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Kamis, 19 Februari 2009

How To Deal With Bad Circulation During Pregnancy

By R. Sharp

The circulatory system undergoes several changes during pregnancy. One of the most frequently-encountered problems which women face during the second and third trimesters is bad circulation in pregnancy, particularly leg cramps. This sudden stiffening of the leg muscles can sometimes be very painful. The reasons for developing such cramps during pregnancy are not clear; however changes in blood circulation during pregnancy, the stress on the leg muscles caused by carrying the extra weight of the baby are cited as probable factors contributing to the cramps.

While bad circulation in pregnancy does not pose a threat, if it is accompanied by redness, swelling or a warm feeling, you should consult your doctor. There are very simple exercises which could help you prevent leg cramps during pregnancy. Stretching your legs before you go to sleep could help in the reduction of stress on your leg muscles. When you straighten your legs, you must stretch your heels first and do some circular motions with your toes, clock and anti clock-wise. While doing the exercises, avoid pointing your toes.

The other thing you need to avoid is to remaining one position, standing or sitting, for a long period of time. Being in one position would restrict the blood flow and can cause circulatory problems. During pregnancy, some simple but effective exercises like walking promotes blood circulation. Leg cramps can also be treated with gentle massage or application of a warm towel round the legs

It is not uncommon to feel a bit light-headed during pregnancy. This is due to the fact that during this period, the cardiovascular system can undergo some very quick changes, with heart rate going up and the heart pumping more blood per minute. Even the quantum of blood in your body increases by 40 to 45%. During normal pregnancy, you would experience a reduction in blood pressure during the early stages. This reaches its lowest point some time in the middle of pregnancy and then starts to rise till it reaches normal level at the end of pregnancy. While the cardiovascular and the nervous system can handle these changes, at times it fails to do so and it can result in a feeling of dizzy and light-headed. So long as you do not faint as a result of this light-headedness there is no cause for worry. You just have to lie down so that you do not fall down and hurt yourself. If you are in a place where lying down is not possible, you could sit down for some time and try to put your head between your knees.

One of the ways you could prevent this feeling of light-headedness during pregnancy is to always try to lie down on your left, as then it is easy for the blood to flow to your heart and the brain. Here is some more information on the causes of light-headedness during pregnancy and how you can prevent them:

Never change your body position too fast. For instance, if you are lying down, do not get up too fast and if you are sitting, do not stand up with a jerk.

When you are stationary in one position, keep on twirling your legs from one position to the other. This will promote circulation.

Avoid lying down on your back during the second and third semesters. This affects the blood circulation negatively. Your heart rate will increase, blood pressure may drop and you may feel light-headed, dizzy or nausea. Instead it is safer to lie on your side than flat on the back.

Drink enough fluids and eat properly. When you do not eat well, your blood sugar level drops and result in your feeling dizzy and uneasy. If you do not feel like eating at the right time, keep on having small quantities of food at regular intervals.

Iron deficiency anemia is responsible for having fewer amounts of blood cells to carry the oxygen to your brain. Make your diet iron-rich so that you have enough blood to feed your heart and brain.

WARNING: Do you or someone you know suffer from cramping in the legs/buttocks, swelling of the legs, tingling or loss of feeling in the legs, arms or feet? If so, it may be due to Poor Circulation If so, you MUST read The Self Care Guide To Circulation Problems Don't delay, as circulation problems can be life threatening. Visit now, to find out: http://www.womans-health.net/selfcare-guide-to-circulation-problems.htm

Boning Up On Calcium

By Sandra Clair

Calcium is a mineral that many healthy women don’t get enough of. The National Institute of Health recommends that an adult female consume 1000-1200 mg of calcium daily in their diet. This number is further increased to 1200-1500 mg of Calcium for peri-menopausal and menopausal women. Numerous women know they need calcium but are either not sure about the amount they should take, or they think they are getting enough but are not.

What Are The Functions Of Calcium?

Calcium has always been a mineral of importance to the human body’s growth and function.

One of the main functions of calcium in the body is its role in the formation of healthy bones and teeth. Over 90% of the calcium in the body, is stored in the bones. If the body’s calcium levels become too low, this calcium is taken from the bone and released into the bloodstream.

Another important function of calcium is the role it plays in blood clotting. It is an important mineral that is needed to stop continuous bleeding after minor cuts and injuries.

Calcium also plays a role in blood pressure. Some studies have shown that adequate calcium levels can help women lower or maintain their blood pressure.

Another reason why we need calcium is due to its role in maintaining a healthy heart. Calcium is necessary for the proper contraction of the heart. So for the heart to contract and beat properly, it must have enough calcium.

Calcium also plays a part in blood cholesterol. Previous studies have pointed to the importance of calcium lowering ‘LDL’ cholesterol and increasing ‘HDL’ cholesterol, which is better for the body.

Lastly, calcium seems to have a role to play in easing the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in some women.. Previous studies have shown that women taking the recommended daily allowance of calcium had fewer symptoms of PMS than women who were not getting enough calcium.

What Happens When We Lack Calcium?

The lack of enough calcium in the body can have severe results. Hypocalcemia is the medical condition for low blood calcium. The symptoms of Hypocalcemia involves spasms of the hands and feet, and a tingling feeling in the tongue, face, hands and feet. There are also muscle aches and pains as well.

The other consequences of taking inadequate calcium in the diet involves problems with the bones and teeth. As the blood levels of calcium drops, the bones release their stored calcium. If the stored loads are not replaced, eventually softening of the bones, bone loss, and tooth decay will result. This condition is known as rickets in children, or osteoporosis in adults.

Another think that might result with a lack of enough calcium in the diet, is a decrease in blood clotting. With these reduced levels, the body’s clotting system is not able to function effectively. This will result in women bleeding more than usual, for example, after a minor injury.

Because of calcium’s role in the function of the heart, blood pressure, and cholesterol, decreased calcium levels could cause the body to have reduce heart contraction, a higher blood pressure, and a higher cholesterol level. Thus the body’s cardiovascular system is not able to function properly.

As stated properly, calcium is quite useful in decreasing premenstrual syndrome. Such a decrease in the level of blood calcium might cause an increase in the headaches, bloating, and cramps that is associated with a menstrual period.

What Are The Various Sources of Calcium?

To protect yourself from these problems, it is necessary to eat or take enough calcium in the diet. Some women prefer to take a supplement. However, there are many natural and healthy foods available which are excellent sources of calcium. Dairy products provide calcium in the form of yogurt, milk, and cheese. A number of these products are also fortified with Vitamin D as well. Other sources of calcium include leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and bok choy. Calcium can also be found in almonds, beans, and certain seafood.

Therefore, it can be seen that getting enough calcium in the diet is highly recommended because of the many different functions and harmful effects of not getting enough of this mineral.

Get more information like this about Women's Health from http://www.womans-health.net, the Internet’s foremost site on womans health issues, nutrition, breast health, sexual health and reproductive health. Featuring women's health books, news, resources and FREE DOWNLOADS.

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I Dated a Dangerous Man

By Rachel Goodchild

Angela* wishes she spotted the danger signs a little earlier. One marriage, two kids and a divorce later, she knows she dated and married a dangerous man. “Mathew was always comparing me unfavourably with his mother. He got cross if I spent money on myself, and he talked a lot about what type of woman turned him on- and it wasn’t me.”

Angela and Mathew went to counselling, and tried to work it out but now have divorced. After dating several other types of dangerous men including the predator and the hidden lifer, Angela is now taking time out to get her warning system working. “No more dangerous men!”

Sandra Brown, a therapist and author of How To Spot a Dangerous Man (Hunter House) says Mathew is a classic Parental Seeker, one of eight dangerous men types she says woman should steer clear of. Angela agrees. She says “The moment the marriage broke up he moved in back with his mother who takes care of him completely. Does all his washing and cooks his carrots just the way he likes them” Parental Seekers want a parent, not a partner, and attract women who are maternal and enjoy caring for others. However they can become restrictive and controlling, and often lose interest in sex once the relationship becomes more permanent. The woman can suffer from verbal abuse on a regular basis. “I spent all my time thinking I was ugly and useless. It has taken me a long time to get over the damage he inflicted on me”

What is a dangerous man?

Yes he can be violent. But Sandra Brown says there are other types that can be just as damaging. In her book Sandra talks about eight different types that women should stay clear of. Basically, she says “A dangerous man is any man who harms a woman's emotional, physical, sexual, spiritual, or financial self.”

Sandra says all women are born with the ability to know how to a spot a dangerous man – but turn off their warning systems. The fight or flight system is woman’s dangerous man spotter. If you want to run, then do it!. Once you’ve dated a dangerous man, it is easier to do it again and it is harder to trust your own feelings.

How to spot a dangerous man.

If you can answer yes to any of these red flags, then according to Sandra, you may be dating a dangerous man. Her solution? RUN! A dangerous man will not get better.

1. Does he push for a more permanent relationship than you are ready for?

2. Does he show anger towards his mother?

3. Does his mother do a lot for him such as do all his washing or still make his lunch everyday?

4. Does he want you to focus only on him?

5. Does he encourage you to do things you feel uncomfortable doing, and go against your own principles?

6. Does he hold grudges after a fight?

7. Does he break promises?

8. Does he discourage you from going out with other friends?

9. Does he always have to win?

10. Is he unpredictable?

Can you spot the dangerous man?

Here are the eight types Sandra talks about in her book. Have you ever dated one of these?

• The Emotional Predator: This man know how to make women purr but when it comes to commitment can’t be trusted to stay put. Look out for the man with a pile of broken hearts behind him!

• The Permanent Clinger: He may shower you with flowers, but it can soon turn into demands of complete devotion. He’ll even get jealous if you cuddle up to the cat!

• The Hidden Lifer: It can be tricky to spot, but he might have all sorts of skeletons in his closet. You can clean it out by asking him lots of questions about his past. If he is open that’s great- otherwise BEWARE!

• The Violent: Hot and cold describe this man. Attentive and giving one day, blaming and shaming the next. It can all esculate to physical violence so get out before it does.

• The Mentally Ill: He may find it easy to hide this at first, but left untreated it is going to leave you feeling like something is not right at all.

• The Addicted: Fun may be his middle name but his love for sex, drugs and porn won’t make you feel that great. Watch for the need for speed, junk food munchies and alcohol. It all hurts in the end.

• The Parental Seeker wants a mother not a partner. He’ll check out how you keep the house, and while he’ll adore you, he takes more than he gives. You’ll be left feeling drained and worn out.

• The Emotionally Unavailable: He might say he is unhappy or almost over the last relationship but if he is still involved with someone else then stay clear. If he does it to her, he could do it to you!

Of course these dangerous signs may not come alone! The Combination Man is all too common. He has two or more of these types within him – and the more categories he has, the more dangerous he is.

Is your friend or daughter dating someone dangerous?

Sandra Brown suggests that if someone you know is dating a dangerous man you don’t confront them! You can ask them how they are feeling gently, and let them open up to you. Help them turn on their warning systems again by asking them how they feel when their partner treats them badly. Women always look for loopholes in men’s behaviour if they love him. If she says things like “It was only once” or “he is tired and stressed when he does that” then you know she needs help. Show her the red flags and help her get out.

Rachel Goodchild is the author of hundreds of articles on womans health and parenting issues. You can read more about the author of the book in this article on her website: http://www.snapeducational.co.nz/index.php?page=go&go=199 Be informed, and take control of your life! Good luck :)

How To Design A Home Body Detox Program That's Just Right For You

By R. Sharp

After reading about those expensive detoxification treatments and how they can cripple your wallet, wouldn't it be nice to know that there are affordable ways to detoxify you body in a home body detox program? Fear not, here are some easy and helpful detox programs you can follow at your own pace, in the comforts of your own home. All you need is a little discipline, resourcefulness, and a small budget, and you're on your way to a detoxified lifestyle.

First off, in your home body detox program you can detoxify your skin without having to purchase expensive cosmetics or going to a spa for a costly one-hour treatment. There are simple recipes you can do in your own kitchen out of ordinary household ingredients that can detoxify your skin. You can make a honey cleanser scrub by mixing together one tablespoon of honey with two tablespoons of ground almonds and half a teaspoon of lemon juice. Rub gently over your face and leave on for 20 minutes before washing off with warm water. This treatment helps smooth the skin by removing dead skin cells.

A dry skin mask of oatmeal and honey can also be applied on the face as a moisturizer and cleanser. You can also use a fruit mask to provide vitamins and cleansers for your skin. Take half an apple, which is peeled and sliced, and add a tablespoon of honey, one egg yolk, one teaspoon of ascorbic acid, some vinegar, and two tablespoons of oil. Place all the ingredients in a blender and homogenize until a smooth paste is obtained. You can apply this on your face and leave it to dry for about a half hour to an hour. Then you simply rinse off with warm water.

For your home body detox program, you'll also need to follow a few simple detox recipes for meals and drinks. A ginger tea with turmeric is great for the liver, and especially helpful in dissolving fats and releasing them from the body. Simply mix half a teaspoon of powdered ginger and half a teaspoon of turmeric powder in two cups of boiling water. Allow to simmer for ten minutes, then add maple syrup and lemon juice to taste.

Green tea has been known to contain antioxidants that help in clearing out toxins and harmful radicals in the body. You can also make a simple iced green tea detox drink that can be taken any time of the day. Place six green tea bags in a pitcher and add six cups of cold water. Thinly slice two pitted peaches, or mash them if you like. Add to the pitcher and mix well. You can sweeten the tea with maple syrup, but no sugar.

You can also opt to follow a juice fast program. This means that your diet will consist of juices made from fruits, vegetables, and other herbs. Your body systems will be flushed out of toxins, since you are introducing vitamins and minerals with no preservatives into your body. You need a good juicer and blender for this simple option. Doctors recommend leafy vegetables such as parsley, spinach, broccoli, dandelion leaves, and chard among others for juicing. Root products such as sweet potatoes, beets, and carrots are also recommended. For fruits, you should opt for citrus ones, such as grapefruit, lemons, oranges, and limes. Dark grapes and apples are great sources of antioxidants as well.

You can also add fennel, basil, spearmint, peppermint, garlic, ginger, and many more to your juices. There are several resources that provide the best combinations of vegetables or fruits for the best-tasting juices. Try to follow the juice fasting program for a few days, avoiding animal products such as meat and dairy. Do not use sugars and artificial sweeteners to add flavor to your drinks. You are free to drink as much water as you want, and make sure to dilute all your juices with copious amounts of water.

Learn how to select the right diet and exercise program when detoxing at home: Choosing The Right Diet For Your Home Body Detox Program. Or, visit the Women's Health Magazine, for more information on Womans Health.

By Jen Felker

Fitness, muscle-building and gym work-outs have gone beyond the traditional all-male club. With the hype over fitness and health and a healthy lifestyle, women have joined the club as well. However, men and women have different fitness needs.

Women’s fitness and exercise needs are focused on the muscles of the upper back. Most of their exercise work-outs are also designed for the stomach muscles, especially those who have just given birth. At the same time, exercises for women are usually designed for weight loss. And while men tend to focus on muscle building whereas women work on toning their muscles, strength training is important for both.

Here are a few things to make you women out there go out and start building up your muscle strength.

Make the performance of your usual tasks easier with a physically strong body. Chores will be easier, lifting your kids, the grocery or the laundry will be a piece of cake. Consequently, it will reduce possible strain on the muscles and injury. Training can increase a woman’s strength by 30 to 50 percent.

Lose fat at the same time. A strength training done 2 to 3 times a week for a span of two months can result to two pounds of muscles and would mean a reduction of 3.5 pounds of fat. The more muscles and less fat, the faster is the metabolism, which ultimately means your body burns calories faster than normal.

Fight osteoporosis. Weight training increases spinal bone mineral density which means lesser chances of the risk of osteoporosis.

Fight heart disease and diabetes. Weight improvement improves cardiovascular health by lowering the bad cholesterol and blood pressure. It also improves glucose use in the body by 23 percent which reduces the risk of diabetes.

The road to a healthier you. Not only does it promote a healthier body, but it also develops a healthier attitude and a healthier heart. Women who engage in regular strength training are more confident, with a more positive outlook in life.

So how do you get started?

For those who lead very busy lifestyles, hitting the gym and starting on a regular fitness plan may seem the perfect way to keep fit. But for most, starting out on a regular walking exercise is the way to go. Start at a manageable rate. A 10 to 15 minute walk is a good way to start. Prior to a workout, make sure to stretch your major muscles.

Work your muscles on the front of your thighs. Stretch your shoulder muscles by standing straight and rolling the shoulders backward in a circular motion. And of course, don’t forget to observe proper nutrition. Load up on water to prevent dehydration. Consume carbohydrates before starting on your work-out.

For those with joint and bone diseases, swimming may prove to be a less stressful activity for your muscles.

But the most important is, make time for your exercise. If you can’t hit the gym or start on a regular work-out plan, make sure that your day is filled with enough physical activity that keeps you going and always on the go. Women’s fitness is the key to your beauty!

When you ask someone to workout with you, you will usually hear the word "no". Besides, working out is boring. Maybe even you will consider that working out is boring and rather do fun things than spending time at the gym doing some boring workout routines.

However, you have to consider that more and more people are putting up with the boring workout routines because of the alarming increase of heart related diseases and obesity. You have to consider that you have to take care of your body in order to live a happier and more satisfying life.

You and only you are responsible for maintaining your body's health. This is why you have to do fitness workouts in order to keep your body in top working condition. Failing to do so will result in a disease-ridden life where you and your family will suffer.

So, while you are still not experiencing diseases because of being overweight, such as diabetes and heart diseases, you have to start doing fitness workout in order to keep your body healthy plus give you the benefit of having a great looking body that you can show off during summers at the beach.

However, if you find regular fitness workout routines very boring, there are quite a lot of fitness workouts that you can do to make workout more fun. There are fun activities that you can do where you can definitely enjoy and at the same time, give you a great quality fitness workout experience.

First of all, most people consider that fitness workouts are only limited at the gym. However, you have to consider thinking out of the box and start being creative. Active sports such as swimming, golf, tennis, football, and basketball are a fun sport that can give you great quality fitness workout experience.

For example, if you like to play tennis, there are quite a lot of tennis schools available that can teach you how to play. You can even include your family in this fun activity and all of you can have fun while at the same time, promote fitness.

If you are not sports minded or you can't think of any sport that can be fun for you, you can also consider dancing as a great fitness workout experience. You can try and enroll in dance classes. Although some people think that dancing is easy, you have to consider that it's not.

Dancing is quite difficult and can be very stressful for your body as it will require you to run, walk, and jump around in the dance floor to do those dance moves. Dancing can definitely be a great fitness workout alternative if you find regular gym workouts boring. Plus, dancing is also fun especially if both you and your significant other enroll in the same classes.

These are just some of the examples that can make fitness workouts more fun and more enjoyable. There are still quite a lot of activities out there that you can do for fun and at the same time, give yourself a great quality workout. There are belly dancing activities, there are hiking and camping activities, there are rock climbing activities and a lot more. All you need to do is find one that interests you and be creative.

Jennifer Felker CSCS. is the author of many fitness articles and research papers. Jen is the publisher of the very popular exercise and fitness blog and can be found at: http://exercise-fitness-advisory.com/

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Senin, 16 Februari 2009

Why Most People Fail at Losing Weight - Your Guide to Success

By Marco Fratelli

Famous self help guru Anthony Robbins once explained that people make decisions based on two criteria. 1) The need to avoid pain; and 2) The need to gain pleasure. If you think about the decisions you make every day, you will find that the need to avoid pain often dominates the decision making process over the need to gain pleasure. Using this explanation it is easy to see why most people fail at losing weight.

Weight loss is associated with the hard work of exercise, the personal sacrifice of certain foods and pain, pain, pain. It seems easier to just give up. It would not be unfair to say that most people are lazy when we are hearing in the media that two thirds of the adult population of the United States is overweight, if not obese. Understanding why most people fail at losing weight, we can very quickly see what we need to do to succeed.

1) Be committed. You have to really want to lose weight. You can change your mindset from associating losing weight with pain. Instead, link pain with heart disease and diabetes and having to live a life full of restrictions (you can't eat the foods you like) and medications, if not an early death.

2) Set realistic goals - If you set realistic goals, you are more likely to achieve them and more likely to stay committed because you are seeing the results. What often happens is that people don't even set goals, let alone unrealistic ones. They just go to the gym for the first couple of months and then find a reason not to continue.

3) Exercise - This could begin with regular walking, riding a bicycle to work or going to the gym. Make sure you listen to music or watch TV while you exercise. It helps with taking your mind away from the physical workout. A lot of gyms are now installing LCD screens that can be seen from all machines, if not attached to each individual machine!

4) Get a weight loss buddy - When there is commitment involved, it is often easier to have a friend that will go through it all with you (as long as they are equally committed). An alternative would be to join a gym class where a lot of people are doing the same exercises and you are motivated by an instructor. You can hide in the crowd. This will take away any fears of "being seen" or mentally criticized by other people while you are alone on a gym machine.

5) Don't starve yourself - make subtle changes to your diet initially. If you have a can of Coke every day, for example, switch to Diet Coke. Also try to eat smaller meals more frequently each day rather than "no breakfast, take away lunch and big dinner at home". You'll find that this regular intake of food will actually help with improving your metabolism and prevent the usual afternoon slump in the office.

Losing weight may be in some ways a short term pain but it will lead to a long term gain. For those dedicated few that follow the above principles, major improvements will not only be seen in health and fitness, it will be evident in all areas of life. As self image and therefore self esteem improves, your newfound health and confidence will begin to attract to you love, success and wealth.

This article is the property of www.WomAns-Health.us - a woman's answer to better health.

Marco Fratelli is a webmaster at http://www.womans-health.us, a free women's health resource.

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Discovering A Natural, Drugless Cure For A Yeast Infection

By R. Sharp

If you have ever suffered with a yeast infection, you know how uncomfortable and even painful the symptoms can be. It's enough to make you run to your doctor and beg for antibiotics, right? Wrong, most of the time, especially when home cures for yeast infections are so easy to find. The problem with taking antibiotics for this type of problem is that it is often unnecessary, and even damaging to your body's bacterial balance. Did you know that while antibiotics are fighting off the 'bad' bacteria in your body, they are also killing off the 'good' bacteria as well? By wreaking havoc on this delicate bacterial balance, we are seeing strains of bacteria that are stronger and more resistant to any type of medication than ever before. Your body can also get 'used' to antibiotics when they are overused, rendering them ineffective and creating a need for stronger and more potent medications.

The good news is that because there are so many effective home cures for yeast infections, antibiotics are unnecessary in many cases of this problem. You can treat your symptoms and infection with a home cure for a yeast infection that includes diet, hygiene and herbal remedies. The key is in understanding why a yeast infection occurs (an imbalance of bacteria within the body), and how to treat it (by regaining the proper bacterial balance). In addition to a home cure for a yeast infection, there are a number of natural remedies that can be used to treat the uncomfortable symptoms like itching and burning that can occur. Are you ready to treat your yeast infection naturally? Your body will most definitely thank you!

There are a number of all natural home cure for yeast infections, to learn more about them visit Womans-Health.Net, where you can get information about women's sexual health, women's reproductive health, women's breast health and more!