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diet, health, fitness, healthy
Tags: Women
]]>When I was in my early 20 s, I read Adele Davis s book, Let s Eat Right To Keep fit. I learned from her that you are what you eat. I also learned that our babies are what we eat while we are pregnant, and then are what they eat once they are born. If you nurse your babies, then they continue to be what you eat as long as you are nursing them. My bible during my first pregnancy over 38 years ago was Let s Have Healthy Children, also by Adele Davis. I started to follow her guidelines way before getting pregnant, knowing that my health had a big effect on my baby s health. There is much more information about good nutrition available today, and I want to encourage anyone who wants to have healthy children to start early in learning about and implementing a healthy way of eating. Educating yourself regarding good nutrition is a major part of good parenting. However, a good rule of thumb is, if they didn t eat it 200 years ago, don t eat it now! This means no fast food, no packaged food - including sodas, cakes and candies - no preservatives, no fruits and vegetables grown with pesticides or artificial fertilizers, or animals grown with hormones and fed food grown with pesticides. It also means no smoking or drinking. It means no caffeine. If you want healthy children, you need to put pure, clean organic food into your body before you get pregnant and continue throughout your pregnancy. Of course, then you want to continue to feed yourself and your family clean food once your children are born. If you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, you have a wonderful opportunity to lay a strong foundation of health for your child. Why not start now feeding yourself well and learning all you can about creating healthy children? You are going to be a parent the whole rest of your life. You can do so much to make your parenting experience a joyful one by taking responsibility for your own physical and emotional health before getting pregnant. If you have not been disciplined enough to eat well before getting pregnant, perhaps the idea of eating well for your child will be enough to motivate you. It s not as hard as you might think. It really doesn t take much more time to eat well than to eat junk. And the payoff is huge. Not only were my three babies healthy, they were calm. They slept well and were happy children, who learned easily and did well in school. The only time they were hyperactive actually bouncing off walls! was after returning from birthday parties where they had ice cream, cake and sodas. In my many years of counseling, I ve often worked with parents who were struggling with their children s behavior problems. Of course not all behavior problems are nutritional, but you might be surprised how many problems have their cause in poor nutrition. I ve often wondered why so many people are careful to put the right octane in their gas tank but put the wrong fuel into their bodies and then wonder why there is so much illness, learning disabilities, and so on. I want to tell you a little story about the power of food. We had a 6 month old golden retriever puppy who was dying of irritable bowel syndrome. He had constant diarrhea and was getting thinner and thinner by the day. We had been giving him the very best quality kibble and it wasn t working. Fortunately we learned about raw food for dogs. Within two meals of raw food, he was completely healthy! Here I had been studying nutrition for so many years and it had never occurred to me that a dog s natural diet is raw food! Wow, what a lesson! About The Author Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including “Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?” She is the co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: www.innerbonding.com or mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone sessions available. margaret@innerbonding.com … Author: Margaret Paul, Ph.D.
diet, health, fitness, healthy
Tags: Women
]]>Edema, otherwise known as swelling, will affect almost all women at some point during their pregnancy. Swelling or Edema is most often the result of excessive levels of hormones coursing through your body. Really, the best thing you can do to combat swelling is to drink far more fluid. It may seem counter intuitive, but the more juice and water you drink the less water your body will hold onto and the less puffy you will be. You should be working to drink at least 10 eight ounce glasses of water per day. Also try to avoid diuretic beverages such as tea and coffee, which contain caffeine. These are more likely to dehydrate you than invigorate you during your pregnancy. You might also consider wearing some support stockings during your pregnancy. These will not only help combat swelling, but may help prevent or minimize the effects of varicose veins later in pregnancy. Most medical care suppliers carry support hosiery that works well for women during pregnancy. You should look for support hose with a medium grading minimum, meaning they provide firm support. Compression hose can often be purchased online. You can also ask your healthcare provider where you might purchase a pair or two. Article by Beverley Brooke, author of “Ensure a healthy safe pregnancy for you and your baby”, visit www.pregnancy-weight-loss.com for more on pregnancy swelling … Author: Beverley Brooke
diet, health, fitness, healthy
Tags: Women
]]>Edema, otherwise known as swelling, will affect almost all women at some point during their pregnancy. Swelling or Edema is most often the result of excessive levels of hormones coursing through your body. Really, the best thing you can do to combat swelling is to drink far more fluid. It may seem counter intuitive, but the more juice and water you drink the less water your body will hold onto and the less puffy you will be. You should be working to drink at least 10 eight ounce glasses of water per day. Also try to avoid diuretic beverages such as tea and coffee, which contain caffeine. These are more likely to dehydrate you than invigorate you during your pregnancy. You might also consider wearing some support stockings during your pregnancy. These will not only help combat swelling, but may help prevent or minimize the effects of varicose veins later in pregnancy. Most medical care suppliers carry support hosiery that works well for women during pregnancy. You should look for support hose with a medium grading minimum, meaning they provide firm support. Compression hose can often be purchased online. You can also ask your healthcare provider where you might purchase a pair or two. Article by Beverley Brooke, author of “Ensure a healthy safe pregnancy for you and your baby”, visit www.pregnancy-weight-loss.com for more on pregnancy swelling … Author: Beverley Brooke
diet, health, fitness, healthy
Tags: Women
]]>Am I pregnant? This is often one of the most important questions a women can ask. If you suspect you are pregnant, getting good prenatal care early is very important, so finding out as soon as possible is vital. Am I pregnant? Have you missed a period? Are you bloated? Are your breasts tender? These may be early symptoms of pregnancy. Have you spotted, but never gotten your period? Do things smell and taste differently? Are you tired? If you can answer yes to at least one or two of these questions, you may be pregnant. However, some women never suspect that they have conceived. As soon as your period is late, you can perform an at-home pregnancy test inexpensively and privately. These tests can be found at your local discount or drug store. The at-home tests claim 99% accuracy, and false positives are rare, so if you test positive you are most likely pregnant. Since these tests measure the level of pregnancy hormone (HCG) in your urine, it s important to follow the instructions carefully and repeat a negative test a few days to a week later just to be sure. Sometimes hormone levels don t rise high enough to be detected right away. If you suspect you are pregnant, refrain from smoking, drinking alcohol and using illegal drugs until you are sure. These substances are harmful to a developing baby. Stay away from x-rays and try to eat healthy until your pregnancy is confirmed. Maria writes for Pregnancy Due Date, a site that tries to information for expectant mothers. For more great pregnancy articles, visit our Pregnancy articles archive. … Author: Maria Gonzalez
diet, health, fitness, healthy
Tags: Women
]]>Am I pregnant? This is often one of the most important questions a women can ask. If you suspect you are pregnant, getting good prenatal care early is very important, so finding out as soon as possible is vital. Am I pregnant? Have you missed a period? Are you bloated? Are your breasts tender? These may be early symptoms of pregnancy. Have you spotted, but never gotten your period? Do things smell and taste differently? Are you tired? If you can answer yes to at least one or two of these questions, you may be pregnant. However, some women never suspect that they have conceived. As soon as your period is late, you can perform an at-home pregnancy test inexpensively and privately. These tests can be found at your local discount or drug store. The at-home tests claim 99% accuracy, and false positives are rare, so if you test positive you are most likely pregnant. Since these tests measure the level of pregnancy hormone (HCG) in your urine, it s important to follow the instructions carefully and repeat a negative test a few days to a week later just to be sure. Sometimes hormone levels don t rise high enough to be detected right away. If you suspect you are pregnant, refrain from smoking, drinking alcohol and using illegal drugs until you are sure. These substances are harmful to a developing baby. Stay away from x-rays and try to eat healthy until your pregnancy is confirmed. Maria writes for Pregnancy Due Date, a site that tries to information for expectant mothers. For more great pregnancy articles, visit our Pregnancy articles archive. … Author: Maria Gonzalez
diet, health, fitness, healthy
Tags: Women
]]>One of the most common questions I get from women who are newly diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome is Will I ever get pregnant? I have not been able to find specific studies regarding fertility and PCOS-likely because it is so hard to track those who are successful in getting pregnant without medical intervention. One source said that women with PCOS have an 80-90 percent chance of having a baby, but I was unable to find any research studies to back this up. While some women with polycystic ovarian syndrome will not be able to get pregnant, I believe that the majority can and do eventually have healthy babies. First, 5-10% of women of childbearing age have PCOS. If their symptoms are mild they are often undiagnosed. If they have even one child, many physicians will say they can not have PCOS. This is ridiculous if you look at the diagnostic criteria. The most common criteria for diagnosis include a failure to ovulate regularly. However, for many women this means they have long cycles (35 days or longer in many cases) but they DO ovulate. Some women with PCOS have unhealthy eggs because their periods are too far apart, in many cases this is correctable with herbs, diet or drugs. Many women with PCOS also have a thyroid condition. Frequently, if this is treated they begin to ovulate. Many women with PCOS have frequent miscarriages, but they eventually have a healthy baby often with the help of progesterone cream or suppositories. Some women find that losing weight, taking vitex or other herbs, or reducing stress cause them to begin ovulating (for me it was all three!). Some learn to detect ovulation through cervical mucus and basal body temperatures (BBT or temperature charting). Again, these women often have healthy babies without medical intervention. It is hard to know how many women with PCOS become pregnant without help since many women are first diagnosed with PCOS because they are having trouble getting pregnant. Often metformin or other insulin-sensitizing drugs work wonders and they are able to get pregnant and carry a baby to term. The fact is, only a small percentage of women with PCOS ever make it to the stage of trying fertility drugs. Clomid (clomiphene citrate) is often the first drug of choice since it is cheap and easy to take. I did find studies indicating that Clomid alone works for 70% of women with PCOS. Other women find that they need Clomid and metformin or stronger fertility drugs. The success rate tends to drop a bit as time passes and stronger methods are tried, but the bottom line is that most women who have PCOS and want children have them. Even for those who are told they will never succeed at getting and staying pregnant, there is much reason to hope. Several close friends of mine have surprised themselves and their doctors by getting pregnant after years of infertility. Lisa adopted three children and then found herself pregnant in her late 30 s. It seems that for many women their PCOS symptoms mellow out as they get older. Anne went to the doctor to find out why she was infertile after several years of marriage she was 3 already months pregnant and boy number two followed just 15 months later. Susan had three miscarriages and was told she would never carry a baby to term. Four months later she was pregnant with her daughter and her son is two years younger. Barb got pregnant when she was not even thinking of fertility and now counts herself extremely blessed to have two healthy boys. I know many women who have done everything possible to get pregnant, even IVF, and have not succeeded. But the majority of women with PCOS DO get pregnant. There is even more reason to hope for the young women who are just now learning they have PCOS. First, they are more likely to be diagnosed at all. This means many women will be diagnosed who would have been overlooked ten or fifteen years ago when my generation was first beginning the march from doctor to doctor looking for answers. We know so much more than we did then. Treatments, both natural and medical, are much, much better than ever. In addition, being diagnosed now means they have the chance to prevent much of the physical and emotional trauma older women have experienced because our doctors just didn t know how to help us. My advice to any particular woman is to do all you can to increase your fertility (see my other articles and my books for more information about this). Then do your best to relax and let your body work. The odds are with you in the long run. Julie Renee Callaway is a life coach specializing in helping women cope with PCOS, infertility and other health issues. You can get a free newsletter about PCOS at www.pcoscoach.com … Author: Julie Renee Callaway
diet, health, fitness, healthy
Tags: Women
]]>One of the most common questions I get from women who are newly diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome is Will I ever get pregnant? I have not been able to find specific studies regarding fertility and PCOS-likely because it is so hard to track those who are successful in getting pregnant without medical intervention. One source said that women with PCOS have an 80-90 percent chance of having a baby, but I was unable to find any research studies to back this up. While some women with polycystic ovarian syndrome will not be able to get pregnant, I believe that the majority can and do eventually have healthy babies. First, 5-10% of women of childbearing age have PCOS. If their symptoms are mild they are often undiagnosed. If they have even one child, many physicians will say they can not have PCOS. This is ridiculous if you look at the diagnostic criteria. The most common criteria for diagnosis include a failure to ovulate regularly. However, for many women this means they have long cycles (35 days or longer in many cases) but they DO ovulate. Some women with PCOS have unhealthy eggs because their periods are too far apart, in many cases this is correctable with herbs, diet or drugs. Many women with PCOS also have a thyroid condition. Frequently, if this is treated they begin to ovulate. Many women with PCOS have frequent miscarriages, but they eventually have a healthy baby often with the help of progesterone cream or suppositories. Some women find that losing weight, taking vitex or other herbs, or reducing stress cause them to begin ovulating (for me it was all three!). Some learn to detect ovulation through cervical mucus and basal body temperatures (BBT or temperature charting). Again, these women often have healthy babies without medical intervention. It is hard to know how many women with PCOS become pregnant without help since many women are first diagnosed with PCOS because they are having trouble getting pregnant. Often metformin or other insulin-sensitizing drugs work wonders and they are able to get pregnant and carry a baby to term. The fact is, only a small percentage of women with PCOS ever make it to the stage of trying fertility drugs. Clomid (clomiphene citrate) is often the first drug of choice since it is cheap and easy to take. I did find studies indicating that Clomid alone works for 70% of women with PCOS. Other women find that they need Clomid and metformin or stronger fertility drugs. The success rate tends to drop a bit as time passes and stronger methods are tried, but the bottom line is that most women who have PCOS and want children have them. Even for those who are told they will never succeed at getting and staying pregnant, there is much reason to hope. Several close friends of mine have surprised themselves and their doctors by getting pregnant after years of infertility. Lisa adopted three children and then found herself pregnant in her late 30 s. It seems that for many women their PCOS symptoms mellow out as they get older. Anne went to the doctor to find out why she was infertile after several years of marriage she was 3 already months pregnant and boy number two followed just 15 months later. Susan had three miscarriages and was told she would never carry a baby to term. Four months later she was pregnant with her daughter and her son is two years younger. Barb got pregnant when she was not even thinking of fertility and now counts herself extremely blessed to have two healthy boys. I know many women who have done everything possible to get pregnant, even IVF, and have not succeeded. But the majority of women with PCOS DO get pregnant. There is even more reason to hope for the young women who are just now learning they have PCOS. First, they are more likely to be diagnosed at all. This means many women will be diagnosed who would have been overlooked ten or fifteen years ago when my generation was first beginning the march from doctor to doctor looking for answers. We know so much more than we did then. Treatments, both natural and medical, are much, much better than ever. In addition, being diagnosed now means they have the chance to prevent much of the physical and emotional trauma older women have experienced because our doctors just didn t know how to help us. My advice to any particular woman is to do all you can to increase your fertility (see my other articles and my books for more information about this). Then do your best to relax and let your body work. The odds are with you in the long run. Julie Renee Callaway is a life coach specializing in helping women cope with PCOS, infertility and other health issues. You can get a free newsletter about PCOS at www.pcoscoach.com … Author: Julie Renee Callaway
diet, health, fitness, healthy
Tags: Women
]]>A baby begins life even before he is born from conception until the uterus finally pushes him out of his mother s body. This is the phenomenon we call pregnancy. It starts when the male sperm unites with the female egg and develops into an embryo. While several women say they can already detect pregnancy from the moment of conception, some see the pregnancy symptoms much later. As the woman s body prepares itself for child-bearing, she will notice several changes. The telltale signs of pregnancy include the following: Absence of menstruation This is usually the first sign of pregnancy. Take note, though, that it should not always be linked with pregnancy symptoms, as missing your monthly period can also mean some other kind of hormonal imbalance or condition. Morning sickness It would be prudent to note that the pregnancy symptom called morning sickness does not happen only in the mornings. This feeling of dizziness can happen at any time of the day. The hormonal changes occurring during pregnancy generally trigger bouts of nausea and vomiting. Another related symptom would be constant tiredness, which a possibly pregnant woman experiences even if no physical activity had been performed (but, then, again, it could also be due to improper nutrition). Strong craving for certain foods The cause of this pregnancy symptom is still undetermined. But pregnant women have been infamous for requesting/demanding different kinds of food, owing to uncontrollable appetite urges. On some cases, strong craving is an understatement. Mood swings and headaches A woman s emotions sometimes become slave to the hormonal changes linked with pregnancy. Quite common are bouts of depression, vagueness, listlessness and irritability. Sleepiness This symptom is not due to fatigue. Women who are pregnant usually long for sleep early in the evening. Again, blame the hormones. Frequent urination As the womb expands to make room for the growing fetus, it bears down on the urinary bladder, causing constant urges to pass urine. Some women have also been observed to develop white, creamy vaginal discharge during pregnancy, while the breasts tend to swell and grow tender (as the mammary glands brace themselves for breastfeeding). Not all signs of pregnancy are obvious. But when the above mentioned symptoms present themselves to you, and you have enough reason to suspect that you are pregnant, you must consult your doctor at once, preferably an obstetrician. (An obstetrician specializes in caring for women while they are pregnant and even after pregnancy.) The doctor will then run tests to find out whether you ARE pregnant and in which pregnancy level you are already in. If your doctor bears good news, that, indeed, a miracle has formed in your womb, congratulations! You will soon be holding in your arms the greatest gift you will ever receive. Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes. Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about pregnancy, please go to: pregnancy.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: www.besthealthlink.net/ … Author: Charlene Nuble
diet, health, fitness, healthy
Tags: Women
]]>A baby begins life even before he is born from conception until the uterus finally pushes him out of his mother s body. This is the phenomenon we call pregnancy. It starts when the male sperm unites with the female egg and develops into an embryo. While several women say they can already detect pregnancy from the moment of conception, some see the pregnancy symptoms much later. As the woman s body prepares itself for child-bearing, she will notice several changes. The telltale signs of pregnancy include the following: Absence of menstruation This is usually the first sign of pregnancy. Take note, though, that it should not always be linked with pregnancy symptoms, as missing your monthly period can also mean some other kind of hormonal imbalance or condition. Morning sickness It would be prudent to note that the pregnancy symptom called morning sickness does not happen only in the mornings. This feeling of dizziness can happen at any time of the day. The hormonal changes occurring during pregnancy generally trigger bouts of nausea and vomiting. Another related symptom would be constant tiredness, which a possibly pregnant woman experiences even if no physical activity had been performed (but, then, again, it could also be due to improper nutrition). Strong craving for certain foods The cause of this pregnancy symptom is still undetermined. But pregnant women have been infamous for requesting/demanding different kinds of food, owing to uncontrollable appetite urges. On some cases, strong craving is an understatement. Mood swings and headaches A woman s emotions sometimes become slave to the hormonal changes linked with pregnancy. Quite common are bouts of depression, vagueness, listlessness and irritability. Sleepiness This symptom is not due to fatigue. Women who are pregnant usually long for sleep early in the evening. Again, blame the hormones. Frequent urination As the womb expands to make room for the growing fetus, it bears down on the urinary bladder, causing constant urges to pass urine. Some women have also been observed to develop white, creamy vaginal discharge during pregnancy, while the breasts tend to swell and grow tender (as the mammary glands brace themselves for breastfeeding). Not all signs of pregnancy are obvious. But when the above mentioned symptoms present themselves to you, and you have enough reason to suspect that you are pregnant, you must consult your doctor at once, preferably an obstetrician. (An obstetrician specializes in caring for women while they are pregnant and even after pregnancy.) The doctor will then run tests to find out whether you ARE pregnant and in which pregnancy level you are already in. If your doctor bears good news, that, indeed, a miracle has formed in your womb, congratulations! You will soon be holding in your arms the greatest gift you will ever receive. Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes. Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about pregnancy, please go to: pregnancy.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: www.besthealthlink.net/ … Author: Charlene Nuble
diet, health, fitness, healthy
Tags: Women
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