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Tossing and Turning

admin — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:45:50 +0000

Sleep! That wonderful time where you get to lay down, close your eyes, and enjoy a comfortable, uninterrupted, peaceful night’s sleep at the end of a long day. Unless of course, you are pregnant!

After a woman’s baby is born the advice you will probably most often hear her give is, “Sleep while you can!”, however this is really easier said than done. Most pregnant women are awakened at least once or twice during the night from the beginning of their pregnancies to a bladder that is calling and just can’t wait till morning. If they are lucky, this will slow down during the second trimester as their body adjusts to the pregnancy and the baby grows.

Unfortunately, the second trimester doesn’t last long enough! Once the third trimester comes, so does the yelling of the bladder, as well as other problems making a good nights sleep become something most pregnant women just dream of.

For the women who sleep on their stomachs or backs when not pregnant, they will find that by the third trimester they will have to find a way to get comfortable in a new position. With a big belly, there is now no way to sleep on your tummy and it gets painful to lie on your back, putting all the weight of your belly on your back. This leaves 2 choices for most women, the right side or the left side. Still getting comfortable isn’t as easy and some might think.

As the belly gets bigger, it also gets heavier. You might try to lay on your right or left side, only to discover that the baby is rolled up on that side of your belly and that he doesn’t like this position. The lack of support to your belly and heaviness of the belly might cause you to have to roll over. Then there is another problem you might encounter. While asleep, laying on one side or the other, the baby might decide to start poking and kicking you on that side waking you up, and making the comfort you finally found go away.

Some women have increased back and leg pain while pregnant which doesn’t help with the night time comfort. One solution that works for many women is easy and cheap. Pillows! You will often see pictures of pregnant women at the end of pregnancy surrounded by pillows as they lay in bed, taking up so much room that sometimes their husband looks very crowded. The most popular places for a pillow are between the knees and under the belly. The pillows help support and prop up the belly and legs so that MAYBE comfort can be found. Sometimes women will put on behind their back as well. Some pregnant women will make use of body pillows during the last weeks of their pregnancy to give their whole body extra support.

Tossing and turning is a sure sign that the end of pregnancy is near. Between the frequent bathroom trips, the comfort level (or lack thereof), and the constant thoughts, questions and worries running through a woman’s head, you might as well give up the idea of an uninterrupted, peaceful nights sleep for at least the next several months.

Stretch Marks!

admin — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:44:48 +0000

Every woman dreads stretch marks, and most women have them on some part of their body, whether they have ever been pregnant or not. A woman’s thighs, hips, buttocks, and breasts are all common places that they can be found. But what are they, what causes them, and is there anything to be done to avoid them?

Stretch marks first show up during puberty, and both girls and boys get them. They are caused by rapid gain weight or growth in an area of your body. Collagen, a protein that is partly responsible for skin strength and elasticity is stretched quickly and often leaves scars that are called stretch marks. People who are obese and weight lifters often have stretch marks as well.

Pregnancy is a very common time for a woman to get stretch marks. If she doesn’t have them already on her breasts, they can often pop up because of the rapid increase of growth and fatty tissue that develops as a woman’s breasts prepare to breastfeed her baby. However, a woman’s stomach is the most common place for stretch marks to appear during pregnancy.

Stretch marks generally show up during the third trimester when a woman’s belly begins to rapidly get bigger. During the third trimester the baby is gaining most of his weight, and it is then that he grows at the fastest rate during the pregnancy.

There are several products on the market for pregnant women to use to help avoid getting stretch marks, and to help them go away after your pregnancy is over. Some women swear by them, while others claim that they don’t work. In reality, whether or not you get stretch marks is determined by how much elasticity you have in your skin. If you have a lot of elasticity, you probably will not get stretch marks, or they will at least not be severe.

Stretch marks cannot be remedied gotten rid of by a simple cream. While they may start out a pink or purplish color, they will eventually fade to match the color of your skin, like other scars do. Some people will use artificial tanning sprays and lotions to help make them less noticeable. If your stretch marks really bother you, visit a dermatologist or plastic surgeon to see what options they can make available to you.

If you are lucky you will never get a stretch mark. However, if you do, remember that you are not alone and that most women in the world are just like you and have stretch marks too.

Pregnancy Weight Gain – The Mystery Solved

admin — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:43:00 +0000

By Beverley Brooke

It is important that you remember that weight gain is a normal and healthy part of pregnancy. You have to gain weight in order to provide a healthy and comfortable home for the child that you will be nurturing for the next nine months.

Most women want to know what the ideal weight is during pregnancy. Honestly, there is no one answer. Weight gain will vary from woman to woman. There is no one “ideal” weight during pregnancy, just like there is no one “ideal” weight that is just right for al women.

That said there are certain guidelines that you can follow to ensure that the weight you gain during pregnancy is healthy.

Most physicians will recommend the following weight gain:

If you are normal weight before getting pregnant you should expect to gain between 25 and 35 pounds throughout your pregnancy.

If you are underweight prior to pregnancy you will need to gain more weight, typically between 28 and 40 pounds during your pregnancy. Your healthcare provider will be able to provide you with more specific guidelines.

If you are overweight when you become pregnant you will only need to gain between 15 and 25 pounds during your pregnancy.Keep in mind that if you are carrying multiples (twins or more) you will typically be asked to gain even more weight, 45 pounds or more, depending on how many babies you are carrying.

When you become pregnant it is important that you avoid dieting. So, for purposes of this book we want to emphasize that it is vital that you eat healthily during your pregnancy, not diet. A healthy diet that is composed of food from each of the four food groups will help ensure that you gain the right amount of weight during your pregnancy, making it easier to shed pounds after you give birth.

About the Author
Article by Beverley Brooke, author of How To Ensure A Safe, Healthy Pregnancy And Lose Weight After Pregnancy. Visit her site for more on www.pregnancy-weight-loss.com.

Home Workouts During Pregnancy

admin — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:20:10 +0000

By Tina Titas

Along with proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, one of the most important things you can do to benefit yourself and your baby during pregnancy is exercise. Women who exercise regularly while pregnant have easier labor, deliveries, and recovery time. The majority of pregnant women are able to exercise at a level appropriate to their stage of pregnancy, but you should always check with your doctor to make sure you have no risks or conditions that would prevent you from exercising safely.

Working out at home during pregnancy is fun and convenient when you use pregnancy workout videos as a part of your routine.

Through the use of one of the many excellent exercise videos that are available to you, you can exercise during all stages of your pregnancy in the comfort of your own home. The videos are fun and effective and you are sure to love the challenging yet pregnancy-oriented routines that will help keep you toned and fit throughout your pregnancy. Included in the many benefits of exercising during pregnancy are less fatigue, reduced lower back pain, stress relief, weight management, and a quicker return to your pre-pregnancy weight after delivery. Some forms of exercise are better than others for moms-to-be. Low-impact, low-risk exercises include walking, stretching, yoga, swimming, specialized prenatal aerobics, and Pilates.

Exercise during pregnancy is beneficial to both you and your baby. The wrong exercises however, can cause actually cause harm so it is important to do only those exercises that are known to be safe for both mom and baby. Pregnancy exercise videos will give you a safe, manageable workout routine that is appropriate for your stage of pregnancy. You can order pregnancy exercise videos featuring well-known exercise personalities or your favorite celebrities.

By exercising throughout your pregnancy you will help avoid many of the discomforts associated with pregnancy including constant feelings of exhaustion and lower back pain. An added bonus of regular exercise during your pregnancy is a faster recovery time after delivery and a quicker return to your pre-pregnancy weight.

Pregnancy exercise videos are a great way to keep fit and healthy during your pregnancy. Fun, easy to follow exercise routines designed especially for expectant mothers will give you to opportunity to keep your mind and body fit during your pregnancy and make it much easier for you to regain your pre-pregnancy shape after the birth of your child. You can be healthy and experience significantly less discomfort when you take the time to exercise regularly throughout your entire pregnancy. Pregnancy exercise videos can help you stay fit and will allow you to perform your workout in your own home at your convenience.

If you are an expectant mother or are planning to become pregnant, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. You will make labor and delivery easier for both you and your baby and the benefits will extend after the birth of your child. You will lose that extra pregnancy weight faster and your body will be considerably more resilient if you have a regular workout routine that you continue throughout your entire pregnancy.

About the Author
Tina Titas is a columnist for several health-related publications. She recommends http://www.EasyNaturalRemedies.com/skin_care.html and http://www.MyBeautyRecipes.com for natural skin care that you can make with ingredients in your kitchen cupboards.

Women and Nutrition: A Menu of Special Needs

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:18:44 +0000

By Dori StehlinBreast cancer. Osteoporosis. Iron deficiency. Weight reduction. What do these things have in common? They are either unique to women, or are more prevalent in women. And they affect current recommendations on what women should eat for optimum health.

While new information on what’s good and what’s bad seems to surface almost daily, some basic guidelines have taken root over the past several years.

The bottom line (also known as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, from the Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture) is:

eat a variety of foods

maintain healthy weight

choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol

choose a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grain products

use sugar and salt/sodium only in moderation

if you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.That sounds simple enough. Except, what exactly is variety? Cake one day, cookies the next? What is a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol? And, finally, what parts of a healthy diet have special importance for women?

Vitamins and Minerals
There are several vitamins and minerals essential to a healthy diet. A well-balanced diet will usually meet women’s allowances for them. (See Recommended Dietary Allowances.) However, for good health, women need to pay special attention to two minerals, calcium and iron.

Calcium
Both women and men need enough calcium to build peak (maximum) bone mass during their early years of life. Low calcium intake appears to be one important factor in the development of osteoporosis. Women have a greater risk than men of developing osteoporosis.

A condition in which progressive loss of bone mass occurs with aging, osteoporosis causes the bones to be more susceptible to fracture. If a woman has a high level of bone mass when her skeleton matures, this may modify her risk of developing osteoporosis.

Therefore, particularly during adolescence and early adulthood, women should increase their food sources of calcium. “The most important time to get a sufficient amount of calcium is while bone growth and consolidation are occurring, a period that continues until approximately age 30 to 35,” says Marilyn Stephenson, a registered dietitian with FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “The idea is, if you can build a maximum peak of calcium deposits early on, this may delay fractures that occur later in life.”

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for calcium for woman 19 to 24 is 1,200 milligrams per day. For women 25 and older, the allowance drops to 800 milligrams, but that is still a significant amount, says Stephenson. “The need for good dietary sources of calcium continues throughout life,” she says.

How do you get enough calcium without too many calories and fat? After all, the foods that top the calcium charts–milk, cheese, ice cream–aren’t calorie and fat lightweights.

“There are lots of lower fat choices,” says Stephenson. “There’s 1 percent or skim milk instead of whole milk. There’s a good variety of lower fat cheeses, yogurts, and frozen yogurts, and there’s a whole flock of substitutes for ice cream.”

In addition to dairy foods, other good sources of calcium include salmon, tofu (soybean curd), certain vegetables (for example, broccoli), legumes (peas and beans), calcium-enriched grain products, lime-processed tortillas, seeds, and nuts.

Iron
For women, the RDA for iron is 15 milligrams per day, 5 milligrams more than the RDA for men. Women need more of this mineral because they lose an average of 15 to 20 milligrams of iron each month during menstruation. Without enough iron, iron deficiency anemia can develop and cause symptoms that include pallor, fatigue and headaches.

After menopause, body iron stores generally begin to increase. Therefore, iron deficiency in women over 50 may indicate blood loss from another source, and should be checked by a physician.

Animal products–meat, fish and poultry–are good and important sources of iron. In addition, the type of iron, known as heme iron, in these foods is well absorbed in the human intestine.

Dietary iron from plant sources, called non-heme, are found in peas and beans, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, potatoes, and whole-grain and iron-fortified cereal products. Although non-heme iron is not as well absorbed as heme iron, the amount of non-heme iron absorbed from a meal is influenced by other constituents in the diet. The addition of even relatively small amounts of meat or foods containing vitamin C substantially increases the total amount of iron absorbed from the entire meal.

Calories and Weight Control
The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council recommends that the average woman between 23 and 50 eat about 2,200 calories a day to maintain weight. (Chart of Suggested Weights for Adults)

The best way for a woman to determine whether she’s eating the right number of calories is to “keep stepping on the scale,” says FDA’s Stephenson.

She cautions, however, that cutting back on calories isn’t always the answer to losing weight. “You don’t really want to cut back any more [calories] if you’re down around that [1,500 calories] range,” says Stephenson. She explains that the fewer the calories you have to work with, the harder it is to meet all your daily requirements for a healthy diet.

“If you find you are gaining weight, you need to think of not only cutting calories, but also about increasing exercise,” she says. “Calories are only half the equation for weight control. Physical activity burns calories, increases the proportion of lean to fat body mass, and raises your metabolism. So, a combination of both calorie control and increased physical activity is important for attaining healthy weight.

“On the other hand, if you’ve been pigging out–well, you know what you have to do.”

Cholesterol
Women tend to have higher levels than men of a desirable type of cholesterol called HDLs (high-density lipoproteins) until menopause, leading some researchers to believe there is a link between HDLs and estrogen levels. But this doesn’t let women off the hook–a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol can still mean trouble.

For both women and men, blood cholesterol levels of below 200 milligrams are desirable. Levels between 200 and 239 milligrams are considered borderline and anything over 240 milligrams is high. High levels of blood cholesterol increase the risk of coronary heart disease.

To keep levels in the good range, the National Cholesterol Education Program of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends eating no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day. Cholesterol is found only in food from animal sources, such as egg yolks, dairy products, meat, poultry, shellfish, and–in smaller amounts–fish and some processed products containing animal foods.

Even more important than limiting cholesterol to less than 300 milligrams is keeping saturated fat lass than 10 percent of total calories, says Nancy Ernst, the nutrition coordinator for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

“Don’t even think about cholesterol in your diet,” says Ernst. “Focus on reducing saturated fat.”

Fat
In the United States, out of every 100,000 women, approximately 27 die from breast cancer each year. In Japan, breast cancer deaths are fewer than 7 per 100,000. Some scientists think that the difference in death rates may be related to the different amounts of fat in the average diet in each country–40 percent for American women versus 20 percent in Japan.

“We believe pretty strongly in the link [between high-fat diets and breast cancer],” says Jeffrey McKenna, director of NCI’s Cancer Awareness Program.

Population studies have also linked high-fat diets to other cancers, particularly colorectal cancer.

Fat does, however, serve a purpose in the diet. Fats in foods provide energy and help the body absorb certain vitamins. But it is as easy as pie (and doughnuts, ice cream, and sirloin steaks) to eat too much.

For a healthy diet, the diet and health report of the National Research Council recommends reducing fat to no more than 30 percent of total calories. (Figure out your fat intake.) But that’s not all. In terms of heart disease, the kinds of fat you eat are as important as how much.

There are three kinds of fat–saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. All three are equal when it comes to calories–9 per gram (compared to 4 calories per gram for protein or carbohydrate). But they aren’t equal when it comes to how they affect your health.

More than anything else in the diet, saturated fat can raise your blood cholesterol level. Because of this risk, less than one-third of your daily fat intake (less than 10 percent of total calories) should come from saturated fats.

That’s the bad news. The good news is polyunsaturated and monounsaturated may actually lower blood cholesterol levels. The diet and health report recommends that not more than 10 percent of total calories should be from polyunsaturated fat, and monounsaturated fat should make up the remaining 10 percent.

The foods with the highest amounts of saturated fat come from animals–meat, of course, and foods derived from animals, such as butter, cream, ice cream, and cheese. In addition to animal products, coconut and palm kernel oils are very high in saturated fat–over 90 percent.

The best sources for polyunsaturated fats are plant-based oils–sunflower, corn, soybean, cottonseed, and safflower. Monounsaturated fats are found in the largest amounts in olive, canola and peanut oils.

Fiber
An apple a day–that is, a whole apple with the skin–will give you approximately 3.6 grams of fiber. That’s a good start, but you still need a lot more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to meet the daily level of 20 to 30 grams of fiber recommended by the National Cancer Institute.

Eating foods with plenty of complex carbohydrates and fiber (vegetables, fruits, and grain products) is part of a healthy diet for several reasons. A fiber-rich diet is helpful in the management of constipation and may be related to lower rates of colon cancer. These types of foods are generally low in fat and can be substitutes for fatty foods.

Fiber comes in two forms–insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber, mostly found in whole-grain products, vegetables and fruit, provides bulk for stool formation and helps move wastes more quickly through the colon. Another benefit is the full feeling fiber may create in the stomach, a possible deterrent to overeating.

Soluble fiber has been linked to lowering blood cholesterol levels, but that’s still a research area according to the Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health. There are many sources of soluble fiber, including peas and beans, many vegetables and fruits, and rice, corn and oat bran. There are even small amounts in pasta, crackers, and other bakery products.

Although foods containing fiber seem to exert a protective effect against some cancers, the diet and health report points out there is no conclusive evidence that dietary fiber itself, rather than other components, exerts this effect. Therefore, the report does not recommend the use of fiber supplements.

As important as fiber is to good health, it can be overdone. NCI recommends an upper limit of 35 grams a day. More probably won’t further increase the benefits from fiber, and may interfere with the body’s ability to absorb iron and other minerals.

When increasing the amount of fiber in your diet, do it slowly, so your body can become accustomed to handling it. Adding too much fiber too quickly may lead to uncomfortable side effects, including abdominal discomfort, flatulence and diarrhea.

Food Preparation
Carefully selecting foods for a well-balanced diet can end up a wasted effort if equal care isn’t used in the kitchen. Some important points to help make the most of healthy food: To help reduce fat, broil, bake or microwave food rather than frying or deep-fat frying. Cook vegetables in as little water as possible, or, instead of boiling food, try steaming. The steamer basket keeps the food above the water so the nutrients can’t be washed away. Also, heat can destroy some nutrients, so don’t overcook. Use fresh foods as soon as possible to avoid loss of vitamins. Season vegetables with herbs and spices instead of high-fat sauces, butter or margarine. Try lemon juice as a salad dressing. Substitute plain low-fat yogurt, blender-whipped low-fat cottage cheese, or buttermilk in recipes that call for sour cream or mayonnaise. Use skim or low-fat milk in place of whole milk in puddings, soups, and baked products.

Getting a Variety of Foods
The Dietary Guidelines say that the many nutrients you need should come from a variety of foods, not from a few highly fortified foods or supplements. A good way to ensure variety is to choose foods each day from the five major food groups. USDA has developed a daily food guide for a well-balanced diet that suggests the following:

Vegetables – 3 to 5 servings

Fruits – 2 to 4 servings

Breads, cereals, rice, pasta – 6 to 11 servings

Milk, yogurt, cheese – 2 to 3 servings

Meat, poultry, fish, dried beans and peas, eggs, nuts – 2 to 3 servingsThis food guide is “a useful, simple way for women to look at their own diets and see how to improve them,” says Stephenson. By choosing different foods from each group daily, the food guide can serve as the basis for the dietary guideline “eat a variety of foods,” says Stephenson, and “that’s a tenet of nutritional advice for all people.” Finally, the guidelines are meant for the average person, cautions Walter H. Glinsmann, M.D., FDA’s associate director for clinical nutrition. “Almost nobody is average,” he says. Lifestyle, genetics, and conditions such as pregnancy or disease can also affect a person’s nutritional needs, he explains.

About the Author
Dori Stehlin is a staff writer for FDA Consumer.

The South Beach DietTM Online

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:13:29 +0000

What it is
The South Beach DietTM was developed by renowned cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston. Rather than focusing on low-fat or low-carb foods, Dr. Agatston recommends a balanced diet that incorporates good fats and good carbs, and lots of delicious food! This “smart carb” diet consists of Three Phases:

Phase 1: Start Losing Weight. This is a two-week period of eating proteins – like meat, chicken, and fish – and plenty of vegetables, eggs, cheese, and nuts. You’ll cut out bread, pasta, and fruit – to help you banish cravings for unhealthy carbs. But don’t worry – you’ll add them back in!

Phase 2: Reintroduce Carbs. Add your favorite whole wheat bread, pasta, and fruits back into your diet. You’ll stay in Phase 2 until you’ve reached all your weight-loss goals.

Phase 3: Your Diet For Life. Nothing’s off limits in this phase. You’ll continue to follow the basic principles to maintain your weight and feel healthy.

Why it works

The South Beach DietTM Online takes all the benefits of the delicious diet and combines them with all the benefits of dieting online! It’s fun, effective, and delicious:

- Over 800 delicious and easy recipes! No one will ever know you’re on a “diet”
- Answers and advice from Dr. Agatston himself! This is your chance to connect with the doctor
- Online registered dietitians dedicated to addressing all your concerns!
- Complete Diet Toolkit: Weight Tracker, Diet Log, Meal Planner, Grocery Shopping Lists, and more
- Beach Buddies: Get member support and tips to help you stay motivated and on track!

Is The South Beach Diet™ Online Right For You?
With so many diets out there – low fat, low carb, low calorie – it can be confusing trying to figure out which is right for you. What’s unique about the South Beach Diet™ is that it’s not low fat or low carb, but rather – the diet incorporates good carbs and good fats. This allows you to eat normally and deliciously! In fact, many people feel they are able to eat all their favorite foods and still lose weight.

And now that the New York Times bestselling diet is online – losing weight is easier than ever. As an online member, you’ll have access to a database of over 800 delicious recipes, 12 weight-loss tools, five online nutritionists, and more. Plus, you can even ask Dr. Agatston – the creator of the diet – your own personal questions!

For more information and your free diet profile, visit SouthBeachDiet.com

Controlling Portion Size

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:48:21 +0000

by Edward Abramson, PhD

If you observe carefully, you’re likely to find that you eat more than you need. There are several steps you can take to reduce the size of your portions without being hungry or feeling deprived. Dr Edward Abramson, author of Body Intelligence: Lose Weight, Keep It Off, and Feel Great Without Dieting, has some advice for you!

First, and most obvious, is to emphatically say “no” when asked, “Supersize that?” If you just can’t pass up a “bargain,” bring along a friend, order the larger size, and split it between the two of you. Otherwise, remind yourself that the regular portion will satisfy your physical hunger. Several studies have demonstrated that when you eat a food until you’re no longer hungry, it stops tasting good. The extra food in the jumbo size wouldn’t have provided any additional enjoyment; it would have just left you feeling bloated and angry with yourself, so you shouldn’t feel deprived when declining jumbo portions.

Second, recognize that controlling portion size requires that you read the labels carefully to avoid being misled. For example, a snack package of Grandma’s Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies has 200 calories, nine grams of fat, and twenty-eight grams of carbohydrates per serving, but if you read the label carefully, you’ll find that a serving is only one of the two cookies in the package. More than likely you’ll eat both cookies, so you’ll consume twice as many calories, grams of fat, and grams of carbohydrates.

Sam, a forty-six-year-old engineer who had lost twenty pounds, learned that the price of continuing weight loss was eternal vigilance. Having avoided desserts for most of the week, he decided to stop at a convenience market after dinner to indulge his love of ice cream. He was doing everything right: he had eaten sensibly so he could allow himself a treat, he had finished dinner so he wasn’t hungry, he wasn’t using the ice cream to soothe any emotional turmoil, and he was planning on giving the ice cream the attention it deserved to get the maximum enjoyment from it. He spent a few minutes in front of the freezer case examining its contents before choosing an ice cream sandwich made with two cookies. He did some mental calculations and decided that he could afford the 295 calories listed on the label. When he got home he noticed that the serving size was “1?2 sandwich.” The sandwich was perfectly round; there were no notches, dotted lines on the wrapping, or anything else to suggest that it should be cut in half. Sam struggled for a minute before deciding that he couldn’t afford 590 calories, cut it in half, and put one half in his freezer before enjoying the other half.

Check the label on a package of pasta. The caloric values are for a two-ounce serving yet most recipes call for at least four ounces and restaurants may serve seven or eight ounces. You have to read the nutrition labels very carefully.

Third, slow the pace of eating. One study found that eating slowly was associated with greater weight loss for women in a weight-control program. When you’re eating take smaller bites, put the knife and fork down frequently, talk more (remember, it’s not polite to talk with your mouth full!), and stop eating for a minute in the middle of the meal, while there is still food on your plate. Don’t distract yourself by reading or watching TV while you’re eating. Pay attention to what you’re eating. Notice the texture and temperature of the food and see if you can identify any spices that were used. If you focus on your eating, it’s likely that you will be satisfied with smaller quantities of food.

Finally, review your Eating Records paying particular attention to the “Excess” column. While overeating is a general tendency that occurs in many situations, see if there are any particular “Times,” “Foods,” or “Location/People/Circumstances” associated with the checks in the “Excess” column. If you find any circumstances that make overeating more likely, you can plan to substitute low-density (high-fiber, high-water content) foods when you are in that situation.

About the Author
Edward Abramson, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized expert on eating and weight disorders who lectures to professional and lay audiences around the world. He is a professor of psychology at California State University and a former director of the Eating Disorders Center at Chico Community Hospital. Dr. Abramson has appeared on “Hard Copy,” “20/20,” PBS, “Good Day LA,” “Joan Rivers,” and other TV and radio programs, and his work has been written about in Reader’s Digest, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Self, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and other major publications. For more information, visit www.dredabramson.com.

Your Preconception Checklist

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:28:55 +0000

Besides doing the deed with your partner, there are several things you should do before you decide to get pregnant both for your health, your babies health and an increased easiness in conceiving.

___ Family history for both mother and father
___ Blood types of both mother and father
___ Rubella, 5th’s Disease and Chicken Pox immunity
___ Prenatal vitamins
___ Prescription medicines
___ Weight control
___ Foreign substances (smoking, alcohol, drugs)

Family History
During your first prenatal appointment your doctor or her nurse will probably just draw blood and ask a bunch of questions regarding your health and the history of health problems in both yours and the father’s family. Questions regarding birth defects, cancer, Downs Syndrome, and other general health questions. If you know these answers ahead of time it will make that first visit go much faster.

Blood Types
The blood type is very important for both you and the baby’s father when you decide to get pregnant. There are rare occasions where the mother and father’s blood type will not be compatible. In this case the baby’s blood type may not be compatible with the mothers. This can cause rejection of the fetus by the mother’s body, or lead to serious problems after the baby is born. Knowing the blood types before getting pregnant can easily solve any problems before they occur.

Immunities
Diseases such as Rubella, Chicken Pox and 5th’s Disease can be very dangerous to a pregnant women and her baby. There are blood tests that can be done before a woman gets pregnant that tests her immunity to these diseases. If a woman finds that she is not immune to one or more of these diseases she might be able to take the vaccines prior to getting pregnant to assure that she doesn’t get the disease while pregnant.

Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are very important for a woman once she gets pregnant. They help provide enough folic acid and iron as well as other essential nutrients that the woman will need to help sustain a healthy pregnancy. However, if you are thinking of getting pregnant, it is never too soon to begin taking the vitamins as an attempt to help maximize your health.

Prescription Medications
Be sure to review any prescription medications that you are currently taking with your doctor before trying to get pregnant. There are several medications that are not safe for you to take while pregnant and could cause harm to the fetus. In most cases there are alternate medications that you can take that are safe during pregnancy.

Weight Control
Before you get pregnant it is a good idea to be at the best weight you can be. A woman who is in the right span of weight for her height will have an easier time getting pregnant and staying pregnant. Women who are over or under weight may have a harder time getting pregnant as their body is not working to its’ full capacity.

Smoking, Alcohol, and Drugs
If you use any foreign substances you should stop. Smoking while pregnant can lead to fetal death, underweight babies and cause later health problems such as asthma in your child. Alcohol can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome which can damage parts of the brain. The same is true for recreational drug use. If you are addicted to a drug then your baby can also be born addicted to that drug causing him more long term problems in the future.

Easy Steps to Conquering Infertility Anyone Can Do!

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:18:52 +0000

By Denice Moffat

Did you know?

One of every five couples experience fertility problems

The average cost of one in-vitro fertilization cycle runs about $15,000

The number of infertile women in the United States aged 20-25 tripled in the last 30 years

Throughout the world, sperm counts have reduced by 50% in the last 50 years

One woman in five experiences a miscarriage

One couple in six cannot conceive naturally

Women can produce antibodies against the male sperm?

One birth in five is taken through cesarean section (this rate has quadrupled in the last 30 years)

Diseases linked to the father’s genes include leukemia, asthma and mental developmentPreconception healthcare involves making sure that there is an adequate supply of everything that is essential to the health of your egg and sperm and the baby’s development. This is accomplished by eliminating everything which has been shown to be harmful to that process. It’s as simple as that.

Your goals, prior to conception are to:
Use Condoms: The presence of immune-mediated antibodies in the female block the passage of the sperm. They are also responsible for miscarriages. So, when you are in the detox and pre-conception phases, it is important to use condoms as a barrier contraceptive to isolate the sperm. This way, the body won’t be exposed to them to cause an allergic reaction and the body can heal and regroup.

Minimize or Manage Stress: Where does stress reside in your body? It is different for everyone, but wherever it resides, it is affecting those body parts and the hormones they produce. For instance, if you hold stress in your gut, then the gut responds accordingly. Did you know that the gut produces more neurotransmitters than the brain? Stress affects fertility by increasing a hormone called cortisol.

Learn two natural methods that can greatly increase your chances of conception. These are the Mucous Method and the Temperature Method. The Mucous Method teaches you how to identify fertile and infertile mucous in the reproductive tract. Only fertile mucous accepts, nourishes and transports sperm. Taking the temperature of the body the same time each day will identify hormonal cycles and diseases that may affect fertility. Both are necessary for maximum conception success rates.

Minimize coffee consumption: We are a society of caffeine addicts. Coffee and caffeine are extremely toxic alkaloids. Coffee is a powerful contraceptive agent. Caffeine damages the DNA. Decaffeinated coffee is worse, as dry-cleaning chemicals are used to remove the caffeine from the beans.

Protect, educate and detoxify your body from all common toxins. Unexplained infertility largely results from environmental and dietary toxicity. Common causes of infertility include: heavy metal toxicity, chemicals from various sources, over-the-counter pain killers, “social” drugs such as alcohol, caffeine and nicotine, household chemicals, occupational exposure to chemicals, radiation damage, agricultural exposure to herbicides/ pesticides/ fungicides and fertilizers, hormones and estrogens in milk, dairy and meat products, sugar-induced hypothyroidism and insulin resistance, the use of raw soy products (soy milk and soy ice cream), petrochemical exposure, chlorine or fluorine exposure (showers, hot tubs, drinking water), certain sports (swimming, golf, cycling), plastics exposure (especially with heated plastic), microwave ovens, allergies, stress, emotions, gut flora imbalances, autoimmune diseases, hormone imbalances, food-borne organisms (Listeria and Toxoplasma), and more.

Normalize your weight if necessary. Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is greatly influenced by excess weight. Obesity increases the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and premature birth. In men, obesity increases heat in the testicles which need to be two degrees cooler than the core body temperature for the sperm to survive. Also, increased estrogen (from the extra fat stores) decreases testosterone production.

Stop using lubricants and products that are toxic to sperm: Pre-seed is the best lubricant to use for intercourse when trying to conceive, as it is sperm-friendly. KY Jelly kills sperm.

Test negative for all genitourinary infections. Genitourinary infections have been shown to be responsible for infertility, miscarriage and fetal growth problems. These include: Streptococcus B, Enterococcus, Herpes Type I and II, Anaerobic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenza, Streptococcus millerii, E. coli, Klebsiella, Garnerella, Ureaplasma, Mycoplasma and Candida. Chlamydia infections tend to scar the fallopian tubes and are one of the most common organisms leading to female infertility.

Commit to and accomplish an adequate exercise program. Exercise increases circulation and brings essential nutrients and blood to the ovaries, testes and uterus.

Increase your alkaline reserves by eating lots of fresh, raw fruits/vegetables. Eat lots of raw fruits and raw vegetables. I would recommend 2-3 cups of each daily for the first month for the detoxification period, then 75% of that amount after that.

Add Wheat Germ Oil, wheat germ, or Wheat Germ Pearles to the diets of both the prospective mother and father. Wheat germ has lots of zinc and selenium in it and works on the body to dilate both the fallopian tubes and the seminiferous tubules. This makes the transport of both egg and sperm easier. It also helps to increase sperm counts, motility, healthy morphology and the number of effective, fertile sperm. Three capsules, ½ teaspoon oil, or two tablespoons wheat germ is the usual dose.

Eat two tablespoons of raw, hulled Pumpkin Seeds each day. Pumpkin seeds bind up harmful byproducts of testosterone breakdown in the male and act as a building block for a balanced hormone system in the female. If a little is good, a LOT is NOT better, so stick to only two tablespoons max. Most other disease processes need only one tablespoon per day.

The goal to conquering infertility is to identify those factors that are causing infertility in both the male and the female. By doing so, we can work on individual issues and minimize environmental factors that influence infertility.

There are over 100 herbs, supplements, and homeopathics used in the support of infertility issues. These should be evaluated and protocols tailor-made for each couple. I hope this article gets you moving in a healthy direction so that you can accomplish your baby goals.

These topics along with avoidance tips and the mucous and basal body temperature methods are discussed in more depth at: www.naturalhealthtechniques.com.

About The Author
Dr. Denice Moffat is a practicing naturopath, medical intuitive, and veterinarian working on the family unit (which includes humans and animals) through her phone consultation practice established in 1995. She has a content-rich website at http://www.NaturalHealthTechniques.com and a free monthly newsletter.

Winning the Candy Wars

admin — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:33:14 +0000

By Chick Moorman and Thomas Haller

Our children are being bombarded with candy from every direction. Chocolate bars, gum, suckers, and assorted gummy candies line the checkout lanes in grocery stores. School fundraisers sell candy bars, cookies, and brownies in the hallways during lunch hours. Every mall, skating rink, soccer complex, movie theater, and even the video store has a place to buy candy.

And then there is the holidays. Halloween trick or treat bags bulge with every kind of candy imaginable. Christmas stockings are topped with bubble gum and chocolate bars. Valentine messages are stamped on candy hearts and boxes of candy are the staple of communicating love. Easter baskets overflow with jellybeans and chocolate bunnies.

Candy is everywhere and its presence wreaking havoc on our children’s teeth and waist lines. Children are visiting the dentist with serious tooth decay at younger and younger ages every year. Obesity in children is a national concern.

With candy being universally available and regularly within sight of children, what is a parent to do? How do you combat its influence on your children? How do you lessen the influence of advertisers and get candy consumption under control in your family? How can you win the candy wars?

The following suggestions can assist you in curbing your children’s candy consumption. Use them to increase the health and well-being of your family.

1. Begin by being a model for your children to follow.

If you are a chocoholic and find yourself foraging through the cupboard for the last chocolate bar or eating an entire bag of M & M’s once they are opened, reflect on the message you are sending your children. It will be difficult for you to curb your children’s candy consumption when they see you unable to curb your own. So model the message. Eat a small portion of candy and set the rest aside for later. Talk to your children about your desire and your willingness to stay conscious and make healthy choices about your own candy consumption. The positive images you give them on how to set candy aside will help them to be more likely they are to set it aside themselves.

2. See candy as a wonderful opportunity to set limits with your children.

As parents we set limits around television, computer time, video games, bed times, friends, and a variety of other items. Setting limits with candy does not mean you make if totally off limits. It means that you provide opportunities for your children to enjoy candy within some clearly defined parameters or guidelines.

Children want guidelines. They thrive on structure. It is the structure provided by the adult that allows them, to relax into being a child. Of course they will push and test the limits. That is there job. Pushing and testing the limits does not mean that your children want them changed. It most often means that they want to see if the structure is really in place.

Set your limits early before you go to the store, before the Easter bunny arrives, before the Halloween bags are full, before you bring candy into the house. “We will be buying one treat today in the store,” sets the limit. So does, “We are shopping for food today. This will be a non-candy trip.”

Discuss with your children how candy consumptions will take place before they head out to gather a bag full at Halloween time. Agree on a portion to be eaten each day and a place to keep it. Do not allow candy to be taken into their bedroom. Do not leave bags of candy in the cupboard for easy access. This is part of setting limits and it is your responsibility as a conscious, committed parent to see that it is done.

Setting a limit doesn’t means you have to say, “No.” Sometimes saying, “Yes,” with a qualifier, helps you avoid power struggles.

“Yes, you can have one right after supper.”

Another important way to set limits and structure candy consumption in your family while reducing resistance and resentment is to offer children choices.

3. Offer your children choices when it comes to candy consumption.

“You can choose five pieces of candy out of your Halloween bag for today and set the rest aside for a different day. Let spread all your candy out and look at your choices.”

“You can choose one piece of candy now or two pieces of candy for after supper. You decide.”

“You can choose to have your Easter basket candy kept in the kitchen cupboard where we can keep track of it or you can choose to be done having access to your candy.”

With candy, remind your children that responsibility equals opportunity. Your children have an opportunity to have some candy. If they are responsible with following the parameters you have set then the opportunity continues .If they choose not to be responsible with candy, they choose to lose the opportunity to have it available. In that instance, access to candy is removed.

This could mean you may have to remove all the candy from the house and make it unavailable to anyone. That would include you.

4. Make the eating of candy something special.

Educate your children that candy is not food. It is junk and has no nutritional value for their bodies. Candy and the opportunity to eat it is something special and are reserved for special moments. Keep candy eating rare and enjoyable. Once the line is crossed and candy becomes an everyday occurrence, specialness of it wears off and it presence is now expected..

Have different candy around at different times to bring attention to the special event that the candy may represent. Focus on the event and how different types of candy are significant at different times of the year. Talk about the cultural or family significance of what a particular type of candy may represent. Change the focus from that of mass consumption to that of significance to you and your family.

5. Don’t use candy as a reward.

When you use candy to motivate your children to perform a particular task or behave in a certain way, you are positioning it as a tool of manipulation. Using candy to get children to behave is a form of bribery and produces children who perform for a substance. In this way you end up producing a “candy junky,” someone who chases after the next fix of the desirable substance.

Candy should never be used as a reward by parents, teachers, or any professional working with children. This distorts the role candy should have in a young person’s life and teaches children that the reward (in this case candy) is more important than the task performed..

6. Help your children create an inner authority.

You are not always going to be present when your children have access to candy. You are not going to be there to enforce a limit for your children or give them choices. You want the ability to curb candy consumption to already be inside them. This control for within will develop in children if you can start early and consistently utilize the suggestions above.

Another way to help your child build inner controls is to debrief or talk through your child’s choices with him after he returns from a place where you know candy is easily available. Help him think about and talk through his decisions. Ask him to articulate what he would want to keep the same and what he would like to different next time. Help him create a plan to build on his successes.

Your child’s inner authority is the only authority she will take with her wherever she goes Help her learn to trust her ability to decide and make healthy, responsible choices.

By following these six suggestions you and your children can enjoy the wonderful taste of chocolate and other candies. The holidays can be filled with pleasant moments of special candy consumptions. The “candy wars” will no longer be necessary. Instead, eating candy will move from a weight and tooth decay issue to a wonderful time when one can simply enjoy a sweet taste upon the pallet.

About the Authors:
Chick Moorman and Thomas Haller are the authors of The 10 Commitments: Parenting with Purpose. They also publish a FREE email newsletter for parents and another for educators. Subscribe to them when you visit, http://www.chickmoorman.com or http://www.thomashaller.com. Chick Moorman and Thomas Haller are two of the world’s foremost authorities on raising responsible, caring, confident children. For more information about how they can help you or your group meet your parenting needs, visit their websites today.