How To Get Water Out Of Your Ear After Swimming

4 Solutions For Swimmer's Ear

Perhaps you've seen—or performed—the head-tilted, one-legged hop swimmers do to knock water out of their ears. Hop no more. If earplugs and bathing caps aren't for you and you end up with an ear canal full of water, try these tips:

1. Tug your earlobe while tilting your head down toward your shoulder.

2. Lie on your side, with the clogged ear facing down, and let gravity do its work.

3. Tilt your head and press your palm tightly over your ear, creating a vacuum. When you remove your hand, the water may drain. Repeat several times if necessary.

4. Hold a hair dryer on the lowest setting a foot away from your ear. Tug your earlobe down while moving the dryer back and forth. (And make sure you're not swimming where you shouldn't. These 6 signs are red flags that a lake, pool, or ocean could land you in the ER.)

You're More At Risk For Dehydration Than You Think

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Hot summer weather can quickly dehydrate you, and because the sensation of thirst declines with age, older adults are at an increased risk. Illness and medications may further reduce thirst or increase urine production, says Marie A. Bernard, deputy director of the National Institute on Aging.

Early signs of dehydration include dark yellow urine and dry skin. In severe cases, symptoms can progress to dizziness, fainting, and even seizures. (But wait...there are more signs of a heat stroke. Find them here.)

MORE:24 Smart Tactics To Help Prevent Heat Exhaustion

To reduce your risk, Bernard recommends sipping water throughout the day rather than waiting until you feel thirsty. It's also smart to drink a full glass of water each time you take medications (if recommended). You can hydrate with foods, too, such as soup, smoothies, and produce with high water content, like celery and watermelon.

Worried Sick

About 80% of Americans are anxious about health care, according to a recent survey by PrescribeWellness, a network of community pharmacies providing basic health care services. The top seven concerns:

(Make your health less worrisome—and help heal more than 45 diseases—by following the simple plan in The Whole Body Cure.)

You're (Almost) Never Too Old To Donate

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The oldest donor for a successful organ transplant in the US was a 92-year-old man, whose liver was given to a 68-year-old woman. (Think that's surprising? Check out these transplants.) The US Department of Health and Human services doesn't place any cap on a donor's age—the person's health is considered more important—but some medical centers impose their own age limits in an effort to increase the chances of success. This may not be necessary, however: a recent study of results from kidney donors ages 50 and up found little difference in success rates provided the donors were under 80. Sign up to be a donor at organdonor.gov.

MORE: 7 Things You Need To Know About Organ Transplants

Don't Text And Drive, Grown-Ups

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Years of driving experience don't protect older adults from the dangers of texting while driving. Studies show that texting can increase the risk of a crash by as much as 2,300% for teens, young adults—and senior drivers, too. Fewer older drivers admit to checking their phones from behind the wheel, but when they do, they're at especially high risk.

Psychology professor Norman Abeles, who studies aging and driving, says older drivers can have slower reaction times, stiff joints, and diminished eyesight, all of which pose a challenge to safe driving even without texting. Technological solutions, such as phones that won't work while a car is in motion, may help solve the problem in the future. For now, everyone should keep phones out of reach and avoid texting from the driver's seat.

MORE:5 Ways Your Cell Phone Is Seriously Harming Your Body

3 Fixes For Sore Muscles

Mitch Mandel

Weekend warriors who are sore on Monday need relief to get through the day. (1) Naturopathica Muscle and Joint Tea ($19) contains turmeric, an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. (2) Sweet Birch Deep Muscle Rub ($32), with magnesium chloride to help regulate muscle contractions, is nongreasy and deeply penetrating. And (3) Arnica Muscle & Joint Gel ($28) has menthol for instant cooling and arnica flower extract to reduce pain and stiffness.

What Your Lying Is Doing To You

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Liars, beware: Your behavior can take a psychological and physical toll. "Telling a lie is associated with a variety of cognitive, behavioral, and physical effects," says assistant psychology professor Leanne ten Brinke, director of the Truth and Trust Lab at the University of Denver. She explains that lying can cause heart rate and blood pressure to rise, along with levels of the stress hormone cortisol. And in a Notre Dame study of 110 adults, people who were able to reduce the number of lies they told reported fewer sore throats and headaches, compared with those who continued to tell the same number of lies, over a 10-week period.

MORE: 8 Ways To Tell If Someone's Lying To You

Researchers estimate that the average American lies about 11 times a week. That includes the white lies that slip out when you mean well, such as telling a friend you love her haircut even though you don't. These lies aren't likely to cause serious or immediate health concerns, says psychology researcher and professor Robert S. Feldman of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. But that doesn't mean they're harmless: "Any lie ultimately has some kind of repercussion," Feldman says.

Take a look at your own fibs, even if they fall squarely in the "little white lie" category. That might mean trying to find a kind way to say something that comes a little closer to the truth. More honesty might even strengthen your relationships, as friends and loved ones can sometimes tell when an interaction isn't genuine and then trust you less. As studies show, telling the truth is a good health habit to practice.

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