for yourself. Starting a healthier diet is a great overarching goal; however, to make your goal more realistic and doable, you'll need to be more specific about what you want out of a "healthy diet." It might be helpful to first think about your current diet. What's unhealthy about it? Do you need to eat more green vegetables? Do you need to drink more water? Should you snack less? Write up a list of the things you want to change, add or stop about your current diet. Use these ideas to form multiple small goals to help you reach a healthier diet. The best way to reach any goal is to start with one or two very small changes. Trying to overhaul your entire diet in a few days probably won't work well. Choose something small to work on each week. You'll be much more successful long-term. After you've come up with a few goals and how you can achieve them, consider starting a food journal. This will serve as a method to track and evaluate your progress. Write all your goals in your food journal. You can review them as needed or change them as you continue to make changes to your diet. Also track all of your foods and beverages in your food journal. This will help you physically see what's missing from your diet or what you're eating too much of. Make sure to write out each breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack (even a few nibbles) and drinks you consume throughout the day. The more accurate you are, the better resource this will be. Each week in your food journal, write down the change you want to work on. For example, "This week, I will drink eight glasses of water each day." At the end of the week, go back over your journal to see if you've completed this goal. There are many apps available to download on your smartphone that can help you track calories, exercise, and even how much water you drink. . A meal plan is a great tool when you're trying to follow any new diet plan. These plans are your guide and blueprint to your week of meals and snacks. Meal plans can help you stay organized and on track throughout the week. You'll know exactly what you're going to have and on what day. This way you can go to the grocery store with a specific list, only buying what you plan to use in your meals for the week. You can also plan ahead of time for busy days for instance, if you know you'll be very busy and work late on Thursday, make something on Wednesday that you can easily reheat and have for leftovers on Thursday. Also write up the corresponding grocery list to your meal plans. This will help you get in and out of the grocery store and ensure you have all the necessary ingredients at home to make all of your meals. Don't skip meals. If you currently skip meals, make sure to schedule a meal or a healthy snack for yourself at least every four hours. Skipping meals is more likely to lead to binge eating later, which contributes to weight gain. If you're busy and have little time to make a meal from scratch, meal prep will be the key to following your new healthier diet. Meal prep helps you get a lot of the work of cooking from scratch or cooking at home out of the way during free time. When it's time for dinner on a busy weeknight, you should have most or even all of the cooking already done. Plan a day or two during the week when you have some free time to do your meal prep. Review your meal plan and grocery list and try to find ways to get some cooking done. Meal prep is flexible. You can cook full dinners in advance so you just have to reheat the night you want to eat it, or you can just do washing or chopping of vegetables or marinating meat so you can quickly cook the night of. Also consider purchasing foods that require less prep work to begin with. For example, you can purchase pre-washed and cut bagged lettuce instead of a whole head of lettuce, frozen vegetables that are heat and serve, or pre-grilled lean protein like grilled chicken strips. Meal prepping can be a time to catch up with people. Ask your partner or children to help you prep while you talk about what has been going on in your lives.

Summary: Set a goal Start a food journal. Create a meal plan Meal prep in your free time.

Bloating is caused by gas buildup in the stomach and intestines. This blockage leads to many different symptoms, such as excessive gas, frequent burping, and abdominal rumbling. You may notice visible swelling or puffiness in the abdomen. You may also experience abdominal pain, which can range from mild to intense or dull to sharp. Often, passing gas or having a bowel movement will relieve some of this pain. There are many things that can cause bloating. It can be from swallowing too much air and other gases, smoking, constipation, lactose intolerance, or overeating. Many of these can typically be helped without medical intervention. If you aren't sure about the cause of your bloating, ask your doctor. Some conditions that commonly cause bloating include: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Celiac Disease, and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). Other rarer conditions may also cause bloating. More serious disorders that may cause bloating are: ascites and tumors, celiac disease, dumping syndrome, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic insufficiency. Your doctor may give you medication for these conditions, which will vary depending on the conditions and its severity. Always follow your doctor's orders about any prescription medication. Bloating should relieve itself after a day or so with the proper food or medical treatment. It may also relieve itself on its own if it is not a severe case of bloating. However, there are some situations that require medical attention. If your symptoms do not improve within two weeks of medical treatment, See your doctor immediately if you: Experience pain so bad you cannot go through your daily activities or if it persists for days Have excessive diarrhea Are vomiting Pass bloody stools, or have a significant change in the frequency or color of your stools Experience unintended weight loss Have chest pain

Summary: Recognize the symptoms of bloating. Determine the causes of bloating. Visit your physician.

There are many reasons that may claim the life of your hamster. Old age, for example, may make your hamster's eyes go dull. You may notice his fur getting thin. It may make your hamster listless and cause his appetite to disappear. Your hamster may exhibit unusual signs, such as urinating in its nest. Your parents may be able to offer advice on how to help your hamster. You may be able to talk to an experienced professional, like a vet, for more specific details on how to care for your hamster. She will give you advice on diet, exercise, and care. If your hamster in too much pain, you may want to consider other options. Euthanasia may be the best option to stop his suffering. This is a painless process and the professionals will do what they can to make the last stages of your pet's life as comfortable as possible. You want to tell those close to you about what is going to happen. This may be your child's first experience with death, and you want to approach it with care. Be honest and approach with empathy.
Summary: Recognize the signs. Talk to someone who can help. Consider your hamster's suffering. Prepare your friends and family.