Chest colds, which are also known as bronchitis, are viral infections that affect the lungs. Symptoms of a chest cold include mucus congestion, chest pain, wheezing and fatigue. Whereas anyone can develop a chest cold, this infection is common in people who smoke, children and those who live with heart and lung disease. If left untreated, chest colds can worsen. Thus, it’s imperative to treat the condition at the first sign of infection.

1. Suppress a cough with over-the-counter medication. Coughing is common with chest colds because of the presence of mucus. Use OTC cold medications with an added cough suppressant to help remedy a cough and clear congestion in the chest. Use medication as directed.
2. Take an anti-inflammatory medication to stop aches. Coughing can produce chest and back pains, and fevers are common with infections. Choose a cold medication with a pain reliever or take a separate anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen to relieve pain.
3. Drink up to help clear congestion. Mucus trapped in the chest triggers congestion, which can lead to coughing and wheezing. Drink extra fluids such as water, hot teas, soup and juices to break up mucus.
4. Take off a few days to recuperate. Rest is imperative when battling a chest cold and other infections because it gives your body a chance to heal. Call in sick and take a couple of days off work or school to help your body fight the infection.
5. Turn on the humidifier. Use a cool-mist humidifier (available from drugstores) to increase moisture in the air and help break up congestion in your chest.
6. Apply vapor rub to your chest. Use over-the-counter vapor rub and apply a generous amount to your chest throughout the day to help clear your lungs and stop coughing from a chest cold. Use as directed.

Things You’ll Need

• Medication
• Fluids
• Humidifier

Gingivitis is a common form of gum disease that causes swelling or inflammation of your gums. Gingivitis can cause your gums to become swollen and begin to bleed just by brushing the teeth, eating or just touching the gums. The condition is the preclude to periodontal disease, which is a disease of the tissues that surround the neck and root of the teeth. There is a way to get rid of gingivitis, but it has to done every day or it won’t help for long.

Instructions

1. Use dental floss to clean between your teeth. You need to floss first so you loosen anything caught between your teeth. Use either dental floss, floss picks or floss wands. They are available in waxed, non-wax, flavored or unflavored.
2. Brush your teeth. Brushing after you floss will help to get rid of anything loosened between your teeth. Rmember to brush along the gum line, up, down and across your teeth because plaque can get set up at the gum line, not just between the teeth.
3. Scrape your tongue with a tongue scrapper or the back of your toothbrush. Scrape back to front several times. This will help to remove any bacteria on your tongue, which can contribute to bad breath and plaque buildup.
4. Make a paste with baking soda and peroxide. Apply this paste to your gums, gently massaging it in. Leave it on for a few minutes and then rinse with water.
5. Rinse with mouthwash. There are many brands and flavors of mouthwash. Find one that can help prevent gingivitis, and that helps reduce plaque buildup and kills oral bacteria. This, in turn, helps defeat and prevent bad breath.
6. Visit your dentist. If your gums are puffy, red, swollen or bleeding, you need to see your dentist. Getting a professional tooth cleaning will help remove the plaque and tartar that cause gingivitis and can prevent the gingivitis from progressing to periodontal disease.

Tips & Warnings

1. The main reason a person develops gingivitis is because of plaque buildup between the teeth. If ignored, this plaque becomes tartar and your dentist will need to help you get rid of it.
2. Eating and drinking less sugary foods will help keep plaque and tartar away. Scraping the inside of your teeth when you scrape your tongue also helps to get rid of bacteria.
3. Taking vitamin C can help stop the bleeding of the gums, but it will not cure your gingivitis.
4. If you smoke, you need to stop. If you won’t stop smoking, then you need to make sure not to smoke when your gums are inflamed. Tobacco can cause cancer of the mouth and sores in your mouth and on your gums.
5. One of the signs of early gingivitis is when your gums change color from pink to dark red.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine says diabetes occurs because of elevated blood glucose levels. The pancreas no longer uses or produces enough insulin for the body to function properly. Without enough insulin, high levels of glucose remain in the bloodstream. Diet plays a major role in controlling blood glucose levels, so people should maintain a nutritionally dense diet. Many diabetics think that they can’t eat fruits when diagnosed with diabetics; however, many fruits are good for diabetes because they have low sugar content.

Apples

Natural News cites a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that took place from 1999 to 2004. The research found that apples are good fruits for diabetes because they prevent conditions that cause metabolic syndrome, including diabetes. Many participants in the study saw a decrease in symptoms 24 hours after eating apples. Apples reduced inflammation related to diabetes and heart disease. According to Nutrition Data, apples are 38 on the glycemic index–the index used to determine how foods affect blood sugar levels.

Grapefruit

Grapefruits, 25 on the glycemic index, are good fruits for diabetes because they naturally lower blood sugar levels. The Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation states that none of the ingredients in grapefruit seem to hinder insulin production. Fresh grapefruit works better than juice because of its slow conversion rate in the body.

Oranges

Oranges are low-glycemic-index fruits, at 48, and are also good for diabetics. The World’s Healthiest Foods, produced by the George Mateljan Foundation, states that fiber and Vitamin C found in oranges controls blood sugar levels. Oranges, a low-fat snack, can be part of a healthy diet that controls or reduces weight, one of the risk factors for diabetes.

Bitter Melon

The fruit juice found in bitter melon has been used as a diabetic remedy in Asia, Africa and South America. Diabetes Health says bitter melons are good fruits for diabetes because the natural ingredients lower blood sugar levels in diabetes sufferers. Diabetes Health also concludes that bitter melon helps the tissues in the body absorb glucose. However, Holistic Online says large consumptions of bitter melon juice cause stomach pain and diarrhea, and children with hypoglycemia may experience extremely low blood sugar levels.

Bananas

The American Diabetes Association says bananas have the bad reputation of being high in sugar or fattening. However, these fruits are good for diabetes because they are actually low in sugar, which won’t raise blood glucose levels. As a low-fat treat, they help diabetics maintain or lose weight. Bananas also contain potassium, which reduces sodium in the body.