INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If your clothes aren’t properly ventilated, you’re going to be sweating a lot more due to all that hot air being trapped next to your body. Pick clothing made of breathable fabrics such as cotton, linen, or chambray. The more air that’s able to pass through your clothes, the smaller your sweat stains are likely to be. Stay away from fabrics such as polyester or silk, which trap heat. When your clothing is tight against your body, there’s not a lot of room for air to help cool you down. To avoid this, choose clothing that is loose or sleeveless. If possible, pick out shirts that have low arm holes and are made of natural materials. While this won’t work for every outfit, throwing on a breathable undershirt before you finish getting dressed will help soak up sweat before it gets to your outer layer. For this to work, make sure your undershirt is thin and comfortable — you don’t want it to make you sweat even more. If you’re walking to work or waiting in the heat and know you’re going to be sweaty once you get to your destination, bring an extra set of clothes with you. This also works for unexpected sweat stains — it’s always better to have a clean shirt to throw on when the sweat takes over, no matter where you are. How much you sweat and the odor you put off is related to how clean your body is. Make sure you shower or take a bath often, especially if you've exercised or been outside for awhile. Filling up your body with healthy foods will actually make you sweat and smell less. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, healthy fats, and other healthy options to keep your body feeling clean. Try to eat less carbs — too many carbohydrates are a huge contributor to smelly body odor.  Stay away from spicy foods. They create a reaction from your body similar to how your body reacts to heat — by sweating. Leafy greens, foods high in magnesium, and probiotics will have you smelling fresh and clean. When you drink caffeinated drinks, such as coffee or soda, your body reacts to the jolt of energy by sweating more. Try to either eliminate or cut down on food and drinks with caffeine in them to reduce how much you sweat. Stressing out causes your sweat glands to produce a thicker sweat than you do when you work out. If you find yourself stressed often, try reducing your stress levels by doing yoga, meditating, exercising, or some other stress-relieving activity. Not only will becoming less stressed reduce how much you sweat, but it’ll have you feeling calmer and happier. It’s easier for the ingredients in deodorants and antiperspirants to reach your skin if they don’t have to go through a layer of hair first. Simply trimming the hairs under your arms will help your sweat stains become less prominent, or you can go all out and shave. Sweat shields attach to the inside of your shirt’s armpits, soaking up sweat before it reaches the outside of your shirt. They’re essentially armpit pads, and they can be found at most drug stores or big-box stores. Sweat shields come in packs and usually cost $5-$20. Both Botox and acupuncture have been known to help prevent sweating. Botox can be pretty pricey and may not work for everyone, so weigh the pros and cons before testing this one out. Acupuncture is more affordable and works well, as long as you don’t mind all the needles. Since both of these methods involve needles, they're not super comfortable. However, Botox uses a very tiny needle and is said to cause minimal pain, while many people find that acupuncture doesn't hurt at all.

SUMMARY: Choose breathable fabrics. Opt for clothes that are loose or sleeveless. Put on an undershirt if desired. Keep a spare set of clothes with you. Shower or bathe regularly. Eat healthy foods. Stay away from caffeine. Reduce your stress levels. Trim or shave the hair under your arms. Use sweat shields to absorb your sweat. Try out Botox or acupuncture to reduce sweating.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Keep the rat cage in an area where you are often present and the rats can watch what's going on around them. This will prevent feelings of isolation. The more attention you give, the more bonded, active, healthy, and friendly your rat will be. A single rat is a lonely rat, and this can cause behavioral issues. Unless your rat is aggressive, they are best not left alone. Even if they are aggressive, patient love and attention can bring them around.  Handle the rats daily, preferably two to three times a day for ten minutes or more. Rats love to learn and solve problems, so consider setting up little obstacle courses containing hidden treats in order to mentally stimulate your rats. Teach tricks by starting slow, rewarding, and reinforcing with treats and praise if done correctly.  Rats are very intelligent, and can learn many tricks, such as jumping through a hoop, spinning in a circle, standing up, and even giving a handshake, all on spoken command. Do not punish your rat for failure. Rats don't understand negative punishments, and will only confuse the rat. Instead, give them a treat when they do it right. If your rat bites, don't give him a firm tap and a "no." Instead, squeak like a rat would and pull away. Eventually your rat will understand. Do not forget that each rat has his or her own personality, meaning that one rat may learn differently from others. Any specific method of teaching may work for one rat, but may not for another. The key to successful training is to be persistent and have lots of short training sessions filled with treats. Rats enjoy a change of scenery and a chance to stretch their legs and explore. Rats should be taken out at least one hour per day. You can let them roam around on your shoulder or somewhere in your house where it won't be a problem.  If you take your rats outside, a harness is a good idea so that you have some control if the rat becomes frightened. There are many rat websites, forums, and other online communities to join with other rat lovers if you'd like to talk with like-minded people and share.

SUMMARY:
Make sure your rats have good visibility. Spend time with your rats. Teach them tricks. Take them out.