Menopause is not an illness or disease; it is a normal phase of development that all women go through when their fertility and menstruation begin to decrease. But even though it is not an illness, it is advised that you seek treatment for your symptoms if they become severe or start in impact your daily life. Menopause can cause sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression and any one of these symptoms can have negative long term impacts. Unfortunately there are the still irritating but less treatable problems such as hot flashes and mood swings. If you are having trouble coping with menopause, especially in the case of anxiety or depression, please visit your doctor.

In the United States the average onset of menopause is between 45- 55. In other countries it may occur earlier. For women undergoing natural menopause, menopause is defined in medical terms as the day after your last period is over. After one year of no perio

By Avy Barnes

Have you tried over and over again to get extremely fast weight loss but with no luck? If you’ll just take a quick two minutes out of your day to read this article I can show you the most effective diet to get extreme weight loss and get you back in those skinny jeans in as little as two weeks!

In order to get extreme weight loss it all comes down to the two most important principles…proper nutrition and raising your metabolic rate to the highest point possible.

The best diet program that is based around those two principles above that I have found that if the calorie shifting diet from Fat Loss 4 Idiots.

The calorie shifting diet will firstly provide you with a diet generator that will create for you four meals that you will consume daily. What this means is you will definitely not have to worry about starving yourself and restricting important nutrients (carbs, fats, etc.).

Now, what makes calorie shifting incredibly effective is you will learn how to do an advanced dieting trick called “shifting” where you will alternate the calories from the foods that you eat which will confuse your metabolism into raising to the highest point possible. The end result with using the calorie shifting diet is that you will have your metabolism running full speed ahead through out the entire day causing weight loss and fat loss…well, throughout the entire day!

So, if you want to get extremely fast weight loss and fat loss and do so 100% naturally, then I recommend you try the calorie shifting diet today.

by: Beverley Brooke

How fast you lose weight will depend on a number of factors, including the amount of weight you gained during your pregnancy.

Most women will lose anywhere from 10-14 pounds within the first 2 weeks of delivery. This weight may be attributed primarily to the loss of excess fluid in the body, the baby’s weight, the placenta and amniotic fluid. Some women might lose a little bit less, and others might lose a little bit more.

As the uterus shrinks back down to its normal size and your hormone levels continue to fall, you will lose weight. Most women gain at least 7 pounds of fat during pregnancy. This fat is meant to help women store energy while breastfeeding. How fast this weight comes off will depend on a number of factors including: genetics, your overall health, diet and exercise.

You should expect that it will take a little bit of time to lose the weight you gained during pregnancy. It did after all take you nine months to put that weight on! Many women have successfully lost weight however, in just a few short months after a delivery.

Some women will hang on to the last few pounds they have to lose until they stop breastfeeding. Your body may want to cling to a few extra pounds to ensure you have enough energy to provide adequate milk for the baby. Every woman’s experience is unique with respect to this.

The good news is that with a solid nutritional program and with moderate exercise, you can expect to lose the weight you gained during pregnancy within a reasonable time frame.

Most women will be back to their pre pregnancy weight within nine months of delivering IF they follow a regular exercise program and eat healthily after delivery. That said some women will lose their pregnancy weight in as little as six to twelve weeks!

By Dennis Paguio

Identifying Fats

Fat is generally considered bad for us, but there are different types of fats found in our food. If we know our food makeup well, we’ll be able to discern which fats are good for us and which ones are bad. Here’s a quick guide.

Monounsaturated Fats and Polyunsaturated Fats

The recommended daily percentage of fat in your daily diet and calories should be no more than 35%. Ideally, this 35% should be made up of either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat, also known as “good” fats. These are easily absorbed by the body and provide the best nutrition among the rest. They can be found in nuts, vegetable-based oils, soybeans, avocados, salmon, tuna, and mackerel

Saturated Fats and Dietary Cholesterol

Saturated fats and dietary cholesterol can heighten your chances of health problems like heart attacks, obesity, diabetes and even cancer. Try to avoid food that contain these type of fats, which usually are found in animal-based products. Avoid or minimize eating food high in saturated fats and dietary cholesterol such as hamburgers, steaks, lunch meats, poultry fat, poultry skin, whole milk, egg yolks, butter and cheese.

Trans Fats

Found in semi-solid and solid margarine or food labeled hydrogenated. Overall not good for health and should be removed from your diet altogether. Most processed snacks like chips and peanut butter contain trans fats. When in doubt, check the label. Anything hydrogenated should be avoided or discarded altogether.

Trimming the Fat

Lowering fat from your diet is difficult to do, but not impossible. You just need to be more discerning about the food you put in your mouth and how that food was prepared. Here are some steps to keep the fat levels low in your food.

1. Eat food with saturated fat in moderation. If you can’t avoid eating beef or meat, choose the leaner cuts of the beef and remove the chicken skin. Drain off the fat from the beef before eating or cut it off altogether if you can.

2. Minimize or remove animal-based products from your diet. This means switching to low-fat skim milk, eating more fish than meat. Avoiding cheese and butter, or at least low their low-fat counterparts. Choose egg whites over egg yolks.

3. Increase eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Lesser fats for more nutrition.

4. Remove frying from your methods of cooking. Grilling, boiling, steaming and poaching are all excellent ways to cook your food with a minimum of fat.

5. Go for herbs and spices to flavor your food instead of going for mayonnaise or cream-based sauces.

6. Choose vegetable oil sprays over fats or lard-based oil.

7. For snacks, eat nuts and olives in moderation as they are both high in fat. Go for fresh fruits or chips that are baked, not fried.

8. Make it a habit to look at the labels. Low calories does not mean the product is low in fat. Avoid products that are labeled “hydrogenated”. Remember that “good fat” should make up only 35% of your daily dietary intake.

by: GREGORY MBURU

N.B This topic will make you understand why it is important to do monthly breast exam. The earlier the cancer is detected, the better the prognosis.

Breast cancer staging
To stage cancer, the American Joint Committee on Cancer, first places the cancer in a letter category using the tumor, nodes, metastasis (TNM) classification system. The stage of a breast cancer describes its size and the extent to which it has spread. The staging system ranges from stage 0 to stage IV according to tumor size, lymph nodes involved, and distant metastasis.

T indicates tumor size. The letter T is followed by a number from 0 to 4, which describes the size of the tumor and whether it has spread to the skin or chest wall under the breast. Higher T numbers indicate a larger tumor and/or more extensive spread to tissues surrounding the breast.

TX: The tumor cannot be assessed.
T0: No evidence of a tumor is present.
Tis: The cancer may be LCIS, DCIS, or Paget disease.
T1: The tumor is 2 cm or smaller in diameter.
T2: The tumor is 2-5 cm in diameter.
T3: The tumor is more than 5 cm in diameter.
T4: The tumor is any size, and it has attached itself to the chest wall and spread to the pectoral (chest) lymph nodes.

N indicates palpable nodes. The letter N is followed by a number from 0 to 3, which indicates whether the cancer has spread to lymph nodes near the breast and, if so, whether the affected nodes are fixed to other structures under the arm.

NX: Lymph nodes cannot be assessed (eg, lymph nodes were previously removed).
N0: Cancer has not spread to lymph nodes.
N1: Cancer has spread to the movable ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes (underarm lymph nodes on the same side as the breast cancer).
N2: Cancer has spread to ipsilateral lymph nodes (on the same side of the body as the breast cancer), fixed to one another or to other structures under the arm.
N3: Cancer has spread to the ipsilateral mammary lymph nodes or the ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph nodes (on the same side of the body as the breast cancer).

M indicates metastasis. The letter M is followed by a 0 or 1, which indicates whether the cancer has metastasized (spread) to distant organs (eg, lungs or bones) or to lymph nodes that are not next to the breast, such as those above the collarbone.

MX: Metastasis cannot be assessed.
M0: No distant metastasis to other organs is present.
M1: Distant metastasis to other organs has occurred.

by: Tim Gorman

Home treatment for acne offers many treatment possibilities. If you decide that home treatment for acne is something you want to try you may need some information.

One home treatment for acne can involve changes in your diet. Many people find that home treatment for acne that includes dietary changes is very successful. When using this home treatment for acne you should eliminate sugar, caffeine, processed foods and foods that contain a lot of iodine.

Another home treatment for acne is one that consists of adding supplements every day. Some of these supplements include vitamins, brewer’s yeast, zinc and chromium.

A home treatment for acne that has worked for some people is aloe. You can use this in gel or juice form. You can try apple cider as a cleanser as a home treatment for acne. Another home treatment for acne is cleaning your face with egg whites.

Try making an oatmeal mask as a home treatment for acne. Apply cooked and cooled oatmeal to your face and let it sit for fifteen minutes. You can use a peeled cucumber that has been liquefied in the blender as a home treatment for acne. Just apply it to the area that is affected with acne.

Witch hazel sometimes is effective as a home treatment for acne. Put a little witch hazel on a cotton ball after you have cleaned your face. As part of this home treatment for acne you should then apply a 2% salicylic acid product.

The sun is considered a good home treatment for acne by some people. The ultraviolet light kills the bacteria and dries up the oil.

Sometimes a home treatment for acne is as effective as alternate treatments.

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. If the spread is not controlled, it can result in death. The following facts will help us understand the importance of the “War on Cancer.”             More than 1.2 million Americans develop cancer each year. A new cancer is diagnosed every 30 seconds in the United States. Since 1990, nearly 15 million new cancer cases have been diagnosed. These estimates do not include carcinoma in situ (non-invasive cancer) of any site except urinary bladder, and do not include the basal and squamous cell skin cancers.

Lung and prostate cancer are the top cancer killers for men in the United States. Lung and breast cancer are the top cancer killers for women in the United States. One in two men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer at some time during his lifetime. One in three women in the US will be diagnosed with cancer at some time during her lifetime.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death after heart disease in the United States. It is the primary cause of death in women between the ages of 35 and 74. About 8,000 American children will be diagnosed with cancer this year. Cancer is the chief cause of death in children between the ages of 1 and 14.

If current trends continue, cancer is expected to be the leading cause of death in the United States by the year 2010. One in five persons in the US will die from cancer. Every three minutes, two people in the US die from cancer.

Based on estimates of the National Institutes of Health, overall costs for cancer in the year 2000 was $180.2 billion: $60 billion for direct medical costs (total of all health expenditures); $15 billion for indirect morbidity costs (cost of lost productivity due to illness); and $105.2 billion for indirect mortality costs (cost of lost productivity due to premature death). Cancer-related costs

account for about 10 percent of the total amount spent on disease treatment in the United States. Cancer is a major national burden.

In 1970, the American people knew what they wanted — a cure for the second-leading cause of death. President Nixon heard the voice of the people and the concerns of the medical profession. In his January 1971 State of the Union address, President Nixon made a special request for an additional $100 million to be added to the NCI budget for cancer research. In October 1971 he converted the Army’s Fort Detrick, Maryland, biological warfare facility to a cancer research center. The resulting Frederick Cancer Research and    Development Center eventually became an internationally recognized laboratory for cancer and AIDS research. However, President Nixon took a much bigger step when he signed the National Cancer Act into law on December 23, 1971, declaring, “I hope in the years ahead we will look back on this action today as the most significant action taken during my Administration.”

After more than three decades, the “War on Cancer,” declared by President Nixon in 1971 with the enactment of the National Cancer Act, is still going on in this country. The Question is: “Are we winning the war?”

Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to the question. The good news is that since Nixon’s initiative, there have been incredible advances in cancer detection, prevention, and treatment. Since the mid 1990s, the cancer death rate has been decreasing steadily. As one cancer experts puts it: “It’s just amazing those that are making it and are living, whereas 10 years ago these same people would not have lived.” A diagnosis of cancer once was the virtual equivalent of a death sentence. Today, nearly half of all cancer patients can expect to live for five or more years after the diagnosis of cancer.

However, scientists are still not able to pinpoint a “cause” for cancer. Instead, cancer researchers now believe that cancer can be triggered by many factors, such as our genetics, diet and occupation. We know that our chances of developing cancer can be significantly reduced if we choose to live a healthy lifestyle, not smoke and avoid certain foods

Finally, while a “cure” for cancer has not yet been found, scientists are more confident than ever that further breakthroughs in cancer detection and therapy are not far away, allowing us to effectively control the disease.

by: Kirsten Hawkins

Acne is really a big deal to anyone that suffers from it! It is major problem for almost all the teenagers, not only in this country, but also in all parts of the globe. Everyone wants to get rid of it! In fact, there is a wide variety of things that can actually help you cure it. You can make a paste or mask from different kinds of plants and herbs or just buy non-prescription products on the nearest store. However,You should know that these are just meant to handle mild to moderate acne problems. So, when these products and procedures are not working well for you, it is advisable to see and consult a doctor for advise.

There are really extreme cases when acne can’t be treated just by self medication. Your doctors can offer you a more potent drug, or he/she can suggest another good option – acne laser treatment. In our present day, technology is changing our world faster than we think! Through the advance of science, we can now take advantage of LASER technology further in medical operations. Medical specialists say that undergoing acne LASER treatment is one of the most advance and, probably, the most effective treatment you can have to totally get rid of acne today. This amazing procedure will surely give hope to people who are greatly suffering with their acne. We have already used LASER treatment on acne scarring successfully for years, but it is truly a breakthrough to be used in treating existing acne. The question now is how can acne LASER treatment actually cure acne? Is it safe and effective?

How can that be?

Acne LASER Treatment is done by applying extreme thermal or heat effect on the sebaceous glands in order to damage it. Studies prove that the laser equipment used in the operation can actually do four treatments in one-month intervals. Statistics shows that 16 out of 17 patients got a 100% success on clearing the face. Test through skin biopsy immediately afterwards the operations revealed that the sebaceous glands showed alterations caused by the induced heat, decreasing the production of oil. Immediate proofs that acne LASER treatment is taking a postive effect!

Two Types of LASER

In performing acne LASER treatments, doctors are actually using two types of LASERs. One type deal with the inhibition of the bacterial growth that causes skin problems, while the other is made to work with the sebaceous glands in order to reduce the production of oil in particular parts of the body especially the face.

Still Under investigation

Even if it already proved to be a success on totally eradicating your acne, doctors admitted that acne LASER Treatment is still under research to further study its short and long-time effects. Thus, it is still not available yet for widely use to everyone. The patients should also know that insurance is not covered in the acne LASER treatment and that not all states can distinguish who are and who are not allowed to perform operations using LASER. Medical specialists also warn that procedures that require the use of LASER should be done by qualified physicians only. It is also suggested that you should ask for the qualification of the one that will do the operation before undergoing acne LASER treatment.

How many? for how long?

Your doctor might suggest that you undergo acne LASER Treatment for about 5 months, one treatment every month, in order to get satisfying results. However, if acne reappears, additional acne LASER treatment done periodically will be required.

How does it feel?

You might wonder how it feels undergoing the procedure. Well, most patients say that acne LASER treatment will give you a rubberband-like sensation during the operation. If ever you find this uncomfortable, you are given the choice to have topical anesthetic cream applied directly on your skin.

By Murali V

Sciatica is often associated with mild to beating pain on the inner parts of the eyeball. The sciatic nerve is linked with all the other nerve networks in the body, and is located somewhere just beside the human brain, which makes the whole situation that much more complicated. What does one do when we have sciatic nerve pain?

Sciatica home remedies are often done with specialized exercises and massaging techniques that target the muscles and nerves surrounding the eyes. Typically, when there is pain, there is the presence of mild to severe inflammation in some areas. When this happens, it is very probable that the whole region is linked with the pain. So home remedies capitalize on this network and attempt to divert the pain if it is generally still manageable.

Sciatic nerve pain relief does not have to come at a big price. What you can do to someone suffering from sciatic nerve pain is to let that person relax, lying down so that the blood flow to the upper portion of the body is stabilized. The next step would be to start massaging the temples and the neck area of the person. Slowly move the massage to the back of the head and toward the top of the head.

When you reach the top of the head, apply moderate to hard pressure at the very top of the head. The scalp is actually full of nerves, and the added pressure often stabilizes the nerve impulses surrounding the scalp. The mild pressure will trigger also natural painkillers that will slowly spread itself throughout the whole body. When this happens, the pain goes away.

Natural sciatica treatment is often done at home or at alternative approach medical clinics where medicine is prescribed if nothing at all can be done about it without medicine. The important thing to remember here is that you should only go for completely-medicine free approaches if you are already positively sure that it is only sciatica and not something else.

Sciatica stretching exercises may also be used to alleviate the pain brought about by the condition. These stretching exercises involve the stretching of the lower back and the upper back, in the effort to ease the pressures off the knotted muscles and to send a signal to the sciatic nerve that pressures around the surrounding regions of the body have already dissipated. Do this and succeed with conquering the sciatic nerve pain naturally.

Sciatic nerve physical therapy on the other hand, is a more complex and a more holistic approach to the treatment of sciatic nerve pain. Often the physical therapy involves the stretching of other parts of the body and the use of reflexology points to alleviate pressure around the different regions surrounding the facial area.

When this has been finally completed, chances are the pain will completely dissipate and you will feel refreshed and ready for the world again. Again, sciatica home treatment should only be used if and only if the patient or your loved one is sure that he or she only has sciatic nerve pain.

By Juliet Cohen

Abdominal pain is pain that is felt in the abdomen. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly. Pain in the abdomen can come from any one of them. The pain may start somewhere else, such as your chest. Severe pain doesn’t always mean a serious problem. The abdomen is an anatomical area that is bounded by the lower margin of the ribs above, the pelvic bone below, and the flanks on each side. Abdominal pain is caused by inflammation (e.g., appendicitis, diverticulitis), by stretching or distention of an organ (e.g., obstruction of the intestine, blockage of a bile duct by gallstones, swelling of the liver with hepatitis), or by loss of the supply of blood to an organ (e.g., ischemic colitis). Abdominal pain can be acute and sudden in onset, or the pain can be chronic and longstanding.

Abdominal pain can be sharp, dull, stabbing, cramplike, knifelike, twisting, or boring. Many other types of pain are possible. The causes of abdominal pain depend on sex and age of the patient. Abdominal pain may be minor and of no great significance, or it can reflect a major problem involving one of the organs in the abdomen. A woman may have a twisted ovarian cyst while a man may have testicular torsion with a twisted testis. Treatment depends on the cause. The key is knowing when it’s just a minor problem like a mild stomach ache or when it’s something worse. Pain that persists can be a sign of a medical condition or illness. Very severe abdominal pain usually requires immediate medical care.

Causes of Abdominal pain

Possible causes include:

1. Excessive gas

2. Lactose intolerance

3. Giardia Lamblia

4. Hernia

5. Heartburn or indigestion

6. Diverticular disease, including inflammation of small pouches that form in the large intestines

7. Urinary tract infections

8. Ovarian Cysts

9. Pancreatic Cancer

Symptoms of Abdominal pain

In a woman who might be pregnant: severe pain that arises suddenly in the lower right or lower left abdomen, usually without vomiting or fever. Some people have constipation, while others have frequent loose stools, often with an urgent need to move the bowels and still others experience alternating constipation and diarrhea. Symptoms may vary from person to person. Severe pain that starts in the upper abdomen and often spreads to the sides and the back. The pain may flare up soon after a large meal, or six to 12 hours after an episode of heavy drinking.

Treatment of Abdominal pain

Medications are an important part of relieving symptoms. Activated charcoal capsules also may help. If the pain is high up in your abdomen and occurs after meals, antacids may provide some relief, especially if you feel heartburn or indigestion. Avoid citrus, high-fat foods, fried or greasy foods, tomato products, caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated beverages. Your doctor may suggest fiber supplements or occasional laxatives for constipation, as well as medicines to decrease diarrhea, tranquilizers to calm you, or drugs that control colon muscle spasms to reduce abdominal pain. Over-the-counter antacids, such as Tums, Maalox, or Pepto-Bismol, also can reduce some types of abdominal pain.