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There are times, such as when you can't eat or drink anything the night or morning before surgery, that you think you're starving not for food but for just one sip of sparkling cold water. While this should be avoided before surgery, ice chips or ice cubes are the first things they give you when you wake up to help moisten your mouth and quench your thirst. So freeze some water in ice cube trays and put them in a cup or a plastic baggie (for ice chips, carefully break them into pieces) for immediate thirst relief. Chewing gum and sucking on hard candies will actually make your mouth produce more saliva, which in turn makes you less thirsty. While you also shouldn't do this before surgery, it's helpful if you are restricting liquids because of dialysis. It's also good for quenching thirst caused by any number of other things. Make sure you buy sugar-free hard candies that you not only enjoy but that also last a long time. The more you use, the more saliva your mouth will produce. Be warned, xylitol is often in sugar-free gum and sugar-free candies, and it can lead to diarrhea or cramps if enough is consumed. Sour candy cranks up your saliva glands, so if you can handle it give it a try, too. Chewing on whole mint leaves is cooling, refreshing and will also help quench your thirst. At times, such as when a person is on dialysis, sucking on frozen fruits like grapes, peach slices and pineapple chunks, can be amazing thirst-quenchers. It helps because it, too, stimulates the production of saliva and has a high water content. Aside from grapes and other berries, all you need to do is cut them up and put them in a bag in the freezer. Or, for something like watermelon and cantaloupe, scoop out balls with an ice cream scooper before freezing. Lemon is another fruit you can also suck on frozen, or fresh if you like. It is one of the most effective fruits because its high level of citric acid really gets the saliva going. This is another great general thirst quencher and one that is also useful during dialysis and after throat or mouth surgery (not before, for any surgery). Depending upon your diet, make tea or lemonade, or buy some apple juice or diet ginger ale. Pour it into popsicle molds or ice cube trays and freeze it. If you have sticks for the popsicles, wait to stick them in until they can stand up alone. If not, and for the flavored ice cubes, put your frozen goodies in a plastic baggie to hold and to catch what melts. You could also take the drinks and freeze them in plastic cups until they become thick slushies that you can scoop out with a spoon. Try over-the-counter saliva substitutes, especially those with products containing xylitol, such as Mouth Coat or Oasis Moisturizing Mouth Spray, or products with carboxy methyl cellulose or hydroxyethyl cellulose, such as Biotene Oral Balance. Again, too much xylitol can have unhappy effects, so take it slow. If you're being treated for a health condition that is causing your thirst, talk to your doctor first before using these.

summary: Suck on ice chips or ice cubes. Chew sugar-free gum and suck on sugar-free hard candy. Suck on frozen fruit. Make popsicles and flavored ice. Head to the health aisles.

Summarize the following:
If you are checking your blood pressure at home, purchase an automatic cuff-style monitor. This can help give you the most accurate readings of your pressure in addition to being more simple to use than aneroid sphygmomanometers, which is the technical name of hand-employed blood pressure monitors. A digital or automatic monitor has a cuff that inflates at the push of a button and requires no real work from you. This is probably your easiest option if you are monitoring your blood pressure from home. Choose a monitor that is validated and approved by an international organization such as the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, the British Hypertension Society and the International Protocol for the Validation of Automated BP Measuring Devices. Make sure the monitor is properly calibrated talk to your doctor or a medical supply store about calibration. If you have special needs, such as being elderly or pregnant, make sure to choose a monitor specifically suited to your purposes. Make sure the cuff fits your arm by measuring the width around your bicep. Most companies make different sizes, which will help you get the most accurate reading possible. Too small of a cuff can cause false elevated readings, too large of a cuff can give false low blood pressure readings. You can buy blood pressure monitors at many pharmacies and most medical supply stores. Your insurance company may cover the cost if you're using the device to manage a medical condition. Make sure you can return or exchange if the apparatus doesn't work or malfunctions. There are many factors that can affect your blood pressure reading. Preparing yourself for your monitoring test can give the most accurate readings. In preparation for your test: Avoid testing right after you wake up. Avoid eating or drinking anything for 30 minutes before testing. Avoid caffeine and tobacco for 30 minutes before testing. Avoid exercising for 30 minutes before testing, even if it's light walking. Empty your bladder. Make sure to read the device instructions before you do any testing. Before and during the test, it's important that you position your body and arm properly. Sitting quietly and in a supported, upright position can help you get the most accurate reading. Sit down and relax for at least 30 minutes before you test your pressure. Do your best to not move or talk during the actual testing. Sit with your back straight and supported, such as in a dining room chair. Keep your feet flat on the floor and don't cross your legs. Support your bare arm on a table, desk, or the arm of a chair. Your arm should rest at the level of your heart, for which you might need a pillow or cushion to prop it up. The cuff should be directly above the eye, or crook, of your elbow.
summary: Purchase a blood pressure monitor. Set up to check your blood pressure. Position yourself properly.