Dab cuticle cream into the cuticles of all five of your toes. Start with one foot, then move to the other, and allow the cream to rest for 2-5 minutes, or as indicated by your particular brand's instructions. Again, this is an important step. Failing to soften your cuticles with cream before pushing them down could result in tearing or otherwise damaging your nail and cuticle. Be sure to properly moisturize before working on your cuticles. After the cream has softened your cuticles, take your cuticle pusher and gently begin to press down, bringing your cuticles to the same level as the bottom of your nail. Remove any remaining lotion or cuticle cream, as both will interfere with the application of your polish. If need be, dip a rag into the epsom salt mixture and wipe your nails down first, to give the polish a dry, clean surface to grip. Separate your toes using a toe separator or rag to make application easier. Beginning in the middle of your nail, apply long, soft strokes to your nail, gradually moving outward, until all of the nail is covered. Move on to the next nail, allowing nails to dry fully before applying a second coat. Follow this pattern on each of your nails, no matter how small. Using this technique provides an even all-over application, and will prevent streaking and clumping. Once you have applied all coats, dry your nails using a specially-designed light, a hair dryer, or the most common method: letting your nails air dry for 10-20 minutes, or until the polish is no longer tacky to the touch. Letting your nails dry properly will mean the difference between a long-lasting pedicure, and one that flakes or chips within a few days. If you do not let your polish dry completely between coats or before your topcoat, your polish will be prone to smudging and scraping. Apply a clear topcoat to keep color from chipping. If your nails are prone to breakage, apply a second layer after the first has dried. Swipe a thin strip over the top of your nail to seal in the tips of your nails and prevent chipping due to your nails striking against your shoes or floors. Choose a thin, clear topcoat. A heavy topcoat will only add bulk and increase the likelihood of smudging. If you do add a second layer of topcoat, keep the brushstrokes thin and long, and wipe any excess off of the brush before applying. To keep your pedicure lasting longer, wash and moisturize your feet regularly. Use a gentle cleanser and cleansing tool to avoid chipping polish, and avoid salt soaks until your next pedicure; the salt in the soak can tear at your polish. If you shower daily, wash your feet daily and follow up with moisturizer. Even if you don't shower daily, clean and moisturize your feet each night.

Summary: Apply cuticle cream to your cuticles. Gently push down on your cuticles. Dry your toenails. Apply nail polish. Dry your nails. Apply a topcoat. Maintain your pedicure.


If lifestyle changes aren’t enough to manage your condition, you may be able to take certain medications. Your doctor will decide which medication is safest for you to take, as some high blood pressure medications aren’t safe during pregnancy. Be sure to take your medicine exactly as instructed, and don’t stop taking it unless your doctor tells you to do so.Traditional treatments like angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, and renin inhibitors are typically considered unsafe to take during pregnancy. However, there are some options available.

Summary: Ask if you need a medication to treat your high blood pressure.


Cleanse and irrigate the wound with anything that you have available. Obviously potable water, also known as drinking water, is first choice because it is suitable for drinking and thus suitable for other human uses. If fresh water is unavailable, you can also use a carbonated beverage, such as cola. If you happen to have a small hand sanitizer available, cleanse the wound with this. Do not introduce anything that would increase the chances of infection such as juice, grease or milk. The same goes for scummy-looking pond or creek water sources. If you are near a beach, rinse in the ocean. Salty ocean water can act as a stand-in saline solution for your wound. Flushing out the wound with a flowing water source that has some pressure to it is recommended as one of the best measures you can take to prevent infection. If fresh, potable water is available to you, try to running that over the wound for several minutes. You'll want to use about 2 liters of water, an amount roughly the size of a large soda bottle. Find something that you can dry the wound with, such as a piece of cloth, towel or other soft material. Avoid using anything fluffy that could leave fragments in or get stuck to the wound. If you don't have any water or fluid available or if you're in a desert area, use a portion of your clothing to brush away any debris from the wound. Try to find the cleanest portion of your shirt or pant leg to use.

Summary: Cleanse the wound. Flush out the wound. Pat the area dry. Brush away debris from the wound.


Snipping off new growth helps make sure that all of the tree’s branches are getting enough light. Heading off fresh branches early will train your tree to keep growing in the proper structure and will lessen the number of large branches that need to be removed later, once they start causing problems. If a branch breaks because of heavy winds or because it’s bearing a lot of heavy fruit, remove it as soon as possible. Make the edges of the break clean by cutting away any jagged or broken pieces to promote healthy, quick healing. This process helps prevent the tree from over-producing, and improves fruit color and health throughout the tree.  Keep an eye out for boughs that are producing a lot of apricots and becoming too weighed down, and cut away some of the branches to prevent breakage. If your apricot tree is only producing a substantial apricot crop every other year, thinning out fruit branches on heavy years helps to correct the tree and encourage it to produce a consistent crop every year.
Summary: Remove small sprouts a couple of times during the summer. Cut off any new branches growing towards the trunk or other branches. Prune away damaged branches immediately. Thin out fruit-producing branches in early summer, when apricots are about one inch.