Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Pill Swallowing Strategies


by Dr. Stephen Sinatra
Filed Under: General HealthQ&As
Last Reviewed 03/25/2013

I often choose my nutritional supplements based on which are easiest to swallow because I have difficulties taking pills. Do you have any advice for swallowing pills?


As you get older, pill swallowing can definitely get tough. But fortunately, there's a simple way to solve the problem. In fact, the following five tips will make swallowing any pill easy:
  • Lubricate your mouth and throat with a few sips of water before taking your vitamins.
  • Tip your head forward with your chin down when swallowing pills. The pill will float to the back of your mouth, as your throat opens—making swallowing a cinch.
  • Use a water bottle. Keep your lips pursed and attached to the bottle using a sucking action to drink. Your throat will automatically open, followed by the natural urge to swallow.
  • Take one pill at a time. It is easier on both your throat and esophagus.
  • Swallow using cold water or juice. Hot beverages can cause some pills to disintegrate or become sticky.
If you're still having trouble, you can blend your vitamins into a smoothie. Just be sure you open any capsules and dump in the contents separately. You can also break open your capsules, or crush tablets, mixing the contents into a cold food such as yogurt or apple sauce.


Read more: http://www.drsinatra.com/pill-swallowing-strategies/?key=200254&utm_campaign=social&utm_source=acq-social-all&utm_medium=social-facebook&utm_content=social-facebook-sinatra-061213-article-pills#ixzz2W2EjsVOn

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