Q: Screening for diverticulitis generally starts with a standard physical unless you’re experiencing extreme symptoms. Your doctor will check your overall health profile, along with examining your abdomen for tenderness or signs of pain.  If you are experiencing serious symptoms or severe pain, seek emergency medical treatment right away. If you experience sharp pain that is localized to 1 part of your abdomen, this is a sign of a medical emergency. You may experience this type of localized pain with either diverticulitis or appendicitis, and it will be extremely severe (a 10 on the numeric pain scale). A basic blood and urine test will help your doctor screen for signs of infection, inflammation, and anemia. You may be able to complete your tests in your doctor’s office, or you may have to go to an affiliated hospital or clinic, depending on your health care provider’s in-house setup. During a CT scan, an x-ray technician will use a combination of x-rays and computer imaging to create a comprehensive image of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This procedure is painless, and requires you to lie on a table that slides into a tunnel to capture the x-rays. The images are then used to check for both diverticulosis and diverticulitis. Prior to your scan, your technician may give you a solution to drink and an injection of a dye called a contrast medium. This medium makes it easier to see inside your body during the procedure. In a colonoscopy, your doctor will use a long, thin, flexible tube with a tiny light and camera attached to it to look inside your colon. This can help them directly identify diverticulosis and diverticulitis, as well as other conditions that may potentially be causing your abdominal pain. This is an outpatient procedure, but you will generally be given a sedative or anesthesia to help manage any associated discomfort. This procedure uses a chalky liquid called barium to make your large intestine more visible on x-rays. During this process, you will lie flat on a table, and your radiologist will use a thin, flexible tube to fill your large intestine with barium. They will then take x-ray images to check for the pouches that cause diverticulitis.  This procedure may cause some discomfort. Generally, though, the discomfort is not so great that you will need anesthesia. The night before your procedure, your doctor may provide you with a set of instructions to help you empty your bowel as much as possible. If they do, follow them closely. The cleaner your bowel, the easier it will be for the scan to detect any issues.
A: Make an appointment for a physical with your health care provider. Get a blood and urine test. Have a CT scan done on your GI tract. Ask about a colonoscopy. See if you need a lower GI series.

Q: Test gold with a magnet. Gold does not have magnetic properties. Test gold with a fine steel file. Gold is easy to file, but the file will bounce off of other metals. Purchase acids for testing. Follow the instructions on the package to test the gold for genuineness, testing in an inconspicuous spot to prevent visible damage. You can find the daily market prices of gold on many brokerage websites. You will need to purchase a jeweler’s scale that weighs gold according to pennyweight (1/12 of a troy ounce) rather than simply weighing gold in grams. Many customers are happy to sell their gold jewelry and coins to a respectable dealer. Many dealers at a trade show will give a price break to someone who is just getting started in the business. Large volume purchases tend to have a lower price per ounce.
A: Learn to test the quality of gold. Follow market prices. Obtain a scale. Buy gold from customers. Purchase gold at trade shows. Purchase gold in large volumes.

Q: It is a common practice to think that wearing oversized clothing hides your figure. In reality, though, it only accentuates the features you are trying to hide. Wearing clothes that are too big just draws attention to the fact that you are trying to hide behind your clothes and makes your silhouette less distinct. This will make you look bigger in the long run. It is easy to think that wearing pants that are too big are more flattering than pants that are too small (we all want to avoid the dreaded muffin top!). But the fact of the matter is that both options are equally unflattering. Pants that are too big hide your shape and make you seem bulky. Get a pair of nice fitting jeans – or if you can’t find one, have a tailor create a pair just for you from some you already own. A perfectly fitting pair of pants will go a long way. Additionally, aim for boot-cut pants. This style is slightly wider at the bottom and will make your hips and thighs look more proportionate. Pencil skirts are great for curvier girls because they go with the natural curvature of your body. They hug you in all the right places and help your hips/thighs look more balanced, much like boot-cut jeans. These styles will accentuate your curves, while still camouflaging your tummy, thighs, or butt. The flowy lower half of the dress is much more flattering than a fitted type that will show every bulge or imperfection. A universally flattering style for most body types is the wrap dress. No matter what size you are, it is better to show your figure than to not. Choose clothes that emphasize your waist. Even larger ladies have hourglass figures and it is important to show them off. This means wearing clothes that fit properly and accentuate your features, rather than trying to simply hide them or cover them up. Use colors and patterns to your advantage to draw attention to your waistline with vertical stripes or an interesting belt.
A: Avoid big fabrics and tent dresses. Choose pants that fit. Select a skirt. Wear an A-line or Empire style dress. Emphasize your waist.

Q: Blanching is the process of boiling something for a short period of time and then plunging it into an ice bath. The boiling will loosen the tomato skins, and the ice bath will stop the cooking process. Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.  Use a small pot if you're just peeling a few tomatoes, and a larger pot if you have many tomatoes to peel. The blanching method is very effective, and it works well when you have to peel many tomatoes. Fill a bowl halfway with ice, and then fill it the rest of the way with water. Place the ice bath near the stove, so the tomatoes won’t have far to go when you remove them from the boiling water. A small bowl of ice water will do if you're just peeling a few tomatoes. For larger batches of tomatoes, use a larger bowl filled with ice and water.
A:
Boil a pot of water. Prepare the ice bath.