Exercises to Do at Home For Body Toning and Weight Loss

Here are a few exercises to do at home if you want to tone up your body and lose a little bit of weight. These exercises will allow you to save both time and money while also improving your results. This article will take no more than 2 minutes of your time, yet it can help you "see the trees from the forest" in regards to what is important and what is just a waste of time. Read this now, you'll be glad you did.

Exercises to do at Home

1. Walking up and down the stairs for 15 minutes non-stop

I'm hoping and guessing you have stairs in your home or at the very least in your condo or apartment building. If you do, all you need to do is devote 15 minutes to walking up and down them without stopping. Sometimes my clients react to me saying this by saying they already walk up and down stairs enough. NO, YOU DON'T. It has to be non-stop. If you do this everyday or at the very least 6 days a week, you'll realize how powerful this is in 10-12 days.

It's simple and quick. No excuses. Come on, if you want to lose weight and tone up, do this.

2. Jumping jacks during commercial breaks

Ok, I want you to do this as a kind of "metabolism booster" exercise. Say you watch 1 hour of tv (don't lie, I bet you watch closer to 4 hours). Well, take the commercials of a full 1 hour of tv and do jumping jacks during them. Consider these mini-workouts. There are about 7 commercials with a total time of 20 minutes during 1 hour of tv. Make that time productive and "sneak in" some or all of your workout.

These exercises to do at home are simple and quick... and will allow you to get faster and more efficient body toning and weight loss results.

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Cancer Fighting Foods - Cure Your Self of Cancer

Cancer cells are always present in the body and are normally kept in check by our body's own natural defense system. Do you know how the body's natural defense system works and where it gets the ammunition to do so? Do you know at what point the body succumbs to the disease named cancer?

Millions of cancer cells are present in the body from time to time. However, when the cancer cell count reaches the billions, we know the body's natural defense system is not working. Cancer cells seem go undetected as foreign cells by the body. Since cancer cells grow more quickly than normal cells they can replace healthy cells almost unnoticed by the body until we feel something is wrong, a tumor, or an organ is malfunctioning.

Cancer has occurred in your body over a long period of time due to many different forces. Outside influences such as environment, exposure to toxins, smoking, second-hand smoke, tremendous shock, and cancer-causing foods can and do cause cancer.

However, cancer can be cured. Studies have proven that a nutritious diet of anti-oxidant foods and nutrients can cure cancer. Cancer fighting foods are as close as your local grocery store shelves. All you need is the knowledge of which particular foods and the correct recipes and you will be able to cure your cancer condition naturally. In this case, knowledge is the power to heal.

A wide variety of foods makes a lifetime cancer-free diet. There is a process to learning how to make food selections and cook in a way that not only cures cancer, but prevents the disease from permeating your body. Two-time cancer survivor and author Carol Patterson has developed many wonderful tasting recipes using cancer fighting foods. Her second diagnosis of cancer prompted the doctors to suggest radical surgery. The author chose alternative cancer cures to save her body from being disfigured and horrendous exposure to chemotherapy again.

The cancer fighting foods program works and be assured that your cancer can be cured. Cancer cures are as close as the local grocery store or health food market coupled with the correct recipes and you will be able to cure yourself of cancer and to maintain a healthy body for the rest of your life. The National Cancer Institute estimates that roughly one-third of all cancer deaths may be diet related. What you eat can hurt you. On the other hand, what you eat can also help you. Knowing which foods are cancer fighting foods, and making the correct choices can save your life.

Many of the common foods found in grocery stores or organic markets contain cancer fighting anti-oxidants and can cure cancer naturally. The antioxidants neutralize damage caused by cancer-causing free radicals and change them into phytochemicals which battle cancer cells. Scientists are just beginning to explore this amazing phenomenon.

Worldwide, we are beginning to realize that the modernization of our food processing system in the last 50 years has led to almost epidemic proportions of cancer and heart disease. Not only are these foods contributing to an enormous obesity problem because of chemical ingestion, but processed foods are poisoning our bodies one day at a time. Over a period of 25-40 years, major damage has been done to our bodies by eating chemically processed foods; and the result is deadly cancer and heart disease.

The good news is that the body has extremely resilient recuperative abilities. Cells divide and regenerate daily, including cancer cells. Cancer cells are missing two essential amino acids: Linolenic Acid and Linoleic Acid. That being the case, it is very logical to realize if we feed the cancer cells the missing amino acids and nutrients, the cells will have the ability to morph and regenerate themselves into healthy cells. The concept is quite simplistic, but it works. Cancer can be cured and many people have been cured from cancer with this concept using cancer-fighting foods.

What researchers are finding is we are what we eat!

All over the world, our diet has changed from the times when we ate mainly farm-fresh foods. We go to the grocery store and buy many processed foods which have chemical preservatives and are generally not healthy for us. In many cases, these foods actually cause cancer one day at a time over a period of years.

On the other hand, there are many foods in our grocery stores which have natural antioxidants and the ability to fight off cancer as well as maintain normal body health. Once you know the correct cancer fighting foods, you can institute a natural cancer cure.

The National Cancer Institute recognizes that diet and nutrition play a big part in fighting cancer. They recommend eating at least five daily servings of fruit and vegetables as part of a low-fat, high fiber diet. Many cancer fighting foods which are high in anti-oxidants are nuts, fruits, and vegetables.

In general, in the western world, our daily diet today is out of balance. We eat too much food; we eat too much meat and fat; we eat too much sugar and salt, and our diet lacks fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains. Our normal daily diets are comprised mostly of up to 45% fats. A healthy fat intake should be 30% or less of the total day's food intake.

The National Cancer Institute states that diet and nutrition are factors in 60% of cancers in women and 40% of cancers in men.

Today more and more studies are proving that we can beat cancer with the ammunition of nutritious foods and a balanced diet. John's Hopkins University in their cancer studies has a new update verifying these studies.

It has become common knowledge that nutritional food intake is essential to fighting cancer. It is not logical that the reverse could be true? The wrong foods can and do cause cancer. Not too difficult to figure out!

The National Cancer Institute and the Federal Food and Drug Administration agree that Americans should eat more fiber and reduce their fat intake. These authorities also stress that the freshness of food is an important factor.

Fresh foods straight from your own garden or the farm stand would be the best cancer fighting foods, plus they are delicious tasting! When you use fresh foods for your meals, and prepare them yourself, you know what you are eating. This is essential to a creating a cure for cancer for yourself or loved one.

There are numerous published reports documenting the healing qualities of a healthy diet. The idea of consuming fruits and vegetables while they are still in their natural state means that we preserve the natural nutrients to put into our body.

When making juice from fruits or vegetables, drink the juice within five minutes of processing to preserve the natural nutrients.

Once the principles of fresh food make sense to you, the idea of store-bought, processed food reveals itself as a large part of the problem. Learn to look at the labels on the back of food packages. The best advice is to eat food in its natural state as it comes from the grower. If you can grow your own vegetables, that is an even better solution.

You will begin to realize the more modern we have become in terms of our food process; the more we now have epidemic high levels of cancer, heart disease and obesity and increasing year after year. There is a direct correlation of processed foods and disease which scientists are proving daily.

There is something drastically wrong with this picture! People no longer have to be deathly sick with cancer. Cancer can be cured through cancer fighting foods.

Preparing your own fresh juice and food is slightly more work, but consider the alternative. Other countries such as Japan and China do not have the heart disease, obesity or the cancer problems which we have in the western world. Asian foods are mostly vegetable, nut, fruit and fish based. The health problems of heart disease, obesity, and cancer in the western world, and the food differences between our foods and Asian foods have direct correlation.

Medical and scientific resources are now stating the reason for the high spikes in illness throughout the world is because of processed foods. When you hear a food warning, one at a time on a radio show or a morning talk show, it does not have the impact as it does in written reports complied by government agencies and noted authorities.

It is very logical to see: We are what we eat!

Listed below is a chart of FDA approved fruits and vegetables. Make note on this list; there is plenty of food to eat! Making delicious and healthy cancer fighting foods from this listing is not difficult at all.

FDA CONSUMER JOURNAL'S TOP 20 FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND FISH

TOP 20 FRUITS.............................VEGETABLES...................................FISH

• Bananas.................................potatoes.........................................shrimp
• Apples.....................................lettuce.............................................cod
• Watermelon...........................tomatoes........................................Pollock
• Oranges.................................onions.............................................catfish
• Cantaloupe............................carrots.............................................scallops
• Grapes....................................celery...............................................salmon
• Grapefruit................................sweet corn......................................flounder
• Strawberries...........................broccoli............................................sole
• Peaches..................................green cabbage...............................oyster
• Pears........................................cucumbers......................................orange roughy
• Nectarines................................bell peppers....................................mackerel
• Honeydew melon....................cauliflower.......................................ocean perch
• Plums........................................leaf lettuce........................................rockfish
• Avocados..................................sweet potatoes................................whiting
• Lemons.....................................mushrooms.....................................clams
• Pineapples...............................green onions....................................haddock
• Tangerines...............................green beans.....................................blue crab
• Sweet cherries.........................radish.................................................trout
• Kiwis..........................................summer squash..............................halibut
• Limes........................................asparagus.........................................lobster

Many of the foods on both the FDA recommended list and the cancer fighting foods are the same. Take the time to cross-reference this list with the cancer fighting foods list below. You will see that many of the foods are the same. Amazing!

By changing your diet, and going back to the way we ate 30-50 years ago without processed foods in our diet, you will have the ability to make your body strong and healthy again. Processed foods are a no-no. A lifetime of processed foods can lead to cancer, heart disease, and obesity, which have all become epidemic proportion in the western world.

We have gotten away from true center in our food intake.

We eat too much, and especially eat too much of the wrong foods. If you look at the daily diet of an average teenager, think fast-forward 25-40 years from now, to the amount of illness which will strike their lives after 25-40 years of ingesting chemically processed foods. This is one of the reasons childhood obesity is at epidemic levels. These children do not have a chance for a long healthy life unless they change their eating habits and stop eating processed foods and chemicals.

We drink processed soft drinks and orange juice which are filled with high sugar content, we eat processed meat and dairy products which have high chemical content, and we cook our food to the point where we have lost the nutrition either to the water in the boil, or the flame of the cooking process.

Foods, as prepared in most Asian countries, do not have the cancer risk we have developed over time in our food processing and preparations in the western world.

CANCER FIGHTING FOODS..........

There is logic to the association of healthy foods and the relationship to a healthy body.

Listed below are foods which are cancer-fighting foods which can be used to cure cancer. These foods also happen to be foods for living a wonderfully healthy lifestyle.

• Avocados
• Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower
• Carrots
• Chili peppers and jalapenos
• Figs
• Flax
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Grapefruits
• Grapes, red
• Green and yellow leafy vegetables
• Kale
• Licorice root
• Mushrooms
• Nuts
• Oranges and lemons
• Papayas
• Raspberries
• Red wine
• Rosemary
• Seaweed and other sea vegetables
• Sesame Seed Oil
• Soy products such as Tofu
• Sweet potatoes
• Teas: Green Tea and Black Tea
• Tomatoes
• Turmeric
• Turnips

Nature has provided a plethora of foods for us to eat and enjoy a healthy life. Have some fun creating recipes that include the cancer fighting foods in this article. Explore your grocery store in the vegetable and organic sections. There are many foods readily available at your local grocery or health food store on this list.

In the book Cure Your Self of Cancer by two-time cancer survivor Carol Patterson, you will find breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes for a 30-Day Anti-Cancer Dietconsisting of cancer fighting foods which uses all of the foods mentioned in this article. This diet of cancer fighting foods can save your life. Her book shows us how to use cancer fighting foods to cure cancer. The recipes are also a delicious lifetime diet which you can use in order to maintain a healthy being for many years to come.

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Exercise For Pregnant Women!

If you're about to have a child, you may want to know how to exercise for pregnant women. I'm going to give you some simple, safe things you can do at home. If you're pregnant right now, take 2 minutes to read this article for some new ways to stay healthy and maintain a good pregnancy weight.

Exercise for Pregnant Women

1. Mini-trampoline jumping

This is a nice, smooth exercise. The bouncing is pretty minimal actually. It's not like you're going to be jumping 5 inches up off the mini-trampoline. Instead, you sway your feet back and forth while your toes never leave contact with the mini-trampoline. Only your heels lift off it. Do this for a total of 15-20 minutes a day. It's a great exercise for diminishing cellulite as well. Do this everyday.

2. Wall squats

Standing with your back against a wall, slide down the wall into a squat position. Then squat back up. Do that for 3-4 sets of 10 reps. Depending on what area of your thighs you most want to work, move your feet in or out. Your feet closer together works more the outer thighs while spreading your feet farther apart targets more the inner thighs. Do this 3 days a week.

3. Wall push ups

Put your hands on a wall and bring your face to the wall so that your nose almost touches it. Then push off it. Do 3 sets of as many of these wall push ups as you can do. This is good for your upper body strength... in your chest, shoulders, and arms. Do these 3-4 times a week. Takes less than 5 minutes.

Exercise for pregnant women isn't complicated, just focus on using these 3 exercises for good healthy weight.

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Heavy Painful Periods Can Be a Sign of Trouble

Some women do have a hard time when it comes to their period as they have heavy painful periods. Some may have this naturally but others could see this as a sign of trouble. So what do you do when you have these types of periods? A doctor's advice should be sought when dealing with these types of periods. There are many different medical problems that these can portent, so your best bet is to indeed see a doctor about them before they do lead to trouble of the worst kind.
Some of the causes of heavy painful periods can come from things such as problems with the uterus. 

This can be such things as uterine infection, or tumors of either the benign or malignant variety can cause you to experience these types of periods. Certain hormonal imbalances such as menopause are something else to look at as well. This can also mean that if you are taking certain medications that the hormonal imbalance will be the cause of this type of period. But there is more to look at when you are talking about periods of this sort.

Another cause of heavy painful periods can be certain diseases such as any thyroid problem, diabetes, endometriosis and obesity. These can complicate the period and can make it much heavier than it needs to be. A doctor's care is what the best advice is for anyone having problems of this sort. Most all problems with these types of periods should be treated by a doctor to stop all heavy periods. You can also have many different types of blood disorders. If you have a family history, then you may want to be on the lookout for this type of problem.

Any time that there are periods of this type, you need to consult a doctor. These heavy painful periods will not let up by themselves. These can be and often are signs of trouble that should not be ignored. Heavy painful periods are something that you do not have to suffer from. Getting the medical treatment that you need can stop these problems from becoming even greater problems. 

If you have periods of this sort, then you would need to really think about having a doctor's appointment to see what the problem truly is. No matter if it is a family practitioner or a gynecologist, one should be consulted to correct the problem quickly so that you don't have pain and heavy bleeding. While it should not be taken lightly, there is no reason for panic either, until you have seen a doctor. For some women, this is simply the way their body works.

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How to Cure Fishy Vagina Odor - 4 Natural Home Remedies to Eliminate That Embarrassing Odor Forever

If you or your partner have noticed a fishy vagina odor you may have bacterial vaginosis. BV is a common vaginal inflammation the plagues 1 in 3 women. The most common remedy is antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. This treatment path will clear up this outbreak, but more often than not it will reoccur. Below I will outline 4 natural home remedies that my friends and I used to clear up vaginosis for good.

1) A nice warm bath is always relaxing and if the right thing is added it can also combat your vaginosis outbreak. Take some apple cider vinegar and add it to your bath, repeat this daily until the symptoms subside.

2) As BV occurs due to an imbalance in the bacteria in your vaginal cavity anything you do to increase your positive bacterial intake is helpful. Eating 5 cups of yogurt a day will go along way to helping clear up the inflammation. This works as yogurt contains healthy probiotics that your body likes.

3) Garlic is a great spice and adds flavour to even the blandest dishes; it also has anti-fungal and antibacterial properties that will help to clear up you BV. Taking no more than 1-2 capsules a day will be very beneficial.

4) Goldenseal is an incredible immune booster; take 2-500mg capsules daily to increase the speed at which your vaginosis disappears.

These are just 4 cures that one could try when looking to cure that fishy vagina odor, there are many others that may be more effective for you. Each of us is different and some remedies will work better for one than for another. I can tell you that they all were more effective, faster and more long lasting that the antibiotics I had spent years using. Try the natural route and you will be BV free forever.

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Heavy Menstrual Bleeding and What You Can Do About It

Don't let heavy menstrual bleeding interrupt your life and keep you from going about your normal daily business. Before you decide that a hysterectomy will solve all your problems, find out what is causing it and what you can do about it.

Heavy menstrual bleeding is called menorrhagia. Women who have this condition have regular period intervals, but the period is heavy. Over time this can lead to a low red blood cell count or anemia if the iron lost through the blood is not replaced in the diet.

Menorrhagia can be cause by fribroids, endometriosis or adenomyosis, hormonal imbalances and sometime for no apparent reason. It is important to check with your doctor to find out what may be causing this condition in you.

According to Christiane Northrup, M.D., chronically heavy periods can be related to stress over issues including creativity, money, relationships and control of others.

The following is what others have done to help with symptoms of menorrhagia. Talk to your doctor about using any of these recommendations.

• Use acupuncture, meditation and massage to unblock the energy in the pelvic area.
• Eat a well balanced diet with little or no refined foods to decrease the effects of excess insulin.
• Take a good multi-vitamin. Vitamin A appears to help regulate excessive estrogen levels and vitamin E helps maintain a more normal flow.
• Take alfalfa supplements. Alfalfa is another herb to help regulate hormones and I have seen it stop heavy bleeding and cramping within minutes of women who were bedridden with this problem.
• Use essential oils. I recommend Be Young Essential Oils because they are the best I have found so far. Just a few drops of geranium oil rubbed on the abdomen can regulate the flow for hours. Repeat if menstrual flow begins to get heavier. Geranium is known for its hormonal balance and is used to stop bleeding topically. Cypress oil can be used the same way and is often used to regulate body fluids as well as the menstrual cycle. Venus is an essential oil blend that includes Bergamot, Clary Sage, Coriander, Geranium, Fennel and Ylang Ylang. This oil is excellent for balancing hormones including mood swings.
• Use progesterone cream. Progesterone cream has saved a lot of women from unnecessary hysterectomies. Apply it twice a day to the soft skin areas of the body can help balance hormones.

Instead of thinking that a hysterectomy is your only answer, work with your doctor and look at the alternatives. 

This article is designed for informational purposes only. It is to help you get ideas on how to nurture your health so you can enjoy wellness. It is not to diagnose or treat any disease. Consult your physician for the treatment of disease.

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How To Stop A Vaginal Smell That Stinks - Vagina Odor Causes

Vaginal Smell: I hate the word stink but at the minute my vagina is doing just that. Okay so your vagina doesn't smell to healthy, what is wrong with that? It's perfectly normal to have vaginal odour! Would I be right in saying you know the difference between a normal odour to that of an abnormal one, therefore the reason for querying why your vagina is so smelly. I don't like the word stink either, so from now I'll use words like smelly, unhealthy, offensive, unpleasant, nasty or whatever, anything but stink, oh and pong too another word I don't like to use

Just because the vagina is neatly tucked away for the best part of the day, doesn't mean you should forget about it. Them that choose to ignore its existence, not checking what it is up too, could at some time suffer heartache even pain if something happens they're not aware of until it is too late. Regular inspection is a must, if this goes amiss then the more serious side of things like vaginal disease can easily kick in.

For the record: Women have their own original smell but it should never be foul. And vaginal discharge is normal. Discharge should appear creamy white or clear, other from this is an indication something is wrong. It doesn't have to be something serious but still get a doctor's opinion.

There's always going to be odor in the genital area, but if it is not going away after a good scrub then infection cannot be ruled out. Before you go panicking, poor hygiene can also do this. You don't have to be a dirty person if that's what your thinking to have a personal hygiene problem. You can wash the vagina over and over but if not thoroughly cleaned then smell will remain. Having said this intense washing is not the answer either, and neither is it good to douche, that is unless under doctors orders. Feminine odor is something every woman of reproductive age may suffer at some time. It can develop when there is an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the vagina which disrupt the pH balance of the vaginal flora.

Bacterial vaginosis is the infection to look towards if a fishy smell with a runny white or grey discharge is present. If its more a yeasty odor, then its likely a yeast infection, which typically brings more discharge and looks like clotted cheese.

Odour times and explanations

Menstruation: The vagina is an organ that self cleans, but when on your periods it needs help as it can only do so much in the way of getting rid of smell and stale blood. Menstrual odour can be strong and in most cases of unpleasant smell is due to not giving the genital area a thorough wash. A quick swill with water or a wet flannel is not enough to rid odor and other. Menstrual blood doesn't smell and comes from one of the cleanest parts of the body. The vagina is clean because it's slightly acidic to keep a good balance of bacteria, but blood can alter the pH of the vagina which then affect's bacterial balance. Being a nutritious substance bacteria thrive off menstrual flow. Blood and bacteria exposed to air will in return become smelly. A lot of the time sanitary products are to blame because they stop blood from drying which encourages bacterial growth.

Because tampons hold blood this can affect the pH, so now the vagina is an ideal place for bacteria to grow, with warmth, moisture, nutritious menstrual blood and oxygen from the fibres. Sanitary towels prevent blood being absorbed or drying, so, keeps bacteria alive.

Prime time for odor is after sexual intercourse: A mix of smells inside the vagina along with lingering ejaculate will cause the odor thats questioned, especially by them having sex for the first time. Semen has its own unique smell.

Aggressive cleaning can destroy the natural vaginal flora (lactobacilli).

Sweating is a common cause of genital smell. More moisture means more bacterial growth.

Sweet foods and drinks can increase the amount of yeast in the vagina, upping the odds of a yeast infection.

Cancer of the cervix, uterine or bowel: Bad odor can be caused by cancerous cells within the cervix. Although particular infections have symptoms that include a watery discharge and stinks, cervical cancer may also bring similar symptoms.

Vaginal or genital herpes is caused by a virus normally passed onto another through skin to skin contact during sexual intercourse. Both vaginal yeast and vaginal herpes may cause discharge, odor, burning, itching, inflammation, irritation, redness and blisters. So which is which? Vaginal herpes symptoms, itching and burning normally stay at two locations, whereas with yeast, itching can branch out anywhere in and around the vagina and vulva. Aside from smell herpes discharge is usually thick and yellow.

Poor hygiene: Soap and water and plenty of it is the solution for sorting out an odor problem that is if infection isn't present. If you don't have an original odour but one that's unpleasant call and see your doctor to find out the reason why it's changed.

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How to Get Rid of Vagina Odor Fast

Living with vagina odor is extremely difficult. If you are experiencing bad odor in your life right now, then you know how embarrassing it is. Even though you wear clothes and other barriers to try and keep the scent in, people around you might be able to smell the odor that your body is producing. This is why you are missing out on so many special moments in your life. You miss out on parties and other special occasions because you are so embarrassed of your body. Also, your sex life is being affected greatly. You don't even want your partner getting near you. Life doesn't have to be this bad. You can get rid of vagina odor fast and effectively.

A lot of women go to the doctor's in order to find relief. They get prescribed a messy topical cream or a tiny pill that they never remember to take. You don't have to resort to these forms of treatment in order to get rid of your odor. There are things that you can do at home that will work, and that will also make you feel clean and refreshed.

A great thing to do in order to get rid of vagina odor fast is to carry around feminine wipes with you. That way, if you are ever having a moment where you need some refreshment, you can do that. Another way to get rid of vagina odor is to soak a tampon in yogurt and insert it inside your body for 10 minutes. The yogurt will restore the pH balance of your vagina, which will get rid of that smell.

Unpleasant vaginal discharge and smell is a problem that plagues countless women and can reoccur every few months.
 There are effective treatments for the condition that don't just mask the odor, they actually treat the problem and eliminate it.

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What Are the Symptoms of Menopause - Irregular Periods

What are the symptoms of menopause is a series of articles dealing with the symptoms of menopause. This article is about one of the most commons menopause symptoms: irregular periods.

One of the most common symptoms of menopause is irregular periods, which for many women, is one of the first symptoms. It is generally considered normal to miss two periods in a one year period. More than that and you should consult your physician.

During and before menopause irregular periods can vary wildly. Sometimes  it means heavy periods, followed by light periods. Other times it means the periods suddenly become very regular, then suddenly there are several missed months.

Experiencing irregular periods can be quite unnerving because of the constant changes taking place. Often there are accompanying menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, and insomnia.

What causes irregular periods?

Irregular periods are a result of the function of the ovaries. Before menopause, the ovaries send out an egg in the process of ovulation. In the event that the egg is fertilized, the hormones estrogen and progesterone are produced. If the egg is not fertilized and implanted, the hormones are excreted and you have a period.

How can you tell when menopause begins?

Technically, menopause if usually considered to begin if you miss your period for one year. Many women might stop having a period for six or eight months, then suddenly it returns. This is normal and gradually the time between periods increases until it finally ceases. Each woman is unique and there are really no hard and fast rules.

What about heavy bleeding?

There are many causes for heavy bleeding. Often it is due to stress, poor nutrition, and emotional turmoil. There are also unknown causes for heavy bleeding. In this case the ovaries do not produce an egg and the hormones are excreted at very high levels. Normally progesterone is secreted to counteract the estrogen, but when this does not happen there can be heavy bleeding from the uterus.

What can be done about irregular periods?

It is recommended that you first consult your physician. A Pap smear and an annual pelvic examination is a good idea. Some doctors  find success using birth control pills to regulate periods.

Many women do not want to take contraception and want to understand the physiological causes for their irregular periods.

It is always a good idea to eat healthy food, get adequate exercise, reduce stress and get plenty of rest. Using a high quality vitamin/mineral supplement is also advisable.

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Seven Secrets About Breast Cancer

Secret #1 The Money Spent On Research Into Breast Cancer Is Not Ensuring That Less Women Get Breast Cancer.

Secret #2 You Do Need To Act Against Getting Breast Cancer Before You Reach 50 And You Cannot Rely On Mammograms.

Secret #3 You Are At Risk Of Getting Breast Cancer Even If You Don't Have It In Your Family.

Secret #4 Most Of The Money Spent On Research Is Not Going Into Prevention To Ensure That Less Women Suffer The Devastating Effects Of Breast Cancer In The Future.

Secret #5 Most Women Are Not Breast Aware And Are Afraid Of Breast Cancer.

Secret #6 Women Are Not Given Lots Of Advice On How They Can Protect Their Breasts Against Breast Cancer.

Secret #7 Most Women Do Not Appreciate How Important Their Breasts Are And Do Not Do Everything They Can To Look After And Protect Them.

The above "secrets" are things which are not commonly known by most women and may be surprising to you. In this article, I intend to shed light on these facts and allow women to make up their own minds how they approach their breast health.

SECRET #1 THE MONEY SPENT ON RESEARCH INTO BREAST CANCER IS NOT ENSURING THAT LESS WOMEN GET BREAST CANCER.

The Pink Ribbon and Breast Cancer Awarenss Month was introduced in the US in 1985 and introduced to the UK in 1993. The Pink Ribbon Foundation is fronted by the Estee Lauder group of companies (known for cosmetics and skincare).

Since then the pink ribbon symbol has become synonymous with breast cancer and during the past 15 years billions of pounds have been raised in its name. Every October the world celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month and fund raising during that month is phenomenal. All the breast cancer charities vie with each other to see who can come up with the most innovative "pink" fundraising. They run pink parties and sell pink products in order to raise money. Many companies take part and do special promotions during October for their preferred charity. "Pink" is big business.

So with all this money being raised during October and also at other times during the year through events like charity runs and walks, is there an impact on the breast cancer rates in the UK and around the world? Are they coming down? Are fewer women suffering from the devastating effects of breast cancer?

Unfortunately, the answer is 'no'.

In the UK, from 1993-2004, breast cancer incidence has increased 18.5%, that is 1% per year. 1 in 9 women will get the disease during their lifetime with current projections of 1 in 7 by 2010. 45,500 women were diagnosed in 2005, which equates to 125 women every day. Worldwide more than a million women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. It is also projected that breast cancer rates will rise most in developing countries, where women do not have access to top quality care and where they can also be treated as outcasts in certain societies.

Breast cancer survival rates have improved. Every year more than 12,300 women and 70 men die from breast cancer. Since the peak in the late 1980s breast cancer death rates have fallen by a third. Breast cancer drugs have helped to save women's lives but, as with any drugs, can have long-term side affects. Also the cost of these drugs puts great strain on the NHS. If breast cancer rates continue to increase as they have been doing, then, according to Professor Karol Sikora as reported in the Daily Mail on 09/09/08, "the next generation of drugs would keep patients alive longer, but could swallow half of the current NHS cancer budget within four years. (this refers to all cancer drugs at a cost of £50 billion).

With the billions being raised by people around the world in the name of breast cancer, is it right that actually more women are getting this devastating disease every year?

SECRET #2 YOU DO NEED TO ACT AGAINST GETTING BREAST CANCER BEFORE YOU REACH 50 AND YOU CANNOT RELY ON MAMMOGRAMS.

Women in the UK are offered breast screening by mammogram every three years from the age of 50. This is because breast cancer is still more common in women over 50 but also because the breast tissue of younger women is denser and, therefore, makes it more difficult for a mammogram to pick up on a potential breast lump.

However, this could be giving the message to younger women that they don't need to check their breasts themselves. Based on my experience during my breast health talks, very few younger women check their breasts. The main reasons for this are that no-one has shown them how to, they don't know what to do, they think that they only need to worry if breast cancer is in the family (see Secret #3) or they are afraid that they might find something.

For a younger woman it is even more important to check her breasts from her mid-twenties as breast cancer in younger women is usually much more aggressive as the breast cancer cells can multiply more rapidly than in older women. If girls were taught by their mothers to check their breasts from their mid-twenties, they would not be afraid - it would just be part of their general regime of looking after themselves. Also they would feel confident about what to do. Breast self-examination is easy to do once you have been shown how and there are even devices on the market which can help you do so with confidence and greater accuracy.

Breast cancer is the biggest killer of women aged 35-54, which means it makes sense for women in this age bracket to do everything they can to protect their breasts.

Furthermore, I do not believe that we should rely on mammograms either. Women are only screened every three years and, usually, a mammogram can only detect a breast tumour once it has been growing for 8 years. By the time the tumour reaches 10 years, it could be too late. The other thing to remember is that a mammogram can only screen the part of the breast which can be put into the "clamp". It cannot screen under the armpit or between the breasts for example.

Lastly, there is growing concern over the safety of mammograms. The following are extracts from an article written by Peter Leando PhD.

"Controversy has raged for years as to whether the risks related to the radiation exposure suffered from mammography are justified by the benefits gained ...... new evidence relating to the particular type of radiation used and the hard evidence relating to the clinical benefits of mammography have caused a serious re-evaluation of the justification of mammography as a screening test.

Radiation from routine mammography cannot be directly compared to other types of X-ray like chest X-ray etc because they are very different types of radiation.

The comparisons that have been used between a chest x-ray and mammography, 1/1,000 of a rad (radiation-absorbed dose) for a chest X-ray and the 1 rad exposure for the routine four films taken of both breasts for a mammographic screening exam results in some 1,000 times greater exposure. (This refers to the US, where they do four-way screening. In the UK typically only two-way screening is offered.)

This is considered a significant risk factor when extended over a ten year screening period and a potential accumulative dose of 10 rads. Unfortunately this is not the major risk posed by the particular type of radiation used by mammograms, mammography X-rays use a low energy form of ionising radiation that causes greater biologic damage than the high energy X-ray. The very low energy electrons affect the density of ionisation tracks that pass through the tissue, which can cause complex damage to the DNA and carcinogenic changes.

The radiation used by mammography is almost 5 times more effective at causing cancer." So, women do need to start checking their breasts from their early twenties and we cannot rely on mammograms 100%, particularly for younger women who would have a greater exposure to radiation during their lifetime if they were offered mammograms from a younger age. Also mammograms do not detect Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) which is a much rarer form of the disease and does not involve a lump. This would only detected by a woman looking for changes to her breasts and reporting them to her doctor.

SECRET #3 YOU ARE AT RISK OF GETTING BREAST CANCER EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT IN YOUR FAMILY.

Amongst the hundreds of women I have talked to about breast health, the vast majority were under the false impression that breast cancer is primarily hereditary. They were surprised to hear that fewer than 10% of cases occur to women who have breast cancer in the family.

In fact, every woman is at risk and should take control of her own breast health to give herself the best possible chance of prevention or early detection.

The other most common acknowledged risk factors are:

• Age - breast cancer is more common in women over 50
• Early puberty - it is worrying that puberty is starting younger, with most girls starting their periods at primary school
• Late pregnancy - many woman are opting to have children later
• Late onset menopause
• Not having children and not breastfeeding - this was known as early as the 18^th century when a doctor in Italy noticed that nuns had higher levels of breast cancer than the general population
• Being overweight - this applies mainly to post-menopausal women
• Alcohol - over-consumption increases the risk of breast cancer

Acknowledged risk factors account for around 50% of breast cancer cases. For the remainder, there are no definite reasons.

There are a growing number of scientists, commercial companies and individuals who believe that this remaining 50% is due to the rise of the number of chemicals which have been introduced over the past 50 years. They are used in our food, in our toiletries, in the workplace, in our clothes, in our furnishings - in fact, in every aspect of our lives. Many of these chemicals are endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC's), also known as hormone disruptors or oestrogen mimickers. In simple terms, they act like oestrogen in our bodies and could be responsible for changing our delicate hormone balance which controls events like pregnancy, puberty, menopause.

An interesting example of the levels of oestrogen of British women was examined in a collaborative study undertaken in the late 80's between Oxford University, the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine Beijing, Guys, and the Dept. of Preventive Medicine, L.A., California. They compared blood-serum concentrations of hormones linked to breast cancer between women in rural China and in Britain. The results showed that British women who are exposed to toxic chemicals in their everyday lives had increasingly higher levels of oestradiol (oestrogen) than women living a rural lifestyle in China (see table below).

On this theme, the Guardian online reported on 22/05/07 that 'Beijing blames pollutants for rise in killer cancers'.

Oestradiol levels higher in British women by: Age 35 - 44 36% Age 45 - 54 90% Age 55 - 64 171%

SECRET #4 MOST OF THE MONEY SPENT ON RESEARCH IS NOT GOING INTO PREVENTION TO ENSURE THAT FEWER WOMEN SUFFER THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF BREAST CANCER IN THE FUTURE.

As we know, billions of pounds are raised every year worldwide in the name of breast cancer and most of this money is received by the mainstream breast cancer charities. In my opinion, the areas which should be targeted by these funds are prevention, treatment and care. You would probably expect these areas, at least, to be treated with equal importance and the funds available allocated accordingly.

Let's first take a look at the mainstream breast cancer charities in this country, namely Cancer Research UK (who obviously deal with all cancers), Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Campaign and Breast Cancer Care.

Cancer Research UK has done a huge amount of research into breast cancer and their website has a wealth of useful information with a lot of detail on breast cancer. Their slogan is 'Together We Will Beat Cancer'. The charity offers funding schemes to scientists. Their research strategy is directed at reducing mortality from cancer and more women are surviving breast cancer than ever before. Cancer Research UK is looking trying to prevent breast cancer in women known to be at high risk of developing it (approx 10% of sufferers). Doctors have looked into using tamoxifen and other hormone blocking drugs such as anastrozole (Arimidex) to lower the risk of breast cancer in women with a strong family history. This work has to be done very carefully. These women are healthy and the treatment aimed at preventing breast cancer must not risk their health in other ways.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer supports a programme of cutting-edge biological research to reach their vision of 'a future free from the fear of breast cancer'. Breakthrough set up the UK's first dedicated breast cancer research centre in 1999, the Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre. Breakthrough is funding The Generations Study whosepurpose is primarily to investigate environmental, behavioural, hormonal and genetic causes of breast cancer, and secondarily to investigate the causes of other cancers and diseases, by means of a UK cohort study to be established of more than 100,000 women in the UK aged 18 years and older at entry.

However, when you look at environmental factors as a possible risk factor, it seems to be dismissed because it is too difficult to research due to the huge amount of chemicals to which we are exposed in our everyday lives. You can read more at their website under "risk factors".

As I have mentioned, I am one of the many people who believe that certain chemicals which act like oestrogen in our bodies are a contributing factor in rising breast cancer rates. I am disappointed to see that Breakthrough are not even including this as a possible risk factor, particularly as we know that excessive oestrogen has been linked to breast cancer cell growth.

Breast Cancer Campaign cites its mission is to beat breast cancerby funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure. The charity is supporting 97 projects worth over £12.8 million in 41 locations throughout the UK. Over the past 13 years, Campaign has awarded 232 grants with a total value of over £23 million to universities, medical schools / teaching hospitals and research institutes across the UK. Campaign's breast cancer research gap analysis document has been published by the open access journal Breast Cancer Research. The document entitled 'Evaluation of the current knowledge limitations in breast cancer research: a gap analysis' is the product of two and a half year project. It involved around 60 of the key breast cancer scientists in the UK.

Through their website, they sell products of various types and the companies who own those brands donate part of their profits to the Campaign. They include things like lip gloss, perfume, toiletries, clothing and stationery. Some of us would say that many of the products include harmful ingredients and are not actually contributing to the breast health of the ladies buying them! I was also disappointed that, although they mention prevention in their mission statement, I have one of their leaflets that shows prevention only receives 1% of their budget.

Breast Cancer Care, as its name suggests, is primarily concerned with the care and treatment of ladies going through breast cancer. It provides invaluable information and support.

I applaud all of these organisations who are dedicated to their work to help us understand and treat breast cancer.

However, I still believe that the risk factor of certain chemicals affecting our delicate hormone balance should be taken seriously and that all the available research should be studied. It is important to note that only 50% of breast cancer cases can be put down to one of the acknowledged risk factors. What is this remaining 50%? What has changed in our world over the past 50 years? It is also interesting that other countries are recognising the dangers of these chemicals and banning substances. I also believe in adopting the 'precautionary principle', which means that if there is a doubt over the safety to public health, then we should not wait until it is too late but take action as soon as possible. It has also been proved that there are alternatives to these potentially harmful chemicals when we see the growing number of companies who are selling safer food, cosmetics and toiletries.

This is why I am an active supporter of Breast Cancer UK, the only charity whose main focus is primary prevention. We are determined that breast cancer should be a 'preventable' disease not an 'inevitable' one. There is lots of research available on the link between endocrine disrupting chemicals and breast cancer. It is time that this was taken into account when looking at breast cancer risk factors.

SECRET #5 MOST WOMEN ARE NOT BREAST AWARE AND ARE AFRAID OF BREAST CANCER.

Despite the huge focus on being breast aware, particularly during Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, the majority of women are not breast aware. In fact, most women pay little attention to their breasts and do very little to look after them, except maybe during breastfeeding. Our breasts represent our femininity - they make us feel sexy and they nourish our children. Yet most women don't even know what their breasts feel like, let-alone check them for anything unusual.

It is so important that women take control of their own breast health by undertaking monthly self-examination to check for any changes. If they find a lump and go to their doctor straight away, the chances are the lump will be benign (80% are) or, if it is cancerous, they are giving themselves the best possible chance of recovery. At Stage One, women have around a 95% chance of surviving beyond 5 years. At Stage One the lump is less than 2cm and has not spread to the lymph nodes or anywhere else in the body. At Stage Four this survival rate drops to 1 in 10. The average size of lump discovered accidentally by women who don't check their breasts regularly is approximately 3.6 cm.

I have spoken with hundreds of women through my breast education work and most women do not check their breasts because they don't know what to do, they don't realize that all women are at risk, they don't know about the four stages of breast cancer and the corresponding survival rates, they don't really think about the need to do anything to look after their breasts or they are afraid that they might find something.

According to research by Breast Cancer Campaign, breast cancer is the most feared disease amongst women. Fear is usually due to a lack of knowledge. This is certainly the case here. If women understood everything detailed here, they would want to give themselves the best chance of survival should they get the disease. The current approach to women's breast health obviously isn't getting through, which is why I believe it is time to get women to take control themselves and empower other women to do the same.

SECRET #6 WOMEN ARE NOT GIVEN LOTS OF ADVICE ON HOW THEY CAN PROTECT THEIR BREASTS AGAINST BREAST CANCER.

In the past, GP surgeries used to run Well Woman clinics where any woman could go and see a doctor or nurse and be given advice about looking after herself with practical information like being shown how to check her breasts. Very few surgeries offer these clinics now. This is one of the reasons that I started my Breast Health Presentations. I talk to women in the workplace or in other gatherings and empower them with information, which helps to remove some of their fear. I also show them how to check their breasts and talk to them about their bra-wearing habits, how to avoid harmful chemicals in their everyday lives and how to benefit from detoxifying breast massage.

As we know, breast cancer is the most feared disease amongst women and understanding how it develops, the risk factors and, most importantly, how to protect against it, will make women feel more in control and positive towards their breast health.

During October and other events during the year, the focus is on breast cancer rather than breast health. I am one of those people who believe that the more you focus on something negative, the more you will get of it. This is why it is time to change that focus.

I believe that it is definitely time for women to take their breast health into their own hands, which is why I have launched my new campaign "Healthy Breasts For Every Woman". You can read more at www.healthybreastscampaign.co.uk.

SECRET #7 MOST WOMEN DO NOT APPRECIATE HOW IMPORTANT THEIR BREASTS ARE AND DO NOT DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO LOOK AFTER AND PROTECT THEM.

As I mentioned before, most women give very little thought to their breasts. They get up in the morning and they may give them a wash in the shower. They then shove them into a cage we call a bra (and most women wear a bra that doesn't fit them properly) and forget about them for the rest of the day. It is amazing that we live in a society which is obsessed with breasts and women do very little to protect this most precious part of their body. It is also amazing that women spend a fortune on looking after every other part of their body with creams and lotions and forget about their breasts! I know that once women understand more about breast health and don't feel so helpless in the face of breast cancer that they do want to be proactive and take control of their breast health.

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