17 Things You Can Do Today to Help a Cancer Survivor

The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 1.8 million new cancer cases diagnosed this year and 600,000 cancer deaths. Those are grim numbers, but they also indicate that two-thirds of the people who get a diagnosis will survive—and although that’s a happy event, it poses its own challenges.

• Surgery requires recovery and often leaves scars and other forms of disfigurement as well as disability.
• Chemotherapy can disrupt life for weeks or months, and cause periodic or continual fatigue, depression, crippling anemia, weight changes, hair loss, infertility, damage to the heart, neural, and circulatory systems, among others, and when the protocol is complete, requires months of recovery.
• Radiation can cause extreme fatigue and depression, damage to the skin and other organs, and demands a long recovery time. Here are 16 more things cancer patients wish you knew.

Given all the difficulties survivors face, you’ll want to be cognizant of their feelings and needs. Use these tips as a guide.

Listen to them

Even if you’ve been through cancer yourself, you can’t assume you know what your friend or family member is going through. Cancer survivors are often told what they feel, and cancer survivors can be particularly sensitive about this. A better approach is to ask them how they’re feeling and then be a good listener.

Accompany your friend on doctor visits

A cancer diagnosis can be incredibly overwhelming, and cancer treatments can cause an actual mental fogginess (“chemo brain”), but you can help by offering to accompany your friend to appointments and being the designated note-taker.

Go with them to treatment sessions

Failing to follow cancer treatment can lead to recurrence. You might think a cancer patient would be highly motivated to comply with treatment, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, a cancer patient undergoing treatment feels too sick or exhausted to get themselves to their sessions. You can help your friend by offering to go with them. Here are 12 other ways you can be a good friend to someone undergoing chemotherapy.

Offer to drive to appointments

Accompanying your friend to treatment sessions isn’t all you can do to help. You can also offer to drive. This is also a wonderful volunteer opportunity: Organizations like Drivers for Survivors provide free transportation service for ambulatory cancer patients.

Visit

If you don’t feel comfortable going with a friend to a doctor’s appointments and treatment sessions, you can still help offer support through visits, whether they’re home or in the hospital. Just be sensitive to the possibility they might be fatigued, so plan to keep your visit as short as they need it to be.

Offer to help with household chores

Surviving cancer can mean weeks, months, and even years of difficult treatments and symptoms, and these can make chores like vacuuming, unloading the dishwasher, and cooking dinner feel like an insurmountable challenge. You can really help by offering to take some of the little things off their hands. Be specific—simply saying “let me know if there’s anything I can do to help” puts the burden on the cancer survivor to decide. Instead, say that you’d like to come over to clean the bathrooms on Wednesday—or another day that works.

Help set up a community-based plan to help your friend

Offer to create a calendar of daily chores and meal provision for your friend undergoing cancer treatment, and invite community members—members of the same church, for example, or club or school—to sign up. Be sure to clear it with the patient first, of course; not everyone wants this sort of attention. Looking for meal ideas for a cancer survivor? Check out these 11 best foods to eat during chemotherapy.

Volunteer at a meal-providing service

You don’t have to limit yourself to helping friends survive cancer. You can volunteer for charities like the Ceres Project’s Healing Meals, which provide healthy meals for people with serious illnesses.

Avoid asking about their prognosis

Believe it or not, many cancer patients don’t ask what their prognosis is because they see themselves as individuals rather than statistics. In addition, confronting a prognosis can be terrifying and yet has little upside because knowing the odds does nothing to improve them.

Don’t ask if they’re worried their cancer will come back

We can save you the trouble right now—they probably are. This is true whether or not they spend any time at all thinking about it. The possibility of cancer returning or even contracting another type is high, and cancer survivors know this.

Let them decide if they want to be known as a “survivor”

Not all cancer survivors want to wear that label. Some would prefer not to think about it at all. By the same token, some cancer survivors prefer to focus on their triumph over the illness.

Don’t assume they have advice for new patients

There are over 100 types of cancer, and within each type, there are many permutations and stages. If two people don’t have precisely the same kind of cancer, their experiences will not be comparable.

Keep from playing the blame game

Even if you think your friend’s lifestyle is to blame for their cancer—they smoked, say, or ate too much fatty food—there’s absolutely no reason to point that out. You could be wrong, anyway: Here are 28 things you always thought caused cancer but actually don’t.

Don’t expect them to stay positive

Staying positive is not a pre-requisite to cancer survival. In fact, millions of miserable, negative people survive cancer every year. And the American Cancer Society has studies that back up the notion that a positive attitude doesn’t make a difference in cancer survival. In addition, telling a cancer survivor to “stay positive” suggests that they’re somehow to blame for their disease. If you are looking for a pick-me-up, here are 29 proven mood boosters.

When donating, consider charities that support survivors

Charities that focus on awareness and finding treatments and cures can be wonderful, and donating to them can be fulfilling. But if we’re talking about helping cancer survivors, consider donating to charities that focus on improving the quality of life of cancer survivors. One example is the HERS Breast Cancer Foundation, which helps provide breast cancer survivors with post-surgical products (including breast prostheses) and services (including physical therapy), regardless of financial status.

Offer to pray for them

Whether someone believes in God or not, offering to pray for a cancer survivor is an act of kindness. And it doesn’t hurt to ask the patient if they’d like to be included in your prayers. Don’t miss these 23 ground-breaking cancer discoveries poised to make even more cancer patients into cancer survivors.

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I Was Dying of Cancer—Till a New Test Showed Doctors Exactly How to Treat It

That pea-sized lump on Keith Taggert’s cheek wasn’t pretty to look at, although Taggert wasn’t too worried about it. Neither was his primary care doctor, who sent the 62-year-old Taggert to an oral surgeon to be on the safe side. Again, just to be sure, the oral surgeon decided to biopsy the lump. It was cancer.

“It was salivary gland cancer,” Taggert recalls. This type is extremely rare, making up less than one percent of all cancer cases. It often turns up as a small painless lump in the jaw and cheek, or as muscle pain or numbness on one side of the face. That’s just one the signs of oral cancer you shouldn’t ignore.

The tiny tumor located in the muscle of Taggert’s cheek wasn’t painful, but it was spreading. Taggert had surgery to remove the bump, and then he went to a local cancer center to have another surgery that took even more tissue from the area. After that, Taggert underwent seven weeks of radiation.

But new growths kept showing up, says Taggert. “By the time I would heal from surgery, new tumors would show up. I’d heal and then reschedule my next surgery to have them removed.” His surgeons were flummoxed by the aggressiveness of the cancer; Taggert knew he needed to get to an advanced facility.

“I transferred my care to MD Anderson in Houston, TX. That was when the tumors began moving down my neck, to my shoulders and chest. It was surgery after surgery, and they were removing more tumors at a time.” After enduring another seven weeks of radiation and yet another chest surgery to remove cancerous lymph nodes, his oncologist leveled with him. “My surgeon told me, ‘This is so aggressive, we can’t keep doing surgery. We simply cannot keep up with your tumors.’ They ordered a full body scan to see where else it was. When the scan came back, it showed I was eaten up with cancer.” Taggert’s cancer had spread to his lungs, liver, and kidneys. Cancers in the mouth are often overlooked as minor issues, like these other strange symptoms that can mean your body is in serious trouble.

Taggert’s situation had gone from bad to terminal: “I went to another chemo doctor at MD Anderson and she said chemotherapy would buy me another three to four weeks. It had spread to my vital organs.”

Stunned by the news, Taggert went home and began thinking about getting his affairs in order. Suddenly, his phone rang: On the line was a researcher who was recruiting for a clinical trial of a new drug. Taggert’s biopsies had revealed that his cancer had a rare genomic pattern called an NTRK gene fusion. The drug under study had been developed to target this particular type of fusion.

The decision was easy for Taggert: “Of course I said ‘yes,’ I had no other options.” He started the new medication—a twice-daily pill—and it began to work almost immediately. “After four days I could no longer feel the tumors in my face and neck,” he says. After four weeks all his tumors were gone except for one in his lung, and it had shrunk by 65 percent. “At my scan last month, the report said even that one is gone. I’m thrilled.” Since beginning the medication no new tumors have appeared, and Taggert says he will remain on the life-saving treatment for the foreseeable future, and his doctors will continue to scan him in case the tumors come back.

“The day I began the drug was the day I had been scheduled for chemotherapy. That was five years ago, and I never had to go on chemo,” he says. Today, Taggert is passionate about educating others about the importance of genomic testing. “It’s extremely important for people with cancer to be aware and open to this testing. Doctors can’t treat you effectively if they don’t know what you have. My hope is that everyone with concerns about their cancer treatment goes to testyourcancer.com and learns about all of the testing information. I’m on a mission to get the word out.” Taggert was smart about getting the lump in his cheek checked out; these are other cancer symptoms you should never ignore.

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After Struggling with His Obesity for Years, This Man Wanted to Give Up—Then He Adopted a Dog

What It’s Really Like to Have Narcolepsy

For 34-year-old Julie Flygare, memories of college are somewhat of a blur. The Los Angeles resident first attributed her sleepiness during classes to the boring subject matter, but when she found herself in the bathroom every hour to wash her face and pinch her cheeks to keep from falling asleep, she knew something was truly amiss. But she still didn’t realize that she had the diagnosable—not to mention dangerous—sleep disorder narcolepsy.

“It became a sort of schedule I kept,” Flygare tells Reader’s Digest. “I couldn’t go to class early because the urge to sleep was so strong, so I began this habit of excusing myself to the bathroom repeatedly just to slap myself or splash water on my face so I could stay awake,” she says. Her symptoms of narcolepsy grew terrifying when she began hallucinating at age 21. “I was in a new apartment in Boston, and I awoke to a burglar breaking in. I felt paralyzed and couldn’t move, even though I was certain I was in danger,” she says. The burglar turned out to be a hallucination—one that would recur throughout the following years. Narcolepsy is just one of about a dozen sleep disorders.

A seemingly unrelated symptom occurred soon after when she felt her knees begin to buckle beneath her while she was laughing at a joke. “I thought it was weird. I started telling my friends not to make me laugh so I wouldn’t collapse,” she recalls. Flygare made an appointment with her physician after she lost her grip on a glass she was holding while laughing at a party. “The doctor told me I needed to breathe deeper—that I was simply laughing too hard,” she says.

Flygare accepted the doctor’s advice but continued experiencing symptoms. Then she hit a breaking point: “I was making the ten-minute drive to law school for finals. I have no memory of anything else, but I woke up in the parking lot, with my seat reclined. I had no memory of parking or even pulling in the lot. That’s when it hit me that something wasn’t right,” she recalls. Flygare made another appointment with her physician and was told that her symptoms weren’t anything concerning. Make sure you get a second opinion, though, if you experience these 17 sneaky signs you need to see a sleep doctor.

It wasn’t until she had a session with a sports therapist for a knee injury that she heard the words that changed her life forever. “The sports therapist said, ‘I think I’ve heard of knee buckling—it’s called cataplexy,’” she recalls. Narcolepsy with cataplexy is a rare sleep disorder that is caused by a loss of the chemical hypocretin in the brain. People with the combo often experience loss of muscle tone that presents as slurred speech, a slack jaw, and limb weakness, and it is triggered by emotions like joy or anger. “I went home and read more about narcolepsy, and I knew that was what I was experiencing,” she says. Treatment can help, but you should also know about 10 sleep aids that are actually hurting your sleep.

When Flygare sought a diagnosis from a neurologist, she underwent a 24-hour sleep study in which she also had opportunities to nap. “The neurologist told me that I went straight into the REM-sleep stage during naps, which is a classic sign of the disorder,” she recalls.

It’s been ten years since her diagnosis, and today Flygare says she still deals with the disorder daily. Treatment with Xyrem (sodium oxybate), a medication that treats both daytime drowsiness and cataplexy, has lessened her symptoms considerably. She also takes stimulants during the day. “Having narcolepsy affects every decision I make. It’s a lot of work to make it look effortless, but I’m constantly thinking about it when I make decisions,” she says.

Flygare is now leading the way for others who have the disorder. She has written a book about her experiences called Wide Awake and Dreaming: A Memoir of Narcolepsy; she is also president and CEO of Project Sleep, a foundation she created to educate and support others with narcoleptic symptoms. “I’m passionate about spreading awareness,” she says. “I’m proud to be a person with narcolepsy, and I want others with it to know they aren’t alone.” Make sure you are aware of the narcolepsy symptoms and treatments experts want you to know about.

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My 6-Year-Old Son Had a Massive Stroke Right Before My Eyes

Kristin Denman was watching her six-year-old son David play soccer when things went horribly wrong: “One minute, he was running on the field, and the next he was holding his head and couldn’t speak,” recalls the 48-year-old Michigan mother of two. “I’d just read something about stroke, and as I saw the palsy set into his face, I knew that’s what I was seeing.” A stroke in someone so young might seem like a rare thing, but it’s actually one of the top 10 causes of death in children, according to the National Stroke Association. Here’s what you need to know.

Remember FASTER

Denman remembered the classic symptoms thanks to an acronym set up by the American Stroke Association. The acronym has since been refined to FASTER to better help people recognize a stroke:

Face: drooping or numbness on one side

Arm: weakness or numbness in one arm

Stability: trouble keeping balance

Talking: slurring words or an inability to respond appropriately

Eyes: any changes, like seeing double, vision loss in one eye, or partial loss in one or both eyes

React: call 911 immediately if you see these signs

In children, additional symptoms include sudden severe headache, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, confusion or difficulty speaking, vision impairment, and loss of balance or coordination. “Children are also more likely to present with a seizure when they have a stroke, or in some cases can be difficult to wake up,” says Salman Azhar, MD, Director of Stroke at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. Head pain can be a sign in adults too: Read how this woman’s “headache” turned out to be a stroke.

Trust your instincts

Even though Denman suspected stroke, she still had to convince the doctors, who were focusing instead on head trauma. “They didn’t believe a child could have a stroke,” she says. This isn’t uncommon, says Jessica Spear, founder of the World Pediatric Stroke Association. “You need to be your child’s best advocate,” says Spear, whose son Brendon had a stroke before birth. It took 19 months to get a diagnosis, even though she noticed classic warning signs early on, like favoring one side of his body. “They told me I was a paranoid parent,” she says. Learn more about signs of stroke you should never ignore.

Immediately dial 911

“If David had been treated right away to remove the clot, he wouldn’t have had as much brain damage to the frontal lobe,” says Denman. For the best outcome, patients need to get treatment within three-and-a-half to four hours. The treatment may include blood-thinning medication and surgery. A primary weapon in strokes—tPA—isn’t yet FDA-approved for children under 18.

Know the causes

After doctors ran tests, they discovered David had suffered an ischemic stroke—a clot blocked the blood supply to his brain—probably caused by a tackle-football accident the week before. “He’d hit his head with enough force to knock his glasses off, but we’d been looking for signs of concussion and didn’t even think about stroke,” says Denman. “Turns out, the force from the tackle caused a small cut of the carotid artery [a blood vessel in the neck], which formed a blood clot. One week later as he was running, the clot broke off and traveled to his middle cerebral artery, and stuck there.” Other causes of stroke in children, says Dr. Azhar, include sickle-cell disease and congenital heart defects.

Don’t give up hope

“Six years ago, when my daughter had a stroke before birth, there was no information about stroke in children,” says Kaysee Hyatt, founder Pediatric Stroke Warriors. “I’ve seen huge strides in awareness since my daughter’s diagnosis, and in support groups, and I want to remind parents that they’re not alone.”

Today, at 13 years old, David has re-learned how to walk and talk. He still has cognitive impairment—”It’s just our new normal,” says Denman—and his right arm remains paralyzed. But with the support of his longtime school peers, family (including older brother Ethan), and his own dedication, he’s thriving. After realizing his soccer days may be over, David taught himself basketball and baseball, both of which he plays one-handed—”you just have to see it to believe it,” says dad Jeff Denman of his one-handed pitch-and-catch technique. David’s dedication is paying off—he just made the All-Star team for his second time.

“When David came back from the hospital, he said ‘anything is possible,’ and he’s proven that ever since,” says Jeff. “He’s a testament to the power of determination, medicine, and love. He teaches me every day that there are always options, and always more to strive for. It’s nothing short of a miracle.” Check out the stroke risks you can control—and the ones you can’t.

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The Hidden Health Danger at Petting Zoos

Ponies, goats, sheep—petting zoos may be full of fun for the whole family, but they’re also full of dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to a new study.

Researchers at Ariel University in Israel analyzed samples from the body parts and feces of 228 animals at eight different petting zoos. They found that 12 percent of the animals had at least one of two types of bacteria that are resistant to common antibiotics (the bacteria are extended-spectrum beta-lactamase—ESBL—and AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae—AmpC-E—bacteria). And another 25 percent of those infected animals had multiple strains of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria. They definitely count as pets you should keep away from your face.

Some of the strains detected included a version of E. coli (ST656) that causes diarrhea and another type of E. coli (ST127) that can start urinary tract infections. Both are incredibly contagious and easily passed from animals to humans.

“Our findings demonstrate that animals in petting zoos can result in shedding and transmission of MDR pathogens that may cause illness for human visitors, even when the animals appear healthy,” said lead author and professor of microbiology Shiri Navon-Venezia, PhD, in a news release.

Does that mean you should stay away from petting zoos? Not necessarily. Not only were 77 percent of the bacteria strains found in the fecal samples (hopefully not what your kids are touching) but Navon-Venezia also says that past studies have proven that petting zoos can be beneficial to a child’s emotional and cognitive development. So, fortunately, going to petting zoos is not one of the germ-spreading habits you need to give up immediately.

To protect your kids from illnesses at petting zoos, Navon-Venezia advises parents to make sure their kids wash their hands properly before and after interacting with the animals and avoid eating or drinking near them. Additionally, she cautions the zoos to keep animals that are on antibiotics away from visitors. And if you have a family full of animal-lovers, here are the best zoos in each state to add to your travel bucket list.

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10 Scary Things that Can Happen If You Have Sleep Paralysis

You can’t move

Just like the name suggests, sleep paralysis literally paralyzes you—no matter how hard you want to move your arms and legs or sit straight up in bed to break the moment, you just can’t. This happens when you experience REM sleep (the deepest stage of sleep where dreams occur) while you’re awake. REM sleep, like each stage of sleep, matters. “There’s a disconnect between the body and mind, so your mind is awake but your body hasn’t caught up and is paralyzed. This can be very scary,” says Raj Dasgupta, MD, a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and assistant professor of clinical medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. The good news is, it’s temporary and within a few seconds to minutes, you’ll be able to move again.

You feel like you can’t breathe

Part of what makes sleep paralysis so panic-inducing is that in addition to being immobile, many people feel like they can’t catch their breath or are choking. “In your mind, you’re still stuck in REM sleep when your breathing is shallowest, but you’re awake and want to take that deep breath…and can’t,” says Dr. Dasgupta. Patients also describe a sensation of someone sitting heavily on their chest compressing their air supply, a phenomenon dubbed the Incubus by researchers of sleep paralysis (named after the classic painting, “The Nightmare” by Swiss artist Henry Fuseli). If this happens, try to stay calm and remember the moment will quickly pass.

You have hallucinations

As if being temporarily paralyzed wasn’t freaky enough, many sleep paralysis patients also experience hallucinations of snakes or giant insects crawling all over their body while they lie in bed helpless.

It can be triggered by exhaustion or stress

“One of the biggest causes of sleep paralysis is sleep deprivation, especially from jet lag,” says Dr. Dasgupta.  “When you finally get to sleep, your body rebounds to the stage you need most, which is REM. The more time you spend in REM the more chance you have to experience sleep paralysis.” Try these tips for sleeping well on an airplane. Stress and anxiety can also increase your chances of an episode, as well as suddenly halting antidepressant medication.

You think someone’s in the room

One of the most common sleep paralysis experiences is to sense or see an intruder in the room, doorway, or right outside the window. “Your mind is awake and hyper vigilant so it goes into protection mode, which can cause hallucinations of someone being in the room,” says Dr. Dasgupta. Other intruders his patients have described over and over include a demon, an old hag, a creepy child with a poorly defined face, and an overall evil presence.

It can happen while you’re falling asleep

Most people think of sleep paralysis as waking up in the middle of the night with a terrifying inability to move. But some people, particularly those who suffer from narcolepsy, actually experience it while they’re falling asleep. “People with narcolepsy fall into REM sleep right away, so that’s why it strikes right away,” says Dr. Dasgupta. Usually, REM sleep doesn’t occur until between 90 and 120 minutes after you nod off.

You can have an out-of-body experience

One study that explored the most common sleep paralysis hallucinations discovered that some people have “unusual bodily experiences” where they have a feeling of floating or flying, feelings of bliss, or other out-of-body experiences.

It can cause you to panic

Suddenly waking up without being able to move or breathe well can get your heart racing and leave you gasping for air. But try to relax. “The most important thing for people to know is that it happens to a lot of people and it will pass. You just need to let your body catch up to your brain,” says Dr. Dasgupta. These are other panic attack symptoms to pay attention to.

It can strike in a strange place

Falling asleep in a strange bed can be unsettling for anyone, but in sleep paralysis patients it can trigger an episode. “When you sleep in a new place your mind is a little more vigilant whether you realize it or not. So when you wake up and your mind realizes you can’t move your body, plus you’re in a strange place, it goes into stress mode and makes you think you’re seeing things that could harm you,” says Dr. Dasgupta.

It can be hard to snap out of it

Some people say that focusing on wiggling a toe or trying to scream out can help them break out of a sleep paralysis episode. “If something works for you, go for it. But the best option is usually to wait for it to pass,” says Dr. Dasgupta. For more tips, check out what sleep doctors recommend for better sleep.

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These Science-Approved Facial Exercises Can Make You Look Years Younger

The science behind the moves

You may not need to run straight for the first Botox-filled needle at your dermatologist’s office, because a new study conducted by Northwestern University just revealed that 30 minutes a day of facial exercises, or at least a few times a week, results in a younger appearance with fuller and firmer upper and lower cheeks. That’s great news for people who are seriously committed to natural beauty and saving loads of cash on pricey beauty products. Do face exercises work for the average woman, though? You’ll be pleased to know the women who took part in the study looked an average of three years younger after 20 weeks of exercise, as rated by dermatologists. If you’re eager to give face exercises a whirl at home, they’re pretty simple, and we spoke to Heidi Frederick, the founder of FaceLove, a beauty business specializing in facial fitness. You’ll also want to check out these secrets on looking younger from top dermatologists.

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These Are the Best Sleeping Positions for Your Health, According to Science

How do you sleep?

Tossing and turning until the wee hours of the morning should be the exception, not the rule. But if you’re among the 50 to 70 million American adults who suffer from sleep or wakefulness disorders,  you’re all too familiar with this nightly routine. While it’s tempting to blame your mattress for your troublesome sleep problems, the real culprit might be you’re not dozing off in the best sleeping position, experts say. Science says some sleeping positions will not only help you get a better night’s rest but also prevent health problems. And it could take just one simple tweak to discover the secret to a better night’s snooze.

The worst sleeping position

It may be a good position for skydiving, but lying spread-eagle on your stomach is not the best sleeping position, the National Sleep Foundation says. While sleeping on your stomach might help alleviate snoring, it can pressure on your muscles and joints and cause aches, irritated nerves, and numbness.  According to WebMD,  sleeping on your stomach can also strain the lower back and neck, and your back, which could actually make snoring worse. To avoid this, prop your forehead on a pillow to allow room to breathe while sleeping face down.

Luckily, only about seven percent of adults default to sleeping on their stomach. Health advantages (and disadvantages!) aside, you might be curious to learn what your sleep position reveals about your personality.

The best sleeping position for you

The best sleeping position for you may depend on any preexisting health conditions. “The best position to sleep in is likely on one’s side,” says Brian Koo, MD, a Yale Medicine neurologist and sleep specialist, who is the director of the Restless Legs Syndrome Program. “Sleep apnea and snoring become worse when one sleeps [on their back]. If there is no snoring in the supine position, then sleeping supine is okay.”

If you’re not a snorer, sleeping on your back also works well, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Though only eight percent of people sleep on their back, doing so takes pressure off your head, neck, and spine. If your head is properly elevated, it can also help prevent acid reflux. Make sure your mattress supports your preferred sleeping position to further help your health and your ability to get a good night’s rest.

How to best sleep on your side

Most adults sleep in a fetal position, according to the National Sleep Foundation. If this is your preferred position, there are ways you can doze off on your side and make it the best sleeping position for your health.  Curling up too tightly can restrict breathing and leave your joints sore. You can improve this by straightening out your body as much as possible and placing a pillow between your knees to prevent strain on your hips. Koo recommends not sleeping with your head on your arm or hands because it can cause nerve damage.

For most people, the healthiest way to sleep is on your left side, curling your legs and placing a pillow between your knees. This position can ease any back pain and prevent loud snoring, according to Dr. Josh Axe. He says it can also help acid reflux. The National Sleep Foundation says it’s also the best choice for people with sleep apnea, though it can lead to wrinkles since half your face is pushing against a pillow. Not suffering from any of those ailments? These are the best sleep positions for every health problem.

 

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12 Expert Solutions for Your Everyday Friendship Problems

Broken promises

Friends are crucial, and every woman should have these eight types of friends in her life. Jan Yager, PhD, friendship coach, sociologist, and author of When Friendship Hurts and Friendshifts often hears from people who’ve been hurt by a friend’s broken promise: someone canceled plans at the last minute or declined to attend an important party. Dr. Yager likes to point out we don’t have formal contracts with friends where we’ve agreed to never abandon, betray or disappoint each other. “If you bring a fantasy about what the ideal friend will do in any situation to a relationship, you are setting yourself up for disappointment,” says Dr. Yager. She has an example from her own life: “When my dad passed away, a friend didn’t go to the funeral. Rather than fume, pull away and be angry, I decided to casually ask her why. I said, ‘I was surprised not to see you at my dad’s funeral. It’s OK, I’m just curious.'” Turns out that her friend’s dad recently passed away too and she just couldn’t handle another funeral. “Never in a million years would I have guessed what was going on.”

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What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like?

Bed bugs aren’t dainty little eaters—they suck your blood until they are engorged. When they’re full, their flat bodies bulge to hold up to three times their body weight. All that gluttony can leave marks on your skin, as well. Here’s how to tell if that bite on your skin is from a bed bug.

They don’t always leave a mark

Some people won’t have an immune response to the bite, which would be the only way you’d end up with a mark. “Usually people who react badly to the saliva of mosquitos will also be reactors for bed bug bites; conversely, those who do not react to mosquito bites may not react to bed bugs,” says Jody Green, PhD, an urban entomologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. If you don’t end up with a bump or rash from bed bug bites, you’ll have to keep an eye out for the other signs of a bed bug infestation.

Where you’ll find bed bug bites

The areas where bed bug bites typically turn up are the first part of human real estate they come across; that means you could find marks on your face, neck, arms, shoulders, hands, wrists, legs, ankles, or feet. But they’ll also target your back or torso. “Bed bug bites on the face may cause intense swelling, including the eyelid,” says dermatologist A. Yasmine Kirkorian, MD, assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics, Children’s National Health System. If you end up with bites on your eyelids, in fact, research suggests that could be a strong sign that you have bed bugs.

Do bed bugs bite “down there”?

They can, but they’re unlikely to travel that far, says Green. “Bed bugs are more likely to encounter an appendage before they get to the genital area.” They aren’t great at navigating hair, either—and that means your head is safer, too. So does that mean people with a lot of body hair get a free pass? Afraid not. “Bed bugs will bite hairy people, but they will find a place on the body that has less hair—like a smoother spot on an ankle, neck, or wrist,” says Green.

What do bed bug bites look like?

“Bed bugs typically bite several times in a row, so people may notice several itchy bumps grouped closely together. This has been called ‘breakfast, lunch, and dinner,'” says Dr. Kirkorian. This pattern results because bed bugs probe our skin to find the sweet spots: an area with capillaries close to the surface that help the blood flow freely. The bites often swell up and look like red welts. They may be in a zig-zag pattern too, which can occur because we move involuntarily during our sleep and interrupt their feeding so they move to a nearby spot. Get help spotting bed bugs by seeing how they look at each stage of their lives.

How do bed bug bites compare to flea and mosquito bites?

If you have pets, you may blame your dog or cat’s fleas for the bed bug bites. Fleas jump from your pet to your carpet or floor, and that means their bites will be on your ankles and lower legs. The bites look like tiny crusted red bumps. Another key difference: “Flea bites can be felt—they are quite painful and they typically bite below the knees in homes with dogs or cats,” says Green. Mosquitos leave a small puffy white bump with a red dot in the middle that gets bigger if you scratch it. Here’s a handy guide to find which bug has been chewing on you.

Do bed bug bites hurt?

Not really—you’ll most likely sleep through getting bit by a bed bug. Brittany Campbell, PhD, an entomologist with the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), explains that before a bed bug sucks your blood, it releases a numbing agent (via the saliva).

What are the symptoms of a bed bug bite?

About one in three people won’t see or feel any reaction; the rest will have an allergic reaction to bed bug bites. It’s usually not painful like a bee sting or a spider bite, but the itching could be pretty intense. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (ADA), a person may feel itching right away, or it may take up to 14 days. And if you don’t realize you have a bed bug infestation and are getting bit repeatedly, you could develop a reaction, such as bumps, welts, and/or an intense itch.

Are bed bug bites serious?

Most bed bug bites won’t require medical care, but some people get hives or a secondary infection from scratching the bites. Others may suffer systemic reactions throughout the body. “It depends on the number of feeding bugs on the body, the length of time, the history the person has [of] suffering bites, and where the bites are located,” says Green. According to the ADA, there are some rare cases when bed bug bites require medical attention—for instance, if you experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, irregular or forceful heartbeat, large blisters, fever, swollen tongue, feeling ill, or anemia.

Do restless sleepers scare off bed bugs?

Bed bugs definitely prefer that you sleep still, but tossers and turners won’t get off bite-free. “When bed bugs need food, they will find times during the night or early morning (they like to dine between midnight and 5:00 a.m.) that they will be able to feed. They only need five to ten minutes to steal a blood meal from you,” says Green.

Do bed bugs bite pets?

Because they can’t handle hair, bed bugs tend to pass up cats and dogs for relatively hairless humans. “If they do happen to bite a pet, it will typically be on the belly where there is a natural bald spot. Science has even suggested that bed bugs and other blood-feeding insects may actually avoid hairy areas because it slows them down and gives a person (or animal) more time to swat at them,” says Campbell. Also, pets won’t cause bed bugs, but here are the things that do.

Do bed bug bites mean I have an infestation?

No one would blame you for immediately thinking bed bug bites mean a full-blown invasion, but that’s not always the case. “It is important to note that a bed bug infestation cannot be identified based on bites alone, because skin reactions vary from person to person depending on their immune system. In addition, bites from other insects, such as mosquitoes, are often mistaken as bed bug bites.” Protect yourself: Check out the 7 things you should be doing to prevent bed bugs.

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6 Measles Symptoms You Should Know—Even if You Were Vaccinated

Measles might not seem relevant, especially for people with the vaccine. But between January and April of 2019, America saw the highest reports of measles cases since the disease was “eliminated” in 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 700 measles cases in 22 states mean there is more curiosity and concern about measles symptoms, what the measles rash looks like, and vaccine policies. Here’s everything you need to know about the disease.

What are measles?

Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that’ll occur in 90 percent of exposed individuals, according to Bruce Polsky, MD, the Chairman of the Department of Medicine at NYU Winthrop Hospital, an infectious disease specialist. Doctors don’t over exaggerate about the measles. The virus hangs in the air for up to two hours—even after the infected person leaves the area, says John T. Raffalli, MD, FACP, a CareMount Medical Infectious Disease specialist. Here are more details on the recent measles outbreak.

What are measles symptoms?

Measles typically start with cold-like symptoms including:

• Fever
• Runny nose
• Cough
• Conjunctivitis (red eyes)
• Koplik (tiny white spots on the mouth)
• Fatigue or discomfort

These signs and symptoms appear two to four days before the rash, Dr. Polsky says, and up to three weeks after the initial exposure to the virus, per Dr. Raffalli. All of these symptoms, including the rash, work from the top of the body down. This includes a sore throat and a cough that might persist for one or two weeks after recovering from other symptoms, according to Dr. Polsky. If left untreated, more serious complications of measles include permanent brain damage, pneumonia, and middle ear damage, Dr. Raffalli adds, hence the creation of the vaccine (more on that later.)

What does the measles rash look like?

The measles rash is extremely red and blotchy. It first appears on the face, spreading downward and outward on the body to the neck, hands, and feet. If someone with measles has this rash, they are contagious via coughing and sneezing from four days before the rash appears to four days after, says Dr. Raffalli. Recognize the difference between the measles rash and 14 of the most common skin irritations.

How effective is the measles vaccine?

The global total of measles deaths decreased by 84 percent between 2000 and 2016 thanks to the measles vaccine, according to Dr. Polsky. That’s because developing the measles is rare in someone with the full vaccination—two doses of the vaccine, Dr. Polsky adds. People have the first dose between 12 and 18 months old, and the second booster between six and seven years old, Dr. Polsky says. “If you’ve only received the first dose of the vaccine, the estimated protection level is 93 percent,” he says. “We need community levels of immunity of 95 percent or greater in order to provide the ‘umbrella’ of protection that interrupts transmission.” That’s why the second shot became a staple after 1989, according to Dana Hawkinson, MD, an infectious disease specialist at The University of Kansas Health System.

Who is most at risk of measles?

The people who are most at risk for contracting the virus are those without the vaccine, such as children under one, and people who might only have one dose of the current vaccine (since doctors only began recommending the two treatments in 1989), Dr. Hawkinson says. So people with older vaccinations may need the second booster shot, which you can determine with the help of your doctor, Dr. Polsky says. People born before 1957, however, are generally considered immune as the disease was still prevalent in America during this time, before the vaccine era, according to Dr. Hawkinson. You can protect yourself against the next viral outbreak by following these 9 expert recommendations.

If you have the measles vaccine, can you still contract the virus?

There are some rare cases of contracting the virus is you have the vaccine, according to Caesar Djavaherian, an emergency medicine MD, and co-founder and Chief Medical Director at Carbon Health. “We aren’t exactly sure why, but some theories include the possibility of a subpar immune response to the vaccines to confer full immunity,” Dr. Djavaherian says. This means people with the full vaccine who still get measles might have immune systems that didn’t respond as they should have to the vaccine, per the CDC. “However, those who have been vaccinated who get measles are much more likely to have a milder illness and are less likely to spread the disease to those who are unvaccinated including young children and babies,” Dr. Djavaherian notes. In most cases, someone who has the measles vaccine shouldn’t worry, and a simple blood test can determine your immunity, Dr. Polsky adds.

So it won’t hurt for people who have both doses of the vaccine to keep an eye out for measles symptoms as both doses of the vaccine provide 97 percent—not 100 percent—protection, Dr. Polsky says. Still, Dr. Hawkinson says vaccine immunity lasts a long time. “We have a safe, effective vaccine to use to prevent measles, mumps, and rubella, two other viral illnesses,” Dr. Hawkinson says. “The most important thing you can do to keep yourself and loved ones safe is get vaccinated.” Although the vaccine is quite effective, vaccines are still one of the 11 biggest health controversies of all time.

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Meghan Markle’s Skin Care Routine Is Surprisingly Easy to Follow

The Duchess of Sussex always looks vibrant, glowy, and blemish-free whether she’s at a black tie event or just traveled halfway around the globe. And while you might believe her skin care routine is a complex thing, her beauty regime is just as easy to follow as her diet. We got the dish straight from Sarah Champman, London’s most sought after facialist, who has exclusively looked after Meghan’s skin care since she moved to the United Kingdom. Sarah spills her tips for achieving a picture-perfect complexion at home.

Work it out

At the Saraph Chapman clinic, her “Signature Bespoke Facial” reigns supreme. This, her most popular treatment, is completely personalized for clients like Meghan Markle (and a laundry list of other celebs like Victoria and David Beckham), but what all the appointments have in common is Chapman’s award-winning ‘gymnastics’ face massage techniques. During these appointments, the Duchess of Sussex’s face is massaged using light but firm pressure.

“My number one tip for giving an instant glow back to the skin is facial massage,” Chapman says. “Not only do the movements help to stimulate lymphatic drainage on puffy complexions, promoting a healthier-functioning dermis for improved cellular activity and better-looking skin, but massaging your skincare products deeper into the skin will also help to boost their performance,” she concludes. She suggests using your knuckles and fingertips for an at-home facial experience that mimics her clinical, signature “gymnastics” techniques. You can also use her Facialift massage tool, designed to recreate Sarah’s lifting, firming, and rejuvenating movements effortlessly.

Incredibly easy to recreate, this skin workout will have you looking like royalty in no time. Check out Meghan’s own stunning transformation since moving to the United Kingdom.

Three additional steps to princess-worthy skin

Chapman also advocates for a three-step process of cleansing and applying serum and moisturizer in addition to massaging. “Thorough cleansing can turn people’s skin around,” says Chapman. “Spending a few minutes each day really working with your cleanser to create a clean and fresh canvas will not only improve the look of your skin but also its function.” Even if life gets hectic and you find yourself in a huge rush, Sarah says “cleansing is absolutely non-negotiable!”

As for the serum, your choice should be tailored to your specific skin concern, Chapman suggests. Use one of the best serums for every skin type. “The essential final step is a moisturizer to lock in hydration and create healthier functioning skin,” Chapman says. Start by determining the best moisturizer for your skin type.

It’s not just Meghan Markle’s skin care regimen that’s easy-to-follow, it’s her head-to-toe regimen, which includes these 13 products under $20.

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My Childhood Illness Came Back After 16 Years—And Almost Killed Me

I was 20 years old, studying abroad in Spain in the midst of my junior year of college, when I almost died. No one could figure out why I couldn’t breathe—I was on my own. I realized it was up to me to survive.

A couple of weeks earlier, my only feelings were excitement and joy that I was going on a 29-day trip to Spain. Then, on Christmas Day in Seville, I left my host family’s home to go for a 30-minute walk along a beautiful bike path. It wasn’t too hot, yet I felt winded and my face was on fire. By the time I got back to my host family’s house, I was completely out of breath and my heart was racing. After ascending the several flights of stairs to my room, I collapsed on the hardwood floor, grasping at my throat and chest in an attempt to remove what felt like a hand squeezing my airway shut. I couldn’t tell whether it was anxiety or something physically wrong that was robbing me of air. I didn’t even have enough air to call for help.

I started chanting a mantra as I pressed my cheek to the cold floor, hoping that a trace of oxygen would slip through the strawlike opening in my throat. I began repeating to myself, “You are strong and you are calm,” over and over again until I started to get more air into my lungs. Realizing that fear and helplessness were taking over, I used the mantra to establish control. I pledged that anxiety would not win this battle. I began taking small breaths: inhaling, 1, 2; exhaling, 1, 2 (something I’ve learned from yoga).

An hour later, I regained somewhat of a normal breathing rhythm, enough to call my translator and ask for help. After a steroid shot in the butt, an overdose from an inhaler, and a chest X-ray, all the doctor could tell me was, “Tienes bronquitis” (“You have bronchitis”). All I could think was that there’s no way bronchitis prompts that kind of reaction.

I wouldn’t learn until nearly three months later, back in the United States, that I had experienced a severe asthma attack. My mother remembered that I had it as an infant; a doctor confirmed that the asthma had returned.

Looking back on that day, I have no idea how I was able to stay calm, but my reaction saved my life. Giving in to anxiety would have further tightened my airways; by integrating my yoga breathing exercises, I got through. It’s a lesson I carry with me through life: Relax, don’t give in to fear, and just breathe.

You can use these 11 tips for managing anxiety and panic disorders, to help manage your breathing if you’re ever in a similar situation.

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16 Signs Your Face Is Aging Faster Than You Are

You’ve got sun spots

Skin aging is going to happen—but lifestyle and environmental factors can make you appear older than you are. For example, you know the sun can harm your skin, but this damage can actually age your skin’s appearance with unsightly brown patches. “As we enter our 30s, we begin to see the cumulative impact of sun damage, including sun spots,” says dermatologist Whitney Bowe, MD, author of The Beauty of Dirty Skin. “Much of the damage that causes sun spots is UV-induced, but hormones can fuel spots and splotches too.” She advises addressing the dark spots with a serum containing botanical brighteners, like licorice, soy, arbutin, and niacinamide; or talk to your dermatologist about the prescription bleaching cream hydroquinone. Here are more weird ways the sun affects your body.

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How to Identify Bed Bug Bites—and How to Treat Them

Unfortunately, a bed bug bite has no telltale sign, according to a review published in the American Society for Microbiology. The reaction to bites varies tremendously from one person to the next. Some people will have no reaction or just minor itching and mosquito-like bumps in one area; others will get dramatic red raised welts all over. “It depends on the number of feeding bugs on the body, how long the person has been suffering bites, and also where the bites are located,” says Jody Green, PhD, an urban entomologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Five stages of post-bed bug bites

If you have evidence of bed bug bites on your skin, it’s due to your body’s allergic response, according to the U.S. Armed Forces’ 2019 Pest Management Board: Technical Guide #44. That response can take a few different forms: little to no reaction; an immediate reaction—often a red spot with minor discomfort; a delayed reaction in which red weals turn up within 14 days that trigger intense itching that can last two to five days; or, unfairly, a combination of immediate and delayed reactions. This makes it tough to know what’s gnawing on you without the help of an entomologist or dermatologist. Although this guide to bug bites may help.

Familiar signs of bed bug bites

While there is no exact way to tell what bug bit you, dermatologist A. Yasmine Kirkorian, MD, an assistant professor of Dermatology & Pediatrics, Children’s National Health System, says there are some patterns doctors look for: “Bed bugs typically bite several times in a row so people may notice several red itchy bumps grouped closely together, a pattern sometimes called ‘breakfast, lunch, and dinner,'” she explains. “They can occur anywhere on the body; bed bug bites on the face may cause intense swelling including of the eyelid.” A small study found that 72 percent of people who were bitten by bed bugs had itchy red welts, 50 percent had redness or discoloration, and 28 percent had itching with no welts. Call your doc or dermatologist and look for these signs of bed bugs in your house.

It can’t be bed bug bites

Let’s say you are sleeping in the same bed as your partner and your partner wakes up with bites but you don’t. Must not be bed bugs, right? Sadly, it still could be. “The most challenging thing about bed bug bites is that there is are people who do not react to bed bug bites, so they have no adverse skin responses and have no idea that they are being fed upon while they are sleeping,” says Green. One survey found that nearly one in three people had no reaction to bed bug bites. When the researchers broke out reactions by age, they found that 42 percent of people over 65 had no reaction. Bites or no bites, this is how bed bugs could get in your bedroom.

Bed bug bite treatment

People who do react to bed bugs often have intense itching. “Once a patient has been bitten, it is difficult to eradicate the itching. Over-the-counter anti-itch creams that contain one percent pramoxine can help,” says Dr. Kirkorian. Try Aveeno with pramoxine and calamine. Oral antihistamines such as Zyrtec and Benadryl may be effective too, says Dr. Kirkorian. But if your itching persists, your dermatologist or doctor might prescribe topical steroids such as triamcinolone and fluocinonide.

Just thinking about bed bugs can wreck your sleep, as well. Talk to your doctor if you start suffering from insomnia. “A sedating antihistamine such as Benadryl could be safe to use,” says Dr. Kirkorian.

Home remedies for bed bug bites

Before you commit to natural bed bug treatment, remember to practice good hygiene and caution, advises Larry Bishop, MD, a dermatologist with Health First Medical Group: Be sure to wash the area with soap and water first to reduce the risk of infection; if the area appears irritated or develops a rash, stop using the treatment and see a doctor. For remedies, Dr. Bishop suggests trying peppermint oil: “It works by two mechanisms—the peppermint oil is a vasoconstrictor (blood vessel constrictor), which lessens the pain and irritation from bed bug bites. Additionally, the peppermint works as a soothing agent by gently stimulating the nerves around the bite.” Try adding a few drops to a warm bath; if you want to apply it to the bites, dilute it first with an oil such as coconut, jojoba or olive.

Lemon balm is another favorite for bug bites. Crush or roll the leaves with your fingers to release the juice, apply it to the bites, and wrap with a bandage. “It works by having soothing properties and antibacterial properties,” Dr. Bishop says. Finally, there’s household ammonia—research suggests that it can help with itchy bites. It may not smell great, says Dr. Bishop, but if you put a little on a cotton ball and dab it on the area right away, it can help. “It works by neutralizing the proteins that are in the saliva of the bed bugs.” The saliva is what produces the allergic reaction in some people, and the quicker you neutralize it, the better.

When to see the doctor

Your bed bug bites will generally clear up on their own, but if you itch them the scratching can lead to secondary infections. “The initial bite may be a portal for bacteria to enter the skin. If a patient develops a worsening red bump, pus drainage, a fever, or other signs of systemic illness, they should seek urgent medical attention,” advises Dr. Kirkorian. Then, find out how to get rid of bed bugs.

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Nothing Stopped My Severe Migraines Until I Dropped This One Food from My Diet

If there had been a hidden camera videoing my migraines, it would have captured a woman in her 30s, writhing on the living room floor of her apartment while trying desperately—and weirdly—to massage the pain out of her shoulders and head. Sometimes I’d knead with my hands, occasionally with massage devices, and once in a while with the handle of a purple hairbrush. Then you’d see me run to the bathroom, where I’d clear out on both ends, and then I’d return to the floor. Repeat, repeat, repeat. It would last about four to six hours—and happen around four times a month. It was a mystery—check out these 12 reasons you might get migraines.

At that point I was otherwise pretty healthy—I did yoga and meditated, I drank mostly enough water, ate a fairly balanced, mostly organic diet—not too much sugar or processed foods. To stop the migraine monster from visiting, I tried acupuncture, massage, hypnosis. I kept a food diary to search for “triggers.” I studied my menstrual cycle to see how it corresponded with my migraines. I popped magnesium supplements. I stewed stinky Chinese herbs. Nothing worked. Here are some migraine remedies you can try.

I finally accepted a prescription for Imitrex from my doc. If I took the migraine drug at the first inkling of a headache, I could shorten the stretch of misery—maybe I wouldn’t throw up, or I’d just feel nauseated for an hour or so. But each time the drug made me feel weird, like a pillow was expanding in my head and concrete was pouring into my stomach.

Finally, I went to a neurologist. She gave me pamphlets, an MRI, and then weekly mega doses of intravenous magnesium—but still no relief. Then, at 40, I got pregnant. My migraine monster, perhaps in deference to my state, disappeared. According to the American Migraine Foundation, 50 to 80 percent of women who suffer from migraines have fewer episodes during pregnancy, especially during the second and third trimesters when estrogen levels rise. I was free of them throughout my pregnancy.

A few weeks after my glorious baby boy arrived, my doula offered to watch him as I slipped out for a latté. I marveled at my freedom on the walk to the coffee shop I used to frequent. I ordered a regular latté, with regular, full-fat milk (I was breastfeeding—I needed the fat). The intense, velvety flavor was the caffeinated balm to my soul.

A few days later, a migraine struck: The first one was mild, the next more intense. The monster was back. I didn’t want to take meds because I was breastfeeding. So I suffered and nursed my fussy child. One day I opened his diaper and saw green. I Googled for an answer, and mom sites suggested it could be from me eating dairy.

When I checked with my pediatrician’s office, the nurse said crisply, “That’s a myth. Dairy doesn’t cause green poop. It’s a normal color.” Normal for some babies, but mine was super-cranky. And what about the other moms who’d said dairy was the thing?

I decided that if I was eating something that might be hurting my baby, I should try stopping. I switched to soy lattés, then quickly switched to no lattés (because they were awful). I stopped eating ice cream. I halted pizza and yogurt.

Something I’d read said it takes a while for the dairy to get out of the mom’s and baby’s systems. After about ten days, my baby’s poop was brown. He cried less, he slept better, he didn’t scrunch his face in what looked like pain. After about two weeks went by it hit me: I hadn’t had a migraine.

Dietary migraine triggers can range from olives to alcohol to MSG: The American Migraine Foundation has a list of the main migraine triggers. I didn’t realize that I didn’t have to be allergic to something in a traditional fashion to have it cause migraines—and milk does not appear as an allergy for me in a pin-prick test. Also, I didn’t fully understand how triggers can work: For me, it meant I ate something bad, and three days later I’d get a migraine. Neurologist David Buchhholz, MD, of Johns Hopkins University, told NPR.org that the effects of a migraine food trigger can be delayed up to 72 hours.

Once I’d cleared dairy from my system, though, I did become more sensitive. Recently a restaurant made a mistake—broccoli raab cooked in butter, not oil—and I spent the night throwing up.

So, I abstain. I’m not naturally an abstainer. Rules make me itchy. But apparently, the agony of a migraine is motivation enough. So I’ve found “ice cream” I like too much—coconut-based Larry & Luna’s. I’ve semi-settled on oat milk for my coffee (it’s good but makes for a chalky latté). I get non-dairy pizza when I can. These are some more non-dairy food swaps I might try.

Truly, I miss good cheese. I haven’t found a substitute that doesn’t remind me of Play-Doh. I miss real, greasy, margarita pizza. I miss yogurt. I miss chocolate soft serve on warm summer nights. But I don’t miss being that woman writhing on the floor late into the night.

My best advice if you’re struggling with migraines? Find a doctor who will take your pain seriously and check you out fully. Then you can try an elimination diet, and start adding things back, one by one, to see if any trigger head troubles. But don’t stop looking for a cause—migraines can impact your life in numerous ways. While I might get the occasional tension headache, I don’t get migraines any more. And that’s even better than the best latté ever.

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