]
EditTrying Home Remedies - Soak your foot in warm water. Use a large bowl or your bathtub to soak your foot. This will help reduce swelling and tenderness. Soak it for about 15 minutes. Repeat 3-4 times per day.[5]
- Add Epsom salts to the water. Epsom salts are widely recognized for their ability to reduce pain and swelling. These will also help soften the toenail. Add 1 cup of Epsom salts to a bathtub filled with a few inches of water or a foot bath.
- If you don't have Epsom salts, you can use plain salt. Salt water will help reduce the growth of bacteria in the area.
- Gently massage the affected area. This will help water soak into the ingrown toenail, which will help clear out bacteria and may relieve swelling and pain.
- Use cotton or floss to gently lift the nail edge. After you soak your foot, the toenail should be softened. Carefully work a piece of clean dental floss under the edge of your nail. Lift up the edge of the toenail gently so that it does not grow further into your skin.[6]
- Try this approach after every foot soak. Use a clean length of floss each time.
- Depending on the extent of your ingrown toenail, this might be a little painful. Try taking a pain reliever to ease your discomfort.
- Don't dig too much into your toenail. You can cause more infection, which may require medical intervention.
- Take a pain reliever. An over-the-counter pain reliever can give you some relief from the discomfort you're experiencing. Try a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin. NSAIDs can help relieve pain and inflammation.[7]
- If you cannot take NSAIDs, try acetaminophen instead.
- Try a topical antibiotic cream. An antibiotic cream will help fight off infection. This type of cream is readily available at drug stores and grocery stores.[8]
- Antibiotic creams also can have topical anesthetic such as lidocaine. This will temporarily relieve the pain in the area.
- Follow application instructions on the cream's package.
- Bandage your toe to protect it. To protect your toe from getting further infected or caught on your sock, wrap a bandage or bit of gauze around your toe.
- Wear open-toe sandals or loose shoes. Give your feet some extra room by choosing to wear open-toe shoes, sandals or other loose-fitting shoes.[9]
- Tightly fitting shoes can cause or exacerbate an ingrown toenail.
- Try homeopathic remedies. Homeopathy is alternative medicine that relies on herbs and other natural ingredients to treat various ailments.[10]To treat ingrown toenail pain, try one or more of the following homeopathic remedies:
- Silicea Terra, Teucrium, Nitric Acid, Graphites, Magnetis Polus Australis, Phosphoric Acid, Thuja, Causticum, Natrum Mur, Alumina, or Kali Carb.[11]
EditHelping the Toenail Heal - Soak your feet for 15 minutes. Using warm water and Epsom salts, give your affected toenail a good soak for 15 minutes. This will help soften the nail, making it easier for you to pull it away from the skin.
- Lift the toenail away from the skin. Gently pull away the skin alongside your toenail. This will help separate the skin from the nail so that you can see the edge of the nail. Use a piece of floss or a pointed file to lift the edge of the toenail away from the skin. You might need to start with the side of the toenail that is not ingrown. Work the floss or file toward the ingrown edge.[12]
- Make sure to disinfect the file with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide before you use it.
- Disinfect your toe. While you have the nail lifted away from the skin, pour a small amount of clean water, rubbing alcohol, or other disinfectant underneath the nail. This will prevent bacteria from collecting there.
- Pack gauze underneath the nail edge. Take a small amount of clean gauze and stuff it underneath the lifted nail. The point here is to keep the nail edge from touching the skin. Then it can grow away from the skin, rather than becoming more ingrown.[13]
- Dab antibiotic cream around the nail. Once you have gauze in place, dab the area with an antibiotic cream. You can choose an ointment with lidocaine, which will slightly numb the area.
- Bandage the toe. Wrap a strip of gauze around your toe. Or, you can use a bandage or a toe sock, which is a single toe covering designed to keep one toe separate from the others.[14]
- Repeat the process daily. Use this process to help heal an ingrown toenail. As the toe heals, the pain from the ingrown toenail will subside and the swelling will go down.
- Be sure to change the gauze daily to ensure that bacteria is not introduced into the toenail area.
EditSeeking Professional Help - Get medical attention after 2-3 days. If your home treatments are not making your toenail any better after 2-3 days, check in with your doctor. If you have diabetes or another condition that causes nerve damage, see your doctor immediately and consider seeing a podiatrist.[15]
- If you notice red streaks coming from the toe, you need to see a doctor immediately. This is a sign of a major infection.
- You should also see a doctor if there is pus present near the toenail.[16]
- Talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Your doctor will ask you when the ingrown toenail started, and when it started to swell or get red or painful. He or she will also likely ask you if you are feeling any other symptoms, such as fever. Be sure to talk about your symptoms fully.[17]
- Your general practitioner is usually able to treat an ingrown toenail. But for more complicated cases or recurrent conditions, you might choose to see a podiatrist (foot specialist).[18][19]
- Get a prescription for antibiotics. If your toenail is infected, your doctor may prescribe an oral or topical antibiotic. This will ensure that the infection clears up and new bacteria does not take root under the toenail.
- Allow your doctor to try lifting the toenail. Your doctor will likely want to try the least invasive procedure, which is to lift the toenail slightly away from the skin. If she can get the toenail edge away from the skin, she may pack gauze or cotton underneath.[20]
- Your doctor will give you instructions for replacing the gauze every day. Follow these instructions to make sure your toenail heals.
- Ask about partial nail removal. If the ingrown toenail is very infected or has grown significantly into the surrounding skin, your doctor might opt to remove part of the nail. Your doctor will administer a local anesthetic. Then the doctor will cut along the nail edge to remove the part of the nail growing into the skin.[21]
- Your toenail will regrow in 2-4 months. Some patients worry about the look of the toenail after this procedure. But if your toenail has been growing into your skin, chances are it will look better after this partial removal.
- Toenail removal may sound drastic, but it actually relieves the pressure, irritation, and pain of an ingrown nail.
- Look into permanent partial nail removal. When you get repeated ingrown toenails, you might want to look into a more permanent solution. In this procedure, the doctor will remove some of your nail, along with the nail bed underneath this section. This will prevent the nail from growing back in this area.[22]
- This procedure is administered by laser, chemical, electrical current or other surgery.[23]
EditPreventing Ingrown Toenails - Trim your toenails properly. Many ingrown toenails are caused by improperly trimmed toenails. Cut your toenails straight across. Do not round the corners.[24]
- Use sanitized nail clippers.
- Don't cut your toenails too short. You can also opt to leave the toenail a little longer. This will ensure that the toenail won't grow into the skin.[25]
- Visit a foot care clinic. If you are unable to reach your toenails to clip them yourself, you can visit a foot care clinic to get this service. Check with your local hospital or health care center to find a place that will trim your toenails regularly for you.[26]
- Avoid wearing tight-fitting shoes. If your shoes pinch your toes, you may put yourself at risk to develop ingrown toenails. The side of your shoe might press against your toe and cause your toenail to grow improperly.[27]
- Protect your feet. If you engage in activities that could potentially injure your toes or feet, wear protective shoes. For example, wear steel-toed shoes on construction sites.[28]
- Get help with toenail care if you have diabetes. People with diabetes often have numbness in their feet. If you trim your own toenails, you may accidentally cut your toe and not feel it. Visit a foot care clinic or have someone else trim your toenails for you.[29]
- You should also see your podiatrist regularly if you have diabetes or another condition that causes nerve damage.
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| How to Make a Paper Dahlia Posted: 21 Nov 2016 12:00 AM PST Dahlias are lovely looking flowers, and can serve as a beautiful centerpiece. But you can also make them out of paper as a creative and festive decoration for your walls or table. Best of all? You probably already have all the required materials! EditWall Decoration - Gather your supplies. The list is located at the bottom of the article.
- Cut the card stock papers into 4 inch squares. You will need around 50 to 60 squares to make one dahlia. Use a paper trimmer to make this job easier. If you don't have one, a simple ruler and scissors will do the job.
- Pour a small amount of paint into a palette and dip your sponge in it. Dab the sponge around two corners of each squares as shown.
- This is done to create a two color dahlia. Dabbing gives a natural look compared to just painting the corners. If you don't have a sponge, use dry brush to create that effect.
- Allow them to dry. Wait for it to dry overnight, then come back to it in the morning. Lightly dab your finger in a small area of the paint. If no paint comes off on your finger, it is sufficiently dry.
- Apply a line of glue to top right corner of the square as shown.
- Fold the left side of the square to the center and wrap the right side of the square over it to make a cone shape.
- Repeat the same to all the squares. Make around 50 cones to start making the dahlia. You can always make extra if you want.
- Use the plastic plate as the base. The plate used in the images above was 9 inches (22.86 cm) in diameter. If you don't have a plate, you can also cut a piece of cardboard to use as a base. Apply a line of glue on the back side of the cone.
- A plate is preferred to use than cardboard. The reason is that while hanging the flowers on the wall, the plate gives a three dimensional effect as if the flower is popping out from the wall instead just pasted on the wall. But it is your choice to decide which one to use.
- Paste the cone on the back side of the plate leaving a one inch gap between each cone you paste.
- Dab the glue in a V shape to the back of each cone.
- Glue it in between two cones of the first layer so that it sticks nicely.
- Once the second layer is formed, repeat the same process for the next layers until the flower is formed.This will happen in 5 to 6 layers depending upon the size of the plate.
- Once you reach the point as shown in the picture above, it is time to make the center of the flower. For this, take the left over pieces (3" X 8") of the cardstock paper and make fringes for the center by cutting only 3/4 of the paper (lengthwise) in 3 to 4 mm width and leaving the remaining part to fold.
- Roll the fringe paper and dab a small amount of glue when you reach the end of the paper and attach another paper to the roll.
- Do this until the center piece is formed to a desired size.
- Apply hot glue at the base of the center piece and glue it to the flower.
- Be amazed at your beautiful creation. Your dahlia is now ready to hang on the wall.
- Refer to this image for a closer look of what the dahlia should ideally look like.
- Glue a thread on the back of the plate and hang it on the wall using a command hook or thumb tack.
- If the plate has holes, just insert a rubber band into the holes and hang it on to a command hook.
EditCone as the Center Piece This is an another version of dahlia where you can insert a cone itself in the center instead a fringe center. If you don't want the fringe center piece, use a cone as the center piece. - While pasting the second, third and fourth layer of the cones, maintain the center circle. Paste the cones in such a way the edges of the cones in the first layer should align with cones in the second layer and the next layers, so that you will end up with a hole in the center when the flower cones reaches the center in which you can insert a cone to complete the flower.
- Avoid the gap and align the second layer and the next layers straight above the first layer to get dome shaped dahlia.
- This is done with technique mentioned above but with the fringe center.
- Make as many of these as you'd like. These colorful dahlias make a beautiful wall décor.
EditThings You'll Need - Cardboard for base or any plastic paper plate
- Cardstock paper for your color choice (approximately 15 8.5"X 11" papers)
- Paper trimmer
- Acrylic paint in contrasting color of card stock paper
- Paint brush or small sponge
- Hot glue or double sided tape
- Newspaper or drop cloth to cover the work surface
- Ruler (optional)
- Pencil (optional)
- Scissors (optional)
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