A Look at Menopause and Gaining Weight
July 2nd, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Most women who have gone through menopause can testify that it’s not a pleasant time of life. However, menopause symptoms aren’t limited to night sweats and mood swings. Whether you’re in perimenopause or full menopause, you can expect to gain some weight. Studies indicate that many women will put on an extra pound each year throughout menopause. Are the two situations really interrelated? Let’s take a look.
Most experts believe that the hormone levels that are brought about by a woman’s change in life are one cause of weight gain. Nevertheless, there are other things that lead to weight gain in women. Your lifestyle and age also contribute to the changes that your body undergoes over the course of time. The causes of weight gain are largely because of a less active lifestyle and eating too much. Because of this, your body burns fewer calories because of its reduced physical activity. The composition of your body changes as it builds up more fat and less muscle, a result of a slower metabolism. Genetics is also a factor for weight gain. If your parents are naturally stocky, there is a good chance that you will inherit the same body type.
Drastic weight gain can lead to a number of health problems that might exacerbate menopausal symptoms. It’s been demonstrated that women who put on 20 pounds or more following menopause have a 20 percent greater chance of developing breast cancer. However, those who lose some weight have better odds of escaping breast cancer. Those who lose about 20 pounds reduce their risk for breast cancer by 23 percent.
In order to keep from gaining weight and to maintain optimal health during menopause, a nutritious diet and regular exercise are highly recommended. When you exercise regularly, your metabolism remains higher and you burn off more fat on a regular basis. As well, you can increase your muscle mass by strength training, which also boosts your metabolism and helps maintain strong bones.
The benefits of a proper diet are well documented. However, it has been noted that in order to maintain your weight as you age, your body will need 200 fewer calories a day. This information relates to females in their forties. Once you enter perimenopause, adopting a nutritious eating plan will help you to avoid weight gain later during full menopause.
We need to make peace with the changes that are bound to take place with our bodies. If you think that your body will stay like it is right now, think again. We might despise the thought that our bodies won’t be taut forever, regardless of our efforts. But the best approach is to work at controlling the aspects of your health that can be improved.
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Your Body Wants Clean Water…
July 2nd, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Have you considered the importance of water? Did you know that water makes up more than seventy percent of your body? We are comprised mostly of water. Our blood mineral make up is similar to salt water. So water is more important to us than just something we put in our oral irrigators.
A healthy water intake can help us in so many ways:
- You can focus better. A fully hydrated brain actually works better.
- Strength performance increases. Did you know that your muscles are stronger when your body is hydrated fully?
- Your immune system can function better.
- Flush junk out of your body. A fully hydrated body is better at getting rid of the things it DOESN’T need.
- You’d be amazed at how much more energy you can have when you drink adequate amounts of water.
- Water can help to keep your breath fresh, much like therabreath products.
There are just so many good reasons to take in a good and adequate supply of water. Needless to say, you can probably see why it is important to have clean water - especially for an oral irrigator.
Advice from experts vary but it is generally agreed that the average person probably needs to take in 2 liters of water per day. Check with your physician before changing your intake though.
Once I worked for a company that sold water filters. One of their products was a whole house filter. The interesting thing about this filter was that it had a clear area where you could see what was trapped in the filter.
I hope you are ready for this. Municipal water supplies often rely on water that has been recycled. Many people are aware of this at some level, but don’t want to think about it.
What this means is that all of your waste water, i.e., when you flush the toilet, goes back into the system. It is filtered and treated and may just come right back at you in the form of a glass of water out of your tap. Not to be too gross here, but this is a fact of life. And you should be aware of it.
What was found in that ’see through’ filter mentioned above was little flaky white particles that looked suspiciously like toilet paper.
Now, no chemical analysis was done to validate this and who knows what I was really seeing there. However, it made me interested in learning more about my drinking water.
I use a filter for the water I drink now and I really appreciate it. I cook with filtered water as well. Drinking clean filtered water is really great. The taste, or actually the lack of taste, because clean water doesn’t have taste or odor, can be quite a dramatic contrast to what you might be used to.
Not all filters are created equal. Some take out lead and heavy metals, some just filter for taste. So you really have to do a little research and make sure you are getting a filter that is right for you, one that will fulfill your needs.
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MENOPAUSE ANSWERS
June 30th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Do you want a real solution rather than all the make-money quick formulas?
I know what I have to say may sound arrogant but its time for a master herbalist to call this for what it is. Most of the menopause products are created based on 3 processes:
- a single supplement/herb wonder
- a combination of past researched supplements/herbs with an addition of the latest fad herb
- in most cases a newbie manufacturer/distributer copies another company’s product that is selling well
The result is that it is difficult for the consumer to determine what works.
So how do you know what works?
You do not know the ins and outs of the herb supplement industry. Anybody can produce testimonials but long term repeatable, sustainable results are very challenging to produce. Even the research that is presented is not the full story but rather a spin on the research to move you to buy a particular product. In most cases, the manufacturer may truely believe they have a formula that will work based on misinformation on a herb’s benefits.
MASTER HERBALISTS NEED AT LEAST 10 YEARS of PRACTICE
The time element is critical to allow the practitioner to get the kinks out and test his/her knowledge
Herbalists who have studied and worked with clients over 10 years or more begin to know what is successful. In my opinion, an herbalist needs to know, in-depth, about other herbal systems in order to appreciate what formulas and single herbs work. What is taught in our traditional Chinese herbs and herb medicine schools is only a beginning knowledge and needs to be tested or, better yet, graduates need long term apprenticeship before they are ready to correct imbalances with their clients. Medical doctors rely on their Physician’s Desk Reference for information on herbs which is truely a beginning base source. I will tell you this, to start with, that one herb or formula is not going to work for all. They may work for a population or a group of people who have a similar constitution but not everyone. Black Cohosh is a Chinese herb but is not appropriate for menopause. Most discoveries about herbs come from Chinese herbal medicine but revealed to the American public in an incomplete manner. The American manufacturers share the info about an herb as a solution for everyone who has a symptom. Nevermind, all the body of Chinese medicine and theory that understands that there are different body types or constitutions that may accompany those symptoms.
MYTH OF BLACK COHOSH
Black Cohosh is used to treat fever in Chinese Medicine not hot flash or surge of heat stemming from the liver overheating. Yet, Black Cohosh is touted as a base for alot of American herbal formulas. Many women who use will report that the benefit either wears off rapidly or there wasn’t a benefit at all. The manufacturers seem to not listen, read or not comprehend the vast body of knowledge on herbs for this condition. There are better choices of Chinese herbs which have proven to be effective for hundreds of years on millions of patients. Most Chinese master herbalists understand that after millions of subjects there isn’t much need to research what is obvious, tried and proven. Its appropriate to apply the right formula to the right constitution and symptoms, not just the symptoms.
The right herbs for menopause will primarily raise the body’s energy and nourish the blood with a result of normalizing the body’s thermostat. Indirectly, because the underlying imbalance is recalibrated, all the menopause symptoms listed under this syndrome will begin to dissapate within 2 hours if the correct formula is chosen. For myself, it still gives me a charge every time my clients remark on the relief they have been given. You might want to look at the ingredients or the menopause herbs I use in my formulas that work everyday.
Mark Hammer C.M.H., Master Herbalist with Longevity Mountain
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Do You Suffer From Chronic Bacterial Vaginosis
June 30th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Chronic Bacterial Vaginosis Chronic bacterial vaginosis is actually quite common. As many as 1 in 3 women will suffer with BV at some point in their lives. The infection takes hold when the bad bacteria over grows the good bacteria within the vagina. It can be caused when a woman uses highly scented soaps, douches and bubble baths etc. If youo have bacterial vaginosis the symptoms will include a discharge from the vagina that is a grayish watery discharge with an associated fishy or musty odor. with chronic bacterial vaginosis you may have all of the symptoms mentioned.
Bacterial vaginosis can be self treated with the application of creams and gels and this is the way many women choose to go amd is the best option for women who do not wish to use antibiotics. Bacterial vaginosis is best treated by your doctor or health care professional. bacterial vaginosis has been known to bring on pelvic inflammatory disease but this does not happen often.
It is also a good idea to abstain from douching as this will not help your BV. The best way to treat chronic bacterial vaginosis is by stop using vaginal lubricants or oils as these may be responsible for the change in the pH balance over the vaginal area in the body. You should consider your birth control measures as these can also have an effect and could also be responsible for your BV.
Doctors are also advised their BV patients to use condoms during sexual intercourse. Chronic bacterial vaginosis is more common amoungst highly sexually active women who have many partners. Many people believe that BV and Candida or yeast infection are all same. The conditions may have similar symptoms, but the causes of infection are ultimately different. You can find effective treatments to clear chronic bacterial vaginosis with out breaking the bank.
it you suspect you have a bacterial infection it is always adviseable to get an appointment with your doctor. Medical professionals can advise the use of creams or gels but are more likely to prescribe a course of antibiotics.
Finding an effective Bacterial Vaginosis Treatment is a very real problem with as many as 1 in 3 women suffering from the infection at some point in their lives. The most common form or treatment is antibiotics in tablet form or creams directly applied. The trouble with antibiotics they kill all the bacterial within the vagina including good bacteria need for a healthy balance. Bacterial vaginosis can be treat quite effectively with many over the counter treatments. If you would like to get more information about totally Natural Bacterial Vaginosis Treatments that work then then you need to visit Bacterial Vaginosis Treatments For answers to your questions. Cure your chronic bacterial vaginosis today
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Getting Rid Of Vaginal Yeast Infection
June 30th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
A vaginal yeast infection is the result of too much Candida bacteria in the vagina. There are several causes of this, but the most common is antibiotics. Antibiotics are prescribed to treat infections and frequently kill off vaginal bacteria that balance between the Candida. In their proper balance the bacteria keep the vagina healthy.
It’s best to be certain you have a yeast infection before you begin treating one, especially if you’ve never had one before. Vaginal yeast infections bear many similarities to other vaginal ailments so see your doctor if you’re uncertain. Your doctor can diagnose the problem with a simple and painless test.
You should be aware that a vaginal yeast infection is no indication of sexual activity. Any women can develop it. The age does not play a role. In infants, the same type of infection is often found in the mouth and is called Thrush. All kinds of bacteria including candida are always in our bodies. A yeast infection is simply an imbalance in the bacteria.
Once you’ve established that your problem is indeed an infection there are several treatment options for vaginal yeast infections. Right now there are about htree different brand name treatments. They take from seven days to one day to complete treatment. These products all involve inserting an ovule into the vagina with a tube. Some require applying a cream to the vaginal area as well. At least one requires taking a pill orally along with inserting the ovule. While usinf the ovules you should wear some sort of panty protection, because the ovules cause a discharge. Frequently, both infection and treatment have an odor associated with them. Your vagina will be irritated even more by using douces or perfumes to control odor. So stay away from them.
A homeopathic remedy for a yeast infection is Acidophilus which is most commonly found in yogurt. Eating a yogurt rich in acidophilus for a few days will treat your infection non-invasively. Nowadays there are numerous yogurt brands that emphasize their acidophilus on the label. The amount of acidophilus in different yogurts is pretty much the same when they have it. You need to make sure it is in the one you are eating.
A word of warning needs to be issued here. Regardless of what treatment you are using, if you are not feeling any relief within fort-eight hours consult your doctor. In most cases your condition won’t be cured this quickly but the itching should be eased.
If you are not sure if you suffer from a vaginal yeast infection, it is advised to see your physician for a diagnosis. Vaginal conditions, if not treated correctly, can cause other problems, including sexual discomfort, and injury.
To learn about A Natural Cure For Yeast Infection that can end your painful Candida infections once and for all, visit Home Remedies For Yeast Infections
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Ovarian Cyst Symptoms and Treatment
June 27th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
The pain can be excruciating. A sharp, yet dull throbbing sensation continuously occurring throughout the lower abdomen. You may feel as though you need to be rushed quickly to the hospital. You may wonder what is causing you to feel so bad or creating such an intense pain. If there has been no diagnosis, you may be experiencing the pain of an ovarian cyst or an ovarian cyst eruption. The sudden pain is one of the main symptoms of ovarian cysts.
Women are born with two ovaries. The feminine egg producing organs are called ovaries and can be found on each site of the uterus. The ovaries are about the size of an almond. Each month during a woman’s childbearing years, an egg produced in the ovary is released. With the release the monthly menstrual cycle begins. If during this period, the egg is fertilized, the result is most likely a pregnancy.
It is a fact that most women have ovarian cysts developing sometime during their life. Some cysts occur on a regular basis however will cause no discomfort. Ovarian cysts develop within or on the surface of the ovary and are little fluid filled sacs. These cysts will usually disappear, burst or just dissolve without causing any further complications or discomfort. There are those times however, when the cyst will not burst or will burst causing excruciating pain.
A cyst lasting for an extended period may cause other problems. In all likelihood, your gynecologist will discover any abnormalities, including cyst, when performing the recommended yearly exam.
To assure your health and safety, there are some symptoms you may experience and should look for when a cyst is causing problems. You need to keep in mind that sometimes there are no symptoms at all.
The symptoms below are typical symptoms for ovary cysts. If you experience any of the ones listed below, contact your gynecologist immediately:
Menstrual cycle irregularities. If your menstrual cycles have been stable for years and this suddenly changes you need to contact your physician.
Pain occurring regularly in the pelvic area. A continuous dull ache that sometimes sends sharp pains into the lower back or thigh should be looked at.
Pain in the pelvic area, which begins before the menstrual cycle starts or before the cycle ends.
Pelvic pain during intercourse.
Pain experienced only during a bowel movement.
A constant feeling of a full bladder or heavy feeling in the stomach.
Straining or pressure when eliminating.
Difficulty when releasing or when emptying the bladder.
If you experience intense pain with fever, nausea or vomiting, contact your gynecologist immediately. Women suffering with pain from a cyst must be seen by their physician without delay to assure there is no immediate danger or other complications.
Women have numerous difficulties resulting throughout our lifetime due to female organs and other issues exclusive to our gender. Common occurrences in addition to other problems cause problems we may never know we are experiencing if not for symptoms. That’s why it is so important to visit your gynecologsit on a regular or at least once per year. The recommendation is to request a pelvic exam yearly. However, if any discomfort, bleeding or other issues occur, contact your physician or gynecologist immediately.
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