INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Because the waist trainer can cause medical problems, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor before you start wearing one. They can advise as to whether it's a good fit for you. It's a bad idea to eat too much in a waist trainer. If you do, you'll find yourself very uncomfortable. If you do want to eat a large meal, consider taking the trainer off. Some suggest that this aspect is a benefit of waist training. That is, you can't eat too much while wearing it, so you may lose weight that way. While waist training can reduce the size of your waist, it may also weaken your core muscles since it provides exterior support. Plus, it's not actually causing you to lose any fat. Therefore, if you really want to permanently reduce the size of your waist, you need to work out regularly, doing both aerobic exercises and strength training. Waist trainers reduce your ability to breathe deeply, which means you may not want to work as hard. Plus, you won't be able to move as well as you can without it. Extended waist training can lead to a variety of problems. For instance, you may notice increased acid reflux. You may also get light-headed and even pass out. Overtime, it can damage your ribs if you're not careful. Stop wearing it if you experience these problems.

SUMMARY: Consult your doctor first. Be careful how much you eat. Work out in addition to waist training. Skip using a waist trainer while working out. Take it off if you experience problems.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Regular dental checkups and cleanings are crucial to maintaining strong, healthy teeth. Your dentist can identify and stop issues that cause bad breath, like cavities and tooth decay. General cleanings can also help prevent bad breath by keeping your teeth and gums free from odorous bacteria. If you notice that you have bad breath that isn’t fixed by a mint or brushing your teeth, bring the issue up to your dentist. If your dentist sees any medical issues that may lead to bad breath—e.g., receding gums—they can point it out to you before the problem becomes severe. Gum disease causes your gums to pull back from your teeth. A side effect of gum disease is that bacteria can build up in the pockets between your receding gums and your teeth. This typically results in extreme and chronic bad breath. If you notice your gums receding and can’t seem to get rid of your bad breath, visit your dentist and ask about gum disease.  If you do have gum disease, your dentist will be able to scrape the odor-causing bacteria out of the pockets between your gums and teeth. If your gum disease is advanced or if you need surgery, your dentist may refer you to a periodontist (gum specialist). In some situations, sinus infection or inflammation can cause bad breath, as can general inflammation of soft tissue in your nose and throat. As bacteria build up in these kinds of infection, they’ll cause noticeably bad breath that won’t be treated through dental care or hydration.  Bacteria-covered tonsil stones can also produce bad breath. While these are uncommon, it’s worth asking your doctor to check your tonsils if you can’t determine the cause of your bad breath. Your general practitioner may refer you to an ENT specialist to treat severe infections. Certain stomach and intestinal conditions can produce halitosis. For example, if an unhealthy level of the bacteria H. pylori has built up in your stomach, it may be causing your chronic bad breath. Similarly, stomach ulcers and various stomach reflux diseases can cause foul-smelling breath. Some of these stomach and intestinal medical conditions can be treated with prescription medications. For harder-to-treat conditions, your doctor may refer you to a gastroenterologist.

SUMMARY: See a dentist 1–2 times every year for a general cleaning. Visit your dentist if you suspect you have gum disease. See your doctor if nose or throat pain accompany your bad breath. Tell your doctor if stomach pain accompanies your bad breath.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: An overbearing mother-in-law is likely acting out of an impulse to take care of her child. If you approach the subject with her when your partner isn’t around, she will automatically feel like you’re betraying her child’s trust and not acting in their best interests. She also may not trust your decision-making, so facing her one-on-one may be counterproductive and lead to an argument. If your mother-in-law tends to make a lot of demands, calmly explain your reasoning for doing something differently to make it seem like you aren’t simply trying to spite her. If you simply ignore her, you’ll just make her think that she needs to push harder. By explaining yourself, you’ll not only show her that you’re willing to stand up for yourself, but you may point something out that she hasn’t thought about and make her agree with you.  For example, if she claims that you’re not being appreciative of your partner, calmly explain, “I express appreciation privately all the time, just not in front of you. I don’t want to disrespect you by making a show of it.” If your mother-in-law won’t stop asking when you’re going to have grandchildren, make it about the quality of life for the children to seem like you’ve thought it through. Say, “We’re waiting until we’ve set up a college fund so that we give them the best future possible.” If your mother-in-law tends to insert herself during key decisions or conversations, simply wait until she’s not around or move to a different part of your home to talk it out. She can’t insert her opinion if she isn’t around to make it. “We can talk about it later” is a simple way of deflecting tough conversations in front of your mother-in-law. If your mother-in-law is often critical of you specifically, try showing lots of affection and appreciation for your spouse whenever she’s around. She may relax if she feels like the two of you are both working towards the common goal of making her child happy.  Simple comments like, “I appreciate you picking the kids up today. You’re such a good partner!” are an easy way to score points in front of your mother-in-law. This is a good strategy if your mother-in-law has expressed a concern about your loyalty or dedication. Showing her that you care about her child will put her at ease and make her feel less compelled to insert herself.

SUMMARY:
Avoid trying to solve the problem in a private conversation. Explain why you’re not following your mother-in-law’s demands. Wait until she’s not around to have important conversations about key decisions. Express gratefulness for your spouse in front of your mother-in-law.