Q: We tend to feel more tired when we are dehydrated because our blood thickens, forcing your heart to pump harder to circulate the blood throughout your body, and this extra work by the heart tires us out.  Doctors recommend having 2 liters of water a day, or about 8 glasses. Soft drinks and coffee don’t count. You can also get water naturally through fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, celery, and broccoli. You’ll know you’re getting dehydrated if your urine turns from a pale, clear fluid (as it is when you’re well hydrated) to a darker yellow. Don't wait until you feel thirsty to drink. By the time your brain starts sending you signals, you’re already lacking fluids, hence the message of being thirsty. Drink regularly throughout the day to stay hydrated. Getting little bursts of carbohydrates and protein throughout the day will help you stay awake and alert. Plus, if you eat every 3-4 hours, you won’t have blood sugar crashes, which make you feel tired.  Eating breakfast really is the most important way to start the day, so don’t skip it. If you find you’re often on the run to work or school and don’t have time for breakfast, get into the habit of preparing grab-and-go options. Include fibre so you have the slower release of carbs that keeps you from crashing. Include popcorn, tortillas, or whole grain pitas in your meal and snack time, for example. Small meal examples that work include low-fat yogurt with berries and granola, a whole grain chicken wrap with greens, or apple slices with some peanut butter. It is generally recommended that you avoid caffeine after noon. When you live with chronic insomnia, this might be really hard to do so try to minimize it to 200-300 milligrams, or no more than 2 cups of coffee.  Decaffeinated coffees are not 100% caffeine free, so don’t be fooled. Energy drinks may not be a good choice. They have up to 250 milligrams of caffeine per serving and can increase your tolerance to caffeine, meaning you need more and more caffeine to feel the effects. They also have a lot of sugar and don’t actually provide any more energy than a regular soda. Although alcohol is often associated with partying and fun, it is actually a depressant that will drag you down and make you even more sleepy, make you restless at night, and increase your night-time waking.
A: Stay hydrated. Eat small meals regularly throughout the day. Enjoy caffeine responsibly. Avoid alcohol.

Q: Sage contains a natural estrogen that is reputed to dry up your milk supply. You can find sage in one of two forms:  As a tea: buy sage tea at your local specialty health store, and brew it along with some milk and honey. As a tincture: buy a sage tincture, which is mixed with a little bit of alcohol, at a health food store. This tincture is reputed to be a bit more efficient than sage tea at drying up your milk supply. Cabbage leaves work great as they are cool, and there is a component to them that naturally dries up your milk.  Apply them to your entire breast and replace them when they wilt. Vitamin B6 is reputed to stop the body's production of plasma prolactin, which is what causes mothers to produce breast milk. Several studies, however, found no statistically relevant data to suggest that vitamin B6 actually helped women suppress lactation.
A: Drink sage tea. Apply cold compresses or cabbage to your breasts. Take vitamin B6.

Q: The concept of using a quotation may seem like the opposite of “writing in your own words.” However, learning to use a quote the correct way is an essential writing skill. First, you must understand when to use a direct quotation. Use a direct quotation in order to:  Argue against another author’s specific idea Continue another author’s specific idea Prove your own point with the help of another author Add eloquence or power with a very meaningful quote A quote should never appear all by itself. Instead, you need to place the quote into the context of your essay. Write a sentence or two that leads up to the quotation, demonstrating the need for this particular voice. Be sure to provide the reader with any information they may need to understand this particular quote. The first time you bring a writer’s words into your own text, introduce the quote with a “signal phrase.” This should always include the name of the person (or persons) who wrote the words, as well as the full title of the work from which the quote is taken.  Here are two examples:  In his book End of Humanism, Richard Schechner states, “I prefer to work from primary sources: what I’ve done, what I’ve seen” (15). As Dixon and Foster explain in their book Experimental Cinema, “filmmakers assumed that the audience for their films was to be an intimate group of knowledgeable cineastes” (225). The proper way to format both your quote and the citation for your quote will depend on the style-guide you are following (MLA, APA, AP, or Chicago style). The specific rules of block-quoting, citation, and even the placement of the quotation marks will be determined by the style guide you use. (The citations provided above are done in MLA format).  In general, your quote should not exceed 3-4 lines of text. If it does (and it is truly necessary), you will need to use block quote formatting. At the end of the quote, include any relevant data that you have not already stated, such as the name of the author, the page number, and/or the date of publication. No matter what style guide you choose, you must always cite the author you quote. This is a crucial step and must never be skipped. Anytime you use the exact phrasing of an author, you must place this phrase in quotation marks and include the name of the author. Forgetting this step is unethical. It also puts you at risk for plagiarism. If there is no specific author, then use the editor instead, or whatever your specific style-guide requires.
A: Decide that a quote is needed. Contextualize the quotation. Introduce the quote. Check your format. Cite the author.

Q: Use the end of a tail comb to part your hair down the center, separating all of your hair into two sections. Brush the sections and secure them with hair ties. Use two mirrors to check that the part is even in the back. Braid each pigtail, securing the ends with ribbon or hair ties a couple of inches from the bottom.  Britney Spears’ music video “Baby One More Time” made this schoolgirl hairstyle 90s famous!  Add fuzzy pom pom hair elastics to the pigtails near your head to finish the look. You can achieve 90s hair with box braids in two ways. Box braid your hair and put on a “cabbie” (also called “applejack”) hat like Janet Jackson in Poetic Justice. Alternately, box braid slightly damp hair and leave it in overnight. Braiding damp hair the night before will give you a hybrid between crimp and curl like Christina Aguilera in the 90’s music video “What A Girl Wants.” Micro braids take hours to do and are best done by a professional at a salon. If you already have micro braids, this look will be easy for you! If not, try a similar version of Brandy Norwood’s iconic 90s side buns by putting your hair in twists first. Secure the braids or twists in buns, one on each side of your head. Micro braids and box braids can be done with natural hair or by adding extensions. Extensions will add fullness, length, and longevity to your style.
A:
Make pigtail braids. Wear box braids. Put micro braids or twists in pigtail buns.