Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning.
—Thomas Jefferson
Muscles Injuries
Achilles tendon calf strain
bicep partial bicep tendon tear, complete bicep tendon tear
deltoid posterior deltoid muscle strain
pectoralis major pec muscle rupture
hamstring pulled hamstring, chronic hamstring injury
gluteus maximus gluteal strain
wrist wrist sprain
chest wall costochondritis (Tietze’s syndrome)
adductor muscles groin pull
HYGIENE
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HOW TO SURVIVE IF YOU HAVE EXCESSIVE GAS
1 Limit your lactose intake.
Many people suffer from an inability to digest milk sugar, or lactose. Colon bacteria ferment the milk sugar, forming a gas that creates a bloated feeling. Keep your intake to less than half a cup at a sitting, and avoid dairy products.
2 Eat a small meal.
Eating a huge dinner is a surefire way to precipitate gas.
3 Avoid gas-forming foods.
Bacteria ferment the indigestible carbohydrates in beans, broccoli, cabbage, and other vegetables and fruits into gases.
4 Drink peppermint tea.
Replace an after-dinner drink with a cup or two of peppermint tea. This herb may give you some relief from the gas discomfort that follows a meal.
5 Emit the gas in private.
As a last resort, head to the bathroom. If you feel bloated but are unable to pass gas easily, you can facilitate the emission of gas as follows:
Place paper towels on the floor.
Kneel on the towels.
Bend forward to the floor.
Stretch your arms out in front of you.
Keep your buttocks high in the air
Form a triangle with your upper body and the floor.
This position will force out the unwanted gas and relieve the pressure.
WARNING!
On average, humans produce 3/4 liter of gas daily, which is released 11 to 14 times a day.
Men typically produce more gas than women because they consume more food.
Kneel on the floor, bend forward, and stretch your arms out in front of you. Keep your buttocks high in the air, forming a triangle with your upper body and the floor.
Gassy Foods to Avoid
No two digestive systems are alike. Experiment with foods to determine which ones affect you most. In the meantime, exercise caution around the following high-risk items:
Beans (particularly baked beans)
Borscht
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carbonated beverages
Cauliflower
Chili
Cucumbers
Fatty foods
Fresh fruit
Grains and fiber, especially pumpernickel bread
Gum
Onions
Oysters
Salads (green)
HOW TO DEAL WITH BODY ODOR
1 Apply cologne or perfume.
If you are out and about and discover a problem with body odor, find a drugstore or department store. Apply the scent liberally.
2 Change your shirt or remove the offending article of clothing.
A simple change of clothing can often eliminate the odor, especially from an undershirt. Purchase a new shirt if you have to.
3 If you are away from home, use one of the following techniques in a bathroom of a restaurant or hotel:
Wet a stack of paper towels with hot water and a bit of soap. Take a second stack of towels and wet them without adding soap. Wash under your arms and wherever necessary with the soapy towels, then rinse with the remaining towels.
Obtain chamomile tea bags from your server if you are in a restaurant. Soak them in hot water, then wipe down the offending areas with the bags. If possible, leave them in place for several minutes.
Obtain a handful of fresh rosemary from the kitchen, wet it slightly, and rub it over the offending areas.
Apply bathroom soap (powdered works best) to the offending areas to mask the scent.
WARNING!
To avoid B.O., try bathing using an antibacterial soap. Prolonged use can cause dryness, however.
Avoid spicy or garlicky foods—these can cause body odor to worsen.
Unusual body odor—not the typical “sweaty” smell—may indicate a more serious condition.
Watch for the warning smells of B.O.:
• Beer smell may indicate a yeast infection.
• Nail polish smell may indicate diabetes.
• Ammonia smell may indicate liver disease.
Excessive Perspiration
Apply antiperspirant containing 2 percent aluminum chloride to armpits, palms, feet, face, back, chest, or other problem areas. Wear loose-fitting, light-colored cotton clothing to help mask visible sweat marks.
Soak chamomile tea bags in hot water. Wipe the offending areas with the tea bags. If possible, leave the bags in place for several minutes.
HOW TO DEAL WITH BAD BREATH
1 Chew gum or mints.
If you are at a restaurant, excuse yourself from the table and head for the host’s desk, where there may be a dish of mints. A waiter or busboy may also be able to give you a piece of gum. Go to the restroom and chew the gum for two minutes, then spit it out. This will get your saliva flowing and keep bad breath at bay for an hour or more. Chewing for more than a few minutes is not necessary. Sugar-free gum is best.
2 Chew parsley, mint, or a cinnamon stick.
On the way to the bathroom, pull your waiter aside and ask for one of these common garnishes. Parsley and fresh mint leaves are natural breath fresheners. A cinnamon stick, if chewed, will also clean your breath; do not use ground or powdered cinnamon. Most bartenders will have a stick on hand.
3 Order a salad or some fresh carrots.
If you cannot leave the table, order coarse foods that can help clean the tongue, a major source of bad breath.
WARNING!
Food odors are generally not as bad as you think, but when possible, avoid onions and garlic.
PERSONAL APPEARANCE
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HOW TO TREAT A PIMPLE
1 Apply a warm compress.
Soak a hand towel in hot water, then hold it against the pimple for a minute or more.
2 Apply a topical medication.
Use any over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide product.
3 Do not touch.
Leave the pimple alone for as long as possible.
4 Reassess the situation.
Determine if the pimple has come to a head. If so, proceed to step 5.
5 Pop the pimple.
Place your fingers on either side of the pimple, and gently pull away from it. Do not push inward. The pimple will expel its contents if it is ready to, but no harm will be done if it is not.
6 Apply a cover-up.
Dab the now-empty pimple gently with a tissue to remove any remaining liquid. Apply any cosmetic with a green tint, which will conceal a pimple or the red mark left from a popped pimple (red and green are complementary colors and will negate each other).
Place your fingers on either side of the pimple and gently pull away from it. Do not push inward.
HOW TO PREVENT WRINKLES
Repeat this sequence of facial expressions for five minutes twice daily to help prevent wrinkles.
To prevent wrinkles in forehead and around eyes
To strengthen mouth muscles and prevent laugh lines
To mold chin and prevent wrinkles around mouth
To relieve tension caused by previous exercise
HOW TO TREAT A SHAVING WOUND
Minor Cut
1 Rinse the cut with clean, cold water.
2 Apply alum
salts or talcum powder.
Alum, a mineral sometimes sold as styptic powder or a styptic pencil, stops blood flow. Hold the alum in place for 10 to 20 seconds, depending on the severity of the wound. While effective, this technique can be painful, since it is literally applying “salt to the wound.” The quickly dried cut may also form a noticeable scab. Alternatively, apply a liberal coating of talcum powder to the cut. Although slightly messier than alum, talcum is considerably less painful and will conceal the nicks and cuts. If alum or talcum powder is not available, proceed to step 3.
3 Apply toilet paper.
Tear off a tiny piece of toilet paper or tissue and press it onto the cut for at least 15 seconds, until it adheres by itself.
4 Wait a few minutes.
5 Remove the toilet paper.
Moisten the paper before carefully pulling it from the cut. If it is not moistened, the paper may reopen the cut when you peel it off.
Major Laceration
Most serious shaving wounds occur to the neck, underneath the nose, or underneath an earlobe. The steps below focus on a neck laceration but can apply to a major wound anywhere.
1 Apply firm pressure directly over the wound.
Place your fingertips at the point where the bleeding seems to be most severe.
2 If the bleeding stops, continue the pressure for an addi tional 10 minutes.
Remain still until the bleeding subsides. Then go to an emergency room.
How to Treat Bags Under Eyes
Steep two bags of black tea in warm water for 2 minutes; then soak in ice water to cool. Squeeze out excess liquid. Place a tea bag over each eye for 15 minutes. The tannic acid in the tea will reduce the swelling.
3 If the bleeding does not stop, do not panic.
You probably have slowed the flow enough to have time for the next steps.
4 Pinch and hold the bleeding area.
Use your dominant thumb and index finger to pinch the skin where the blood flow is coming from. This will most likely close the vessel even if you cannot see it and will stop the serious bleeding.
5 Locate the bleeding vessel.
If the bleeding continues despite the steps above, use a piece of cloth or tissue to help you find the exact location of the cut vessel. Carefully ease off the finger pressure while wiping blood away from the wound with the cloth. This should make it easier to see the end of the cut vessel, or to pinpoint its location even if it is deep under the skin. When you see it, try pinching it again.
6 Apply pressure directly above and below the bleeding site.
If bleeding is still profuse, maintain finger pressure over the wound while pushing immediately above and below the bleeding site. This will seal the areas where blood vessels enter the wound.
7 Get to an emergency room.
If you are being driven to the emergency room, recline with your head raised slightly. Keep firm pressure on the wound even if the bleeding seems to slow.
WARNING!
If the blood flows in a steady stream, you have hit a vein and can block the blood flow by pressing above the wound. If the blood is spurting, you have lacerated an artery and can block the blood flow by pressing (hard) below the wound. (See step 6.)
Pushing above or below the site will help seal the area where blood vessels enter the wound.
INNER PEACE
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WHAT TO DO IF YOU FORGET YOUR MANTRA
1 Remain calm.
If you cannot remember your mantra, let it go.
2 Be here now.
Be present in mind and place. Survey the contents of the room, and note three items or people.
3 Create a new mantra.
Combine the first syllable of the name of each item or person in the order you noticed them. This is your new mantra.
4 Recite the mantra.
Repeat your new mantra over and over until it loses its “meaning value” and transcends conscious thought.
5 After yoga class is over, write down your new mantra.
WARNING!
Common yoga injuries involve the neck, hip flexors, and lower back. Rarer and more serious injuries include herniated discs and fractures, which can be caused by poses such as plow and shoulder stand.
Do not attempt more challenging versions, such as “power yoga,” without the guidance of an experienced teacher.
HOW TO TREAT YOGA MISHAPS
Get Unstuck from Lotus Position
1 Take a calming breath.
Breathe in for a count of four, and then out for a count of four. Use your heartbeat to time the breaths.
2 Wedge your right hand beneath your left foot and your right thigh.
As you are removing the foot off the thigh, use your left hand to cradle the left knee.
3 Gently shift your left leg forward off the right thigh.
Fully extend your left leg and stretch your calf muscle. Rotate your ankle and wiggle your toes until you are sure your leg has not fallen asleep.
4 Use your hands to lift and move the right leg.
Stretch out the right leg as you did the left.
5 Allow your muscles to relax before standing.
Muscle Cramp
1 Get out of the position.
Stop doing whatever pose has caused you to cramp, and carefully reverse the movements that resulted in the cramp position.
2 Massage the cramped area.
Rub your hands in a gentle, circular motion over the cramp for one minute.
3 Stretch.
Extend the cramped area to its full length by pushing out your heel to stretch the calf muscle (if suffering a leg cramp) or fully extending your arm (if suffering an arm cramp).
4 Apply ice.
Wrap six chunks of ice in a headband and press against the cramping area. Rub the ice pack into the cramp for 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat steps 2 and 3.
5 Drink water.
Drink eight ounces of water within a half hour of the onset of the cramp, and remain hydrated until the cramp subsides.
Wedge your right hand beneath your left foot and your right thigh and gently lift your leg.
Focus your thoughts on your mind, body, and swing.
HOW TO TEE OFF IN FRONT OF A CROWD
1 Relax.
Try to see the first tee as any other shot in the round. Do not make significant changes in your tempo. Try not to rush any aspect of your pre-shot routine or swing. Ignore comments from the crowd waiting to play or pressure from the starter to speed up.
2 Warm up.
Thoroughly stretch in whatever way increases blood flow to your body and feels good. Take as many practice swings as you need.
3 Release the tension in your body.
Identify where the tension is, consciously tighten that area of your body, and then consciously relax that area while noticing the difference. Take a deep breath—in through your nose and out through your mouth—before you hit.
4 Be mindful.
Tune in to your feelings prior to your first swing. Are you nervous? Anxious? Steeped in self-judgment? Be aware of these negative feelings and the consequences of them on your body. Recognize that these feelings often get in the way of your true golf swing and game. Replace those feelings with positive energy. Choose to feel competent and content. Remember a time when you played your best. Generate these thoughts until you are ready to hit the ball.
5 Be confident about your abilities and expectations.
If you hit the ball 200 yards 80 percent of the time, you will most likely hit the ball 200 yards this time. This does not mean that you should not strive for your personal best throughout the game. Recognize that the first tee is a starting point on which you are building a solid foundation for your day’s golf game.
6 Select the club with which you feel most comfortable.
This may not be your driver. Use a long iron or three wood if your driver is not your best club off the tee.
7 Follow a routine for addressing the ball.
&
nbsp; Keep to an established pattern of how you walk up to the tee, how many practice swings you take, how you set your stance, and at what moment you start your swing. This routine is especially important on the first tee.
8 Do not overanalyze your swing.
Your muscle memory will complete the swing for you if you cease to over-think it. Do not over-swing in an effort to hit the ball farther.
9 Focus.
Choose a single location on the fairway and aim at that spot.
BE AWARE!
Spend time on the practice tee prior to hitting off the first tee. Go through six to eight clubs in your bag—start with wedges (they are easy to swing) and work your way up to woods. Visualize hitting off the first tee on your last 10 to 12 practice drives.
ILLNESS
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Ultimate Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook Page 8