Pregnancy isn’t the time to start training for an ultramarathon, but a moderate amount of exercise can have many positive effects for future moms. The best benefit is the greater sense of calm and well-being, and exercise can also potentially decrease your risk of C-section, decrease fetal stress, and shorten your time in labor. Before you begin any exercise program, however, you should consult with your obstetrician, especially if you were living a relatively inactive life before you got pregnant. The main point to remember when exercising while pregnant is to listen to your body–don’t strain or overexert yourself. Here are some other tips to keep in mind:

• Avoid exercises where you are lying on your back for a prolonged period
• Stay hydrated by drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day
• As your pregnancy progresses don’t do exercises that focus on balance
• Exercises that aren’t weight bearing will reduce your risk of injury

With those things in mind, here are four great, mild to moderate exercises that can help you stay fit while pregnant.

Basic Yoga Routine

Yoga is the perfect exercise for moms-to-be. Its focus on holding postures and deliberately controlling your movements is low impact and great for people trying to avoid any potential injuries. The mind-body aspect of yoga can also reduce the natural levels of stress that come with pregnancy and thoughts of the future. And studies have found that prenatal yoga leads to significantly less discomfort at the end of pregnancy, during weeks 38-40. Here is a basic yoga routine, though you should feel free to modify it, based on the poses you prefer.

• Mountain Pose
• Tree Pose
• Warrior Pose
• Standing Side Stretch
• Cat Pose
• Sage Twist Pose
• Corpse Pose

Kegel Exercises

Kegels help make labor easier, and they can also prevent bladder leaks and hemorrhoids, some common side effects of pregnancy. And, they’re one of the easiest exercises you can do. Simply contract the muscles of the pelvic floor, the same ones you use to hold your pee. Hold the muscles for three seconds, relax, and then repeat. A set consists of doing this contraction about 25 times; do 3-4 sets at a time, several times a day. The best thing about kegels is that you can do them anywhere– no one can tell what you’re doing! And strengthening your urethra, bladder, and uterus will help stave off incontinence later in life and make your orgasms stronger in the meantime.

Swimming

Swimming is the perfect cardio exercise for pregnancy. It’s completely low impact and has a low risk of injuries. You aren’t adding any weight to your already stressed out joints, and you’re unlikely to become overheated while in the pool. Many pregnant women love swimming because being in the water returns an ease of movement they haven’t felt since before they got pregnant. During the first and second trimester you can safely swim up to 30 minutes a day, or longer if you feel up to it. In the third trimester, the breast stroke can help align back and chest muscles that can get out of whack during pregnancy.

Walking

Yes, I know it’s not that exciting, but walking is a great way to stay active while you’re pregnant. The low-impact exercise gets your heart rate up, without the risk of knee stress or falling that comes with jogging and running. Make sure you’ve got good shoes, and some good music or podcasts to keep your entertained.

Joy Paley is a guest blogger for An Apple a Day and a writer on the subject of becoming a medical transcriptionist for the Guide to Health Education.

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The number of C-Sections in the United States have been on the rise since the 1990s.  While the main reason could be health-related, such as older women having babies, obesity etc.; there are many who opt for a C-section just to avoid the discomfort associated with a normal delivery.

For many of us, the thought of pushing a baby through a small opening can appear daunting, if not terrifying. The fact that C-section is also considered as a routine these days and not a major abdominal surgery also pushes women towards getting one.

According to recent data; today, one out of three babies is born via C-section and this rate is expected to go up even more.

This procedure can be a lifesaver in many cases when the mother or baby is in distress or because of other factors that can make a vaginal delivery hazardous.  They could also be performed because the baby looks big, the mother is past her due date or because the labor is not progressing well.  But experts say that only about 5 percent of C-sections are emergencies. Around 3 percent of them are completely a matter of choice for which there is no medical reason.

Critics are of the opinion that there is no reason for so many healthy pregnancies ending up in surgery. They say that there are a certain number of C-sections that are inevitable for the sake of the mother or baby’s health, but there are too many unnecessary C-sections being performed in the United States.

Risks of C-Section

A C-section involves cutting through the skin, tissue and the uterine wall to extract the baby and placenta, and then sewing up the incision. The recovery period can be a minimum of four weeks when compared to just a few days for vaginal deliveries.

Apart from the long recovery period, there is also the risk of infection, blood clots, blood loss and some fatal complications too.

Here are a few things every pregnant woman needs to know:

What Makes C-Sections So Hot?

Technology Picks Up Potential Health Risks – C-sections are hot because the advancement of technology is picking up potential health risks and problems easily.  Ultrasounds in the third-trimester can now predict the size of the baby and monitors can check the baby’s heart rate during labor and delivery.  They help obstetricians rely heavily on technology to see potential problems during pregnancy, labor and delivery. If they see a problem, then they consider it safer to do a Cesarean.

According to a leading obstetrician, “Continuous recording of the fetal heart rate came into being in the 1970s and is likely a big contributor to the increase in C-sections.  Doctors today are more inclined to do a C-section if there is anything of concern.”

Older Mothers – Women having children late in life are more at risk for labor and delivery related problems.  They also have a difficult time pushing the baby out. Apart from this, many older women undergo fertility treatments to get pregnant and this usually leads to twins, triplets etc., which calls for a surgical delivery.

Assistant professor of Obstetrics and gynecology at the Drexel University College of Medicine says, “It’s very hard to predict how the second baby will come out.”  He said that complicated positions are very common with multiple babies.   In such a scenario, a C-section is looked at as a safer alternative for the health of the fetus and has become the default method of delivering such babies, irrespective of their position.

With more and more women opting to have children late in life, the number of C-sections is on the rise.

Overweight Mothers – Pregnant women with a body mass index of 30 or more are more likely to need a C-section. Unfortunately, almost 35 percent of the women above the age of 20 today fit into this category, according to the American Heart Association.

Doctors say that heavier women tend to have bigger babies, making it difficult to push them out normally.  The excessive fatty tissue can also prevent the baby from moving smoothly through the birth canal.  Another factor to consider is the fact that overweight women usually have other associated problems like high blood pressure, which might lead to induction of labor and C-section.

Induction Of Labor Leads To C-Sections – Many women are of the opinion that induction of labor is almost the same as natural labor.  But that is not true.  Induction of labor with drugs, manual stripping of the membranes connecting the amniotic sac to the uterine walls or even rupturing the amniotic sac to cause contractions does not always help with labor. Most of these women end up having a C-section.

The First C-Section Leads To A Second – The general belief is that once you have a C-section, all subsequent deliveries have to be through C-sections too. Previously, there used to be VBAC (vaginal birth after a Cesarean) but now it is rarely performed, after a study in 1999 indicated that there is a small chance that the scar could give way, which poses a fatal risk to both the mother and baby.  After that study, it was recommended that doctors can only perform VBACs in hospitals where emergency C-sections are performed. But because of the liability concerns and the fear that something could go wrong, they are hardly performed anymore.

However, it is important to realize that multiple C-sections are not completely safe either.  There is the risk of hardening of the scar tissue and the risk of the placenta implanting abnormally.

Conclusion

As we all know, a normal vaginal delivery is the best option and mothers who have no health problems are advised by doctors to tolerate the discomfort associated with a normal delivery, keeping in mind the future health problems that a C-section can lead to.

If a pregnant woman is unfortunate enough to have complications or when a normal delivery turns bad, doctors say that a C-section is the safest option.

It is not easy to compare a C-section to a normal delivery, because there are numerous factors that are taken into consideration.  Every pregnant woman wants a health baby, and towards this end, it is important to talk to your obstetrician at all times to understand the options.  The better informed you are, the safer the delivery will be, irrespective of whether it is a normal vaginal delivery or a C-section.

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Mastectomy is the worst nightmare a woman can have.  As if being diagnosed with cancer is not enough, removal of the breast plays havoc with a woman’s self-esteem.

Each year more than 250,000 women in America face breast cancer and many of them undergo breast reconstructive surgery. Why breast reconstruction?

There are a number of reasons women go for reconstruction of their breasts:

-         Because they cannot imagine their lives with a flat chest in place of a breast

-         To regain their original breast shape

-         To avoid having to use a padding inside the bra for the rest of their lives

Many women say that reconstruction helps with their self-esteem and body image. But the problem is that most women get this surgery done without even understanding what their options are or what they are getting into.

With a whole lot of choices to make, there is a growing concern that women are not being properly informed about all the treatment options available to them.  Most women are usually presented with “Okay, this is what we are going to do,” by the doctors.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ report, almost 70 percent of breast cancer patients who are eligible for breast reconstruction procedures were not informed of the options for reconstruction that are available to them.

Some say that it is because of doctors’ hectic schedules that prevent them from discussing and explaining things to their patients. It may also so happen that the doctor does not mention a particular procedure to the patient, if he or she is not competent or trained in performing that surgery.

Whatever the reasons, every woman has the right to know the options. Let’s see what they are according to experts.

Planning Well In Advance

If you are planning on having reconstructive surgery, you will first have to discuss in-depth with your surgeon, who is experienced in breast reconstruction, even before you get a mastectomy done.  Planning well in advance will give you a chance to understand your options and allows the surgical team also to plan the best treatment for you.

Breast cancer experts recommend that the patient should try and slow down the process. According to a breast cancer expert at the University of Michigan Health System, “The median time from breast cancer diagnosis to surgery is two weeks. That’s way too fast. Breast cancer is not a medical emergency.  You have a period of time, certainly weeks, to make decisions.”  He tells patients to weight all their options and also get second opinions. He says, “Make no decisions in the first visit to the doctor.  Let me repeat: Make no decisions in the first visit.”

Decisions For Reconstructive Surgery

There are several factors that need to be considered before having reconstructive surgery.

-         Overall health

-         The stage of the breast cancer

-         The size of the natural breast

-         The amount of chest tissue available.  Thin women may not have enough tissue to make flap grafts.

-         Whether reconstruction needs to be done on one or both breasts

-         The type of reconstructive surgery

-         The size of the reconstructed breast

Types Of Surgery

-         Mastectomy: This means complete removal of the breast.

-         Lumpectomy/Segmental Mastectomy/Breast Conservation Surgery: Removing only part of the breast tissue.

Immediate or Delayed

-         Immediate breast reconstruction is done immediately after the mastectomy.

-         Delayed breast reconstruction means that it is rebuilt later.

The advantage of getting it done immediately is that the chest tissues are not damaged by radiation therapy or scarring and the resultant new breast looks better. It also means easier surgery. However, delayed reconstruction may be a good idea for women who will need radiation to that area even after the mastectomy. This is because radiation therapy given after the surgery can lead to problems.

Haste Is Waste

Experts say that sometimes the journey from diagnosis to surgery is initiated in haste by the patients themselves. According to one expert, “Many women have the reaction, ‘Get this cancer out before it kills me!’ They don’t realize it’s been there for years.

Even women doctors patients are said to make this mistake when they are affected with breast cancer.  A doctor cites an example of a lady doctor who had breast cancer. “”I had two patients who were physicians and they jumped the queue and had their mastectomies very quickly,” she remembers.”They didn’t wait for all the tests to come back, and when they did, the tests showed these women could have kept their breasts, but they had that operating room booked.”

Sometimes patients take the advice of only one surgeon. They don’t bother meeting the medical oncologist to check if chemotherapy is required and go by what their surgeon says, when in fact it is the medical oncologist that specializes in chemotherapy and not the surgeon.

Conclusion

American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ advises breast cancer patients to seek out information objectively with a clear head.  They are asked to read books, surf the internet, look at studies, and discuss with surgeons with high credentials. If you don’t need intensive surgeries, then you are asked to go for procedures that are less invasive and less painful.  Make the right choices by investigating all the options.  Even if your doctor doesn’t give you the options, you will have to find out and discuss with him or find a new surgeon who is open to discussions.

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That’s it. I’ve had it! If I hear one more man complain about women and PMS I think I’m going to SCREAM! I mean really. Who the hell do they think they are anyway? Disagree with them? Must be PMS. Point out that they made a mistake? Must be PMS. Don’t want to hit the sack for an afternoon quickie? Must be P-M-friggin-S! GRRRRR!

I’m convinced — the vast majority of men wouldn’t recognize a woman with PMS if she bit him on the ass. Heck, they don’t even realize their own little condition:

DAS — Daily Asshole Syndrome

Ooooh yeah. You know it’s true. Sure, some women go through monthly mood swings. Let’s call it our little monthly vacation from having to bottle up how we really feel all the time. And given that we put up with men and their DAS every single day, I say we deserve the friggin’ break!

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What is DAS? Think of it as PMS on a daily cycle. Men are up. Then they’re down. Then they’re horny. Then they’re hungry. Then they’re happy. Then they’re pissy. Then as soon as we ask them to do something for us they’re too tired and want to be left alone. They can go through the entire cycle in a single hour and start all over again.

Oh man, do they have some crazy mood swings or what? And there are relatively universal swings too. Here’s one of my favorites (which I’ve seen in one of my brothers, and at least two different exes):

The guy’s pissed off. The reason doesn’t matter, because there usually isn’t a very good one. The fact that the clock just struck 3:00pm would be as valid a reason as any. He’s a complete grouch. He takes it out on the nearest woman, either losing his temper and shouting, insulting her, bitching constantly about something, or just flat out ignoring her at the most inappropriate time.

He gets called out for his prissy little fit. He immediately realizes that the person calling him out (which can’t be the woman he’s being an ass towards) is right. A grin overcomes the smug look on his face. You know the one — the guilty little “yeah, I know I’m a jerk but you have to love me anyway so just forgive me and I promise it won’t ever happen again” grin. But of course, it happens again. And again. And again.

Yes folks, that’s one of my favorite little examples of DAS. I’m sure you can think of more.

PMS Isn’t a Problem, It’s a Privilege

Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

Not all women get bitchy when they have PMS. Some are just hypersensitive emotionally (*raises hand*). Others are simply miserable because they’re in pain — hey men, how often do you feel like internal organs are trying to escape your body? Yeah, didn’t think so.

Until you’ve felt what your woman is feeling, shut the hell up about her having PMS. She might be one of those unlucky ones with extreme cramps, and if they’re not hitting her yet she knows they’re coming. You’ve been warned. I take no responsibility if she decides to relieve you of your manhood for opening your mouth at the wrong time.

When women go through these emotional and / or physical changes, we don’t have the luxury of knowing we can change how we feel on a whim like you lucky little bastards can. So if we’re a bit out of sorts for a few days, deal with it! We’ve earned it solely for putting up with you all month!

And on that note, I think it’s time for a Midol and a nap.

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The most popular way of increasing the size of breasts is implants; either silicon-gel or saline-filled. But there are many risks associated with these implants and some of them as identified by the FDA are, leaking or hardening of the implants; rippling, sagging or lack of sensation of the breasts.

Although, silicon implants are approved by the FDA, many women have noticed a variety of complications including fibromyalgia with pain in the muscles, joints and tendons. Some women even complained about arthritis, nausea, muscle cramps and chronic fatigue.

Now, there is a reason to rejoice for people who have been looking to enhance their assets. There may no longer be a need to use artificial implants and take health risks. This enlargement can be done naturally with a new stem cell therapy developed by scientists. This procedure kills two birds at the same time; that of increasing the breast size and reducing the stomach fat.

What is the connection between stomach fat and breasts?

How about cutting some of that excess fat and storing in your assets?

That’s what this is all about. The process involves isolating the excess fat cells on the stomach or thighs, after which concentrated stem cells are mixed with another batch of fat, and then injected into the breast.

For those of you who wish to know what exactly stem cells are – they are undifferentiated cells with a unique potential to produce any type of cell in the body. We know that our body is made up of a huge number of cells. All the cells in the body with their various functions originate from a single cell – the embryo. These cells are named “stem cells” because all other cells in the body “stem” from these cells. This means they have the super power to self-repair damaged parts and even create a whole organism. Stem cell research is creating waves in medicine. Researchers strongly believe that these super cells can revolutionize medicine, enabling doctors to grow new organs, cure several diseases and repair tissues in the body.

Using these wonderful stem cells for this procedure sounds wonderful, and most women should not object to something like this, as this will give their assets a completely natural look, unlike the artificial implants that mostly tend to look artificial.

The only drawback with this process is that it takes time, as many as several months, to achieve the desired shape and size. Scientists say that since this is still in the initial stages, an increase of one cup size is possible, and in the future, the size can be larger with improvement in technique.

The research team is led by Professor Kefah Mokbel, who is a breast surgeon at the London Breast Institute. According to him, “Implants are a foreign body. They are associated with long-term complications and require replacement. They can also leak and cause scarring. This (new technique) is a very exciting advance in breast surgery. The breasts (treated with stem cells) feel more natural because this tissue has the same softness as the rest of the breast.”

Currently, ten breast cancer patients who underwent mastectomies are part of a trial that has started in Britain. This technique is also being tested on healthy women undergoing this procedure purely for cosmetic reasons.

Researchers feel that the stem cell treatment may work only for small increases in size, and they will have to conduct further research to see if it is possible for larger augmentations. Mokbel said, “We are optimistic we can easily achieve an increase of one cup size. We can’t say yet if we can achieve more. That may depend on the stem cells we can harvest.”

This is not a new procedure as it has been used in Japan for around six years to treat cancer patients. The British team is confident that after it conducts about 30 procedures, the London Breast Institute will also be able to offer this to private patients, and the cost may be anywhere around 6,500 pounds.

The results in cancer patients have been impressive. Although, there is a lot of excitement in the research circles about the use of this procedure in healthy women, several medical bodies have opined that it is not advisable to offer this to healthy women until several more trials on cancer patients show that it is completely safe and effective.

It is also felt that while breast cancer patients attend regular follow-ups without fail, young women who get this done for cosmetic reasons are less likely to do so, making it possible to miss out on any complications.

A woman’s curse? In the West, through much of its history, women were considered ritually unclean during the monthly flow of blood. This period put a woman into a state of ritual defilement. Theologians believed that this “unclean creature” could not be entrusted with the care of God’s sacred rituals. Similar taboos existed among many cultures, including the Greeks and Romans. Women were not only considered to be “impure” but in danger of communicating this impurity to others. Anyone who touches a woman or her belongings becomes unclean and must clean themselves. These traditions were onerous and complicated.

Now for the blessings of the curse! The same blood is now claimed by researchers as life-saving. It is found to contain stem cells that are in the early stages of development, thus having the potential to turn into different types of cells.

American and Japanese researchers say that this blood contains adult stem cells and can be the “super repair kit” for the body. These stem cells can be used to develop nine different types of cells for growing new cartilage, bone, fat, skin, brain cells, lung, nerve, muscle and even the heart.

A master stem cell is the zygote (embryo) that is the result of a fertilized egg. It is the beginning of all human life. With the growth of the embryo, this master cell multiplies into millions of cells, including stem cells. Throughout gestation, different types of cells are created, skin, nerve, bone, muscle and others. After birth and throughout the life, regenerating stem cells are produced by the body.

Menstrual stem cells are believed to be similar to those from the embryos and bone marrow, but are said to be better compatible and easy to replicate.

Menstruation is nothing but the shedding of the uterine lining (endometrium) and the blood that oozes out of the blood vessels that are torn when the uterine lining is shed. Stem cell researchers say this uterine lining that is shed contains stem cells.

Scientists are excited and consider this an wonderful breakthrough in stem cell therapy, as stem cells are known to be a wonder cure for diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart disease, spinal cord damage and several other diseases.

Several lab tests were done on menstrual stem cells and scientists created all types of cells from them and the most amazing find was that it took only five days to create new heart cells.

Researchers say that these stem cells should be banked for future use in saving lives and it is a simple process too. The procedure is similar to giving a urine sample. The only effort that needs to be put in is to expand the blood before storing, unlike the umbilical cord stem cells that are stored immediately after extraction.

Stem cell research holds great promise because stem cells are cells that have not yet divided into specialized somatic cells – such as liver cells, skin cells, nerve cells and muscle cells – they can be used to develop various treatments. Stem cell research has the potential to repair any tissue in the body; it has the potential to cure anything from a simple skin cut to cancer.

Stem cell therapy has come under a lot of scrutiny and has become a controversial issue because of scientists’ belief that the most useful stem cells come from embryos. This controversy has reached new proportions when researchers in Virginia have become the first to create human embryos for the purpose of harvesting stem cells that can be used in scientific investigations. Federal funding for such research is being questioned on the grounds of morality and legality.

Researchers feel that actual treatments are a long way off and one of the reasons is federal funding. In spite of the fact that there are many private laboratories that have been engaged in stem cell research without expecting any assistance from the government, the lack of federal support retards the progress of American stem cell research.

Many supporters of stem cell research feel that promising research programs, including adult and amniotic fluid stem cell research and other types of scientific studies that do not involve human embryos should be funded. They feel that this needs to be done in an attempt to relieve human suffering and we are sure millions of sufferers from around the world feel this way too.

For most women, one week a month brings mood swings, cravings, bloating and general irritation. Your period as part of the female reproductive cycle serves an important purpose. It cleanses the uterus of unnecessary lining when another month goes by without getting pregnant. But if you aren’t trying to become pregnant, is it really necessary to have a period?

Understanding the System
The female reproductive system is a cycle. Every 28-30 days on average, a female’s body thickens the lining of the uterus, releases an egg to be fertilized and then waits for that egg to land on an implant in the uterus to begin a pregnancy. If the egg doesn’t arrive, the lining is shed through the period, and the cycle begins anew.

When birth control pills were first developed in the 1960s, they were designed to give the female body twenty-one days of active hormones and then seven days of sugar pills. When the body was off the active hormone, it went through withdrawal bleeding. This twenty-eight day cycle mimics the body’s natural rhythms, and the arrival of a woman’s period every month let her know that she was not pregnant, despite the use of the pills. But the body is not preparing for pregnancy while on the pill, there is no actual thickening of the lining since the hormones prevent it.

Bye-Bye Periods
So there is not really a need for bleeding. The levels of hormones that are given to women during the twenty-one days have been redistributed by some brands of birth control pills to twenty-eight days. This means there will not be a week of withdrawal bleeding, and the body will remain on the small dose of hormones all month long.

This effectively does away with periods for as long as the woman stays on this style of birth control pills. There is simply no reason to have a period as the body is not actually working through the normal reproductive system while on the pill. Many doctors are encouraging patients to do away with periods entirely or limit them to four times per year simply because they can, and there is no reason to deal with the drama of a period if you don’t need to.

Are No Periods Safe?
The primary concern of patients is the safety of the continuous pills. They wonder if there is something wrong with skipping your period entirely as it simply seems unnatural. And it is somewhat unnatural, but so are any birth control pills. There is nothing unsafe about the pills.

Most women feel comfortable with standard birth control pills with twenty-one days of hormone laced supplements. What they fail to realize is that the period you have while on the pill is not the same kind of period you have when off of it. The period following the twenty-one day pill regime is caused by the absence of hormones, not a biological need.

So by making the pills of the twenty-one day cycle slightly less powerful, and putting hormones into the formerly placebo pills, your body is still receiving roughly the same amount of hormones, but now it is on the hormones constantly eliminating any bleeding and keeping women period free by choice.

Health and Longevity

Living a healthy life, without any health issues is what most of us want to achieve. For it to actually happen; a strong will to put in a lot of effort and determination is required.
Building a strong routine, healthy eating habits, a good diet, regular work out and exercise forms a streamlined method of living life, this systematic method is the only way of leading a happy and healthy life.

Women’s Health

Women are the most important part of any family, and her health is most likely to affect every single member of the household. Both working women and home makers carry out various responsibilities in their lives. Also women’s health is an important issue in today’s world! There are a few precautionary measures that women can take to avoid health problems. Some of the essential care that must be taken would include a pelvic test once a year after the age of 18, routine breast cancer self checks, and tetanus and other immunization medical courses are also a must. Living a long and healthy life means, taking precautionary measures are well as getting medicated at a proper time when required. Medication should be taken as per prescription and in the same amount or dosage it has been suggested in. Visiting your dentist regularly is another important part of taking care of your health, recent women’s health survey’s reveal that a few cardio vascular diseases have been associated with poor oral health. Similarly, oral or mouth cancer claims over 8,000 victims a year.

Lastly, developing a self esteem can play a crucial part in living a long and healthy life. Learn to say no. Most women across the world feel that they are expendable, if you feel you are not being respected or treated in a fair manner, then learn to stand up for your self, living under pressure and humiliation can cause a lot of mental strain and problems in the later parts of life.