9 Easy Ways to Stay Healthy

Drinking water is one way to stay healthy this summer.Whether you develop a wicked case of the hiccups or get your period when there isn't a tampon in sight, some health moments can be seriously annoying. Luckily, experts say you can nip a lot of irritating issues in the bud. Here are their fast-fixes.

By Korin Miller

Stop Hiccuping
Hiccups happen when your vagus nerve (which runs from your brain to your abs) gets irritated. An annoying side effect: Once you get them, everyone and their mom loves to share their "cure." We got ours from a doctor: Cosmo Radio women's health expert Jennifer Wider, MD says it's important to overwhelm the vagus nerve with another sensation, so eat a bit of peanut butter or nosh on a marshmallow. You should be hiccup-free in seconds.

Shut Down a Summer Cold
Starting to sniffle right before your big beach vacay? Try this trick from Dr. Wider: Drink loads of water, take vitamin C, and have some tea. A recent Harvard study found that tea drinkers' bods respond to germs five times faster than those of coffee drinkers.

Stop Your Period (When You Don't Have a Tampon)
Got an early visit from Flo? Don't freak: If you're in the bathroom, roll toilet paper into a tight ball and gently wedge it into your vaginal opening. This is only a temporary fix, Dr. Wider warns, so head to the nearest drugstore as soon as you can for backup.

Related: 8 Surprising Foods That Are Loaded With Sugar

Kill a Pimple
Zits don't come out of nowhere-when you spot one forming, that means it's been brewing under your skin for at least a week, says dermatologist Doris Day, MD. Whatever you do, don't pick it (it can cause scaring and makes it more likely for a new pimple to crop up in the same spot). Instead, hold a warm compress on the area for several minutes and apply a spot treatment two times a day.

You Can't, Uh, Go No. 2
We've heard coffee can help get things moving down there, but Dr. Wider says it can have the opposite effect on some people. Instead, load up on foods with fiber. Try berries, air-popped popcorn, beans, dried fruit, broccoli, plums, and pears. Also, being dehydrated can stop things up, so make sure you're having at least eight glasses of H2O a day.

Stop a Razor Cut From Gushing Everywhere
Smooth shaves are hot. Blood running down your leg? Not so much. If you cut yourself, Dr. Wider says you should wash the spot thoroughly with water and apply steady, direct pressure with gauze or a cloth onto the spot for five minutes (without that pressure, it'll just keep opening up again.) Finish with an adhesive bandage.

Related: Why It Pays to Ditch Your Panties

You Forgot to Wear SPF
We're all for practicing safe sun, but we get it-sometimes sunburns happen. Pop an aspirin to decrease inflammation and sooth your skin by applying a compress soaked in half milk and half water to the burn two to four times a day, says dermatologist Albert Lefkovits, MD. Another insider trick: Apply room-temperature tea to your skin using a compress-it will take the redness out.

Get Your Voice Back
Lost your voice the morning after an awesome party? Drink puh-lenty of water and other fluids (hot or cold). Dr. Wider says moisture will help bring your voice back. Also, take a pass on whispering-it will just strain your voice further.

Cool Off When It's Roasting Out
No one loves cleavage sweat. Keep your cool (and bod sweat-free) by applying a cold compress to the back of your neck or tops of your feet. If you're near a bathroom, wet some paper towels, and use that. Chugging a cold drink can help, too.


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