Health related information and news from around the world. » Women’s Health

WHAT HAS STRESS GOT TO DO WITH PMS?

admin — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 12:55:48 +0000

Looking through the list of stress symptoms there are some obvious similarities with PMS. In feet studies in the USA by Dr Irene Goodale, of Harvard University medical school, have shown that in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle women have a higher man normal response to stress compared with the rest of the time:• their heart rate goes up• blood pressure Increases• more adrenalin is released• urine samples have higher levels of adrenalin and noradrenalin – both signs of stress.If you have PMS and you are under a lot of stress your body will be under a double dose of pressure. It’s important that in seeking a cure for your PMS you do not ignore the influence of stress. There is simply no point in treating your PMS if your stress is out of control You will either not respond to PMS therapy or those symptoms will clear up and you will succumb to something else.In dealing with stress you can either avoid the stressors or you can learn to cope with the stress. In practice it’s impossible to avoid all stressors so it’s best to develop coping strategies.*34\120\4*

THE ENDOMETRIOSIS DIET: BREAKFAST

admin — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:31:50 +0000

This is often the most problematic meal of the day, since many women do not like to eat breakfast or don’t have the time. We strongly urge you to begin the day with some nutrition, to keep blood sugar levels subtitled. A small bowl of whole-grain cereal with half a cup of soy milk (or low-fat milk) supplies carbohydrates, protein, and some calcium from the soy. Hot cereal such as oatmeal, cooked with a tablespoon of raisins, is good, too. Half a grapefruit or, better, a noncitrus fruit like a small banana adds sufficient sugar. Limit egg intake to one or two a week. These should be boiled or poached. Choose organic fertilized eggs, available at many supermarkets now. They taste the same as the standard egg, but contain less cholesterol. If you don’t have cereal or one egg, have a high-fiber bran muffin or one or two slices of toasted whole-wheat bread with half an apple.
This menu offers protein, carbohydrates, and minimum fat and is fairly low in calories, it begins the program to lower disruptive hormone levels in women with endometriosis while simultaneously supplying energy.
If you want a cup of coffee or tea (or any drink with caffeine), have it at breakfast time, rather than later in the day. Caffeine takes about half an hour before it supplies its “kick,” and close CO four hours before its effect wears off. One result of caffeine on the drop in blood sugar level is a sense of hunger. By the time you feel this, you should be ready for lunch, which. Like dinner, should consist of foods that will maintain a steady blood sugar level.
*89\43\4*

DRUG TREATMENTS FOR EXCESSIVE BLEEDING

admin — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:56:41 +0000

Numerous pharmaceutical treatments have been developed to stop excessive bleeding. Not only do they avoid major surgery which, until quite recently, was the only treatment option for these conditions, they also preserve a woman’s fertility, a factor of increasing importance with current trends to deferral of childbearing until after the age of thirty.

In general, these treatments are best used in the short-term (that is, for no more than a year) because prolonged use tends to result in side-effects. This drug-induced respite from heavy bleeding secures time during which women and their doctors can examine the situation carefully before settling on a strategy. For women approaching menopause, medical treatments may provide just the sort of stopgap needed until their bleeding problems disappear spontaneously.

Drug treatments can shrink tissues that may be responsible for bleeding. According to some doctors this makes subsequent surgery easier; although practitioners whose approach is to cut out or excise the aberrant tissue say it makes the surgical removal of unwanted tissue more difficult because it is less visible in its shrunken form.

The cost of drug approaches compared with surgery depends on the duration of their use, whether their price is subsidised through a national health scheme (such as through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in Australia) and whether there is a need for regular medical checks or examinations.

*26\198\4*

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR FERTILITY: ZINC

admin — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:17:19 +0000

Zinc is the most widely studied nutrient in terms of fertility for both men and women. It is an essential component of genetic material, and a zinc deficiency can cause chromosome changes in either the man or the woman, leading to reduced fertility and an increased risk of miscarriages.

Zinc is necessary for the body to attract and hold the reproductive hormones, oestrogen and progesterone.

Zinc also plays a vital role in cell division so it is especially important that adequate levels are available at the time of conception. When couples go for IVF treatment, and the egg has been fertilised, the doctors have to wait until it divides sufficiently before it is put back in the woman. If the cell division is inadequate then that fertilised egg will not be used. This same cell division takes place during natural conception and it also requires good levels of zinc. If levels are not optimum, then it not only makes it difficult to conceive but there are also risks of having a baby with low birth weight, malformations or poor development of the brain and nervous system.

Zinc deficiency can block the absorption of folic acid so having a deficiency of one nutrient can lead to deficiencies in other nutrients. This is why getting a good intake of a number of nutrients is so important.

Zinc is also vital for your partner because it is crucial for the proper development of sperm. We know this because when young animals are fed a zinc-deficient diet they can produce abnormal sperm. For example, 60 day-old mice were found to be sterile after only three weeks of being fed a zinc-deficient diet.

Studies carried out in the 1980s showed that zinc deficiency in men causes a temporary but reversible reduction in sperm count and a reduced testosterone level. And this reduction in testosterone level has since been confirmed by other studies.

Giving zinc to men with low testosterone levels raises the hormone to a more normal level and increases the sperm count. In one study some men had an increase of 150 per cent in their sperm count, and in nine cases out of 22 their partners conceived while they were taking the zinc.

Simply comparing men with low sperm counts to men with normal sperm counts has shown that serum (blood) zinc levels and seminal zinc levels are significantly lower in infertile men.

With each ejaculation, men lose up to 9 per cent of their daily zinc intake. So it is crucial that your partner keeps up a good daily intake of zinc.

Clearly, zinc should be taken as a supplement if there is any problem with sperm count or quality. You and your partner should also include sources of zinc, such as oats, rye, whole-wheat, almonds, pumpkin seeds and peas, in your diet.

Symptoms of zinc deficiency include:

• white spots on nails

• low sperm count

• poor sense of taste

• poor sense of smell

You should take 30mg zinc a day.

Your partner should take 30mg zinc a day.

*46/73/5*