Exfoliate once a week to remove dead skin cells and keep your lips soft. You can buy a lip exfoliator at a beauty supply store, or you can make your own. Simply sprinkle some sugar on the fruit of your choice—like a mango or strawberry. Gently rub your lips with the fruit for about 30 seconds. Don't continue to exfoliate if your lips begin to feel sore or bleed. Lip balm keeps your lips moisturized and prevents chapping. Put on lip balm in the morning and apply it as needed throughout the day. Any type of lip balm will work. Use whatever lip balm feels and smells the best to you. If you use makeup, a light shade of lipstick can make your lips appear even more welcoming. Unfortunately, cheaper lipsticks can dry your lips out. Invest in a higher quality brand and look for a lipstick that contains Vitamin E. Apply it as needed so that your lips will look lovely and soft. Dark-colored lipsticks aren't ideal for kissing because they will likely spread and quickly fade. Rub your fingertips over your lips in a circular motion for about 30 seconds once a day. Massaging your lips will make them appear fuller and redder. This is because a massage will stimulate the blood flow to your mouth. You can repeat this up to three times a day if you'd like. Your lips will be one of the first parts of your body visibly affected by dehydration. Drink at least 8 cups of water per day. Avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol as well to prevent dehydration.

Summary: Exfoliate your lips to keep them soft. Carry a lip balm with you to prevent chapping. Use a light shade of lipstick that contains Vitamin E to keep your lips hydrated. Massage your lips to make your lips appear fuller. Stay hydrated to make your lips appear hydrated and healthy.


To prepare the tea, unwrap the tea bags and discard the packaging. Use a pair of scissors to remove the strings, and throw those away as well.  Black tea works best for dyeing fabric because it has the deepest color. Teas that are light in color, such as white or green teas, don't work as well. You can also use loose tea to dye your fabric if you prefer. However, keep in mind that the process is less messy if you use tea bags. The number of tea bags that you’ll need depends on how large the fabric you’re dyeing is and how dark you want the fabric to become. You need to use enough water to cover the fabric, so the more water that you use, the more tea bags you’ll likely need. In most cases, you can assume that you’ll need one tea bag for every cup or 237 milliliters (8  fl oz) of water that you’re using. Keep in mind that you’ll want to add extra bags if you want your fabric to be a darker color. Fill a large pot with enough water to cover your fabric and allow it to move freely. Mix in some table salt, and place the pot on the stove.Turn the heat to high, and bring the water to a full boil.  In general, you’ll want to use 4 cups or 1 liter (0.26 US gal) of water for every yard or meter of fabric that you’re dyeing.  Adding the salt to the water will help set the color in the fabric so it won’t come out as easily when you wash the items. Use 2 tablespoons of salt for every 4 cups or 1 liter (0.26 US gal) of water that you’re using. Once the water comes to a boil, remove the pot from the heat, and place the tea bags inside. Let the them soak in the water until the color comes out of the tea. In most cases, you’ll want to allow the tea to steep for at least 15 minutes. The longer that you allow the tea to soak, the more color will come out and the darker your dyed fabric will be. Keep checking on the water to see if you’re happy with the color before you add the fabric.

Summary: Remove the tea bags from their packaging and cut off the strings. Boil a large pot of water with salt in it. Allow the tea to steep in the water.


Since your own immune system is causing the muscle damage inherent to PM, using immunosuppressants has long been a front-line treatment for the condition. Usually, this begins with the use of a corticosteroid, most often prednisone. This will be used for the short term, perhaps consistently for a few weeks or on-and-off for slightly longer stretches. Prednisone, however, can cause numerous unpleasant side effects, including significant weight gain, bone weakness, and psychological distress. Therefore, it’s best to work with your doctor to use as little as is needed for as short a period of time as is needed. A short-term treatment with prednisone will usually bring your PM symptoms under control. After that, your doctor may prescribe different long-term medications to continue managing your symptoms. Most doctors draw from a list of about 10 different immunosuppressant medications for managing PM.  They all usually have fewer side effects than prednisone, but you’ll still need to be monitored carefully and may need to change medications more than once. Some patients may be weaned off of medications and find that their symptoms don’t return. Others may need to be on medication indefinitely. PM is manageable, but not curable. You can find a chart listing common PM immunosuppressants at https://www.mda.org/disease/polymyositis/medical-management. This therapy for PM involves getting intravenous (IV) infusions of antibodies from donors. These foreign antibodies essentially “trick” your own immune system into stopping its attack on your muscle tissue. However, the result is only temporary, so most patients using IVIg therapy have to undergo regular infusions.  The antibodies will come from the plasma of blood donors. The infusion process usually takes 2-4 hours, and must be repeated every 3-4 weeks or so. Coping with polymyositis can be stressful and difficult. Don’t be afraid to ask your family and friends for emotional and practical support. Ask your doctor to recommend a counselor or a support group for people with polymyositis, if you need extra help. It’s okay to feel frustrated, scared, discouraged, or sad when dealing with a condition like polymyositis. Acknowledge your feelings, and let those close to you know when you are struggling or need someone to talk to. It’s also okay to say “no” to taking on tasks or obligations that you can’t handle, or ask for extra help. Remember that your doctor and the rest of your medical team are also part of your support system. Follow the treatment plan that you came up with together, and let them know if it’s not working for you or if new symptoms develop.

Summary: Start treatment with a corticosteroid like prednisone. Move on to other long-term immunosuppressants as needed. Look into IVIg infusion therapy as an ongoing treatment. Reach out to your support network.


Take the crust off the bread when you slice it into cubes. Before putting in the oven, brush it with melted butter and add seasonings like garlic and parmesan if you would like. Otherwise, bake the cubes like you normally would and throw them into your next recipe for texture and flavoring. Croutons go well in dishes like French onion soup or chowder. No one will blame you if you eat the croutons straight out of the bag, though.
Summary: Turn dried bread into croutons for soups and salads.