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The medication for Graves Disease involves the taking in of antithyroid drugs. Antithyroid drugs reduce the production of the thyroid hormones. Usually, it takes two weeks after starting the medication for the thyroid hormone level of the blood to improve and will eventually normalize after six to eight more weeks.

However, this kind of treatment has its side effects. The common side effect of this medication for Graves Disease is a rash thus requiring the medication to be stopped once the rashes become severe. Other side effects include liver inflammation, joint swelling and even a very rare case of knocking down the function of the immune system. By the time the patients experience a sore throat, a fever or a bad infection, they are advised to go see their physicians to determine if it is necessary to stop taking in the drugs.

For pregnant women and nursing mothers, it can be a safe treatment but it is important that the doctor should monitor the taking in of these drugs by these women. The thyroid status of the baby should be well monitored as well to prevent any complications. Often, the disease improves as pregnancy reaches its peak but it can return by the postpartum period.

While the treatment may help the patients, this antithyroid medication for Graves Disease is only for the symptoms and not exactly for the root cause of it. Unfortunately, for most patients the disease will still return and they will have to go through the same treatment all over again.

Unlike taking in medication for Graves Disease [http://graves-disease-treatment.blogspot.com/2007/09/best-treatment-for-graves-disease.html], there are other methods known to us now which are safer and more effective compared to these antithryoid drugs. The most natural method is to get the right kind of diet. This process is well explained in some reading materials that are now available today. This treatment affectively reverses the condition of the patient and it does not only treat the symptoms but it treats the root cause of the disease.

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Depression is real. It is not something to be ignored, laughed at, scoffed at, nor is it something to be ashamed of. It can come from many different causes-hormonal imbalances, diet, exposure to chemicals, as a side effect from medication, and more. There are also different kinds of depression, seasonal depression, postpartum depression, panic disorders, anxiety, and others. I'm not going to go into the various kinds and causes here. Be aware that in order to fully rid yourself of depression you will need to explore diet, environment, and your health. That's a step you can take a little further down the road. It amazed me as I researched depression how depressing many of the articles and information were that I read! I didn't have a problem with depression and then I started researching it and started feeling low. That's not what we want to do here. I want to give you some good, solid ways to use essential oils to give you a lift, a hand up, a smile, a dose of hope so that you can get to feeling better. Once you've accomplished that then you'll be in a better frame of mind to begin exploring your options to restored health.

Aromatherapy, or the use of essential oils, can have an incredible effect on your emotional outlook. We all know that scents can affect us emotionally. We use perfumes and colognes to make us more attractive. We associate memories with various smells. A newborn baby learns to identify his mother by sense of smell before his eyes are developed enough to focus. Diffusing an essential oil (spreading the aroma throughout a room) can have a profound and almost immediate effect on mood. Scent is a vital part of our lives. The limbic system is considered to be the oldest system in the human body. The limbic system is made up of several organs that together process scents and determine how the body will respond. These responses often involve emotions, especially those that are related to survival such as fear and reproductive urges. The limbic system is also tied in closely to determining which memories will be stored and how they will be recalled. The hypothalamus is also a part of the limbic system. It has a major role in monitoring and regulating hormones.

Essential oils have an aroma that activates the limbic system through smell. Essential oils also have the ability to affect our hormones. They can help us eliminate unwanted toxins from the body. They can help ease pain. They can carry oxygen to the cells of our body. Essential oils applied to the skin can be detected in the blood in as little as twenty seconds! The essential oil molecules are smaller than our cells; they permeate our bodies and affect us on a cellular level. There are ten main systems in our body: integumentary (skin), skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine (hormones), digestive, respiratory, circulatory, urinary, and reproductive and essential oils can affect them all!

Here's a quick list of essential oils that are commonly used in relieving depression:


  • Basil (especially good for manic depression and anxiety)

  • Bergamot

  • Blossom blend

  • Brain Gem blend

  • Cedarwood

  • Chamomile, Roman

  • Clary Sage

  • Frankincense

  • Geranium

  • Grapefruit

  • Helichrysum

  • Juniper Berry

  • Lavender

  • Loving Care blend

  • Marjoram (especially helpful with grief based depression)

  • Orange

  • Palmarosa

  • Peppermint (especially helpful if you can't stay awake)

  • Quiet Scent blend (especially good for when you can't sleep)

  • Ravensara

  • Rose

  • Rosemary (especially helpful if you're anxious)

  • Sandalwood

*All blends mentioned are Be Young blends.

**A warm or hot essential oil that you will want to use diluted with carrier oil before applying to the skin. If you use without a carrier and it feels hot DO NOT rinse with water, it will get hotter, apply a carrier oil to the area and it will cool it.

As you can see, there are quite a few to choose from. The best way to choose is to smell each one. If you smell an essential oil and it's just nasty smelling to you, you're not going to want to use it, you'll hesitate because it's not a pleasant experience. When you find that oil that you just want to crawl in the bottle and live there, that's the one for you! I worked with a gentleman whose oil of choice for improving his mood was Birch. Now, that's not on the list above, but Birch oil smelled like root beer to him and started him reminiscing about his childhood days and homemade root beer and always lifted his mood and made him smile. It was the perfect pick-me-up for him. Here we see the perfect example of how powerful smell is in affecting the emotions.

Diffusing an essential oil is a powerful way to impact your mood. You can set a timer so that the oil is released into the air at certain intervals. I use a diffuser that is set to diffuse fifteen minutes out of every hour. You can also purchase a pendant diffuser. This is simply a necklace made of clay you add the oil to or a hollow necklace with a wick inside you put the oil on. Some people prefer a sniff stick-it looks kind of like a tube of chap stick, but inside is a cotton wick that you add the essential oil to. Whenever you need a whiff you open it up and the aroma comes out. Some people simply carry the bottle of essential oil with them and open it up when needed, just be careful the lid doesn't come undone in your pocket so the oil spills. Find what works best for you.

Frankincense is perhaps the most often used essential oil for depression. Many people have been able to discontinue use of antidepressants by using Frankincense. First, make sure you have a 100% pure essential oil of Frankincense. Frankincense is an expensive oil so it is often cut or synthesized. If you're not familiar with the various essential oil companies, you can get a good idea of the oil's purity by its price. I recommend the Be Young brand; they stand strong against diluting an essential oil in any way before you receive it. They also regularly test their essential oils to make sure that the grower didn't dilute it before they received it. Why do you care? If you'll recall, up in the first paragraph I listed some of the causes of depression, among them are exposure to chemicals. If an essential oil is synthesized (made with chemicals) or improperly extracted (with chemicals) those chemicals are now a part of that essential oil and can be carried into every cell in your body.

This will only compound the problems you are experiencing. It is absolutely vital that you get the best essential oil you can or you may be feeding the fires of depression instead of smothering them. To use Frankincense to replace your antidepressant, every morning put a drop of Frankincense under your tongue. Carry Frankincense essential oil with you throughout the day. Some days are one drop days, some are ten drop days. If you have difficulties getting just one drop or can't handle the taste, put it in a little bit of water. You can purchase droppers that can be used with essential oils so you can control how many drops you get. Always consult with your doctor when decreasing any medication! Use an essential oil two hours before or after taking a medication so that they do not interfere with each other.

Ways to use essential oils for depression:


  • Diffuse or use the essential oil as a room spray (To make a room spray add 10-12 drops of essential oil to 1-2 ounces of filtered water in a glass spray bottle. Shake and spray. Always shake before each use and use a glass bottle as the essential oils will eat through a plastic bottle.)

  • Internally (Frankincense especially and ONLY if you are sure the oil is pure, like the Be Young brand) Apply a drop or two under the tongue, or take in a capsule filled with carrier oil

  • Apply a drop to the back of the neck and the temples

  • Use in a massage (add 5-6 drops of essential oil to an ounce of carrier oil and massage with this blend)

  • In a bath (Add 5-6 drops of your chosen essential oil to 1/4-1/2 cup bath salts or Epsom(tm) salts, then add to your bath water. Soak for twenty minutes and rinse off. Always rinse off, the combination of salt and essential oils will pull toxins from your body to the surface of the skin. If you don't rinse off you will reabsorb those toxins and may develop a rash. Always add to the salts before the water or the essential oils will float on top of the water.)

  • Simply open the bottle and inhale

  • Use as a perfume, apply a drop or two to your pulse points

  • If you're feeling anxious, apply a drop to the tops of your ears

After you start feeling better you'll want to begin modifying diet. Often depression is caused because various chemical receptors within the body are blocked by toxins. Start with the Liver Cleanse (see my article on Liver Cleanse for more information) and begin eliminating prepared foods and other harmful activities from your diet and lifestyle. A lack of calcium can often contribute to depression. Carbonated beverages (especially those in the cola category) leach calcium from the body. The neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin control depression. Trace minerals allow our bodies to use these neurotransmitters. A good source of trace minerals is Masaji(tm) (a whole food supplement created by Be Young, it also contains Frankincense and Rose essential oils.)

Some fun recipe blends you may want to try:

Recipe #1

10 drops Bergamot

5 drops Clary Sage

2 drops Rose

(Note, Bergamot can cause photosensivity in some individuals, avoid direct exposure of skin with Bergamot oil applied to it to the sun or tanning beds for 24 hours. As long as the skin is covered by clothing you should be fine.)

Recipe #2 (guilt and depression)

15 drops Geranium

5 drops Lavender

10 drops Bergamot

This should give you some good ideas. Don't allow yourself to get overwhelmed, pick one direction and give it a try, give it a week or so and then evaluate yourself-no change, try a different oil; some change, add something in addition to; great change, congratulations! Start making modifications (slowly, one step at a time) to your diet and environment and enjoy your journey to health and happiness!

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Anyone who has suffered traumatic events has "stress." And, by expanding the terminology of PTSD, I think of all my EFT clients as having some form of "post-traumatic stress." And while military personnel have received the most attention in this regard, this is not exclusively a military problem. As an EFT practitioner, I work with the effects of past traumas with every client.

Traumatic events cause immediate disturbance in our energy system. The body downloads the trauma as in a cellular "jolt" or electrical shocks that ignite the sympathetic nervous system response. Without help with a release, this reflex will stay in the "on" position and cause a chain of aberrant emotional reactions, none of which involve inner peace or balance. As in postpartum depression, the severity of PTSD is dependent, to some extent, upon how much anxiety the person had before the traumatic event, perhaps explaining why some people are affected more than others. The more anxiety a person has internally, the less able they are to handle the overload.

This article is an example of how EFT rapidly and effectively helped one soldier and his wife, Nolan and Julia. They were already in the system for PSTD treatments but without the results they had hoped for. Julia took the initiative to find a better solution for their problems, off base. She had heard about how EFT was being used to help war veterans, and without even knowing where to begin, she Googled "EFT El Paso" and found my name.

In my opinion, this initial step of seeking help outside the base is, in itself, empowering. By removing one's self from the "cattle herd mentality" (Nolan's own words), it served to put some self-control back into their lives. Everyone has that choice. You can stay in one place and tread water, or you can find your own life preserver. In other words, "If what you're doing isn't working, do something else."

Nolan is a 35-year-old soldier, has been in the army for seven years, and had three combat deployments. Not long after returning from his third deployment to Iraq, Nolan checked himself into the William Beaumont Hospital for severe anxiety, having the feeling of wanting to "walk away from everything. " With thoughts of going AWOL from the army and his own family, he rationalized they would do better without him because he felt like a failure. He was admitted for "passive suicidal thoughts" and spent nine days on medications for insomnia, anxiety, depression, and art therapy to "express his emotions," all with no result. In fact, by his estimation, the anxiety medications "really, really freaked me out" by intensifying colors and lights. Nolan also said he lived his daily life like he was still deployed, always on alert. He couldn't get close to or trust anyone, including his wife, and expected her to leave him eventually. The thought of yet another deployment was overwhelming.

When Nolan and Julia came to my office, they had viewed a YouTube EFT demonstration, but never saw it used in person by an experienced practitioner. Nolan was quiet, inexpressive. After my grand EFT explanation, sat through his first tapping round only to say that it looked silly and was "just another bunch of crap." We addressed those beliefs next because it is strange looking and different from anything he'd been exposed to before. It is also a very important component during a treatment to express any internal resistance that stands in the way of the real healing work. After one tapping round of "this looks like a bunch of crap," he felt more relaxed, and it was easier to get through his prepared list of specific events. I had asked, during the initial phone consult for him, to prepare a list of bothersome memories to work on.

Even though he had been having problems falling asleep and staying asleep for more than an hour at a time, Nolan informed me that he had run out of his sleep medications two days prior. I knew once we chiseled away at the big chunks, sleep would follow, so we did not tap directly on his sleep problem.

Some of his main issues were as follows:


  • The highest priority on the list was the recurrent image of his fellow soldier, an acquaintance, laying dead with his brain hanging out of his head.

  • Because the next events happened serially, I asked for the first time each specific event (bothersome memory) happened.

  • The first time he had to kick in a door in Iraq. (He was a door kicker).

  • The sound of the first mortar fly-over.

  • The sight and sound of the first mortar hit. (Loud noises made him agitated and angry.)

  • Anger about feeling used, just following orders as a door kicker, and putting his life on the line. (Nobody cares). Note: see why later.

  • The first visual memory of deplaning in Iraq, and the fear levels when he thinks of it now.

I thought it was a highly productive session, ending with Nolan feeling sleepy, a common physical relaxation response, and a good indication of issues being cleared.

On their ride home from my office, his wife noticed that his demeanor had changed and his face took on an appearance of complete relaxation, as if he had just returned from a well needed vacation.

Once we cleared out the current traumatic events, childhood issues came to the forefront. He had unresolved childhood issues involving his mother, who was indifferent and unavailable, and who had eventually abandoned her whole family, i.e., "she didn't care," just as the Army "didn't care" what happened to him. We addressed those issues at our second hour-long session. As it often happens, getting the worst memories out of the way allows similar issues to generalize away very quickly. After working on the issues about his mother, trust in his wife came back to balance.

After two sessions of EFT, Nolan feels he is completely over his PTSD and his life overall has improved tremendously. In his own words, here is his progress report.

"The image of my fellow soldier who was shot and killed in Iraq, that I couldn't get out of my head, was completely gone after about 10 minutes of EFT. It's been a couple of weeks since our first session, and if I do think of him now, it's when he was alive and healthy."

"I didn't like the fact of how I felt the army had just used me being a door kicker; I was just following orders and putting my life out there. I've gotten over that anger as well."

"El Paso used to disturb me because some of the areas look like Iraq, but now, it's just El Paso, and we didn't even cover that in our session, it's what put me in the hospital in the first place, I was always on alert-because of the visual reminder."

"I was on sleep medications and having a real hard time going to sleep and staying asleep, even while I was hospitalized. I stopped taking the medications altogether, and now I'm sleeping the whole night every night. It's really great sleeping better. I handle stress a lot better now, and I don't need any of my medications. I feel calmer, and haven't had any anxiety problems since."

*Note: Its important to note that by law I cannot and do not advise any of my clients to stop their medications, and always refer them to their medical doctors for supervision.

Nolan and Julia attended our EFT Level 1 workshop shortly after his second session. Although she went there to support Nolan, during that time Julia discovered the roots of her own issues, and why Nolan's issues pressed so many buttons inside of her. One of them was the look on his face when he was heavily medicated. As a gift to all our attendees, we offer them a free half hour session with me as a jump-start on their own Personal Peace Procedure.

Julia, having had a close look at her husband's PTSD symptoms, was reminded of the daily traumatic stresses she endured as a child living with a heroin addict mother. Nolan's facial expressions, under the influence of psychotropic drugs was, to her, eerily similar to her moms when she was high. Highly resilient naturally, she had been suppressing her past throughout their marriage until the drugged face of her husband pushed an old button.

This is Julia's own testimonial after her half hour private session.

"I now feel like I'm more "at one" with myself-more balanced, I don't feel so scattered. After the session, I went home and felt just like Nolan did when he left from his first session. I could see how relaxed he was, and for me, everything was just slower, like life just slowed down. I felt more content, and for the very first time in my whole world, I was able to start and finish a task. At first, I was very reluctant to say anything to anyone because it almost seemed too quick and too good to be true! I was able to feel content, focus in on one thing at a time and finish it. And it happened again the very next day. By the third day, I was on the phone to my dad and telling him I had actually started and finished five different projects around my house, and it was a really good feeling."

In my world, I consider myself a leader, and I can "fake it" by assigning other people on the teams that I'm on to make up for my weaknesses, so I don't appear so scattered. At home, my own family knows that I'm all over the place and for the first time ever, I know what balance feels like."

"Internally, I've always had quite a bit of anger, and I can say now, those levels are now down to about a 3, I might even say a 1 or a 2, and I feel very relaxed and excited for my day. Overall, I feel very relaxed. It's been great!"

"I've had really bad attention problems. I couldn't finish anything and felt scattered and always overwhelmed. When we were at the EFT class, I was able to see more clearly how just much discontent I've always felt. My attention problems were so bad that I could never sit down with my husband and watch a movie-but I watched one the other day-very unusual!"

"I have never been able to wake up my three kids after infant/toddler age. It's been a huge issue that I don't feel like I was ever aware of until my husband's PTSD showed up, and they started medicating him, which caused flashes of old memories seeing the drugged look on his face. Sleep faces remind me of my mother who was a heroin addict. My father who raised me was a pothead. I grew up hating sleep because it meant that I was alone and isolated."

"My oldest child is 13 years old, and I have never been able to go to her room and wake her up seeing her sleepy. Once my children got to that age I would yell at them from a distance "It's time to wake up!" If I didn't get immediate responses from them, and if they weren't lined up like soldiers at the top of the stairs at attention, then I was irritated, mad, and then yelling for having to wake them up myself. The hostility would surface, but I thought I was doing them a big favor by restraining my real anger. After my first session, I found the habit of standing at the top of the stairs to wake them still there, but the anger is completely gone."

"Before my first session and after the EFT workshop, I went all the way up the stairs just to test it. It took more time for me to get mad. With each step I could feel it building internally, I thought, "I'm going to see the sleep face" and a few seconds later I could feel the hostility build. After my private session, I told myself I'm going up there again, I did it, and I was fine. I was able to have a conversation with my daughter and had a zero intensity of anger. I was absolutely able to stand there and look at her groggy face! My daughter and I look just like my mother, it was unbelievable that I was able to stand there and have a conversation with her while she was waking up. Its sad to me that I used to get angry at my own daughter. In ten years I have never been able to see her wake up! This is huge progress! The only thing remaining is for me to get rid of the weird habit of going to the edge of the stairs."

"I never realized I hated looking at my kids sleeping-who says that? After this all unraveled with EFT I realized that my problems were very deep-I was really running from my mom's sleeping face, I've been running for years."

Specific events we worked on:

I was afraid mom wouldn't wake up.

I was alone when she nodded off.

I felt betrayed each time she got high.

Mom didn't love me.

Mom didn't see me.

Sleep means lazy.

Nolan and Julia now have EFT as a tool to handle the normal, ongoing stresses of life and to explore releasing long-held blocks to their happiness. They are part of a small but growing number of military PTSD victims who have taken the initiative to remove themselves from the rigidly conservative and ineffective approaches used by the Army.

The old guard has always resisted new approaches, and perhaps rightfully so since much that is "new" turns out to be of little use in the long run. Today's soldiers are in the unique position of purposely placing themselves in stressful situations. In many of these situations, they react to activities that are unnatural (freedom to kill humans and destroy property without corporal punishment). When they return home, they are expected to come back to "normal" and function "normally" again.

With almost 20 years of a track record in the treatment of stress-related conditions, EFT deserves more than a second look, it deserves to be recognized as a true "weapon" in the fight against PTSD. As essentially a self-help technique, it could be taught to soldiers and used in the field as needed. In the meantime, even though acceptance is slow and progress in treating PTSD conventionally even slower, EFT will forge ahead as a powerful treatment for those willing to move outside the "system" for their own sakes. As long as we're here, there will be help for anyone who seeks it.

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One of the biggest problems you face as a new mother is the feeling of being isolated. Perhaps you are accustomed to interacting with others at work or perhaps you have a group of friends you're accustomed to seeing often. Then when you delivered your baby, you were surrounded by friends, family and other visitors.

Now, suddenly, it's just you and your baby. Your visitors have trailed off, your colleagues are busy with their jobs, your friends aren't used to modifying their plans to accommodate a baby, and you are left wondering if you will ever interact with another adult again. The transition from being socially engaged to being alone with your baby can feel overwhelming to a new mother. Sometimes the feelings of isolation can be compounded by other postpartum emotions. You want to be careful to make sure that you don't give in to your loneliness.

Finding a social support group, especially one made up of new moms, will allow you to share experiences and milestones. Additionally, you can seek feedback and affirmation on frustrations or concerns that you have. Even if you just laugh together about your new motherhood experiences, you will build your confidence and relieve stress.

If you don't have success in finding new friends right away, don't despair. Many new mothers are just like you: overwhelmed, busy, and unsure about where to look for support. Be tenacious in your efforts and they will pay off.
You can change feelings of isolation to elation, and loneliness to laugher.

Survival Tip 1
Join a play group. You are not alone in your feelings of solitude. Many new mothers experience feelings of isolation and loneliness. Don't worry; your baby doesn't have to be old enough to "play" in order for you to join a group. If you can't find one in your area, start one yourself.

Survival Tip 2
Start a new hobby. Explore something you've always wanted to try-pottery, painting, joining a walking group or a book club. Not only will you feel better because you're engaging with other adults in your day, but you will also feel more positive about yourself because you are creating something meaningful to you.

Survival Tip 3
Call your friends. Just because it seems as if they are moving on with their lives without you, doesn't mean they won't jump at the chance to have lunch with you or take a walk with you and your new baby. Sometimes taking a little bit of initiative is all it takes to rekindle a relationship.

Survival Tip 4
Volunteer in the nursery at a coop, a "mother's morning out," or in your church. You can keep your baby with you and at the same time socialize with other mothers who are volunteering or picking their children up. Very soon you'll meet women who are mothers, and just like you, they are looking for companionship. If you can't find a group like this, start your own babysitting exchange. You'll be able to have a few hours to yourself at the same time you're meeting new mothers, just like you.

Survival Tip 5
Go to the park. You will not only enjoy the fresh air and the exercise, but you will also meet other mothers who feel just like you do. Be bold and strike up a conversation with another mother. Smile and make eye contact with everyone you meet.

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If you have never heard of blue eye drops you are really missing out. This type of product is not new it has been around many years however until recently it was never approved for use in the United States.
They have been in use by French Women for years to enhance and intensify the intensity of their eyes color and bring out the beauty. While the rest of the world was ignorant, make-up artists have kept this fabulous beauty secret to themselves. But now the secret is out and thousands of women are clamoring for this amazing product that will naturally and effectively enhance their color while at the same time work on increasing the appearance of alertness, beauty and intensity.

Manufacturers have heard the cries of American women and have answered that call bring these blue drops to the United States under the names of Collyre Bleu Laiter, Innoxa Gouttes Bleues and Eye-Brite. Women have fallen in love with this amazing product and are loving how it magically and easily enhance their color without the risks and discomfort that colored contact lenses can cause.

While this is a great product it is limited. You cannot use it on contact lens wearers. However, you can use them if you have any color, like Blue, brown, Green or Hazel.

They have many benefits for the user:

繚 They can make you look clear and bright.
繚 Help you increase the appearance of alertness and awakeness.
繚 They enhance your colors intensity for photographs.
繚 Plus they also eliminate the appearance of redness.
繚 They also can eliminate yellow-ness in your sclera (the white part) for a bright white color.

In conclusion, if you can find these amazing eye drops you should definitely use them. They will add a little sparkle and clarity to your face that will stun everyone you meet. If a first appearance can make or break you, shouldn't you look the best you possibly can.

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Depression is actually a kind of extreme sadness, feelings of disconnection from life, as well as a diminished enjoyment in the stuff that you used to love in everyday life. It is not a sign of weakness, everyone goes through depression at some point in life or another. Even though the severity and length of the depression can vary in accordance with the situation and the root cause of the depression.

Unfortunately severe depression could lead to suicide, identifying the symptoms of a suicidal person or seeing the signs and symptoms in yourself can help to save a life. The symptoms shown by a suicidal person are listed below:


  • Always thinking about, talking about, or writing about death or dying

  • Reckless behavior that could result in injury or death, actions that portray a so called "Death Wish"

  • Contacting loved ones either in person or remotely, in a way that seems unusual, like they are saying goodbye

  • Talking about "Wanting out" or that things would be better without the person here.

  • Talk of ending one's life, suicide

  • Signs of Clinical Depression (changes in sleeping or eating habits, sadness) that seem to be getting worse

  • loss of interest in things one used to love

  • Talking about things being 'hopeless', or that the individual is worthless, or feels helpless

  • Putting life's affairs in order as if the person expects to die soon

  • A sharp change from being sad and depressed to being happy and calm

If you, or somebody you know is showing any one of these symptoms please seek help immediately. You can call any of the following numbers:


  • 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)

  • 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)

  • 1-800-799-4TTY (1-800-799-4889) (for the hearing impaired)

You can even call 911, a relative or friend or go to a local emergency room. Please remember life is not hopeless, and things will get better. People are here to help you, you don't have to do this alone.

Symptoms of Depression

Depression can effect everyone differently depending on the person involved and the situation that caused the depression. Below is a listing of common signs of depression:


  • Changes in sleeping patterns, Sleeping longer then normal, Insomnia, or waking up earlier then usual

  • Losing interest in activities you used to find enjoyable

  • Changes in appetite, reduced appetite or over eating

  • Loss of concentration, difficulty remembering things or difficulty making decisions

  • Feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilt ridden, sad, anxious, empty or pessimistic

  • Cranky, irritable or restless disposition

  • Physical pain, cramps headache or stomach issues that don't seem to go away

  • General decrease in energy level, feeling tired or worn out all the time

  • Crying spells for no apparent reason

  • Suicidal thoughts, feelings or attempts (Please see section above on Suicide Symptoms)

Unfortunately not everyone will experience the same symptoms for the same causes. For instance most men will suffer symptoms of loss of interest in activities, feel cranky and restless, together with have physical pain and sleep problems. Women are more likely to over eat, and feel a sense of worthlessness and have a tendency to sleep too much. To complicate things, the signs and symptoms of depression can vary based upon how old you are. Teenagers for instance or more likely to be irritable and angry, and suffer a loss of concentration and might have physical symptoms of pains for no reason. Older adults however, generally suffer feelings of worthlessness and sadness, along with physical pain. Unfortunately in both teenagers and older adults, the signs and symptoms usually get brushed off as being merely a sign of how old they are and not as signs and symptoms of depression.

Types of Depression

There are numerous forms of depression, each may have a different cause and a different treatment. However, if you are struggling with just about any depression or general sense of sadness, worthlessness, or a loss of interesting in stuff you love, you may need to visit a doctor. Some kinds of depression are easily treated and could be taken care of without medication, but others are more quickly relieved with the aid of a doctor.

Major Depression

Major Depression is an overwhelming sensation of sadness, in addition to a decrease of interest and in most cases one of numerous symptoms in the above list. The most important thing that separates this kind of depression from other forms is that Major Depression is an almost constant state of being for a prolonged time period. Everyone has a day where they simply feel down and don't want to do anything, but a person being affected by major depression will feel very down for weeks or months at any given time with no real break in the feeling. Other kinds of depression will have lulls throughout the day where the feelings of depression seem to lift and you can be generally happy, they may not last very long but they are there, major depression doesn't have those lulls. If you are suffering from Major Depression I would definitely suggest you go visit a doctor, in addition to speak to friends regarding how you're feeling. I would also suggest you start to exercise more as exercise increases your serotonin levels and help you to get out many of the things that you're feeling.

Mild Depression

Mild depression which is also called Dysthymia, is described as feelings of depression that aren't as severe as major depression but last for years at any given time. This constant low grade depression has a tendency to impact your general level of enjoyment in life and could be easily dismissed as simply being your outlook on life. The fact is that if you have gone two years if not more with symptoms of depression as well as not being able to remember a time when you were happy you are most likely suffering from mild depression. In my own case I used to be depressed for several years, I just felt that it was how I was, just my state of being. I felt like I had lost a part of myself that I was enthusiastic about and that it merely wasn't going to come back. I needed to have a friend point out that feeling like that wasn't part of growing up, or simply a part of the situations I was in at that point in my life, but actually a sign of depression. In this instance, seeing your doctor might be a wise decision, along with some changes in your diet, sleeping habits and fitness level. For me, making sure I got 8 hours of sleep every night, working out at least three times a week for an hour (although I work out more frequently now), and starting a meditation routine was enough to drag me out of it. But you should always speak with a doctor, they may have some tips for you depending on your current physical condition that might be more helpful then exactly what is listed above.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD (what a cheerful acronym) is a type of depression usually linked to the change in seasons, from summer to winter, and climates which may have dreary, gloomy weather. The change in seasons, which usually brings with it longer darker nights, less sunlight, and gloomier weather tends to cause a sense of depression in certain people. Women look like they're effected more then men by Seasonal Affective Disorder, but everyone can be effected by it from time to time. Fortunately, in the majority of people Seasonal Affective Disorder might be effectively treated with light therapy. Light therapy, although there may very well be different levels, basically involves exposing the individual to bright artificial lights to be able to cope with the depression. This can be done at your home by just installing light bulbs with a slightly higher wattage. Some people also like to use tanning beds as a technique of managing Seasonal Affective Disorder. Just don't over do it in the tanning beds. Additionally, it wouldn't hurt to ask your doctor's opinion on approaches to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Postpartum Depression

Postpartum Depression is a kind of depression that affects new mothers after giving birth. Although some feelings of being down are expected right after a pregnancy, usually known as the "baby blues" Postpartum Depression is the result of the change in hormones from the level they had been at while being pregnant to the level they are at normally. Any depression that occurs up to six months following the birth of a baby is considered Postpartum Depression and you should consult a doctor considering the fact that this type of depression is caused by a shift in hormones.

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Having flabby upper arms are a sore spot for many people who are trying to slim down and shape up. They are often referred to as "bat wings" and can occur in both men and women. It is a problem area but not one that can't be fixed. It is a matter of focusing on fat burning and there are very effective ways to burn fat.

One thing to keep in mind is that you cannot spot reduce. Exercising the back of the arm is important. We should develop our tricep muscles but focusing only on that area will not burn fat. Unless we burn the fat, the muscle you are developing underneath will not show. We need to burn fat overall. Fat doesn't just melt away from one section of the body at a time. It burns from every place on your body.

How to Start Slimming the Arms

The first thing you need to do is find out your current weight and body fat percentage. You can get this information yourself, a personal trainer, or your general physician. These details give you something track as you make progress. Before you start any new fitness program, you should get a check-up with your health care provider as some exercises may be considered advanced.

The key to burning fat is building more muscle. This doesn't mean you are going to pack on tons of muscle mass like a bodybuilder. Your goal should be to build muscle and prevent muscle loss. You can achieve this with your own body weight. A great way to exercise with your own body weight is by performing calisthenics. If you're not familiar with calisthenics, they are exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, etc.

Lifting weights also burns fat. What I like to do is incorporate free weights with calisthenics. For example, I will hold dumbbells in each hand and perform walking lunges. Free weights add challenge and help to increase muscle mass.

As you make progress by burning fat and reducing your body fat percentage, you can begin focusing more on tricep exercises. Good ones to do include push-ups, chair dips, and dumbbell tricep routines. By doing these arm exercises you will begin firming up the upper arm area.

Do not hinder your progress by eating the wrong foods. The easy way to eat healthy is by avoiding processed foods. They often contain too much sugar, fat, and sodium. Focus on fat burn and get results!

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Having a baby. Consider this important aspects before. Young children need a lot of attention, and evidently, many are not getting what they need. Never have our young people been so isolated from their families. We all need to learn how to become parents, we need to realize that the time we spend with our kids now will come back to us with many, many returns.

Even babies need regular instruction throughout the day. Time spent with young ones from their babyhood on is vital for their wholesome development. You need for preparation. Parents need to prepare for their baby's arrival. First, mental and spiritual preparation for taking on the responsibilities of parenthood is important. A study of 2,000 pregnant women who looked forward to having a family were much healthier emotionally and physically than the offspring of mothers who did not want their babies. On the other hand, it has been estimated that a woman locked in a stormy marriage runs a 237 percent greater risk of bearing an emotionally or physically damaged baby than a woman in a secure relationship.

Clearly, then, fathers are important to the successful development of a child. Few things are more dangerous to a child, emotionally and physically, than a father who abuses or neglects his pregnant wife. Indeed, it has often been noted that the best gift a child can receive is a father who loves its mother.

Hormones related to anxiety and stress, secreted into the mother's bloodstream, can affect the fetus. However, it is thought that only intense or prolonged maternal anxiety, rather than occasional negative emotions or stressful events, is hazardous. What matters the most seems to be how the expectant mother feels about the unborn.

Not only stress hormones but also nicotine, alcohol, and other drugs may have adverse effects on the fetus. Expectant mothers do well to stay away from any dangerous substance. In addition, it is vital to check with a doctor regarding the effects of medication on the fetus.

If a mother feels profound sadness and hopelessness as well as a sense of detachment from the baby and from the world, she may be suffering from postpartum depression. If that is the case, she should consult her obstetrician.

What if you are pregnant and your husband is not supportive, or what if you personally resent the idea of becoming a mother? It is not unusual that circumstances may cause a woman to feel depressed about her pregnancy. Yet, always remember that your child is not at fault. Maintain a calm attitude despite adverse circumstances.

In the first few weeks after giving birth, some young mothers experience unexplained sadness and lethargy. Even women who were happy to have the baby can become moody. Such mood swings are not unusual. This is because after giving birth, women can experience dramatic changes in hormone levels. It is also common for a new mother to be overwhelmed by the demands of motherhood feeding, changing diapers, and caring for the baby, who has no concept of time.

Some mothers feel that the baby cries just to torment her. No one is free from experiencing the stress that comes with child rearing. According to some specialists, "the most important thing is for a mother never to isolate herself."

Even if a mother feels depressed at times, she can protect her child from being affected by her mood swings. I have read somewhere that depressed mothers who managed to rise above their melancholy, lavishing their babies with attention and indulging in playful games, had children with brain activity of a considerably more cheerful cast.

The baby's father is often in the best position to provide needed help and support. When the baby cries in the middle of the night, in many instances the father can look after the baby's needs so that his mate can sleep. Husbands must always treat their wives with consideration in their life together. Mothers need Husbands who sacrifice their own comforts to take some initiatives in child rearing. Indeed, having a baby is a joint venture, a cooperative effort in which both parents need to participate.

As husband and wife, we've discussed in detail how we should rear our children. Each time an issue arises, we talk over how we should proceed. My husband realizes that I needed my rest.

In the past, I remember that when families were commonly large, parents had the help of older children and relatives to share in child care. In most cases, mothers will be relieved when they talk to others about the matter. With just a little bit of help, many mothers have been able to cope in the face of obstacles.

Parents need a network of people they can call on to share their concerns. By being open-minded and listening to parents or in-laws, new mothers and fathers can benefit considerably. Of course, the grandparents should appreciate that final decisions rest in the hands of the young couple.

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Have you ever been left with the responsibility of choosing the collective office baby gift for a boss, coworker, or employee?  Even though you may work with the expectant mom day in and day out this can be a difficult situation as you may not really know her tastes when it comes to new baby gifts or even what she may already have.

Of course, there is the obligatory "what should we get her" discussion with your coworkers that also needs to takes place. Often times, coworkers just don't know what the mom to be really needs and may look to simply purchase clothing or send flowers.  Many coworkers may be happy to contribute towards a new baby gift but don't want to volunteer or take the time to determine what to buy.  If that's not enough, let's not forget the gift needs to be impressive because after all it's coming from "work" and you want the new mom and her family to view the gift with excitement and not a yawn. So there you are, stuck with the task of buying a gift, but probably with not much direction. With this in mind why not consider a gift the new mom is sure to use and appreciate: a newborn diaper cake. After all, what mom with a newborn isn't going to need plenty of diapers!

Never heard of a diaper cake before? No problem, let me explain. A diaper cake is a collection of diapers arranged to resemble a traditional tiered cake that is typically 2, 3, or 4 layers tall. The diaper cake is decorated with ribbons and bows to give the cake a desired baby theme. Usually a plush toy along with new baby necessities such as shampoo, lotion, and baby powder are also included. When fully assembled you have an adorable tiered diaper cake with newborn "goodies" attached that is perfect for gift giving. Diaper cakes come in a variety of styles to match virtually any baby shower or nursery theme so there are plenty to choose from.

So why do diaper cakes make impressive corporate baby gifts? Here's 5 good reasons.

1. They are truly unique and will stand out from the traditional baby gifts the new mom is likely to receive. Granted clothing and other baby gifts are necessary, but they won't generate as much excitement for the new mom as a diaper cake. Since diaper cakes are handmade, you can bet the new mom will appreciate the personal touch it provides compared to "traditional" store bought gift items.

2. They are practical. As the gift giver, you want to feel comfortable that the gift purchased for your coworker will actually be used by the new mom. Even though the diaper cake is decorative, once the ribbons and bows are removed, the new mom will be able use all the diapers and baby care items in the daily care of her baby. Let's not forget, when a working woman has a baby she is often living on a reduced salary for a few weeks postpartum, so every little bit helps.

3. Many styles and sizes are available. Diaper cakes are available in many different styles and sizes with prices points that can meet almost any budget. Many times a group of coworkers chips in funds therefore it's easy to pick a cake that matches the money collected. This also works great for companies who want to send a gift while staying within the budget defined in their policy.

4. Makes a great table centerpiece. Often times in an office setting coworkers like to plan a little lunch hour baby shower for the expectant mom before she goes on maternity leave. A diaper cake makes an excellent centerpiece because you can quickly decorate a lunchroom just by being placed it on the table. Accent it with a tablecloth and some matching paper plates for your food or snacks and you're done. When the party is over and everyone goes back to work the new mom to be can take the diaper cake home and enjoy it as the gift from her coworkers.

5.  Shop online and ship anywhere.  In today's fast paced workplace, it's understandable that you may not have the time to run out and browse the local mall for a gift to buy.  Diaper cakes are typically purchased online so you can get together with your coworkers or on your own and pick out a selection that would work best for the expectant mom.  Since the diaper cakes are purchased online, you can have them shipped anywhere, including right to your office.  This gives you the option to present it to her at work or have it delivered to her home.

Choosing corporate baby gifts can be difficult when you have so many people with different opinions about what the best gift would be. However, diaper cakes are a choice that everyone can agree on because they are a unique baby gift, offered at multiple price points, and are functional. Every new mom will need diapers so a diaper cake is the perfect baby gift selection for a coworker.

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The pathogenesis of amenorrhea is determined by the level of the neuroendocrine reproductive axis from which the disorder stems and, at every degree of the axis, whether it is due to a structural problem or to a functional issue of hormonal control.

In a previously menstruating affected individual presenting with amenorrhea, it's essential first to rule out pregnancy after which to assess thyroid purpose (serum TSH degree) and pituitary purpose (serum prolactin level) before approaching the workup of amenorrhea, compartment by compartment.

1. Uterine disorders-Scarring and damage towards the underlying stem cells from which the endometrium proliferates will guide to amenorrhea. In most instances, this occurs within the setting of endometritis right after curettage (scraping with the endometrium) possibly for postpartum bleeding or dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

To determine the presence of a functional endometrium, an amenorrheic affected individual is given possibly progesterone alone or the sequential combination of estrogen and progesterone. Renewed vaginal bleeding right after cessation of the hormonal treatment suggests that the endometrium is intact. This response also indicates how the cause of amenorrhea lies elsewhere (ie, is due to an endocrine defect causing absence or insufficiency of cyclic estrogen and progesterone stimulation).

2. Ovarian failure-Amenorrhea producing from ovarian failure could be either main or secondary to dysfunction higher in the female neuroendocrine reproductive axis. Primary ovarian failure happens having a premature loss of all follicles.

This can outcome from genetic disorders (chromosomal aberrations), autoimmune disorders (lymphocytic oophoritis), metabolic difficulties (galactosemia) or exogenous insults such as chemotherapy, toxins, or radiation. Secondary ovarian failure is caused by a lack of gonadotropin stimulation of otherwise regular ovaries, producing in failure to create the estrogen and progesterone needed for menstrual cycles.

a. Genetic causes-Genetic causes of ovarian failure consist of Turner's syndrome (abnormality in or absence of an X chromosome) and mosaicism (multiple cell lines of varying sex chroosome composition). Approximately 40% of patients who appear to have Turner's syndrome (short stature, webbed neck, shield chest, and hypergonadotropic hypoestrogenic amenorrhea) prove to become mosaics.

The presence of any Y chromosome in the karyotype of those individuals carries a high danger for gonadal germ cell tumors and is definitely an indication for gonadectomy. Therefore, a karyotype ought to be performed on any amenorrheic individual younger than 30 with high FSH and LH amounts.

b. Premature ovarian failure-Premature ovarian failure happens when atresia of follicles is accelerated in an ovary of a woman of reproductive age. It presents with symptoms and signs of menopause producing from estrogen deficiency at an inappropriately young age. LH and FSH amounts are increased. There is a lack of estrogen production and an absence of viable follicles.

In some situations, premature ovarian failure is just one manifestation of an autoimmune polyglandular failure syndrome by which autoantibodies destroy a quantity of different tissues, including the ovary. These sufferers also might have associated hypothyroidism, adrenal insufficiency, or pernicious anemia.

c. Long-term anovulation-Other patients are discovered to have sufficient numbers of follicles, but these fail to mature and ovulate. This situation is known as chronic anovulation and is also manifested as amenorrhea with intermittent bleeding (caused by uncoordinated overgrowth with the endometrium in response to stimulation by estrogen alone).

Left untreated, the high estrogen degree places these ladies at increased danger for endometrial carcinoma. Among the brings about of chronic anovulation is thyroid dysfunction. Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can alter ovarian purpose and also the metabolism of androgens and estrogens, producing inside a variety of menstrual disorders.

Another reason for chronic anovulation is hyperprolactinemia. It has been proposed that progressively a lot more severe hyperprolactinemia presents first as an inadequate luteal phase with recurrent abortion, then as anovulation with intermittent bleeding, and finally as amenorrhea.

d. Hormonal suggestions disorders-Disruption with the coordinated cyclical interaction between the ovary and also the brain can also lead to anovulation. This happens in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which impacts 2-5% of reproductive age women who present with amenorrhea and hirsutism. Patients are frequently obese with hyperinsulinemia with insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.

Additionally, they have elevated plasma androgens, with each other with increased plasma estrogens that are predominantly estrone derived from peripheral aromatization of adrenal androgens within the granulosa cell by the enzyme aromatase (cytochrome P450, loved ones 19, subfamily A, polypeptide 1, or CYP19A1).

The hyperinsulinemia is believed to be a key etiologic factor. Insulin outcomes in decreased hepatic synthesis of steroid hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and insulin-like growth element binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1). The decreased amounts of binding proteins outcomes in an improve in free of charge androgens, estrogens, and IGF-1. IGF-1 and higher levels of insulin stimulate the IGF-1 receptor, leading to elevated thecal androgen production in response to LH, contributing towards the hyperandrogenemic state.

The high androgens favor atresia of building follicles and disrupt the suggestions relationships that normally outcome in selection of the dominant follicle for ovulation. The producing anovulation is associated with amenorrhea and estrogen-induced endometrial hyperplasia with breakthrough bleeding. The elevated estrogen amounts also are implicated in the improvement of endometrial cancer.

Thus, events occurring within the brain, ovary, and bloodstream of these sufferers work with each other to constitute a vicious cycle that maintains the aberrant feedback relationships. The high levels of androgens within the bloodstream are accountable for hirsutism. Patients with increased androgens from totally different causes (eg, Cushing's illness and congenital adrenal hyperplasia) also display amenorrhea associated with polycystic ovaries, suggesting that the structural changes within the ovaries are secondary towards the disordered suggestions.

e. Pituitary disorders-Head trauma resulting in pituitary stalk transection with loss of hypothalamic-pituitary communication ought to be regarded in patients with new-onset infertility with amenorrhea. The exact same is true of vascular accidents this kind of as Sheehan's syndrome, in which postpartum hemorrhage brings about hypotension and consequent ischemic necrosis of the pituitary.

Enlargement of the anterior pituitary throughout pregnancy might predispose to ischemia under conditions of hypotension. The pituitary around doubles in size throughout regular pregnancy, largely as a outcome of hypertrophy and hyperplasia of prolactin-secreting lactotrophs.

f. Hypothalamic disorders-Inputs from various central pathways impinge about the mediobasal portion with the hypothalamus, including the arcuate nucleus, from which GnRH pulses originate. Medications and illicit drugs that affect the neurotransmitters utilized in these pathways (opioids, dopamine, and norepinephrine) can, consequently, affect GnRH secretion as nicely. This underscores the significance of the getting a detailed medication and social background in the workup of amenorrhea.

Also important is really a detailed history of behavioral patterns or any recent life changes. Psychic stress (eg, that associated with moving to a various country) can lead to altered GnRH secretion and subsequent amenorrhea that lasts as much as 1 year. Vigorous physical exercise and excessive fat loss can also guide to impaired GnRH pulsatility, accounting for that amenorrhea observed in competitive athletes and in ladies with anorexianervosa.

Thus, a wide variety of elements that alter pulsatile release of GnRH can influence female reproductive physiology. Absence of menstrual periods due to a change in 1 of those elements is termed hypothalamic amenorrhea and is really a common cause of infertility. Correction with the underlying trigger often leads to some return of normal cyclic ovulation. If not, pulsatile GnRH therapy can reestablish the normal patterns of pituitary stimulation, receptor-mediated responsiveness, and suggestions, restoring fertility.

g. Indirect influences-In addition to factors that function directly about the GnRH-secreting neurons, indirect influences must be regarded. Main hypothyroidism, as nicely as main or secondary hyperprolactinemia, can outcome in altered GnRH pulse frequency and amplitude.

The subsequent diminished gonadotropin secretion produces a secondary ovarian failure and amenorrhea. Examples of problems that result in secondary hyperprolactinemia include lactation and treatment with drugs that have dopamine-blocking outcomes (eg, antipsychotic agents).

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Ovarian cancer represents about 25% of all female genital tract malignancies. However, there are more deaths from this form of cancer each year in the United States than from endometrial cancer and cervical cancer combined. The lifetime risk of developing spontaneous ovarian cancer is about 1.7%. Epithelial ovarian cancer was expected cause 15,520 deaths in 2008. Mean age at diagnosis is 60. There has been a significant improvement in the five year survival rate for patients with ovarian cancer. This is likely a combination of better tumor debulking surgeries and better chemotherapeutic options.

Most patients with this type of ovarian cancer do not have signs or symptoms until disease spreads to the upper abdomen. 70% of patients present with advanced disease. Symptoms for early stage ovarian cancer can include nonspecific pelvic discomfort, urinary frequency and constipation which are caused by an enlarging pelvic mass. With advanced disease, patients experience abdominal pain, bloating, anorexia, nausea and constipation.

The best tumor marker for ovarian cancer is CA 125. Minor elevations in CA 125 can also be seen in endometriosis, benign tumors, fibroids and in pregnant and postpartum women. In addition, moderate elevation of CA 125 can be seen in other adnocarcinoma such as breast and endometrial cancer. The sensitivity of CA 125 is 70% to 80% and the specificity is 98.6% to 99.4%. However, in the average risk population with low prevalence of ovarian cancer, the false positive can be unacceptably high.

The National Cancer Institute recommends screening for ovarian female cancer with known genetic syndromes associated with this disease and for women with strong family history. Routine screening of women without family history of ovarian cancer is not recommended. The known genetic syndromes include hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome associated with BRCA 1, BRCA 2 and Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer Syndrome (HNPCC). The absolute risk of ovarian cancer in the presence of either BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 mutation ranges from 16% to 60%. For patients with HNPCC syndrome, the lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is 9% to 12%.

Epithelial cancer accounts for about 90% of ovarian cancers. Common histologies include serous, mucinous, endometroid, transitiona and clear cell types. Germ cell tumors include dysgerminoma, endodermal sinus tumor, malignant teratoma embryonal carcinoma or primary choriocarcinoma. Stromal tumors include granulose tumor or Sertoli-Leydig tumor.

Upon initial presentation, surgery is used for confirmation and staging the cancer. Stage I disease is confined to one or both ovaries. Stage II involves one or both ovaries with extension to the pelvic viscera. Stage III is associated with implants on the abdominopelvic wall or the serosal surface of the liver or involves small bowel or omentum. Stage IV disease involves distant metastasis. The 5 year survival for stage IA disease and grade 1 or 2 histology is greater than 90%. For high risk stage I disease and stage II disease, 5 year survival is 80%. For patients with stage III disease after optimal debulking, 5 year survival is 20% to 30%. This reduces to be less than 10% for stage III patients with suboptimal debulking and stage IV disease.

Stage I ovarian cancer with favorable prognostic features can be treated with surgery alone. For women with high risk, early stage cancer (Stage I grade 3 or stage II disease), adjuvant chemotherapy with platinum based agents show an 11% improvement in progression free survival and 8% improvement in overall survival. For stage III and IV disease, the current standard of care include maximal attempt at surgical cytoreduction followed by chemotherapy with platinum based agents.

Optimal debulking is an important part in the treatment of cancer in the ovaries. Retrospective data have shown that survival is better for women who receive chemotherapy in the presence of low volume disease. In the setting where optimal surgical cytoreduction cannot be achieved, an alternative approach is for the patient to receive chemotherapy up front. For patients who have a partial response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, it may be appropriate to attempt surgical removal of macroscopic disease at that time.

As for the standard of care in chemotherapy for advanced ovarian-type cancer, studies have shown that paclitaxel/cisplatin combination is superior to cyclophosphamide/cisplatin combination. Later studies showed that carboplatin/paclitaxel is at least as effective as cisplatin/paclitaxel.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy is an appealing approach for treating a disease that is largely confined in the peritoneal space. GOG 172 which was a phase III clinical trials demonstrated that this regional approach resulted in superior progression free survival and overall survival when compared with the intravenous approach alone. The disadvantage of this approach includes local toxicity, and requirement for intraperitoneal catheter placement.

Because of the high recurrence rate in patients with advanced ovarian cancer, the issue of whether consolidation chemotherapy may improve time to progression and overall survival was examined in a phase III trial comparing 3 and 12 cycles of taxol. Progression free survival favored the 12 cycle arm. However, overall survival was not different between the two arms. Therefore, the oncologist needs to discuss with the patient and allow them to decide whether the improved progression free survival justifies toxicities including peripheral neuropathy and alopecia.

For many patients with advanced ovarian cancer who have an initial treatment response, disease relapses at a later time. The treatment of patients with recurrent disease or resistant disease needs to be individualized. For people with long treatment free interval, similar drugs many be reused. There are also a number of single agent drugs with activity in ovarian cancer. These include altretamine, bevacizumab, docetaxel, etoposide, gemcitabine, liposomal doxorubicin, paclitaxel, tamoxifen, topotecan and vinorelbine.

Radiation can also play a role in the palliation of some patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Symptoms such as pain from growing pelvic mass or bone metastasis can be palliated. Very rarely cerebral metastasis can develop which can also be treated with radiation.

The best treatment of ovarian cancer needs a team approach between the primary care physician, gynecological oncology surgeon, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists. As more chemotherapeutic agents become available and as we further understand the biology of epithelial ovarian cancer, we hope to further improve the overall survival and quality of life of our patients.

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If you want to lose belly fat naturally, there are certain things that you need to keep in mind. First of all, dieting is not a natural solution to your weight problems.

Your are not supposed to diet. You are supposed to eat a healthy and balanced diet. Dieting can put your body into the starvation mode and slow down your metabolism which can make burning fat even more difficult.

Weight gain is more of a lifestyle issue and it needs to be solved with the help of a lifestyle based solution. What I mean to say is that it is not just your diet and the level of physical activity that has to be taken care but also various other factors such as your sleep pattern, stress levels and other issues like drinking, smoking etc.,

Lack of sleep and chronic stress are also some of the factors that can make you obese.

Secondly, there is nothing like spot reduction. If you want to lose excess fat from your tummy, you must plan to lose overall body fat. You can go on doing crunches and sit ups without any benefit.

One of the first initial signs of losing fat from your body appears on your chin and neck. These are the two areas which indicate that your fat loss program is working.

Abdominal vacuum exercise

This is one exercise that can be a great help in tucking your tummy in. I am sure you have seen those Arnold pics with his stomach tucked inside making his body frame look really huge. It is an exercise that can help you get a flat midsection.

Here is how you do it:

Sit tall on the edge of a chair and exhale completely. After exhaling pull the navel in towards the base of the spine. Try to pull in very tight. Continue breathing through the nostrils and hold the contraction for at least 40 seconds. Just a few repetitions is all you need. The goal of this exercise is to train your abdominal muscles to stay tucked in and the beauty of this exercise is that you can do it anywhere.

Skipping for Losing Weight

Jumping rope is another exercise that is an excellent way to burn your overall body fat. You can vary your movement while jumping rope. For instance, you can tap both your feet together or one at a time. Another kind of variation requires you to tap one of your feet twice and so on.

Varying speed is also important to ensure better results.

Fat Burners

In addition to the above, there are some fat burners that can also be a great help in ensuring quick and fast weight loss. Good quality ones are made in FDA approved labs and not only ensure faster fat burning but also reduce your appetite. Such a fat burner can help you get a flatter tummy by making you lose 3-5 pounds a week.

Check out the Best Fat Burn Pills that can make you get a flatter belly in no time!

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When you decide to adopt a baby, you should expect that you and your family will be undergoing stress. This will apply not only to you, but to the child as well. By knowing the kinds of stress involved in adoption, you might want to find ways to help you cope to make the adoption successful.

When you choose to foster a baby, there are two kinds of stress that are involved. These are pre-adoption and post-adoption stress.

Pre-adoption stress

This kind of stress is present before foster care occurs. Aside from the person or couple adopting the baby, the birth parents who will be surrendering their child for adoption could also undergo a lot of stress. This is given due to the fact that they may not want to put their baby for adoption. But oftentimes, because of certain circumstances, they have little or no choice in the situation. Being financially unstable or having no means to provide for their baby may be the reason why they have to surrender him/her for adoption.

For the foster parents, they may also undergo a stressful experience before adopting a baby or as they plan to do so. One of the things that can cause stress is the process itself. They will be required to spend time, money and effort to attain their goal. Before someone can adopt a child/baby, there are legal proceedings that need to be followed. This can also place stress to the foster parents.

Other than the ones mentioned above, foster parents can also suffer from emotional stress prior to adoption. This can be caused by certain "misunderstandings" and physiological deficiencies that have caused the need to adopt, like infertility, losses, and other issues.

Post-adoption stress

After fulfilling their goal, there are certain factors which can cause stress for the foster parents. The sudden changes of having to live with a baby will cause certain amount of stress. There will be changes in the living pattern in order to accommodate the new baby. This will also include having to provide for the baby's basic needs like food, clothing, baby gears, etc.

Other than the sudden changes that they have to go through, having achieved their goal in adopting a baby can also re-open certain question and sensitive issues. They may have to face the pains of their losses, issues about infertility and other things.

If they are unable to cope with post-adoption stress, they may result to post-adoption depression. Unlike postpartum depression that most, if not all, mothers undergo which is caused by sudden changes in their hormonal levels, post-adoption stress or depression is more about the emotional aspect. This can include their fears, sadness, anger, sense of loss, etc.

If you feel like you have some things that are still unresolved, it would be best if you seek for help to overcome these issues before going through with an adoption. This can allow you to better cope with adopting a baby and handle the stress that comes along with it.

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Every one wants to have beautiful glowing skin but unfortunately many people suffer from acne vulgaris which is the most common skin condition. Persistent and severe acne is not only a cosmetic problem but can affect the self esteem negatively. While there are many oral and topical medications, gels and creams that can help eliminate acne, there are various everyday steps that can prevent the development of acne in the first place.

Acne commonly develops at puberty although there are many instances of adult acne. In some cases someone may not have had acne during adolescence but may then develop it during adulthood.

Acne Causes

Many factors can contribute to the development of acne and teenage acne usually develops as a result of hormones associated with entering the puberty phase that can cause overactive sebaceous (oil) glands leading to the clogging of pores with oil, dead skin cells and bacteria and the development of acne.

Acne can also run in families as a result of a hereditary component. Acne may develop in women just before the start of the menstruation as well as during a pregnancy and the postpartum period. Acne also develops from the use of various topical corticosteroid creams, the use of heavy oil based creams, oily hair care products that can migrate to the face or other common acne prone areas such as the neck, shoulders, chest and back. Stress is also another important cause of acne especially in adult women.

Contrary to popular belief, acne does not appear to be caused by greasy foods, chocolate, candy or soda. So reducing these foods as a way to eliminate acne will not work. Eliminating these foods will be great for your general health however!

Steps to Eliminate Acne For Acne-Prone Skin

As mentioned previously, there are many medications, gels and creams that can treat existing acne flare-ups but an important step to eliminate acne is prevention since learning how to prevent flare-ups in the first place is better that finding a cure once you develop acne or acne scars.

A. Cleansing

In order to regulate excessive oil production by the sebaceous glands in addition to exfoliating the skin, cleanse the skin daily with either a medicated acne cleanser that contains either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide or a cleanser that contains an alphahydroxy acid. You can also use a cleanser that is geared for your particular skin type. Most acne prone skin is either oily or combination skin and using a cleanser that is formulated for these skin types will help to eliminate acne by preventing it's development in the first place.

Wash the face twice daily and do not use any products that contain granules to scrub the face as they only aggravate acne. Do not use any rough washcloths, sponges or puffs. Use a gentle hand when handling the skin. Gently massage the face with the cleanser of your choice, and using tepid water, completely rinse the face and gently pat dry. If you do wear makeup during the day, ensure that all traces of makeup are removed each night so as not to clog the pores and worsen the acne.

B. Moisturizer

Skin needs to be moisturized on a daily basis even for acne prone skin that may produce excess oil. It is important to note that moisturizers containing various medications such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide may be very drying on the skin which will only lead to excessive production of pore clogging oil.

In order to eliminate acne by preventing its development, you may want to consider using an oil free moisturizer instead. Depending on the skin type, a moisturizer containing an alphahydroxy acid such as glycolic acid may be beneficial as this acid will help unclog congested pores and remove dead skin cells which will help to prevent the development of acne.

C. Sun Protection Habits

Daily sun protection is very important for any skin especially acne prone skin. You can use a moisturizer that contains an SPF of at least 15 or you can apply a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 if your moisturizer does not contain sun protection. The sunscreen should be oil-free or non-comedogenic. Other ways to protect the skin from the sun include the use of hats, umbrellas, etc. Exposure to the sun of unprotected skin can lead to hyperpigmentation if your acne scars darken before they heal which is especially common with acne prone African American skin. Skin treated with acne medications can also be very sensitive to the sun if not properly protected.

D. Skin Exfoliation

In order to eliminate acne, skin exfoliation is very important to help improve the skin's texture. Using an exfoliating mask that contains glycolic acid, salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide is excellent for fighting acne since this mask will absorb excess oil and also help in the prevention of dead skin cells accumulating and clogging the pores.

Other daily care tips that will help to prevent acne include not touching your face with your fingers which can contain bacteria and oil, limiting the use of hair oils and hair sprays, washing all items that touch the face daily such as brushes, sponges, etc. Minimizes stress is also very important to eliminate acne especially adult female acne.

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Before, pregnant women were only used to wearing huge lousy shirts. Nowadays, pregnancy is no longer a hindrance for women to still look good and fabulous. There are already a lot of maternity clothes stores out there that offer stylish and trendy outfit for pregnant women. You can buy pretty clothes that you can wear during special occasions and simple gatherings.

The first few months of pregnancy does not require you to shop for a whole new set of wardrobe as you can still use the clothes that you used to wear. But after the first trimester, your regular clothing may no longer work for you. This is the time when most pregnant women tend to forget fashion and they no longer care about how they look.

To avoid this dilemma, here are some ideas on how you can be fashionable and sexy despite your big belly.

1. The Hippie Look. Having a trendy and hippie style of clothing can make you look younger. You can wear skirts with ethnic designs or yoke dresses. Loose, airy tunics look great with a cute cardigan or caplet to cover your shoulders. For a more stylish look, you can pair it with a large belt under your belly. Empire-cut or baby-doll dresses paired with maternity jeans will surely make you look great.

2. Use accessories. Accentuate your get-up by using some accessories such as a bolero jacket with colors that match your dress. This will give emphasis to your shoulders and bust. For bohemian style, you can wear shawls for a more flattering look. A halter neckline will emphasize your neck and arms.

3. Avoid using underwire bras. When you are pregnant, your breasts will automatically become larger in size. Do not use bra with underwire as it may only hurt your bust. You may use instead a thick shelf bra or a sports bra for a greater support, as you grow bigger.

4. Wear maternity jeans. Pregnant women nowadays can already wear denim jeans as there are already a lot of maternity clothing stores out there that offer denim jeans specially designed for your big belly. You can choose from among the many styles of maternity jeans whichever is perfectly fitted for you.

5. Buy clothes that are multi-functional. Because you will only be using your maternity clothes for a few months, it is not very practical to buy lots of it. You can buy instead clothes that you can convert from t-shirt for the day to a tunic for evening gatherings.

With regards to the fabric, you can choose to have wool, cotton, charmeuse, or chiffon. It is also important to choose the right size of clothes for you.

6. Avoid clothes that show too much of your skin. While some celebrities reveal their growing belly in public, it will not always work for most women. Choose very well the clothes, which you are comfortable wearing and stay as beautiful and stylish as you can be.

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Bulimia and pregnancy have an interesting way of coming together that is not always negative. Many physicians have discovered that bulimic women actually manage their condition better after they become pregnant. Bulimic women are often overwhelmed by concern for their baby, and face relaxed societal pressures about their weight. Pregnant women are always beautiful, and no one expects for a pregnant woman to be thin.

There is also evidence to suggest that bulimia and pregnancy negate one another neurologically when it comes to mood and appetite. Pregnant women develop hormones that bulimic women often lack, regulating appetite and mood, so that they are often able to return to pre-bulimic eating behaviors.

Women who were bulimic before pregnancy have a statistical advantage during the pregnancy itself, and seem to stand a better chance of stopping bingeing and purging behaviors for the duration of the pregnancy. However, bulimia and pregnancy have different time restrictions. Bulimia takes months or years to subdue and conquer, while pregnancy has a pretty strict time limit. Postpartum depression and a severe return to bulimic patterns of behavior after delivery are an intense risk for women who suffer from bulimia. Bulimia and pregnancy might work together for a while, but it is an unstable kind of harmony, and it doesn't even resemble a recovery.

Bulimia and pregnancy are not perfect bedfellows. The dangers that accompany bulimia and pregnancy are exponentially higher when the two are combined. Bulimia robs the body of important nutrients that a fetus desperately needs. In addition, pregnancy makes women more vulnerable to malnutrition and the dangers that surround bulimia. Pregnant women who regularly binge and purge put themselves and their babies in severe danger.

When bulimia and pregnancy come together in a health care situation, doctors often employ severe counseling and observation methods to ensure that the bulimic behavior is stopped and the causes of it are addressed. Bulimia and pregnancy can also create or reinforce a cycle of guilt and shame that worsens the condition. When pregnant women engage in bulimic behaviors, they are fully aware that they may be harming their baby, but they are unable to help themselves. This can cause an intense self-loathing that only reinforces and empowers bulimic behavior.

Bulimia and pregnancy can sometimes function together in an unstable harmony. Pregnancy drives normally bulimic women into a temporary remission. However, bulimia and pregnancy actively co-exist (if a woman binges and purges while pregnant) the consequences for both mother and child can be tragic. If you are pregnant and bulimic, or know someone who is, be extremely careful and observant so that both the mother and the child are healthy.

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The woman who became pregnant during the Stone Age faced huge risks compared with today's mother-to-be. There was no way to control bleeding or infection; Caesarean section was not an option. That we survived as a species seems remarkable - until you dig a little deeper.

The outcome of pregnancy depends on the underlying health of the mother, nutrition before and during pregnancy and the threat of infection. In all those areas the woman of 50,000 years ago was better off than her counterpart today. How is that possible in an age when there was no plumbing, no medical care and no protection from infectious diseases?

Better diet, better pregnancy

The primitive woman's diet was less likely to be deficient in important nutrients than that of today's young girls. (Ref 1) A study from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center has confirmed earlier reports that adolescent and adult pregnant women take in too little iron, zinc, folate and vitamin E.

A woman who begins pregnancy without sufficient calcium, vitamin D and other bone-building nutrients increases her risk of developing osteoporosis in middle age. But that's not the end of the story. Her infant may also be at greater risk of fracture in the future. Osteoporosis of middle age is at least partly programmed before birth, especially if the mother smokes and has little physical activity. (Ref 2, 3, 4)

Most laypersons believe that Stone Agers were hearty meat-eaters. Anthropologists know that isn't so. They lived on a predominantly meat diet for only about 100,000 years, from the time that Homo sapiens developed keen hunting skills until the advent of farming. Before that time meat came from carrion and small game. The bulk of their calories came from vegetables, fruit, roots and nuts.

Plant foods contain everything that a pregnant woman needs, including vitamins, antioxidants, protein and minerals. Modern vegetarians often become deficient in vitamin B12 but small game, birds' eggs and the deliberate or accidental inclusion of insects in the Stone Age diet provided more than enough of that critical nutrient.

Folic acid deficiency in early pregnancy leads to defective formation of the infant's brain and spinal cord. Those abnormalities are much less likely among the babies of mothers who receive an adequate amount of folate, at least 400 micrograms per day. So few women eat enough green leafy vegetables to boost their folate levels, the U.S. government requires that manufacturers of baked goods add it to their products.

Obstetricians have been prescribing multivitamins for their pregnant patients for decades but it is only in recent years that studies confirmed the wisdom of that practice. In 2002 the American Medical Association reversed a position of long standing and recommended that everyone, with no exceptions, needs a multivitamin/multimineral preparation every day in order to avoid subtle but health-damaging inadequacies of these nutrients. Taking a multivitamin reduces the risk of congenital defects of the newborn, especially those that involve the heart. Preeclampsia is a serious, sometimes fatal complication of pregnancy. Women whose intake of vitamins C and E is low have a threefold greater risk of that condition. (Ref. 5, 6)

Would these mostly vegetarian early Stone Agers have become iron-deficient? Not likely. Their diet was rich in iron as well as in Vitamin C that facilitates iron absorption. Under those conditions iron deficiency would have been rare. Cereal grains interfere with iron absorption, which explains why iron-deficiency is common in societies that subsist primarily on grains. However, one of the main reasons why Stone Age women were unlikely to be iron deficient is that they didn't have nearly as many menstrual cycles as modern women do.

In a primitive society the onset of menses is about 5 years later than that of American young women. Modern hunter-gatherers, like the oldest Stone Agers, are either pregnant or nursing during most of their childbearing years and they only menstruate a few times between weaning one child and conceiving another. In those groups breastfeeding does suppress ovulation because it is literally on demand, i.e., every few minutes, even throughout the night. For a modern breastfeeding mother, on demand often means no more frequently than every couple of hours and perhaps once or twice a night after the third or fourth month. Thus menses return in spite of nursing and monthly blood loss continues.

The fish-brain connection

Beginning about 150,000 years ago our ancestors discovered seafood. The increased intake of fatty acids in fish and shellfish initiated the great advance in brain size and complexity that allowed humans to progress more quickly in the next 100,000 years than they had in the preceding million. Enormous gains in toolmaking and the development of language and group communication followed.

The human brain is composed mostly of water but the solid portion is mostly fat. The body can't manufacture the omega-3 and omega-6 fats that make up so much of the structure of the brain and eye so we need them in our diet. Maternal deficiency of these nutrients, especially omega-3s, prevents the newborn brain and eyes from reaching their full potential. The best source of omega-3 fats is fish; nuts and leafy green vegetables are also good sources.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are found in every cell of the body. They allow efficient flow of nutrients, regulate nerve impulses and keep inflammation in the right balance. In a proper diet there is an equal amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fats. That allows the immune system to fight infection, a real threat that humans faced from the Stone Age until the age of antibiotics, a mere 70 years ago.

The advantage to the baby of a diet that is rich in omega-3 fats is obvious but mothers need it, too. Nature protects the unborn infant by tapping into the mother's stores of omega-3 fats. A woman whose intake of omega-3 fatty acids is low during the months and years preceding pregnancy will develop a deficiency of her own. This becomes worse with succeeding pregnancies if her intake of omega-3s remains low. Postpartum depression affects about 10 percent of women following delivery and it is associated with a deficiency of omega-3 fats. (Ref 7, 8)

The newest epidemic

There is one complication of pregnancy that never occurred in the Stone Age: type 2 diabetes. No disease in modern times has risen so fast. It has increased several-fold since the 1950s; between 1990 and 2001 it rose by 61 percent. Gestational diabetics (Ref. 9) are those who do not yet have the full-blown disease but they cannot process blood sugar (glucose) properly during pregnancy. About half of them will develop frank diabetes in the years following delivery of their infant.

Most of us know type 2 diabetes, which was once referred to as adult-onset diabetes, as the disease that our grandparents developed in their later years. It's no longer uncommon to find it in adolescents, even in grade-schoolers. As it has dipped into the younger generation it has alarmed - but not surprised - physicians to find that it is no longer a rarity in obstetric practice.

How can we be so certain that the pregnant Stone Ager didn't have diabetes? This is a lifestyle disease that has three major associations: a low level of physical activity, a diet that is high in refined grains and sugars, and obesity. Those conditions simply didn't occur during the Stone Age. Their lifestyle demanded strenuous effort. Grains of any sort were not part of their diet because they require tools and controlled heat. Sugar as we know it simply didn't exist and honey was an occasional lucky find. Obesity would have been non-existent, as it is today among the planet's dwindling populations of hunter-gatherers.

Diabetic mothers have more complications of pregnancy than normal women do. Their babies are 5 times as likely to die and are 3 times as likely to be born with abnormalities of various organs.

They kept germs at bay

Common wisdom states that Stone Age people were an infection-ridden lot but that simply isn't true. They had powerful immune systems because of high levels of physical activity and a remarkably varied diet. Between the protective antibodies that a mother passed across the placenta and those that she conferred on her newborn via breastmilk, Stone Age babies had more protection against the germs of the day than modern infants do.

Sexually transmitted diseases don't spread very far or very fast when people live in small isolated bands as they did during the Stone Age. The likelihood that today's pregnant female will have at least one of these infections is more than 50 percent (Ref. 10). The impact on babies can be severe; some die, some will be brain-damaged.

Choice and consequences

Tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs have produced a generation of infants with problems that Stone Age babies never faced. Mothers who smoke have infants that are smaller than the norm and whose brain development may be compromised. Alcohol or cocaine use by the mother during pregnancy results in stunted growth, congenital defects and other severe problems.

Given a choice, none of us would want to live in a Stone Age world but we have neutralized the almost miraculous medical advances of the last century. We have allowed our daughters to be less physically active and to subsist on a marginal diet. If we could reverse those two factors alone there would be a dramatic decline in prematurity and other complications of pregnancy.
The lessons that we can learn from the Stone Age are not subtle, obscure or beyond our capacity to imitate them. We can produce the healthiest generation ever by making better choices for our children and for ourselves.

Philip J. Goscienski, M.D. is the author of Health Secrets of the Stone Age, Better Life Publishers 2005. Contact him via his web site at http://www.stoneagedoc.com.

References

1. Giddens JB et al., Pregnant adolescent and adult women have similarly low intakes of selected nutrients, J Am Diet Assoc 2000;100:1334-1340

2 Cooper C et al., Review: developmental origins of osteoporotic fracture, Osteoporosis Int 2006; 17(3):337-47

3 Prentice A et al., Nutrition and bone growth and development, Proc Nutr Soc 2006 Nov;65(4):348-60

4 Lanham SA et al., Intrauterine programming of bone. Part I: alteration of the osteogenic environment, Osteoporos Int 2008 Feb;19(2):147-56

5 Keen CL et al., The Plausibility of Micronutrient Deficiencies Being a Significant Contributing Factor to the Occurrence of Pregnancy Complications, Am Soc Nutr Sciences J Nutr 2003 May;133:1597S-1605S

6 Bodnar LM et al., Periconceptional multivitamin use reduces the risk of preeclampsia, Am J Epidemiol 2006 Sep 1;164(5):470-7

7 Freeman MP, Omega-3 fatty acids and perinatal depression: a review of the literature and recommendations for future research, Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2006 Oct-Nov;75(4-5):291-7

8 Kendall-Tackett K, A new paradigm for depression in new mothers: the central role of inflammation and how breastfeeding and anti-inflammatory treatments protect maternal mental health, Int Breastfeed J 2007;2:6

9 Greene MF and Solomon CG, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus - Time to Treat, N Engl J Med 2005 June 16; 352(24):2544-46

10 Baseman JG and Koutsky LA, The epidemiology of human papillomavirus infections, J Clin Virol 2005 Mar;32 Supple 1:S16-24

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Many newborn babies are what we call lazy nursers. They have a weak suck or fall asleep at the breast rather than actively nursing for a full feeding. This is especially true of preemies and babies who weigh less than 7 lbs at birth. Worried new parents often decide to give a bottle because of concern about slow weight gain or fear that baby is not getting enough. Unfortunately traditional bottles can often make the problem worse and sabotage successful breastfeeding.

Many new breastfeeding moms find themselves using a bottle for one reason or another. It can be a great way to let mom get some sleep while your partner has some bonding time with the baby. The only problem is that bottles function in an entirely different way than the breast. Baby only has to give a few small sucks and milk flows freely so that all baby has to do is swallow. The position and action of babies tongue is also completely different with the bottle than the breast. This can cause some confusion for baby and can ultimately lead to baby rejecting the breast or milk supply problems due to an improper latch and sucking technique.

I frequently recommend to my breastfeeding clients that they use Medela Haberman Feeders for the first four weeks of breastfeeding. These bottles are actually made for babies that have a cleft palate. It has a longer teat type nipple with a slit-valve in the mouthpiece that opens only when baby sucks. The flow of milk is determined by babies sucking and position of the teat in baby's mouth just like when your baby is breastfeeding. There is absolutely no back flow in these bottle so no air for baby to swallow. These are a little pricey but I believe worth it for moms who are serious about breastfeeding, have babies with a weak suck or babies with reflux. They also make a mini size one for premature babies. Feedings with the Haberman Feeder will take longer than with a traditional bottle because baby has to actively suck for milk to be released.

I have also used the Haberman Feeder bottle to transition babies who have developed nipple confusion back to successful breast feeding. The action of the nipple on this special feeder most closely mimics the action of breastfeeding. You can purchase these bottles online. You may also be able to find them at your local lactation center.

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Have you been told you don't need to eat for two during pregnancy? Maybe you've heard that your baby will just take what it needs from your body. Has someone shared a story of how she hardly gained any weight and still had a healthy baby? Perhaps your doctor warns you to watch your weight at every prenatal appointment. There's a lot of conflicting information out there about pregnancy nutrition. Who do you believe?

Old Wive's Tales Hurt Your Baby

There are so many "old wive's tales" about pregnancy -- most of them are just silly or harmless. But some old rumors about pregnancy are actually dangerous. The belief that your baby can "steal" what he or she needs from your body is false -- not to mention dangerous to you and your baby.

Your baby can't take what he or she needs from your body. And even if your baby could, it would leave your body depleted, giving you a greater chance of pregnancy complications, a dangerous childbirth experience, and a hard postpartum recovery. There's no reason for any of that -- and there's no reason for you to have a premature or low-birthweight baby because your baby couldn't get the nutrients he or she needs.

Your pregnancy diet matters because your body has to build your baby completely over the nine months of pregnancy. It also has to prepare your uterus, muscles, and blood supply to handle the intense demands of pregnancy and breastfeeding!

You do need to eat for two during pregnancy. You may not be literally doubling your intake of food every day, but you should pay close attention to what you eat. You want meals packed with nutrition, especially with protein and good fats. Protein builds your baby's body and helps your body stay in good shape. Healthy fats help build your baby's brain and help you handle the emotional ups and downs of pregnancy (plus good fats help keep your skin looking nice).

You Need to Gain Weight

You might hear about moms who gained close to nothing and still had healthy babies. Your nurse may scold you for putting on weight and tell you that you only have a few more pounds before you're at your "limit"! But the truth is, weight gain during pregnancy is important.

Low-birth weight babies are at higher risk of almost every health problem possible. They're much more likely to suffer from slow growth during childhood. As they grow, they've more likely to have diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Low-birth weight babies are harder to give birth to than babies of average birth weight. They're also much more likely to have to spend time in the NICU, or neonatal intensive care unit.

A mother who gains very little weight during pregnancy is far more likely to have a low-birth weight baby.

Mothers who are not gaining weight are generally not eating enough. This makes pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes, pre-term labor, and pre-eclampsia (toxemia, HELLP) much more likely.

Controlled studies on weight gain during pregnancy show that weight gain is variable between moms -- some moms gain less, some gain more. But the studies all agree that mothers who gain too little are at far more risk for pregnancy complications and newborn health problems than mothers who gain more weight. In fact, it's important to weigh yourself during pregnancy to make sure you're gaining enough, rather than too much!

Eat nourishing, homemade foods that you've prepared from fresh ingredients. Get plenty of protein, good fats, and moderate carbohydrates (from green vegetables, starchy vegetables, and fruits) and your baby and your own body will be healthy and strong.

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Anxiety and depression are two of the most common problems in the world today. Anyone can feel anxious or depressed, depending on the circumstances in his/her life. A single negative event can cause you to feel more anxious or depressed. But there's good news! Many mild to moderate cases can be improved or prevented if you take a few easy steps to help yourself. These tools can help you to be happy, too. It's a matter of learning to think in more strategic and optimistic ways.

The Power of Optimism

Why should anyone want to be more optimistic? Optimism enhances self-confidence and instills a sense of self-control while helping us to resist depression. Optimists tackle adversity more effectively than pessimists, and see themselves in a position of power, whereas pessimists see themselves as powerless, or helpless victims. Study after study reveals the power of optimistic thinking to solve problems and help people to be stronger and more resilient.

And, of course, optimism is linked to achieving greater success!

Step #1: Assess Your Thinking Habits

A simple but effective technique to decrease depression and overcome anxiety is to take inventory of the way you think... take a look at your usual thought patterns and determine where you can make a few improvements.

Do you approach problems with a positive attitude...or... do you think/expect the worst? Be as honest as you can. If you realize there's room for improvement, you're in the driver's seat, and you're on the path to be happy and enjoy life more!

For example, if you are quick to assume the worst, why not work on assuming the best? Write yourself a plan of improvement, taking care to find ways to think more positively. It'll take time to form new thinking habits, but it will be worth it!

Step #2: Use your imagination

Try to think optimistic thoughts the next time you face a crisis or dilemma. Tell yourself the situation you're in can have a desirable outcome. Find the possible good and imagine a positive outcome. Some people automatically think failure-oriented thoughts when something goes wrong, and use their imagination to see the worst possible things happening... self-fulfilling prophecy!

The more you IMAGINE the outcome you want, the better you will feel. And the less depressed and anxious you'll feel. Instead of giving in to fear and anxiety about a situation, visualize the possibilities you want. In other words, creatively seek to find the silver lining in the cloud. This kind of therapeutic thinking will decrease depression.

Remember to brush away any pessimistic thoughts and keep seeing the possible positive outcomes. Refuse to see mental movies of the worst outcomes, and play movies of all the good possibilities. These happiness techniques may seem simple, but they are potent. You'll quickly find negative events and situations will make you less anxious and depressed.

Plus, the more you use your active imagination the younger and more alive you'll feel.

Step #3: Believe.

Place your faith in the possibilities for good outcomes you are imagining. You can work things out! You can be happy! But you've got to believe it. The word believe is a verb, so it's something you do. Activate your dormant faith by thinking and behaving affirmatively.

If you believe a setback can't be overcome, or that you'll get more depressed by trying, you'll avoid the problem altogether. Not doing anything about the problem makes the problem worse, which reinforces the belief that you will suffer failure in the situation. The pessimist feels it's hopeless to try and solve the problem or change it in a significant way, and hence he feels hopeless...

... and more depressed.

Yes, a sense of hopelessness fuels depression. So, what do optimists do differently? They employ natural happiness skills based on optimism. Strong optimists rarely allow a situation to make them depressed because of the healthy way they think about the problem.

An optimistic thinker has a very positive way of attributing meaning to events or situations, or a positive "attributional style."

By believing in a desirable outcome, and by being more optimistic, you'll feel you have the power to deal with the problem. You'll see it in a more positive light, and frame it up in your mind in a more positive way, and your optimism will give you increased energy. That's why optimists enjoy life more and experience greater health, wealth and happiness than pessimists!

Optimism is a skill, or set of skills, that empowers an individual to do great things in life. Anyone can learn to be more optimistic and reap the many rewards!

Did you know... studies show optimists are more creative than others? And being more creative enables them to find creative solutions to tricky problems. Creative thinking is a happiness technique because it gives you a better handle on how you can overcome.

Plus, assuming the best gives you a sense of power and control over the problems in your life. By seeing a situation in the best possible light, you maintain your hopefulness and sense of equilibrium better than a pessimist who immediately falls apart when something goes wrong. Optimists approach a tough challenge with a smile, not with a pessimistic frown.

In Sum

A powerful step you can take to decrease anxiety and depression is to become a more optimistic thinker. It will aid you in overcoming anxiety. And to be happy, activate your imagination... believe in the possible good like you never have before. Be patient as you practice being more optimistic. Soon you'll break the chains of negative thought patterns that keep you feeling blue. And you may be able to decrease depression without resorting to expensive drug treatment. And, if you are taking anti-depressants, these thinking skills will help you to maximize your results. If you need more help, schedule an appointment with a licensed therapist who is skilled at treating depression and anxiety.

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