INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Fainting spells are not necessarily an indication of a serious medical condition. In fact, fainting spells may be caused by anxiety, fear, pain, emotional stress, hunger, dehydration, surprise, overexertion, clenching, spasms, choking, or drug and alcohol use.  If you suspect that your fainting spells are being caused by one of these issues, there are measures you can take to prevent future episodes. Hydration is the best way to prevent fainting spells without medication. Drinking more water is ideal, but you can get fluids from food sources (like watermelon), milk, soups, etc. All caffeinated beverages, including sodas, should be eliminated. If you are sufficiently hydrated, you will be urinating regularly and your urine will be clear or light colored, not dark.  Caffeine stimulates the heart, making fainting spells more likely to occur. If you drink large amounts of caffeine, you should cut back slowly to avoid headaches. While the amount of fluids you need each day depends on a number of factors — including your level of activity, your climate, your overall health and whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should drink about half of your weight in ounces each day. So if you weigh 200 lbs. then you should be consuming 100 oz (or 12.5 8-oz glasses) of fluids each day.  If you are an athlete with more muscle-mass, you should drink about two-thirds of your weight in ounces.  Eating regularly can also help to reduce lightheadedness and reduce your chance of fainting by boosting blood sugar. If anxiety and stress are causing fainting spells, calming techniques can help you avoid fainting spells. You can try counting your breaths or deep breathing, flexing and relaxing different muscle groups, and paying attention to the immediate moment rather than the past or future (also known as mindfulness).  Avoid placing yourself in stressful situations and do your best to remove yourself from such situations. Learning to stay calm and to assert yourself can help you to overcome feelings of anxiety. The flushed look that many people get when they drink alcohol is actually blood rushing to the surface of the skin. This takes blood away from the brain, and can cause fainting episodes. Excessive drinking also causes dehydration, which is a leading cause of fainting spells.  Illegal drugs, particularly stimulants such as cocaine or ecstasy, also cause fainting spells. These should be avoided.

SUMMARY: Identify the cause. Prevent fainting spells through hydration. Practice calming techniques. Avoid excessive drinking and illegal drugs.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Measure out one cup (240 mL) of your water and pour it into a saucepan. Place the pan on the stove and bring the water to a boil. You can also use an electric kettle. Use plastic shot cups, which you can get at a liquor store. The number of glasses you use depends on the size you get, but you should be able to make somewhere between 10 and 20 shots. Set your shot glasses upright on a baking tray or similar surface so you can move them into the fridge later easily.

SUMMARY: Boil one cup (240 mL) of water. Set up your shot glasses.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Vitamin E has been used in many health and beauty treatments for many years and many people swear by it as a successful treatment for scars. Vitamin E oil is moisturizing and contains powerful antioxidants, helping it to repair skin and improve the appearance of damaged tissue.  You can take vitamin E capsules orally or you can apply the oil topically by bursting a capsule with a pin and applying the oil to the affected area.  You may want to test the vitamin E oil on a small patch of skin first, before you apply it to any large areas of skin, as vitamin E oil may cause an allergic reaction in some people, resulting in contact dermatitis.  Be careful not to exceed the daily recommended dose of vitamin E oil, whether you're applying it topically or taking it orally. Cocoa butter is a natural product, which helps to reduce the appearance of scars by moisturizing and softening the outer and middle layers of skin, while simultaneously smoothing out the surface of the skin. You can use pure cocoa or use a lotion containing cocoa butter, which you should apply to the scarred area between 2 and 4 times a day.  You should massage the cocoa butter into the skin using circular motions, making sure that it is almost completely absorbed by the skin. Be aware that cocoa butter will be most effective on newer scars than older scars, though you should still see an improvement either way. Lemon juice is a common home remedy for scar treatment, which receives mixed reviews. It is believed to lessen the appearance of scars by acting as a bleaching agent to minimize redness, while also exfoliating, to help skin regenerate. While lemon juice has helped some people to reduce their scars, this method is not recommended by dermatologists, as lemon juice can be harsh and drying on the skin, and has not been scientifically proven to remove scars.  If you do decide to try lemon juice on your scars, cut a small slice of lemon and squeeze the juice directly onto your scars. Leave the lemon juice on overnight or for several hours. Do not apply fresh juice more than once a day. If you feel the pure lemon juice is too strong, you can dilute it with water before applying or mix it with some blended cucumber to limit the harshness of the treatment. Aloe vera is a plant whose sap has well-known moisturizing and soothing properties. It is often used to treat burns, but can also be used as an effective natural scar treatment. Aloe vera contains anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, making it most effective in the treatment of fresh scars (though it should not be applied to open wounds). The aloe vera soothes the skin and helps it to regenerate, thus reducing the appearance of scars over time.  To apply, break a leaf from an aloe vera plant and squeeze the clear, gel-like sap directly onto the scarred skin. Massage the sap into the skin using small circular motions. Aloe vera is very gentle on the skin, so you can reapply the sap up to four times a day. If you cannot get your hands on an aloe vera plant (though they should be available at most plant nurseries) there are many creams and lotions available which contain aloe vera extract, that may be equally effective. Olive oil is another natural treatment which has been said to improve the appearance of scars. Extra virgin olive oil, in particular, is believed to produce the best results as it has a higher acidity level than other olive oils and a greater quantity of vitamins E and K. The oil works by softening and moisturizing the skin, causing the scar tissue to slacken, while acidity in the oil exfoliates the skin.  Apply a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to the affected area and massage using small circular motions until the oil is absorbed. You can also use the olive oil as an exfoliating scrub by mixing it with a teaspoon of baking soda, which you can massage into the scars before rinsing off with warm water. You can increase the effectiveness of the olive oil treatment by blending it with another oil. Combine two parts olive oil with one part rosehip, chamomile or calendula oil and apply this blend to the scars. The added oils will increase the soothing properties of the olive oil. Cucumber is a safe natural treatment which has been said to break down scar tissue, while cooling and soothing any inflamed skin around the scar. Again, this treatment will work better on fresh scars than on older ones. To use, peel a cucumber, chop roughly and blend in a food processor until it achieves a paste-like consistency. Apply a light layer of this paste to the scarred skin and leave it on overnight, or apply a thicker layer and wash off after 20 minutes.  The remaining cucumber paste will keep covered in the fridge for several days, and you should continue to apply it to the affected area each night. You can increase the effectiveness of this treatment by mixing the cucumber paste with some of the aforementioned products, such as lemon juice, olive oil or aloe vera.

SUMMARY:
Use vitamin E oil. Try cocoa butter. Apply lemon juice. Use Aloe Vera. Give olive oil a try. Try cucumber.