Metroholica

You will need

• Flouride toothpaste
• Sugar Free Chewing Gum or Mints
• Mouthwash

Step 2:

How do I know?

It's difficult to tell if you have bad breath- an easier indicator may be the reactions of other people. Do people back away slightly when you start to speak? Do people turn their cheek when you kiss them goodbye? If you're worried you might have bad breath, try this simple test: lick the inside of your wrist, leave it to dry for a few seconds, then sniff. If it smells bad, your breath may too. You need a second opinion. Ask a trusted friend to smell your breath, and tell you if it smells. If they're a good friend, they'll tell you the truth.

Some people's bad breath is as a result of gum disease or infection. If this is the case it will often be accompanied by visible signs. If your gums appear swollen or bleeding, then this may contribute to your bad breath. You should seek advice from your dentist.

Step 3:

Avoid smoking / alcohol / spicy food

Smoking is one of the primary causes of bad breath. When you smoke the chemicals in the smoke create a lining on the tongue which causes a lingering smell of stale tobacco. The only remedy for this is to kick the habit. Watch VJ's "Tops Tips For Giving Up Smoking" for more on this. Dehydration - a common side-effect of drinking alcohol - can make bad breath worse, so if you drink a lot try cutting down your intake. Also avoid foods containing a lot of garlic, onion and strong spices, as the smell of these can linger on your breath.

Step 4:

Eat a healthy breakfast

Quite apart from the well documented health benefits, a healthy breakfast can help with bad breath. Eating a coarse breakfast cereal like muesli, or a variety of hard fibrous fruit can help to clean the tongue as you chew and rid the mouth of odour-causing bacteria. Make sure you brush your teeth after breakfast though, so that you get rid of any food stuck in your teeth. You should wait an hour after eating before brushing your teeth.

Step 5:

Brush teeth twice a day

Overnight, saliva flow is drastically reduced and the tongue and cheeks move very little. Food residue and dead skin cells from inside the mouth do not get washed away as they do during the day, instead remaining in the mouth and stagnating. The result is the bane of early-bird lovers everywhere, commonly known as morning breath. Brushing your teeth first thing in the morning should clean the mouth and get rid of the bad smell.

During the day, any number of foodstuffs pass through your mouth, leaving their residue to make its mark on your breath. Cleaning your teeth before you go to bed helps to clear the mouth of the food remains which would stagnate so well overnight. Brushing your teeth twice a day also helps to fight plaque and reduces the likelihood of gum disease, both of which are contributors to bad breath. Watch VJ's "How To Brush Your Teeth" for some tips.

Food residue and bacteria can also build up on your tongue, and if left to their own devices can cause a bad smell. While brushing your teeth, use the toothbrush to firmly but carefully brush the top and sides of your tongue.

Step 6:

Mouthwash

Mouthwash can be an effective way of masking the bad smell of your halitosis, but will do little to deal with the root problem. If you're going to use a mouthwash, you should make sure it is alcohol free, and that it contains fluoride. If you are suffering from gum disease, your dentist will be able to recommend a medicated mouthwash which will help to treat the problem.

Step 7:

Chew sugar-free gum

The mint flavour in most chewing gums will mask a bad odour, but chewing gum also has longer term benefits. Chewing encourages the flow of saliva which helps to shift those odour-causing bacteria and neutralises the acid in the mouth. Make sure that the gum you choose is sugar free, otherwise you run the risk of the sugar rotting your teeth.

Do
• Do have your eyes tested every two years. Children and pensioners should have an annual check up.
• Do read and work in good light. To avoid glare and shadow, make sure that the light falls over your shoulder.
• Do rest your eyes at least every 30 minutes when reading sewing, using a computer or the like, by looking up and focussing at distant objects.
• Do make sure that your computer and television screens are sharply focused.
• Do wear safety goggles whenever you use caustic chemicals, do woodwork, or run power tools.
• Do wear shatterproof sports goggles for games such as squash.
• Do wear sunglasses when in bright sunlight.
• Do wear goggles in chlorinated swimming pools or in any water of doubtful cleanliness.
Don't s
• Don't look directly at the sun, as you might be tempted to do during an eclipse; even the darkened sun can cause severe and permanent damage. Similarly, avoid staring at any bright or glaring lights.
• Don't rub your eye to try to remove a foreign object. Try blinking and washing the eye with cold water. If that fails, see your doctor.

There are a number of summer trends that would score highly in the office and dating department.

1. Fluid Flares

In complete contrast to last year's sleek silhouette, elegant wide-legged or flared trousers are practical and wearable for most figures. Teemed with a fluid jacket, this is a much more sophisticated and feminine style, allowing you to swish through the office or wow your prospective date. Great for covering up arms and legs too. Influenced by the 1930's and 40's, wear them belted and slightly higher on the waist, to stop them slouching. Top flares off with a straw trilby, Linday Lohan style, for added effect.

2. Grecian Gowns

This has to be a favorite fashion trend this year as "goddess dressing" can work well with so many shapes and sizes. With a variation on styles, Grecian glamour is achievable with tunics, toga-style mini dresses or floaty and sophisticated full-length gowns.

3. Statement Shoes

If you are on the short side, then a pair of statement shoes will be a prerequisite to accompany the flowing trousers or a long floaty dress. Witfhout a pair of four-inch stilettos or chunky heels, it is unlikely that you will have the height to truly carry off these styles.

Statement shoes don't have to have be high to be trendy. Sophisticated ballet flats look great for the office. This year there is an amazing array of styles and heights; the only golden rule is they must have this season's fabulous decoration.

4. Stars and Checks

Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Gucci and Jaeger are just some of the main fashion houses giving their outfits the star treatment , according to Marie Claire. Scattered star print frocks, star appliqué on jackets and dresses, with brooches and bold necklaces providing a twinkle.

Kate Moss recently gave fashion house Jaeger a boost by wearing a black, star print blouse.

Sharp checks have a more stabilizing influence for the office, toughening up the prints and providing a contrast to "dreamy prints that dominated the shows", observed Saunders.

5. Full and Flared Skirts

Knee-length flirty and feminine skirts provide an air of practicality, flaring out from narrow belts and fitted tops. Admittedly these fall more into the dating than work category but are a marked improvement on the wearability of last year's unwearable bubble skirt!

What's Not Hot for Work (But Okay for Play!)

Falling into the indulgences category rather than practicality, three trends deserve a special mention. Depending on your viewpoint (and your self-confidence) these may be filed under "unwearable" or if brave enough, worn on a date.

6. Pajamas

"What could be softer than clothes fit for sleeping in?" declares Sander's in Marie Claire. Lingerie-inspired slip dresses are the order of the day and designers Marc Jacob and Stella McCartney are major influences in "duvet-day-dressing." However, the pajama trend is not for the faint hearted, as walking around, showing off your underwear, may send the wrong message to your beau! Definately impractical for work but seriously saucy!

7. Cocktail Shorts

A variation on last year's theme of Business Shorts. Silky shorts become glamorous, baggy and even shorter, in this latest trend in sexy evening wear. Unless you want to distract the waiter, steer clear of these on a first date!

8. Something See-Through

With the season's transparent fabrics and soft layered looks it is easy to feel like a princess. This year designers push the trend for sheer fabrics to the limit but go for loose and floaty rather than tight and clingy. Radical see-through skirts and pants are best avoided unless worn with boy shorts underneath. Sheer blouses work well if tastefully worn over camisole or pretty T-shirt tops.

If you want to make a good impression in the office or on a date, remember, subtle is sexy; vulgar is not! With spring and summer's softer, flowing styles there is plenty of choice this year for all shapes and sizes.

Since time has shifted gears for women, from the traditional stay-at-home to being a woman of the 21st century juggling between work and family. Stress has become part of life and living. But does it really have to be? Is there simple ways a woman can do to relieve stress even in the middle of the job or in between soccer practice? Women would kill for quick and easy ways to relieve stress that's causing women to slow down and take longer rest.
Luckily, there are quick and simple ways that you can do to relieve stress that doesn't have to take too much of your time. You can do some of them even if you're in from of a computer doing your job.

For instance, relieving stress takes only few minutes by eating, what else, chocolate! It has been found out that dark chocolate, especially those that are 70% chocolate with less sugar and milk, release chemicals and happy hormones in the brain when eaten. We all can prove this. Eating chocolate does make us happy. You can break a small amount of dark chocolate bar at a time – you don't have to eat the whole bar – and let it melt in your mouth for a couple of minutes. However, it's best to get the unsweetened ones and consume a small piece each time you feel much worn out.


Even if you're in a middle of something urgent, don't forget to make some time to get up and stretch your legs and arms for a while. You can visit a window overlooking a view to take your mind of from what you're doing even for 10 minutes. You don't have ten minutes? Then make ten minutes; trust me, you can compensate the ten minutes you spent stretching by the increase in your productivity once you've relieve your stress by just spending ten minutes away from your work.


Women know this all too well also, lighting a scented candle does relieve stress. Even watching the flicker of the flame for five minutes takes your mind off your work thus it relieves you for a while. Certain scent like the scent of a chamomile is also scientifically proven to relieve stress when inhaled. It has soothing effect to the body; it makes the body release hormones that fights stress from a hectic schedule. Therefore, all working women should have a scented candle ready in their desk.


Talk to your colleague nearest you for a minute or so. You see, stress is aggravated you're your body is so in sync with what you're doing but your brain is crying to take few minutes to process the information its been receiving. By talking to your colleague nearest you, you allow your mind to process the information by taking on other lighter note such as the latest restaurant discovery of your friend. Taking your mind off your monotonous job goes a long way to calm your nerves and relieves your stress for a while.


There are easy ways to handle stress that doesn't have to take too much of your time. You just have to be clever about them and make an effort to do them even if you're in the middle of a hectic schedule. If nothing else works, closing your eyes while you take deep breaths for few minutes also does wonders.