Women health issues

Herbal remedies for menopause are quickly gaining attention for their effective relief of menopause symptoms, and restoration of quality of life and hormonal harmony. If you are currently undergoing this time of change, there are some herbal menopause remedies and alternative options you have other than hormone replacement therapy and estrogen therapy that can help ease you through this transition with minimal discomfort, mood swings, and other typical symptoms of menopause and perimenopause.

The symptoms of menopause women experience typically can range from night sweats, hot flashes, unusual hair growth and depression to sleeplessness, heart palpitations, incontinence, nausea, memory loss, and thinning skin. These symptoms not only cause discomfort, but also emotional distress for many women, and the decrease in the female hormone estrogen often brings with it depression, feelings of melancholy, and even confusion and memory loss.

In short, not only are these symptoms a major inconvenience, they also greatly interfere with and decrease your quality of life.

Many women have turned to HRT, hormone replacement therapy, for relief of their menopause symptoms. HRT does work well in many cases, but it can be expensive and inconvenient since it requires a doctor’s supervision.

HRT, while beneficial in many ways, also can have some unpleasant side effects, such as headaches, nausea, weight gain, nausea, spotting or darkening of the skin (especially the face), and the possibility of worsening existing endometriosis. These are serious side effects that need to be considered when choosing a menopause treatment.

Herbal menopause remedies actually do not have these side effects, since they are not agressively replacing estrogen, rather introducing a new balance to the hormones, as they were before the menopausal period.

Since we have come such a long way with many of our natural alternative medications, and have a

more profound understanding of which herbs and botanicals work best together to effectively relieve symptoms of various human ailments, improve certain conditions, and even enhance our quality of life, this knowledge has spawned some herbal remedies for menopause that actually rival HRT, and even provide some additional, healthful benefits that HRT cannot offer.

An herbal remedy for menopause, along with returning a woman’s body back to it’s natural state of hormonal harmony and balance, can also offer additional benefits one may not even know of or consider when choosing this method of menopause treatment, but nonetheless should be aware of when making this important decision.

In a recent landmark medical study, the herbs used in the herbal menopause remedy actually worked better than estrogen in eliminating hot flashes, mood swings, irritability, insomnia and anxiety. And, unlike estrogen, they actually helped to PREVENT cancer, not encourage it, as is feared may be a side effect of HRT due to the agressive re-introduction of estrogen to the woman’s body.

Not only that, but isoflavones, which are found in soy, one the primary ingredients in this herbal menopause remedy, has been shown to be excellent as a bone strengthener in several studies, and helps the bone maintain calcium, instead of being leached away from where it is needed the most.

An excellent herbal menopause remedy has been developed as a natural alternative menopause relief support product, formulated with the best-known combination of high-potency phytoestrogen botanicals which have a long history of relieving menopausal symptoms, and supporting the body’s hormonal balance so that the pre-menopausal natural balance and health can again be enjoyed.

Visit Herbs for Menopause Relief for more information on natural remedies for menopausal symptoms. Danna Schneider is the webmaster of Natural Supplements at Herbal-Therapeutics

Now, being a man, I am not about to try and tell any woman anything about PMS. The purpose of this article on PMS is solely to let both women and the men in their lives know something I have discovered that just might possibly help. Why, you may ask, would a man even attempt to discuss the subject of PMS? For starters, I have no medical background or training that would qualify me regarding PMS. I have conducted no scientific research on PMS myself. I can only relate what I have become aware of recently from women in my circle of friends and associates.

Let me say right up front and get it out of the way, Yes, I am a distributor of a dietary supplement. I was not really aware of any benefits regarding PMS until meeting with some of the women in my business organization. We met for lunch to discuss some future business ideas. During the course of conversation, each of the women present began talking about why they had decided to become involved with the product line. It seems that most were looking for the same thing, extra energy, which they all were able to realize.

I sat listening and sometimes asking questions here and there or making comments on what I was hearing. None of the discussion thus far had been about PMS. As I sat there listening, they began talking about some of the statements they were hearing from their customers and also their own husbands regarding PMS. I found it all quite interesting and very enlightening.

Each of these women began discussing the effects our product was having on them, their families, and most of all their husbands. One of the women mentioned that her husband said about her moods, “even if the product had cost $500 it would be worth it”. Then one of the other women mentioned that it had made a big difference to her during PMS. This was followed by another who stated

that one of her customers told her that her husband said ” this is the first time that I didn’t know in advance that you were having your period” and with that the wife looked at their 15 yr old daughter and said ” your starting on it tomorrow”. I didn’t ask, but my assumption was that it must have been a very difficult situation for the teen. Another comment by a husband was “I could easily sell this stuff to all the other husbands I know”.

Now please forgive me for my ignorance regarding this subject. It is not my intent to try and sound as if I have any expertise in this area. I am simply passing along some unsolicited information from some women that I know and trust. I figure if this works for them and the women they know, than why not let others know about it.

If you are interested in knowing more about this product you may visit or contact me through my website.

You have permission to copy and reuse this article provided there are no changes made to the article and credit is given to the author and the link to his website remains in place. Please notify him by email if you are going to use this article. You may contact Bill Dunigan through his website: http://www.tni.com/riderbill/

Most of my adult life I have been self-employed. I have never come across anything else that would allow an individual to develop a good income with little investment and not have the expenses, stress, boss, time constraints, and worries that go along with most other businesses or jobs. Who needs a job when you can work for yourself? I am quite serious about this and I am always ready, willing, and able to assist anyone who is honest, reliable, serious, and over eighteen, to find their place. If you are interested in knowing more, you may contact me through my website at: http://www.tni.com/riderbill

It’s big news when a favored medical treatment – HRT for menopausal women – is found to be harmful. But it’s no news to readers of Susun Weed. She’s been blowing the whistle on both scientific and alternative treatments of menopause for nearly two decades. As recently quoted in Newsweek Magazine, Susun maintains: “Menopause is not a ‘pathology’, but a passage to power. Like puberty, menopause is a natural – and healthy – change. Wise women the world over herald menopause as a health-promoting event. They see hot flashes as ‘power surges’ and menopause as an intense spiritual journey. Most treatments – including ERT, HRT, isoflavone, and progesterone creams – disrupt this process and can do severe damage to a woman’s health.”

Susun Weed, wise woman, herbalist, author, and mother, has been at the forefront of the natural menopause revolution for the past fifteen years. She plays with the fairies and her goats at her 55-acre homestead in New York’s Catskill mountains, where she coordinates events at the Wise Woman Center, including monthly moonlodge gatherings and a variety of healing workshops. She has dedicated her life to the reweaving of the cloak of the Ancients and to making the Wise Woman available to all women.

MENOPAUSE IS ENLIGHTENMENT

The energy aspects of menopause are of special interest to me.

As a long-time student of yoga, I was struck by the many similarities between menopausal symptoms and the well-known esoteric goal of “awakening of the kundalini.” Though the ideas presented in this section may seem strange or difficult to comprehend, they contain powerful messages about menopause, which lie at the heart of the Wise Woman approach.

Kundalini [is] the root [of] all spiritual experiences … Kundalini is a special kind of energy known in many cultures, including Tibetan, Indian, Sumerian, Chinese, Irish, Aztec, and Greek. Kundalini is said to be hot, fast, powerful, and large. It exists within the earth, within all life, and within each person. Psychoanalyst Carl G. Jung called kundalini anima. Kundalini is usually represented as a serpent coiled at the base of the spine, but women’s mystery stories locate it in the uterus – or the area where the uterus was, if a hysterectomy has occurred. During both puberty and menopause, a woman’s kundalini is difficult to control and may cause a great number of symptoms.

East Indian yogis spend lifetimes learning to activate, or wake up, their kundalini. This is also called “achieving enlightenment”. When they succeed, a surge of super-heated energy goes up the spine, throughout the nerves, dilating blood vessels, and fueling itself with hormones. As kundalini continues to travel up the spine, it changes the functioning of the endocrine, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. Not just in yogis, but in any woman who allows herself to become aware of it. Menopause is a kind of enlightenment. Hot flashes are kundalini training sessions.

TAKING HORMONES? THESE HERBS ARE FOR YOU

More and more American women are using herbal remedies to help them with menopausal problems. Those who do take ERT (estrogen replacement) or HRT (hormone replacement) may be surprised to discover that herbal medicine has a lot to offer them as well.

Herbs for women on ERT/HRT include those that alleviate side-effects as well as those that counter problems caused by the hormones.

Herbal Helpers Counter Side-Effects

Water retention is the symptom most often cited for dissatisfaction with hormone replacement. Herbal tinctures and tea, such as dandelion or cleavers, and ordinary foods can not only relieve the distress, they will go to the root of the problem and help prevent recurrences.

Dandelion root tincture (Taraxacum officinale) strengthens the liver and helps it process out the excess hormones you are taking. When the liver works well, the kidneys work better, and tissues no longer bloat. A dose is 10-20 drops in several ounces of water or juice 2-3 three times a day. If you have any digestion problems, take your dandelion before meals; otherwise, anytime is fine. You can safely take dandelion daily for months or years if you need or want to.

Cleavers herb tincture (Galium molluga) tells the lymphatic tissues to get moving. Relief from edema is usually rapid when 20-30 drops are taken in several ounces of water or juice. Repeat up to six times at hourly intervals if needed. Cleavers is especially helpful for easing swollen, sore breasts.

Foods that relieve water retention include (in order of effectiveness): asparagus, nettles, corn (and corn silk tea), grapes, cucumbers, watermelon (and watermelon seed tea), parsley, celery, black tea, and green tea.

Headaches are the second most common side-effect of hormone use. Unfortunately, they are common among menopausal women not taking hormones, too. Herbs that help relieve headache without a drug-like action – such as dandelion, yellow dock, milk thistle, burdock, garden sage, skullcap, and St. John’s/Joan’s wort – are generally considered safe to take with hormones.

Chinese herbalists say headaches are caused by liver stress. My favorite liver-strengthening herbs are dandelion, yellow dock, milk thistle seed, and burdock. I use one at a time, a 15-25 drops of the tincture several times a day, for two weeks. If symptoms continue, I switch to a different herb.

A strong tea of garden sage leaves (Salvia officinalis) offers immediate relief from headaches and helps prevent future ones. It also reduces night sweats. Tinctures of skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) and St. Joan’s/John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) ease pain and relieve muscle spasms. Use 5-20 drops of skullcap and a dropperful of St.J’s at the very first sign – no, the very first thought – of a headache. Repeat the doses every five minutes until pain free. Skullcap can be quite sedative, especially in large doses.

Herbal Allies to Prevent Problems Caused by Taking Hormones

Breast cancer risk is increased 20% in women who use ERT for five or more years. Use of HRT for five or more years increases breast cancer risk by 40%. Each five years of continued use increases the risk. In addition, women who take ERT are far more likely to get uterine or endometrial cancers. All women on hormones increase their risks of lung and ovarian cancer, too. Nourishing herbs such as red clover, and foods such as beans and yogurt, offer easy ways to stay cancer-free.

Red clover blossoms (Trifolium pratense), when dried and brewed into a strong infusion (one ounce herb steeped an a quart of boiling water for at least four hours) prevent cancer by providing phytoestrogens that counter the cancer-promoting effects of oral hormones. Usual dose is 2-4 cups a day. The infusion tastes like black tea and can be flavored with mint if you like.

Since uncooked beans and unfermented soy contain anti-nutritional factors that may promote bone loss and dementia, soy “milk” and tofu are not recommended. Miso and tamari definitely help to prevent breast cancer but soy isoflavones may promote it.

Yogurt helps build powerful immunity. Women who eat a quart of yogurt a week have 700% less cancer than women who eat no yogurt.

Dry eyes afflict more than 9% of women using ERT and over 7% of those on HRT. Risk increases by 70% for every year of continued use. And the longer a woman uses hormones, the greater her risk. Herbs such as oatstraw, chamomile, and chickweed can help relieve and prevent this problem.

Oatstraw infusion (Avena sativa) cools and moistens your eyes from the inside out, builds strong bones too. Use one ounce of dried herb in a quart jar; fill to the top with boiling water and cap tightly. Let steep four or more hours. Dose is 2-4 cups a day. Refrigerate after straining.

Cucumber slices ease dry eyes; so do chamomile tea bags.

The ultimate ally for women with dry eyes is fresh chickweed (Stellaria media), applied as a poultice to the closed eyes. Leave on for five minutes, or until the plant material feels warm (it will heat up). Repeat as needed.

Stroke and heart attack are actually increased by use of ERT/HRT, though modern medicine has long proclaimed the opposite. Every major double-blind study done to date has created a larger and larger gap between ERT/HRT’s supposed ability to help cardiovascular health and its actual results. Protect your heart with nourishing and tonifying herbs and foods such as motherwort, hawthorn, and cherries.

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) tincture helps the heart. The Japanese claim it is their secret of longevity. A dose is 5-15 drops, twice a day. Motherwort also relieves hot flashes, calms tachycardiia, and eases anxiety. It’s an all-in-one remedy for menopausal women.

Hawthorn (Crataegus oxycantha) flowers, leaves, and fruits are all used to maintain heart health and control fluid build-up in heart tissues. A dose is 20- 30 drops of tincture 2-4 times a day, or a cup of tea with meals. This widespread shrub is considered one of the finest heart tonics in the world.

Cherries are even better than apples at keeping the doctor away. Dried cherries and cherry juice, even tincture of cherries.

More than three-quarters of the women in America over the age of fifty have refused ERT/HRT.

If you want to join them, taper off your dosage slowly, while continuing to use nourishing and tonifying herbs such as dandelion, motherwort, red clover, oatstraw, and seaweed.

THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF ESTROGENS

• Women make estrogens.
  
  
• Plants make estrogens and estrogen-like compounds.
  
  
• Chemicals, especially organochlorines, act like estrogens (xenoestrogens).

Pharmaceutical companies make estrogens from substances such as horse urine, wild yam roots, and petrochemicals. Tamoxifen, used to treat and prevent breast cancer, is a type of pharmaceutical estrogen.

Women make at least thirty types of estrogen, including estradiol, estrone, and estrace. Estradiol is the strongest; it is turned on at puberty and turned off at menopause. Estradiol is positively linked with breast cancer; other human estrogens are not. Anything that reduces the amount of estradiol a woman produces (such as pregnancy, lactation, early menopause, and late puberty) also decreases her risk of a breast cancer diagnosis.

Phytoestrogens counter the detrimental effects of estradiol by competing for the same receptor sites.

Estradiol is a strong estrogen and is metabolized by the long path. The other estrogens our bodies make are weak estrogens and are metabolized by the short path. Alcohol turns off the short path. Phytoestrogens are weak hormones and hormonal precursors. Phytoestrogens in foods are metabolized by the short path. Phytoestrogens appear to protect tissues from the cancer-causing effects of estradiol, xenoestrogens and pharmaceutical hormones. Phytoestrogens in foods prevent cancer and promote health; phytoestrogen supplements and processed soy fake-foods may do the opposite. Breast cancer occurs four times more often in women whose urinary output of phytoestrogen by-products is low compared to women whose urinary output is high.

Phytoestrogens are common in food. They are concentrated in seeds (grains, beans, nuts, berries) and roots. The exceptions to the rule that plants don’t contain human hormones: French beans, rice, apple seeds, licorice, and pomegranate seeds contain the “weak” estrogen estrone.

To get the greatest benefit from phytoestrogenic foods and herbs remember:

1. Isolated phytoestrogens are not as safe as those “in matrix.”
   
   
2. To make use of plant hormones, you need active, healthy gut flora.
   
   
3. Herbs and foods rich in phytoestrogens need to be used in different ways.
   
   
4. Phytoestrogens may have different effects on women who do not have their ovaries.

1. Plants contain many types of phytoestrogens; additionally, they contain minerals and other constituents which help our bodies modify the phytoestrogens and so we can use them safely. Red clover is mineral-rich and contains all four of the major types of phytoestrogens: lignans, coumestans, isoflavones, and resorcylic acid lactones. It is the world’s best-known anti-cancer herb. In general, foods and herbs rich in phytoestrogens, with the possible exception of licorice, show anti-cancer abilities. Isoflavone, however, when isolated (usually from soy) has the opposite effect: in the lab it encourages the growth of breast cancer cells (endnote 32 in New Menopausal Years).

2. Plant hormones, including most phytoestrogens, can’t be used by humans. But we can convert them into ones we can use – with the help of our gut bacteria. When women take antibiotics, their excretion of phytoestrogens plummets. Get your gut flora going by eating more yogurt, miso, unpasteurized sauerkraut, homemade beers and wines, picked-by-your-own-hands-and-unwashed fruits and salads, sourdough bread, and whey-fermented vegetables. (See Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon for whey-fermented vegetable recipes.)

3. Plants which are exceptionally rich in phytoestrogens are regarded as powerful herbal medicines. Plants which are good sources of phytoestrogens are regarded as foods. While food can certainly be our medicine – a practice I advocate – it is also true that medicines are more dangerous than foods. Foods rich in phytoestrogens are different than medicinal herbs rich in phytoestrogens. They have different places in my life.

• I eat phytoestrogenic foods daily in quantity.
  

• I use phytoestrogenic food-like herbs regularly (not daily), in moderate quantity.
  
  
• I take phytoestrogenic herbs rarely, in small amounts, for a limited time.

Phytoestrogenic foods are the basis for a healthy diet and a long life. The first food listed is the highest in phytoestrogens. The best diet contains not just one but many choices from each list:

• Whole grains (rye, oats, barley, millet, rice, wheat, corn)
  
  
• Edible seeds (buckwheat, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, amaranth, quinoa)
  
  
• Beans (yellow split peas, black turtle beans, baby limas, Anasazi beans, red kidney beans, red lentils, soy beans)
  
  
• Leafy greens and seaweed (parsley, nettle, kelp, cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards, lamb’s quarter)
  
  
• Fruits (olives, cherries, grapes, apples, pears, peaches, plums, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, salmon berries, apricots, crab apples, quinces, rosehips, blueberries)
  
  
• Olive oil and seed oils. Garlic, onions and their relatives leeks, chives, scallions, ramps, shallot

Phytoestrogenic food-like herbs are generally considered longevity tonics. For optimum effect, use only one from the list below and to stick with it for at least three months.

• Citrus peel, dandelion leaves and/or roots, fenugreek seeds, flax seeds, green tea, hops, red clover, red wine.

Phytoestrogenic herbs are usually too powerful for long- term use. From the list below (which is in alphabetical order), it is safest to use only one herb at a time, and use it only when needed, although that may mean daily use for several months. More information about these herbs, including specific dosages and cautions, is in NEW Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way.

• Agave root, black cohosh root, black currant, black haw, chasteberries, cramp bark, dong quai root, devil’s club root, false unicorn root, ginseng root, groundsel herb, licorice, liferoot herb, motherwort herb, peony root, raspberry leaves, rose family plants (most parts), sage leaves, sarsaparilla root, saw palmetto berried, wild yam root, yarrow blossoms.

4. Most of the warnings about phytoestrogenic herbs center on their proven ability to thicken the uterine wall in animals who have had their ovaries removed. This could encourage cancer, just as taking ERT encourages cancer of the uterus by stimulating cell growth. Women without ovaries are probably safe eating phytoestrogenic foods, but may want to use phytoestrogenic herbs – especially ginseng, dong quai, licorice, red clover, and wild yam – in small amounts and only for short periods.

NEWS NOTES ON PHYTOESTROGENIC PLANTS (UPDATED JUNE 2002)

• Recent studies indicate black cohosh does not suppress luteinizing hormone, has no estrogenic effect, and contains no compounds related to estrogen. Red clover flower heads contain many hormone-like flavonoids, including isoflavone, daidzein, genistein, formononetin, biochanin, sitosterol, and coumestrol, a particularly strong phytoestrogen (six times more active than the one in soy). Red clover contains all four major estrogenic isoflavones; soy has only two of them. A cup of red clover infusion (not tea) contains ten times more phytoestrogens than a cup of soy beverage, is richer in calcium, has less calories, and contains no added sugars.

• Researchers in Australia report a million lambs a year are aborted after sheep eat clover on pasture. Yet red clover is renowned as a fertility enhancer. What’s up? Stephen Buhner, author of The Secret Language of Plants, says clover plants make blood-thinning compounds (which cause abortion) when overgrazed, but don’t otherwise. Plants, it turns out, can fight back.

• When unfermented soy takes the place of animal protein (meat and milk), its anti-nutritional factors can create brittle bones, thyroid problems, memory loss, vision impairment, irregular heartbeat, depression, and vulnerability to infections. Unfermented soy is high in hemoglutin, which causes clumping of red blood cells and may increase risk of stroke. It is also impressively rich in aluminum (up to 100 times more than is found in the same amount of real milk). Eating tofu more than once a week doubled the risk of Alzheimer’s in a small group of Japanese men studied for thirty years.

• Human gut bacteria can cleave a sugar molecule from wild yam’s steroidal saponin, producing diosgenin. Labs make progesterone from diosgenin, but our bodies can’t. Diosgenin itself has a weak estrogenic effect. According to Australian herbalist Ruth Trickey: “A more probable explanation [for the observed effects of wild yam] … is that [diosgenin] interacts with hypothalamic and pituitary hormones and … initiates ovulation.”

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Legal Disclaimer: This content is not intended to replace conventional medical treatment. Any suggestions made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, condition or symptom. Personal directions and use should be provided by a clinical herbalist or other qualified healthcare practitioner with a specific formula for you. All material contained herein is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Contact a reputable healthcare practitioner if you are in need of medical care. Exercise self-empowerment by seeking a second opinion.

Susun Weed

PO Box 64

Woodstock, NY 12498

Fax: 1-845-246-8081

Vibrant, passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.

Susun is one of America’s best-known authorities on herbal medicine and natural approaches to women’s health. Her four best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists and well-known physicians and are used and cherished by millions of women around the world. Learn more at http://www.susunweed.com

Alcohol Abuse information, tips, recovery and treatment.

As time goes by, we get older and along with that, our skin changes dramatically. Fine lines and wrinkles begin to become overwhelmingly disconcerting to your appearance. How is that possible? Because the skin’s cell renewal process has become less efficient due to the lack of hormones production thus making skin loses its firmness and elasticity.

You may see that women seems to be more concern about their appearances than their opposite sex thus making perception that man are having less wrinkle in their older year. Well, not really. Both of the sexes have the same chances of getting the “mature look” however; the behavior of the aging skin is slightly different in man and women. Man will experience gradual skin changes while their opposite sex might experience dramatic changes of the skin after menopause. So, basically, both sexes should lead a healthy lifestyle since their adolescent year to reduce the effect of aging skin.

To reduce the effect of aging skin and achieve wrinkle-free appearance, all of us should spend a little more time to understand our skin type before throwing ourselves to buy whatever skin care products that might not be suitable for our unique type of skin, thus wasting money, time, and effort and might even make you look even worse.

One of the most important facts that you need to know is that the cells in our skin are always dying and regenerating. The longer the time it regenerates, the younger your skin would be. That is the main reason why we need to provide our skins with sufficient nutrients to reduce the skin regeneration time.

The skin nutrients source can

be obtained from moisturizers, anti-wrinkle creams and many more. Nowadays, these wrinkle free skin care products are abundant. You will have plenty of choice to choose. Some standard skin care products include cleanser usage and moisturizer application to enhance the renewal process of skin. Just remember to choose suitable product for your unique skin. Besides that, consuming vitamins may also assist in reducing the wrinkle such as vitamin E, pro-vitamin B5 and vitamin B-3.

There is also one of the aging skin causes that people are not really aware of. Sun is a vital element in human’s life. All of us need sun exposure to our body, however, not excessively. Excessive sun exposure can easily damage the skin cells and thus increasing the chances to get more wrinkles and fine lines in your older days. Fifteen minutes of sun exposure should be enough for a day

Healthy skin is one of the sign that your body is also healthy. It’s not enough to just apply plentiful of skin care products, you should also apply good and healthy lifestyles. Avoid drinking too much of alcohol as well as caffeine, avoid smoking, consume adequate amount of water and have enough rest. These healthy lifestyle coupled by good and suitable wrinkle free skin care products should bring you to a healthier-looking appearance and a happier new you.

Jerrick Foo has been researching and developing all dry skin care the purpose of offering men and women safe, dry skin care tips. He have created Dry Skin Care Guide to share his 10 years of combined expertise with you. Visit http://www.dry-skin-care-guide.com for essential skin care tips.

Alcohol Abuse information, tips, recovery and treatment.

1. Ages 8-11

There are few outside signs of development; but inside, ovaries are enlarging and hormone production has started. The preadolescent breast consists of a small, elevated nipple with no significant underlying breast tissue.

2. Ages 8-14 (usually 11-12)

Breast bud stage; elevation of the breast and nipple as a separate small mound; the areola (the area around the nipple) begins to enlarge, and milk ducts inside the breast begin to grow. Girls may grow considerable in height and weight. The first signs of pubic hair start out fine & straight.

3. Ages 9-15 (usually 12-13)

Pubic hair coarsens and becomes darker. A girl’s vagina is enlarging and may begin to produce a clear or whitish discharge. Some girls get their first menstrual periods. Enlargement and elevation of the breast and areola (less separation), the areola begins to darken in color, and the milk glands begin to

grow.

4. Ages 10-16 (usually13-14)

Pubic hair growth takes on a triangular, but doesn’t quite cover the entire pubic area. Underarm hair may begin to appear. Projection of the areola and nipple to form a secondary mound. Ovulation (the release of egg cells) begins in some girls.

5. Ages 12-19 (usually 15)

The final stage of development, breast and pubic hair growth are complete, and your full height is usually attained at this point. Menstrual periods are established, and ovulation occurs monthly. Mature adult breast, projection of the nipple.

For stages of Breast Development please visit http://www.myfirstbra.us/breast_development.htm.

Kim Shire

MyFirstBra.us is a helpful guide for preteen, teens, and parents concerning training bras, and issues surrounding puberty & breast development, in young girls ages 8-16.

MyFirstBra.us is a community project of National Webworks. All authors are from National Webworks, Volunteers, or Contracted for research and writing.

I’m sure most women have heard the saying, ‘ You can never be too rich, or too thin’. I won’t comment on whether or not you can be too rich, but I do have some words on the too thin part of the statement.

‘Ana-Mia’, refers to Anorexia, and Bulimia, two of the most widespread eating disorders affecting our society. We constantly hear about teenage girls succumbing to these disorders. Our girls grow toward maturity, and find their bodies changing, developing toward womanhood, and there everywhere, are the images of ad models, female celebrities, with bodies starved, with waist, hips, legs, bearing a resemblance to those of a child. Our girls are being taught they should strive to retain, at all costs, their ‘little girl’ bodies. They are being infused with fear, at an early age, of not fitting in, not looking like the model of acceptable feminine beauty, set forth by a sick society.

What we do not hear about is the problem of more mature women, falling victim. As usual, the mature segment of our society has been overlooked, as far as research concerning yet another health issue for women. Yet, from my own personal research, I’ve discovered it is definitely a serious problem.

At a time in life, when it is so important for women to maintain a healthy diet, many mature women choose to follow rigid weight-loss plans, bordering on self-starvation. Often they adopt strenuous exercise regimens as well, in an attempt to either lose weight, or keep it off, or to achieve an unrealistic ‘perfection’, as to their body. A hoped for return to the body they possessed, ten, twenty, thirty, years ago.

There is no one cause associated with developing an eating disorder. Psychological factors are often mentioned as triggers, such as a dysfunctional family or relationship, or individual personality traits, such as a

penchant for perfection. Emotional negativity, traumas such as rape, abuse, or the death of a loved one can result in triggering these disorders. Most women with eating disorders suffer from these three basic factors- low self-esteem, a feeling of helplessness, and extreme dissatisfaction with the way they look.

Society

Present-day society may be to blame for more than a few cases of eating disorders. This fashion and image obsessed culture bears no resemblance to reality. We are persistently brainwashed by the visual media. Daily we are bombarded by enhanced images of what are touted as ‘perfect women’. These women are too often alarmingly underweight, even to the point of emaciation. ‘Thin’ is perceived as the only possible acceptable look. Grown women, starved, often to the point of resembling pre-pubescent girls, and then cosmetically enhanced, sporting breast implants, butt implants, etc., these women are presented as the symbols of ‘perfection’ to the masses. So ingrained in our society has this image become, it now negatively affects every aspect of our lives, even permeating our workplaces. No matter how unrealistic it is to believe the average female can, or for that matter, would want to abuse her body in the manner mentioned above, society seems to have come to the point of no return, on this issue.

Thin Equals ‘Looking Young’

For mature women, society’s knife of influence is double-edged. Not only are we being told women must have a certain perfect body type, we are also being told that being overly thin equals looking young. ‘Lose weight, look younger!’ we see ads for diet aids promoted thus, everywhere. In such an atmosphere, even emotionally well balanced, intelligent women may be won over to the dark side!

Jeannine Schenewerk is a freelance writer residing in Atlanta, Georgia. She maintains an inspirational, informative website for mature women, In Touch With Jeannine.

http://www.intouchwithjeannine.com

Dimples in your cheeks? Not so cute if we’re talking about your other ones. Blotchy self-tanners, expensive lipo, invasive lasers… women try all sorts of treatments and potions to smooth out their cellulite. The most accessible treatment, though, is cellulite cream. Many of these products promise to melt away inches from your thighs and hips, firm and contour your skin into a taut expanse, and refine and minimize your imperfections. There are high-end brands and drugstore brands; gels, lotions, and crèmes; and botanical ingredients that range from white tea to black pepper. Which of these brews should you try? How do you know that a certain ingredient will work? How the heck does a cream get rid of cellulite?

Cellulite creams work on the surface of your skin. There is no miracle cream that you can put on your thighs to eat away the cellulite, but creams work by lifting and smoothing the surface of your skin to reduce the appearance of the wretched skin puckering. Cellulite is the accumulation of fat, fluid, and toxins trapped into a network of collagen and elastin fibers in the deeper levels of your skin. It forms because blood vessels under your skin get damaged, weakening the outer layers of your skin. Fat travels directly to these spots and settles in, creating a hill and valley effect. The dense fat also decreases circulation to the outermost layer of dermis, which gives you white, ripply, cold fish skin. Ew! Women are more prone to cellulite because they carry a higher percentage of body fat than men do, but even skinny women have cellulite. Actually, doctors say that 90% of women past puberty have it, so it doesn’t matter if you’re overweight, average, or even super thin. Your genes play more of a part in orange peel thighs than anything else, although a nutrition-deficient diet and high stress levels also factor in.

So bring on the fix! Doctors say that the two most important and effective ingredients in a cellulite cream are caffeine and retinol. These ingredients help the outer layer of your skin firm up to help relieve the bumps. The other ingredients in cellulite creams are there to improve the look of your skin. They smooth the surface, decrease any stretch marks, and give you that overall “baby’s butt” softness. When searching through the various creams, you will find ingredients like Par Elastyl and collagen, which are firming agents, ginkgo, green tea, soy, horse chestnut tree extract, all which tone the skin, and various pepper extracts to give your skin that “get up and glow.”

The formulation of your cellulite cream should be a personal decision. There are creams that contain ingredients that will make your skin tingle, like cinnamon, mint, cucumber, and other plant extracts. This tingle

is supposed to help increase circulation to the area and give your cheeks a flush. You will find that most of these creams have a light, refreshing, and energizing scent meant to give you a pick-me-up.

Cellulite creams also come in different textures. The gels absorb quickly into the skin and often make your skin feel tighter very quickly. There are lightweight lotions that go on like regular body lotion and don’t feel greasy. Then there are the rich emollient crèmes that must be rubbed into skin very well to prevent oil slicks on your clothes. This formulation is best before bedtime. There are even creams that come with paraphernalia to help aid in absorption. Some bring a special mitt to rub the cream into your skin and there is even a brand that includes a special pair of neoprene shorts to put on over your cellulite cream.

Cellulite creams can be incredibly expensive, but there are brands that are sold in drugstores that are just as effective. How much you spend depends on what formulations, scents, accessories, and extra ingredients work best for you. Many doctors say that expensive brands do not necessarily work better because the creams contain the same ingredients, but if you like a particular scent or texture of a cream, go for it! No matter what type of cellulite cream you buy, use your cream according to the directions on the bottle or tube. Most treatments instruct you to rub on at least once everyday. As with most skin treatments, you won’t notice a transformation immediately. It is the cumulative effect of the treatments that will create the most dramatic change, so do use the cream at least once a day, and be consistent! It’s the massaging action that will make the difference between an effective cellulite fighter and a useless tube of body lotion.

Remember, cellulite cream is not a miracle cure. There are people that never see any more positive effect from their treatments than they would from rubbing cocoa butter on their skin. Creams cannot increase your metabolism or seep into the deepest layers of your skin to change your cellulite; but they can help your bottom appear tighter and banish the lumpy mattress look forever. Often, the texture of your skin will improve dramatically before your cellulite will–the lush ingredients in cellulite treatments are great for skin even if they don’t work for your cellulite. And even though it is possible to see a big difference, rarely will cellulite 100% disappear. Your cream should give you the boost to improve your diet and exercise habits, a tingle that can be the kick in the pants that you need.

Burke Jones is a frequent contributor to the Cellulite Free Zone, writing on the topic of cellulite.

According to statistics Black women are in trouble when it comes to finding a suitable mate, with well over 40 percent who have never married. Even more disappointing, statistics indicate that the more money they make the more their chances of marriage decrease. We get into a whole other kind thing for those Black women who are waiting for the ‘right” Black man to enter their life. Wait! Wait!! Wait, before you react, I am in no way saying or implying that there is anything wrong with waiting for a Black man or desiring to be in a relationship with the right one. That is your decision and yours alone.

This blog was titled “What’s Up With The Sisters?” because I believe black women have more choices and more options that they need to avail themselves of and open their hearts and lives to. Statistics should not be allowed to predict their futures. There are thousands of wonderful, loving, caring, intelligent Black women of all ages and backgrounds who have prepared themselves for the probability of living out their lives alone. I think it is a huge mistake for some many Undiscovered Treasures to resign themselves to never being discovered just based the unavailability of only ONE segment of the entire male population.

Now, I thought the goal of marriage was to find someone you want to be with, who wants to be with you,

with whom you share life goals and interests and you just LIKE being with one another. If that is still the truth why should the gentleman’s skin color matter?

I’ve read quite a few articles on the subject of black women “dating out”, which refers to black women dating white men or outside of there race. What a crazy myth! Well, herein lays the problem.

How can one date or marry outside of your race if there is only ONE race in the first place?

It’s called the Human Race, of which we are all a part. We ARE all the same, we just happen to live in different color human “houses”. I believe God fixed it that way for a purpose. Probably because He really doesn’t care who you marry when it comes to skin color, I believe character should be the more important issue.

So my sisters I challenge YOU to write your OWN script for your future! Don’t let family, friends, peers, statistics or even your own “whatevers” prevent you from having the love, the happiness and the future that you long for because of a man’s skin color. Ask God to help you position your heart and life to see, know and accept the man who is waiting to discover all of the beauty and wonder that lies within you…

Girl, go for the character within not the skin color without.

www.myspace.com/undtreasures

Male or female infertility usually accounts for about 40% cases. For men, the fault lies with the sperms (quality & quantity) while in women is more complex.

Let us take a look over the major reasons of infertility in women:

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease – is one of the major causes worldwide caused due to infections in the pelvic region that affect the reproductive organs. This is generally caused by the sexually transmitted diseases, pelvic tuberculosis, unhealthy abortions and more. Normally 20% of the women who have PID become infertile.

Endometriosis- This disorder develops when fragments of the endometrial lining, instead of being expelled from the uterus into the vagina, are carried upward in the tubes and reside in the pelvic area leading to hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle causing scarring and inflammation.

Hypothalamic-Pituitary Disorders—Irregularities in this part that controls ovulation accounts for 33% of infertility in women. Excessive exercise, injuries to the pituitary gland, kidney failure, cirrhosis, and anorexia nervosa are some of the major reasons causing the pituitary gland malfunction.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome—this occurs when there is a high production of male hormone particularly testosterone in women causing irregular and infrequent cycles. In most cases, the

cause is not known but genetic factors are likely to be responsible.

Surgical Problems—bands used up in binding tissues after surgery may restrict the movement of ovaries and fallopian tubes causing infertility. Abortion performed under sterile conditions is safe, but not those that are frequent carry risk. Frequent abortions, however, may also impair woman’s fertility.

Other Causes of InfertilityCancer Treatments, Medications, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Thyroid Problems are some the most common problems that surface around as the cause of infertility.

Treatment—Modern day science has made a lot of progress in the field of assisted reproductive technology or ART. This technology combines the use of fertility drugs, hormonal therapy, with artificial insemination using any of a group of techniques. In most of cases infertility cannot be prevented. However there are some measures that women must take in order to ensure that they do not develop this kind of problem. Avoid smoking, alcohol. Take a well balanced diet, and consult your doctor regularly!

Jenifer D’souza is an amateur writer tohttp://www.finegenerics.com providing information on all health related topics or on the latest health topics. For more information, contact jenifr@gmail.com or visit http://www.finegenerics.com

Alcohol Abuse information, tips, recovery and treatment.

Ok. You know or think you may have Genital Herpes. What is Genital Herpes? What are the Symptoms? Can I get a proven guaranteed Treatment for Genital Herpes? Can I prevent further outbreaks of Genital Herpes? Is it a problem during pregnancy?We’ll answer all of those questions.

What is Genital Herpes?

One of the two types of the Herpes virus, Genital Herpes is highly contagious, It affects around 45 million people in the US over the age of 12 (1 out of 5), is more common in women due to easier transmission (male-to-female), and in people with suppressed immune systems it can be very severe.

It is sexually transmitted and if you have both Genital Herpes and Genital Warts, your risk of cervical cancer is increased substantially. The object here is stick with your partner, or abstain…

What are the Symptoms?

Not all people experience symptoms of Genital Herpes, but in general, symptoms include: Itching or burning feeling in the genital or anal area; Pain in the legs, buttocks, or genital area; Discharge of fluid from the vagina; Feeling of pressure in the abdomen; Fever; headache; muscle aches; painful or difficult urination; and swollen glands in the groin area.

Can I get a guaranteed treatment for Genital Herpes?

Yes. A natural herbal remedy that is proven to

effectively treat genital herpes is available. You can find it, buy it, and read about it at Naturally Guaranteed.com. Herpes is a DNA virus. This product inactivates the Herpes virus in the DNA.

Can I prevent further outbreaks?

Yes. A tried and tested natural remedy to prevent HSV2 outbreaks is available for purchase at www.naturallyguaranteed.com.

Is it a problem during pregnancy?

Yes. In the antenatal stage the disease may spread to the placenta and fetus. In the intranatal stage the fetus may be infected by passage through an infected birth canal.

If you have Genital Herpes, speak to your gynecologist about a Cesarean. Section.

Don’t panic. Many hospitals around the world have highly developed ultrasound and other techniques available to evaluate your baby’s development. Also remember that the Herpes disease is very difficult to detect between outbreaks. So check your history: assuming you know and are married to the father of the child, you can both be on the lookout. If not, be aware of the symptoms outlined above, and if you EVER think you are experiencing any, get it checked out immediately.

And remember that infection of a baby from a women with herpes is rare. If you have Genital Herpes, speak to your gynecologist about a Cesarean Section.