Gravida Zero

Not Pregnant but trying :)And will never give up !!

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Menstrual Cramp Relief

Here it comes - the bloating, the tension, fatigue and cramps. Your period is on its way and you have nowhere to hide. Every month this annoying necessity comes along with all of its aggravations, the worst of which has to be menstrual cramps. Menstrual cramp relief can be hard to get. Although it may sound like the last thing you would want to do during particular weeks, a lot of people recommend exercise as a way to relieve cramps.
I have found that a short jog does a lot to ease my cramps. Getting the blood flowing in your southern hemisphere is a great way to find menstrual cramp relief. Any activity that increases blood flow to that specific region can help ease pain.
A traditional method of coping with cramps is taking over the counter medicines. Pain relief medications such as Tylenol or Aleve can only go so far. If you take pain relief medicine often, it may seem to you that you have to take more and more in order to feel a marked change in your cramps. I do not recommend taking any medicine to find menstrual cramp relief because you will begin taking it habitually every time that unwanted week rolls around. If you do choose to take pain relief medications for your cramps, talk to your doctor beforehand to make sure that you are not adversely affecting your health.
Many women carry tension in their lower backs during menstruation. Perhaps it is the extra water weight we are carrying or the high stress levels and agitation that often accompany this time. A lower back massage can relieve tension and pain in this region and may help increase blood flow. I know some women who use a heating pad to ease menstrual cramps and they say that it works well. I am not a big fan of this option because sitting around with a heating pad on your stomach can be uncomfortable. Could you imagine using this option in the summer?
If you want to use heat therapy in your quest to find menstrual cramp relief, I would recommend taking a long, hot bath. A bubble bath may help relieve your pain, relax your muscles and mind. No woman looks forward to her period. Experiment with ways of coping with menstrual discomfort and listen to your body's responses. You may just be able to find a way to coexist happily with your southern system.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Naturopathic Medicine Methodologies

Naturopathic medicine is fast becoming a popular alternative to conventional medicine. People of all age groups are finding naturopathic medicine a successful strategy to regain optimum health and resolve long-standing health problems.
Naturopathic medicine approaches diagnosis and treatment of illness in a whole-body strategy, and seeks to strengthen and tone all systems of the body. The Naturopath individualizes each patient's treatment, including physical conditions, genetics as well as emotional and lifestyle factors.
For example, naturopathic medicine views an ongoing skin condition such as eczema as a symptom of an underlying cause. The naturopath may employ blood cleansing herbs, such as Burdock root, and immune system boosting herbs, such as Echinacea, to address that which is producing the eczema in the first place.
Conventional medicine treats the condition as the cause, typically prescribing ointments or such to alleviate the symptoms. The symptoms may go away temporarily, only to ultimately return. The naturopath seeks out the underlying cause and is often able, over time, to eliminate the cause and thus the condition.
Diet and nutrition also fall within the naturopathic medicine system of healing. A naturopathic physician's education includes knowledge of vitamin and mineral deficiencies which may contribute to the condition. We are all learning more about how important diet is as a factor in health, and the naturopath will advise you based on a personal assessment of your health.
Other modalities of naturopathic medicine include physical therapy, fasting, acupuncture, aromatherapy and other natural and non-invasive therapies. Although naturopathic medicine attempts to use only natural and non-invasive treatments, the naturopathic physician is skilled in modern diagnostic testing procedures. If surgery is the necessary treatment, the naturopath will refer the patient to a surgeon. Naturopaths may also prescribe conventional antibiotics in appropriate circumstances.
The concept of naturopathic medicine has been practiced for thousands of years in various cultures around the world. Well known examples include Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Native American Shamanism and the Eclectic American physicians of the 1800's. The current formal designation “naturopathic medicine” grew out of the Eclectic movement, resulting in many fine accredited schools of naturopathic medicine.
Today's naturopathic physicians are rigorously trained and skilled in their field and have three to four years of postgraduate medical instruction.
You can check your local phone book to find naturopathic physicians. You may also want to contact the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians.
When all is said and done, the popularity of naturopathic medicine is due mainly to the fact that it works! Conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and menopause can be either greatly improved or even eliminated by naturopathic medicine methodologies. You'd be doing yourself a favor to look into this system of healing.

Friday, October 13, 2006

The 6 Week Body Makeover

One of my favorite infomercials is the "6 Week Body Makeover". This motivating program is a great motivator for many of us who have just a few pounds to lose or even for those who have a long way to go to reach their diet goals. The 6 Week Body Makeover is built on the theory that each person has a unique shape that defines his or her body in its natural state as it was meant to be. The 6 Week Body Makeover theory also asserts that each individual person also has a unique metabolism that is specific to his or her body type.
The program centers on a basic idea of individuality. The 6 Week Body Makeover helps you create a diet that is customized to your body shape and your metabolism. Developing and implementing an individualized diet and exercise plan that is catered to your specific body type and your unique metabolism will help you burn more weight than a normal diet alone.
This only stands to reason and this is also what makes me so excited about the 6 Week Body Makeover. It seems as if the people behind the individualized program seem to have found an interesting new and innovative concept. What is so appealing about the makeover program is that it focuses on the individual.
There are a few steps you need to take to begin your very own program. First it is extremely important to find the correct program for you in order for you to lose weight as quickly as possible. The 6 Week Body Makeover instructs you to fill out a questionnaire that helps pinpoint your specific metabolism type.
The next step consists of matching your shape and general body size to the sample drawings. Once you match the picture that best represents your shape and size, you determine your specific problem areas, as if you didn’t already know. This is a relatively fast and painless process.
Your metabolism type as determined by the questionnaire is combined with your problem areas as defined by the shape and size sample. From there, the 6 Week Body Makeover program is developed. The plan includes meals designed to help you feel energized and healthy and a simple body-sculpting workout program that targets your problem areas.
This exciting 6 Week Body Makeover concept still carries the same basic concept behind successful weight loss in general. Really, the focus is on proper diet and nutrition as well as regular exercise. We may not really need a program to figure this out, but a program like the 6 Week Body Makeover may push some of us in the right direction.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Information If you are like most health conscious adults, you notice nutrition information on your favorite foods, and make good choices based on recommended nutritional guidelines. A great site to visit that has reliable nutrition information is www.nutrition.gov, made available to consumers by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Library. This site features discussion on all the latest nutrition news, in addition to answers to the most frequently asked questions about the latest dietary guidelines for all age groups. Nutrition information is included for everyone, including men, women, infants, children, adolescents, the elderly, and for women that are pregnant or breastfeeding. The revised Food Guide Pyramid is also discussed, and describes each food group, recommended number of daily servings, and how to get these foods into your diet. Getting proper nutrition through your diet does not have to be complicated. It is important to get nutrition information from reliable sources as discussed above, and to seek additional advice from a nutritionist or health care provider if needed. Multi-vitamins, herbs, and other supplements are not intended to take the place of eating a balanced diet; it is always better to get nutrients from the natural source rather than buy a manufactured version. When looking at food labels note how many servings are in the package, calories, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and nutrients, as well as the ingredients. Nutrition information is required by federal guidelines to be on every food label, so it is readily available to consumers to use in diet planning. Many of us are not aware of what is in some of our favorite foods; maybe we just don’t want to know! We all need to be health conscious about what we eat, and what we feed our families. There are many additives and food preparation processes that are not necessarily good for the food we are taking into our bodies therefore it isn’t good for us either. The Food Guide pyramid is full of basic nutrition information, and is a good place to start planning your diet and adjust according to your daily calorie requirements and your goal weight. If you want to lose weight then physical activity should be increased and food intake decreased, without jeopardizing nutrition of course. The key to living a long healthy life is to take care of your body, mind, and spirit. Eat right, exercise regularly, reduce your stress level, and make healthy choices. It really is as easy as it sounds. Just remember, you are what you eat!