1. If your throat tickles, scratch your ear!

When you were 9, playing your armpit was a cool trick. Now, as an adult, you can still appreciate a good body-based feat, but you’re more discriminating. Take that tickle in your throat; it’s not worth gagging over. Here’s a better way to scratch your itch: “When the nerves in the ear are stimulated, it creates a reflex in the throat that can cause a muscle spasm,” says Scott Schaffer, M.D., president of an ear, nose, and throat specialty center in Gibbsboro, New Jersey. “This spasm relieves the tickle.”

2. Experience supersonic hearing!

If you’re stuck chatting up a mumbler at a cocktail party, lean in with your right ear. It’s better than your left at following the rapid rhythms of speech, according to researchers at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. If, on the other hand, you’re trying to identify that song playing softly in the elevator, turn your left ear toward the sound. The left ear is better at picking up music tones.

3. Overcome your most primal urge!

Need to pee? No bathroom nearby? Fantasize about Jessica Simpson. Thinking about sex preoccupies your brain, so you won’t feel as much discomfort, says Larry Lipshultz, M.D., chief of male reproductive medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. For best results, try Simpson’s “These Boots Are Made for Walking” video.

4. Feel no pain!

German researchers have discovered that coughing during an injection can lessen the pain of the needle stick. According to Taras Usichenko, author of a study on the phenomenon, the trick causes a sudden, temporary rise in pressure in the chest and spinal canal, inhibiting the pain-conducting structures of the spinal cord.

5. Clear your stuffed nose!

Forget Sudafed. An easier, quicker, and cheaper way to relieve sinus pressure is by alternately thrusting your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then pressing between your eyebrows with one finger. This causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth, says Lisa DeStefano, D.O., an assistant professor at the Michigan State University college of osteopathic medicine. The motion loosens congestion; after 20 seconds, you’ll feel your sinuses start to drain.

6. Fight fire without water!

Worried those wings will repeat on you tonight? “Sleep on your left side,” says Anthony A. Starpoli, M.D., a New York City gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at New York Medical College. Studies have shown that patients who sleep on their left sides are less likely to suffer from acid reflux. The esophagus and stomach connect at an angle. When you sleep on your right, the stomach is higher than the esophagus, allowing food and stomach acid to slide up your throat. When you’re on your left, the stomach is lower than the esophagus, so gravity’s in your favor.

7. Cure your toothache without opening your mouth!

Just rub ice on the back of your hand, on the V-shaped webbed area between your thumb and index finger. A Canadian study found that this technique reduces toothache pain by as much as 50 percent compared with using no ice. The nerve pathways at the base of that V stimulate an area of the brain that blocks pain signals from the face and hands.

8. Make burns disappear!

When you accidentally singe your finger on the stove, clean the skin and apply light pressure with the finger pads of your unmarred hand. Ice will relieve your pain more quickly, Dr. DeStefano says, but since the natual method brings the burned skin back to a normal temperature, the skin is less likely to blister.

9. Stop the world from spinning!

One too many drinks left you dizzy? Put your hand on something stable. The part of your ear responsible for balance — the cupula — floats in a fluid of the same density as blood. “As alcohol dilutes blood in the cupula, the cupula becomes less dense and rises,” says Dr. Schaffer. This confuses your brain. The tactile input from a stable object gives the brain a second opinion, and you feel more in balance. Because the nerves in the hand are so sensitive, this works better than the conventional foot-on-the-floor wisdom.

10. Unstitch your side!

If you’re like most people, when you run, you exhale as your right foot hits the ground. This puts downward pressure on your liver (which lives on your right side), which then tugs at the diaphragm and creates a side stitch, according to The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Men. The fix: Exhale as your left foot strikes the ground.

11. Stanch blood with a single finger!

Pinching your nose and leaning back is a great way to stop a nosebleed — if you don’t mind choking on your own O positive. A more civil approach: Put some cotton on your upper gums — just behind that small dent below your nose — and press against it, hard. “Most bleeds come from the front of the septum, the cartilage wall that divides the nose,” says Peter Desmarais, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Entabeni Hospital, in Durban, South Africa. “Pressing here helps stop them.”

12. Make your heart stand still!

Trying to quell first-date jitters? Blow on your thumb. The vagus nerve, which governs heart rate, can be controlled through breathing, says Ben Abo, an emergency medical- services specialist at the University of Pittsburgh. It’ll get your heart rate back to normal.

13. Thaw your brain!

Too much Chipwich too fast will freeze the brains of lesser men. As for you, press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, covering as much as you can. “Since the nerves in the roof of your mouth get extremely cold, your body thinks your brain is freezing, too,” says Abo. “In compensating, it overheats, causing an ice-cream headache.” The more pressure you apply to the roof of your mouth, the faster your headache will subside.

14. Prevent near-sightedness!

Poor distance vision is rarely caused by genetics, says Anne Barber, O.D., an optometrist in Tacoma, Washington. “It’s usually caused by near-point stress.” In other words, staring at your computer screen for too long. So flex your way to 20/20 vision. Every few hours during the day, close your eyes, tense your body, take a deep breath, and, after a few seconds, release your breath and muscles at the same time. Tightening and releasing muscles such as the biceps and glutes can trick involuntary muscles — like the eyes — into relaxing as well.

15. Wake the dead!

If your hand falls asleep while you’re driving or sitting in an odd position, rock your head from side to side. It’ll painlessly banish your pins and needles in less than a minute, says Dr. DeStefano. A tingly hand or arm is often the result of compression in the bundle of nerves in your neck; loosening your neck muscles releases the pressure. Compressed nerves lower in the body govern the feet, so don’t let your sleeping dogs lie. Stand up and walk around.

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A sister of the Leeward island chain, Anguilla is truly one of the most romantic places on earth. Tucked away in the middle of the tranquil Caribbean Sea, a magical island lives and breathes a dynamic culture amidst a Garden of Eden of white sandy beaches and scintillating azure waters. As one sways with the ebb and flow of the gentle currents, you become a witness to nature’s perfect functions when left untouched.

The Caribbean is unlike any other place in the world. It is home to some of the most beautiful islands and waters you will find anywhere. You will see white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters filled with some amazing marine life. The cultures that you will encounter are among the most carefree and relaxing in the world.

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2. Antigua

Antigua means ancient or antique in Spanish, and it is the perfect name for that tropical and charming island in the Caribbean. Located in the West Indies, Antigua was colonized by the Spanish in the fifteenth century, and makes the absolute perfect destination of Caribbeans. Antigua is also famous as a best wedding destination in the world. Antigua is historic but not run down, and it has a special charm and beauty that makes it the most desired tourist destination in the Caribbean.

3. British Virgin Islands

The pristine BVI has long attracted yachties and royalty to its turquoise waters, thanks to posh resorts like Rosewood Little Dix Bay, Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island, and Peter Island. The British Virgin Islands are part of the British Territories in the Caribbean. They are located northeast of the US Virgin Islands, on the northeast corner of the Caribbean Sea. Their exotic beaches are considered among the best Caribbean Beaches and the Islands are famous for Caribbean fishing, Sailing, Scuba Diving and Snorkeling.

4. Curacao

Curacao has historically trailed its sister Caribbean islands of Aruba and Bonaire when it comes to attracting vacationers, largely because oil refining and financial services, rather than tourism, dominate its prosperous economy. Sea Aquarium is a must for any one in Curacao for holiday. You can swim with the dolphins, kiss the sea lions (or get kissed by them actually) and see the beautiful flamingos.

5. Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic is an island with many features and incredible history. Dominican Republic main attractions gets the attention of many tourists with its great historical landmarks and nice people. The country has too many places to see and explore. One of the places located in the capital is the Cathedral of Santa Maria. The Aquarium with lots of beautiful marine life to see is another great attraction. The beaches are something you cannot forget. There is more than a 1000 miles of beaches all around. Punta Cana and Cabarete are worldwide known to have incredibly beautiful beaches. You can also go to a tour that will take you to Saona island and Catalina island for some of the best scuba diving you have ever seen.

6. Grenada

Grenada is a spectacular beautiful island that has golden beaches; crystal water falls, flourishing green mountains and aromatic spice trees, which give this island its nickname as the Isle of Spice. There are 46 sun soaked beaches around the Spice Island of Grenada. One important reason to visit Grenada is its wild and lively carnival held every year in the third quarter. It seems that anyone who visits will not be lacking in things to do and sights to see because of the many beautiful spots and year-round festivities Grenada is known for.

7. Jamaica

Jamaica vacations don’t just mean luxurious resorts with all amenities at your fingertips. Besides its pristine beaches lapped by warm turquoise water, Jamaica boasts a host of natural scenic wonders which are well worth a visit. Well, the most exciting is Dunn’s River Falls, where visitors can climb up the falls as part of a human chain, and enjoy the soothing effect of the massage parlor’s rushing waters as they cascade to the ocean. There are also nature trails through the lush tropical foliage of bamboos, ferns, ginger lilies, orchids, crotons, palms and breadfruit trees. Shoppers will delight in the straw crafts, wood carvings, and other artworks available at the craft park and there is a cafeteria specializing in Jamaican delights such as jerked chicken and curried goat.

8. St. Lucia

St Lucia is one of the smaller more leisurely Islands in the Caribbean, boasting beautiful beaches with a welcoming light breeze, like the popular Anse de Sable beach. As most Caribbean Islands, it has the typical white sands where the calm ocean waves are ideal for water sports, like sailing and para-gliding. The island is a popular stop for both cruise visitors and vacationers coming for a long-term stay at nearly 100 hotels, resorts and inns.

9. St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Before St. Vincent  served as the setting for “Pirates of the Caribbean”, this remote island and the whole Grenadine chain was primarily known only to sailors and seclusion-seeking rock stars. Indeed, Mick Jagger and David Bowie discreetly frequent the exclusive Grenadine isle of Mustique. These days, however, the even prettier, quiet island of Bequia is on the rise, thanks to buzz about newcomer Firefly Plantation Bequia and the halfway complete Bequia Beach Hotel. Canouan Island already boasts a sprawling, superluxe Raffles resort that evokes the South Pacific. And lush St. Vincent is touching up its popular sights like the panoramic Belmont Lookout and the canopied Vermont Nature Trail.

10. Vieques, Puerto Rico

Vieques, Puerto Rico is one of the most unspoiled islands of the Caribbean. It is an unforgettable and very affordable destination for any traveler. Since embracing tourism in 2003 after decades as a U.S. naval base, the tiny island of Vieques has been the most accessible “uncharted territory” in the Caribbean. With Vieques harboring more than 40 miles of unspoiled sand and the Caribbean’s largest wildlife refuge, its small hotels and casual restaurants have attracted easygoing, eco-minded tourists.

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