Woman Tribune » Health

Healthy Teeth for Life – 7 Tips for Families with Kids

Melissa — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:02:31 +0000

In his famous novel, Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes wrote, “Every tooth in a man’s head is more valuable than a diamond.” And that is so true; good dental health is an invaluable legacy that we can pass onto our children. I see the proof of it every time one of my children flashes a toothy grin or a dazzling smile.

Children brought up without good dental habits are often subject to frequent visits to their dentist later in life, whether it is for extra teeth whitening or other forms of cosmetic dentistry. Some children never visit a dentist until they reach school age, while others spend their entire childhood never stepping foot inside a dentist’s office.

Each of my children had their first visit to the dentist within a few weeks of cutting their first tooth. Dentists agree that around six months of age is a good time to schedule the first visit. Children who visit the dentist from an early age have fewer problems visiting the dentist later in life, especially if they’re required to undergo forms of cosmetic dentistry, like orthodontics to fix crooked teeth.

Here are 7 things you can do to promote good dental hygiene for your own family members:

Dental hygiene begins when the first tooth is cut, and parents can promote good dental hygiene by letting children chew on soft, clean teething toys. Parents can also wipe their children’s teeth with a soft cloth, and begin using a child-sized toothbrush once the molars cut through.
Brush your teeth together. When children see their parents enjoying the act of brushing their teeth, they will learn to enjoy it as well. Be sure to talk about how good it feels to have a clean mouth and how fresh-smelling it leaves their breath after.
Monitor toothpaste use because using too much toothpaste can be as bad as using too little, especially if the toothpaste is fortified with extra fluoride. Fluoride helps make teeth strong and fights cavities, but too much can stain teeth and cause them to break down. Because small children sometimes swallow the toothpaste, only use a dot about half the size of an adult fingernail.
Flossing is difficult for small children because they do not possess the hand dexterity to hold the floss in the proper way. Because of this, sealants are a good option, as they provide a protective coating over baby molars that are hard to reach. A good gauge of when children are ready to try flossing is when they begin writing legibly without assistance. Because children should see the dentist regularly, you can always ask the office’s dental assistant to show your child the proper way to hold floss for use in cleaning teeth.
Select toothpaste for kids, because grown-up toothpastes often have a strong, minty flavor. Even some brands for children cause the inside of the mouth to sting. While it might be trying to go through the trial and error of finding toothpaste that fits the needs of your family, or having several types on-hand for multiple family members, it’s a small price to pay when compared to the value of a healthy set of teeth.
Kid-friendly dentists are imperative when developing your children’s good dental habits. One bad experience during childhood can lead to a lifetime of dental phobia. Avoiding the dentist’s office has potentially serious consequences, especially if a problem arises that isn’t caught in time for proper treatment.
Good eating habits are also part of good dental health. Children taught from an early age to foster a love of fresh fruits and vegetables, almonds, and drinking plenty of water over unhealthy choices such as sugary sweets and soda pop are more likely to have whiter smiles and healthier teeth and gums.

Consult your family’s dentist for more tips about good oral hygiene and ways to naturally brighten your smiles. You may be able to prevent your children from needing cosmetic dentistry later in life. If anyone in your family has pain, sores that refuse to heal, loose adult teeth, gums that bleed, or any kind of growth inside their mouths, then it’s time to pay a call to the dentist as soon as possible.

This is a guest post by Becky James-Muth, a freelance writer whose interest in dental health for families was inspired for her own family’s dental habits. For her current series of articles on kid’s dentistry and healthy dental tips for families, she sought the help of Dr. Diane Bird, a Vancouver BC dentist. Becky also enjoys bowling, traveling, and gardening.

Photo by newsusacontent

CloSYS Oral Health Rinse Review

Holly — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:55:55 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of CloSYS. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have always had incredibly sensitive, temperamental teeth. Since adolescence, I have experienced issue after compounded issue with my oral health that has led to issues with my overall health, and even my quality of life.

Due to being pretty short changed in the genetics department, my front teeth have always been crooked and crowded. My family didn’t have the resources when I was growing up to get them fixed, and I was eventually diagnosed with Periodontal Disease, just as my father was, and my grandmother before him. Obviously, knowing that I am using the right oral hygiene products isn’t just important to me, it’s crucial, and I have tried a lot of products. In fact, I have tried more products made by a myriad of different brands and companies than I could ever count. From different toothpastes to medicated rinses and serums, I have found problems big and small with most products I’ve tried, never really finding that one great product or combination of products that did what I needed them to do all the time.

I was recently given the opportunity to try out CloSYS Oral Health Rinse. Before this, I had never heard of CloSYS, but after learning about Dr. Perry Ratcliff, one of America’s leading periodontists and experts on dental health and gum disease, who created the brand along with a team of leading dental professionals, I was impressed with their understanding of how oral health affects a person’s overall health, a sentiment in which I can attest to be absolutely true. This attention to the way in which our bodies work has gone into the formulation of their products.

CloSYS Oral Health Rinse is very different from other oral rinses I have used. Upon first inspection, it merely looks like water. There is no tint of color and no overpowering scent that practically jumps out of the bottle at you, which is great because those rinses usually have my eyes watering before I can even get a capful up to my lips.

With CloSYS, you control the taste. Using the small mint flavor dropper that comes with the rinse, you can add a touch of mint flavor to your liking or use it unflavored for a clean, fresh taste. After using it unflavored, I was really surprised with how clean my mouth felt not just right after rinsing, but for hours after. I later added a few drops of mint flavoring to the bottle and noticed a very subtle difference in the taste, and experienced that same clean feeling all over my mouth without having any bad breath odors creep in throughout the day, which always occurs with other rinses regardless of how flavored or strong they are. The reason for that, I have learned, is that over-the-counter mouth rinses merely mask bad breath odors, while CloSYS completely eliminates volatile sulfur compounds that cause bad breath and the harmful bacteria that create them. It is able to do this because CloSYS contains Cloralstan™, a powerful, patented ingredient that kills 99.9% of harmful bacteria in just 10 seconds. Wow.

CloSYS Oral Health Rinse is alcohol-free, so it doesn’t burn your mouth and it works gently but effectively. It is also gluten-free and balances the pH levels of your mouth, which is very important for keeping your mouth healthy.

I really love CloSYS Oral Health Rinse. Due to the fact that it isn’t heavily flavored and contains absolutely no alcohol, it doesn’t cause any problems for my highly sensitive teeth, and no other rinse has given me that overall clean feeling with fresh breath that has lasted for hours every single time I used it.

CloSYS line of products includes their Oral Health Rinse, Anti-cavity Fluoride, Fluoride-Free Toothpaste, and Fresh Breath Oral Spray. Check out their website for a list of physical and online retailers and don’t forget to like them on Facebook to stay up to date with everything they have going on.

Understanding the Phases, Symptoms, and Treatments of Menopause

Holly — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:09:15 +0000

Commonly referred to as “the change of life,” menopause is a truly dreaded phase that all women will eventually reach, usually kicking and screaming the entire way. Most women will reach menopause as they age gracefully, but premature menopause can occur due to genetics, autoimmune disorders, or medical procedures. While menopause brings a stop to your monthly menstrual cycle, that’s about the only welcomed relief associated with it. A lot of women don’t know what to expect when they think they feel menopause start to creep up on them, and others completely deny the symptoms they are experiencing, rationalizing their denial with the fact that it is widely believed that menopause occurs in women over a certain age and they have yet to reach that magic number.

Honestly, menopause is widely misunderstood, and just as we see with other issues that affect women’s bodies, it’s because of our contentment with not talking about it, or when we do, we’re often told that we’re giving too much information on the inner workings of our bodies. So let’s do the very thing that we have been trained by society not to do: Let’s talk about our bodies, and specifically, let’s dig deeper into what menopause is, how it affects women, and what women can do to treat the symptoms they experience as a result of this phase of life.

What is most frequently believed to be menopause is actually three different and distinct phases, menopause being the second phase. Perimenopause, or menopause transition, is the very beginning stages of menopause. This phase usually begins in a woman’s 40s, but can begin in her 30s, or in few cases, can even occur in a woman’s 20s. Perimenopause is when the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen over the course of about four years on average. Perimenopause can be a difficult time in a woman’s life because women will often experience the symptoms of menopause, but continue to have a monthly or erratic menstrual cycle.

Menopause, the second stage, is when a woman has not had a menstrual cycle in 12 months. It is at this point in life that a woman’s ovaries have stopped releasing eggs and producing most of their estrogen, marking the end of her reproductive period. The symptoms of menopause affect about 70% of women and are taxing both physically as well as mentally. The symptoms include mood swings, fatigue, decreased libido, breast tenderness, memory loss, difficulty sleeping, among others. The most common symptom of menopause, however, are hot flashes.

Studies suggest that hot flashes occur in menopausal women due to the withdrawal of estrogen from the system. This results in feelings of sudden, intense heat, flushing, perspiration, and rapid or irregular heartbeat and pulse. Not fun. In fact, hot flashes are a lot of the time to blame for the difficulty women in menopause have with falling and staying asleep. Waking up several times a night because of hot flashes certainly leads to fatigue and, if you don’t get enough sleep at night, you’re likely to become highly irritable. A lot of what we feel mentally and experience physically is directly linked to the amount of sleep we get and how restful it is.

There are many treatments for menopause available, including hormone replacement therapy. However, many doctors will typically advise against the use of hormones and many women are now choosing to steer clear of hormone therapies and synthetic remedies for their symptoms. A little treatment called Amberen is now coming to the aid of these women. Amberen is currently the only natural, nonprescription treatment for hot flashes on the market. Using patented technology, this treatment works with your body’s natural cycles and functions to reverse the body’s acceleration into the aging process. Through this treatment, countless women have experienced relief from hot flashes which has allowed them to sleep soundly through the night, alleviating mood swings and regaining a sense of clarity and focus that allowed them to continue to live their lives.

Finally, the third phase of menopause is postmenopause, which simply marks the years after menopause has occurred. If you are experiencing menopause’s harshest symptoms, take solace in the fact that this is but another rite of passage of being a woman. There are many treatment options available for women that will successfully treat menopause symptoms, which should be talked about with your doctor. Together, you can devise a menopausal treatment plan that is perfect for you.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Amberen. Incentive was provided to me, and opinions are my own.

Photo by pennstatelive

Yoplait Lactose Free Yogurt Review and Prize Pack Giveaway [Closed]

Holly — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:14:42 +0000

I love my dairy products. Ice cream, milk, cheese, yogurt, I love them all, and consume them happily as often as my heart and stomach desire. Unfortunately, my partner has had a love/hate relationship with dairy for years. As someone with lactose intolerance, he often denies himself the foods that he wants to eat because of the uncomfortable and sometimes painful consequences that come with them. He is just one of millions of Americans who are lactose intolerant, and while passing on dairy can spare people the effects of when it disagrees with their stomachs, it can also have unintended health consequences.

The National Institute of Health has stated that when dairy is avoided, there are lower intakes of calcium and vitamin D in a person’s diet. These nutrients are important for building and caring for your bones, so not getting enough of them can create a higher risk for osteoporosis.

Yoplait is helping those who are lactose intolerant and always saying ‘no’ to dairy products finally say ‘yes’ with their brand new Yoplait Lactose Free yogurt. This new yogurt comes in four delicious flavors–Strawberry, Peach, French Vanilla and Cherry–and contains 50% of the recommended Daily Value of calcium, with vitamins A and D in every cup. Lactose Free can also be used in your favorite recipes; because it contains no artificial sweeteners, it can be used in smoothies, cheesecakes, and more.

We had a chance to try out this new yogurt, and it is incredibly tasty. My partner has tried quite a few soy and lactose free products but has always made a funny face, said it “tasted weird”, and that was the end of it. With Yoplait Lactose Free yogurt, he had a whole new reaction. It doesn’t taste the least bit different from yogurt that contains lactose; in fact, if this yogurt were in a small bowl, instead of him eating right out of the container, he wouldn’t have known the difference. That is, he wouldn’t have known the difference until a little while after eating it when he didn’t get sick.

Yoplait Lactose Free is in grocery stores nationwide. If you or someone in your family is lactose intolerant, I highly recommend you try it out for yourselves. You can also save when you purchase your first cup by printing out this coupon for $0.30 off.

Giveaway

One lucky Woman Tribune reader will win a Yoplait Lactose Free prize pack, which includes one VIP coupon to purchase a free cup of Yoplait Lactose Free yogurt, a lunch tote, 2 gel packs, an individual bowl, and a matching spoon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The VIP coupon included in the prize pack is not valid in the following states: Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Tennessee.

Prize pack, information, and giveaway were provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark. No other compensation was received, and opinions are my own.

Don’t Have Dental Insurance? You Still Have Discount Dental Plan Options

Holly — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 09:04:26 +0000

Living without insurance can be downright terrifying. Sure, when you’re healthy you can go about your day without even thinking about it. You are likely to even skip routine checkups because hey, you’re healthy and everything is fine. But when you start thinking about the what-ifs, about the unexpected accidents that can occur, or the illnesses you can develop due to not receiving proper preventive care, visions of debt and flailing desperation can set in almost immediately. I know this feeling well, and unfortunately, there are millions of Americans who can relate.

For me, living without dental insurance has been the most troubling. Throughout my entire adult life, I have been self-employed working from home and unable to afford an insurance plan that would cover me with the pre-existing condition I have had since I was a teenager. I have developed additional health concerns because of my inability to afford an insurance plan or pay out of pocket for routine checkups and dental work. This is precisely why I wish I had heard about DentalPlans.com, a discount dental plan service, sooner.

Discount dental plans are an alternative to family and individual dental insurance plans, and DentalPlans.com offers over 30 different plans to choose from. What’s great about these plans, first and foremost, is that they are much more affordable than regular insurance, costing the equivalent of just one or two monthly premiums. For anyone who has ever gone to battle with their insurance company, you can agree that perhaps the most attractive part of discount dental plans is that you will not have to deal with claim forms or waiting for your insurance provider to process your claims. That means no more finding out how much you owe after having a procedure performed and finding out that you can’t possibly pay that bill. The discounts you receive with your discounted plan are already pre-negotiated with the network of dentists that work with the company that you have a discount plan with. When you get your dental work performed, you simply pay the discounted rate and you’re good to go.

Discount dental plans are ideal for individuals and families who undergo annual dental work, and they will also cover major procedures like fillings and root canals. Once you find a plan with a network of dentists in your area, you can rest assured that you will be accepted into the plan you choose without having to deal with the major issues that are routinely experienced with insurance companies. Discount plans do not exclude people with pre-existing conditions and they provide you with the peace of mind knowing that you and your family’s needs will be taken care of.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of DentalPlans.com. Incentive was provided to me, and opinions are my own.

Photo by BenefitsDeptInfo

Understanding the Process of Using Egg Donation in Fertility Treatment

Holly — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:02:01 +0000

About 1-in-8 couples of childbearing age experience fertility issues; that makes up about 7.3 million people in the United States alone who have tried to become pregnant unsuccessfully or have experienced a miscarriage. For those couples who are seeking a biological bond with their potential future-child, in vitro fertilization, or “IVF”, has become a widely-utilized fertility treatment. However, IVF is not always successful, and for some couples, may never be successful, even after spending years undergoing several cycles of treatment. For these couples, egg donation becomes the next available course of action.

Using eggs supplied by a donor allows women who lack healthy and viable eggs of their own to become pregnant at a high overall success rate. This treatment option is used most often in women who have already undergone several cycles of in vitro fertilization, who have premature ovarian failure, or elevated FSH levels.

If you are considering undergoing treatment using donated eggs, it is crucial that you understand the process that goes into this specific course of treatment. This process is made up of 7 steps, from the initial consultation to embryo transfer and hormonal supplementation.

The initial consultation is the very first step in the process of seeking IVF using donated eggs. This is the time the woman undergoing the treatment, commonly referred to as the “intended mother,” will have various fertility screenings. The intended parents will also have the opportunity to speak with and be counseled by a fertility specialist on treatment using a donor egg.

The second step of the process is what is called a Mock Cycle, where the health of the intended mother is ensured and she can begin taking hormones to prepare her womb for a mock embryo transfer. This is done so that when she proceeds with receiving a donor egg, it is confirmed that the procedure will go as smoothly as possible. Then it is time for the intended parents to work with an egg donation agency and select a donor.

When a suitable donor is chosen and begins working with the intended parents, the donor and the intended mother’s menstrual cycles are synchronized through the use of hormone therapy. The donor undergoes an egg stimulation cycle for egg retrieval, and if that goes smoothly, the donor’s eggs are retrieved and fertilized with the intended father’s sperm. Within the next 24 hours of the fifth step of this process, fertilized eggs within the batch can be identified.

The sixth step of the process is when the embryo transfer takes place. After developing for three-to-five days in an IVF dish, the fertilized embryo is transferred to the intended mother’s uterus. Pregnancy can be confirmed within one week of the transfer. If successful, the intended mother will then receive supplemental hormones for the first 12 weeks of her pregnancy.

Many fertility specialists and treatment centers have developed an extensive list of helpful resources for those who are interested in learning more about fertility issues and treatment. Santa Monica Fertility has their own Santa Monica fertility blog that discusses a myriad of fertility issues, from miscarriage and how it can be prevented, legal aspects of egg donation, and even videos of the IVF process, and more.

The decision to begin the process of fertility treatment is an important and deeply personal one. When gathering information about the process and what it entails, be sure to get your information from a variety of different resources and your counseling directly from trusted and respected fertility specialists.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Santa Monica Fertility. Incentive was provided to me, and opinions are my own.

Photo by pattiesolace

Calm Your Consciousness — 5 Tips for Your First Meditation

Joss — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:23:28 +0000

I attended my first-ever Meditation class recently after hearing of its many benefits in helping to manage anxiety and stress. Among the wonderful points the teacher taught us about Meditation, there was one that really stayed with me. She told us of how Buddhists describe life being full of 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows, and how these joys and sorrows travel through our consciousness. She said our consciousness is like a big river full of thoughts and Meditation is about getting on the bank of that river.

As a beginner to Meditation, I liked this visual picture to gain a better understanding of what it is you are trying to do when you meditate. It can be difficult when you are first starting out, as your mind can wander so much (as I found out) and you can feel like you are failing at it. You are supposed to keep your concentration on your breath or listen to the guiding voice, and instead you find yourself effectively falling into the river of your conscious thinking over and over again and getting preoccupied with all your thoughts!

But this river analogy helped me to realize that Meditation is about strengthening the process to getting on the bank, i.e. in getting to a tranquil place, and therefore it made me much more relaxed about the whole process. It helped me to understand that it is a practice. Your thoughts will always be there and you will find yourself off down the river of your thoughts, but you just keep gently coming back onto the bank through focusing on your breath again.

After my first Meditation class (in which I experienced mixed success), I felt I had gained a great visual of how the Meditation process works, but later I found that it also gave me a greater sense of awareness of our consciousness. When you think about it, our consciousness is really the most extraordinary tool we have. As far as we know, we are the only species who have been able to fully develop our consciousness. Meditation was developed over three thousand years ago for the purpose of calming and expanding our mind and consciousness, and can lead to state that brings peace and calmness.

For our fellow humans to have invented it they must have seen a very real need for it, and judging by how mainstream Meditation is becoming in this day and age, it would seem that they were absolutely right. In our beginners class alone, there were people from many different walks of life, including businessmen and women, a new mum, a grandmother, several Uni students, many 30-somethings, two surfers, a landscaper, a retiree, and a stay-at-home dad. When we were asked to say why we came, the answers were all mainly the same–to learn how to relax and calm our minds. As a side note, it was quite touching to think about how each of our different paths had lead us to that class that night.

Our teacher told us that in our consciousness everyday we have 60,000 thoughts and a high percentage of those we have had the day before. Can you believe it? Our consciousness is therefore very busy churning away, and that obviously has a big impact on our physical self. Meditation helps to calm our consciousness, to let go of that excessive repetitive thinking which can often be quite stressful, and help to give our bodies a well-earned rest by teaching us to be in the here and now, in the present moment. Some of the many benefits that can be experienced through Meditation include reduced stress, anxiety, anger, and tension; improvement in concentration, clarity of thought and memory, improved sleep, and the ability to know when to rest, just to name a few. There are also many physiological benefits that are well documented.

Here are five tips for learning to calm your consciousness through meditation. They are made up of things that I would have found handy to know before my first Meditation. I hope they are helpful and that you and your consciousness will enjoy the many benefits of Meditation as I am discovering.

5 Helpful Tips to Know Before Your First Meditation

Have an open mind. Try to let go of an preconceptions or judgments you have about Meditation before trying it for the first time. Try to have a “beginners mind” and view it with the freshness you would of seeing something for the first time.
It’s not about getting anywhere. So often we set expectations of where we want to be, we are always trying to get somewhere. Meditation is all about just being with yourself in the present moment, which is the challenge!
Your thoughts will come in. It is almost impossible to think you won’t find yourself taken away with your thoughts while you are learning to meditate. Try not to fight them or get frustrated and just let them go and return to your breath. My teacher said think of your thoughts like a playful puppy dog that wants to keep distracting you. That way, you don’t get as frustrated and angry or too enraged with them, just gently keep returning your focus.
Don’t take it too seriously, stay relaxed. It is overall an enjoyable and relaxing experience, and one that has many proven benefits, so relax and enjoy it. Much of the meditation practice involves acceptance and non-judgment, so don’t take it–or yourself–too seriously and trust in the process.
No meditation is ever the same. Each practice will be different depending on a variety of factors, including the kind of day you have had or stresses that you might be facing. Some days you might have a wonderful meditation practice and other days might not be so great. It’s always different. But it is a practice, so keep practicing and discovering the wonderful tool that Meditation can be in your life.

I hope you find peace in your inner thoughts as I am learning to do. Another wonderful tool I have found to clear my consciousness is Bikram Yoga, which I recently wrote about while also listing the pros and cons of the “hot yoga.”

Buy 2 Pairs of Eyeglasses Get 1 Free at Zenni Optical

Holly — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:08:51 +0000

My entire family wears eyeglasses, and so did I, from the first grade until I was 19 years old. My first pair of glasses were too big for my face and bright purple. They matched nothing and when I see pictures of myself from that time, I can’t help but cringe a little. They were just that ugly. But I was a little kid and purple glasses, at that time, made me pretty happy. As I got older, I of course started to choose more sensible, stylish frames, and naturally, I realized just how much money people are expected to pay for eyeglasses that compliment their sense of style. That is, until the internet made shopping for frames a lot less frustrating, and Zenni Optical makes them affordable for the whole family.

The #1 online eyeglasses store known for their high quality affordable eyeglasses, Zenni Optical makes shopping for new frames feel less like a seemingly never-ending process of picking up a pair that catch your eye, looking at the price tag, and not being able to put them down fast enough, and more like shopping for your favorite accessories. In fact, because they have $6.95 prescription eyeglasses, you really can treat your eyeglasses like accessories and purchase multiple pairs, giving you the freedom of switching styles whenever the mood strikes you.

If you thought Zenni Optical’s prices were unbelievable to begin with, I’ve got some great news for those of you who wear glasses: there’s a promotion going on right now on all Zenni Optical eyeglasses, and it is a big deal. For a limited time, when you purchase two pairs of Zenni Optical glasses, you will get the third pair free (of equal or lesser value). This is the biggest promotion Zenni Optical has ever had and it will definitely save families a whole lot of money than if they were to purchase all of their frames directly through their eye doctor’s office.

A lot of people are weary of buying particular things they need online; eyeglasses are one of those things. It makes sense, how can you know how a pair of frames are going to fit your face unless you can actually try them on before purchasing them? I get it and evidently, so does Zenni Optical because they have an application on their website called the Zenni Frame Fit that allows you to upload a photo of yourself and then virtually try on each and every pair of frames on their website. You can also choose a selection of favorite frames and compare them until you settle on which you want to purchase.

All Zenni Optical glasses include a free thin and light 1.57 index single vision lens, anti-scratch coating, and full UV protection. You will also receive a free protective case and microfiber cleaning cloth.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zenni Optical. Incentive was provided to me, and opinions are my own.

None yet, check back soon!

Simple Strategies for Coping with Childhood Allergies

Mikki — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:00:44 +0000

I will never forget the night my 12 year old woke me at midnight after waking with a swollen lip. At first glance I thought perhaps she had hit herself in the face and hadn’t noticed. Yet within an hour it had near doubled in size. I pulled out the liquid Benadryl and starting making calls.

What I didn’t know then was that night was the beginning of a long haul in allergy diagnostics. Two days later she woke yet again with another swollen lip, only the second time her entire body was covered in a mysterious red spotted rash.

The rash led to hives and the hives led to painful red skin. In fact at any given moment any one, or combination of these symptoms would randomly appear.

What began as a seemingly harmless swollen lip led us from Urgent Care to ER to allergist where they ran a series of tests to determine the source of her swelling and rashes. To my surprise, and that of the allergists, my daughter was allergic to EVERYTHING!

They had tested her for environmental allergies, food allergies and outdoor allergies. When everything came back positive I was shocked. You can imagine my relief when the allergist began to explain which allergens were more likely to cause her symptoms based on reaction. It was obvious that her allergies to dust, pollens and grasses had the highest reaction indicating they were likely the real cause of her symptoms.

Now that we knew the cause it was time to develop a plan for treatment!

The Simple Approach to Manage Airborne Allergens:

Each of the allergens impacting my daughter were categorized as airborne, meaning they float in the air we breathe and gain access to our bodies after being inhaled. I knew to minimize her symptoms I needed to focus on one key factor, the air!

Reducing the amount of grass and pollens she inhaled was rather simple. We paid attention to the pollen count, installed special screens that filtered these allergens out and avoided over exposure to the great outdoors.

My bigger challenge was dealing with dust mites as I knew very little about them and even less on how to control them. I began by studying up on these critters and exactly how they cause allergies. To my surprise everything revolved around the bed! This explains why she had so many late night flares.

To reduce dust mite allergens I had to purchase special mattress and pillow encasements that trapped the mites, and their waste, preventing them from floating in the air. Next I removed stuffed animals from her room, thoroughly vacuumed the carpets and finished up with an allergy quilt for that extra protection.

I have to be honest the results weren’t instant. In fact I began to question if my efforts were even worth it considering she was still having reactions weeks after implementing my new strategies. My worries were quickly put to ease when the allergist explained that it takes time for the body to fully eradicate allergens and that given some time her symptoms will subside. He was right and my daughter started sleeping peacefully again!

Photo by clearallergy

None yet, check back soon!

What Are the 5 Best Foods to Burn Fat?

Bethany — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:00:19 +0000

Is it really possible to eat well and lose weight at the same time? You may have heard of something called “calorie negative” foods. These healthy foods require more energy to digest than the calories that they provide to the body. On top of that, calorie negative foods can also provide a source of vital nutrients to stimulate healthy digestion and metabolism to burn fat.

Without further ado, here are the top five foods to add to your diet to burn fat and stay healthy at the same time:

Celery: Celery is a calorie negative food that only has 19 calories per cup. And celery will help to you to effectively burn calories since it takes much more than 19 calories to prepare, chew, and fully digest a cup of this vegetable. Celery is also full of water to suppress the appetite to make it easier to lose weight.
Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a delicious breakfast food that is rich in fiber, which will help you to stay full for longer. Oatmeal will also keep your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day so that your body can efficiently digest and burn fat while at rest. As a warning, stay away from sugary oatmeal in a variety of flavors; these seemingly healthy breakfast treats will pack in unnecessary calories and sugar.
Salmon: Salmon is a healthy fish that contains omega-3 fatty acids. And your body needs omega-3 fatty acids to control a hormone called leptin, which regulates metabolism. Since salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, it will help to boost your body’s natural ability to burn fat by regulating leptin.
Grapefruit: Grapefruit isn’t necessarily a calorie negative food, but it is very low in calories at only 74 calories per cup. Grapefruit also contains a powerful antioxidant called naringenin, which communicates with the liver to burn fat. No wonder the Grapefruit Diet is so popular! Of course, it’s best to enjoy grapefruit as part of an already healthy diet instead of restricting yourself to just one food group to lose weight.
Green Tea: There are a number of fat burning supplements that contain green tea as a leading ingredient. And as a natural beverage, green tea can help to boost metabolism due to its EGCG content. Green tea will also protect your overall health by reducing the risk of cancer with a generous dose of antioxidants.

None yet, check back soon!

National Chocolate Day

Jacquie — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:00:39 +0000

October 28 is National Chocolate Day. Personally, I think it should be a statutory holiday where we all get the day off work to indulge in chocolate. Chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, chocolate candies, chocolate…well, you get the idea.

A Celebration of Chocolate

Chocolate is the world’s number one flavour. This tasty substance was first discovered by the ancient Mayans, who used the extract of the cacao plant as a beverage in ancient rituals. Later, after it had been discovered and brought to Europe by the Spanish, chocolate became a symbol of royalty, available only to those rich or powerful enough to obtain it. In Renaissance-era France, chocolate was officially reserved specifically for members of the French Royal Court.

Today chocolate is the favourite dessert of the masses. Whether on its own or blended as a subtle flavour it’s used in countless foods and drinks worldwide. I think it’s about time we gave chocolate it’s due.

Chocolate is revered throughout the world and many countries have their own chocolate celebrations. In the country of Ghana, for instance, which is a major producer and exporter of chocolate, the government decreed that February 14 would henceforth become National Chocolate Day.

The thinking behind this was that the associated Valentine’s Day celebrations were corrupting the youth of the country and that a focus on chocolate for that day would reduce the “wanton immorality” on the part of young people on this day. Personally, I’m not so sure that was a good idea. After all, chocolate has been considered an aphrodisiac for centuries. The Ghanaian government may have more to deal with than they bargained for!

Chocolate comes with a surprising array of health benefits, various studies have shown that the chemicals in chocolate can boost your mood, lower your blood pressure and even improve your cardiovascular health. Technically, chocolate is actually a vegetable, it comes from the cacao tree found in Central America and Western Africa. Of course, we all know how important it is to eat our vegetables, right?

Despite all this, chocolate does have its detractors (clearly these people are no fun at all.) The two main criticisms are that it contributes to obesity and to the development of acne. The fact of the matter is that any food eaten in excess will cause obesity, not just chocolate. It’s a matter of maintaining moderation; everything in your diet has its place, including chocolate.

As for the acne, the actual causes of acne are related to diet, hormones and genetics. Some believe excess sugar contributes to the problem and thus label chocolate as a culprit. The evidence however, points to the fact that getting rid of acne is more a matter of eating a healthy diet overall, maintaining proper hygiene and avoiding food allergies. Paying attention to these factors is what’s really needed as a treatment for pimples.

Personally, I think the most important benefit of chocolate is that it simply tastes good. Don’t we all deserve to enjoy a break once in a while with the world’s greatest dessert? Even if chocolate were completely unhealthy, I’d argue the taste and psychological benefits would make it all worthwhile.

So remember, on October 28, feel free to celebrate National Chocolate Day without guilt and in whatever manner you see fit. Chocolate mousse, chocolate sauce, dark chocolate, white chocolate, the possibilities are endless!

Photo by David G-H

None yet, check back soon!

The Absence and a Little Story About One of the Most Unproductive Hospitals Ever

Holly — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:58:57 +0000

There has been barely any blogging action going on here over the past week. My apologies for that. While slow days are certainly an occurrence around these parts, a week of pretty much nothing new is highly unusual. It wasn’t planned. I’ve been doing my best to adapt to some lifestyle changes that have proven to be difficult and pretty damn exhausting. For one, caffeine withdrawal. Take someone who has been drinking two pots of coffee a day for the past several years and tell them that from this day forward, caffeine does not exist in their lives and while we’re at it, neither does any type of stimulant in any form. You’ll see a whole new side of that person. More than likely, you will be seeing a lot of their angry side, but don’t worry, it doesn’t last long. People who have been fueled by caffeine for years tend to have a particularly difficult time with the act of staying awake without it.

Here is how last Thursday night was supposed to go: Attend the Sound for Scoliosis kick off party that was organized by a friend of mine. Have a fun night hanging out with friends, enjoy a few drinks, see my partner’s new band play later that night, and come home.

Here is what happened instead: I don’t go out very often, but for the first time in a while I was out and having a great time. I got to hang out with a few friends I haven’t seen in a while and I saw a couple of bands. Good times. Until suddenly, I wasn’t having such a good time anymore. Out of nowhere, the band that was playing got so loud it was nearly deafening and I had tunnel vision. I have a history of anxiety and panic attacks, which is the reason why I don’t go out very often. Logic told me that I was having a panic attack. No big deal, at least not to me because I have such a history with them and have learned over time how to talk myself down out of a panic. Except for the small detail that I did not feel anxious in the least before these symptoms washed over me, this was a fabulous plan. It didn’t work.

The last thing I remember from inside the bar was sitting in a bathroom stall telling myself that I was totally fine. Unbeknownst to my conscious brain, I had walked out of the bathroom. When I made it to my partner who was waiting outside for me, I collapsed into him. I had passed out, woke up on the floor, and passed out again, this time my head falling back into a brick wall. Somehow I had made it outside through the back of the bar and an ambulance had been called. After sitting in the bathroom stall, the next thing I remember is talking to paramedics who were telling me that I was probably fine (because I had mentioned my history of panic attacks) and that they just had to check my vitals before letting me go on my way.

If there is one attribute I embody when I am terrified, it is annoyance. I talk a lot, I ask a lot of questions, and I pursue every task as if it is a test–and I desperately need to know if I passed. Did I pass this vitals test the paramedics spoke of? They didn’t tell me because as soon as they checked my blood sugar, I was informed that a trip to the hospital was in my best interest because it was dangerously low. I had failed the blood sugar test!

I spent six hours at a hospital that I’m just going to go out on a limb and say could totally make a top 10 list of the most unproductive hospitals in the country. Seriously, if you either work or hope to work in the medical field and want a job where all is expected of you is to gossip with your coworkers, do nothing to actually treat your patients, and just stare at them while they repeatedly set off the heart rate monitor alarm while sitting on your ass, then you need to apply for a job there.

I endured six hours of tests followed by waiting and then more waiting. Six hours of being poked, prodded, and then ignored. Six hours of being left in a room to twiddle my thumbs and wonder what the hell is going on with no updates. Six hours of having seemingly random people mosey on into the room, ask what happened to me, write it down, ask if anyone has given me anything to raise my blood sugar, and then leave, never to be seen or heard from again. Six hours of sporadic vomiting, regardless of the fact that I’m pretty sure nothing could have been in my system after this much waiting, and waiting, and waiting. After all of this, I was finally told that I have low blood sugar that would need to be kept in mind when making my daily nutrition choices, a rapid heart rate (hence the repeatedly setting off the heart rate monitor alarm even while completely relaxed), and an extremely high white blood cell count.

Now here is a funny story about one of the most unproductive hospitals in the country. Usually, and I could be wrong here but I think this is how medicine is usually practiced, you have blood taken, that blood gets tested and then when the doctor finds something wrong with that blood, they then move on to diagnosing the problem and then treating it. This hospital did not work that way. In this hospital, you apparently get your blood taken, they test it, find something wrong with it, and then want to perform all of the tests again because they didn’t like what they found. This is a problem because I have always had an extreme fear of needles. It is a bad, bad fear. I am actually over the moon about not freaking out like a total four-year-old child over getting a whole lot of blood drawn and letting the paramedic attempt to put in an IV on the way to the hospital. I am extremely proud of myself for that. You have no idea how major that is.

Needless to say, I did not let them continue with their Let Us Do the Least Amount of Work Possible by Repeatedly Running the Same Tests charade. I went home. For fear of a concussion, I wasn’t allowed to doze off while laying around the hospital for six hours, so I went home and I got some much-needed, much-appreciated sleep.

The three symptoms that I have going on, the low blood sugar, the rapid heart rate (or Tachycardia, if you want to get all fancy with your medical speak), and the extremely high white blood cell count are all of the effects of my Periodontal Disease, which I have had for the past seven years. Periodontal Disease is an inflammatory disease that affects the teeth, the tissues that surround and support the teeth, and when it is extremely advanced, to the gums. It has run rampant throughout my family and just like the family members who have had it, regardless of how well I have taken care of my teeth throughout my life, they continue to break down and eventually rot. If you have never had problems like this with your teeth then you may be surprised to find out that when there is a problem in your mouth, it is only a matter of time before you start having problems with the rest of your body. Your teeth really do affect your entire body and in my case, it has lead to an extreme bacterial infection that even high doses of antibiotics seem to be immune to. A high white blood cell count in itself signifies rapid infection, as does a rapid heart rate. Low blood sugar seems to be the only thing I can at least treat and control.

Fun, right? So that is what has been going on with me and over the past week, I have focused on getting my energy back up and adjusting to making eating a new part time job of mine in order to control the low blood sugar factor that has become my new reality.

Woman Tribune will be back in full swing over the next few days as I get all of its affairs in order and finally get caught up.

Photo by Michael Coté

None yet, check back soon!

First-Ever Infertility Tax Credit Legislation Could Improve Access to Medical Treatment and Encourage Potential Donors

Holly — Thu, 26 May 2011 07:40:25 +0000

On May 12, 2011, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand introduced the first-ever legislation that, if passed, would dramatically improve access to infertility medical treatment by way of tax credits. The Family Act of 2011 fills a void in current political legislation that aims to directly support the growth of families through the course of in vitro fertilization.

In the United States today, the cost of in vitro fertilization starts at around $12,400 per cycle. Most often, it takes multiple cycles of IVF in order for it to prove to be effective and still, at the end of your treatment, there is no guarantee that you will come out with the success you had hoped for.

Infertility is recognized by the World Health Organization as a legitimate disease and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has publicly stated that infertility is an “emerging public health priority.” Regardless, it is extremely rare to find IVF, as well as any other assisted reproductive technology services, listed on insurance policies. In fact, only 15 states have passed laws to date that require insurance companies to offer some level of treatment for infertility. That isn’t to say that you will find IVF listed as a covered course of treatment within all 15 of these states, but you will find some form of treatment that will be made available to infertile couples.

Considering that an extremely limited group of people are likely to ever find in vitro fertilization, or most other services like it, listed as a covered course of treatment on their insurance policies, the only other option those seeking this procedure is to pay for it out of pocket. This does not look too great for, well, most people who are diagnosed with infertility. This is especially true since while we have seen a subtle rise in our national economy, we are still very much dealing with the aftermath of a historic financial crisis.

There are obvious considerable cost barriers that infertile couples are faced with. This bill would help to alleviate some of this well-known struggle by making tax credits available to taxpayers who earn an adjusted gross income of less than $182,500. This bill would also make these tax credits unavailable for those who earn $222,520 or more per year.

While the introduction of this bill is light at the end of the tunnel for many who hope to undergo fertility treatments but cannot afford to do so, spreading the word about this bill also raises awareness about the importance of egg donation.

We don’t hear about the option for healthy women to donate their eggs very often. The term “in vitro fertilization” has quickly become quite common and has reached the point where most everyone knows what it is and how it is done, but we usually have a very one-sided thought process when it comes to the procedure. We think about the women undergoing IVF, but not about if she will use donor eggs or who they come from.

In most cases, there is a six to nine month matching wait associated with IVF when a woman is using eggs that are donated. This is merely more time that women undergoing IVF must wait in order to attempt to conceive, not even counting the amount of time one cycle takes to complete. This can become an understandably hard time. The key to more women wanting to donate their eggs is letting them know that it is an option and what qualifies them in order to start the process.

Photo by jeo0072002

None yet, check back soon!

Help Raise Breast Cancer Awareness with BeeWell for Life and You Could Win an iPad2

Holly — Thu, 12 May 2011 13:01:05 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of BeeWell for Life. All opinions are 100% mine.

Current research and medical studies reveal that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Each time one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, she brings a league of family, friends and loved ones with her to join in the fight against it. The fight against breast cancer is never just the fight of the one diagnosed with it; it is the fight of everyone who has ever known someone who has been diagnosed.

It’s true that countless people have committed themselves wholly to fighting breast cancer, but what every person who has donated their time, resources and finances to this fight will tell you, is that the fight will not stop until a cure for this severe and tragic cancer has been found. One of the most pivotal steps in ensuring a cure is found within our lifetime is to continue raising awareness while making a difference in the lives of those who have been affected by breast cancer.

BeeWell for Life is a resource dedicated to supplying people just like you and me with the resources and tools available to make the most of your healthy active lifestyle. Their website is fully dedicated to the health and wellbeing of your body, mind and spirit while continuing to lead the way in breast cancer awareness and support through their partnership with the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization.

The BeeWell for Life website is also the home of the BeeWell Miles Program where you can Walk and Bee the Difference. For every mile you walk, run or cycle and log on their website, they will donate $0.10 to the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization to fund YourShoes, a peer support program that includes a 24/7 breast cancer center that provides a toll-free hotline, email and support groups staffed by trained breast cancer survivors, as well as other outreach and awareness services and programs.

To make sure you never miss an important health tip, be sure to follow @BeWellforLife on Twitter and “like” them on Facebook.

iPad2 Giveaway

In an effort to get more people having active conversations about breast cancer, raising awareness and to help make a difference in the lives of those affected by breast cancer, BeeWell for Life has just launched Tag4Cancer.com, where they are giving away an iPad2 to two lucky winners. To enter to win, tweet from the Tag4Cancer.com website and make sure your tweet includes the hashtag #Tag4Cancer, links back to the official Tag4Cancer website and mentions both @beewellforlife and one of your friend’s Twitter handles so they can raise breast cancer awareness too. The more you tweet, the better your chances of winning.

But that isn’t all; you have yet another chance to win an iPad2 by introducing other participating bloggers (like myself) to some of your most inspiring, motivating friends! To enter to win, leave a comment on this post telling us how or why a certain friend of yours inspires you to either be fit or to make a difference in others. You must link to your friend’s blog, Facebook profile or Twitter handle in your comment.

For the list of participating bloggers where you can also comment to enter to win an iPad2, check out the contest rules. This contest will end May 31st.

None yet, check back soon!

Ways to Avoid High Blood Pressure

Holly — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:00:09 +0000

This is a guest post by Dave Boblenz, PharmD, a pharmacist with over 14 years of experience. He operates Pharmacy Technician Certification.

Hypertension is defined as high blood pressure. Blood pressure readings should be no more than 120 over 80. The top number (120) is the systolic pressure or pressure created when your heart beats. The bottom number (80) is the diastolic pressure or pressure inside blood vessels when the heart is at rest. Physicians tend to be more concerned with the diastolic pressure because you do not want constant pressure on your arteries, but both should be monitored.

Hypertension often has no symptoms. This is why it is important to regularly have your blood pressure checked. Keep in mind the “white coat factor”, which basically means your blood pressure goes up because you are nervous at the doctor’s office. Also, one reading will not determine if you have high blood pressure or not. To determine if you have high blood pressure, you should have several blood pressure readings over several days at different times. Record these readings and bring them to your doctor for him to determine.

What increases your risk of developing hypertension?

Smoking
Obesity
Diabetes
Family history
African American descent

While the above risk factors can all contribute to your chances of developing hypertension, you may have none of these and still develop hypertension.

If high blood pressure persists and is left untreated, serious complications can result. Some of these complications are heart attack, kidney damage, kidney failure, congestive heart failure, stroke, arteriosclerosis, brain damage and vision loss.

If you do develop hypertension, what can you do?

If you are overweight, lose weight. Extra weight strains your heart and even small weight loss can mean big changes in blood pressure.

Exercise for 30 minutes most days of the week. Even moderate exercise, such as a 30-minute walk can improve blood pressure. This also will go hand-in-hand with achieving weight loss.

If you smoke, stop.

Reduce stress. Meditation, exercise, and making time to do things you enjoy can all help with stress reduction.

If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar in check.

Limit alcoholic beverages. If you must drink, consume no more than 1 to 2 drinks per day.

Watch your sodium intake. Excessive salt is believed to put you at higher risk for hypertension. Limit salty foods and avoid using the salt shaker. Stick to fresh, unprocessed foods. Also, you can easily halve the salt in half in recipes with no taste difference.

Increase calcium intake. New research shows that insufficient calcium can increase blood pressure. Aim for 3 servings of dairy per day or 1000 mg of elemental calcium.

Make sure you are getting enough potassium. Low potassium levels have also been shown to affect blood pressure. Orange juice, bananas, tomatoes, dried beans, and potatoes are all good natural sources.

Many times the above lifestyle changes can improve high blood pressure. If lifestyle changes are not enough, your doctor may recommend a medication to treat the high blood pressure. Many medications in multiple classes have been developed to help aid in reducing high blood pressure. Any of the following medication classes may be prescribed.

Alpha blockers
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
Aniotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)
Beta-blockers
Calcium channel blockers
Central alpha agonists
Diuretics
Renin inhibitors
Vasodilators

Remember, if you are faced with high blood pressure, it is imperative that it is treated. Fortunately, lifestyle changes and, if need be, medication options can be used to bring blood pressure down to healthy levels.

None yet, check back soon!

How to Easily Incorporate Whole Grains into Your Daily Diet

Holly — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:11:00 +0000

The new U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that each American should get three full daily servings of whole grain. In reality, a staggering 95% of Americans are only getting a little more than half a serving of whole grain daily. That means that fewer than 1 in 20 people living in the U.S. has the recommended daily serving of whole grain incorporated into their diet.

Whole grain provides vital nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients that make up a healthy diet. Whole grains are those that contain the complete grain, including the bran, the germ and the endosperm. When working together naturally, these three ingredients have tremendous health benefits.

After some research, it has been found that a big indicator as to why most Americans are not receiving the daily recommended serving of whole grains is because they aren’t sure what exactly whole grains are, or what foods are made of true whole grain. It seems to me that this is a great indicator that Americans are not being given the adequate and comprehensive education we rightly deserve when it comes to what foods must be present in our daily diets to keep ourselves healthy. We merely read about recommended serving sizes, but never information on how we should incorporate those foods into our diet in the healthiest way possible.

There are many ways to incorporate whole grain into your diet. Here are some simple food choices that are loaded with whole grains that are healthy for you to eat on a daily basis:

General Mills is dedicated to providing America with more whole grain at breakfast with their cereals than any other breakfast food from any other manufacturer. General Mills Big G cereals contain at least 8 grams of whole grain per serving, with more than 20 Big G cereals delivering 16 grams or more.

Visit General Mills website for information about Big G cereals, including product and nutrition details, as well as where your closest grocery store is where you can find General Mills Big G cereals.

None yet, check back soon!

H.R. 3 “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” is Offensive to All Women

Holly — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:00:58 +0000

If you are familiar with my personal blog and Twitter account, you may have noticed that for the past two days, I have been pretty busy keeping up with news surrounding a new bill that was introduced to the House on January 20 by Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey. The reason why not only have I been tweeting and blogging about this, but am now bringing the conversation over here, is because it is imperative that as many people as possible know what this bill proposes and how it will change how federal funds are used for abortion by offending and further stigmatizing rape survivors.

Here is a breakdown of what H.R. 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act does:

Redefines rape
The federal law, as it is seen and goes into effect today, does not use federal tax dollars to cover abortion unless it is an unwanted pregnancy resulting in rape, incest, or if the pregnant woman’s health or life is at risk. Under the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, the rape exception would only cover “forcible” rape. Ironically enough, the word “forcible” is not defined in the bill. What this means is that if a minor child who is, say, 13 years old, is coerced into a sexual relationship with a man who is not a minor, let’s just say he’s 40, and that girl becomes pregnant as a result of that rape, well, that rape doesn’t count. If a woman is drugged and then raped, that rape doesn’t count. If a woman is unconscious and is raped, that rape doesn’t count. If a woman is mentally disabled and cannot consent to sexual activity and is raped, that rape doesn’t count.

Puts an age restriction on incest
If a woman is raped by her father, brother, uncle, grandfather or a member of their family, and she is 18 years old, she cannot use federal funds in order to obtain her abortion. Also, let’s say a 17-year-old girl is raped by her father and she is just shy of her eighteenth birthday. If she was raped when she was 17, but is seeking an abortion when she is 18, would she be eligible? I suppose that’s up to the Chris Smith and John Boehner Official Rape Panel to decide.

Removes the exception for women’s health
This bill will allow federal funds to cover abortion if, and only if, a physician certifies that the pregnancy will kill her. If continuing her pregnancy will damage her organs in some way or she will become terribly ill, having to live on medications, dialysis, in a wheelchair or what have you for the rest of her life, she will not get coverage because that isn’t life-threatening.

Requires government to continue funding agencies and programs that discriminate against women and endanger women’s health
Currently, it is law that doctors and nurses do not have to provide elective abortion services, nor are health care facilities required to offer abortion services. Under the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, these facilities are given free reign to discriminate when it comes to a woman’s reproductive health care by in addition to not providing abortions, also refusing to refer women to other health care facilities, agencies and programs that do and the government cannot withdraw funds. Due to the GOP’s constant attack on all of women’s reproductive health choices, abortion is being regularly redefined to include emergency contraception and even birth control, which could also be effected by this bill.

Cuts tax benefit to organizations and/or individuals who select an insurance policy that covers abortion
Today, most private health insurers cover abortion services. Under the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, tax subsidies that are given to small business owners and individuals who purchase insurance that covers abortion would be cut. This bill would, in fact, ensure that all private insurance companies stop covering abortion services, even when abortions are medically necessary.

Make Your Voice Heard — Speak Out Against H.R. 3

#DearJohn Twitter Protest

If you are on Twitter start following and contributing to the #DearJohn Twitter protest. The #DearJohn campaign was started by feminist social media superhero Sady Doyle. This hashtag was created as a response to H.R. 3 and is being directed at Speaker of the House John Boehner who has made this bill a “top priority.” That’s right, John Boehner and the GOP are not working towards creating more jobs for Americans or reducing the country’s deficit; their top priority is to strip women, and most notably, rape survivors of their reproductive rights.

You can also tweet at John Boehner (@SpeakerBoehner) as well as the 173 co-sponsors of the bill who are on Twitter by looking them up here. Remember, if you are engaging via Twitter, keep your inquiries and tweets directed at representatives productive without offending or insulting.

Contact Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey and Co-Sponsors of H.R. 3

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act is sponsored by Chris Smith. He authored this bill and should rightfull know how the people whom this bill would effect feel about his position on stripping rape survivors and women of their reproductive rights. You can find his office mailing addresses, phone numbers and fax numbers here.

You can find the list of all 173 co-sponsors of this bill as well as information on how to contact them here.

Contact Your Representative

You have the undeniable right to contact your representative and voice your position on this bill. You can easily find out exactly who your representative is and what their contact information is here.

To quote Sady Doyle on contacting your rep:

Look that person up on Wikipedia, to get a sense of who they are, if you don’t already know. Then, CALL THEM. Be polite; be professional; do not threaten or use violent or abusive language under any circumstances. Explain to them that their constituents don’t support this bill, explain how and why it’s a bad bill, and let them know that if they support or fail to oppose this bill, they can expect that to impact them in a very bad way when it comes to the matter of keeping their jobs. We hired them; we can fire them. We want to flood them with calls, today and tomorrow. We need to stand up and be counted. And we can. But we need to make sure they don’t just see us talking on the Internet. We need to make sure they hear our voices, one by one by one.

When contacting your representative, it is very easy to become flustered, nervous and scatterbrained. Sady Doyle, the lifesaver of activism that she is, worked out a script she used when calling the short list of Democrats who have co-sponsored H.R. 3 and posted it for others to use. If your Representative is not a Democrat, this script is still a really good start to working out what, exactly you want to say.

Hi, I’d like to leave a comment for the Congressman in regards to a bill that was recently introduced.

[They’ll say okay: It’s their job to be open to comments from the public, remember.]

The bill is HR3, which is an extremist anti-choice measure that would strip rights from rape survivors and people who need abortions in an unprecedented way. Even under the Hyde amendment, there were exemptions for survivors of rape and incest, and they received federal funding; this strips that back by saying that only people who are “forcibly raped” will be covered. And 70% of rapes aren’t “forcible.” Not only that, but it makes it much harder for insurance companies to cover people who need abortions, regardless of why they need them, and it strengthens “conscience” restrictions, which means that doctors can refuse to provide reproductive medical care to anyone at any time, if they can claim that their conscience was involved. [Representative] is one of the very few Democrats who has co-sponsored this bill. I’m very disappointed in him. Most Democrats don’t support these extremist anti-choice restrictions, and most Democratic voters won’t be willing to overlook this when it comes to the polls. I’d appreciate it if you could pass that comment on to the Congressman.

[They’ll say yes.]

Great. Thank you so much for your time.

No one has the right to de-legitimize sexual assault survivors and H.R. 3 proposes to do just that. Make your voice heard.

None yet, check back soon!

Giuliana and Bill Rancic Join RESOLVE and Fertility LifeLines to Speak Up About Infertility

Holly — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:12:57 +0000

You know what there seems to be no shortage of? Baby news. Sometimes it can seem like everyone is preparing for a new baby. From people in Hollywood appearing on the covers of magazines and going on daytime talk shows to drop the news that they’re expecting, or their baby bumps appearing on celebrity blogs all over the internet, to your neighbors, friends, and family members, it seems like everyone is having a new baby. Or it could very well just seem like babies are front-and-center in discussions everywhere, especially if you’re having trouble getting pregnant yourself.

Infertility is a huge hurdle for a lot of women. In fact, 1-in-8 couples of childbearing age experience fertility issues, making up about 7.3 million people in the United States alone. Regardless of the number of people infertility affects, it remains a reproductive health issue that still has a good amount of stigma attached to it, and some of that stigma is in fact internalized self-critique by the women affected by it. It is not uncommon for women to believe that there must be something “wrong” with them on a deeper level than just having a health issue when they are having trouble getting pregnant or when they experience a miscarriage. That is why it is so important for more people who are and have been affected by fertility issues to speak up about them and create a safe and encouraging dialog for others.

Giuliana and Bill Rancic are a couple who are very familiar with fertility issues. Giuliana, a news anchor for E! and Bill, an entrepreneur and The Apprentice season one winner, have been sharing their story of trying to get pregnant in intimate and explicit detail on their reality television show, Giuliana & Bill, which airs on Mondays at 8PM ET on the Style Network. The couple has also recently joined RESOLVE and the National Infertility Association, a non-profit organization with the only established, nationwide network mandated to promote reproductive health, and Fertility LifeLines, a free and confidential educational resource that provides information and support to people with fertility health concerns. With these organizations, Giuliana and Bill Rancic have been speaking up about fertility issues, their own issues, and how to go about getting help, support, and treatment options.

If you are under the age of 35 and have been trying to conceive for a year or more, or if you are over the age of 35 and have been trying for six months or more, it is important to see a fertility specialist as soon as possible. By seeing a fertility specialist now, you can potentially reduce the chance of more frustration later. You will also have the opportunity to get educated about fertility, get answers to your questions about fertility from a professional who knows what they’re talking about, and with your specialist, you can determine potential treatment options that have the best chance of working for you.

Photo by Sidewalks TV

None yet, check back soon!

Can Menopausal Hormone Therapy Reduce Risks of Serious Health Conditions?

Holly — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:00:16 +0000

In 2002, the Women’s Health Initiative declared that they had sufficient evidence that Hormone Replacement Therapy was a harmful practice that could lead to the same health risks that some doctors are saying it now helps prevent.

In a new book, Womenopause: Stop Pausing and Start Living (O Books 2010), menopause experts Drs. Lovera W. Miller and David C. Miller claim that Menopausal Hormone Therapy can help reduce the risk of serious health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, diabetes, and even depression.

While certainly the fear that women will become interested in Menopausal Hormone Therapy in order to remain looking young, very much in the same way that plastic surgery has become so popular among people of all ages and lifestyles. However, Dr. Lovera Miller warns that the “chief reason Menopausal Hormone Therapy is recommended is to maximize quality of life. It is never to be used as some nutty attempt to remain young or turn back the clock.”

The doctors utilized a new set of metrics by which to measure the health benefits of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and they explain that there are certain categories of women who should not use Menopausal Hormone Therapy, including women who have had or currently have breast cancer, liver disease, or a heart attack or stroke within the past 12 months. For women who are prime candidates to utilize Menopausal Hormone Therapy, the doctors discuss the numerous benefits it has to treat menopause symptoms, including:

A reduced risk of developing depression and dementia
Reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, diabetes, and colon cancer
Bio-identical verses “BodyIdentical” hormone therapy
Which nutritional supplements really work for menopause
Stronger bones and muscles
Improved sexual response

Womenopause: Stop Pausing and Start Living by Drs. Lovera W. Miller and David C. Miller is available at Amazon, as well at your local bookstore.

None yet, check back soon!

Take the Do Something Healthy Schools Challenge and Enter for a Chance to Win a Scholarship

Holly — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:54:15 +0000

Do Something is raising awareness of the troubling statistic that nearly 1 in 3 young Americans are overweight or obese. They are encouraging and motivating young people to make a difference within their own schools and communities with the launch of the Healthy Schools Challenge.

Young people who want to take part in the Healthy Schools Challenge should pick some of their best friends and register their team on dosomething.org/HealthySchools and start a healthy living project at their school. By reporting back and sharing what they did to make their school a healthier place to be, the person who started their team could win a $1,000 scholarship for college as well as an awesome party for their school courtesy of Do Something.

Need some ideas for your own healthy living project? Young people are already hosting field days, getting health food vending machines put in their schools, hosting exercise experts at their schools, educating the community on where people can buy local organic food and starting organic gardens to be used in making healthy school lunches.

Do Something has some pointers for young people interested in the Healthy Schools Challenge, so head on over and get started today.

None yet, check back soon!

5 Things You Can Do to Stay Healthy that Don’t Require Diet or Exercise

Holly — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:00:26 +0000

I pretty much hate everything about dieting–especially the fact that the diet industry is a multi-billion dollar megaforce–and I can’t really stick to an exercise schedule. One thing I definitely know about myself is that I am horrible when it comes to keeping a schedule of any kind; I always seem to fall out of whatever schedule I set forth for myself even though I never mean to.

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably wondering what you can do to stay healthy when everything you read about health revolves around diet and exercise. Well, here are five things you can do to keep yourself revitalized and refreshed.

Sleep

Lack of sleep can do a lot more harm than a lot of people may be aware of; it can cause weight gain, it may shrink your brain and it can also put you at risk for developing heart disease. Getting enough sleep keeps you on track during the day and increases athletic performance.

Unplug

I know just as well as any other self-respecting computer addict that there is definitely a time to unplug yourself from the internet. It’s addicting, it’s time-consuming and it often takes up more time than you mean it to, which can cause you to skip getting the physical benefits of going outside and giving yourself some fresh air.

Sex

There are many, many benefits to responsible, safe, consensual sex; it boosts immunity, strengthens your pelvic floor muscles and reduces your risk of heart disease. Even not going all the way can be beneficial–the simple act of holding hands with someone reduces stress levels.

Get Centered

Meditating is a super easy way to alleviate stress and best of all, it’s totally free and you can do it anywhere, whenever you have the time.

Socialize

Maintaining good friendships is key to healthy living. Research has actually shown that good social relationships may help you live longer while poor social relationships were found to be more harmful than not exercising.

None yet, check back soon!

What You Can Do to Fight Migraines

Holly — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:01:25 +0000

Many people get headaches and migraines confused. Migraines make you wish you had a headache, or perhaps a rabid dog gnawing on your ankle instead of the throbbing, pulsating pain that comes with the migraine territory. 75% of adult patients who experience migraines are women, but they also affect approximately the same percentage of prepubescent boys.

When you have a migraine, it’s easy to think there’s nothing you can do to treat it. They don’t simply go away after taking a painkiller like a headache does, but there are a few things you should know about migraines that can save you from experiencing them as often.

First, let’s discuss why migraines happen. When you know why a migraine is coming on and what type of environment or activities you’re doing that trigger migraines, the easier it will be to stay away from those things, or at least limit your exposure.

Migraine attacks may be triggered by:

Allergic reactions
Bright lights, loud noises and certain odors or perfumes
Physical or emotional stress
Changes in sleep patterns
Smoking or exposure to smoke
Skipping meals
Alcohol
Menstrual cycle fluctuations, birth control pills, hormone fluctuations during the menopause transition
Tension headaches
Foods containing tyramine, MSG or nitrates
Long exposure to light from computer screen, video screens and television

There are certain foods you can incorporate into your diet or increase the amount of times they show up on your plate that will help fight migraines.

Millet

Millet is one of many whole grains that are part of a healthy, migraine-free life, and it contains magnesium, which kicks migraines to the curb.

Coffee

When it comes to coffee, it’s a love/hate relationship. Caffeine can give you migraine relief and is a major ingredient in many headache medications, but when you drink it excessively, it can actually cause migraines. Moderation is key!

Flaxseed

An Anti-inflammatory diet is beneficial to preventing migraines, so flaxseeds, with their omega-3s and fiber to boot, are your new food friend.

Fish

Also packed with omega-3s, fish should be your go-to protein choice, and is much better for headache prevention than processed meats.

Spinach

Vitamin b2 is known to help in the battle against the migraine, so make like Popeye and load up on your spinach.

None yet, check back soon!

Big Tobacco Sues New York City for Violation of First Amendment Rights

Holly — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:14:20 +0000

New York City has remained adamant when it comes to their no-smoking policies. Currently, you are not able to smoke in bars or restaurants throughout the entire state of New York, but the state is not stopping there when it comes to cracking down on big tobacco and encouraging smokers to give up the habit.

The New York City Health Department has recently developed three anti-smoking signs displaying a decaying tooth, diseased lungs and a damaged brain that depict the harmful effects smoking can have on the body. These ads will also have messages such as “smoking causes tooth decay” along with the number of a city helpline that will aid people in quitting smoking. It will also be mandated by the state that one of these ads are shown wherever cigarettes are sold and if they aren’t, New York cigarette retailers will face a $2,000 fine.

These signs are a first of their kind in the U.S., with New York being the only state to have gone so far to spread the word of the harmful effects of smoking and how to quit. But some people don’t agree with the signs and even think that they are unlawful–big tobacco companies for one.

Philip Morris USA, Lorillard Tobacco Company, and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., along with two major retail trade groups and two convenience stores have filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Federal Court against New York City.

The lawsuit was filed last Wednesday and reads, “The government may not force private parties to carry messages beyond purely uncontroversial factual statements that are designed to prevent consumer deception. … The signs … do not describe the risks of smoking in purely factual terms. Instead, the signs force tobacco manufacturers and retailers to community vivid images at the point of sale.”

While what the lawsuit states may seem like a case of semantics, it goes further, saying that federal anti-smoking rules prevent local governments from interfering with cigarette advertising, making this new mandated imagery is considered unlawful by the same people who are trying to push these images into the shops and stores of all tobacco retailers.

But the government in New York are adamant on stopping people from continuing to smoke and are doing everything they can to make New York completely tobacco-free.

Elizabeth Thomas, the spokesperson for the New York City Law Department said, “We are confident that the health code provisions being challenged will withstand legal scrutiny.”

So what do you think? Is the New York City Department of Health not only free to, but also held to a standard where they should be interfering with tobacco sales and doing everything they can to warn potential customers of the harmful effects tobacco can have on your body? Or are they looking for an ideal smoke-free New York and trying to make sure it happens at all costs–even at the hands of doing something considered unlawful?

Keep in mind that tobacco customers are warned of the harmful effects of smoking each and every single time they purchase a pack of cigarettes. Every pack of cigarettes sold in this country contains the Surgeon General’s Warning on the side of the pack with a fact about the harmful effects of cigarettes, such as, “cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide.” It seems that what New York City is doing is trying to add imagery to the warnings people receive, knowing that people react far more drastically when susceptible to imagery than just words.

When all is said and done, I think people who smoke will continue to do so until they feel they are ready to quit or come to the decision to quit on their own. As the high failure rate of people who try to quit smoking tells us, people can only truly kick the habit when it is their own decision that they came up with on their own and for the betterment of their own lives. Tobacco customers right now know that each pack of cigarettes contains a Surgeon General’s Warning, but they choose not to even acknowledge its presence.

None yet, check back soon!

Milk Causes Impotence? PETA Seems to Think So

Holly — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:33:28 +0000

PETA has a very long history of promoting their vegetarian and vegan lifestyle by using very bold approaches that are often outright offensive, sexist, misogynist and above all, untrue. Yet another notch in the ‘PETA lies’ bedpost is their newest Santa Clause ad which claims that cow’s milk causes impotence.

In my (most humble) opinion, PETA is merely using scare tactics (or “kicking a guy when he’s down,” in a matter of speaking) in order to get people to pay attention. Sadly, their ‘punch in the gut’ tactics have worked, which is why we’re still seeing ads from them popping up again and again, all of them skirting right on by questionable and pushing up against insulting and this ad in particular, if you took PETA’s logo off of it, it could have been an ad for how to buy Viagra online.

There is absolutely no proof to be seen that supports their accusation that cow’s milk causes impotence and because so many of their ads and promotional techniques have been brought to question by several different reputable resources over the years, there are a great number of people who see them for who they truly are. People who are vegetarian and vegan and who would support PETA, had it not been for their “shock jock” nature, have seen through them for years and by using these types of marketing techniques and creating health risks that have no factual data supporting it to put on billboards, flyers and other marketing materials, they are alienating the same people who would otherwise support them and their cause.

None yet, check back soon!

Tri Delta’s Fat Talk Free Week

Holly — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:00:03 +0000

“You look great have you lost weight?”

“You think you’re fat? Look at me.”

“That’s way too tight for her figure.”

We are all guilty of thinking and saying stuff like this–to our family members, to our friends and even to ourselves. We are all guilty of self-criticism when we look in the mirror and notice that the skirt that fit us perfectly and hugged our hips in all the right places last season but doesn’t go past our thighs this season. We have all thought we were too fat, we have all dieted in hopes of becoming skinnier, more attractive, the “thin ideal.”

Women have more pressure than ever right now to look attractive, to dazzle with our appearance, to wear all the right fashions and to strive to look like the women who grace the covers of magazines. This is especially true of younger women and teens who obsess over this thin ideal and who will stop at nothing to attain it. These thoughts that so often enter our brains and things people tell us, whether we have gained weight and they ask if we are under stress because of it or if we lose weight and we’re told how great we look because we shed five or ten or fifteen pounds. While we’ve undoubtedly thought this was normal, it actually has a very damaging impact on women. That is why Tri Delta has launched a five-day body activism campaign, Fat Talk Free Week.

Fat Talk Free Week (October 19th-23rd) draws attention to body image issues and the damaging impact of the thin ideal on women in society. This annual public awareness effort stemmed from Tri Delta’s award-winning body image education and eating disorders prevention program, Reflections: Body Image Program.

The supermodels and people we see on the covers of magazines are thinner than 98% of women and a great percentage of these women think that they too can look just like what they see on these magazine covers and on television and in movies, but often we see, especially on magazine covers, is an airbrushed and heavily-photoshopped appearance of that person. Not even the person being put on the pedestal of ideal weight and beauty looks like that! Tri-Delta is in pursuit of the healthy ideal, which has absolutely no bearing on our weight or size. The healthy ideal is all about our physical health, mental health and our quality of life and that is what truly matters. Tri Delta’s initiative this past week has been about eliminating fat talk and they believe that by eliminating fat talk, we can begin to change the way women think about their bodies and accept their bodies just the way they are because if you’re healthy, then why does anything else matter? Why do we care so much about the size that sits on the tags of our clothing or how other women and men may look at us and what they may think if they see us in a swimsuit or a form-fitting top or a short skirt.

Can you believe…

81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat.
51% of 9 and 10 year old girls feel better about themselves if they are on a diet.
Research has shown that very young girls, ages 5-7 who are exposed to Barbie, the best-selling fashion doll in the world who has unattainable and unhealthy body proportions and who if was a real person, would be too thin to menstruate, have lower body esteem and want a thinner body than they have.
As many as 10 million females are suffering from anorexia or bulimia. That’s more than are suffering from breast cancer.

Because it is the last day of Fat Talk Free Week, do something good for yourself today. Choose one friend or family member and discuss one thing you each like about yourself. Or start a journal of all the good things your body allows you to do. Learn how to take a compliment! The next time someone gives you a compliment, rather than objecting and saying something like “No, I’m so fat,” practice taking a deep breath and saying “Thank you.”

None yet, check back soon!

Woman Tribune » Health

Healthy Teeth for Life – 7 Tips for Families with Kids

Related Posts:

CloSYS Oral Health Rinse Review

Related Posts:

Understanding the Phases, Symptoms, and Treatments of Menopause

Related Posts:

Yoplait Lactose Free Yogurt Review and Prize Pack Giveaway [Closed]

Giveaway

Related Posts:

Don’t Have Dental Insurance? You Still Have Discount Dental Plan Options

Related Posts:

Understanding the Process of Using Egg Donation in Fertility Treatment

Related Posts:

Calm Your Consciousness — 5 Tips for Your First Meditation

5 Helpful Tips to Know Before Your First Meditation

Related Posts:

Buy 2 Pairs of Eyeglasses Get 1 Free at Zenni Optical

Related Posts:

Simple Strategies for Coping with Childhood Allergies

Related Posts:

What Are the 5 Best Foods to Burn Fat?

Related Posts:

National Chocolate Day

A Celebration of Chocolate

Related Posts:

The Absence and a Little Story About One of the Most Unproductive Hospitals Ever

Related Posts:

First-Ever Infertility Tax Credit Legislation Could Improve Access to Medical Treatment and Encourage Potential Donors

Related Posts:

Help Raise Breast Cancer Awareness with BeeWell for Life and You Could Win an iPad2

iPad2 Giveaway

Related Posts:

Ways to Avoid High Blood Pressure

Related Posts:

How to Easily Incorporate Whole Grains into Your Daily Diet

Related Posts:

H.R. 3 “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” is Offensive to All Women

Make Your Voice Heard — Speak Out Against H.R. 3

#DearJohn Twitter Protest

Contact Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey and Co-Sponsors of H.R. 3

Contact Your Representative

Related Posts:

Giuliana and Bill Rancic Join RESOLVE and Fertility LifeLines to Speak Up About Infertility

Related Posts:

Can Menopausal Hormone Therapy Reduce Risks of Serious Health Conditions?

Related Posts:

Take the Do Something Healthy Schools Challenge and Enter for a Chance to Win a Scholarship

Related Posts:

5 Things You Can Do to Stay Healthy that Don’t Require Diet or Exercise

Related Posts:

What You Can Do to Fight Migraines

Related Posts:

Big Tobacco Sues New York City for Violation of First Amendment Rights

Related Posts:

Milk Causes Impotence? PETA Seems to Think So

Related Posts:

Tri Delta’s Fat Talk Free Week

Can you believe…

Related Posts: