Problem: Article: As your partner, colleagues, and children are potentially a part of your everyday life, escaping reality means leaving them behind temporarily and refocusing on yourself. Because the society that we live in is perceived by most to be hectic and filled with stressors, spending some dedicated time alone can help you to refresh your mind and be more ready to handle reality when you return. Solitude allows your brain to "reboot." Turn off your phone and sign out of your social media. When you are no longer "connected" to everyone and everything, you will find yourself much more able to mentally escape reality. Wake up 30 minutes before anyone else and enjoy the peace and quiet of the morning. Use that time to reflect, meditate, and daydream. Make alone time a priority. Many of us spend the majority of our day catering to others, whether colleagues, family, or friends. Make it a point to set aside a block of time each day to allow yourself some time to escape your otherwise hectic reality. Instead of passively allowing your mind to wander, some people may find it helpful to actively engage in an activity that they can associate with a mental escape from reality. There are a wide range of activities that can facilitate an escape from reality. Try painting or knitting. The repetitive motion may help you find peace and solace and allow your mind to wander away from reality. If you're looking to get exercise at the same time, go for a walk. Walking for 7,000-8,000 steps each day is great for your physical health and if you use your walking time to also meditate, daydream, or otherwise escape reality, you will be benefitting your mind as well as your body. If you want to enjoy the outdoors, try hiking, fishing, or gardening. Being in nature can be another avenue for your mental escape of reality. There is no "best" activity to help you mentally escape reality; however, you should always do something that you enjoy. Some people may find the best way to mentally escape reality is to go skydiving or snorkeling, while others may enjoy playing a computer game or putting together a puzzle. Books are a fantastic avenue for escapism because they allow you to escape your reality and enter another world without ever leaving your sofa. Choose a book from your favorite author, a time-honored classic, or a best-seller. Find a book that takes you into a make-believe world. This could be a fictional world, such as that of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, or a book that takes place in another time or location, such as a work of historical fiction. Choose a series (something available in a trilogy or more) for an even longer escape from reality!
Summary: Spend time alone. Try a calming, repetitive activity. Read a book.

Problem: Article: Add cup (79 ml) of freshly squeezed lime, lemon, or orange juice, teaspoon (3 g) of citric acid, and cup (59 ml) of water to a small, straight-sided saucepan. Whisk the ingredients together and heat them on low until the granules dissolve completely, which should take 3 to 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat. Use four envelopes of unflavored gelatin and spread them as evenly as possible over the fruit juice mixture. Don't stir the mixture -- allow the gelatin to sit until it absorbs the liquid on its own. Add cup (100 g) of granulated sugar and the remaining cup (59 ml) of water to another small, straight-sided pan. Whisk the two together until they're fully combined. Place the pan on the stove, and heat it over medium heat. Allow the mixture to cook until it reaches a boil and the sugar dissolves completely. Stir the mixture with a whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves. When the mixture comes to a boil, place a candy thermometer in the pan. Allow the mixture to cook until it reaches the right temperature without stirring it at all. After the sugar mixture reaches the right temperature, carefully add it to the gelatin mixture. The sugar will form a big clump when it hits the gelatin, which is normal. Place the pan with the candy mixture on the stove, and heat it on medium-low. Use a whisk to stir it continuously until the mixture softens and dissolves, leaving no hard bits behind. Take the pan off the heat, and carefully pour the candy mixture into an 8-inch (20-cm) glass baking dish. Allow it to sit on the countertop for 2 hours to set up. Add 1 tablespoon (8 g) of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon (8 g) of cornstarch to a small bowl. Use a whisk to blend them together well. To make the coating, add 1 tablespoon (12 g) of granulated sugar and teaspoon (3 g) of citric acid to a separate small bowl. Stir the two together well, and set aside. Lightly dust a cutting board or countertop with powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Peel up a corner of the candy block to pull it out of the dish and onto your work surface, and turn the block over so both sides are coated with the powdered sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut the candy into a dozen -inch (13-mm) strips and then cut each strip into 5 pieces that are approximately 1 - inch (3-cm) long. Drop the candy into the bowl with the citric acid and sugar mixture, and use a fork to stir them around until they're well coated. If the candy begins to get sticky, toss it in the cornstarch mixture first and then into the citric acid mixture. Place the coated candy pieces on a wire cooling rack, and allow them to dry until the coating is crunchy and hard. It should take approximately 8 hours. Once the candy is dry, you can eat it right away. If there are leftovers, place them in a jar or bag and store at room temperature. They should stay fresh for about a week.
Summary: Combine the fruit juice, citric acid, and some water in a saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the mixture and let it sit for a few minutes. Mix the water with the sugar. Bring the sugar mixture to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Heat the mixture until it reaches 300F (148C). Pour the hot sugar mixture into the gelatin mixture. Stir the mixture over the heat until it softens. Transfer the mixture to a glass dish and let it cool for a couple of hours. Whisk the powdered sugar and cornstarch together. Mix the granulated sugar into citric acid. Unmold the candy and cut it into strips. Toss the candy in the citric acid mixture. Let the candy dry until the coating hardens. Store the candy in an airtight container.

Problem: Article: In most instances sand flea bites will consist of a small red spot, similar to a mosquito bite. In some cases, however, a female flea will burrow into the skin to hatch eggs. These can cause severe irritation and infection. The bite will look like a swollen area with a small black spot in the center. If you think you have a burrowing sand flea, you should visit the doctor to have the flea removed. After applying hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion the symptoms should decrease. If this does not happen or if the symptoms worsen, then you should visit your doctor immediately. This could mean that the bites have become infected or that you are allergic to flea saliva. Your doctor may recommend that you treat the bites with a prescribed antihistamine cream. This cream will help reduce irritation caused by an allergic reaction to the flea bites. Follow the instructions provided by your doctor.
Summary:
Check the bites for breeding fleas. Visit your doctor. Treat bites with an antihistamine cream.