How to Strengthen Your Abdominal Muscles After Surgery

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsGetting StartedSample Abdominal ExercisesScheduleSafetyOverall Fitness RoutineKeeping Workouts Fresh Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents Getting Started Sample Abdominal Exercises Schedule Safety Overall Fitness Routine Keeping Workouts Fresh People who haveinflammatory bowel disease (IBD)are often not strangers to abdominal surgery. About 80% of people withCrohn’s diseaseneed surgery to manage the disease. Inulcerative colitispatients, about 30% will require some type of surgery (usually a colectomy)....

January 17, 2025 · 9 min · 1834 words · Carlos Martinez

How to Stretch Tight Hamstrings

Hamstring stretches help to relieve back pain, improve posture, and avoid soreness and injuries. Thehamstringsare a group of muscles that attach to the pelvis and the leg bones. They help you bend your knees and tilt your pelvis. But if they are tight, they can lead to pain in your lower back, knees, and legs.This article looks at the importance of hamstring stretches. It includes instructions for these seven hamstring stretches and guidance on how to stretch effectively....

January 17, 2025 · 13 min · 2587 words · Jennifer Graves

How to Supercharge Your Meals With Microgreens

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSeedlings or Sprouts?Nutritional ValuePopular TypesMethods for GrowingHow to Store Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents Seedlings or Sprouts? Nutritional Value Popular Types Methods for Growing How to Store Microgreens have become a new culinary staple for many people. But what are they? Essentially, microgreens are the young seedlings ofvegetablesandherbs. These tiny greens are packed with nutrients and offer various health benefits.You can add microgreens to salads, sandwiches, smoothies, meats, and more....

January 17, 2025 · 6 min · 1277 words · Patricia Schmidt

How to Support Someone With Bipolar Disorder

Supporting someone with bipolar disorder means offering stability, consistency, and practical help through mood shifts. In manic phases, maintain a calm environment to avoid overstimulation, and suggest soothing activities like walking together to foster connection and promote rest. In depressive phases, focus on gentle support. Remind your loved one to prioritizeself-care, like drinking water and maintaining regular sleep routines to support mood regulation. If you or your loved one are having suicidal thoughts, dial988to contact the988 Suicide & Crisis Lifelineand connect with a trained counselor....

January 17, 2025 · 10 min · 2024 words · Angela Ward

How to Survive Cancer

Cancer is often described as a “battle” where you have to “fight” to survive. But since the “fight” is never fair, how does someone diagnosed with cancer ensure the best outcome for themselves? Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be a time of great stress and anxiety. It can be overwhelming, and you may be unsure of the next steps to take. There can be so many unknowns, so developing a plan after diagnosis is an important step to ensure you get the best treatment....

January 17, 2025 · 8 min · 1660 words · Audrey Fisher

How to Swallow a Pill: Tips and Tricks

Tetra Images / Getty Images What Causes Problems Swallowing Pills? If you have a physical problem swallowing pills—such as a small mouth or throat or problems with the muscles involved—it’s calleddysphagia. This is a problem for people with a lot of different medical issues, including: For many people who have problems swallowing pills, it’s purely psychological. A 2021 study found that people who’d previously choked on pills or who’d had a strong negative reaction to the taste or texture of them were more likely to have trouble swallowing pills later....

January 17, 2025 · 9 min · 1798 words · Deborah Randolph

How to Switch to a New Birth Control Pill

If you want to switch to a newbirth control pill, there are things you need to consider. You may be switching from a mini-pill to a combined pill. Even for the same type of pills,different pill brandsmay contain slightly different doses of the hormones estrogen and progestin. Use these tips to ensure the transition is smooth and know when to start the new pack and when to use backup contraception....

January 17, 2025 · 7 min · 1346 words · Janet Brown

How to Take a COPD Assessment Test (CAT)

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUse and BenefitsHow It WorksHow to Take ItResults and Next Steps Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents Use and Benefits How It Works How to Take It Results and Next Steps There are a number of questionnaires that healthcare providers use to assess the severity and impact ofchronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). One of them is called the COPD assessment test, also known as the CAT....

January 17, 2025 · 5 min · 1064 words · Andrew Dean

How to Take At-home COVID Tests the Right Way

Key TakeawaysWhen swabbing the nose for rapid at-home COVID-19 tests, the sample must be collected from cells on your nasal walls.Obtaining a good sample is necessary for gettingaccurate test results.Performing the test incorrectly may result in a false negative, which could put other people at risk. Key Takeaways When swabbing the nose for rapid at-home COVID-19 tests, the sample must be collected from cells on your nasal walls.Obtaining a good sample is necessary for gettingaccurate test results....

January 17, 2025 · 5 min · 958 words · Bethany Barker

How to Take Oral Medications Properly

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTablets and CapsulesLiquid MedicationsSublingual/BuccalOther FormsSwallowing PillsFrequently Asked Questions Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents Tablets and Capsules Liquid Medications Sublingual/Buccal Other Forms Swallowing Pills Frequently Asked Questions Medications that you swallow travel from your stomach or intestine into your bloodstream and then are carried to all parts of your body. This process is known as absorption. The speed with which absorption occurs depends on several factors:...

January 17, 2025 · 7 min · 1426 words · Jennifer Dennis

How to Take Thyroid Medication Including Levothyroxine

The thyroid medication levothyroxine should be taken on an empty stomach at around the same time every day. You should avoid eating or drinking for 30 minutes to one hour after taking it. There are variations in how and when you should take other kinds of thyroid medication. Some may need to be taken at specific times of the day or with or without food. You may also need to avoid certain other medications that can interact with these drugs....

January 17, 2025 · 9 min · 1714 words · Jamie Wells

How to Talk About Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTalking to PeersAMD GlossaryTalking to Eye DoctorSupport Groups Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents Talking to Peers AMD Glossary Talking to Eye Doctor Support Groups If you’ve recently been diagnosed withage-related macular degeneration(AMD), even while you’re still processing your diagnosis you’re also likely trying to explain AMD to others. But finding the right words to help friends and family understand what’s happening to your vision can be difficult....

January 17, 2025 · 8 min · 1608 words · Charles Mcclain

How to Talk About Assisted Living

Our Conversation Coach Can HelpAs people age and begin to have moredifficultyliving at home alone, one topic is often dreaded and avoided more than the others—nursing homes and assisted livings. Or, if they are discussed, it may be in passing, like: “Promise me you won’t ever put me in one of those!”While it might not be a very comfortable idea to talk about, it’s important to consider what steps to take when living at home becomes a challenge....

January 17, 2025 · 2 min · 339 words · Carrie Bailey