Stop Your Hiccups

     A hiccup is a contraction of the diaphragm, which can be caused by eating hurriedly, tension, disorders of the respiratory and digestive systems, or drinking too much alcohol. The sound hiccups produce is caused by the sudden closure of the lid that shuts off the airways during swallowing.

     Hiccups don't usually last longer than one hour. To stop them, drink water, suck sugar, hold your breath or breathe deeply. In case of a prolonged and severe attack, consult a doctor.

Oil of Cloves for Toothaches

     Chocolates, ice cream, candies, cakes. Mere mention of these foods makes our mouths water. It is okay to indulge in these foods once in a while. But excessive eating of sweet foods can cause damage to our teeth. Do you still remember the last time your teeth hurt so badly that the pain kept you up all night? You must have run to your mom for immediate relief. She must have given you a painkiller. Or, if none was available, she must have dabbed some toothpaste in the cavity, or treated your teeth with oil of cloves.

     Have you ever wondered where oil of cloves come from? It is actually oil extracted from the dried buds of the clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum), a small evergreen endemic to the Moluccas Islands. Its red flowers, which are arranged in clusters, are gathered before they open, then sun-dried to produce the nail-shaped spice clove. Clove oil is accepted as a local anesthetic for toothache. The next time a toothache strikes, you need not suffer if there are no painkillers around.

Proper Lighting for Your Eyes

      One way to take care of your eyes is to use good light when you read, work, or write. Look around your room. Does your room give you good light? Light that is neither bright nor dim is good light. When you read, use good light which falls from the left and on the page of your book.

      Hot and bright light will hurt your eyes. When a bright light shines directly into your eyes, your eyes cannot take a clear picture of the things you want to see. Light that glares will hurt your eyes, too. Dim light will also hurt your eyes. Dim light will make your eyes work hard. They will get tired easily. You will not enjoy reading, writing, or working with tired eyes.

      Avoid using flickering light. Flickering light is light that shines on and off. It will make your eyes tired very easily. Is your room properly lighted during the day? If your room is dark during the day, open the windows wide enough for sunlight to enter.

Color Blindness

      When watching colored TV, do you see all the mixtures of blues, greens and reds on the pictures that appear on the tube? If so, you are a lucky kid because you have normal color vision. Not all people have normal color vision. Some people are unable to see one, two or all three of the colors blue, green and red.

      People who are blind to red cannot tell the difference between red and green because red appears to be dark. On the other hand, those who are blind to green confuse it with red and yellow because green appears brighter than it really is. Blue-blind persons, for their part, usually cannot identify blue from green or yellow. There are also people who are said to be color weak. These people can see all the colors --- but green and red appear blurred and a little discolored. These people find it hard to match colors in the correct manner.

      Color blindness is hereditary, meaning that you get it from your parents or grandparents. If you are color blind, there is actually nothing you can do about it. But don't despair. At least you can see things even if not in their actual bright colors. Quite a lot better than not being able to see them at all, right?