Health Tips

Say "yes" to yoga

2010-03-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

The best place to practice yoga with your family is right at home, in bite-sized chunks that will fit in with your family routine. Yoga provides an astonishingly diverse range of practices that can engage and challenge the minds, bodies and spirit of parents, babies, toddlers and children. In fact, it is a fantastic way for family members to learn from each other and grow together.

There are many yoga experts who believe that the initiation of your child to yoga could start even while the baby is in the womb. Rhythmic full yogic breath and resonant humming and chanting have a powerfully calming effect on the wriggler. Integrated mother-and-baby yoga practices, where the adults and baby move together, are a hugely enjoyable way to deepen and develop bonding and understanding.

As your child moves from the infant stage to that of the toddler, the relaxed intimacy that's fostered through shared yoga sessions can provide parents and child with a firm and healthy foundation from which they can step into a world that demands equally from both parent and child.

Family yoga on the one hand gives you the chance to develop strength, speed and stamina and on the other, the opportunity to relax together in a calming environment.

Postures like the classical surya namaskar (salutation to the sun), strengthening practices such as backward bending sequences (cobra, snake, bridge) leave parents and children feeling energised.

Swinging and rolling yoga fun for toddlers not only develops parents' strength and co-ordination, but nearly always promotes chuckles and delighted smiles from the children.

So, get your whole family into the yoga act. Chant together, let the cymbals clash and let the little bells ring. Although these are not usually sounds associated with yoga, as we know it, it serves the same purpose. Create harmony together. After all, that is what yoga is all about.

The Benefits of Yoga

2010-03-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

Regular practice of asanas helps to keep our body fit, controls cholesterol levels, reduces weight, normalises blood pressure and improves heart performance. Asanas also strengthen the mind and give it the tenacity to withstand pain and unhappiness stoically and with fortitude. In this way, they lead to mental equilibrium and calmness. Pranayam re-educates our breathing process through the correct breathing technique. This helps us manipulate our energies. It helps release tension and develop a relaxed state of mind. It balances our nervous system, thus reducing the need for sleep. It encourages creative thinking and increases the amount of oxygen to our brain. This improves mental clarity, alertness and physical well being. Yoga Nidra is a wonderful way of relaxing. It is a type of meditation, done while lying on our backs in Shavasana. It relaxes our entire physiological and psychological system, thus completely rejuvenating the body and the mind. It thus helps us to relate better to people and things around us, giving us a sense of well being.
Regular practice of Nidra help prevent disorders and ailments such as diabetes, blood pressure, heart conditions, asthma, varicose veins, digestive disorders, arthritis, arteriosclerosis and chronic fatigue. A person who practises Yoga can consciously control autonomic or involuntary functions, such as temperature, heartbeat and blood pressure.Yoga creates a balance in the nervous and endocrine system which directly influence all other body systems and organs. There is no doubt that Yoga is an effective curative and preventive medicine. Yoga is a holistic remedy that combines the faculties of mental peace and improved concentration and power, with a relaxed state of living, good relationship and harmony with people.

Yoga for Women

2010-03-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

The women of today are very much busy with their hectic schedules; the present professional world has drowned them neck-deep within the stressful conditions of the professional life. They are off late lacking energy, vitality of mind and fun. One of the most simple and effective way to achieve their desire can be practicing Yoga. Going through a mere fitness itinerary, that is going to a gym or practicing diet is not the correct path, as they do not always guide one to the right path but doing some easy exercises or yoga for women can really impart upon great spirit to your mind and soul.

It is not always possible to go to a Yoga class as a woman has many commitments to be fulfilled towards life and her work. Still, as she requires the most of the positive energy to control and regulate the daily activities and to have some contentment to nourish her inner soul, so yoga for women is necessary. The womenfolk are always within a continuous flow of business, therefore the yoga sessions must act as a sweet respite to them.
It is not always required to practice the difficult and delicate yoga poses but the session of yoga exercises for women only deals with some easy steps that can render immense pleasure. While doing the yoga exercises, the delicate physical and medical conditions should always be kept in mind

It is important to seek the advice of a Yoga expert or a professional yoga trainer before one attempt to start the exercising process, as it will always help you to be within the safety limit. The easy yoga poses, which will keep you active, full of energy, and active. This poses are appropriate for both of those busy working people and the homemakers who are far busier with the daily chores of their household space.
These Yoga postures for women and poses will help them to cope up well with the stressful condition at home and work place; will help them to control their emotional balance and to unwind and rejuvenate their body, mind and soul. Some of the important Asanas (yoga postures), can be, Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward- Facing Dog Pose), Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), Extended Child Pose , Padmasana, Salvasana, Bajrasana, Paschimotthasona and several others. In the initial days, practice and guidance is required to achieve the skill but once it becomes a practice, then there is no more problem pursuing it. The yoga for women also helps in maintaining the proper shape of their body, shed extra calories and fat and also combat various diseases.

Pregnancy & Parenting

2010-03-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, you're pregnant! One the signs of pregnancy stats showing and pregnancy symptoms date indicate that the pregnancy due date is near; its clear your little bundle of joy is about to arrive. Every woman goes through different stages of pregnancy and prays for a healthy pregnancy. Nine months of pregnancy is a joyous period for any woman.

It's the time to take extra care. Get the pregnancy guide, baby's size and sex and track the track of baby development along with proper pregnancy diet and nutrition intake and continuing pregnancy exercises. Remember pregnancy is not a disease. Enjoy looking ahead and keep yourself healthy, to welcome your little bundle of joy with your love and warmth.

The birth of child brings a lot of happiness in a household. With a child come a lot of responsibilities. Parenting can be a difficult job and the valuable parenting tips can make the job easier. Good parenting requires knowledge and skills necessary to successfully raise the child from birth through their senior year in high school.

Ayurvedic Food

2010-03-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

The term Ayurveda originates from the Sanskrit language. It refers to a healing therapy based on the cognitive health care of body and the spirit. According to the ayurvedic school of health care, every person has unique requirements for achieving a state of equilibrium in terms of mind and body. This need is never the same for two individuals. Food is necessary not just for energy but also for body building. Food or diet forms a crucial part in ayurvedic treatment.Ayurvedic food typically refers to foot items prepared from herbs and other vegetation. When it comes to achieving the all-important balance in terms of spirit and the bodily disposition of an individual, ayurvedic food plays the most significant part. Those who practice ayurvedic healing methods always prescribe different diet charts for the patients under their supervision. This personalized diet helps an individual to combat his or her health complications. Ayurvedic food or ayurvedic diet is determined on the basis of quite a few factors. First of all it depends on the person's age and gender.What is prescribed to a young man is never allotted to an aged person. It has been scientifically proved that dietary requirements in males are greater than that in females, because of body weights. The dosha is another important factor to determine the food chart for an individual who is undergoing ayurvedic treatment. It might be noted that different individuals show different signs and inclinations to dosha. Other factors include the level of toxins in the blood, strength of the body tissues and the digestive capabilities. The practitioners of Ayurveda or alternative medicine take this issue of digestive capabilities very seriously while laying down customized ayurvedic food charts for their clients.

Ayurvedic food makes this healing method one of the exhaustive systems of health care within the conventional school of medicine. While other medication lays emphasis on the widespread usage of synthetic or chemical drugs to treat maladies, Ayurveda has been maintaining a firm posture in terms of what to choose and what to get rid of from the list of effective medicines. Ayurvedic food, needless to mention, belongs to the category of the most potent weapons of treatment.

Ayurvedic methods of treatment demand certain disciplines. Your treatment will hardly fetch the intended result unless you abide by a few simple rules. You need to take your food on time. This is the first prerequisite which you cannot afford to do without. Apart from taking food on time, you also have to be very careful about what you should ideally take and what you should not.

Dietary requirements differ from person to person. In ayurvedic Medicare, food should only be taken when the previously taken food has been digested fully. Follow these simple laws of life and you are welcome to lead your life on a happy and sound note.

Ayurvedic Events

2010-03-26T11:49:00.001-07:00

Ayurved is known to human beings from time unmemorable. It is the most ancient type of treatment of various diseases. Indians have been using this method of treatment from ancient times. By Ayurved, it is generally referred to Ayurvedic medicine. In modern days too, it has been used mostly by people of Nepal, India and Sri Lanka. The meaning of Ayurved means the knowledge of life or, more prominently, the knowledge of long life. So, it can be said that it is associated with the well being of human mankind. The ancient books refer this system of treating different diseases. Different Ayurvedic Events occur throughout the year all over the world. Nowadays, the Ayurved is being implemented in some other countries, than what is mentioned above, one of the prominent being United States of America.

Right from the beginning of the coming year, 2008, there are lots of Ayurvedic Events, which will take place at different cities, all over the world. This article is based on some of the prominent Ayurvedic Events. In the month of January and February, one of the popular Ayurvedic Events will occur in the name of 'Panacea', the venue being World Trade Centre at Mumbai in India.
Ayurvedic medical practitioners all over the world will be attending this session. The discussions will be cased on natural products. The scientists will be exchanging their views on how to heal people with the help of natural Ayurvedic treatments.

Later in the coming year, in the month of March, another prominent of the Ayurvedic Events of 2008 will occur at Anaheim in United States of America. The session will be at Anaheim Convention Center. The name of this seminar is 'Natural products Expo West'. It is clear by the name that it will deal with the natural products and issues like, wellness industries and global health will also be in consideration.

China, another place famous for Ayurved medicines, will also organize one Ayurvedic Event, in the month of May. It will take place in Shanghai. The suppliers and customers will meet face to face, which will be of great help in demand and supply. The name of this seminar is 'Biofach China'.

Some other Ayurvedic Events are scheduled to occur at new Delhi in India, Hong Kong in China, Philippines, Singapore, Italy, Australia, Brazil and some other at different places in United States of America.

These seminars are sure to bring much more improvement in the field of Ayurved and by exchange of views, new types of treatment will be introduced, which will be more effective in treating various diseases and lead towards well being of mankind.

Diatreat Ayurvedic Treatment

2010-03-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

Ayurveda has gained in popularity in leaps and bounds and many braches have originated from this widespread tree of medication whose history can be traced back several thousands of years. One of the very effective methods of this kind of herbal curing procedure which has turned out to be of great help to those availing of the same is Diatreat Ayurvedic Treatment. This follows a very unique system of healing, curing as well as restoring and is very beneficial to the receiver. However, what you need to remember is that this kind of Diatreat Ayurvedic Treatment is not provide in all the places around India or those destinations famous for Ayurveda. This is a specialized treatment provided by the Diatreat Ayurvedic Treatment Centre in Chennai which specializes in making use of herbal elements from nature and provide relief to the patients in the least painful and easiest of manners. Read on to know more about Diatreat Ayurvedic Treatment.

Located in the midst of nature and connecting with nature, this center abhors the consumption or use of chemical products as medicines.
Rather, they go on to make herbal medications especially to provide relief from the disease diabetes forever. The medicines and treatments provided by Diatreat Ayurvedic Treatment Centre work very effectively over a short span of time. The medicine also known as Diatreat works efficiently against the conditions of high blood sugar level, and with time eliminates this disease completely from the human system.
he Diatreat Ayurvedic treatment ensures that the patient does not require going through a perpetual period of dieting and insulin intake. Apart from getting rid of diabetes alone, some related diseases are also done away with. This medicine is completely herbal, created out of herbs found in nature especially along the forests, mountains and valleys and some of these herbs include Shylajit, Balela, Kayzhakhadiradi Kashyam, emblica officinalis, syzigium comini and much more. It helps, besides treating diabetes, in curing weakness, pain in the joints, body aches, cataract, loss of weight, heart attack and others.

The Diatreat Ayurvedic treatment itself advices diabetic patients to consume much of soups along with following of daily diet as this could help one to stay fit. No dieting is usually advised. When it comes to the dosage of the tablets, two on a daily basis following dinner and breakfast, is advised. Even patients on Allopathic mediations can take Diatreat as it has no side effects. Diatreat Treatments are quite affordable as medicines for three months could be available at the rate of about five thousand rupees and for patients living abroad would have to pay about a thousand rupees more due to the freight charges.

Ayurvedic Courses in America

2010-03-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

Ayurved is gaining so much popularity that the concept is being adapted by those countries which was unaware of this principles. The concept of Ayurved is widely used in India, China and Sri Lanka from time unknown. It deals with products from nature like different flowers, fruits or herbs, which have been useful in treating some ailments of mankind. Apart from the institutions in India, there are some other places which teach this concept, one of the prominent ones being the institutions in USA. They have started taking lots of interest in Ayurved and it is growing in leaps and bounds in this continent. Ayurvedic Courses in America are basically the same as in other places, as the basic concept has to be same, just like any other discipline. There are lots of distance learning institutions also in USA, which are excellent in teaching Ayurved.

Out of the Ayurvedic Courses in America, one of the popular is Ayurvedic Healing Arts Institute, situated at California. The Medicine Buddha Healing Center is quite recognizable. They deal with Tibetan way of healing and also offer distance learning.
The learning materials are sufficient for well understanding the subject. If you wish to pursue it, you can contact this institute and learn in your preferred time and you will not have to attend classes. Florida Vedic College offer masters as well as doctorate degree certificates on Ayurved. Apart from these two, there are also some other institutions which offer courses and professional degrees on Ayurved in USA, both in distance learning and regular courses.In United States of America, Ayurved has become so much popular that the mainstream doctors are taking help from this ancient mode of treatment to treat different diseases. Ayurved has proved to be very useful in treating some diseases which are not possible in other types of medicine or might be it gives better results by Ayurved. Lots of universities are offering courses on Accupuncture, one of the popular stream of Ayurvedic medicine. Studies reveal that the Americans are spending huge amount on holistic medicines or Ayurvedic medicines, without even informing their respective physicians, who treat patients by modern medicines.

Ayurvedic Courses in America deal with the goodness of different herbs, flowers and barks of different trees, and how it can be used as medicine for various diseases. These hers are mixed in required amounts in order to prepare the medicines. The basic thing of recognizing the herbs which are widely available in nature is the key concept of these Ayurvedic Courses in America, just like any other course in Ayurved, anywhere in world. Some of these Ayurvedic Courses in America also mix the concepts of Yoga along with Ayurved, which have proved to be useful.

Ayurvedic Consultation

2010-03-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

Who does not want to lead a healthy life these days? With the work pressure mounting on everybody, it is of paramount importance to know the keys to a healthy living. Alternative medicine has provided with the all important clues to this issue. Ayurveda is one of the main pillars of alternative medicine. Founded by the sages in ancient Indian subcontinent some 5000 years back, alternative medicine or ayurvedic means of treatment has been catering to numerous health issues for all ages. Ayurvedic consultation has become a regular affair these days, especially for the modern individuals who hardly get any productive time to look after their health. The basic purpose of ayurvedic consultation is to provide the patients with prospective healthcare solutions. The best thing about ayurvedic treatment is that it looks after the human physiological system as a whole and treats it completely. While all other means of treatment are based on meeting organ-specific or area-specific treatment, Ayurveda takes up the matter in a collective manner and offer panacea for all types of related complications as well.
If you closely look at the term Ayurveda, you will get to know the underlying meaning of this therapy. This term literally means knowledge of the working principles of life. Rather than the body itself, Ayurvedic treatment digs deep into the cognitive working of the human physiological and psychological system. Any form of ayurvedic treatment lays a tremendous emphasis on the working of the mind. It is said in ancient Hindu scriptures in India that the mind holds the key to all physical ailments.Conceptually, ayurvedic consultation deals with striking the right chord between mind and the body. The system of ayurvedic healing has emerged following groundbreaking research works being conducted by numerous Medicare foundations all around the globe. The path was shown by the ancient Indian sages and as time passed, Ayurveda was embraced by the western civilizations too.

By resorting to ayurvedic consultation as a prospective remedy to any health issue, an individual can find the gateway to a life that is least likely to get plagued by diseases and illnesses. The fact that Ayurveda believes in providing an exhaustive healthcare solution to chronic ailments makes it one of the sought after health care means worldwide.

Ayurvedic consultation has more than one ways to rejuvenate the mind and body. The herbs that are used for Ayurvedic treatment offer an all-inclusive solution to chronic diseases such as insomnia, diabetes, nervous tension, high blood pressure, anxiety and mental disorders, arthritis and so on. These complications are prevalent among all, regardless of location or time.

Intuition and observation of the overall health condition of the patient play the most significant role as diagnostic tools for ayurvedic consultation.

Ayurvedic Classes in India

2010-03-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

Ayurveda refers to the age-old Hindu healthcare practice of restoring the balance between mind and body as a means to provide the panacea for various diseases. The history of Ayurveda dates back to some 5000 to 10000 years back. The immense potential of different herbs was first realized by the ancient Hindu sages. In fact the Charak Samhita, an ancient Hindu healthcare guide, cites the benefits of ayurvedic means of treatment. The infinite possibility of Ayurveda was unearthed by the sage physician Charaka. As the human civilization made rapid advancement towards prosperity, diseases also came flocking in. More and more people are turning to Ayurveda these days as the allopathic means of treatment do not always heal the health complications completely. The term Ayurveda, if literally translated, means the knowledge of life. It deals with the conventional holistic approach to the purging of the spirit and body. When it comes to discussing about the Ayurvedic classes in India, the first notable thing is its widespread application in a diverse number of fields.
Almost all kinds of ailments are perfectly curable by ayurvedic means. Even the chronic diseases or health complications such as high blood pressure, renal problems, cardiac problems, sleep disorders, skin-related issues and so on can be healed completely by Ayurveda. The good thing about ayurvedic treatment is that the diseases, once cured, hardly recur in the future. Now with this overwhelming popularity of this healthcare system, many academic institutes have incorporated Ayurveda as a leading discipline at all levels. Ayurveda classes in India are conducted in many schools and colleges. The basics of Ayurveda are included in the curriculum. As the pupil comes to learn about the basics, he or she is taught the advanced levels of ayurvedic Medicare.
Ayurvedic classes in India aim at providing an exhaustive coverage of not just the components of this system of healthcare, but also make an endeavor to enhance the awareness of people about the fundamental building blocks of life. Ayurveda believes that any kind of treatment is bound to fall short of the desired goal unless the body is not seen as a outer sphere of mind. Everything is in the mind - this is what Ayurveda promotes.

Extensive researches are carried out throughout the country for the development of Ayurveda. Ayurvedic classes in India are based on an institutionalized system that works together with homeopathic and herbal Medicare as well. The faculties in the ayurvedic classes in India are striving hard to establish a connection between the ancient Indian medical literature and the psychological literature of the occident.

Ayurvedic Centers in India

2010-03-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

Ayurveda provides a comprehensive healing remedy for numerous diseases and health complications. Originated in India some 5000 years ago, ayurvedic methods of treatment delve deep into finding the root of ailments. In this regard alone, Ayurveda differs from the modern means of Medicare. While majority of the modern drugs are made of chemical or synthetic substances and hence they tend to affect the physiological system in an adverse manner, ayurvedic medicines contribute to the overall well being of mind and the body. It takes the body as a combination of spirit and biological organs and tries to provide the panacea for all types of instabilities. From an etymological perspective, Ayurveda means the knowledge of life. The fundamentals of Ayurveda is based on the ancient Indian understanding of a healthy and prosperous living. Today we see that the ayurvedic centers of India are spread across the length and breadth of the country. But things were different some 5000 years back. The ayurvedic centers of India were few and far between. They were run by eminent sages and wise persons who took this form of Medicare as a gift from the Almighty Himself.

In today's world, ayurvedic methods of treatment is perceived as a source of alternative healing. But things were different in the germinating days of Ayurveda. Then it was the only source of healing. Gradually as the complications of modern living began to increase, Ayurveda assumed greater significance. The Ayurvedic centers in India do not just offer prospective healing therapies for diseases such as apnea, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiac malfunctioning, renal failures and so on, but they also contribute to the growth and prosperity of medical tourism in India.Ayurveda shares an inseparable bond with nature. No form of ayurvedic treatment is fully achieved unless and until there is a natural intervention. India being a country of increasing population and pollution hardly offers much exposure to pristine natural settings. However, if you move from the jostling urban seats towards the border areas of the country, you will get to explore untamed nature at its full glory. Majority of the ayurvedic centers in India are cozily tucked away in states located by the sea. The long-stretching coastlines of India do offer a brilliant scope for tourism. States such as Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh are featured with a number of Ayurvedic centers. Yoga is also a part of the healing therapies in most of the ayurvedic centers in India.

India can safely be singled out from other countries with regards to a successful promotion of its ancient culture and wisdom. The ayurvedic centers in India witness the successful implementation of a longstanding method of treatment.

Browse through the names of some of the top ayurvedic centers in India:
Art of Living Foundations
Vivekananda Kendra
The Ramakrishna Mission
Divya Yoga Trust
B. K. Iyengar Yoga Institute
Indian Alternate Therapy Institute
Gujarat Ayurvedic University
Ausara Ayurveda
Santhitheeram Center
Kalpa Siddhi Health & Life Care
Bihar School of Yoga
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Foundation

Ayurved Beauty Tips

2010-03-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

According to the Vedic literature it is said that we all are the important and truly beautiful creations of nature. No form of the creation is ugly. Every aspect of the creation is replete with beauty. Talking of beauty , it needs mention that Ayurved Beauty Tips are one of the most natural way one can attain the beauty along with the purification of the mind and the soul as well.
With the advent of the technology all across the globe and the increasing lack of time, it has become very difficult to follow a proper beauty regime and come to terms with your personal. What many people do not understand is the fact that in the process, the inner self is getting damaged. The Ayurved Beauty Tips, is one way by which you can try and solve your problems related with beauty, by beauty its the inner and the outer as well.

There is no denying the fact that our skin has to face the brunt of the constant onslaughts of the chemicals everyday that is the resultant of the pollution of the environment. What even aggravates the situation is the chemically formulated products that promise to provide solutions but does not do so.
The result is that you need help for getting back that much desired skin which is robbed of its natural balance. There are simple and effective Ayurvedic home remedies help you to attain a clear, healthy and glowing complexion. These Ayurved Beauty Tips are time tested and well tried formulas that not only promises to cleanse the outer problems but the main focus remains on the total cleansing from inside as well. By going the natural way, you can expect to attain better results and more effective than when you resort to the chemical treatment procedures.
Consider the following some of the important Ayurved Beauty Tips:
Ayurved is a great way of getting beautiful skin, the skin that you always desire to possess. However getting the same is not that easy and requires a lot of effort to reach the desired goal. To start with, you can consider the following Ayurved Beauty Tips. These are like,
For the cleansing the skin, you dip a piece of cotton wool in unboiled milk and wipe on the face with it, it also cleans unseen dirt and goes down to pores.
For the skin moisturizer, you can make a mix and apply. Basically it includes, a mixture of 1 tablespoon orange juice and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a cup of yogurt, to make a paste. Nourishing the skin is very important.
For preventing wrinkles , you can consider the application of pure castor oil prevents wrinkles and softens the skin. This also slows down the aging process.
With Ayurved Beauty Tips, you can also make some other products to reduce your problems, like home made conditioner, removing skin pigmentation and marks and sun-screen lotion from kitchen.

sitagita informs about Ayurved Beauty Tips, to know more on the other aspects of Ayurveda, do navigate through the other pages of the site. You never know what awaits your need!

Ayurved Basics

2010-03-26T11:26:00.000-07:00

Ayurved is considered to be one of the most ancient and the traditional science. Living a healthy life is the whole mantra of Ayurved that is naturally. Survival is one of the greatest fights that humans have to face and it is very difficult to survive without combating any disease. It may be even said that Ayurveda teaches the perfect way of leading a healthy life. Among the Ayurved Basics, it may be said that etymologically the whole concept is composed of two words Ayur and Veda. While the meaning of Ayur is life, the meaning of Veda means science or knowledge, the blend of which is called Ayurveda-the science of life. Ayurveda cannot only be limited to the domain of medicinal system in fact it is the way of life.

Some facts regarding Ayurved Basics:
One of the Ayurved Basics, points out that ayurved is divided into eight parts. It is because of this reason it is also called Ashtanga Ayurveda. These are like, Kaya, Bal, Graha, Urdhwa, Shalya, Dhanstra, Jara, Vrishan. According to the basic concept of ayurved, the human body has seven body types.
These are Mono-types or vata, pitta or kapha predominant, dual types or vata-pitta, pitta-kapha or, kapha-vata, and Equal types, vata, pitta and kapha in equal proportions. It is said that all the individuals are made of this unique combination of these three Doshas. Understanding the uniqueness of an individual are the Ayurved Basics. According to Ayurveda all humans are governed by three vital doctrines, which normalize and direct the biological functions. They are Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The Ayurved Basics also point out to the fact that, doshas are of fundamental importance because they are in charge for coordinating, guiding and directing all the functions of the body. Suitable understanding and acquaintance of the doshas give us the understanding of the operation of the acumen that instructs the dhatus (body tissues) and malas (waste products) and gives the body its vast functional capability. The theory of three doshas is the basic groundwork of Ayurvedic science and its diagnosis and treatment modalities.

Functional facts of Ayurved Basics:
The main functions of three doshas comprise of motions, transportation and electromagnetic activities are controlled by vata. Whereas Pitta represents fire theory and is concerned with process of alteration, utilization and other chemical changes taking place in the living body. Kapha is the water principle and as such every living cell is intruded to gain performance. All the individual doshas have their own unique characters, which are different to each other so as to maintain the symmetry.

sitagita informs about Ayurved Basics, to know more on the other aspects of Ayurveda, do navigate through the other pages of the site. You never know what awaits your need!

Ayurved India

2010-03-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

ndia is well known for many things and Ayurved India is one aspect that needs special mention. Ayurved basically means the science of life. It is one of the traditional medicine of India. Considered a natural science it is very much popular in India and also around the globe. The basis of the ayurved doe not depend on the dead or organic chemical substances or even the mechanistic and materialistic view of the human body. What is important in the ayurvedic concept of lifestyle is its deep communion with the spirit itself. It also paves for the understanding of the life force movement. One of the main focus of Ayurved India is to present the world with an alternative to the technical and mechanical model of modern medicine. Ayurvedic treatments are truly holistic medicine whose wealth is simply over whelming. This truth ha been acknowledged by the west and is also explored by the Western world.

Facts about Ayurved India:
It can be said that Ayurved is not just a folk medicine of a kind. It is a serious science that originated in the realms of India and has managed too survive and is still going strong with its concept.
This particular science is based on the observation of living being and the reaction to the surrounding environment. It may be mentioned that the classification is made not only on the individuals but also climates, foods, herbs, emotions, and lifestyles in an energetic language. It also helps in reflecting the entire living world around us. Ayurved possesses the longest clinical experience that any medicine system can have.
Ayurved India, has the history of Ayurvedic hospitals and colleges that goes back to over three thousand years. It also has the science of anatomy and physiology that follows the ritualistic model based upon the biological humors. It also has an exhaustible herbal and mineral industry that includes the a wade range of the herbal and pharmaceutical preparation in the world. These comprise of herbal wines, jellies, confections, resins, balsams, pills, and an extensive system of mineral preparation. There are special clinical methods that includes the oil massage, and Pancha Karma purification use of steam therapy, and rejuvenation. Most importantly, the science is a science of self-care that also covers the entire methodology of right living. The ayurved in India is also responsible for good health and promoting greater awareness and creativity. This is all done by following the constitutional model that considers the uniqueness of the fundamental factor in health and certainly not the disease itself. It is important to mention that while the western medicine has focused mainly on the pathogens and outside control of the diseases, Ayurved actually concentrates on the individual and control the balance from inside.

sitagita informs about Ayurved India, to know more on the other aspects of Ayurveda, do navigate through the other pages of the site. You never know what awaits your need!

Yoga and Ayurved

2010-03-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

Alternative method of healing and therapies can be used to treat people and their problems. Yoga is not just a form of exercise it includes different postures and breathing techniques which helps to cure people and their ailments. Similar in its function is Ayurveda which is another alternative type of healing method. Combining both Yoga and Ayurved can give you effective results so that you can obtain good health.

Ayurveda and Diabetes

2010-03-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

Even diabetes can be cured by Ayurveda. Exercises and yoga are also used to treat this illness. Many herbs are used to treat diabetes. A cleansing program is used which involves panchakarma. You can use ½ teaspoon ground by leaf and ½ teaspoon turmeric which can be mixed in 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel. You should take this concoction before lunch and dinner. You should have water from a copper vessel. You can also take a mixture of grounded seeds of fenugreek, turmeric, and white pepper. This mixture should be taken one teaspoon full along with a glass of milk twice in a day.

Ayurvedic food

The good food which is suggested by Ayurveda is fresh fruits and vegetables. Herbal tea, nuts, honey, and jaggery are essentially good for your body, mind and soul. Each type of food evokes a certain energy and emotion. Each food has a specific reaction on the doshas. Vata body types should avoid black beans. Pitta body types should not eat food which is hot and spicy. The Kapha types should avoid dairy products and cold food and beverages. For more details and assistance you can always contact the Ayurvedic practitioners.

Ayurveda massage

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Ayurveda massage is very popular. There is a specific typical way of massaging. The massages help to relive oneself from stress. It helps to eliminate toxins and get relaxed. There are many clinics in India and abroad which provides one with Ayurvedic massages. These massages are a passive form of exercises. It is the key to good health. There are massage oils available which are used in this type of massages.

Ayurveda remedies

Ayurveda remedies can treat problems like constipation, cold, indigestion and insomnia can be treated by this form of healing. Herbs like Sarpagandha and Arjuna can be used to treat hypertension. To treat constipation you can take 3-5 prunes which can be boiled for 15 minutes. To treat indigestion you can go on a fast on lemon juice and water. You can also try out by consuming 1/3 of the milk of a coconut before breakfast.

Ayurveda and Arthritis

When treating arthritis, ayurveda bases its treatment on the patient’s food habits and the type of constitution one has. The practitioners first make an estimation of the amount of vata, pitta and kapha. The three doshas are taken into consideration when treating arthritis. Through this healing method one tries to eradicate ama from colon. For that one is prescribed either haritaki or amalaki or bibbitaki depending on the constitution. There are herbals oils which are used to relieve pain. It will help you to revitalize yourself.

Ayurveda and Beauty

This is one of the most trusted and oldest forms of healing. More and more people opted for ayurveda to get ever glowing skin and gorgeous look. One could get smooth and glowing skin by mixing and applying 1 tablespoon orange juice and lemon juice in a 1 cup full of curd. If you want to get rid of wrinkles the natural way then pure castor oil can help you to effectively get prevent the wrinkles to appear on your face. If you want to remove pigments and marks then you can rub a raw potato to get desired results.

Ayurveda

2010-03-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

The Traditional Indian way of healing, Ayurved, is today no longer as traditional and confined to India as it used to be earlier. Today it has become a global phenomenon and people are using the benefits of Ayurveda across the world to relieve themselves from diseases and disorders in the most traditional way and without any side effects! The diagnosis and ayurvedic treatments would cure you of all ailments and Ayurvedic herbs and Ayurvedic food would help you to lead a healthy life, which will be free of diseases and disorders.
Ayurved centers in India are scattered all across the country and while holidaying in India, make sure to be a part of the Ayurvedic events and take a few essential tips from them. The concept of Ayurveda is not only limited to the use of Indian herbs. In fact, it is now a popular concept even in the western countries. There are new courses in America which are based on Ayurveda. Ayurved treatment in Kerala is well known and if you are visiting India you can definitely opt for.

History of Ayurveda

It is a holistic medical system which was first penned down over 5,000 years ago. It is a way of healing which deals with your spirit and body. History of Ayurveda records that the popular sage Veda Vyasa had written down all the information on this method of healing. It is a widely practiced process of healing which is popular even till this date.

Ayurveda for hair loss

Hair loss can be treated by a mix of herbs, oils, massages and a specific diet. To decrease pitta you can have 1/3 cup of alove vera juice. You can get a coconut oil or vitamin E oil massage to reduce hair fall. You can eat a handful of white sesame seeds in the morning. These contain magnesium and calcium which can be good for your hair. You can consume yogurt everyday which will be beneficial for your hair loss problem. You can drink a mixture of dashamoola 5 parts, jatamamsi 3 parts and bhringraj 4 parts with 1 cup of goat milk. The combination added should be only ½ teaspoon.

Balanced Diet for children

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A Balanced Diet for children is necessary because they are in their developing stage and they need proper nutrition for proper growth and development. The requirement of nutrition differs from each body type to another. Children need to have at least six meals a day because at one go they cannot eat much. Food items such as meat, fish and vegetables and cereals and pulses are to be fed to the kids for ensuring proper health.

Give your child fresh fruits and vegetables and inculcate a habit of feeding them all this from an early stage. Disallow children to eat between meals. Children should have which has ample amounts of calories, proteins, minerals and vitamins. Food items like milk, green leafy vegetables, egg, whole grain items and lean meat will have the required nutrition. So give your child a little bit of each so that they can maintain a balanced diet.

Balanced Diet during pregnancy

A Balanced Diet during pregnancy is very essential as you are now accountable for your childs health too. You will have to eat a lot of nutritious stuff so that you and your babys health are in perfect state. During pregnancy you should have plenty of starchy food items like pasta, rice and bread. You should also have five portions of fruits and vegetables daily.

Dairy products are very important during pregnancy as it is a chief source of calcium. You should also consume food which is rich in protein food items like eggs, lean meat and pulses. High fiber food should also be consumed. All these items are to be consumed but the proportion might differ according to your body needs. For that you can consult your doctor or a nutritionist.

Balanced Diet for women

A Balanced Diet for women is very important as women health is prone to suffer more than men if compared. Especially after 40 when women are on the verge of menopause their health tends to suffer more. Hence a balanced diet can ensure to a great extent that they maintain good health. To protect ones bones one has to have calcium rich diet so that women can prevent osteoporosis. Women should include magnesium and Vitamin D too in to ensure they are consuming a balanced diet. Low saturated fats should be consumed so that women can avoid heart related diseases. Women should not skip their meals as that is not good for their body. If dieting one should diet smart by including all types of food in their balanced diet but in the right proportions.

Food items in your Balanced Diet

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Sources of the balanced diet are from different sections. Among the milk items there are milk, yogurt and cheese. Apart from the milk items there are many other sources of balanced diet from the solid foods that are available throughout the world. Chicken, beef, pork, and many other meats are important for our bodies. Seeds and nuts are also important for the appropriate nutrition of our bodies. But the main thing is that we all have to maintain a good balance among all the things that you take.

Rice is great source for maintaining a balanced diet. Indian people have their staple diet based on the carbohydrate food items like rice, bread and many other things belonging to this category. So, they also need to maintain the proportion clearly, otherwise the dietary imbalance may cause many side effects which can be fatal to our bodies. Proper foods are also to be taken for the natural development of our bones. Beans and peas are also very popular in all the countries throughout the whole world and they are mainly used in making curries of different types.

Ayurvedic Concept of Balanced Diet

If we come to talk about India, the concept of Ayurveda always deal with the ideas of balanced diet. There are many formulae which are based on the appropriate amount of vitamins, minerals, and fats taken in human bodies. Yoga and other popular exercises in this country are directly related to this concept of balanced diet. Apart from all these the appropriate amount of water intake is also vital. This keeps our body cells alive.

Balanced Diet

2010-03-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

Food and nutrition are the two things about which people of this time are very conscious. Balanced diet is the best way to live a healthy life. All the doctors throughout the whole world are prescribing for a well balanced diet. This is the only way through which you can be able to live a life without the intake of any medicine. Balanced diet is an idea that you need to promote among your family members so that they can also live a healthy life.

Concept of Balanced Diet

The concept of balanced diet is actually based on the appropriate amount of nutritious foods and their balance in a perfect full grown human body. The amount used for balanced diet in the body of a full grown person is different from that of a child. Doctors can help you out as far as fixing the amounts of balanced diet for your body. Apart from the solid food, there is the appropriate proportion of water and fresh fruit juices which should be taken. The whole process of the intake of food and water in right measurement maintains the condition and development of the body cells.

Balanced Diet to fight Obesity

Obesity has become one of the vital issues in life of people in this modern era. The number of people suffering from disproportionate bodies is increasing day by day and that is why it is required by people to maintain a balanced diet. The awareness about balanced diet is growing gradually and that is why we can really hope for a healthy future. The combination of balanced diet with light exercises is the main thing that a person should maintain throughout his or her life. This is the best way to live a life free from diseases. Muscles can be easily developed by the help of heavy exercises but this doest not mean that a person is healthy. Only the balanced diet and proper exercises are the best way to keep the body fully fit.

Fitness Tips:

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* Check your Body Mass Index (BMI). You can access BMI calculator from the Internet. Input your weight and height and if it asserts that your weight is in the average range of people of your heights or not. By calculating your BMI you will know whether you need weight loss program or not.
* Keep a tab on your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) which indicates the amount of calories you consume regularly. If you consume the sufficient amount of calorie then it will help you perform regular activities better. It is vital because it would advise you when to put a halt to your eating habits and how much you need to restrict yourself. Through this, you can gorge on anything you want to; provided it is within the range of calories you should intake in a day.
* Another aspect of fitness training depends on the physical health which can be improved through exercise. You can begin with small work-outs and in due course exercise your way up, elevating the strength and intricacy of the exercise routine. It vital to do cardio and aerobic exercises, such as walking, running or jogging etc. You can graduate to some rigorous training work-outs and weight lifting if you want to reduce fats. Do this exercise for around three to five times a day for maximum outputs.
* Last but not the least take good care of your body and do not stress too much. Permit yourself to take some rest for a while, whenever you are tired.
* Remember, do not starve or deprive yourself from sumptuous meals otherwise you might end up consuming them in large quantity.
* Avoid the habit of taking diet pills, as it might seem to be an easy way to undergo diet but proves to be harmful in the long run.
* Be regimented and accountable for your body because then you would be happy on the hard work you did and your body will start loving you.

Different Types of Diet that you can follow:

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Atkins Diet

Sample Atkins Diet Menu

Breakfast:
Italian sausage frittat
One Cup of herbal tea

Lunch:
Tuna salad with assorted leafy greens garnished with bacon bits
Dinner:
Bacon cheeseburger with bro
ccoli and cauliflower
Fresh fruit kebobs

Snacks:
High-protein, low-sugar snack bar

Advantages of Atkins Diet

These types of foods are generally restrained in many conventional diets and its inclusion suggests that many people like to consume as much protein and fat as they desire.
This diet plan is for people who have tried and tested low-fat, high-carbohydrate weight loss diet without achieving successful results. Including more protein in diet often lead to reduced food cravings and speedy weight loss.
The diet is comparatively easy to pursue as there are no intricate meal plans

Low Fat Diet

Breakfast:
Oatmeal formed with skim milk and garnished with blueberries
One Cup of herbal tea

Lunch:
Ginger carrot soup with whole-wheat bread
Pear, apple and cranberry fruit salad

Dinner:
Mediterranean chicken over whole-wheat spaghetti
Roasted vegetables
Small glass of red wine
Sliced melon with cherries

Snacks:
Celery sticks or broccoli and low-fat ranch dressing
Low-fat cottage cheese/ fat-free yogurt with fresh fruit

Advantages of Low-Fat Diet

Vegetables, whole grains are foods which are not only low in fat but also healthy.
Fatty foods are rich in sugar, which is not good for your health and can result in weight gain. Reducing on cookies and ice cream is a best option.
A low-fat diet has been successful in lessening the chances of many health conditions, such as high cholesterol, obesity and heart ailments.

Slim Fast Diet

Breakfast:
Slim-Fast shake or bar

Lunch:
Shake or bar
Half a turkey sandwich or citrus spinach salad

Dinner:
Grilled or steamed asparagus, eggplant and squash
Baked fish, skinless chicken or lean beef
Salad with dressing
Small serving of potato, pasta, rice or corn
Fruit

Snacks:
Apple, half a cup of grapes, half a banana or small fruit salad
Ounce of pretzels or mini-bag of popcorn
Snack bar

Advantages of Slim Fast Diet

Slim Fast Diet has flexible plan that can suit individual requirements
Shakes and bars can offer a balanced diet.
Once you decide to follow Slim Fast diet you can get sufficient online assistance from health communities, consultants and dietitians.
You will also get information regarding lifestyle alterations, exercise regimes, healthy food, snack tips and weight maintenance.

Weight Watchers Diet

Breakfast:
Vegetables scrambled with egg whites, or cup of bran flakes with skim milk
Cup of berries
Fat-free yogurt
Tea

Lunch:
Cup of vegetable soup
Black-bean burger or turkey on whole-grain bread with lettuce and tomato
Slice of melon
Water

Dinner:
Big green salad
Four slices of pork tenderloin
Steamed zucchini and summer squash
Half a cup of brown rice
Cup of fruit smoothie

Snacks:
Most vegetables and fruits
Lean protein such as a slice of chicken or turkey
Cup or two of air-popped or light popcorn

Advantages of Weight Watchers Diet:

Weight Watchers Diet program concentrates on novel eating routines and eradicates food that lead to overeating.
There is no counting of calories neither measuring of size in this diet plan.
This program does not ban foods, but can educate how to restrict temptations and find interest in eating healthy food.

Diet and Fitness

2010-03-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

Weight loss is becoming the growing desire of every women of today irrespective of age. This is the various reasons most of them are getting involved into various weight loss programs, taking part in active exercise sessions.

In this regards, it should be remembered that following a proper diet is more important than exercise.

Yoga exercises, work outs form a part of the weight loss itinerary but keeping a tab on the diet is the most important factor to keep yourself in shape. Here are some valuable diet tips which will help you in pursuit of both good health and a good figure at the same time.

These diet tips are simple to follow and are very effective in achieving your goal of having the perfect statistics.

Women Health Care

2010-03-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

Women health care in most cases takes a back seat because of the multitude tasks she has to undertake. Health care for women means extra nutrition and care especially when they cross the age of 30. They should follow specific diet tips and develop a healthy eating habit. Diseases that are common in women are anemia, anxiety, depression, osteoporosis, migraine, weight gain and weakness. They are the ailments which begin with simple symptoms but might go to extreme degrees if adequate attention is not provided. So if you could only try to follow the health tips for women before it gets too late for everything then you can ensure a healthy you.

There are various health magazines for women and women health websites giving a number of healthy tips for women. Women's health care practices will indeed improve if they put a stern eye over the health tips offered by the various sources. So let us have a look over the simplest of ways and try to remain healthy and happy. With the tips you will be highly benefited and you will slowly find the changes in you and your health.

You should drink lots of water. At least 8 -12 glasses of water consumption should be done by an adult. Develop a healthy eating habit and live more on fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, and food rich in fiber, shoots, seeds and cereals. Increase your protein intake and also have more of carbohydrate in your diet. Calcium rich diet is also essential for women as they tend to suffer a lot from osteoporosis after menopause. You should do some, yoga, exercises and work out a daily basis, so that you can stay in shape as well as fit and healthy. These will surely help you to remain active for a long time.

Working Women Health Care

Doctors and fitness experts all over the world recommend balanced diet high in proteins and low in fats and carbohydrates. Diet containing enough vitamins and minerals improve immunity and mental performance. Drink lots of water. Fresh fruit juices are good for health. Beverages like tea, coffee and fizzy drinks must be avoided. Even if you drink tea or coffee try to avoid the consumption of sugar. Exercise regularly. Go for morning walks, jogging, cycling or climb stairs to stay active. It keeps you fit and decreases stress and anxiety. Keep a check on your weight to ensure that you stay fit. Devote your time to pursue your hobbies to get relief from stress and anxiety. Regular health checkups will warn you timely about health complications. Sleep for 8 hours to stay fresh the next day. These are the health tips which should be followed by working women to stay healthy.

Health Tips for Women

2010-03-26T11:01:00.000-07:00

Do you find it hard to balance your work and family? Have you thought of taking a much-needed break? It is medically proven women are much more prone to health risks than men. Women's health needs extra care and attention. Their constitution is very different and hence needs special care. The importance of taking care of ones health is not understood by many women. But the earlier they understand it is better for them.

Here are some health tips, which should be religiously followed amidst all the ordeals, such as, full-time job, meeting office targets, family responsibilities and household chores. These round the clock duties and responsibilities are the major factors that take its toll on women. Many a times it is hard for women's to juggle and strike a perfect balance between their personal and professional life.

Amidst all hard work, and family responsibilities women go through different hormonal changes, pregnancy, and the period of menopause; and women rarely get the time to give personal attention to their health and wellness. Still if the simple daily health tips for women can be included in the daily schedule then you can find a sea of changes in every woman and her health.

Tips For Preventing Swine Flu

2009-08-13T06:55:00.000-07:00

As it investigates recent incidents of swine influenza in humans, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is stressing prevention.

The agency has posted several Web pages dealing with swine flu, including a list of what you can do to forestall this — or any — infectious disease.

The CDC recommends taking these everyday precautions:

• Avoid contact with people if you, or they, are sick.

• Stay at home — from work, school or other public activities — when you are ill.

• Shield others from your coughs and sneezes by using a tissue.

• Wash your hands often.

• Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose or mouth.

• Maintain healthful habits — get ample sleep and exercise, drink fluids, eat well.

Currently, there's no vaccine for humans that prevents swine flu, though scientists are working on one. But there is a vaccine for some forms of swine flu in pigs.

Which suggests one more precaution particular to this outbreak: Avoid unnecessary contact with live pigs. (It's safe to eat pork, but not pet a pig.) But that alone may not roadblock the spread of swine flu this time around. In pigs, this virus causes a respiratory illness that's highly contagious, but usually not fatal.

As seen with bird flu, people coming into contact with infected animals occasionally become sick themselves — but the virus usually stops there. Rarely have humans infected other humans with bird flu — or swine flu. With the current swine flu outbreak, the swine flu virus has transformed, appearing to increase its ability to spread between humans.

"We've seen swine influenza in humans over the past several years, and in most cases, it's come from direct pig contact. This seems to be different," Arnold Monto, a flu researcher with the University of Michigan, told the Associated Press. "I think we need to be careful and not apprehensive, but certainly paying attention to new developments as they proceed."

At this point, the CDC and other government organizations are focusing on getting the message out to individuals about how to respond to the threat of influenza. Public health officials are monitoring the various cases and conducting epidemiological research on the virus.

"If the outbreak turns into a full blown epidemic," says Andrew Pekosz, an associate professor at the Bloomberg School of Health at Johns Hopkins University, "the government will have the right to place limitations on travel and gatherings of groups of individuals." Schools may be closed or sporting events canceled, Pekosz says, and officials will implement quarantine procedures for hotspots of cases and begin distribution of antiviral drugs.

All these steps, Pekosz says, are necessary "to limit the epidemic and slow virus spread."

Jeanne Matthews, an assistant professor at the Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies, says health officials are "so dependent on whether it appears that community containment might halt person to person contact. This is a new strain. I don't think we know enough about this flu to have a sense of when that should be."

Swine flu safety tips

2009-08-13T06:53:00.000-07:00

Swine flu safety tips for India are no different from rest of the world. Swain flue or swaine flue, virus has spread to all major cities in India and has already claimed many lives. World Health Organization (WHO) has declared swine flew or swain flu as a Global Pandemic (also called Mahamari in Hindi).

Here is a quick guide for you about what Safety Tips you can take to save yourself with h1n1 virus

Swine flu safety tips

Stay home if you’re sick, avoid contact with people
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Keep up with health information in your own community and safeguard yourself
Wash your hands often (5-10 times a day) and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
Wash hands if you feel you have come in contact with a suspect of swine flu
Avoid going to malls, theatres or places where there are lot of people till the spread settles down
Cover your mouth or nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and throw the tissue in waste
Use N 95 mask if you are going in high risk area
Get a regular seasonal flu vaccination. It might not help against this specific strain, but it won’t hurt.

h1n1 definition / swine meaning

Swine flu is influenza A H1N1 virus. It is just another type of flu virus, just like that causes our typical seasonal flu symptoms. The big difference is that the current swine influenza A (H1N1) virus has components of pig and bird influenza viruses in it, so that humans don’t have any immunity to it. That is what made it more likely that it would become a pandemic virus (have the ability to cause a global outbreak) because it could easily spread from person-to-person.

Nutrition and food safty tips

2008-12-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Wash your hands with soap before you handle food and again after touching raw meat, fish or poultry.

2. When eating, always consider whether what you are about to eat will benefit your baby and try to avoid those foods that are low in nutrition value.

3. Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly.

4. Though two foods have the same amount of calories, they do not necessarily have the same nutritional value. A doughnut with 300 calories is not as beneficial to you and your child as is a bran muffin with the same amount of calories. When faced with similar decisions, try to choose the foods that have are the most nutrient-dense. Here are some good guidelines to follow in this regard:

- Always choose lean meats over fatty ones
- Drink fat-free, or low-fat milk instead of other versions.
- Try and reduce the number of fried foods you consume, opting for broiled foods.
- Decrease the amount of butter or margarine you spread on your bread.
- If sautéing, use 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil as opposed to greater amounts or vegetable oil.

5. Always use a clean cutting board and knife. Wash them well after using for raw meats, fish and poultry.

6. Refrigerate uneaten food promptly.

7. Eat smaller frequent meals if you are plagued with nausea problems or heartburn or reduced stomach space later in pregnancy. This can also help level out blood sugar levels making you feel a bit better during the day. You should also never skip any meals. Remember, if you are skipping a meal, so is your child.

8. Variety is very important. It helps ensure that you’re gathering the daily doses of recommended vitamins and minerals every day. It also helps prevent boredom with your diet which can lead to straying.

Foods to avoid:

- Deli meats (such as ham, bologna and salami) are an occasional cause of food poisoning. Avoid them or reheat them before eating.

Some women need to be especially careful about what they eat while pregnant. If you have a food allergy (to peanuts, eggs, wheat or cow’s milk, for example), a family history of food allergies or a partner with a food allergy, you can avoid that food. Some studies indicate that your baby may have an increased risk of developing a food allergy later in life if you, your partner or a family member has a food allergy. You may wish to consult a food allergy specialist for help in planning your diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

- Alcohol. If you drink alcohol, your baby does, too. Even small amounts of alcohol can harm your unborn baby—there is no “safe” level of alcohol consumption when you’re pregnant. Women who drink heavily during pregnancy can have a baby with a group of birth defects called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation. Many more babies whose mothers drink lightly or moderately are born with lesser degrees of alcohol-related proble

Aviod of food Pregnancy

2008-12-09T04:57:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately food preparation is included in the list of cautions. However, with a few simple rules you can have a carefree and safe pregnancy. Most pregnant women know that they are to avoid or minimize things that have little or no nutritional value, like caffeine, sweets, processed foods, etc.. However, there are some things that also need to
be watched for in general:
Swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tile fish - These fish can contain potentially risky levels of mercury. Mercury can be transferred to the growing fetus and cause serious health problems. An expert panel of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised pregnant women to eat no more than 12 ounces of canned tuna per week. Also avoid eating any game fish without first checking its safety with your local health department.

Raw fish, especially shellfish (oysters, clams)

Undercooked meat, poultry, seafood and hot dogs - Cook all meat, poultry and seafood thoroughly to kill bacteria. Cook hot dogs until they are steaming hot. Deli meats (such as ham, salami, and bologna) are an occasional cause of food poisoning; pregnant women may choose to avoid them or reheat them before eating.

Avoid salmonella - This is usually traceable to eggs and chicken meat. This means no more licking the cake batter spoon! You should always ensure that your eggs and meats are cooked thoroughly. When using a cutting board for chicken be sure to wash it prior to using it for another food, particularly things like raw vegetables. Symptoms can include: headache, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, shivering or fever. Usually symptoms occur within 12-48 hours after infection and lasts about 2-3 days. Only if it is severe will treatment usually be necessary. Though if you’re vomiting and become dehydrated IV therapy may be beneficial.

Soft-scrambled eggs - and all foods made with raw or lightly cooked eggs

HEALTH TIPS of women

2008-12-09T04:52:00.000-08:00

To avoid diseases like hepatitis and Typhoid, eat 5 basil leaves everyday.

For tooth ache, keep a clove on the affected area.

Have a mixture of gingelly oil and egg, for 3 days, for menstrual disorders.

You will get a great relief from menstrual pain , if you have a gooseberry daily.

Boil the leaf of Malabar nut, squeeze its juice and add egg white. It subsides cough.

Eat the powder of dried ginger and cumin with sugar for relief from cough.

Have the mixture of mustard paste and honey for good relief from cough.

For a good relief from cough, mix equal quantities of basil juice, honey and ajwain juice and drink on an empty stomach.

Are you suffering from urinary infection? Drink a glassful of water with a pinch of cardamom powder.

Chew some cumin and sugar for relief from stomach pain.

Have a mixture of lemon juice and honey when you are suffering from cold.

If you have bad breath, drink at least five glasses of water in the morning.

Stop nose bleeds by putting a few drops of pomegranate juice into your nostrils.

For nagging cough and chest congestion, boil 3 cups of water with 2 fresh betel leaves and 4 crushed peppercorns, till the water is reduced to half. Strain and drink every morning and night with a teaspoon of honey.

For relief from toothache.. Take two basil leaves, a grain of salt and a pinch of pepper powder and press against the affected tooth.

For minor rashes on the skin.. add few basil leaves in your bathing water before you bathe.

To get a fair baby, Mothers can drink saffron added to milk during pregnancy.

For fever and cough of children, give some honey mixed with water.

The juice of carrot and tomato, mixed with a little honey is good tonic for children.

A teaspoon of the powdered pomegranate skin taken with water early in the morning will not only purify the blood but also will serve as a good de- worming agent

Chewing raw guava leaves is an excellent quick fix for diarrhoea

If you are suffering from acidity, drink a glass of water with a piece of jaggery dissolved in it, after meals.

Drink basil water everyday, it helps in keeping throat infection and cough at bay.

For good Health

Add vegetables and fruits in your diet chart.

Drink 12-16 glass of water daily.

Avoid excess eating of fried things.

Try to buy meat which contain less fat.

Avoid excess sugar in tea and coffee.

Slice vegetables into big pieces, so that it won't loose vitamins.

Womens Health & Womens Fitness Secrets Revealed

2008-12-09T04:46:00.000-08:00

Womens health & fitness Knowledge is the CRITICAL factor that separates healthy, fit, attractive women from the average ones struggling to get by.

Type in a couple of womans health or fitness related keywords in any search engine and what have you got? More often than not, no relative womens health or fitness information at all.

Tons of low quality web sites doing nothing more than trying to sell you low-quality products; which they try to tell you are credible, scientifically backed products.

No information on health conditions, no help for fitness or nutrition related problems, no prevention or treatment information...

Nothing at all!

OK, now let's be honest...there are some extremely worthwhile women health, womens fitness and nutrition sites on the Internet for you.

But you'll notice that the women health & womens fitness and nutrition information you'll find here is quite different from those as well...

The purpose of the vast womans health and fitness information you'll find here is to teach you how to identify womens health fitness, weight loss and nutrition problems and how to fix them...

Do You Have A Womens Fitness, Health Or Nutrition Story To Tell?

If you have a personal story on any subject contained on this website you can now add it for others to read – right here! You can help other women who are going through the same things you are or have the same interests as you.

The best thing is... it's very simple to do. Just go to the page with the topic that most interests you and use the form near the bottom of the page to add your story.

And...After you add your personal story, advice or related information, you'll receive a free gift. There's a different one for almost every topic on this website. How’s that for a big incentive to get involved?

It will be a while before we will have all our pages and topics set up to accept your stories or additional information.

If there's a topic that you have an interest in, go to that page and scroll down to near the bottom to add your story. Please come back on a regular basis as we will be adding additional topics each day.

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In almost any magazine, on television or radio, it seems to be stressed over and over again that thin is beautiful, and if you are thin you will also be successful.

It's this unrealistic view that causes women to become underweight, unhealthy, and sick and even develop life-threatening conditions.

Here you will find very specific information on women health conditions. This ranges from minor womens health conditions to life-threatening conditions.

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Painful menstruation (dysmenorrhoea)

2008-07-27T05:08:00.000-07:00

What are menstrual pains?

Many women experience pain or discomfort at the time of their periods. For most, the pain or unease is not so severe that it interferes with their daily lives or requires any special attention.

However, for some women their monthly period is problematic and almost disabling because of the pain and inconvenience caused. They may have to take time off from school or work and stay at home for one or two days.

Although painful, periods are only sometimes a sign of an actual disease.

If period pains are more than an inconvenience then it is wise to consult your doctor or gynaecologist.

What causes menstrual pains?

The natural pains are caused by contractions in the musculature of the uterus. The contractions are caused by the release of the body's prostaglandins, which are hormones produced by the lining of the womb.

How can you avoid menstrual pains?

The best thing to do yourself, besides convincing yourself that you are not sick, is to stay in good physical health. This can be achieved by a healthy lifestyle with daily exercise, plenty of sleep and rest and, if possible, try to avoid stress. Over-the-counter painkillers, in particular ibuprofen (eg Advil, Nurofen), are often helpful and your pharmacist can often give advise you further on which ones are right for you.

What can the doctor do?

If your period pains are not relieved by simple painkillers then your doctor may wish to perform a pelvic examination to rule out any underlying conditions that can cause dysmenorrhoea.

Depending on this, a pelvic ultrasound scan or laparoscopy may be suggested. Medical treatment includes NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and also the contraceptive pill.

By preventing ovulation the contraceptive pill reduces the production of prostaglandins and pain. If the pain is found to be caused by a condition such as pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis or fibroids, then the treatment will be tailored towards that conditi

Breast Cancer Symptoms and Diagnosis

2008-07-27T04:59:00.000-07:00

If you see or feel a change during your breast self-exam, it's good to know which changes are normal and which are worrisome. Learn what to expect and when to see your doctor. If a lump appears and turns out to be cancerous, there are many things your doctor will need to find out to determine your diagnosis. Know what tests will be done and how a diagnosis is made.

Breast Lumps
All breast lumps are not cancer. Learn about the four kinds of breast lumps and how they differ from one another.

Breast Lumps Overview
Do Your Breast Self-Exam (BSE)
When a Lump Isn't Cancer
Breast Cysts
Breast Fibroadenomas
Breast Hematomas
Breast Cancer Tumors
Skin Changes
Skin changes on your breast can signal something as ordinary as a rash or sunburn. However, they can also indicate underlying breast cancer. Learn more about Paget's Disease and Inflammatory Breast Cancer and how they are detected.

Paget's Disease of the Nipple
IBC - Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Benign Nipple Discharge
Imaging Studies
Breast imaging is done to diagnosis breast cancer as well as catch it early on. Imaging studies include: mammograms, ultrasounds, MRI, PET scans, CAT scans, and elastography.

Having a Mammogram
Mammogram Views for Routine and Diagnostic Screening
Mammogram Images, Descriptions and Details
Understanding Your Mammogram Report
Elastography for Breast Cancer Detection
Breast Ultrasound - Imaging for Breast Abnormalities
Breast Ultrasound Exam - What to Expect
Ductogram (Galactogram) For Nipple Discharge Diagnosis
Breast Biopsies
A biopsy is a procedure that takes a sample of tissue that is then sent for testing by a lab. It's important to get accurate results from a biopsy. If there is any disease, it's the biopsy result that will help to determine what your next course of action should be.

Breast Biopsy Overview
Ductal Lavage Screening for Pre-Cancerous and Cancerous Breast Cells
Sentinel Node Biopsy - What To Expect During Sentinel Node Biopsy
Breast Cancer Staging
What are the stages of breast cancer? How do the stages relate to the tumor size, lymph node status, and if the cancer has spread? Understand the stage of a breast cancer diagnosis and how it relates to your treatment options.

Stages of Breast Cancer
Staging and the TNM System - A Comparison Table
Tumor Grade - Rate of Tumor Growth
Hormone Status
Estrogen and progesterone biomarker tests results will appear on your pathology report. Understanding the test results is important because this information affects your treatment as well as your follow-up care, if you've been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Intimacy After Breast Cancer Treatment Looking for a New "Normal"

2008-07-27T04:54:00.000-07:00

Six Tips for A New Intimate Relationship
Here are six tips to start rebuilding your intimate relationship:
Make Time to Talk: Set a time and a place (not in bed) where you can talk openly, and share your concerns and desires. Listen carefully, without formulating a response before your loved one has finished speaking. Reflect what your partner has said, using your own words to make sure you understood what he meant. Set some goals to help you reconnect to each other.
Restrain Your Inner Geek: Email is not a good way to discuss your intimate issues. But if talking is difficult, try writing a letter, using nonjudgmental language to express your concerns and desires.
Stay Open-Minded: Withhold your judgement about each other’s performance and don’t make demands about how attempts at intimacy work out. You may prefer to make requests of your partner, so as not to pressure them into pre-treatment sexual perfection. Both of you have changed, so adjust your expectations and look for new ways to surprise each other.
Set The Stage: Agree on a room that will be just for the two of you. Enforce your time of privacy for intimacy. Turn off your phones, pagers, televisions, and hire a babysitter if necessary. Dim the lights, put on romantic music, or do whatever helps both of you feel attractive and confident.
Get Reacquainted: Start slowly -- kiss, hug, and cuddle. Express requests instead of making demands, using verbal or non-verbal communication. Try new ways to touch each other, remembering how you both have changed.
Sources:

Discuss Sex and Breast Cancer in the Forum

Index: Intimacy After Breast Cancer Treatment Looking for a New "Normal"
Rebuild Intimacy: Be Patient, Persistent, Creative, and Communicative
Intimacy After Breast Cancer Treatment Tips for You and Your Loved One
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10 Essential Health Tips

2008-07-27T04:50:00.000-07:00

Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators.
1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more.

2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine….

3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.

4 . Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them.

5 . Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: 'Smoke gets in your eyes'…and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants….hum the tune daily.

6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.

7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body's boss.

8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.

9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can't be unhappy when you're smiling or singing.

10. Choose Your Parents Well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you. Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny.

Beauty Tips for Teen Girls

2008-07-27T04:48:00.000-07:00

Makeup and clothing is an issue for many teenage girls. If you are stressing about what you should look like as a newcomer in middle school, or a freshie in high school, here's a quick guide to help your fashion mature with you throughout middle and high school.

In Sixth grade, wear lip gloss, some mascara, and maybe a little bit of pale eyeshadow; don't go too heavy or it may look bad. If you want to try out more types of makeup, keep that for home experiments.
As for clothes, keep it in your comfort level. Bear this in mind: if you are wearing a bra or undershirt, don't let the straps hang out. It doesn't look cool; it just looks sloppy. If you are wearing a short shirt, check in the mirror to see if your stomach hangs out of the bottom. Otherwise, wear something a little bit longer. Also, if your pants are likely to slip, wear a belt. Belts are totally hip now!
* The main point is to keep the makeup light, and the clothes clean cut.

In Seventh grade you are beginning to care a little more what you look like; you might want to try curling your hair a few days a week, and using different hairstyles besides your typical ponytail.
If you are acne prone, try foundation. Remember thet even oily skin can get flaky and that looks horrible with foundation. So try it on weekends first and ask your mother (or someone that uses foundation well) if it looks okay.
In Seventh grade you might want to try eyeliner. But not too much because you don't want to look like a racoon!
Start trying to tie outfits together with accessories. It's good to try new things with your makeup and clothes. But when you try the new things, make sure it looks good on you, not just in the picture or at the store. Check out different stores, and find out if there is a style that suits you.

In eighth grade you are probably getting good at makeup and you know what you like. Try establishing your own hairstyle without looking like everyone else. For example, if everyone has long, layered hair with no bangs, try light wispy bangs and a shorter, layered look.
You might be wearing tighter jeans now and probably starting to get concerned with impressing the guys, so it's safe to try out more mature styles such as a sleek leather blazer, or lower cut necklines. If you are happy with your sports bra, that is totally OK. But it's safe now to check out the actual bra department and wear something that makes you feel pretty - like lace.

Ninth grade: high school! This is a big transition. Now in the same world as seniors, you are going to want to look like the rest of your peers. You should by now have your makeup and hair styles already. Try to update this look a bit, because no one wants to carry the same look they had in middle school. Dramatize a detail in your hair. If its known for it's left side part, part it even deeper. Make a straight style even sleeker and hip. Learn to make youre curls tighter, or looser.
In high school you might want to wear your usual make up during the day, and as you start to go out with friends and boys at night, add a darker shade of eyeliner, or jazz up your lips with something more festive. It's also good to try new shoes, try wearing spikier ankle boots with a pair of hot jeans and a blouse. Chunkier heels aren't as hip as spikes as you get older. Incorporate accessories into your outfit. Buy yourself a bag that's in suede or leather to keep your schoolbooks in, instead of a backpack. You will want to buy yourself a new jacket, and make it your own.
You know what you like, so go and find clothes that fit your style, but crank it up a notch for a more mature feel.

Tan at 16, cancer by 26

2008-07-27T04:35:00.000-07:00

"From the age of 16 to 26, I always went on holidays with the intention of getting a glorious tan,” Rachel says. “I always slapped on the factor 25 sunscreen for the first couple of days. But by the second week, I’d cover myself in oil because I wanted to get really brown

“In 2000, I discovered this funny mole between my toes. I’ve always had moles on my body, but none had ever caused me any problems. My doctor told me to keep an eye on it.

“The next summer, when I started wearing my flip-flops, the mole looked a funny colour. My doctor sent me straight to a specialist and within minutes I was taken to the operating theatre, and the mole was whipped off.

“Back home I rested my foot, but I wasn’t worried. I remember thinking, ‘I’m 26 years old: how bad can it be?’

“Ten days later, I got the phone call that would change my life. The mole was a malignant melanoma. The specialist was concerned that if the tumour was more than a millimetre deep, it could have spread to other areas of my body.

“I went back to hospital, where they cut out a larger area of my toe. Then they checked to see if the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes (the glands that drain away toxins from the body). Two in my groin and two in my thigh had to be removed.

“I had to wait two weeks to find out if I was in the clear. Thankfully, they’d managed to take out all the malignant cells and I didn’t need chemotherapy, but I was monitored for any recurrence.

“I’ve been incredibly lucky. If my cancer hadn’t been caught early, it could have spread to organs including my liver and brain and I may not be here today.

“I now look at the photos of me with my tan and think how silly I was. I have to be incredibly careful if I go out in the sun now. I always cover up with long trousers and long-sleeved shirts and a hat. When I want a tan now, I use fake tan. My advice to anyone is to stay out of the sun: just cheat and keep safe.”
Mole alert

Any changes to the size or consistency of skin moles should be considered suspect. The following signs could indicate cancerous changes. See a doctor if a mole:

Develops uneven, spider-like edges.
Grows noticeably.
Develops uneven colouring.
Itches or develops a crust.
Weeps and bleeds.

Did you know?

Britain has more deaths from skin cancer than Australia.
The incidence of melanoma have increased by 24% in the last five years.
Around 7,000 people a year are diagnosed with malignant melanomas.
Melanoma is the third most common cancer among people aged 15-39.
We need 15 minutes of sun a day for bodies to produce enough vitamin D to keep bones strong – but you don't need to strip off and tan. Just the sun on your arms or face as you walk around is enough.

Childhood Obesity Causes

2008-07-19T21:14:00.001-07:00

Childhood obesity may not be a widespread phenomenon as yet, but the rapidly increasing numbers do provide us cause to be concerned about. Researches show that kids have lesser obesity associated health problems in comparison to adults. However, there is a high possibility of their growing up into overweight individuals which accentuates the risk of their falling prey to acute illness like heart disease, diabetes and so on at a later stage in life.

Causes
One may query as to what reasons lie behind children turning overweight or obese? The truth is that this condition could be fallout of any one or combination of a number of reasons. The very common ones accounting for childhood obesity are genetic factors, inadequate or total absence of physical activities like exercise, unhealthy eating habits and so on. In few cases, obesity in kids could be a consequence of a medical condition.

The problem of obesity in childhood can also be associated with certain family habits like their eating and activity patterns. Genetic factors can hike up the possibility of a child getting overweight. Two factors that play a vital role in determining a kid’s weight is his or her eating and activity patterns. Due to the popularity of television and video games, many children nowadays in the urban regions especially spend a lot of remaining inactive.

Diagnosis
Whether or not obesity in a kid is really the fallout of a medical condition like endocrine disorder can be established clearly by a physical examination and blood tests. An important point to notice is that although weight problems do occur in families, not all kids from that family will be prone to being overweight. Its, however, a known thing that children whose parents or other family members are obese could be at a greater risk of becoming overweight themselves.

The most reliable source that can confirm whether a child is overweight or not, is the doctor. If you feel that your child is overweight, do not hesitate to consult a child specialist. He or she will record the kid’s weight, height and growing pattern to make sure its falls within the healthy range. Examining obesity in children can be a tad difficult because often children, especially boys, grow up in unpredictable bouts.

Support is the Key
If your child is overweight, then it’s very pertinent that you make him or her aware that you will be supportive. How a child feels about oneself is often conditioned by what‘s their parents' opinion and feedbacks about them. So your acceptance of them at any weight is bound to make them feel good about themselves. It is also suggested that you speak to your children about their weight problem so that they’re able to share their apprehensions with you. The right eating and exercising and follow this.

Childhood Obesity Prevention

2008-07-19T21:12:00.000-07:00

The prevention of obesity in children is crucial to their future well being and happiness. Strange as it may sound, a number of adult health associated problems these days are being linked by experts to infant obesity. With infants normally being chubby, it a difficult job to discern obesity at this stage. But the truth is that it does exist. Infact, even our eating habits as adults are, to a certain degree, determined by how we were fed as babies.

Preventing obesity in infants signifies keeping an eye over their diet during the elementary stage. Ideally babies should be nurtured on only mother’s breast milk during the initial six months. Solids should be incorporated gradually into the diet over the rest of the year. Breastfeeding the baby should also continue simultaneously. Incase of slightly older kids, its advisable to consult a doctor in order to check obesity.

Encouragement is the Key
If your child is obese, it is significant that you permit him or her to know that you will be supportive. Children's opinion about themselves is often influenced by their parents' about them. And so if you accept your children at any weight, they will be more liable to feel good about themselves. At the same time, it’s also vital for you, as parent, speak to your children about their obesity so that they are able to share their worries with you and do something about it.

It’s strictly warned that parents refrain from setting their children aside because of their weight problem. On the contrary, parents should concentrate on steadily altering their entire family's physical activities and eating pattern for the better. By this, each will imbibe healthy eating habits and the overweight child will not feel singled out. There are numerous small ways in which you can include all family members in this not-so-easy task.

Set an Example - Live Healthy
Be the leader yourself in this obesity prevention mission. When you embrace healthy living habits gladly, there’s all likelihood your children will fall suit more easily. Think of family activities like trekking, biking, or swimming that will involve all members in it. Be more attuned to the requirements of the child showing tendency of weight gain. Such kids may feel shy or uncomfortable taking part in certain kind of games.

Try cutting down on the hours you spend watching television at home with kids. This encourages lack of physical activity, which can be the principal reason behind weight gain in children. Most importantly, take a good diet. Have lots of fruits, vegetables, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, poultry without skin and lean meats, low-fat or fat-free breads and cereals and calorie-free or sugar-free juices. Consult family dietician for advice on proper diet.

Tips to Combat Obesity

2008-07-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

Follow Fernwood Women's Health Clubs top tips that will help to combat excess weight gain and keep you feeling healthy and looking great all year round.

1. Achieve negative energy balance by expending more energy (via exercise and physical activity) than you are consuming from food. That may mean starting an exercise program and/or simply becoming more active in your day to day life. Combined with that, a reduction in energy (kilojoule) intake is important.

2. Eating too much of any food type (carbohydrate, protein, fat and alcohol) will result in weight gain. As fat is the most energy dense nutrient, the first step is to reduce fats found in food! For example reducing consumption of saturated fat found in butter, cheese, fries and most fast foods.

3. Reduce total sugar intake, especially concentrated sugars like soft drinks and sugar associated with fat, for example cakes and biscuits. Try alternatives like a low fat muffin, low fat smoothies, low fat yoghurt or a fruit platter. These will balance your blood sugar levels yet still satisfy the cravings.

4. Start the day with a good breakfast to kick start the metabolism, e.g. muesli, tub of yoghurt and a piece of fresh fruit.

5. Eat regularly (for example every three hours) during the day to keep the metabolism working efficiently and to prevent excessive hunger and over eating.

6. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Aim for two serves of fruit a day and three serves of vegetables as a minimum. Fruit and vegetables are low kilojoule and a great source of vitamins and minerals!

7. Balance meals with a small serve each of carbohydrates (about the size of a tennis ball), protein rich food the size of your palm, together with a large serve of fruit, vegetables or salad. The vegetables should fill the majority of the plate.

www.fernwoodfitness.com.au

COMPETITION
Fernwood's Get Gorgeous Countdown aims to empower 50 overweight women who want to establish a healthier and happier life. The challenge will help improve body image, self-esteem as well as reductions in weight and body measurements, whilst also coaching the women on healthy food and exercise habits they can continue to incorporate into their daily lives on an ongoing basis.

Ten overweight women will be selected in all five states (VIC, NSW, ACT, SA, QLD) to form a state team and participate in Fernwood's Get Gorgeous Countdown, incorporating Fernwood's Vitality Guarantee program - a 12 week journey with one-on-one consultations with a trainer and Slimplicity weight management coach.

At the conclusion of Fernwood's Get Gorgeous Countdown, one woman from each state team will also have the chance to win a complete make-over and 12 month Fernwood membership incorporating the Slimplicity weight management program.

Obesity

2008-07-19T21:02:00.000-07:00

Obesity is one of the biggest health concerns in the UK today with nearly one fifth of the adult population reportedly obese. A person is said to be obese if their BMI is 30 or above. Figures today show that 17% of men, and 21% of women in the UK are obese. A person with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is said to be overweight, with 46% of men, and 32% of women in the UK falling into this category. In 1996, approximately 13% of 8 year olds and 17% of 15 year olds were obese. This increases the chance of adult obesity. These are alarming figures.

Obese women have a higher chance of dying from cancer of the gall bladder, cervix, breast, uterus and ovaries. Men have an increased risk of abdominal obesity due to their shape, which increases the risk of heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

With increasing weight comes a host of other health problems including;

Type-2 diabetes
Increase in cholesterol levels
Increase in blood pressure
Premature death
Heart disease
Stroke

Ideal Weight Range for Women

Ideal Weight for Men Based on Body-Fat Percent

Height ft/inches	Ideal Weight (Pounds)
5' 0"	97-127
5' 1"	100-132
5' 2"	103-136
5' 3"	107-140
5' 4"	110-145
5' 5"	113-149
5' 6"	117-154
5' 7"	121-159
5' 8"	124-164
5' 9"	128-168
5' 10"	132-173
5' 11"	135-178
6' 0"	139-183

Height ft/inches	Weight Range (Pounds)
5' 0"	97-127
>5' 1"	100-132
5' 2"	103-136
5' 3"	107-140
5' 4"	110-145
5' 5"	113-149
5' 6"	117-154
5' 7"	121-159
5' 8"	124-164
5' 9"	128-168
5' 10"	132-173
5' 11"	135-178
6' 0"	139-183
6' 1"	143-189
6' 2"	147-194
6' 3"	151-199
6' 4"	155-204

To lose weight, your calorie intake must be reduced, or you need to increase the amount of exercise you do. Each person will have different needs when it comes to calorie intake, this is due to individual lifestyle.

Top Dieting Tips To Cure Obesity

2008-07-19T20:58:00.000-07:00

Obesity is a condition where a person's height will not be in proportionate to his weight. That means his weight will be more than how much it should be. Dieting is more popular among obese as many people follow strict diets to keep their body weight at its bay. The obesity is also prevalent among children owing to the physical inactivity and devouring lot of junk foods. Read more . This article covers Symptoms of weight problems in children can be

Foods to be avoided by obese people

Dieting tips to fight obesity

If you weigh 20% or more over the recommended weight for your age and body height you are considered obese. This problem affects many people all over the world and just as many people are following obesity diets. Being a condition that can cause great physical and social problems, diet and obesity are linked closely together as dieting and changing your lifestyle are the only things that can really help an obese person.

Morbid obesity is a sever form of being overweight where a person weighs more than a 1200m pounds over their ideal weight. Obviously this condition causes huge problems for the body and results in possible heart attacks. There are special diets for morbid obesity.

Medical problems typically caused by obesity are:

Depression

Due to the weight problem obese people can have trouble leaving their homes and enjoying a fun social life. The lack of social contacts and the pressure of dealing with an overweight body can cause symptom of depression.

Hypertension

Also know as high blood pressure, this can reach dangerous heights as the food intake of the obese person combines with the weight that the body has to carry, can cause this condition. Hypertension can be regulated with a morbid obesity diet.

Heart Disease

The risk of heart disease is high for obese people. Fat foods, the heart having to work doubly as hard to pump blood around the body and carry a lot of excess weight combined with a higher blood pressure can cause heart failure.

Diabetes

Caused by high sugar levels than cannot be regulated by the body itself due to a lack on insulin of the body's inability to make use of insulin, diabetes type 2 can occur in obese people.

Dieting For Obese Children

America knows the highest number of obese adults and children in the world. Obesity causes even more problem for children than it does for adults as children are more likely to be put in an awkward social position when obese.

It can be hard to emphasize the need for healthy food and a healthy child obesity diet with kids and the best approach is to stimulate activities that kids enjoy, preferably in groups so that they experience support and stimulation to enter into these activities from other children.

If you suspect that your child is overweight or it is showing signs of any of the following problems it might be wise to consult your doctor and he or she can help to educate e your child on the benefits of an adolescent obesity diet program.

Symptoms of Weight Problems In Children Can Be

Eating several helpings during meals
Overeating in between meals
A tendency to overeat in unhealthy snacks
Shunning social contact with other children
Depression

Foods To Be Avoided By Obese People

It is not easy to stay away from products that are everywhere around us. Snacking in between meals on unhealthy foods are some of the main problem and causes of obesity. A lack of time to prepare healthy meals at home and the availability of take away foods (high in salt and fats and low in fibers) can make it difficult to maintain a healthy diet.

There are certain foods that should be avoided by obese people trying to lose weight. A child obesity diet should be lacking in all of these products and parents should supply healthy alternatives.

Soft drinks

Ridiculously high in sugar content, soft drinks provide nothing but empty calories causing blood pressure and blood sugar levels to rise quickly and then drop causing feelings of hunger as the body needs more sugar to even out the blood sugar levels.

Fruit juices

Can be taken in mod3eration but only if it is a pure fruit juice without any additives. One glass a day can help provide vitamin C and fiber but these juices should be taken in moderation.

Sports drinks

A morbid obesity diet will not benefit from sports drinks. Providing carbohydrates and a lot of sugar these drinks are designed for people with a very high activity level. As these drinks boost the blood sugar levels the body gets more energy to keep exercising after which a drop in glucose levels (blood sugar) is noted, causing false hunger pangs.

Chips

Packed with saturated fats and a lot of salt and carbohydrates, these snacks cause nothing but trouble for people who need to follow a diet. As chips contain a lot of calories but they don't fill you up, you end up eating a lot of them. One bag of chips contains more calories than those that need to be taken by the average obese person on a diet for obesity.

Crackers

Containing white starches and carbohydrates and hardly any nutrients, crackers should be avoided. Empty calories do not fill the body up and instead of crackers, wholemeal products that are rich in fiber should be eaten instead.

The process of fat accumulation.

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Adipose tissue is specialized connective tissue that functions as the major storage site for fat in the form of triglycerides.

There are two different types of adipose tissues. They are

White adipose tissue.
Brown adipose tissue.
Most adipose tissue is white. White adipose tissue does three functions:
Heat insulation,
Mechanical cushion. (Adipose tissue also surrounds internal organs and provides protection for these organs.)
A source of energy.

The adipose tissue which is directly below skin (subcutaneous adipose tissue) specially acts as the heat insulator of the body. It conducts heat only one third compared to other tissues. The degree of insulation is dependent upon the thickness of this fat layer.

Lipogenesis

Lipogenesis is the deposition of fat. This process occurs in adipose tissue and in the liver .

The excess calories (consumed more than what actually needed for the current physical activity ) is stored in adipose tissue. Carbohydrate and protein consumed in the diet can be converted to fat. The carbohydrates can be stored as glycogen in the liver and muscle and can also be converted to triglycerides in the liver and transferred to adipose tissue for storage. Amino acids from proteins are used for new protein synthesis or they can be converted to carbohydrate and fat.

Fatty acids, in the form of triglycerides are consumed through the diet or synthesized by the liver .Very little synthesis of free fatty acids occurs in the cells of adipose tissue (adipocytes). Triglycerides are the most important source of fatty acids, because this is the form in which dietary lipids are assembled by the digestive system and liver.

Triglycerides are made up of long chain of fatty acids .These are hydrolyzed (broken) to glycerol and free fatty acids by an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase (LPL). The free fatty acids are taken up by cells of adipose tissues and stored again as triglycerides through a complex process.

Insulin, a hormone secreted by the cells of the pancreas, plays an important role in the lipogenic process. The net effect of insulin is to

Increase storage,
Block mobilization and oxidation of fatty acids.

Insulin stimulates LPL formation. The LPL breaks the circulating to free fatty acids which can enter the adipocyte. Insulin is also required for the transport of glucose, which is needed for conversion of free fatty acids to tryglycerides in adipocytes. The conversion of glucose to fatty acids is accomplished by insulin's activation of several enzymes.

Obesity Definition

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Over weighted persons are at increased health risk than normal persons. They are more prone to chronic diseases like heart diseases, type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and few types of cancers.

What is obesity?

Excess amount of body fat is Obesity.

Excess weight of muscles, bone, fat and water in the body (like body builders and athletes) is Overweight.

Is fat necessary to our body ?

Certain amount of body fat does the following function

1. Heat insulation.

2. Absorption of shock.

3. Storage of energy. Etc.

According to Ayurveda the functions of body fat are described as follows

“Medaha sneha swedaudhrudatwam pushtim asthyancha”

This means in normal conditions the body fat keeps the body moisturized , causes sweating , gives energy to body (by storing energy) and nourishes bones. (By protecting them from shock).

Distribution of fat

Women have more body fat than men. In women usually the fat accumulates around hips giving them a pear shape. In men it accumulates around belly giving them an apple shape. The obesity related problems start when fat accumulates around waist.

In ayurveda the distribution of fat is described as follows .

Medastu sarvabhutaanamudarenvasthi thishtathi |

Ata evodare vriddhihi prayo medaswino bhavet ||

Fat gets deposited in and around belly in all living beings. It is also present in bone. Hence when a person becomes obese his stomach bulges out.

And also the characters of an obese person are described as

"Medo mamsa ativriddhatvaachalasphigudarastanaha"

The hips, belly and breasts of an obese person sag and sagged parts flap as that person moves. An obese person will not be active.

Women Health and Fitness - Best Weight Loss Tips - They’re Easy You want the best weight loss tips ever? You came to the right place. Losing weight is

2008-07-03T18:23:00.000-07:00

You want the best weight loss tips ever? You came to the right place. Losing weight is never easy, but if you’re ready to commit to it, if you’re ready to make your move into a thinner, more energetic future there is no better time than right now. And that’s weight loss tip number one?

5 best weight loss tips:

1: Begin right where you are, wherever you are. Too many people spend so much time searching for weight loss answers, that by the time they find them, they’re too tired to implement them. Weight loss strategy number one: Begin

2: Don’t do too much to start. You know why most people fail? They begin fast and furious and burn out quicker than the 4th of July. Weight loss strategy number two: Pace yourself.

3: Keep record of your progress. Its tough sometimes, to get a person to write down their goals. Write down your starting points. Write down your progress: exercise times, dieting habits, etc. Write down where you want to finish. Doing this makes everything more real. You do want ‘real’ results right? Weight loss strategy number three: Keep a journal.

4: Pick a diet and stick with it. The next best weight loss diet just hit the bookstores and everybody is talking about it. Yippee. Not! These kinds of distractions are exactly the thing that derails most would-be success stories. We get bored too easy. Here’s a secret: bored gets the job done, fast. Weight loss strategy number four: Decide on a diet you like and ride that baby to the finish line.

5: Keep fuel in the engine. Fuel is motivation. The engine is you. It is your brain. It is your focus. It is your determination. The engine is all these things and more. To keep it running smooth and efficiently, add motivational materials in the form of inspirational books, music and CDs. Weight loss strategy number five: Stay inspired.

There are your 5 best weight loss tips. Use them, and watch your reflection grow smaller and smaller, until you reach the body weight you desire. Then do them over and over again. Life is a cycle. To be successful, you must move with it. Good luck!

Get your FREE subscription to Underground Weight Loss VIDEOS. Plus a FREE copy of the Fat-Slashing Power Formula: Weight Loss Secrets! Just for visiting: http://www.insaneweightloss.com/Underground.html

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Birth Control Options After 40

2008-07-03T18:21:00.000-07:00

Birth control options are growing for women 40 and older - a group that once viewed its choices as pretty much limited to tube-tying surgery and condoms.

For them, the pill is back. So is the IUD. The reason is that both are safer. There's even a nonsurgical method of tube-tying.

Such options have long been needed, experts say, because 40- and 50-somethings are a complex group. Some have had several children and are willing to have sterilization surgery. Others may want children, but not right now.

Traditionally, women 40 and older are the least likely to use birth control. Along with adolescents, they have the highest rates of abortion. At the same time, these women are more experienced at using contraception and follow instructions better.

When it comes to contraceptives for women 40 and older, "one size definitely does not fit all," said Dr. Vanessa Cullins, vice president for medical affairs of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

A review of the current science of contraception and women 40 and older was published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine. The author, University of Florida gynecologist Dr. Andrew Kaunitz, noted that the risk of dangerous blood clots rises sharply at age 40 for women who take birth control pills containing estrogen.

The risk is even greater for overweight women, who also are more likely to have high blood pressure and diabetes.

But the dosage of estrogen in current birth control pills has been dramatically reduced. The pill is now considered a safe alternative for lean, healthy, older women Kaunitz and other experts said.

"It may not be well known that the current low-dose formulations are a reasonable option for healthy women in their 40s," said Dr. JoAnn Manson, a Harvard endocrinologist who wrote a book on menopausal hormone therapy.

The pill may be preferable for some women, because it can help control irregular menstrual bleeding and hot flashes and has been shown to reduce hip fractures and ovarian cancer, wrote Kaunitz. He has received fees or grants from several companies that make oral contraceptives.

But middle-aged women who are obese, smoke, have migraines, high blood pressure or certain other risk factors should be steered toward IUDs or progestin-only treatments like "mini-pills," experts said.

Higher breast cancer rates have been reported in older women who took estrogen-progestin pills for menopause. However, studies did not find an increased breast cancer risk in women 35 and older who took oral contraceptives.

The most common form of contraception for women 40 and older continues to be sterilization - a category that counts tubal ligations (tube-tying) in women as well as vasectomies in their male partners.

Increasingly, gynecologists are offering a newer type of tubal ligation that is nonsurgical. The procedure, called Essure, was approved by the government in 2002. Instead of cutting through the abdomen to cut and tie the fallopian tubes, a doctor works through the cervix, using a thin tube to thread small devices into each fallopian tube. These cause scarring, which in about three months plugs the tubes, stopping eggs from the ovaries from reaching the uterus.

Also relatively new is a product called Implanon, approved by the government in 2006. It's a matchstick-sized plastic rod, placed under the skin of the upper arm, that is a more modern cousin of Norplant and can last about three years.

"Things have definitely changed. There are a lot more options for older women than there used to be," said Dr. Erika Banks, director of gynecology at New York City's Montefiore Medical Center.

Choosing the right contraception can be a bit of an odyssey, said Lisa Riley, a 44-year-old who works in Banks' medical practice. Last week, Riley got a new IUD.

When she was younger, she took the pill. It worked, but she stopped it to have kids - twins - in 1993. She was nervous about returning to the pill because of worries about a possible cancer risk. For about a year, she and her husband used condoms, but he got tired of that, Riley said.

She had friends on IUDs so she chose that option. It worked well for several years until it began to cause heavy menstrual bleeding. After Banks advised her to get a new one, she chose Mirena, a version that releases hormones and should last for five years.

For now, Riley doesn't plan any more children. But she wasn't ready for sterilization. "It's too permanent for me," she said.

Fight Fat After 40!

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Not exercising as often as you'd like? We all get sidetracked now and then. So we asked top fitness experts to create 4 routines that anyone can ease into—and they all take 20 minutes or less. In a study from Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA, exercising 15 minutes a day 3 or 4 times a week was all women needed to shed abdominal fat. Try 1 plan or all 4! In just 2 weeks, you'll notice a tighter belly, a loss of 1 to 2 pounds, better muscle tone (and higher metabolism), and more energy!

1. "I gain weight more easily since turning 40"

Boost Metabolism with a Strength Circuit

This full-body circuit routine—doing one strength exercise after another without rest—builds fat-burning muscle fast while targeting belly bulge with ab moves. A University of Hawaii study found that circuit-training raises your heart rate higher than vigorous running (15 beats per minute faster). The moves alternate between upper and lower body, so your heart works harder pumping blood up and down your body. "All that extra work means a bigger calorie burn," says trainer Juan Carlos Santana.

Your Workout At A Glance:

Weeks 1 + 2: Perform the routine 3 times a week on nonconsecutive days. Using light dumbbells (3 to 5 pounds), do 1 set of 12 to 15 repetitions of each move in the order given. Do the exercises without stopping or rest for no longer than 15 seconds.

Weeks 3 + 4: Repeat the circuit twice so you're doing a total of 2 sets per exercise.

Keep It Up: After 4 weeks, try increasing the weights by 1 to 3 pounds. You'll burn fat, tone muscle, and build bone even faster!

1. LATERAL LIFT

Tones legs and butt

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips, then slowly squat until thighs are almost parallel to ground.

As you push back up, lift left leg out to side as if you were going to step out—leg should create a 45-degree angle with ground. Hold for 1 second, then return foot to ground.

Squat with both feet once more, then repeat with right leg. That's 1 rep.

2. CHEST FLY & PRESS

Tones shoulders, chest, and triceps

Lie faceup with dumbbell in each hand, elbows and knees bent, feet flat. Raise arms above chest, palms facing each other. Slowly lower arms out to sides as far as you can, then raise back to start. Next, bend arms and lower weights until upper arms touch ground, elbows out to sides to form a T. Straighten arms, pressing weights above you. That's 1 rep.

3. PLIé SQUAT

Tones legs and butt

Stand straight with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out. Hold one end of dumbbell in each hand in front of you, arms hanging straight down. Squat slowly until thighs are almost parallel to ground. Slowly rise back up, pushing down on heels to help contract glutes and hamstrings.

4. ONE-ARM ROTATION ROW

Tones back and biceps

Stand with right side next to bench or bed, holding dumbbell in left hand. Rest right hand and knee on bench and bend at waist—back should be almost parallel to ground, left arm hanging down, palm facing forward. Slowly pull weight up to side, rotating it as you go so palm faces behind you at top. Lower weight, rotating it so palm faces forward at bottom. Complete reps, then switch sides to work right arm.

5. LUNGE

Shapes legs and butt

Stand tall with dumbbell in each hand, feet hip-width apart, arms hanging straight down at sides, palms facing in. Step 2 to 3 feet forward with left foot and lower your body until left thigh is almost parallel to ground. Right leg should be extended behind you with only ball of right foot on ground. Push off left foot to return to start position, then repeat with right leg. That's 1 rep.

6. TUCK & CRUNCH

Tones abs

Lie faceup with knees bent, feet on ground. Touch hands lightly to sides of head, pointing elbows toward knees. Curl head and shoulders up as you raise knees toward elbows try to touch thighs with elbows then slowly lower. Avoid pulling head forward with hands.

7. UPPERCUT

Tones shoulders and arms

Stand tall with dumbbell in each hand, arms at sides, palms facing forward. Curl both weights up to shoulders, then draw hands in toward each other until weights touch in front of chest. Press weight in right hand above head, palm facing you. Lower back to chest, then repeat move with left hand. Lower back to chest. Separate weights so hands are in front of shoulders, then curl weights back down.

8. ROTATING KNEE

Tones abs and obliques

Lie faceup with knees bent, feet on ground with arms out to sides, palms facing up. Keeping legs together, lift butt and feet an inch off ground and slowly rotate legs to right, lowering them to ground without touching. Hold, return to center, then twist to left. Alternate from right to left. If the move is too intense, rest butt on ground between reps.

Watch out for pregnancy pitfalls after 40

2008-07-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

Many of today’s women are delaying childbearing until later in life for a variety of reasons, including career choices, financial status, late marriage and remarriage. In addition, successful treatment of previously infertile women over 40 is on the rise. In fact, reports indicate successful pregnancies in women over 60!

While such cases raise complex social and ethical issues (not to mention medical issues), the fact of the matter is that more women over 40 are choosing to start a new family or add to their present one.

Of course, for some women, it’s not a matter of choice. Unplanned pregnancies account for a large proportion of babies born to women over 40. What risks do these women incur? Let’s examine the facts regarding pregnancy in this age group and strategies to reduce the risks.

The facts

Standard medical teaching indicates a higher risk for pregnancy complications in women over 35. These complications can be categorized as follows:

Medical illnesses affecting the mother and fetus

Genetic abnormalities and birth defects

Pregnancy loss

Complications of labor and delivery

As age increases beyond 35, so does each of these risks. Nevertheless, proper preparation before pregnancy and early prenatal care can help assure the best outcome.

Maternal and child illnesses

Certain medical conditions occur more frequently in pregnant women over 40, including diabetes, high blood pressure and thyroid disorders. Fortunately, these conditions can be diagnosed and controlled prior to pregnancy, and many of the medications used to treat these disorders can be safely used during pregnancy. If you currently take medication and you are planning a pregnancy, talk to your doctor. A change in medication or an adjustment of dosage may be necessary.

If not properly treated, maternal illnesses can adversely affect the fetus. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can restrict fetal growth and in severe cases, can result in stillbirth. Undiagnosed diabetes can carry with it a higher risk of birth defects, and poor blood-sugar control during pregnancy can result in abnormal fetal growth. Early prenatal care and judicious use of medication can lower these risks significantly.

Genetic defects

It is an unfortunate but incontrovertible fact that as a woman ages, a higher proportion of her eggs contain chromosomal abnormalities. At the present time, some infertility centers have the technology to weed out these abnormal eggs, but for the majority of women who become pregnant after 40, the risk of a genetic defect increases based on age.

While the general population of childbearing women has a 3 percent chance of delivering a child with a birth defect, after 40 this risk rises to between 6 percent and 8 percent. The likelihood of having a baby with Down’s syndrome is approximately 1 in 365 at the age of 35. This number increases to 1 in 100 by 40 and up to 1 in 40 at the age of 45.

Pregnancy loss

Pregnancy loss also increases with advancing age. Approximately 50 percemt of early (first trimester) miscarriages are due to genetic abnormalities of the fetus. Overall, pregnant women experience miscarriage 15 percent of the time. After 40, this incidence nearly doubles. There is also a moderate increase in stillbirths after 40 due to a combination of medical complications affecting pregnancy and lethal birth defects.

Complications of labor and delivery

Complications of labor and delivery that are seen more frequently in women over 40:

Premature labor

Premature separation of the placenta resulting in hemorrhage

Placenta previa (abnormal placement of the placenta over the opening of the cervix)

Meconium-stained amniotic fluid (fetal waste in the amniotic fluid which can be harmful if breathed in at birth)

Postpartum hemorrhage

Malpresentations (breech or other positions other than head down)

As a result, the rate of Cesarean section is considerably higher in this age group.

Lowering the risks

Although the risks associated with pregnancy after 40 are numerous and sometimes unavoidable, there are several strategies that women over 40 can use to reduce these risks.

See your doctor

First and foremost, make an appointment to see your doctor BEFORE you get pregnant. This “pre-conception” visit will give your doctor the opportunity to diagnose and treat any disorders that might otherwise go undetected prior to the initial prenatal visit.

A thorough evaluation prior to pregnancy will allow your doctor to give you an idea of your individual risk. There may be cases in which pregnancy will be ill-advised. However, for the majority of women over 40, early prenatal care and good health habits will result in a healthy baby and a happy mother.

Get healthy

The idea is to be as healthy as you can BEFORE you get pregnant. Here are some tips:

If you smoke, quit.

Avoid alcohol – alcohol can increase the risk of certain birth defects and interfere with proper fetal growth.

Avoid caffeine – even moderate caffeine intake might increase your risk of miscarriage (although this remains controversial).

Eat a well-balanced diet – this means one that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy and other protein sources. If you need help, ask your doctor for a referral to a registered dietitian.

Start a prenatal vitamin prior to pregnancy and stick with it. The folic in prenatal vitamins is known to reduce certain birth defects and the iron supplement will combat anemia.

Exercise regularly, but moderately. Exercise is good for toning muscles and limbering joints, thereby decreasing the normal aches and pains associated with pregnancy. If you don’t exercise already, check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Get tested

If you are concerned about the risk of genetic defects, ask your doctor about tests that can help identify these types of problems. Blood tests are available to screen for some genetic disorders; a “triple screen” blood test may be obtained to evaluate the risk of neural tube defects and Down’s syndrome.

Genetic amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling is routinely offered to women after 35. Amniocentesis is usually done in the third or fourth month of pregnancy and involves removal of amniotic fluid from the womb for genetic testing. There is a minimal (0.5 percent) risk of miscarriage associated with this test. This risk is outweighed however by the slightly larger risk of having an undetected abnormality.

Chorionic villus sampling can be done earlier in pregnancy and involves the removal of a minute amount of placental tissue, which can then be tested for genetic abnormalities. Discuss the risks and benefits of these tests with your doctor early on so you will have ample time to make an informed decision.

Health Tips for Women over 40+

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1.Women if they have had an early menopause or hysterectomy (before the age of 45)
2. Men if they have low levels of testosterone (known as hypogonadism).
3. People who have broken a bone after only a minor trauma (called a fragility fracture).
4. People who take corticosteroid tablets (for conditions such as asthma or arthritis).
5. People with a family history of osteoporosis, particularly if your mother has broken her hip.
6. People with medical conditions which affect the absorption of foods, such as Crohns disease, coeliac disease or ulcerative colitis.
7. People with medical conditions which leave them immobile for a long time.
8. People who drink excessive amounts of alcohol.
9. People who smoke.
10. Women who are underweight or have developed an eating disorder.
11. Osteoporosis can also affect children and young people and pregnant women. However, these conditions are extremely rare.

"The silent crippler", as osteoporosis is often called, sneaks up on its victims and, without any pain, gradually causes bones to become more porous and fragile. One day you grab your coat and your wrist snaps; or a friend hugs you and cracks your rib; or you step off a curb and break your hip...

Please note that it is extremely important to obtain an accurate diagnosis before trying to find a cure. Many diseases and conditions share common symptoms: if you treat yourself for the wrong illness or a specific symptom of a complex disease, you may delay legitimate treatment of a serious underlying problem. In other words, the greatest danger in self-treatment may be self-diagnosis. If you do not know what you really have, you can not treat it!

Knowing how difficult it is to weed out misinformation and piece together countless facts in order to see the "big picture", we now provide simple, inexpensive online access to The Analyst. Used by doctors and patients alike, The Analyst is a computerized diagnostic tool that sits on a vast accumulation of knowledge and research. By combining thousands of connections between signs, symptoms, risk factors, conditions and treatments, The Analyst will help to build an accurate picture of your current health status, the risks you are running and courses of action (including appropriate lab testing) that should be considered. Full information is available here.

Osteoporosis is the chronic loss of bone mass and strength which afflicts over 8 million Americans - one and a half million are subjected to life threatening fractures every year. Of those who endure hip fractures, some 20% die from complications within a year; 60% become dependant on constant help in their daily lives.

It is not strictly a women's disease, though 85% of victims are women. As you age, the need for absorbable calcium, in conjunction with other essential minerals and vitamins, can be increased.

A 2000 statement by an expert panel of National Institutes of Health asserted "Osteoporosis, once thought to be a natural part of aging among women, is no longer considered... gender-dependent." Men start with higher bone density and lose calcium at a slower rate than women, which is why their risk is far lower. Nevertheless, after age 50, bone loss increases, and, according to one 2000 study, more rapidly than previously thought. Men have a 6% risk for hip fracture and between 16% and 25% risk for any fractures related to osteoporosis. And the actual numbers of osteoporosis and fractures in men is bound to grow as baby boomers age. Some risk factors include the following:

Surprisingly, a survey found that even among women with early symptoms of bone loss, including back pain, loss of height, and stooped posture, 82% thought they were not likely to ever suffer the consequences of progressive bone loss. Contradicting these assumptions, most statistics show that nearly 50% of women will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture sometime during their lives.

Bone mass does not increase beyond a "peak density" after age 35. The loss of bone mass can be slowed and lost bone mass regained somewhat with the right treatments. Dairy product consumption is not an appropriate treatment to accomplish this, as it will ultimately accelerate bone loss. However, this fact is ignored by marketing experts in the milk industry who make certain that women this age and older are targeted consumers for milk and dairy products. Within 5 years of the initial onset of menopause, there is an accelerated rate of loss of bone, particularly from the spine. During this period of time, estrogen replacement is somewhat effective in preventing bone breakdown, but progesterone is needed for creating new bone.

Things to avoid for better bone health

Avoiding factors that encourage bone loss can be as just as important as calcium intake. Diets high in protein, salt, etc.

Fertility After Forty (New Age)

2008-07-03T18:06:00.000-07:00

www.susunweed.com

Fertility After Forty

copyright 2000 by Susun S. Weed

The most fertile years of a woman's life are those between 18 and 28. Even into the mid-thirties, it is usually fairly easy to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. During these years the hormones that control ovulation, enhance conception, and ensure a healthy pregnancy are usually made easily and in generous quantities. And detrimental life-style choices have not had decades of repetition to create chronic problems. The previous section deals with disturbances to that pattern; and the section following deals with herbal ways to decrease or control the teeming fertility of the twenties and early thirties.

But more and more women are waiting until their late thirties, early forties, even late forties, to have children. Is this too late? Are these destined to have high-risk pregnancies? Will these children have more birth defects?

The answer to these questions -- and others like them -- is "no!" for wise women who enlist the help of green allies to increase fertility, insure conception, prevent birth defects, and promote a healthy pregnancy and an easy delivery.

Increasing Fertility; Insuring Conception

Increase your chances of conception by meditating. Cultivating a calm attitude, not surprisingly, enhances fertility. Even taking a quiet five minutes alone just for you, free of all responsibilities, can bring big results if done frequently enough.

Use lunaception to time your ovulation so you have the best odds of conceiving. It's fine to have sex in the weeks before ovulation, especially if the sex is focused on the woman and her orgasm, but do save your best efforts for those three nights when your "moon" is full and bright and ready to frolic.

Orgasm on the part of the male is necessary for fertilization. The woman's orgasm does increase the possibility of conception. Women who experience orgasm after their partner (up to 40 minutes after his ejaculation) have the very best chance of becoming pregnant.

Red clover is the single best remedy for women over forty who want to conceive but can't -- even if there are medical reasons for not conceiving such blocked tubes, diabetes, ovarian cysts, internal scaring, endometriosis. There are many heart-warming success stories I could share about red clover! But suffice to say, drinking 2-4 cups of the infusion of the dried blossoms (neither tincture nor tea nor pills will work for this application) seems to do wonders for fertility, no matter what your age.

Preventing Birth Defects

Boosting your nutritional status makes birth defects less of a worry. Women who drink 2-4 cups of stinging nettle infusion daily and eat cooked leafy greens as well as lettuce salads are getting the abundant folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and other minerals needed to create a healthy baby. (Tinctures, pills, and teas contain little or none of these important nutrients.)

Vitamin E is an especially critical nutrient for fertility after forty and freedom from birth defects. Freshly-ground wheat flour, cold-pressed oils, and nut butters are all good sources of vitamin E, as are stinging nettle infusion and most cooked seaweed, such as kelp. The man's vitamin E level has as much, if not more, bearing on freedom from birth defects as does the woman's vitamin E level.

Avoid heat, both of you. Hot tubs, even prolonged soaking in a hot bath, can cause temporary (up to several months) sterility in some men. In women, it can endanger the early embryo and trigger a miscarriage or birth defects.

Avoid drugs, both of you, including alcohol, tobacco, coffee, as well as over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs (except those you absolutely need). Your liver needs to be strong and so do your kidneys, so you can conceive and gestate a child. Instead of alcohol, which damages the liver, drink herbal infusions or alcohol-free wine or beer. Instead of tobacco, which may contribute to birth defects and low birth weight, try smoking a little dried peppermint, or, better yet, go for a walk. Instead of coffee, which challenges the kidneys, you may wish to drink green tea or black tea, or try coffee substitutes, especially the one made with dandelion roots. Instead of drugs to ease everyday aches and pains, use the gentle herbal remedies in this book instead.

Emotional Issues

Ambivalence about pregnancy and parenthood is normal and natural. But the older a woman gets, the more complicated her emotions about it may be. Add to her emotional soup pot strong opinions from family and friends, confusing information spread by the popular media, and fear-inducing pronouncements from "helpful" medical professionals, and that pot will be in danger of boiling over. Herewith then, some wise woman hints for keeping your cool in the midst of overt and covert confusion.

Contrary to current opinion, having children in your forties is ordinary and common worldwide. The Bible mentions several women having children in their fifties. What is unusual and unique to our time is having a first child in one's forties. Our mothers, mothers, mothers were having their fifth or eighth or tenth child when they were in their forties, not their first. If people tell you it just isn't done, close your eyes and call upon the spirit of your great, great, great, great grandmother, then smile and tell them it seems utterly ordinary to you.

Feeling tense and distressed about choosing or refusing motherhood? Motherwort tincture is my favorite calmative. A dose of 10-20 drops helps clear your mind, eases your tension, and assists you in discerning the best path to follow.

Bach flower remedies excel as helpers when you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Try:
Aspen when you feel anxious, apprehensive, or afraid of the unknown.
Mimulus when you are dwelling on a specific fear.
Elm when you feel overwhelmed or inadequate.
Red Chestnut when you are afraid for or worried about your baby to be.
Rock Rose when you are trembling, shaking, or weeping from anxiety or fear.

Regular gentle massage or Reiki treatments not only help you calm your distress, they also guide you in creating a strong center that's resistant to being pushed around by other people's opinions. Massage and/or Reiki also help prepare your mind/body for a healthy pregnancy and a safe birth.

Special Allies for Pregnant Women over Forty

The single most important herb for pregnant women over forty is comfrey (Symphytum uplandica hybrids). The leaves of the mature plant contain an abundance of constituents beneficial to mother and babe, including generous amounts of minerals, alantoin, proteins, and many vitamins. The minerals in comfrey help insure healthy nervous system growth; the fetus's developing brain uses the proteins. And the alantoin helps the mother's tissues become stretchy and elastic.

Aging can lead to increases stiffness and brittleness in bones and muscles, making pregnancy more arduous and painful, labor slower and more difficult, and injury more likely during birth. The hormones of pregnancy, which help soften and relax the pelvic tissues, may not be produced in adequate amounts. Comfrey comes to the rescue! Comfrey creates flexible and strong tissues throughout the body especially mucus surfaces (including intestines, uterus, bladder and vagina) the bones, the ligaments and tendons, and the skin.

Regular use of the leaf infusion, at least a quart a week, promotes a safe delivery by:
~ strengthening uterine muscles and preparing them to work easily and well.
~ strengthening perineal tissues so they become resistant to tearing.
~ strengthening uterine ligaments so the uterus does not prolapse
~ strengthening the bladder and increasing resistance to bacterial infection.
~ strengthening the vagina and helping to promote an environment hostile to infection.
~ providing easily assimilated minerals to prevent eclampsia and other complications.
~ helping the bones of the pelvis flex and open during birth.
~ increasing iron in the blood and thus forestalling post-partum hemorrhage.

I harvest the flowering stalks when they are fully formed; and I am careful to use the cultivated garden comfrey, which grows very tall and has purplish, pinkish, bluish flowers. I avoid wild comfrey which stays rather small, even when flowering, and has cream-colored, white, or yellowish flowers.

Some people feel that comfrey is not safe to use during pregnancy. Some people feel comfrey is not safe to use internally at all. I disagree. The roots of comfrey do contain compounds that are best avoided during pregnancy. (As do all parts of the wild plant.) In fact, I rarely use comfrey root because of the possibility of liver congestion, and I strongly caution those who have had hepatitis, chemotherapy, or alcohol problems to strictly avoid comfrey root. Yet even these people can benefit from use of comfrey leaf infusions.

Another important herbal ally for women over forty who desire a child is chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castii). It has been used in Africa and parts of Europe for several thousand years to discourage the male libido. In women, the effects seem to be the opposite! It may also be a fertility enhancer. Most importantly, chaste tree is a strengthening tonic for the pituitary gland, the master control gland for the endocrine system. Daily use of the tincture of the berries (1 dropperful/1 ml 2-3 times daily) had been shown to increase progesterone--the hormone of pregnancy--and luteinizing hormone--which promotes conception. Because it can lower prolactin levels, chaste tree is best discontinues during the last trimester of pregnancy.

Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is not recommended for women over forty. In general, this herb promotes blood flow to the uterus and surrounding tissues. This can promote the growth of fibroids and increase the risk of post-partum hemorrhage. Ginger is a better warming tonic; motherwort is better at relieving pain; and raspberry is better at preparing the uterus for birth.

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Maintaining skeletal health after 40

2008-07-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

Maintaining skeletal health after 40

Bone density naturally decreases with age, so the older you are, the more risk increases for diseases such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Sedentary women are also more at risk. Besides, there are certain lifestyle factors that boost the chances of weakened bone, including smoking, drinking excessive alcohol or caffeine and eating a mineral-poor diet.

In addition, certain medications can weaken your bones. These include antacids with aluminum, some anticonvulsants, certain cholesterol-lowering drugs, and various others. Be sure to talk to your doctor and read the package insert when you’re prescribed a drug to find out its side effects.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Although doctors do not know the precise cause of rheumatoid arthritis it is thought to be an auto-immune disease in which the immune system starts to attack its own tissues. The most commonly affected areas are the hands and feet, followed by the knees, wrists, neck and ankles, although the disease can affect any joint in the body. Initial symptoms may include fatigue and fever followed by stiffness and swelling in the joints. Joint pain can become so bad that it restricts movement and in severe cases, bones may fuse together, making movement in the joint impossible.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects more women than men (in a 3:1 ratio) and usually appears between the ages of 40 and 50, although it can also appear in younger people, and is often accompanied by mild aneamia.

Treating the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

You should always receive conventional medical diagnosis and treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Doctors may recommend immuno-suppressant drugs or, in severe cases, joint replacement. Complementary therapies can be useful for symptom relief. Dietary therapists may recommend limiting animal fats in the diet and taking supplements such as multivitamins, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E (except when anti-coagulant drugs are being taken), glucosamine sulphate and zinc. An elimination diet may also be recommended if it is suspected that the disease is related to a food intolerance. Joint mobility can be helped by swimming, and pain can be eased by applying gentle heat to the area.

Fixing Hormones Can Boost Sex After 40, Tips

2008-07-03T17:56:00.000-07:00

If you're older than 40 and your once-lively libido has taken a turn for the lazy, don't blame it on getting older.

Age can have an influence on your lack of sex drive, but a myriad of other factors -- both physical and psychological -- also play a role in whether you're in the mood for a romp or you prefer to pull a sack over your head and sleep for days.
Illness and conditions such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease can affect your sex drive. Prescription medications can also extinguish the fires of passion. Alcohol may put you in the mood, While some things may be out of your control, the secret to a healthy libido lies in what you do about those you can control.

If You Think You're Old, You Are

For starters, if you think you're old, you're going to feel old. And if your idea of old is being feeble and wrinkly, you're not going to want to have sex. Chances are no one is going to want to have sex with you, either. "A good diet and exercise program will help increase self-image, make people feel sexier and increase their libido," says Dr. Eric Honing, a Glendale, Ariz.-based physician specializing in anti-aging medicine. One particular area of interest that has been getting the attention of physicians who specialize in age-related conditions is the relationship between hormones and libido -- specifically bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, also known as BHRT.

Hormones: They're Not Just For Teenagers

Bioidentical hormone therapy consists of custom-mixed formulas containing various hormones that are said to be identical to those your body produces naturally. As people age, the hormones that regulate the sex drive decrease. Proponents of BHRT say that the therapy helps to restore a person's libido by replacing hormones that have diminished with age. "In men, testosterone levels begin to decline after age 28," Honing says. "These levels decline quicker with poor lifestyle decisions -- bad diet, lack of exercise, alcohol and too much stress. By increasing and restoring testosterone to youthful levels, a man's libido will improve." "As anti-aging physicians, our goal is to replace hormones to the levels they were at when patients were around 25 years old. When you replace and balance hormones to these levels, the libido improves," says Dr. Jennifer Landa, an AMA board certified doctor of obstetrics and gynecology and member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging. "Testosterone increases libido in women as well," Honing says. "We use a lot of testosterone cream vaginally because of the abundant testosterone receptors found in that area of the body. Not only does this help elevate testosterone levels, it also helps build and maintain muscles that will help strengthen the whole orgasmic experience." Linda Davis, 53, says that before therapy she was anxious, irritable and had "a very short fuse. My concentration decreased and I was very stressed at work. I was having difficulty achieving orgasm as well," she says. "In women, you have to balance and restore more hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone. Along with cortisol, once these hormones are restored, a woman's libido will return," Honing says. "I found that when I balanced a patient's ovarian hormones and treated their adrenal problems, many of their libido problems resolved and with fewer side effects than with any other therapy I tried," Landa says. "Women and men who were afraid and upset that they had lost all sex drive have been thrilled that their libido has been restored and their relationships rescued," says Honing.

Benefits Beyond Sex

Doctors say that restoring testosterone levels will also increase energy levels. "I was suffering from increased mental fog and lethargy. I no longer had the energy to exercise. I was tired with a capital T," says 52-year-old Ron Sinclair. "After therapy with Dr. Honing, my energy has greatly improved and the mental fog has cleared. I now have the energy to exercise for an hour at a time most days," he says. Laurie Jordan also went to see Dr. Landa while seeking relief from the symptoms of perimenopause -- low libido, tiredness, irritability and mild hot flashes. After just a few months of BHRT treatment, she noticed considerable changes, including increased libido. "Even my hot flashes disappeared," she says. "I just turned 50 and I feel better now than I did in my 40s. This has been life-altering for me." "Libido problems can be caused by adrenal hormone problems, thyroid problems and problems with levels of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. The hormones all work together and the level of one hormone can affect any and all of the others. It is a very complicated balance that we are working to achieve," Landa says.

Know The Risks

BHRT therapy does carry some risk, however. Critics say some products are well-tested brands, but that is not the case for recipes made by a compounding pharmacist. Dr. Alicia Stanton, the chief medical officer for BodyLogicMD, a network of physicians specializing in natural bioidentical hormone therapy, offers some words of caution as well. "Bioidentical hormones are not a miracle cure. They simply help replace the hormones the body is not making in adequate amounts at any given time. The combination of balanced hormones, balanced nutrition, exercise and stress management are critical in maintaining optimal health," she says. Advocates, however, insist that if properly balanced and given under the care of a trained doctor, the therapy can be an ally in the war against aging and the problems now considered the inevitable results of getting older, including low libido. The say the regime is better than traditional methods. "Women and men who were afraid and upset that they had lost their sex drive, are thrilled that their libido has been restored and their relationship has been rescued," says Honing.

Heart Health Over 40

2008-07-03T17:53:00.000-07:00

Recently, a friend of mine at work dropped by my desk and said,

“hey…did you hear about Ron? He started having chest pains the other night, his family rushed him to the hospital and it turns out he had a heart attack! Some arteries were almost completely blocked and others were 60% blocked!”

Needless to say, I was shocked! This guy works out and is in pretty good shape. And…he’s about the same age I am. Turns out he had a family history of heart disease which probably had a big impact on his own health. Fortunately, he made it to the hospital in time and doctors were able to put in stints and perform their magic on the less blocked arteries. Ron is back at work doing “half-days” for a while.

I’m not the type of person that believes you fall apart after 40. I don’t think that has to be the case at all, even though we’re conditioned to think that. But I do believe that in order to stay healthy we have to do a little more than we once did. When we’re younger, we’re typically more active…playing sports, working out and eating right so we can try and be more attractive to our prospective mates. As we get married and grow older, many of us tend to slack off on all the activity. Life turns into a quest for material goods instead of health. Thats not “always” the case, but frequently it is.

At some point, (hopefully before it’s too late), we start realizing that there is more to living than having the fastest car and the biggest house. Being healthy and feeling good about yourself will give you great piece of mind. You know, you’re not going to live forever…thats an inescapable fact. Take care of your body and it will make your life and living, so much more enjoyable…even if you don’t have all the money in the world.

Try doing something good for your heart and the rest of your body this week. Visit a local walking track and spend 15 to 30 minutes walking. If you go by yourself, you’ll be surprised how “peaceful and relaxing” those few minutes can be! I love to go do this, just so I can get away from work and “de-stress” for awhile!

If you’re not a healthy eater, make some changes in your diet. You don’t have to go full speed on the latest fad diet. Just try to eat healthier. Add some fruits and vegetables to your diet, have a salad. While you’re eating, think about how those good foods are working with your body to make you healthier. When I’m eating a cheeseburger, (as much as I love them ), I can just imagine the grease and fat flowing through my body . On the other hand, when I’m eating healthy, it just makes me feel better because I can see those healthy foods working in conjunction with my body instead of against it.

If you haven’t been in for a physical lately, call and make that appointment! Get your cholesterol & blood pressure checked. Listen to your doctor’s advice on how to improve your health. Having peace of mind is an important part of living happy.

The Over-40 Diet

2008-07-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

Drop and Give Me 20

Push-ups, sit-ups, lunges -- your choice. The biggest factor for succeeding with your weight-loss plan once you've reached age 40 is strength training. If you've tried my easy workout, you know that strength training builds lean muscle, which, in turn, can burn 50 calories per pound every day. So push yourself a little: Each morning, between the time you roll out of bed and the moment you hit the shower, string together 20 sit-ups, 20 squats, 20 leg lifts, and as many push-ups as you can manage. It won't take more than five minutes, but over the next year, it can trim five pounds from your frame.

Befriend Your Scale

Funny how as your waistline expands, your interest in tracking the numbers wanes. Don't let it. It's no longer advisable to guesstimate your weight by the way your favorite jeans fit (or don't fit). Headlines that scream, "Stop Being a Slave to Your Scale!" are missing the point: Post-40 weight gain sneaks up on you. If the plane symbolizes your body, then its instrument panel is your scale -- it provides you with important data. Once a week, same time, same scale, weigh yourself and see with your own eyes what's happening with your body.

Make Weight Loss a Priority

Let's face it: Finding time to exercise only gets harder as you age. It helps to remember that working out gives you the sanity, strength, and good health to keep the rest of your world running smoothly. Can an overweight woman really preach to her children about the merits of eating right? Can an out-of-shape mom hope to get through an afternoon of soccer with her son without gasping for breath? Committing to a fitness routine is the first step in becoming a positive force to those around you. The time crunch isn't going to go away, so maybe you'll need to wake up earlier, or use your lunch break to hit the gym or walk home from work instead of driving. The better shape you're in, the better you'll feel inside and out. And the better you feel, the easier it will be to deal with life's headaches -- like demanding bosses, moody teenagers, and your husband's addiction to Monday Night Footbal. Some things you can't change. Thank goodness your weight isn't one of them.

Get a Regular Tune-up

Until this point, you've treated annual physicals as optional, but now you need to get serious. Blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels all need routine checks, especially if you know there is a family history of troubles. The ache you feel today could be nothing -- then again, it may have been caused by too much or too little exercise, a diet deficiency, or something more serious. The sooner you catch it, the less damage done. If your knees ache, your back hurts, or you suffer from persistent headaches, see your doctor. Wouldn't you be hesitant to pilot a plane that didn't receive regular maintenance and service?

Beware Post-40 Stress Attacks

Some days, just making it to midnight without a major catastrophe is an accomplishment in itself. Stress is one of the biggest reasons women overeat, so taking a few minutes each day to unwind is key to your weight-loss success. Soak in a hot bath, light some candles or get out and enjoy the summer sunshine. You started life as a sleek new jet, one that was built to last. Feed your body high-quality fuel, monitor its intake and routinely push your engine's limits to keep it running smoothly. Remember, you are the captain of your plane. Just reach out and take the controls.

The Over-40 Diet

2008-07-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

look at life as a plane flight. Several decades ago, your parents started the engine. They revved the motor and headed down the runway until -- liftoff! -- you were born. Your plane continued to climb through childhood and adolescence, until you reached adulthood: full cruising altitude. Throughout your 20s and 30s, flying felt effortless. No matter what you ate, how little you slept, or how infrequently you exercised, your body kept its sleek, strong lines. No engine troubles for you!

Then, out of the blue, you hit the Big Four-O. Suddenly, you're not cruising along so easily anymore. Hormonal and metabolic changes are creating turbulence. Your plane is losing altitude. Time to turn off the autopilot and seize the controls. As you guide your plane through post-40 skies, here are some tips for a smoother ride.

Don't Clean Your Plate

As your body nears menopause, it burns calories less efficiently. The end result is that although you may be following the same diet that kept you slim at 30, it no longer works when you're 40 or 50. Cutting a mere 100 calories from your daily consumption can put you back on track. What's 100 calories? It's equal to a small snack. Another way to look at it: At the end of the day, it's the same as leaving two bites of every meal untouched on your plate.

Steer Clear of Starbucks

If you're anything like most post-40 women I know, you're in the business of coordinating life amidst everyday chaos -- work, husband, dirty laundry, hyper kids. And that's exactly what those frozen-cappuccino peddlers are counting on. You drive up, run in, pop a straw through the top, and peel off to pick up Junior at swim camp. Big mistake. Studies show that your body doesn't register a feeling of fullness from the calories you drink. Whether it's juice, soda, or alcohol, your body won't say to itself, "Wow, that eight-ounce glass really filled me up." If you ate an orange instead of drinking the juice, you would feel satisfied. But instead, liquid calories help you gain weight by causing you to overeat later. Do me a favor: Keep a piece of fruit in your bag at all times. Whenever you want a snack, drink a 12-ounce glass of water, then eat the fruit. Not only will you feel full, but most importantly you'll stay that way until dinner. And your hips will thank you.

Eat Like a Grown-Up, Part I

Do you remember when the only person you had to feed was yourself? Those days are gone. For many women over 40, the main concern is getting enough food on the table to satisfy one husband and two or three children -- fast. And more often than not, those meals are composed of what you know the kids will eat. The trouble is, many of these are unhappy meals for an adult on a diet. Cheeseburgers? Pizza? Macaroni and cheese? Don't get me started. Rather than tailoring your dinners to your children's whims, maybe it's time they started eating more like adults. Pasta primavera. Broiled scallops. Grilled salmon. Or just add a big bowl of steamed vegetables as the first course. If these menu changes feel drastic, try alternating kid days with grown-up days. It'll be healthier for all of you.

Eat Like a Grown-Up, Part II

Okay, now that you're cooking lighter fare, don't blow it by adding unnecessary calories. The recipe may call for a generous brushing, pouring or slathering of oil or butter, but you know better. Butter has a whopping 90 calories per tablespoon; every type of oil has 120. The over-40 edit of all your recipes should read: "drizzle," "lightly spray," or "dab" the butter. Think of it this way: Kids' dinners are high in fat because oil is used to add flavor to an otherwise bland meal. But if you start with a quality cut of steak or fillet of fresh fish, why destroy the flavor by suffocating it in grease? Instead, season generously with the recipe's spices and invest in an oil sprayer so you can make a little bit of fat go an extra-long way.

Health After 40

2008-07-03T17:47:00.000-07:00

The body (like this tree) has one method of telling us that something is wrong – it creates symptoms. In many cases, we take medicines that stop our bodies from giving us the message that something is wrong, or cleaning out the offending virus or toxin.

A runny nose, itching skin, sensitivity, weak nails can all signal toxins and a digestive symptom breakdown that can lead to disease.

Weight gain, acne and thinning hair, which are all common symptoms of Glucose allergies. Women may suffer from lack of libido, a deep voice, low mood - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome PCOS which can be controlled by reducing Glucose in our food.
Chewing ice, or a craving for ice, may signal the need for calcium.

Binging may signal the onset of Type 2 Diabetes.

The point is, you should pay attention to things that change in your body and health. They could be symptoms that something is wrong with your system. Pay attention. Don’t listen to people who say ‘don’t worry.’ Instead, research the symptoms and try to find what is the problem before something breaks (like this tree.)

Are You Starving Yourself to Slim Down? You Could Be Suffering From Anorexia

2008-07-01T18:41:00.000-07:00

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder as well as a psychological disorder. Anorexia is a condition that goes beyond dieting and the signs of anorexia can be hard to interpret and understand. A person with anorexia symptoms might initially start dieting to lose weight. With anorexic people losing weight turns into an issue concerning the control or fears relating to one's body.

The effects of anorexia can cause many different physical and mental problems. Some heath threatening side effects of this disorder are:

Infertility caused by the absence of menstruation due to hormonal abnormalities. Bone loss. As the body gets fewer nutrients than it really needs and hormonal imbalance shakes the body's system of regeneration, bone loss or bone damage may occur

Cervical cancer shot not cleared for ages 27-45

2008-07-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK - U.S. regulators have told Merck & Co they cannot yet approve Merck's application to expand marketing of its cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil to an older group of women, the drugmaker said on Wednesday.

Merck had applied for the use of Gardasil in women ages 27 through 45. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a letter regarding the application that it has completed its review and there are "issues" that preclude approval within the expected review time frame, Merck said.

"It's hard to get a feel for if this is a dead issue or if this is delayed," said Linda Bannister, an analyst for Edward Jones. "At the minimum, it's going to be delayed."

Merck said it also failed to win FDA approval to expand Gardasil to protect against more strains of the Human Papillomavirus that causes cervical cancer. The company for now is dropping plans to pursue that expansion, a spokeswoman said.

Gardasil, approved in June 2006 for preventing cervical cancer and genital warts in females ages 9-26, has been one of Merck's most successful newer products and has helped the company recover after the 2004 withdrawal of its Vioxx arthritis treatment.

The Gardasil setbacks could raise concerns about the degree of growth that Merck can hope to achieve with the product, which is the world's first vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.

A Merck spokeswoman said the agency has specific questions regarding Gardasil's effectiveness in this older age group.

The company said it had already discussed the questions with the FDA and expects to respond to the agency in July.

"Once we go back to the FDA, we'll have a better sense of what the review timing looks like," spokeswoman Amy Rose said.

The agency's response on the application for the older group does not affect Gardasil's current approval for females ages 9 to 26, Merck said.

Plans to seek approval for use in men
Ryan said the most important new opportunity for the vaccine will be for its use in males. The vaccine could help prevent males from contracting Human Papillomavirus and spreading it to females through sexual contact. Merck is on track to seek approval for use in males by the end of the year, Rose said.

Men need bone tests as well as women

2008-07-01T18:29:00.000-07:00

Bone tests aren't just for women anymore. New guidelines are calling for older men to get a routine check for bone-thinning osteoporosis.

There's news for women, too: A new computerized tool uses more than bone-density tests to predict who is at highest risk of breaking a bone in coming years — by adding in such important risk factors as whether a parent ever broke a hip.

It's an effort to better target who really needs treatment and who can safely skip it, even before someone's bones become thin enough to be officially labeled an osteoporosis patient.

And it promises a major shift in bone care.

"You treat the people who have high risk, and you would reassure the women at low risk and ask them to come back for a re-check in a few years," explains Dr. Ethel Siris of Columbia University and president of the National Osteoporosis Foundation, which issued the new guidelines last week.

Moreover, the new work stresses that a disease long associated with little old white ladies actually can strike anyone as they age. The biggest change: The NOF guidelines recommend a bone-mineral density X-ray test for all men 70 and older, just like women 65 and older have long been urged to get. (Men and women may need the tests sooner if other factors put them at high risk.)

"There's a recognition more so now than in the past that men are at risk," says Dr. Jay Magaziner of the University of Maryland medical school, who has long researched hip fractures — osteoporosis' most-feared break.

Don't misunderstand. Postmenopausal women are still at greatest risk of osteoporosis, when bone-strengthening estrogen plummets. But a quarter of hip fractures occur in men, and as men live longer, the number who break a hip is steadily rising, Magaziner told a recent meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Screening men "as we do with women can have some real payoffs in terms of prevention," he says.

Another conundrum: More than half of fractures due to bone loss occur in people whose bones are thinning but aren't quite thin enough to be labeled osteoporosis. They're in a gray zone known as osteopenia.

In the U.S. alone, some 10 million people have osteoporosis but 34 million are estimated to have osteopenia. With the population rapidly aging, the government estimates half of Americans over 50 will be at risk of fractures from too-thin bones by 2020.

Diet, exercise, sun counts
The World Health Organization funded a Web-based tool called FRAX, unveiled last week, that helps calculate the odds of a hip, wrist, shoulder or spine fracture within the next 10 years for anyone 40 or older in nine different countries — regardless of whether they have full-fledged osteoporosis or just low bone mass.

Both geography and ancestry matter for bone health. Consider differences such as diet, exercise and exposure to Vitamin D-making sunlight, and odds of a break differ dramatically from China and Japan, to France and Spain, and on to the highest-risk U.S. and Sweden. Here, white women have the highest risk and black women the lowest. FRAX lets users take all that into account.

How? Researchers at Britain's University of Sheffield used data from 60,000 people in developed countries _ where life expectancy is long enough for osteoporosis to be an issue _ to determine factors that play the biggest role in an individual's odds of thinning bones as they age.

Breaking a bone during adulthood that's not the result of, say, a bad car crash is one risk factor. A parent who broke a hip suggests a genetic risk. Smoking also thins bones, as does heavy alcohol consumption and long-term use of steroid-containing medicines.

Plug in a patient's score from a bone-density measurement of the hip for the final calculation.

That number alone doesn't say whether someone needs bone-building treatment. So in the U.S., the National Osteoporosis Foundation went a step further. It used the FRAX predictions to update guidelines on who needs bone-density testing, and to calculate when fracture risk becomes high enough that bone-building drugs would be cost-effective.

In addition to a routine bone check for older men, the guidelines recommend:

Treat postmenopausal women and men 50 and older who have thinning bones, but not osteoporosis yet, if they have at least a 20 percent risk of any major fracture in the next decade, or at least a 3 percent risk of a hip fracture.
Check for osteoporosis risk factors in postmenopausal women and men 50 and over, to see who needs a bone test before their senior years.
A bone test for anyone who has any type of fracture after age 50, or who has conditions associated with bone loss, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
For adults over 50, 1,200 milligrams a day of calcium and 800 to 1,000 international units a day of Vitamin D, more D than the government recommends.
Do regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercise

Anxiety linked with a higher risk for certain chronic conditions, Women's Health Watch

2008-07-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

As an everyday emotion, anxiety can be a good thing, prompting us to take extra precautions. But when anxiety persists, it can undermine our physical health. Evidence suggests that people with anxiety disorders are at greater risk for some chronic medical conditions.

Gastrointestinal disorders: About 10% to 20% of Americans suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or functional dyspepsia. In these disorders, the nerves regulating digestion appear to be hypersensitive to stimulation. There are no firm data on the prevalence of anxiety disorders in people with such digestive disorders, but a recent New Zealand study found an association between high anxiety levels and the development of IBS.

Chronic respiratory disorders: Although results vary, most studies have found a high rate of anxiety symptoms and panic attacks in patients who have chronic respiratory disorders such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with women at greater risk than men. In several studies involving COPD patients, anxiety has been associated with more frequent hospitalization and with more severe distress at every level of lung function. So even if anxiety doesn’t affect the progress of the disease, it takes a substantial toll on quality of life.

Heart disease: Anxiety disorders have also been linked to the development of heart disease and to heart attacks in people who already have heart disease. Two recent studies concluded that among people with heart disease, those suffering from an anxiety disorder were twice as likely to have a heart attack as those with no history of anxiety disorders.

Harvard Women’s Health Watch reports good news as well: understanding and treating anxiety can often improve the outcome for people with chronic diseases.

Women's and men's health

2008-07-01T18:16:00.000-07:00

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a well-established therapeutic area for Solvay Pharmaceuticals. Our products for the treatment of menopausal symptoms and complaints have a prominent leading worldwide position.

The ongoing debate about the appropriate use of HRT urges for shorter courses of therapy (less than 5 years) at lower doses, which is very much in line with our philosophy. We recommend patients taking our HRT products to continue, as long as the benefit of alleviation of severe symptoms outweighs the risk. HRT remains attractive for many women.

The control over menopausal symptoms like hot flushes allows them to function normally in their professional and private lives. Ongoing work will continue to define the best uses for HRT and its benefits.

In Men’s Health we have signed an additional agreement for important geographical expansion to one of our best selling product.

Fitness and Health Tips Men and Women

2008-07-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

Fitness and health tips including information on men's and women's health and wellness including advanced nutritional products for the immune system, joint health, weight loss and general health. All five components of fitness and health: strength training, weight management, cardiovascular exercise, nutrition, and flexibility training are discussed in the Muscle Fitness section of the site.

Here are nine specific Fitness and Health Tips:
Don’t Smoke - One of the main reasons why people decide not to give up smoking, and sadly, the reason why some people take it up is the effect smoking supposedly has on weight gain or loss. It is true that smoking has been associated with an increase in metabolism it is a drug!! However it is a dangerous, addictive drug and surely the tiny effect it has on your metabolism is outweighed by the huge risk of dying from lung cancer.

Drink More Water - You can live three weeks without food, However you can only live for three days without fluid, just think 3 days and its all over, one could suggest that water is fairly important! Your body is anywhere between 60 and 70 percent fluid. The fluid in your body is responsible for helping to keep every system of your body in good working order, including all of your metabolic processes. De-hydrate and everything slows down. The fluid in your body will also ensure that you can move well and be active. If you start to dehydrate, your body’s ability to do basic activities will slow down and your ability to exercise effectively or even enjoy exercise will be reduced. You will feel tired, lethargic and will probably get a headache.

Eat A Variety Of Foods - For protection from the majority of illnesses such as heart disease and cancer you need a variety of foods that deliver that mix of nutrients and minerals. Aim to eat different colored fruits and vegetables. Try to eat a different food each month. Eat an apple a day as the apple pectin cleanses the body’s digestive system by removing toxins and therefore preventing degenerative health problems such as cancer.

Relax For 20 Minutes a Day - Relaxing for at least 20 minutes a day will go a long way to reduce blood pressure and your reactions to stress. Sit or lie somewhere comfortable, Breathe slowly in and out of the nostrils breathing deeply into your abdomen. Say HAM as you inhale and SA as you exhale. These suggestions are charged with positive energy and will help you control your emotions. Try once a day for fantastic results.

Floss Every Day - Flossing your teeth every day is the best way to prevent gum disease and protect your heart. Gum disease, which is left untreated, can lead to inflammatory reactions in the body that can trigger heart disease and stroke.

Drink More Tea - Try drinking more tea instead of coffee to help protect your body from damaging effects of free radicals. Tea is a rich source of antioxidants that play a big role in protecting against some cancers and cardiovascular disease.

Get Active - Aerobic activity not only burns calories but also increases your metabolism and can keep it elevated for several hours after a workout. You don’t need to spend hours each day on the treadmill or bike to reap the benefits. Exercising aerobically for as little as 20 minutes, three to five days a week will make a big difference. Extra movement throughout the day is also essential, take the stairs instead of the lift, lose the remote and move at every opportunity you can.

Get More Sleep - Lack of sleep changes your hormone levels and capacity to metabolize carbohydrates so less sleep = slower metabolism. Studies have revealed that deep sleep causes cell repair and cell growth, which will speed up the metabolism and burn calories. So aim to get at least eight hours sleep a night.

Eat More Protein - Protein stimulates the major brain chemical dopamine which keeps us alert, try chicken or tuna salads for lunch. Go for complex carbohydrates rather than white flour and sugar, as they will provide a sustained energy source as opposed to a quick hit. Another reason to leave simple carbohydrate out of the diet is that they have a negative effect on your skin and how it ages. The more sugar that is in the body the more you force a chemical reaction causing sugars to attach to proteins and this is very detrimental to your skin.

Secrets Every Woman Keeps From Her Man -3

2008-07-01T18:07:00.000-07:00

20) I'm constantly testing you. I observe, analyze, and judge every action, word, gesture, e-mail, and facial expression. When I ask you if you want to have a threesome, I don't mean it. If you want me to speak to you again, let alone sleep with you after this conversation, the answer should always be, "Why would I want to sleep with another woman when I have you?"

21) I check out your butt every time you leave the room.

22) I need constant indications that you want me around. That's why it's better, for example, to say, "I want you to come away with me for the weekend. Could you come with me?" than to ask, "What are you up to this weekend?"

23) I love it when you get a little jealous. So if you ever see me flirting in front of you with the waiter, the bus driver, or another guy at a party, know I'm actually flirting with you -- through him.

24) Even though I may complain that I don't see you enough (or that you work too hard), I find nothing sexier than watching you put on a suit in the morning and rush off to work.

25) I start fights with you because I'm feeling ignored. I'm trying to force emotion out of you. Don't retreat into your cave; just give me what I want: some attention. And never tell me to "calm down," unless you want to guarantee that I absolutely won't.

26) Even if I insist on paying or splitting the bill on our first date, I'll think you're cheap if you let me.

27) I may find your best friend repulsive, but I've fantasized about sleeping with him. Not because I want him, but because I want a piece of a guy who is so close to you.

28) If I'm going to break up with you, all of my friends know way before you do. I've been talking about it for 2 weeks.

29) When we do break up, I put all photographs of you and mementos of our relationship in a shoe box and store it in my closet. Just in case I get nostalgic. Just in case you come back.

30) I want you to take control in bed. Yes, I have a successful career, I'm financially independent, I live on my own, and I don't need a man to make me happy (in theory). I still want you to pick me up, carry me to the bedroom, and take without asking.

Secrets Every Woman Keeps From Her Man

2008-07-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

6) I still think about my ex-boyfriends and compare them to you. Mostly you win. Sometimes not.

7) I have Googled your exes.

8) When I'm falling in love with you, I completely lose my appetite.

9) My body really isn't naturally this hairless and smooth all over. But I will never allow you to see any indication whatsoever of all the shaving, tweezing, waxing, exfoliating, and moisturizing that gets it this way.

10) I only appear to have it all together. My true organization (or lack thereof) is revealed in my closet, my makeup bag, my desk files.

11) I have discovered your porn stash and your frequently visited porn Web sites and think the things that turn you on are hilarious.

12) When I say, "I'm ready," I'll need exactly 7 more minutes to get ready. Don't try to cheat the system by showing up 7 minutes later; I will still need an extra 7 minutes.

13) When I say, "I'll meet you in 15 minutes," I mean I will leave in 15 minutes, and thus won't actually arrive for at least 30 (but probably more like 40).

14) You've made me cry more times than you'll ever know.

15) I obsess about when you're going to call me again. The period of time between our first date and your "Thanks for a great night; when can I see you again?" always seems stretched into slow motion. So don't worry about looking too eager. Call. Even if you only wait until noon the day after, it will feel like a lifetime to me. And don't send me an e-mail unless you want me to put you in the figurative trash can along with your message.

16) I want you to talk a little dirty.

17) At the beginning of our relationship, I save all of your voice mails and listen to them (and make my friends listen, too), repeatedly.

18) I might wear granny underwear and purposely not shave my legs because I like you. As crazy as it sounds, the more I like you, the less likely I am to sleep with you on an early date, because I don't want to sabotage having a "proper" relationship with you. So I just might purposely hunt out the ugliest underwear in my drawer and not shave my legs -- all to prevent myself from getting naked with you too soon. Sometimes I might get a little tipsy or carried away, and this plan will backfire.

19) I split the cost of my fashion purchases over two or more credit cards, so you don't notice the gargantuan deficit.

Secrets Every Woman Keeps From Her Man

2008-07-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

The woman you sleep with gazes into your eyes and tells you she loves you. And you believe her. You can tell by the way she looks at you, the way she holds you, the way she seems to always know what you want before you do. There are a couple of things in life you just know, and love and this naked woman are two of them.

But there are a lot of things you don't know.

A woman may give you her body and her heart, but there are parts that she'll never give up. Pieces woven into the very fiber of her being. Mysteries only hinted at in a passing sly smile, an inscrutable laugh. These are the secrets of lovers past, hidden fantasies, and unshared longings. A woman's deepest secrets that don't -- and never will -- include you.

You're about to sample this hidden knowledge. But like any man who seeks, you'd better be prepared for what you're about to find.

1) My best friend knows everything. She knows all of your vitals -- from the size of your bank account to the size of your other, um, holdings -- and she knows how both compare with those of every other man I've ever dated. I have done a hand-comparison measurement so I can divulge size and girth with a high level of accuracy. When my friend smirks at you knowingly, you are not imagining it. She knows. So just know that she knows, and deal with it. (It's not going to change.)

Ask her about me, or chat with her about our relationship, at your own risk. She will tell me. Even -- in fact, especially -- if she promises not to. This is not always a bad thing (e.g., if you happen to be telling her how much you love me). But, in general, remember that she is my confidante first, and yours never.

2) Just looking at your hands can turn me on.

3) When you go away, even for a day, I sleep in your favorite old T-shirt because it smells like you.

4) I'll never tell you exactly how many men I've slept with. No matter how sincere I appeared when I answered your question, chances are I wasn't. As an unscientific guideline, when a woman says she's slept with four men, the real number is actually closer to seven. Her fib is partly intentional (she doesn't want to appear a floozy), but mostly it's sexual amnesia. When a woman wants to pretend an encounter never occurred, she simply scraps the man from her official score sheet. Common excuses that lead to such an omission: The actual sex lasted only a few thrusts; or she was drunk or on the rebound.

5) I fantasized about being with you at least a dozen times before we actually first got naked.

Another Woman Illegally Told to Stop Breastfeeding)

2008-06-09T07:20:00.000-07:00

Like many other news outlets these days, WINK News, a Florida CBS affiliate, allows their registered website users to post their own stories. Yesterday, another story of a woman asked by a restaurant to stop breastfeeding, despite state law, appeared on the outlet’s website. Nicole Newland claims that an employee of Arizona Pizza of Ft. Myers told her to stop breastfeeding immediately or cover up immediately.

Florida law states that “A mother may breastfeed her baby in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether the nipple of the mother’s breast is uncovered during or incidental to the breastfeeding.”

Newland further indicates that the pizza place employee tried to cover her 3-month-old baby’s head with a napkin. Repeatedly. Despite being informed of the state law, she also asked the mother to breastfeed facing a wall.

Because this is user-submitted content, it obviously hasn’t been vetted the same way a regular news story should be, and includes no official response from Arizona Pizza. However, if you’re an employer, you might want to take this as a reminder to learn the law and educate your

Why Women's Health Matters

2008-06-09T07:19:00.000-07:00

Jewish women are at higher risk of developing hereditary breast and ovarian cancers than some other women are. Now, a new research study is offering all Jewish women in Ontario free screening for this genetic tendency to develop cancer. Find out more here.

Herbal remedies are very popular these days, and many people swear by them. But it's important to recognise herbs should be used with caution and treated like medicine. You should always let your doctor know what you are taking, as they could have side effects, interfere with other medications or even make certain conditions worse. Read our feature for more details.

Lesbians may be at greater risk for some health problems than straight women are, but are less likely to have certain health tests like Pap smears, because they often don’t know they need them. Read our feature to learn more.

More and more studies are pointing to sleep as an essential ingredient for good health. But getting a good night's sleep can be challenging. Women in particular are vulnerable to difficulties with sleep – especially at certain stages of their lives. Read our feature to learn more.

Breast Cancer

2008-06-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer begins in the breast tissue. It is characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells, which usually starts in the milk sacs or ducts. The tumour may be hard or soft and may sometimes be described as a thickening of the breast. Breast cancers are almost always painless.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, other than skin cancer. It rarely affects men. One woman in nine will develop breast cancer by age 85. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, after lung cancer. It is the leading cause of cancer death among women aged 40 to 55.

The National Cancer Institute of Canada estimates that in 2007, an estimated 22,300 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,300 will die of it.

What Causes Breast Cancer?
No one knows exactly what causes breast cancer, but we do know that certain risk factors - things that increase a person's chance of getting a disease - are linked to breast cancer. Risk factors change depending on the type of cancer. There are a number of risk factors, both controllable and uncontrollable, which may increase the chances of developing breast cancer. For instance, the risk factors associated with diet can be controlled, but risk factors such as a person's age or family history can't be changed.
While all women are at risk for breast cancer, the factors listed below are associated with an increased chance of developing the disease.

Major Risk Factors
Gender
Being female is the main risk factor for breast cancer.

Age
The chance of getting breast cancer increases as a woman gets older.

Genetics
Studies show that between five percent and 10 percent of breast cancers appear to be linked to mutations in certain genes (specifically the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes). If a woman has inherited a mutated gene from either parent, she is more likely to develop breast cancer. More than half of women with inherited mutations will develop breast cancer by the age of 70.

Strong family history
The risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives have the disease. Having a mother, sister or daughter with breast cancer almost doubles a woman's risk, particularly if the relative was diagnosed before age 50.

Previous breast cancer
Having had cancer in one breast increases the risk of having it in the other.

Earlier radiation treatment
Women who have had chest area radiation treatment have a significantly increased risk of breast cancer (e.g. mantle radiation for Hodgkin's lymphoma).

A biopsy showing atypical hyperplasia
A previous diagnosis of this condition indicates a moderately increased risk. See the description of hyperplasia for details.

Minor risk factors
Reproductive factors
The risk seems to be higher among women who have not had children and in women who had their first baby after the age of 30.

Menstrual history
Women who began having periods early (before 12 years of age) or who went through menopause after the age of 50 also have a small increased risk.

Obesity
Obesity is associated with an increased risk of post-menopausal breast cancer.

Alcohol consumption
At one drink a day, the risk is very small. Those who have two to five drinks daily have about 1.5 times the risk of women who don't drink.

History
A history of previous benign breast biopsies, other than atypical hyperplasia

Infections and Safer Sex

2008-06-09T07:13:00.001-07:00

Risks Associated with Sexual Activity
High-Risk Sex
Two kinds of sex that have a high risk of passing infected body fluids from one person to another:
vaginal intercourse; a man's penis entering your vagina
anal intercourse; a man's penis entering your anus
If you are going to have vaginal or anal sex, the best protection against disease is a male or female condom. To help you avoid infection; detailed instructions for using condoms are provided in the birth control section.
A male or female condom is good protection against:

trichomonas
pelvic inflammatory disease
gonorrhea
chlamydia
syphilis
HIV/AIDS
Condoms also offer some protection against:
genital warts
herpes
hepatitis-B virus
Lower Risk Sex
Oral sex is considered lower risk because there are fewer infections you can get in this way. Oral sex means putting your mouth on someone else genitals. Although the risk of getting some infections is lower you can still get these infections through unprotected oral sex:
herpes
hepatitis
gonorrhea
syphilis
very rarely HIV/AIDS
You can also use condoms to protect yourself against these infections during oral sex. If you are performing oral sex on a man, put the condom over the penis to prevent contact between body fluids. If you are performing oral sex on a woman, cut the condom down the side and use it as a flat sheet to prevent contact between body fluids. Microwavable plastic wrap can also be used in this way.
Low Risk Sex
Low risk sex includes touching and rubbing each other's genitals with your hands, kissing and massaging each other. These activities are considered low risk because many sexually transmitted infections including HIV cannot be transmitted in this way. However, oral herpes is easily transmitted during kissing. Genital warts and trichomonas can be passed from one person to another by moving your hands from one person's genitals to another. Crabs can move from one person to another during any close contact.
Using sex toys in combination with a condom is also considered low risk sex. The condom should be placed over the toy and changed for each new act of penetration.

Infections and Safer Sex

2008-06-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

Staying safe from disease is an important part of sexual health. Visit your doctor for regular vaginal exams to help ensure you stay healthy. During these exams your doctor can check for infection and can also do a Pap smear to help prevent cervical cancer. These exams are a good opportunity for you to talk to your doctor about birth control and other sexual health issues.

Birth control methods were developed to prevent pregnancy, but some birth control methods also help protect you against sexually transmitted infections. Use the link below to learn more about the infections a woman can get from unprotected sex and about genital infections not passed exclusively through sex.

Safer sex means using a condom and taking care to protect yourself and your partners from infection. Although sex is never risk-free, it can be safer. Using condoms for vaginal and anal sex is only one part of a safer sex strategy. Read the information about safer sex on this Web site and talk to your partner(s) about how you will protect each other from sexually transmitted infections.

Glossary

2008-06-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

acute - when disease occurs soon after infection with obvious and sometimes serious symptoms
adjuvant therapy - during cancer treatment, additional or adjuvant treatment is given to destroy any cancer cells that may have spread. Adjuvant treatment is usually systemic, meaning a treatment that affects the entire body. This allows the treatment to attack cancerous cells wherever they are present. The most common example of adjuvant therapy is chemotherapy given after a tumour has been surgically removed.

anaesthetic - a drug used to prevent pain during surgery or other procedure
A general anaesthetic makes the person unconscious. A local anaesthetic numbs the area where the surgery is to be performed. Local anaesthetics may be combined with sedatives to make a person relax and sleepy but not unconscious.

anonymous testing site - a location designated by the Ontario Ministry of Health where doctors are exempt from reporting the identity of people having HIV tests to Public Health; you do not have to use your real name or produce a health card

antibiotics - drugs used to kill bacterial or fungal infections

antibody - a protein molecule made by the immune system that recognizes and attacks a specific invading germ
For example, an antibody that attacks skin bacteria will not respond to an infection with syphilis.

anus - asshole

asthma - a lung condition where the passages of the lungs narrow causing wheezing and breathing difficulties

bacteria - tiny one-celled creatures that reproduce by splitting in half

basal thermometer - a very accurate thermometer that measures a person's temperature to one tenth of a degree e.g. 36.8 degrees

bisexual - a person who is attracted to both men and women

black cohosh - herbal remedy from the plant Cimicfuga racemosa
A First Nations' therapy used to treat menopausal symptoms particularly hot flashes and mood disorders. Several small German studies have shown improvements in menopausal symptoms.

body fluids - fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, saliva
Contact with the body fluids of an infected person puts a person at risk of a number of serious sexually transmitted infections such as HIV and hepatitis.

Cesarean section - the surgical removal of an infant from the uterus when vaginal delivery is not possible

cervical ectropion (also know as cervical ectropian, erosion or eversion) - occurs when the junction where the cells of the vagina turn into the cells of the uterus hangs out into the vagina. It is very common, especially in younger women and those taking birth control pills. Cervical ectropion usually resolves naturally as the cervix matures, some times cervical ectropion may warrent a change in your birth control method.

cervical laceration - a tear in the cervix

cervical mucus - a sticky fluid which assists the movement of sperm through the cervix

chancre - a genital sore causes by syphilis infection

chasteberry - an herbal therapy from the plant Vitex agnus-castus used to treat pre-menstrual syndrome
One small trial of 36 women reported an improvement in both physical and psychological symptoms when using this product. Chasteberry may interfere with birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy.

chronic - a disease that continues over a long period of time and cannot be eliminated with treatment

chronic fatigue syndrome - a collection of symptoms including tiredness, weakness and muscle pain is called chronic fatigue syndrome; the cause of this condition is not known, although some suspect it is due to environmental sensitivities

cirrhosis - the scarring of the liver due to disease or inflammation

colposcopy - the use of an electronic device to examine the cervix for abnormal cells

common-law relationship - the legal term for the rights and responsibilities that apply between two people who have lived as spouses for a legally determined period of time (often one year) but who have not married

contraception - birth control, family planning

contraction - when muscles tense and shorten it is called a contraction; cramps are caused by muscle contractions

corpus luteum - the case around an ovum when it is still in the ovary
After the ovum has been released this case continues to produce hormones.

curette - a medical instrument with a loop-shaped end used to remove small bits of tissue from the uterus

dementia - severe memory loss and confusion

diabetes - a condition where the body does not breakdown sugar effectively

discharge - a fluid released from the vagina or other organ
Some vaginal discharge is normal and may be released when a woman is aroused. A lot of discharge or a discharge with an unusual odour may indicate an infection.

dysmenorrhea - difficult or painful periods

ectopic pregnancy - when an ovum is fertilized and begins to develop inside the Fallopian tubes; a dangerous condition that can be fatal to a woman if left untreated

ejaculation - the sudden and forceful release of fluids; this term is most often used to describe the release of semen when a man has an orgasm

embryo - the stage of pregnancy following the fertilization of the ovum but before internal organs begin to develop

endometrial cancer - cancer which begins as abnormal cells in the lining of the uterus

endometriosis - a condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining is found outside of the uterus usually in the pelvic area; causes pelvic pain and may cause infertility

endometrium - the lining of the uterus that builds up during the menstrual cycle in order to nourish a fertilized ovum; it is shed during menstruation if fertilization doesn't occur

epididymitis - inflammation of the scrotum

episiotomy - a short cut made at the base of the vaginal opening to allow an infant to be born more easily

estrogen - a hormone that regulates the female menstrual cycle

evening primrose oil - oil from the plant Oethra biennis Evening primrose oil is used as an herbal treatment for a number of conditions including premenstrual syndrome. Widely used in Britain for this condition, small British studies have shown it is effective particularly in treating premenstrual irritability and depression. Naturopaths suggest four to six months of use are necessary to observe benefits.

fetus - a fertilized egg grows to form a fetus after seven or eight weeks of pregnancy

fibroid - an abnormal but non-cancerous growth of the muscle of the uterus

folic acid supplements - one of the B vitamins found in large amounts in spinach and liver
Supplements of this vitamin are recommended for all women intending to carry a pregnancy to term, but should be avoided by women undergoing a medical abortion.

foreplay - sexual touching and play in the early stages of arousal that makes a woman and her partner more excited

fungi - single-celled life forms that are larger than bacteria and have organelles (mini-organs) inside the cells

genital warts - bumpy growths in the moist areas in and around the genitals caused by the Human Papilloma Virus

G-spot - the area at the top of the vagina where the back of the clitoris meets the vaginal wall; stimulation of this area may cause female ejaculation

gynaecological - having to do with the female reproductive organs

hepatitis - inflammation of the liver due to bacterial or viral infection

heterosexual - a man or woman who is sexually attracted to someone of the opposite sex

homophobia - fear of lesbians and gay men

hormones - chemical messengers that the body uses to send instructions from one part of the body to another

hormone replacement therapy (HRT) - supplements of the hormones which regulate the female reproductive system; these supplements may be taken during and after menopause to reduce the symtoms of menopause and the risk of some diseases such as osteoporosis

hysterectomy - the removal of the uterus

immune system - the integrated working of a number of the body's cells and organs to defend against infection

implant - when an egg attaches to the lining of the uterus

impotence - being unable to become sexually aroused; most often refers to a man's inability to have an erection

infertility - the inability to have children

intercourse - the penetration of the vagina with a penis

irritable bowel syndrome - a digestive disorder that causes cramping pain and diarrhea

jaundice - a symptom of liver disease that makes the skin and the eyes turn yellowish

Kegel exercises - exercises that may be used to strengthen the muscles surrounding the vagina; check out Kegel exercises in our A-Z Health Topics section for more information

lactobacilli - bacteria that normally live in the vagina and produce lactic acid, which makes the vagina somewhat acidic; this helps control the growth of other bacteria

laminaria - an absorbent material made of seaweed, which is inserted in the cervix where it absorbs water and swells - pushing open the cervix

laparoscopy - surgery done through a very small incision with the guidance of a telescope-like instrument called a laproscope

latex - a type of rubber used to make male condoms and other methods of birth control Some people, particularly health care providers, develop allergies to this substance and must avoid birth control methods that use it.

lesbian - a woman who is sexually attracted to other women

libido - interest in and desire for sex

lochia - vaginal bleeding that lasts for several days after the birth of a child

lubricant - any substances used to make the genitals slippery and ease sexual contact see What exactly is lube?

masturbation - touching one's own body for sexual pleasure

menopause - when a woman's periods have ceased for more than 12 months in a row

menstrual magnification - when an illness repeatedly becomes worse during the two weeks before a woman's period

Mittelschmerz - German for middle pain, this refers to slight pains or twinges that some woman feel when the ovulate

needle exchange - an organization that allows injection drug users to exchange used needles for clean ones in order to control infection

nervous system - the brain, nervous tissue in the spine and nerves that carry sensation throughout the body

obstetric care - the medical care pregnant women receive throughout their pregnancy and during delivery

oral sex - sexual activity where one person uses their mouth to stimulate the other's genitals

orgasm - the peak of sexual excitement when the muscles around the vagina contract in rapid pulses

outercourse - sexual play that does not involve putting the man's penis in the woman's vagina
Outercourse includes hugging and kissing, as well as massaging and stimulating one another's bodies and genitals with your hands and mouth and has a lower risk for pregnancy and infection than intercourse.

ova/ovum - eggs produced by a woman's ovaries (ovum means one egg, ova means more than one)

ovarian cancer - cancer which begins as abnormal cells in a woman's ovaries

ovulate/ovulation - the release of an egg from the ovary

Pap smear - a test which looks for abnormal cells on the cervix; these cells may be the first signs of cervical cancer

pelvic examination - another name for a vaginal examination; includes a physical examination of the uterus, vagina and Fallopian tubes as well as a Pap smear and sometimes a test for infection

pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - irritation and swelling of the ovaries and Fallopian tubes; this is usually associated with a sexually-transmitted infection

peri-menopause - the period of time before menopause when a woman may experience symptoms such as hot flashes or irritability due to hormonal changes

polyurethane - a synthetic material which is used to make male and female condoms that do not cause allergic reactions in people with latex allergies

post-coital - after sexual intercourse has occurred

post-partum depression - a depression that occurs because of the hormonal changes that women experience after giving birth

pre-cum - small amounts of semen that may be released before a man ejaculates

progesterone - one of the hormones that regulated a woman's menstrual cycle

progestin - a synthetic form of progesterone

protozoa - single celled animals that are usually motile (can move from place to place)

psoriasis - a skin condition where patches of skin appear dry or scaly

puberty - when a girl or a boy becomes sexually mature; for a girl, when her periods begin

pubic hair - hair which grows around the genitals

scrotum - the sac of skin that holds the testicles

sex toys - any item used for sexual pleasure particularly for penetration of the vagina or anus; toys made specifically for sexual play often resemble a penis and are then called a dildo

sexual assault - any unwanted sexual contact or attention including name-calling or anything that makes a person feel bad about their sexual self or physical appearance

sexually-transmitted - infections that are passes from one person to another through sexual contact

sickle cell anemia - an inherited condition where a person's red blood cells are misshapen and less capable of carrying oxygen

spatula - a flat instrument with a specially shaped end designed to remove cells from the cervix; spatulas used for Pap smears are made of wood

speculum - an instrument that is used to hold the vagina open during a vaginal exam

spermicidal film - a spermicide which comes as a tiny sheet that can be inserted into the vagina; the sheet dissolves and the spermicide spreads through the vagina

SSRIs - Serotonin Selective Re-uptake Inhibitors are a group of anti-depressant drugs; Prozac is an example

stimulation - any activity which promotes sexual arousal

suppositories - medications designed to be inserted into the vagina or anus

testicles - organs inside the scrotum where sperm is produced

testosterone - a hormone which in men triggers the development of sperm and a masculine appearance; women's bodies also produce small amounts of testosterone which may be important to a woman's libido

toxic shock syndrome - a serious illness that may be due to toxins produced by bacteria in the vagina; click here for more information

ultrasound - a scanning technique that allows a technician to view the inside of the uterus and other internal organs

unprotected sex - sexual activity that happens without protection against pregnancy or sexually-transmitted infection; this may be unintentional, for example, when a condom breaks

urethra - the tube that carries urine out of the body; in men sperm also passes through this tube

urinary tract infection - infection of the urethra and the bladder

uterine lining - the tissue which lines the uterus and would nourish a fertilized egg in the event of pregnancy; it is shed as menstrual blood when pregnancy does not occur

vaccine - a substance which is used to trigger the immune system to react against a specific infection

vaginal examination - a physical examination of the vagina that may also include a Pap smear and a test for infections

vaginal moisturizers - commercial products that may be used by women to prevent vaginal dryness and the thinning of the vaginal wall during peri-menopause and menopause; these products are not designed for use as sexual lubricants

vas deferens - the tubes which carry sperm from the testicles to the penis

virus - an infecting particle that cannot reproduce on its own; a virus must take over a living cell to make copies of themselves

vulva - a woman's genital area including the labia, clitoris and vaginal opening

window period - the time after a person has been infected with a germ but before tests can show the infection is present; this term is most often used when talking about HIV which has a window period of up to three months following infection

Birth Control

2008-06-09T07:06:00.001-07:00

Sexually active women may wish to become pregnant or they may want to avoid this possibility. Pregnancy is always possible, when:

a woman is between puberty and menopause
a woman has sexual intercourse with a male partner
both the man and the woman are fertile
Fortunately there are many birth control options and more are being developed all the time. Choose the method that best meets your needs and lifestyle. Use this questionnaire to help you think about which birth control method is right for you.
Birth control methods may be permanent or they may be reversible allowing a woman to choose to have children later in life. Emergency methods of birth control are also available, which may prevent pregnancy if used within 100 hours (three to five days) of unprotected intercourse.

Unplanned Pregnancy

2008-06-09T07:04:00.000-07:00

Abortion
Decision-making about Unplanned Pregnancy
Making unexpected decisions about health issues is often difficult; decision-making around an unplanned pregnancy is no different. For many women, an unplanned pregnancy can be one of the first times that they have had to deal with a decision about their health and the course of their life.
If you experience an unplanned pregnancy you have three options:

continuing the pregnancy and raising a child
continuing the pregnancy and placing the child for adoption
ending the pregnancy by having an abortion
You may reflect on many aspects of your life when considering these options. Unplanned pregnancy can happen at different stages of a woman's life. Often the decision is about what is best at this time; at another point in your life the decision might be different.

There are many factors to consider when making a decision about unplanned pregnancy.

You may:

think about your own personal beliefs, values and practices and those of others in your life
assess your existing relationships (partners, family, friends) and the support that these relationships need and can provide
evaluate financial and social realities
look at your living conditions and life circumstances
examine your feelings about becoming a mother and about parenting
explore spiritual, religious and cultural beliefs
consider the reactions of others to your decision
As with any decision, you need to come to grips with making a decision and living with that decision. It is very common for women to have a variety of emotional reactions to an unplanned pregnancy; dealing with your feelings is an important part of making a decision you can live with. Each woman is unique and the time and effort needed to make a decision will be different.
Who to Talk to
Weighing the pros and cons of such a personal decision can feel reassuring, stressful and/or challenging. You may wish to seek advice when making this decision. Who a woman chooses to talk to varies; each of us has our own needs for privacy and for emotional, physical, economic and spiritual support. You may look for people to help you in the decision-making process who are:
knowledgeable (be able to provide information or referrals)
non-judgmental
someone who can provide support whatever the decision
someone who you feel comfortable talking to
Some women only want to talk to health care providers; others want to include a partner or family member, a friend or a clergy person. Whoever you talk to, you should never feel coerced or forced to make a decision that is not your own.

Learning about the Options
Often a woman needs to learn more about her options before she can make a decision. Each option contains its own set of decisions. You may need more information before you can make the choices that are best for you. No matter what your decision, there will be other things you need to do and other choices you have to make.
When considering continuing a pregnancy, there will be decisions around choosing a health care provider such as a doctor or midwife, keeping healthy through pregnancy and choosing how and where the delivery will occur.

When considering adoption, you will also need to contact agencies working in this area to find out about the process and how it works. You may want a doctor or healthcare provider who is knowledgeable about your needs to support you through the adoption process.

When considering abortion, you need to know what procedures are available in your community and where (hospital, clinic, doctor's office). In some parts of Canada, you may need to consider travelling to have some or all procedures. The appropriate procedure for an abortion is based on:

gestational size (number of weeks since your last period)
your general health
the available procedures
your preferences
Most abortion providers can refer you to counselling that will help you make the best decision for you around unplanned pregnancy. Abortion in Canada is generally available up to 20 weeks. More details about abortion and the procedures available are provided in the documents below.

Pregnancy

2008-06-09T07:03:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy is an exciting time for a woman and her family. It can also be a difficult and challenging time. A pregnant woman and her partner have many decisions to make. They also have lots of expectations and probably at least a few fears.

Women's Health Matters has developed a Pregnancy Health Centre to give women and their families information about:

becoming pregnant
planning for a baby
staying healthy during pregnancy
labour and childbirth
life with a newborn
breast-feeding
Visit our Pregnancy Health Centre to learn more about all of these topics.
Sometimes a pregnancy is not planned. You may be unsure about how a child would fit into your life. To help you think thorugh the issues involved, read our page on Decision Making About Unplanned Pregnancy.

How Female Bodies Work

2008-06-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

Healthy sexual and reproductive organs are vital to a woman's sexual health. Learning about the functions of each organ and how these organs work together allows you to be aware of your natural rhythms or of any changes that might indicate a problem. This information can also help you choose a method of birth control or determine when is the best time to try and get pregnant

Learning about a woman's sexual responses may also make you more comfortable with your body. If you understand what happens to your body when you are sexually excited, you may be able to improve your sexual experiences.

A woman's sexual responses change throughout her life cycle. In part this is due to her changing levels of experience and self-knowledge, but there are also physical changes as her body matures. Pregnancy and childbirth may have an impact on a woman's sexual responses. Dealing with the physical and emotional changes associated with menopause is also an important part of a woman's sexual health

Sexual Health

2008-06-09T06:59:00.000-07:00

Sexuality is a part of every woman's life. All of our bodies have the potential to feel physical excitement and pleasure.

Some women choose never to be sexually active, but most women explore their sexual desires in some way, at some point in their lives. Having the freedom to choose how to express yourself sexually (or how not to) is an important part of a woman's sexual health.

Sexual health also means understanding your body and how it works. Women who understand their bodies can make better choices about the sexual activities that they enjoy. They can also choose to become pregnant or they can choose to avoid it. Being knowledgeable about sexually transmitted infections can help women protect themselves and their partners from disease.

Understanding your body is an important part of sexual health, but sexual health also involves being comfortable with yourself and your sexual desires. It means having healthy relationships with others. Sexual health can also mean learning to identify and leave violent or abusive relationships and learning to cope with the after effects of such relationships.

Women's Health

2008-06-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

Vital information on major women's health concerns. From Major Illnesses to Common Disorders. Details on their symptoms, causes and treatments.

What Do Your Symptoms Mean? Physical discomforts are your body's way of telling you something. Unfortunately, the body's language is often quite vague and symptoms can mean many things. more

Common Symptoms
Vaginal bleeding
Vaginal discharge
Genital warts
Pain during menstruation
Menstruation stopping
Pain during intercourse
Pelvic pain
Breast Discharge
Painful urination
Blood in the urine
Frequent urination

Common Disorders
Cervicitis
Endometriosis
Fibroids
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
PMS
Infertility
Osteoporosis
Ovarian Cysts
Sexual Transmitted Disease (STD)
Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)
Vaginal Infections

Menopause
The hormonal changes that spur the end of menstruation affect a woman's entire body... more

Cancer Information

Breast Cancer: The first sign of breast cancer is usually a lump or a spot seen on a mammogram. Like all cancers, the disease is the result of unrestrained multiplication of cells... more

Cervical Cancer: This disease is almost 100 percent curable when it is diagnosed in its early stages and treated promptly... more

Your PAP Test: This is a screening test for cancer of the cervix; and since its introduction there has been a dramatic decline in deaths from the disease... more

Ovarian Cancer: Like all cancers, this one is most dangerous when discovered late... more

Endometrial Cancer: Keeping alert for the first signs of a problem is your best guarantee of successful treatment and long-term survival... more

Lung Cancer: The first warning of lung cancer is usually a spot on a chest x-ray, revealing a tumor (lump) in the lung and is found as a spot on a chest X-ray... more

Heart Disease

Women and Heart Disease: One in 9 women between the ages of 45 and 64 has some form of cardiovascular disease, ranging from coronary artery disease to stroke or renal vascular disease. By the time a woman reaches 65, she has a 1 in 3 chance of developing cardiovascular disease... more

Diet and Health

Diet and Health: Eating a well-balanced healthy diet really can be a life-saver. But deciding what's healthy is no easy task when we're faced with an almost daily onslaught of often controversial, sometimes even contradictory, nutritional information. To help sort through the conflicting claims, here's a quick review of the basic facts we know today... more

Cosmetic "Plastic" Surgery:: Is safe and available, and can make a tremendous difference in the way you see yourself and how you face the world. You have to remember, though, that plastic surgery is a clinical procedure, not a panacea. It must be approached with realistic expectations... more

DO-IT-YOURSELF MONTHLY BREAST SELF-EXAM

2008-06-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

IN THE SHOWER
Raise one arm. With fingers flat, touch every part of the breast, gently feeling for a lump or thickening. Use your right hand to examine your left breast, your left hand for your right breast.

BEFORE A MIRROR
With arms at your sides, then raised above your head, look carefully for changes in the size, shape, and contour of each breast. Look for puckering, dimpling, or changes in skin texture.

Gently squeeze both nipples and look for discharge.

LYING DOWN
Place a towel or pillow under your right shoulder and your right hand behind your head. Examine your right breast with your right hand.

Fingers flat, press gently in small circles, starting at the outermost top edge of your breast and spiraling in toward the nipple. Examine every part of the breast. Repeat with left breast.

With your arm resting on a firm surface, use the same circular motion to examine the underarm area. This is breast tissue, too.

"THIS SELF-EXAM IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PERIODIC EXAMINATIONS BY A QUALIFIED PHYSICIAN."

10 Tips to Maintain Beauty and Health

2008-06-09T06:50:00.000-07:00

Beauty , health , and nutrition are all integrated. If you eat a balanced diet you will be able to maintain your physique and glowing beauty externally and good health internally. A balanced diet is one that provides all the nutrients you need, the right amount of proteins, carbohydrates, and fat.
To achieve goals you need to ensure a good balance in your diet, introduce variety into your meals, and practice moderation. The basis of nutrition lies in your height, weight, dimensions, and your daily energy needs. Once you know this, you can compute what your daily calorific needs are and set goals for weight maintenance, gain, or loss. By regulating your diet you can be active as well as happy.
You must:

1. Eat sensibly. Include a variety of foods in your diet such that all nutrients that are required by your body are present. Make use of a food pyramid and calorie chart to prepare tasty and nutritious meals.

2. Eat plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. They will supply you with essential vitamins, minerals, and protection from several diseases.

3. Maintain your weight at a healthy level. Successful weight management is one of the golden keys to good health. By doing this you will considerably reduce the risk of many diseases like hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases, cancer, and osteoporosis.

4. Learn self control, eat moderate portions. The secret lies in eating everything but in small portions.

5. Make a time-table for your meals and how many calories you will be taking in each meal. Never fast, starve yourself, or skip a meal. Eat when your body demands sustenance but not huge quantities.

6. Practice moderation. Good health does not lie in eliminating carbohydrates or fats. Include all your favorite foods but balance them with the rest of your diet.

7. Be sure your meals each day include all the food groups.

8. Plan to exercise every day. Either walk or take up aerobics, dance, or join a gym. Exercise will not just burn calories but put a glow into your skin, tone your muscles, and strengthen your bones. Exercise also removes accumulated toxins from your body.

9. Maintain a dairy in which you record your goals, and what you eat each day. Review your week objectively and create a table that shows at a glance what you did right and what you did wrong. This will help keep you on the right track.

10. Celebrate each victory. Give yourself a present or take yourself out every time you achieve a goal.

By eating healthy, one can live a complete and rounded life without diseases, reduce stress greatly, look and feel great, be happy from within , age well, produce healthy progeny, and live life to the fullest.

Daily Health Task Lists

2008-06-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

Just like brushing your teeth, healthy habits should be cultivated on a daily basis. The following is a guide to daily tasks:

1. Activity should be a daily occurrence. Walk, run or jump for a minimum total of 20 minutes a day.

2. Protect your skin. Sun block should be applied on face, neck, arms and hands even in the dead of winter. It protects against climatic toxins too. Moisturize skin daily.

3. Eat fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products and small amounts of protein. Avoid sweets and other processed foods.

4. Meditate or spend a minimum of five minutes daily in quiet time.

5. Find your spiritual self. Discover what inspires you, raises your level of consciousness, motivates you, and satisfies your soul.

6. Exercise your brain. Read, study, solve problems, and learn new skills. As does the body, the brain atrophies with lack of use.

7. Hug somebody.

10 Essential Health Tips (The Basics to Practice Every Day)

2008-06-09T06:42:00.000-07:00

1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha…. Then do it!

2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!

3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.

4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them.

5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: 'Smoke gets in your eyes'…and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants….hum the tune daily.

6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.

7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body's boss.

8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.

9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can't be unhappy when you're smiling or singing.

10. Choose Your Parents Well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you. Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny

Health and Fitness Make the Difference Between Living Well and Living

2008-06-09T06:40:00.000-07:00

Quality of life is what we all want. Good health helps us achieve a high quality of life. Fitness makes us want to live it every day. If you agree with these three premises, keep reading.

The Purpose of Health and Fitness Tips
To inform you of new developments in the health and fitness fields is our aim. We'll do the research; we have the resources. You get the results. The name of the game is 'current' and 'relevant' for today. Forget all the excess baggage of the so-called fitness gurus.

Become Healthier and Fitter Faster
While we know you are interested in becoming healthier and fitter or maintaining the health and fitness you have, we also know you have limited time to devote to it. We therefore pledge to you a fast, simple method to hop aboard the fitness fast train. Get on track with the facts.

Health Professionals, Medical Doctors and Health and Fitness Writers and Editors Make Up Our Staff
Our staff experience in the booming Health and Fitness field adds up to more than 100 years. Not that anyone is age 100 or even close, but we all plan to live that long. We want to make sure we have company. So we invite you along for the ride. We'll spur you on and help you over the rough spots to your own fitness destination.

Diet and Exercise are Keys to Healthy Living
But you know all this. So our aim is to give you the shortcuts, the little-known tricks and proven methods to help prevent boredom and hopelessness in your quest for good health. Our high tech world has advanced in the fitness field also. In fact, so fast that we want to get the information out to you yesterday. That's what the Health and Fitness Tips Site is all about…the latest up-to-the-minute-in-the-zone information for your health and fitness.

The Health and Fitness Tips Newsletter
Is a free weekly newsletter that is delivered straight to your email box. It's short, to the point, and it's absolutely free. This newsletter contains one weekly health and fitness tip that will get you on the right track. Click here and become one step closer to your health and fitness goals for the year 2008!

A Nanotech Cure for Cancer?

2008-06-07T05:53:00.000-07:00

It's a space-opera scene we know by heart: The hero's tiny craft faces off against the vast enemy ship. Now scale down the set a billion times or so, and replace Luke Skywalker's X-wing and the Death Star with a clump of drug-bearing molecules and a misshapen cancer cell.

This scenario -- from a National Cancer Institute video -- is just one possibility offered by the burgeoning field of cancer nanotechnology, where miniscule molecules are designed with literally atomic precision to combat a disease that kills half a million Americans every year.

"It's 21st-century medicine," said Vicki Colvin of Rice University's Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology. "It sits at the intersection of some of the greatest achievements in many different areas of science, from material science to cell biology to physics and advances in imaging."

Indeed, the National Cancer Institute, which recently announced two waves of funding for nanotech training and research, sees nanotechnology as vital to its stated goal of "eliminating suffering and death from cancer by 2015."

To anyone familiar with the long, often fruitless search for cancer's cure, or the unfulfilled promise of nanotechnology, this may seem far-fetched. But in recent years, scientists have learned more about how cancer works at the cellular level. They have also learned to build molecules that could detect and destroy cancer cells, making today's painful and often-ineffective treatments a thing of the past.

Though the jump from lab to patient is long, scientists are confident that it can be made.

"Developing any drug or diagnostic is a long process, and that's still going to be the case," said Greg Downing, director of the Office of Technology and Industrial Relations at the National Cancer Institute. "But these technologies have the potential to overcome challenges we can't overcome now."

The technologies now being developed are not the complex miniature machines usually associated with nanotechnology, but particles a few nanometers wide. (As a point of reference, the average human hair is about 100,000 nanometers wide, and a red blood cell is 4,000 nanometers in diameter.)

The first cancer nanotech applications will likely involve detection. Nanoparticles could recognize cancer's molecular signatures, gathering the proteins produced by cancerous cells or signaling the presence of telltale genetic changes. Researchers have already used a protein called albumin -- considered a naturally occurring nanoparticle -- to detect proteins found in ovarian cancer tissue.

Other nanoparticles could adhere to cancerous cells and, when viewed under a magnetic resonance imager or fluorescent light, reveal cancers now hidden to our eyes.

"Nanotech gives us the opportunity to detect cancer tumors at 1,000 cells, whereas we're now seeing them at 1 million cells. By the time you detect some cancers today, there's no option of curing them, only of prolonging life," said Sri Sridhar, director of Northeastern University's Nanomedicine Science and Technology Program.

While diagnostic nanoparticles will first be used to analyze blood or tissue samples outside the body, they could eventually be injected into the bloodstream (making it possible to also design particles that will be flushed from the patient unless they stick to cancer cells). But nanoparticles can be made not only to find those cells, but to destroy them.

One such application involves metallic molecules that adhere to cancer cells and can then be heated with microwaves, a magnetic field or infrared light, destroying the tumor while leaving surrounding tissues unharmed. Researchers at Rice University have done just this with gold-coated particles and breast cancer tissue cultures.

Cancer Cures

2008-06-07T05:35:00.000-07:00

It's unpredictable, it's uncanny. It may be lurking within a body and the body wouldn't know. Many a minor ache, quietly ignored and quickly discarded in the past, may be the begetter of that which is pernicious, lethal and detrimental to life. It shrouds itself in dubious obscurity till the time comes for it to reveal the first symptoms. All this while, the fatal cell stealthily multiplies and spreads. It disseminates its devastating influence till it aborts the very functional mechanism of the human body. Such is the effect of cancer.

But thanks to the advances made today by clinical research, cancer cures and alternative cancer treatment are available. The choice of a particular alternative cancer treatment depends on the stage of the cancerous tumor. Traditional or conventional treatment options may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy. These therapies have all been tested in clinical research trials and proven to be acceptable, safe and effective, although with often unpleasant side effects.

Depending on the type of the disease, these cancer cures are used alone or in combination, to either control cancer cell growth or to eliminate the disease entirely.

Cancer is not a single disease. It is a large and complex family of malignancies that can affect virtually every organ in the body. Cancer kills one out of every four Americans, surpassed only by heart disease as the leading cause of death in this country. Over 1.2 million new cases are diagnosed every year, with half of them occurring in the lung, prostate, breast, colon and rectum. Cancer can strike at any age, although it is most common in people over 50.

There are around 200 different types of cancer. Two in five people, at some point in their lives, are susceptible to it. Cancer is the term given to a large group of diseases that vary in type and location. It is the result of a continuous, abnormal and relatively autonomous cell proliferation, which is due to the permanent alteration of some cells that gets transmitted to the cell family. It is a disease caused by the loss of control over a cell's reproduction capacity. Rather than dividing in a controlled and programed manner, the cell continues to divide and multiply abnormally, until a detectable lump or tumor develops.

This new growth can be either benign or malignant. A benign tumor does not spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body and so are not cancerous. They can often be removed and are rarely a threat to life. A malignant tumor, however, can spread and is cancerous. When this tumor spreads, its malignant cells break off and travel through the blood lymph system to other parts of the body, resulting in a secondary tumor, or metastasis. The name given to the cancer, however, is reflective of the origination of the cancer. For example, if lung cancer spreads to the brain, the disease is still called metastatic lung cancer, not brain cancer.

Both external and internal factors cause cancer. Factors such as chemicals, radiation, viruses, hormones and inherited mutations may act together to start or further cancer. Ten or more years may pass between exposure and detectable cancer.

Anyone, from children to senior citizens can get this disease. What causes cancer in the first place, and how quickly the cells grow and spread, varies from person to person. While a large number of people with cancer overcome the disease and live fulfilled lives for many years, some succumb within a few months.

The journey with cancer is a long, stressful and strenuous one. The treatment procedure itself may be detrimental to the emotional well-being of the patient. This is where complementary and alternative therapies have stepped in to offer holistic treatment. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)—also referred to as integrative medicine—includes a broad range of healing philosophies, approaches and therapies. These therapies are used in an effort to prevent illness, reduce stress, prevent or reduce side effects and symptoms, and control or cure disease.

The terms "complementary" and "alternative" are often used interchangeably, when in fact they are two different therapies. Complementary therapies such as acupuncture, aromatherapy, art therapy, counseling, massage, meditation, etc. are therapies which are given alongside conventional cancer treatments. The former, however, does not replace the latter. They play a supportive role and are only used in addition to standard treatments. Some commonly used methods of complementary therapy include mind-body control interventions such as visualization or relaxation; manual healing, including acupressure and massage; homeopathy; vitamins or herbal products; and acupuncture. Alternative therapies, on the other hand, are used instead of conventional treatments. Electromagnetic therapy, essiac (a mixture of herbs), iscador (mistletoe extract) and gerson therapy are some examples of alternative treatments.

Conventional approaches to cancer treatment have generally been studied for safety and effectiveness through a rigorous scientific process. Less is known about the safety and effectiveness of complementary and alternative methods since many of them have not undergone rigorous evaluation. Some remedies, however, once considered unorthodox, are finding a place in cancer treatment—not as cures, but as complementary therapies that may help patients feel better and recover faster. Traditional therapies such as ayurveda have also been known to cure cancer.

Though many of these therapies are still under evaluation, most have supporters who believe that they have added a positive aspect to their treatment and care, cope better with the physical symptoms and side effects of standard treatment, as well as with the complex and often distressing emotions that cancer can bring.

Consider These Sure Cures For Infertility

2008-06-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

Infertility conventionally is defined as the inability to bear or conceive a child even after regular intercourse without contraceptive for a year. To conceive the women must ovulate. A woman is born with the eggs while a man's sperm is produced during reproductive years. With the advancing age the eggs reduce in their quantity that diminishes fertility slowly. The reproduction cycle should be synchronized in both male and female for a successful pregnancy.

What is the Difference between Infertility and Sterility?
Sterility is often taken as a synonym to infertility, though they both mean disability to bear a child yet they have a very basic difference. Infertility mostly point at the inability to conceive, which may be because of various internal or external factors. Sterility means when the person is unable to reproduce sexually, this mostly is because of problem in the reproductive system.

Infertility might exist because of certain abnormalities that might not be related to the reproductive system. At times infertility exist because of stress, emotional shocks or side effect of any treatment, but sterility is very restricted to the reproductive system like damage in ovaries or varicose veins in the testicles might cause sterility.
Are there Symptoms for Infertility?
Infertility symptoms vary and there are no rigid symptoms that can easily distinguish infertility. Infertility symptoms can be seen in a female if she has:
Irregular periods
Absence of periods
Weight gain
Pelvic pain
Chronic acne
The above symptoms though are taken, as signs of infertility yet at times there are no significant symptoms for infertility.
Cause of Infertility
There are various factors that lead to infertility. Certain common factors are briefly discussed below:
Thyroid
Thyroid problem in females is one of the factors associated with infertility, if the secretion of thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) is high or low (hypothyroidism), it can interrupt cycles. Irregular periods therefore cause infertility.
Diabetes Mellitus
High level of blood sugar can lead to weight gain or loss, anxiety and hormonal imbalance in the body. The hormonal imbalance leads to infertility.
Ovarian Factors
Ovarian factors that results in infertility are listed below:
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
High amount of secretion of androgens, which is more of male hormone than female hormone can result in infertility. This causes most of the menstrual period disorder. Absence of periods or infrequent periods is the symptom of POS. The female may develop facial hairs, acne and obesity if suffering from POS.
Ovarian Cyst
The sac of fluid that grows in ovary is termed as an ovarian cyst. At times the cyst does not respond to medical treatment or goes off by itself then it can lead to infertility. The cyst then needs to be surgically removed.
Early Menopause
It is also termed as premature ovarian failure and may be caused by STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) Tuberculosis and mumps. Early weakening of follicles is the main reason for early menopause at about the age of 40.
Tubal or Peritoneal Factors
There are some of the tubal factors as follows
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a state when fragments of the endometrial lining are implanted in other areas of the pelvic instead of traveling from uterus to vagina. It blocks the eggs passage and does not allow release of the egg. It causes burning and inflammation with painful periods and leads to infertility.
Implantation Failure
It is also termed as Luteal Phase defect where the ovum fails to implant in the endometrium. This state leads to frequent miscarriages.
Other Factors
The other factors include the following
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Infection caused by various bacteria in the reproductive region causes PID. The frequency of these infections causes scarring and abscess or tubal damage that causes infertility.
Benign Fibroids
These are one of the most common reasons for infertility in women. This non-cancerous tumor or fibroids that either blocks the fallopian tubes or grow in the uterus and occupying space, which does not allow the growth of the egg leading to either miscarriages or infertility.
Medication for Cancer Treatment
Radiation and chemotherapy might damage the reproductive system and cause infertility. Therefore a women going through the treatment and want to conceive should take proper consultation from the physician.
How is Infertility Diagnosed?
Infertility is diagnosed by complete physical examination and medical history. Several preliminary test and laboratory test can be done for proper analysis and requirement.
Hormonal test to determine the low or high hormones secretion.
Blood test for thyroid and for prolactin levels.
Ultrasound and Sonography are infertility tests to check uterus, ovaries, fibroids, ovarian cysts and tumors, and if any obstructions in the urinary tract
Hysteroscopy is also an infertility test that checks for the presence of endometriosis, fibroids, pelvic scars or blockage in the fallopian tubes.
Hysterosalpingography can check for the possible blockage in the fallopian tubes or abnormality in uterus. A tube is inserted in the cervix and the dye is passed in the fallopian tubes and uterus and then X-ray is taken. Often tiny blockage can be removed using this procedure.
Laproscopy can check for any abnormalities in the pelvis area and can be used to remove abnormal tissues in the pelvis. A cut is made in the lower abdomen and the tubular microscope inserted to look more closely at the womb, Fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Progesterone and infertility are combined together with coloscopy to detect for any abnormality in the ovaries.

Hysterectomy - When Do You Need It?

2008-06-07T05:28:00.000-07:00

A hysterectomy is an operation through which some of the female reproductive system is removed. A hysterectomy may be performed as a vaginal hysterectomy, a laparoscopic hysterectomy or an abdominal hysterectomy. A hysterectomy may be conducted when there is need of a total abdominal hysterectomy. Different hysterectomy operations may remove different parts of the reproductive system. Some of the different hysterectomy procedures include sub-total or partial hysterectomy, hysterectomy with ovarian conservation, hysterectomy with oophorectomy, radical or Wertheim's hysterectomy.

When is a Hysterectomy Recommended?
A hysterectomy is recommended when a women has health problems related to her reproductive organs. Some cases where a hysterectomy may be recommended include fibroids, heavy bleeding, endometriosis, prolapse, cancer and uncontrolled bleeding after having a baby.
Preparation for a Hysterectomy
Different hysterectomy operations are performed in different ways. How the hysterectomy is done will depend on the type of hysterectomy operation being conducted. There are three main options for hysterectomy surgery; abdominal hysterectomy, vaginal hysterectomy and laparoscopic hysterectomy.
An abdominal hysterectomy is done when there is need for extensive exploration of the reproductive system, when the uterus is enlarged or on women who have never had children or who are obese. It can be done with a vertical incision (which involves a cut from the naval to the public hairline) or by a bikini line cut (which is a horizontal incision above the pubic hairline). After the incision has been made, the surgeon will explore the reproductive system and remove the organs that need to be removed.
A vaginal hysterectomy involves an incision in the upper portion of the vagina. The uterus is then removed through the vagina.
A laparoscopic hysterectomy involves making three or four small cuts in the abdomen. A laparoscope is inserted through the incisions into the abdominal cavity. The organs are then viewed on a screen and other incisions are made as necessary.

Types of Hysterectomy Surgery
There are also different types of hysterectomy surgery, according to the different organs that are removed. Here are some of the main types of hysterectomy surgery that may be performed.
Sub-total or partial hysterectomy. This operation removes the Fallopian tubes and the upper two-thirds of the uterus. The cervix is preserved.
Hysterectomy with ovarian conservation. This operation removes the Fallopian tubes, uterus and the cervix, but preserves the ovaries. This operation is also known as a total hysterectomy.
Hysterectomy with oophorectomy. This operation removes the Fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix and one or both sets of the ovaries.
Radical or Wertheim's hysterectomy. This operation removes the Fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, ovaries, lymph nodes and the upper portion of the vagina. This operation is usually used for cancer cases.

After Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy recovery will depend on the method of the hysterectomy and the type of hysterectomy performed. A vaginal hysterectomy will require less recovery time after hysterectomy than a total abdominal hysterectomy. Women with an abdominal hysterectomy generally take around eight weeks before they can resume normal activities. They will need to stay in hospital from two to five days, depending on the type of operation performed.

Side effects of a hysterectomy can include:
Feeling nauseous from the general anaesthetic;
Pain and discomfort in the abdominal region;
Vaginal discharge or bleeding.
During the recovery period, women need to avoid heavy lifting, bending at the waist, pressure on the wound, active activities and sexual penetration. A post-operative check-up will take place about six weeks after the operation. Some pre-menopausal women who have a hysterectomy may need to take hormone replacement therapy.

How to Prevent the Complications in Pregnancy?

2008-06-07T05:25:00.000-07:00

During pregnancy, a problem may occur or a condition may develop to make the pregnancy high risk. Many women experience pregnancy problems at some stage in their pregnancy and medical problems can sometimes spoil a very happy time. One of the possible complications in pregnancy for example is the fact that sometimes pregnant women can be exposed to something that could produce birth defects (teratogens), like radiation, certain chemicals, drugs, or infections in the body. There is always a (slim) chance for disorders to develop. Complications can arise at any point in time during the pregnancy, or after the birth of a child.
What is Ectopic Pregnancy?
One of the problems in pregnancy that could be experienced is a so-called ectopic pregnancy. This is caused by the fact that a fertilized egg has planted itself in a place in the female body outside the uterus. Most of the time the egg will settle itself in the fallopian tube and that is why ectopic pregnancies are also referred to as tubal pregnancies. There is no space or nurturing tissue for a pregnancy to develop if this happens. As the fetus grows, it will eventually damage and burst the organ that contains it. If this happens severe bleeding can occur and can endanger the mother's life. A classical ectopic pregnancy cannot develop into a live birth.
Possible Complications in Pregnancy
During a pregnancy women can develop disorders that are not necessarily related to pregnancies. Some of these conditions increase the risk of problems for pregnant women or for the foetus. These conditions include disorders that cause a fever, infections, or disorders that require abdominal surgery. Other possible problems during pregnancy are:
Gestational Diabetes
About 1 to 3% of all pregnant women have a chance of developing diabetes during their pregnancy. This type of pregnancy diabetes disorder is called gestational diabetes. If this remains unrecognized and untreated, it can increase the risk of health problems during pregnancy and the foetus is at risk of dying. This type of diabetes is more common among obese women and among women of certain ethnic groups, particularly Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and women of Mexican, Indian, and Asian descent. This type of diabetes can possibly cause thyroid problems and pregnancy risks.

Some doctors run routine screenings of all pregnant women for pregnancy diabetes. Other doctors test only those women who have risk factors for, like obesity and certain ethnic backgrounds. Blood tests are used to measure blood sugar levels.
Anaemia
Often pregnant women develop anaemia because they have an iron deficiency. The body needs double the amount of iron during pregnancy because iron is needed to make red blood cells in the foetus. Anaemia can develop because of a lack of folic acid. Usually this is prevented or treated by taking iron and folic acid supplements during pregnancy.
Placental Complications
There are some of the following placental complications as follows:
Placental Abruption
Placental Abruption is the premature detachment of a placenta from the wall of the uterus. The placenta can loosen incompletely or completely. The cause for this problem is unknown. This complication is more common with women who have a high blood pressure.

Have You Gained Excessive Weight During Menopause?

2008-06-07T05:23:00.000-07:00

As women begin to enter menopause, weight loss becomes increasingly difficult to achieve. Menopause weight gain is but one of the many symptoms that plague women during this transitional phase of their lives as their child bearing years draw to a close with the cessation of their menstrual cycles. Still, it is a small comfort to women fighting the "battle of the bulge" to say that weight gain in menopause is a normal part of the aging process.

What Happens to the Body During Menopause?
When a woman's body begins to produce less and less estrogen and the reproductive system starts to shut down, the body experiences a period of transition during which changing levels of hormones create a host of symptoms. These may manifest as hot flashes, heart palpitations, depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, poor concentration, vaginal dryness, urinary urgency, erratic periods, and weight gain.

The average onset of menopausal symptoms, often referred to as perimenopause, is 50.5 years but it is not at all uncommon for women in their early 40s to begin to detect changes in their bodies. While in theory the lead-up to the actual cessation of menses is a year to five years, some women go through ten to eleven years of managing an array of symptoms in their lives.

While conventional medical wisdom has tended to treat menopause as a disorder to be cured, more and more women are honoring it as a natural process - a part of being a woman - and managing the transition through natural means rather than with hormone replacement therapies that have been linked to stroke and to cancer. A good support system, usually represented by other women who have already gone through the process or who are on the same journey, is a vital aspect of managing all elements of this life transition.
How Can I Stop the Added Pounds of Menopause?
After entering menopause, weight loss should not be attempted through crash dieting. If you deprive yourself of too many calories your body goes into starvation mode. Choose a varied diet low in fat and high in fiber from fruits and vegetables. Given the fact that your metabolism has slowed down as a consequence of the natural aging process, you need to cut anywhere from 200 to 400 calories a day out of your daily intake of food.

Menopause weight loss is a tricky subject because there are psychological factors involved. Be careful to eat only when you are hungry. Don't use food to "feed" the depression, anxiety, and frustration that are common menopausal issues. In the face of those problems, burn off steam and calories with a program of aerobic exercise

Top Ten Herbs for Dealing with Menopause

2008-06-07T05:20:00.000-07:00

For centuries women have turned to herbs for menopause-related symptoms. The menopause herbs available today are often based on tried and true therapies dating back to ancient natural treatment philosophies. For instance in the system of Chinese herbs, menopause has long been addressed with the use of Dong Quai whereas Black Cohosh is a Native American remedy.
Do Herbs help in Alleviating the Symptoms of Menopause?
A number of natural remedies such as Black Cohosh, Chaste Tree Berry, and Evening Primrose Oil are prescribed for menopausal symptoms by physicians in Europe more often than prescription hormone replacement therapies. While American scientists complain that the efficacy of these treatments is unproven, thousands of women are ready to offer anecdotal testimony of their usefulness.

While all herbs will not work for all women, it is certainly worth a woman's time to try the various remedies before turning to medically conventional hormone replacement medications that are increasingly linked to a range of side effects and to cancer. In addition, while not free, menopause herbs are significantly less expensive than prescription therapies.
What are the Top Ten Menopause Herbs?
With increasing concerns over the danger of cancer raised by prescription hormone replacement therapies, more women are turning to natural remedies to alleviate the symptoms of "the change" and to ride out menopause without resorting to dangerous chemical preparations. In surveying the range of available herbs, menopause symptoms respond best to those listed below.
Black Cohosh
Black Cohosh, a perennial member of the buttercup family native to North America is considered to be one of the top herbs for menopause. It will relieve hot flashes, night sweats, and mild mood changes. Although its mechanism of action is not completely understood, it does not cause increased menstrual bleeding and does not illustrate estrogen binding or estrogen-like activities as once believed. Although dosage varies according to formulation a common strength would be 20 mg taken twice daily. Some women experience gastric discomfort, but in general side effects with Black Cohosh are rare. If you have high blood pressure, consult your physician before beginning to use this herb.
Soy
On studies conducted with Asian women whose diets contain 40 to 80mg of soy isoflavones per day as compared to only 3 for American women, the Asian women were found to exhibit fewer symptoms of menopause. Introducing more soy into the diet over a period of four to twelve weeks should improve instances of hot flashes. There is no set dosage and use is guided by gastric tolerance. Allow sufficient time to pass before evaluating the efficacy of soy in alleviating your symptoms.
Dong Quai
The Chinese herb Dong Quai has been used for thousands of years to lessen menstrual cramps and to treat the symptoms of menopause. It is particularly good to regularize menstrual flow, which becomes erratic with the onset of perimenopausal symptoms. Typically Dong Quai is taken in doses of 300 to 500mg two to three times a day. In cases of hypersensitivity to Dong Quai menstrual bleeding can increase and a fever may be present. Discontinue use of the herb if these symptoms appear. If you are taking a blood thinner, do not begin using Dong Quai without first consulting your physician.
Wild Yam
Wild Yam is an herb used topically as a natural form of progesterone. Not only does the use reportedly ease the hormonal fluctuations which plague menopausal women, wild yam also eases the pain of endometriosis and can shrink the fibroid cysts that often appear in women at this stage of their lives. There are no known drug interactions or side effects and the cream is usually rubbed on the abdomen or thighs. Make sure the product you are using contains 400mg of USP-grade natural progesterone per ounce. Most manufacturers package the cream with some method for measuring dosage, for instance a metered pump to dispense the correct amount.

Menopause - Are You Experiencing an Early One?

2008-06-07T05:18:00.000-07:00

Menopause symptoms are part of a natural biological process experienced by all women as their child-bearing years come to an end. The transition can begin as early as the 30s and last even into the 60s. The symptoms of menopause are not an illness, just a natural consequence of aging. All women experience "the change" in different ways. Some will have no symptoms or only mild issues while others will battle a range of annoying alterations in their body like hot flashes or mood swings than can negatively affect their daily lives.
Does Menopause Cause Complications?
After menopause there are chronic conditions that tend to appear in women. Declining estrogen levels increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. To combat this potential, women should stop smoking, reduce their blood pressure, exercise regularly, and eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains but low in saturated fats.

Bone density decreases at a rapid rate after menopause and some women develop osteoporosis. In this condition brittle, weak bones break easily, especially those in the hip, wrist, and spine. Adequate amounts of calcium at the rate of 1500mg a day as well as 400-800mg of Vitamin D will help to decrease this risk as will strength training and walking or jogging.
What are the Signs that Menopause is Starting?
Menopause manifests at different times and in different ways for individual women. Some are lucky enough to get through the experience with no significant problems but for others, menopause disrupts both their lives and their interpersonal relationships.

There are a number of signs and symptoms to indicate the onset of menopause beginning with irregular menstrual periods. The irregularity may be apparent with increased or decreased frequency or in the amount of flow present. As ovulation begins to fluctuate, a women is less likely to get pregnant but conception is still possible unless menstrual periods have been absent for a year.

Both the lining of the vagina and of the urethra become drier, thinner, and have less elasticity with the onset of menopause. Consequently women tend to experience burning and itching and have an increased chance of urinary or vaginal infections. A frequent urge to urinate is common with minor incontinence especially when laughing, sneezing, or coughing. (These problems can continue after full menopause.) In addition, sexual intercourse may become increasingly uncomfortable, even painful.

One of the most common menopause symptoms, the hot flash, is a consequence of dropping estrogen levels that cause blood vessels to expand rapidly with an attendant increase in skin temperature. Generally women experience sweating and a flushed appearance. This can last from 30 seconds to several minutes and can occur as often as once an hour.

Although hot flashes can occur at any time of the day or night, night sweats are a related problem that severely disrupts the sleep cycle. Women report waking up from a deep sleep to find their night clothes and bedding soaked with sweat.

Most women gain some degree of weight during the onset of menopause, usually an average of five pounds. The increased weight concentrates around the waist and abdomen. Other changes in appearance can include fullness of the breasts, thinning hair, wrinkles, adult acne, and coarse hair (usually on the chin, upper lip, and sometimes on the chest and abdomen).
What Causes Menopause?
As part of the aging process the ovaries begin to produce less estrogen and progesterone. This decrease signals the beginning of the end of a women's reproductive years. Eventually the menstrual periods stop and it is no longer possible for a woman to become pregnant. Normally this transition progresses in two stages.
Perimenopause
In this stage women begin to experience the symptoms of menopause even though they are still experiencing ovulation and having menstrual periods. In this phase hot flashes and irregular periods begin to occur but it may be four to five years before full menopause sets in.
Postmenopause
When twelve months have passed with no menstrual periods occurring, a woman has reached full menopause. The ovaries produce significantly less estrogen and progesterone and no longer release eggs; consequently pregnancy is no longer possible.
How is Menopause Diagnosed?
For the most part women are simply adequately attuned to their bodies to know when signs of menopause begin to appear. If irregular periods or hot flashes get out of hand, talk to your doctor to calm your concerns and to investigate some of the therapies available to alleviate the extremes of your symptoms.

In some cases doctors will perform blood tests. Mainly they are checking levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and estrogen. FSH increases and estrogen decreases at the onset of menopause. Additionally, a thyroid test may be in order as hypothyroidism can cause some of the same symptoms as menopause

How Do You Deal With the Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome?

2008-06-07T05:16:00.000-07:00

Eight-five percent of women will experience premenstrual symptoms during their reproductive years. Treatment for premenstrual syndrome may be indicated if three or more mild to moderate symptoms are present that affect your work, your relationship with others, or your own sense of well being. Thankfully PMS relief is available in a variety of forms.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of PMS?

The symptoms and signs of PMS vary widely from individual to individual and even from month to month. In the course of a woman's child-bearing years the effects of premenstrual syndrome may wax and wane and cover a gamut of emotional and physical manifestations. Altogether there are some 150 symptoms associated with PMS including breast tenderness, water retention with accompanying weight gain, changes in bowel habits, outbreaks of acne, food cravings, fatigue, aching muscles and joints, irritability, aggression, withdrawal, mood swings, and an inability to concentrate or think clearly.

Are my Symptoms PMS related or caused by Something Else?

Because PMS symptoms manifest in a wide variety of ways, they can mask the presence of other problems. The best way to determine if your symptoms can be attributed to PMS is to monitor the day on which ovulation occurs, which is generally 14 days before the next menstrual period (although it can vary widely).

Ovulation can be determined by monitoring basal body temperature. A woman's temperature will decrease slightly just before ovulation and then increase markedly 24 hours later. By measuring temperature before getting out of bed each morning and maintaining a chart, most women are able to estimate when they are ovulating and judge the onset of their symptoms accordingly.

What causes PMS?

Normal changes in a woman's endocrine system that begin at the point of ovulation and continue until the onset of menstruation cause the host of symptoms that comprise PMS. Any number of hormone changes are possible as the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, thyroid, adrenals, and ovaries all work together to produce an egg and to prepare the female body for the potential of pregnancy. If any one part of the system is not working properly, the entirety of the system is affected.

How is PMS Diagnosed?

There is no specific test for PMS although a thyroid test is a good idea as thyroid deficiencies can cause problems similar to those present in premenstrual syndrome. For the most part, however, a diagnosis tends to be based on anecdotal evidence provided by the patient. Keeping a diary of your symptoms and their severity through at least two to three cycles will help you to evaluate your condition and will be invaluable for your physicians if you seek medical assistance. (This would include records of basal body temperature if you have tried to determine the timing of your ovulation

Best Guide For Preventing Menstrual Problems for Health

2008-06-07T05:13:00.000-07:00

Most women suffer some type of menstrual problem, whether it is cramps, heavy bleeding or irregular bleeding. However prolonged menstruation problems or severe menstruation problems can signify a menstrual disorder.

Types of Menstrual Disorders

There is a number of different menstrual disorders, from the short minor menstrual problems to the more prolonged menstruation problems to serious illnesses. This list of menstrual disorders will help you identify different menstrual cycle disorders of varying degrees.

Dysmenorrhea

Dysmenorrhea is the name for painful menstrual cramps. There are two types of dysmenorrheal, primary dysmenorrheal and secondary dysmenorrheal. Primary dysmenorrheal is period pain that is not due to secondary dysmenorrhea. Secondary dysmenorrheal is pain that occurs as a result of excess prostaglandins, excessive uterine contractions or any other disease.

Amenorrhea

Amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual periods. There are two types of amenorrhea, primary amenorrhea and secondary amenorrhea. Primary amenorrhea is the condition where a woman has never had a period. Secondary amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual periods for at least six months. Secondary amenorrhea is often due to pregnancy.

Menorrhagia

Menorrhagia is excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding. Menorrhagia is also known as hypermenorrhea. Menorrhagia does not refer to normal heavy menstrual bleeding. It only refers to very heavy bleeding or bleeding that lasts longer than seven days. Menorrhagia can also be accompanied by menstrual bleeding that includes large blood clots. It is most frequently caused by a hormonal imbalance or uterine fibroids.

Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer is cancer of the lining of the uterus. Usually, endometrial cancer is accompanied by unusual bleeding from the vagina. It is a serious illness, but can usually be treated successfully if it is caught early enough. It is most common is women over 50 years old or in women who have had high levels of estrogen.

Fibroids

Fibroids are growths in the muscular wall of the uterus. They come in varying sizes and can be tiny or large. Some women do not have any symptoms with fibroids. Other women can experience heavy bleeding and longer periods than usual. Fibroids can also cause pain in the lower pelvic area, pain during sexual intercourse, a constant need to urinate, pressure in the bowel and constipation. Women who are aged over 35 or who have had multiple pregnancies are at a greater risk of fibroids.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease (or PID) is an infection that occurs in some part of the female reproductive organs. One of the symptoms of PID is a foul-smelling discharge from the vagina. It may also be accompanied by irregular menstrual periods or pain during sex. The most common cause for PID is by coming into contact with a sexually transmitted disease. PID is a serious illness that may damage the fallopian tubes and prevent future pregnancies.

Premenstrual Syndrome

Premenstrual syndrome is the name of the symptoms that may occur from seven to fourteen days before the period, sometimes continuing for some time after the period begins. Many women feel like degree of premenstrual syndrome. However, some women can have very severe pain or emotional problems during this stage of the menstruation cycle

Menstruation - What Is It?

2008-06-07T05:11:00.000-07:00

Menstruation is the periodic discharge of blood and other materials from the reproductive organs of women. A menstruation cycle usually lasts around 28 days, but different women can have different menstruation cycles.

What Happens During the Menstrual Cycle?

The menstruation cycle does not just take place during the period when you are bleeding. It is an ongoing process, which different things happening during every week. By understanding what happens during each week of the menstruation cycle, you can better understand what stage of the menstruation cycle you are in at any time.

Week 1. Week 1 is considered to start from the first day of bleeding. After the bleeding has stopped, women may be more energetic and have less vaginal mucus.
Week 2. The mucus becomes wetter in the lead-up to ovulation.
Ovulation. This occurs somewhere around day 14 on the ovulation cycle. The mucus is very wet. Breasts may be tender. There may be mood swings and cramps.
Week 3. The mucus production slows down and the moods start to become more normal again.
Week 4. This is the pre-menstrual phase. PMS symptoms may start, which can include bloating, cramps, headaches and mood swings.

Menstrual Symptoms

Many women experience some symptoms relating to the menstruation cycle. Menstruation symptoms may at any time from ovulation to the middle of their period of bleeding. These symptoms are known by the term, PMT or PMS, and are caused by hormonal changes. Some of these symptoms may include:

Bloating;
Mood swings;
Depression;
Feeling irritable;
Abdominal cramps;
Acne;
Headaches.

Menstruation Products

There is a wide range of menstruation products that help people through their periods and throughout the entire menstruation cycle. Menstruation products can be divided into the following categories.

Products that absorb the blood and other menstrual discharge. Two of the most popular methods for absorbing menstrual discharge are tampons and pads. You can also find natural menstruation absorbers, such as cloth pads.
Products that help with PMT and other menstruation symptoms. This includes drugs that may be bought from a chemist, but also includes alternative menstruation products. There are many natural therapies and tablets that are designed specifically to help with symptoms caused by menstruation.
Products that help with recording the menstruation cycle. These are often used by women who want to conceive or as an alternative contraception method. These products include diaries and special testing devices so that women can see what stage of the menstruation cycle they are in.
Products that change or alter the menstruation process or that work as a contraception method. Oral contraception pills fall into this category. Some women with irregular menstruation may need to take medication or other natural methods to help keep their menstruation cycle regular.

Hair Loss Among Women - It is not as Simple as it Sounds

2008-06-07T05:08:00.000-07:00

Usually women do not expect to have to cope with female hair loss even if there is a history of hair loss in their family, with males or females. The general belief tends to be that baldness is a problem for males, not for women. Female hair loss is only accepted when women are old and it is hard to find a hair loss treatment specifically aimed at females.

Types of Hair Loss

There are three main types of hair loss (alopecia) in women. These types are:

Androgenetic alopecia

This is a type of inherited pattern hair loss and it is the most common cause of permanent hair loss in both women and men.

Alopecia Areata

This type of hair loss occurs because the immune system is attacking the hair follicles.

Traumatic Alopecia

This type of hair loss is caused by braiding or chemically treating the hair. Hot rollers and other appliances can damage the hair to an extent that the hair follicles will stop producing hairs, causing baldness. This treatment is commonly used to stop hair loss.

Causes for Hair Loss in Women

The cause of female hair loss is different for every woman and sometimes it is possible to stop hair loss by, for example, not using a specific hair treatment product or method anymore. Other causes for female hair loss are:

Poor nutrition. A lack of essential vitamins and minerals in your diet might cause hair loss.

Certain types of medication can cause hair loss. If you are using medication and you are experiencing hair loss, contact your doctor.

A scalp infection can be the cause of (temporary) hair loss.

Damaging hair treatments with acids or heat can damage the hair and follicles to an extent where hair will stop growing.

Diagnosis of Hair Loss in Women

A doctor can diagnose your hair loss on the basis of (for example) medical history. Other facts on which a diagnosis can be based are:

Regularly checking the pattern of your hair.

A hair biopsy (the hair will be checked in a laboratory).

Blood tests can help a doctor find out if the hair loss is caused by a medical condition.

What are some of the Causes and Risk Factors for Depression in Women?

2008-06-07T05:06:00.001-07:00

Certain events in a woman's life put her at special risk for depression including puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, substance abuse, relationship disruptions, and trauma. The presence of depression puts these women at further risk for suicide and death from illnesses caused by poor self-care and reduced attention to medical regimens.

Recent research indicates that major depressive episodes cluster in families. If you have a parent or sibling who has battled the disorder, you too are at increased risk. With the onset of puberty, the normal monthly cycle, pregnancy, and menopause a women experiences hormonal surges and disruptions that effect neuromodulators like serotonin. Depression and anxiety can result.

More than 80 percent of documented cases of depression in women are preceded by some adverse event ranging from childhood sexual abuse to spousal abuse. Early trauma, which is often suppressed for long periods of time, can actually have a more pronounced depressive effect than more recent events.

Statistics of depression in women have also revealed that women are more prone to ruminative thinking, a mental pattern which repetitively and passively focuses on symptoms, causes, and consequences. With relationships more central to a woman's sense of self than a male's, the combination of this emphasis and the ruminative thought pattern often leads to extended periods of depression focused on interpersonal relationships.

Don't Antidepressants have Side Effects?

Approximately 30 to 35 percent of individuals who take antidepressants are not helped by the medications. Although the drug companies assert that SSRIs like Prozac are not addictive, anecdotal evidence suggests otherwise. Many women report significant weight gain while taking SSRIs and Prozac has been found to actually cause suicidal behavior in some individuals.

You should never take an SSRI without fully understanding its range of potential side effects and potential interactions. If you are taking an SSRI do not go "cold turkey" off the drug. Gradually discontinue the use of the medication under the supervision of a doctor to avoid withdrawal symptoms, a sudden onset of depression, and even nerve damage. (There are also numerous natural and alternative remedies for depression that do not carry the same risk factors and side effects.)

Depression does not Cure by Itself! Attend To It

2008-06-07T05:03:00.000-07:00

Depression in women occurs twice as often than in men and can appear at any stage of life. Women from all socio-economic, racial, and educational backgrounds may be affected. As researchers gather more data concerning women and depression and come to better understand its role in their lives, the root causes seems to be an interplay of genetic factors, hormonal fluctuations, and life events.

What are the Symptoms of Depression?

Women who are experiencing depression don't just feel sad, they feel miserable. Most report extreme fatigue and a total absence of energy. The smallest tasks seem impossibly daunting. Anxiety attacks are common with depression and women as is reclusive, anti-social behavior.

Women in depression have trouble concentrating and feel they are failures and a burden to others. These feelings in turn lead to a sense of guilt and an inability to see a future. The depressed person may exhibit anger or irritability, often expressing a sense that life is unfair and passing them by. Insomnia is a common symptom and physical aches and pains for no apparent reason are also common.

Are You Starving Yourself to Slim Down? You Could Be Suffering From Anorexia

2008-06-07T04:58:00.000-07:00

After pregnancy and after delivery every woman wants to back in shape. This is a normal thinking but do you know that you don’t need to do something

2008-03-25T08:16:00.000-07:00

It is not new that your baby is now two or three years older but he or she is sucking his hand. This habit is seen in many child, in older child also. Many child suck their thumb till the normal age tow and a half year. Some children only suck their thumb when they feel thirsty of when they want to sleep. It is a natural process this habit goes with time. It is not a very series matter to worry.

Some people think that this habit is arises when teeth are coming. But according to the baby doctors this problem does not arises due to the teeth development. But if your child is sucking his or her thumb when his or her second teeth is coming then it is series matter because there is a possibilities of some dental abnormalities.

Now do not take in mind if your baby is sucking his or her thumb. This is not a sign of any abnormalities. This habit will disappear as soon as your child will attain the age of two and half years. And if your child is sucking his or her hand after the age of two and half years then it is a little series matter. In this case please consult to your family doctor.

Breast feeding information

2008-03-25T08:13:00.000-07:00

After pregnancy and after delivery every woman wants to back in shape. This is a normal thinking but do you know that you don’t need to do something extra, actually while breast feeding you burn around 500 calories. It is also very important that what you should eat and what not to eat, because during breast feeding its effect on your baby what you eat, so avoid junk food and outing that time. Vogue or one time diet like cabbage soup are not good at any cost and specially when your body dealing with hormonal, metabolic and caloric necessities of pregnancy and post pregnancy. It depends on you if you want your baby most healthy milk then you has to take better nutrition.

Dont smoke remember dont somke because all things you do effect on your baby health and you are a smoker than it effect to your baby.