The skin is your body's largest organ, and washing it frequently will help protect you and your underarms against harmful bacteria, odor, and illness. Use warm water and a mild soap. Fabrics made of natural fibers (cotton, wool, silk, etc.) rather than synthetic ones (nylon, polyester, etc.) allow your skin to "breathe" easier. This means sweat will evaporate quicker, keeping moisture, bacteria, and odor under control. Make sure to wear clean clothing and wash your clothing frequently. Foods with strong scents, such as garlic, onions, and spices like curry can contribute to body odor. Other products like coffee and tobacco may also be contributing factors. Limiting how much of these you eat or use will ultimately keep your underarms feeling and smelling fresh. If you want to determine if a particular food is causing offensive body odor, eliminate it from your diet and see if the problem goes away. If it does not, try eliminating other foods one by one until you determine which one has the effect. Chewing on leafy greens like parsley, or taking wheat grass supplements with meals may also reduce the problem, as these foods are natural deodorizers.

Summary: Shower daily. Wear natural fibers. Be wary of certain foods that can make your sweat smell worse.

Meditation can improve your focus, concentration, energy, and overall happiness. Meditation can also significantly reduce your stress levels. Studies also demonstrate that those who practice any kind of daily meditation are generally more optimistic about life. Moreover, meditation can allow your brain to cycle between beta waves (when you are awake) and alpha waves (the stage that immediately precedes sleep). By meditating, you are not replacing your sleep cycle. However, you are giving your brain the rest periods it needs in order to be fully awake during your beta cycles. Only 10-15 minutes of meditation can provide this positive, sleep-like benefit. Those who meditate regularly do not need to sleep as often as those who do not meditate. This is one of the reasons why many people find it easy to fall asleep immediately after meditating: your brain is primed to fall asleep. Meditation is not the same thing as sleep, however. Meditation can also be used to correct sleep disturbances for this reason. Many people expect that meditation requires closed eyes. However, there are methods for meditating that do not require you to close off your vision. Indeed, some people report feeling particularly rejuvenated and refreshed after an open-eye meditation experience. This type of meditation is particularly useful for those who have to integrate meditation into their public transit commute, workday, or school day: you can meditate without being noticed. All you need is a place to sit and a few minutes of time in which you can meditate. If possible, choose a dark, quiet, calm place to practice your open-eye meditation. When you become more advanced, you will be able to meditate in the middle of a busy classroom. But to begin with, try a dimly lit space in your home. Close the blinds and turn off your devices in order to eliminate as many distractions as possible. Keep your back upright but loose. Sit comfortably. Many people enjoy sitting in the lotus position to meditate. However, you are free to meditate in whatever way keeps your body relaxed. Just be sure that you maintain a good, non-slumping posture. You can sit on a chair, kneel, or even lie down if you prefer. Keep your hands loose and open, resting in your lap. Some people find that incense or scented candles can help them relax and focus. Feel free to try this as you begin to practice open-eye meditation. You will not be able to meditate with open eyes right away. To build up your open-eye meditation skills, begin by practicing having each of your eyes focus on a different object. Choose one object to your left to focus on and one object on your right to focus on. Try to maintain this dual focus for as long as you can, even if it's just a few seconds. Your brain will be so focused on the visual information that all other distractions and mental noise will begin to disappear, allowing you to achieve a restful, relaxed meditative state. Gradually increase the time you spend focusing on these two sets of objects. If you want to challenge yourself, you might also try turning your head while keeping the image of these two objects in your mind. Soon you will begin noticing other objects in the room that are in front of you. Be aware of these objects, but do not let them distract you. For example, you might be awed by a beautiful beam of light in your home. However, you do not want to think about the dusty shelf you have to clean that you just saw. Dismiss such worries from your mind. Once you have gotten used to focusing on two sets of objects at once, begin to integrate deep breathing exercises into your meditation. Breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, and then release slowly through your mouth. While you might have to explicitly time yourself as a beginner, your goal is to make deep breathing automatic eventually so that you no longer have to "count" inside your head. Once you have mastered the art of open-eye meditation in a calm, controlled environment, you can begin to bring it into your daily life. It will be challenging to do so at first, but you must be patient and forgiving with yourself. Let your body be a source of calmness and relaxation even while the world around you is chaotic and distracting. Soon, you will be able to achieve a restful, focused state with your eyes open when you are at work, school, or on the bus.

Summary: Recognize the benefits of meditation. Recognize that meditation can mimic, but not fully replace, sleep. Tell yourself that meditation can be done with your eyes open. Find a dark, quiet place to practice meditation techniques. Get comfortable. Practice focusing on two sets of objects at once. Breathe deeply. Integrate open-eye meditation into everyday life.

You may see large open wounds or pieces of bone that have broken your skin and are sticking out of your skin. These are signs of a severe fracture, known as a compound fracture. If you have these symptoms, you should seek immediate medical attention.As well, if there a lot of blood coming from an open wound on your finger, you should see a doctor. If part of your finger is pointing in a different direction, the bone is probably broken or dislocated. A dislocated finger occurs when the bone has moved out of position and usually looks deformed at a joint, such as your knuckle. You should see a doctor if you have a dislocated finger. There are three bones in each of your fingers and they are all arranged in the same manner. The first bone is the proximal phalanx, the second bone is the middle phalanx, and the bone farthest from your hand is the distal phalanx. Because your thumb is the shortest finger, it does not have a middle phalanx. Your knuckles are joints formed by the bones of your fingers. Often, you break your finger at the knuckles, or the joints. Breaks at the base of your finger (the distal phalanx) are usually easier to treat than fractures at your joints or knuckles. If your finger is not deformed or bruised, and the pain and swelling eventually subside, you may have just sprained your finger. A sprain means you have stretched the ligaments, which are the bands of tissue that hold the bones in your finger together at the joint. If you think you have a sprained finger, avoid using the finger. Check to see if the pain and swelling gets better over the next day or two. If the pain and swelling does not go away, you should get medical treatment to confirm the finger is only sprained and not fractured or broken. A physical and x-rays will determine this.
Summary: Examine your finger for any exposed cuts or bones. Check if your finger looks deformed. Note if the pain and swelling goes down after a couple of hours.