Most people don’t die the way they want to. Talk to your parents and grandparents about what they would want at the end of their life. Sit down with them and make an Advanced Directive. Keep a copy. Give a copy to their doctors. There is a big difference between a “good” death and a “bad” death and often that difference could be bridged just by knowing what someone wants ahead of time.


Things to know:

- Would you ever want to be intubated? (Have a tube down your throat for a machine to breathe for you, you are usually sedated and unconscious.) what if you aren’t able to breathe on your own after a few weeks with the tube? Would you want it removed, or to stay on it indefinitely?

- Would you ever want to be shocked or have chest compressions that will probably break your ribs if your heart stopped or wasn’t working? Or would you prefer to die naturally if your heart stopped? 

- If you couldn’t eat for yourself, would you want a tube to feed you? Would you want to try that for a short period (1-2 weeks) to allow for recovery and remove it if you weren’t able to eat or communicate by then?

- If you became severely ill and it looked like you would never recover to communicate with is meaningfully, would you want to focus on comfort and quality of life instead of amount of time you are alive?

- Would you ever want an amputation?

- Do you have any plans for your body if you were to die?

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Jeevesssssss

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This needs to be SO much higher. I have an AD and my parents have PoA (for health only) to enforce it (if it's needed it's not unlikely they'll still be around). And mum and I have had several frank conversations and I know her feelings in detail, and we are both confident in my ability to make decisions aligning with her wishes. My dad is unable to actually psychologically address these issues (as in he has a mental block) which is frustrating and scary.

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Ortho: That your fat a*s causes most of your health problems and your feelings getting hurt doesn't change that fact. One reason we have BMI cutoffs before many of our joint replacements/spines is because there's no point to do them otherwise.

Also don't tell us to do everything to keep your 98year old multiple comorbidity frail grannie alive with no DNR. I bench heavy and have a strong grip. That means her ribs are breaking during chest compressions and almost all of the time she's still not going to make it. Treat your family with dignity.

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iseefractals

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I do not care how many times this gets downvoted, "healthy at any size" is a fantasy. The fact that an obese person at 20-25 appears healthy, has nothing to do with the long term effects of being obese. As the obesity rate in the U.S has risen from 13.6% in 1960, to 44% today, the rate of type 2 diabetes has increased 95x. From 200,000 cases, to over 38 million, with another 140 million people being classified as "pre-diabetic" Heart disease, fatty liver disease, lung disease, kidney disease, stroke, joint issues, cogitative decline, depression and other mental health disorders, hormone imbalances and a myriad of cancers are all directly related to obesity. It does not matter how offended you are, that's the reality. If YOU are aware of the consequences and willing to live with them, you do you....the issue that so many people have is that many people aren't aware of those consequences....because so many people are amplifying the "healthy at any size narrative"

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You probably don’t know s**t about the hymen, even if you think you do.   


Even in medical communities I see references to the hymen being analogous to the protective film on an iPad when you buy one, and I want to clear up some common myths and misconceptions about the hymen. The hymen is not a magical freshness seal over the vagina that many people think it is. 

The hymen is a [thin rim of stretchy tissue (NSFW)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymen#/media/File:Yorefzvagnl.png) that surrounds (but doesn't usually obstruct) the entrance to the vagina. [Another NSFW image](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hakan_Kar/publication/221916192/figure/fig2/AS:305122233077771@1449758217923/Prepubertal-hymen.png) And [another](https://edc2.healthtap.com/ht-staging/user_answer/avatars/2451834/large/Intact_hymen.jpeg?1450491804). These are considered "intact" hymen, showing no obvious tears or damage. Some women have very little noticeable hymen, and some are born without one at all. 

I know what you're thinking, "If it's not a virginity freshness seal, what the hell is it for?" Great question! It's thought that the hymen may serve its purpose early in life, providing an extra tissue barrier to prevent fecal bacteria from getting into the vagina during infancy and childhood. In children the hymen is a thicker and less flexible ring, and may (or may not) obstruct more of the opening of the vagina (again, not generally covering it completely). As it is less flexible in childhood, trauma to the vaginal area through sports, gymnastics, horseback riding, and other normal activities can damage the hymen early in life, and even sometimes later in adolescence or adulthood, but less often. 

These tears may heal completely, or result in "notching" of the tissue. This is a super NSFW medical photo of a young person who experienced sexual assault and trauma to the hymen resulting in [notching](https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S1522840116300404-gr2.jpg). This doesn't always cause visible damage, but in this case, pretty severe tearing occurred. 

It's also worth noting that the sports and activities I mentioned are more likely than others to cause hymenal damage, but usually don't. (A good friend of mine was quite surprised at an ob/gyn visit to discover she had an intact hymen at ~24 years of age, having been a competitive horseback rider since she was a small child.) 


During adolescence the hymen thins out and becomes very flexible and stretchy, and will actually stretch really well during arousal and when lubricated, so there is NO NEED in like 90% of women for the hymen to tear during sex, even the first time!

There are certain variations that can be problematic for sexual activity and general health ([for example, imperforate hymens are medically dangerous and result in an inability to have penetration AND a buildup of menses, and semi-imperforate or cribriform hymen may allow menses but won't allow penetration, these hymen require either tearing or a quick ob/gyn visit to fix](http://girlsliteracydictionary.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/7/0/13702939/2593796_orig.jpg)). However, more than 90% of women do not have these variations. 

A lot of this wasn't even known until a series of studies in the 1980's found that about 20% of sexually active women had "intact" hymens with no signs of notching or tearing. A report by physicians who [evaluated children and women who were vaginally assaulted noted that a lack of specific hymenal damage in the assault was actually quite common,](https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1169/682f85204f59bee6da18d93fc08a05bbb1cb.pdf) especially in adult women and adolescents, and suggested to the public that tearing the hymen was not the necessity for sex that many people think it is. 

A more recent study in 2004 found that [52% of sexually active women had no hymenal notching or clefts.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14993089) In several studies afterward there was also found to be [no statistically significant association between tampon use and visible hymenal tears,](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8021768) however it is thought that using tampons can sometimes cause tears. (I mean who is actually aroused and comfortable when inserting a tampon, right?) 

It's common for people to believe the myth that the hymen must tear the first time, and for young inexperienced people to have sex without proper arousal, lubrication, and communication that results in hymen tearing. In fact, the expectation of pain often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, with women too nervous to be aroused properly, and unwilling to stop and slow down their partners when something hurts. 

You might be thinking "well this is some liberal b******t propaganda if I've ever heard any", but if that's your thought, [check out this super biased religious journal article regarding the hymen](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260578888_Hymen_Facts_and_conceptions), which actually confirms most of this, and adds some interesting tidbits, for example the fact that elephants have been noted to have hymens as well, and these don't tear with sex, but only with childbirth.

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Emma S

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Freshness seal made me laugh. 🤣 There are companies out there profiting on the notion that an in tact hymen is a test of virginity and offering hymenplastys.

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Dentures suck a*s. They really really suck. And dental implants are extremely expensive. You're not going to 'replace all your teeth with implants'. Trust me, you're not. Even a set up where you have large bridges and a few implants is going to cost you about $40,000-60,000. Save your teeth. Root canals are not mysterious. They're removing infected tissue out of a tooth and placing an inert filling material in its place. It can get re-infected just like a tooth can get infected for the first time, but it's not causing all sorts of zany s**t like some show on netflix claims.

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WHY is dental work so expensive? I need an itemized breakdown.

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The distance between your molars and your brain is about three inches. So take good care of your teeth, trust me you don't want an infection that close to the brain stem and temporal lobe.

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Our bodies are meant to move. You would be suprised not only how quickly your body adopts to it but also how just the act of moving can lead to some chronic injuries decrease or even disappear. Now I'm not saying this is catch all situation. But doing something is better than nothing and it will most definitely be better than sitting or lying all day.

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My father in law has a bad hip. He's walked with a limp his whole life. It has not stopped him from being active and seeing the world. Our family took a trip with him last week where we walked a lot. Since he is retired he doesn't move as much as he used to, but he said the week of walked actually greatly helped his leg.

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Are you or your kids peeing more than usual? Can't get enough to drink? Feeling tired or extra hungry? Check for diabetes. The early symptoms can be easily explained away until you or your child becomes quite sick!

DaisyHeadMayziee , cottonbro studio Report

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Please, wash your bellybutton. Especially if you're going to have surgery anywhere near it. If you only saw the things that come out of them. Thank you!

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MonsterMum

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What sort of things?

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Sleep tech here. Just because you are in great health and normal BMI DOES NOT MEAN you can’t have sleep apnea!

We have so many people come in for sleep studies and say “yeah I’m tired all the time and snore but I’m in great shape and don’t think it’s sleep apnea related”. That does not matter. You can have a small airway or a crowded airway with adenoids/tonsils or certain medications or health issues can cause your airway to block off in your sleep.

On the flip side, while its seldom but I have had 300 and 400 lbs patients never have sleep apnea or issues breathing.


Also, can physicians please stop telling patients that their sleep apnea will go away if they lose weight and achieve normal BMI? I get the idea and that it can help lessen sleep apnea. But then we have patients lose 100 lbs+ or return to normal weight range and still have sleep apnea. And they become visibly upset. They’re happy it’s better but a physician explicitly saying their sleep apnea will go away and they will never have to wear CPAP once they reach normal weight range is terrible advice. Sometimes it won’t matter. Of course, patients can misinterpret doctors but I’ve heard it so many times I think it’s being said at least from some patients.

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Judy Reynolds

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I think it is being said, yes. I was told the snoring was because of sleep apnea, so I was tested, and it is not, but no one suggested any other tests.

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If you eat generally healthy, drink plenty of water and limited other beverages, and get 30-60 minutes of exercise (anything that gets you moving and your heart rate up), you can have a tremendous impact on chronic conditions. In many cases, it will impact outcomes as much as, if not more than medication management.

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Piglet

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Re: the exercise. Shouldn't it specify 'daily'?

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If you're thinking something like "ow...my knee has been feeling weird lately...not everyone feels this way right?" even after being told "everyone feels that way", there's probably something going on.

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Fembot

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Arthrosis is the most common knee complaint and while for some surgery is eventually needed, some good upper leg strengthening exercise goes a long way to prevent (further) damage. Important to remember is keeping your knees perpendicular to your ankles and try to put the weight on your leg muscles and feet rather than your knees.

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Infectious disease doc. There is a LOT of misinformation surrounding UTIs in adults, including among nurses and other medical staff. I've seen too many people get inappropriate antibiotics for "oh it's just a UTI" over years and then they land up in my office for a very resistant bacteria in their urine that can now only be treated by very specialized, hard to get IV antibiotics.

White blood cells or bacteria in your urine WITHOUT any symptoms is NOT A UTI. Checking a urine sample for an infection in the absence of symptoms leads to lots of misdiagnoses- some folks have white blood cells or bacteria in their urine ...just because. Unless you're pregnant or expecting a urinary tract surgery in the upcoming weeks, we do not treat it.

Incontinence ALONE is not a sign of a UTI. Lots of other reasons to have incontinence, including pelvic floor dysfunction.

Confusion ALONE in the elderly is not a sign of UTI. I see too many confused and sleepy old folks brought in from their nursing homes for "UTI" by staff. Most times, hydration alone fixes the problem.

Foul smelling urine ALONE is not a sign of UTI. It's pee, not rose water.

Dark urine is not a sign of UTI. Far too many people don't drink enough water and think dark yellow urine means they have an infection.

If you have dark or foul smelling urine, try increasing your water intake and see if that changes. If you start having burning when you pee or abdominal pain, def could be a sign of an infection and see a doctor.

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If you want to lose weight, don't eat so much. Exercise has its own benefits, but you're not going to lose weight by exercising and then eating a bunch of late night snacks.

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Mere Cat

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Actually, most dieticians I know recommend eating MORE. Not more calories, of course, but more volume-wise. Healthy food - fruit, veggies, wholegrain etc, you can eat a LOT and still lose weight, AND get all the nutrients, fiber etc you need. And, it's also smarter mentally - the brain can't comprehend "no"-commands. If you tell yourself "don't eat ice cream", your brain just starts to plan to eat ice cream (well, mine does). But if you tell yourself "I have to eat these nuts and yogurt and fruit", you're focusing your brain on the task at hand, not the one you want to avoid! If that makes sense...

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Don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t do d***s, don’t be fat, don’t be sedentary. Nothing has changed. There are no magic bullets yet.

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Women have 3 holes down there.

The number of people -including grown women- who don’t know this is astounding.

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the sixthgirl

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One of the millions of reasons we need scientifically accurate, age-appropriate sex education in our public schools. Right-wing idiots who think abstinence-only is adequate are doing an enormous disservice to young people.

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Idk if this counts really but I've been working as a nurses aid for the past decade. Urinary incontinence, while common, is not just a part of aging. There's usually an underlying cause and you should speak with your doctor on ways to help it.

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LillieMean

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Vague. Well, at least the poor condition of the pelvic floor muscles or overexertion (if you exercise a lot) can be the reason you can't hold back. In men, poor condition can also slow down and make it difficult to release. It would be nice if the reasons were listed.

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Clearing your throat can make you feel like you need to clear your throat even more. if you find yourself constantly clearing your throat, it maybbr due to chronic inflammation and irritation. it is important to rule out other sources of irritation (like post nasal drip or acid reflux), but if it is due to an irritation loop you can be seen by a special speech and swallowing therapist to help with the issue.

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arthbach

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Asthma is another possibility. If you keep clearing your throat, get it checked out.

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Nicotine can be transferred through skin contact and even clothes.

In other words, be conscious of the fact that smoking outside etc is not enough if you want to prevent nicotine exposure to your baby/kid.

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Mere Cat

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Also, the bad chemicals of cigarette smoke are in your breath for at least half an hour after you smoked, and can/will be transferred to your kid next to you...

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Basic care of your body is the most underrated thing eat healthy ,exercise and sleep well. Every single one of them are needs not a luxury.

Mental health is real. Please seek help if you have issues !!

Basic first aid and CPR.

How to keep wounds clean and prevent contamination.

Also I really wish all of the medical misinformation out there would go away somehow.

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100%. Also wearing sunscreen every day.

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Vapes are not a safe / better alternative to smoking. Get the wrong one and it can f**k you up for life.

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Blue Bunny of Happiness

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Yep, vaping can cause major health problems https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-vaping-damage-your-lungs-what-we-do-and-dont-know-2019090417734

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Please do resistance training now and always -obviously to a safe degree when older- this will delay age related atrophy and will keep you mobile at an older age.
Being mobile at an older age is a huge component for living an independent and healthy life!

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ScoMu7eD

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But it will also give you arthritis. Swimming is one of the only sports to have minimal impact on the joints. Any type of activity which involves resistance will cause arthritis over time.

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By the time pre diabetes progresses to diabetes over 50% of your pancreatic beta cells (insulin producing cells) can have burnt out already (they don’t come back). Don’t brush off a pre diabetes diagnosis even if your doctor keeps saying “let’s watch it” and suggest half hearted lifestyle changes. Ask to see a dietitian or diabetes educator and take care of your one body. Once it fails it fails and there’s no going back, it’s just damage control at that point.

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You're vitamin D deficient.

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Bexxperience

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Don't self-medicate though by gobbling up over the counter Vitamin D supplements unsupervised. Too high Vitamin D levels over a prolonged time will result in hypercalcemia. Have your GP prescribe the supplement's concentration, schedule and length of treatment and follow his advice.

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Sugary drinks (Monster, Redbull, coffee) aren’t nearly as bad for your teeth as you would think. They are bad for your heart though.

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keyboardtek

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Dentists would disagree about the sugar.

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Sedentary lifestyle is bad
The benefits of losing just 10% of your weight if you’re overweight obese etc can be tremendous on your cholesterol, joint health, cardiovascular health, mental well being.

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Avoid trampolines.

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keyboardtek

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I always cross to the other side of the street whenever I see a trampoline coming towards me.

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75% of health conditions would be solved or not have occurred with a healthy diet, enough sleep, enough exercise and enough water.

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Ace

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And 68% of statistics quoted on the internet, like this one, are made up on the spot.

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99.99999% of “healthy food” in packages at the grocery store is just advertising. Pick foods that are primary fruits and vegetables and unprocessed whole grains. 
Added sugar isn’t great. Honey and agave instead of sugar is still pretty much just sugar. 

Processed meats are not great. Meat in general is probably not great.

There really isn’t any healthy alcohol (sorry about that, red wine). 

Pay attention to the carbs on the nutrition label. “Healthy” ingredients with a bunch of added sugar is just pretend healthy candy.

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Ace

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Another invented statistic.

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