Is There a Special Vitamin Supplement For a Woman?

Women have special health needs at different stages of our lives. We may need a specific vitamin supplement for a woman at one stage of our life and need something completely different at another period. Doctors often prescribe vitamin and iron supplements for a woman who is expecting. If she does, take them as directed and do not alter the dose. While a lack of a particular vitamin can cause deficiencies, too much can result in toxicity.

When a vitamin supplement for a woman is recommended or prescribed it is because it contains the specific vitamin or vitamins a woman's body needs. Your doctor will take into the account the amount of calcium and other nutrients that you need on a daily basis and make his recommendation.

You should familiarize yourself with the different vitamins and their role in your health. You want to know in what foods you can get certain vitamins and how much of each of the vitamins that your body needs. If you are taking a vitamin supplement for a woman because you are pregnant, you'll want to investigate whether or not you'll need one after you give birth.

If you have a disease or a condition that dictates you take a special vitamin supplement for a woman it may be something you always have to deal with. Your doctor can certainly advise you on this. However, in most cases, pregnancy notwithstanding, you should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals you need from a balanced diet. Your doctor can do a simple blood test to check the levels of certain vitamins in your system and whether or not you are deficient.

It is important to note that vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble. An excess amount of these vitamins are stored either in fatty tissue or the liver until needed. Because of this, toxicity can occur if too many vitamins are taken. While that rarely happens when we get our vitamins solely from the foods we eat, it can and does happen when we combine too many vitamin supplements with our diets. Discuss this with your doctor if you think you need a vitamin supplement for a woman.

Once you realize the different roles vitamins and minerals play in our overall health, it's actually fun to keep up with the amount we are ingesting, either through the foods we eat or through supplements. In doing so, you will most likely find that your overall diet improves and the need for any additional supplements will be minimal.

About The Author
Beverly Taylor makes it easy to learn about vitamin supplements and their benefits on your health. To receive a free report that reveals shocking secrets about vitamin supplements visit http://www.VitaminSupplements4Life.com

CP Symptoms & What Will Happen Next

Health professionals and parents may not recognize that a baby's movements are irregular until they become more pronounced as a child grows. These babies and young children may retain newborn reflexes and fail to reach age-appropriate developmental milestones. Parents and caregivers usually are first to notice that a baby has developmental delays that may be early signs of CP.

When CP is severe, signs are often noticed at birth or shortly thereafter. However, some early signs of severe CP vary according to the specific type present.

Common signs of severe CP that may be noticed shortly after birth include:

* Problems sucking and swallowing.

* A weak or shrill cry.

* Unusual positions. Often the body is either very relaxed and floppy or very stiff. When held, babies may arch their backs and extend their arms and legs. These postures are different from and more extreme than those that sometimes occur in babies with colic.

Some problems related to CP become more evident over time or develop as a child grows. These may include:

* Smaller muscles in affected arms or legs. Nervous system problems prevent movement in affected arms and legs. Inactivity affects muscle growth.

* Abnormal sensations and perceptions. Some people with CP feel pain when touched lightly. Even everyday activities, such as brushing teeth, may hurt. Abnormal sensations can also make it difficult to identify common objects by touch, such as feeling the difference between a soft foam ball and a hard baseball.

* Skin irritation. Drooling is common when facial and throat muscles are affected. Drooling irritates the skin, particularly around the mouth, chin, and chest.

* Dental problems. Children who have difficulty brushing their teeth have increased risk of developing cavities and gum disease (gingivitis). Seizure medications may also contribute toward developing gum disease.

* Accidents. Falls and other accidents are a risk, depending on muscle control, joint stiffness, and general physical strength. In addition, CP-related seizures can cause accidental injuries.

* Infections and long-term illnesses. Severe CP causes problems with eating. If food is inhaled into the lungs, a child's risk of developing pneumonia increases. Adults are at increased risk for heart and lung disease.

Some children with CP often also display a group of behavioral symptoms, such as excessive sleepiness, irritability, and little interest in their environment.

What Happens

All people with cerebral palsy (CP) have some problems with body movement and posture. However, many babies do not show signs of CP at birth. Parents and caregivers may notice the first signs of CP, such as the baby not rolling over, sitting, crawling, or walking at the expected ages.

Signs of CP may become more obvious as the child grows. Some developmental problems may not appear until after a baby's first year. The brain injury that causes CP does not get worse over time; however, its effects can appear, change, or become more severe as the child gets older.

The specific effects of CP depend on its type and severity, the level of mental impairment, and whether other complications develop or other medical conditions are present.

* The type of CP present and how much of the body that is affected will determine a child's mobility.

o Most people with CP have forms of spastic cerebral palsy, which affects only part of the body. For example, a child with spastic cerebral palsy may develop symptoms mostly in one leg or one side of the body. Most children usually learn ways to accommodate for their handicaps. Some people can live on their own; others live and work in situations that provide some level of assistance. When both legs are affected, children can move around with the help of a scooter board (a device used to self-propel while lying down), modified stroller, wheelchair, or other special equipment.

o Total body cerebral palsy causes the most severe problems. Severe spastic CP and athetoid (dyskinetic) CP are types of total body CP. Many of those affected are not able to take care of themselves, either because of severe physical disabilities or mental retardation. However, some people can live on their own with the help of family members and/or health care aides.

* Complications, such as seizures, and other long-term physical effects of CP can be difficult to predict until a child is between 1 and 3 years of age. Sometimes, however, such predictions are not possible until a child reaches school age when learning, communication skills, and other abilities can be measured. The amount of help and supervision needed depends on the number and severity of problems.

* The severity of mental impairment, if any, is a strong predictor of daily functioning. Approximately 75% of people with CP have some degree of cognitive impairment . 2 About 60% of these people are mentally retarded (ranging from mildly to severely); the remainder often function normally but have some type of learning disability.

* Other medical conditions, such as vision or hearing problems, are often associated with CP. Sometimes these conditions are known right away; in others they are not detected until a child gets older.

Also, just like people with normal physical development, people with CP have social and emotional concerns throughout their lives. Because their physical limitations may add to these concerns, people with CP need the awareness and consideration of others.

Of all children diagnosed with cerebral palsy, 90% live to adulthood (beyond 20 years old). A more precise life expectancy can be estimated by evaluating the type of CP present, its severity, and the impact of any conditions that are often related to CP. Most adults with the mild or moderate form—and some with the severe form—live independently and have jobs. Opportunities for independent living and employment for adults with CP have improved. These opportunities are a result of better home support services and advances in technology, such as computers to assist with speech, powered wheelchairs, and other devices.

About The Author
Jerald Chan writes for http://www.cerebralpalsycure.info where you can find out more about cerebralpalsy cure and other topics.

What About Cigarette Filters?

Cigarette smokers are at danger of more than nicotine when they smoke. Tobacco smoke contains many different chemicals including benzene, formaldehyde, styrene, and carbon monoxide, all toxic chemicals with known effects. Nicotine is broken down by the body to an even more addictive and long lasting substance – cotinine.

But what about the filters? The filters are usually made from cellulose acetate, and studies have shown that smokers commonly ingest and/or inhale some of these fibres. This happens because small fragments of cellulose acetate become separated from the filter at the end face. The cut surface of the filter of nearly all cigarettes has these fragments. This means that if you smoke a filter cigarette you are likely to have small fragments of plastic-like material in your tubes and lungs.

Don't let this be an excuse to go back to smoking unfiltered cigarettes. Cigarette smoke damages your heart as well as your lungs. Carbon monoxide and nicotine are the two chemicals in cigarette smoke that probably have the most effect on the heart. Carbon monoxide attaches to red blood cells, so that in smokers up to half the blood can be carrying carbon monoxide rather than oxygen.

Nicotine stimulates the body to produce adrenaline which makes the heart beat faster and raises blood pressure, forcing the heart to work harder.

Other parts of the smoke appear to damage the lining of the coronary arteries and this leads to the build up of fatty material in the arteries.

Many smokers have switched to low tar cigarettes. It is the tar that causes cancer, but low tar cigarettes don't necessarily have less carbon monoxide and nicotine, so may be no less harmful for the heart. (This doesn't mean that you should go back to higher tar cigarettes, but it does mean that you can't believe that your health will be fine because you are smoking low tar cigarettes.)

My father's last words before he died of a heart attack were "I'm dying for a cigarette." He had no idea how true that was.

About The Author
Jane Thurnell-Read is an author and researcher on health, allergies and stress. She has written two books for the general public: "Allergy A to Z" and "Health Kinesiology. She also maintains a web site http://www.healthandgoodness.com with tips, inspiration and information for everyone who wants to live a happier, healthier life.
janeread@btconnect.com

Have Acne? Choose A Diet To Suit You

Is your skin healthy lately? Or are you being plagued by that horrible skin affliction called acne? If you answer "yes" to the latter question, then you have a serious problem. Chances are you have already tried several different methods to treat your acne. You go to dermatologists to get prescriptions, ask friends what products they use, go to the drugstore to get the latest over-the-counter medication advertised on television, call the hotline number for the newest breakthrough featured in the infomercial you saw last night. But then none of them only seem to produce less than satisfactory results or none at all! Here's another question for you. What have you been eating lately? Has the idea of acne diets ever crossed your mind?

Are you eating healthy? A proper diet greatly contributes to having healthier skin. Even better, acne diets will help lessen breakouts and keep your skin soft, smooth and supple. Can you recall a simple concept called "garbage in, garbage out"? This is how acne diets operate. Always remember that what you eat has an effect not just on your body's physical strength, but your appearance as well. The very simple habit of drinking eight glasses of water a day helps a lot in flushing out toxins from your body. People who do not make a habit of drinking enough water every day suffer from skin dryness, pimple and other forms of skin ailments. Vegetables are high sources of fiber. Fiber-enriched acne diets also help in cleaning the body on the inside. Fruits are also sources of fiber. Apart from that they are rich in vitamins. What the skin needs most are vitamins A, C and E. These are highly present in citrus fruits. Fruits secrete enzymes that help fight acne. The vitamins present in fruits keep the skin soft and radiant looking.

Acne diets are very easy to follow. Water, vegetables and fruits are the keys to keeping an acne-free skin. Keeping tabs on the contents or ingredients of every meal is a step closer to having beautiful skin. Here are a few more tips – adequate rest, regular exercise and an overall healthy lifestyle can transform you in ways you never imagined possible. You are healthy, you look good and you have your confidence back. Remember, what's inside can be reflected outside.

About The Author
Luke Cameron is owner of Beauty Care Inc. - an online magazine offering news, tips and articles on beauty related topics. His website can be found at: http://www.beautycareinc.com.

Ovulation Prediction Kits

Sometimes a woman's temperature does not rise with ovulation, or there are other difficulties with using the basal temperature method of predicting ovulation. If you find yourself in this condition, there are a variety of products available from the drug store which can help you predict "O-day," but they can be a costly alternative.

What's included in an ovulation prediction kit, and how does it work? Actually there are several types of ovulation predictors. One of the choices is a battery operated device that tests your saliva for the presence of hormones which indicate ovulation. These testers are reusable and are about the size of a lipstick. Using one requires you to put a drop of saliva on the lens. When it dries, you have an eyepiece through which the dried saliva is magnified forty times. If increased estrogen is presence, the saliva will have dried in a fern-like design. Such a device can cost around $40, but it doesn't require additional purchases. Brand names include Ovulite and Fertile Focus.

Another option is a kit that requires you to collect your urine in a cup and test it with a test strip to determine the presence of hormones. Most of them test for luteinizing hormone, a substance that increases prior to ovulation. There are a variety of these kits on the market. Some have as few as 7 test strips included and others have 20 or more. For women with irregular periods, seven test strips might not be enough. One of these kits will probably cost between $15 and $30. If you need to buy one several months in a row, it could prove costly. However, they are helpful and somewhat less trouble than charting basal temperatures, although many women do both at the same time. Brands include Answer and Clear Blue.

If money is not an object and you like high tech gadgets, you might want to check into an electric fertility monitor with a digital read-out. For $200 you can get a small device that will tell you when to test your urine, based on the first day of your period. The monitor also reads your test sticks for both luteinizing hormone and estrogen. One such device is made by Clear Blue. If pregnancy doesn't happen within a few months, you will have to buy additional test strips to use with it.

Clear Blue also makes a tester that has a digital readout that is very easy to interpret, unlike some other kits. It costs about $40, can test urine seven times, and is not reusable - which makes it too costly for a lot of people.

http://www.conceiveeasy.com

About The Author
Stacey Woods
My name is Stacey and I am 39. I always heard about women having trouble conceiving a baby at this age, but it never really struck me directly until recently. I managed to find a natural way to conceive at my age, so I decided to expose the secret.
To find out more, please visit http://www.conceiveeasy.com.