Is This Menopause? 4 Signs to Look For

Despite gaining leaps and bounds in the area of women's health education, our society is still relatively quiet about the journey of menopause that affects every woman. You may expect some hot flashes and slowed periods, but, if you are a woman, you need to know all the signs of oncoming menopause. There are four signs of menopause that, when occurring concurrently, suggest the coming of menopause:

1) Hot Flashes and Night Sweats:
Hot flashes and night sweats both occur because of the hormonal changes that your body undergoes during menopause. They are the most known and common sign of menopause. While you will know them right away when you experience them, here is what to expect:
• Night sweats occur in your sleep and usually leave you kicking off the covers and drenched with seat. Of course, you may only wake up when your night sweat is over and find yourself both wet with sweat and now fairly cold.
• Hot flashes hit you suddenly in your day and feel like intense heat radiating from within your body, similar to feeling feverish. You may also become flushed and experience sweating.
2) Period Irregularity:
Period irregularity is often the first indication that menopause is oncoming. If your regular period suddenly becomes irregular and you are in your mid to late forties, menopause is likely approaching.
3) Mood Changes:
The fluctuating hormones in your body can cause an onslaught of emotional highs and lows that might remind you of the ones you experienced if you were ever pregnant.
These mood changes can include:
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Depression
  • Low Sex Drive
  • Mood swings
You may also experience memory loss or trouble concentrating.
4) Fatigue:
Not all women know that fatigue is also an accompanying sign of menopause. Expect and plan for lower energy levels.
If you are in your mid-forties or above and are experiencing period irregularity, mood changes, fatigue, and hot flashes; you are likely beginning the journey of menopause. Despite this, you should always check in with your well woman care provider when the process begins. Your OB/GYN or midwife can confirm your signs as the beginning of menopause. Checking with your OB/GYN is essential because sometimes what you think is a sign of menopause can actually be a symptom of an underlying health problem.
Hot flashes that don't occur with changes in a period, for example, can point to thyroid problems-- which are more prevalent in women of menopausal age. And if you are experiencing menopause symptoms before your mid-forties, you may be experiencing premature menopause, of which you should alert your health care provider so that you can consider treatment options.

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Mom Stress - Simple Tips On How To Reduce It

Having children is an absolute gift. I have had some great jobs in my life, but nothing compares to the joys of being a mom. I sit back at night and laugh out loud at all the hilarious things they say and do. Last night my 3 and 4 year old were arguing over whether or not I was a pony-corn, AKA unicorn. You cannot make this stuff up. Yet, as moms we know that with parenting comes a tremendous amount of unexplained stress. There is no other way to put it; parenting is hard, period! I am not perfect, but I feel I am improving in certain areas and doing my best, which is all we can do as moms. Below are some tips I have found to be helpful in managing my stress level.

  • Keep a daily to-do list: Thanks to Sandy, one of my great mentors, I keep a monthly notebook and each page represents a day of the month. I have done this for years now. Every night I write out my list of what needs to be done the next day, who I need to call, appointments I need to make, etc. What actually works best on super busy days is breaking my day into hours of what I am doing and when. It keeps me on track because I have a horrible memory and with each kid we have, I somehow manage to get more forgetful.

  • Give yourself a little leeway: This topic reminds me of my days in corporate America. A boss once said that if an employee is always late to work because they are stuck in traffic, they simply need to leave home earlier because the traffic is now a known, daily obstacle. It is no longer a random occurrence. The same goes for us. As an example, we know for a fact it takes a long time to get out the door with kids. Let's be honest, it can be flat out painful sometimes. This is not a surprise. We know that this is one of the challenges that we have to deal with each and every day. So, by giving yourself more time to get to places, your stress level will go down. Trust me! If I know it takes me 15 minutes to drive someplace, I have the goal of getting everyone out the door planning for a 25-30 minute ride, not 15. This helps me tremendously. Do not get me wrong, we are still late sometimes, especially in getting to the early church service on Sunday mornings, but we have made significant improvements by giving ourselves a little leeway.

  • Make quiet time mandatory: I honestly do not know how moms survive without quiet time. My husband works a lot of hours. Yesterday alone, he worked an 18 hour day. So most days, it is me flying solo with three young kids. And a house with kids can sometimes get really LOUD and chaotic. If I do not get up early and have ME time, I will undoubtedly be incredibly cranky and have to play catch up all day. My morning quiet time gives me the uninterrupted opportunity to look at messages, enjoy a few minutes of social media, have my Bible time and work. This time is great for the soul and worth getting up early for. Quiet time is important for your kids too. Our kids need and deserve a happy, fulfilled mommy. I have personally found starting off the day with some quiet time works best for me. You have to figure out what works best for you, but make sure you get it in.

  • Understand that you will fall behind, and that's OK: Plan for the fact that the plan will probably not go as planned. Ha! I am not being a negative-Nelly, I am just being smart. My husband sometimes tells me to get rid of my to-do list. Trust me, he does not want to know what would happen if I did that! His point is simple though; do not let the daily tasks overwhelm you. Sometimes your list of things to do will not happen as planned. Some days you will be lucky just to brush your teeth and shower! These days will happen. And, your list of things to do and people to call will still be there the next day. Others will just have to deal with it. If they do not understand this, they are either too far removed from having young kids or not a very compassionate friend. So, don't sweat it!

We must do our best to be efficient, but it cannot be an obsession. If you have what seems like an unproductive day, trust me, you are still being productive. Chances are you spent the day putting out fires, dealing with unexpected tasks, nursing sick kids, etc. We are raising children and it is the most important job we have been given. It is also the biggest juggling act one can ever imagine. We may not be able to exercise, work or socialize as much or as long as we want to. Yet, we must keep in mind this is simply a season of life, and we are meant to grow while on this journey. We are looking for progress, not perfection. Our children will interrupt our plans. But, they are a blessing and our number one priority. So, remember to treat them that way.
Jennifer has 7 years of direct sales experience in the skin care and health & wellness industries. She is a former personal trainer, fitness manager and group fitness instructor. Jennifer is a work-from-home wife and mom with three kids, age four and under. She can relate with individuals who are simply trying to merge a healthy lifestyle with a SUPER busy life.
Jennifer has had tremendous success with the Isagenix 30 Day Cleansing and Fat Burning System. Isagenix is the world leader in whole body nutritional cleansing, cellular replenishing and youthful aging. As a result, she is back to her pre-baby weight, has eliminated sugar cravings and significantly reduced the intensity, duration and frequency of her migraines.

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The Best Ways To Get Pregnant Faster - Ideas To Help You and Your Partner

If you are in a hurry to get pregnant, there are a few ideas to help you and your partner out.
Try having sex at least three times a week or more. When a couple has sex often, they are able to conceive much more easily. People try far too often to time everything down without a glitch for when a woman ovulates, but it doesn't always work out the way you plan it.

If a couple does it more than once a week, they will have a better chance at becoming pregnant faster.
You can also consider getting a kit that will predict when you will ovulate or a monitor for your fertility. Both of these devices have been proven to help couples get pregnant. These two products are amazing and will help you know when the best time is, so that you can conceive faster. Most women have to guess at when their ovulation time actually is, but the product does all of the work for you so that you no longer have to worry. These can be bought at any pharmacy or local department store.
To conceive faster, you should have sexual intercourse before you ovulate. Some couples will be confused as to when the correct time is to have sexual intercourse. There is only a small frame of time within each month for a woman to get pregnant, so if you are actively trying to have a baby, you will need to pay close attention to your cycle. Once a woman ovulates, an egg can survive for around twenty four hours. Sperm on the other hand, can live for several days. Do not wait for the exact day that you will be ovulating, because you do not want to miss the perfect chance of getting pregnant.
Most couples will try the calendar method and in most cases this has failed because of the twenty eight day cycle and the mid-cycle of ovulation. A lot of women do not ovulate exactly on the fourteenth and then get disappointed because they missed the chance to conceive. If you are on the pill then go off of it. It has been known that when a woman skips or quits taking the pill they are more often than none have a greater chance in getting pregnant faster. After having sex lie on your back because the vagina is at a downward position and this will allow the sperm to get closer to your egg.
Do not use any form of lubricant before having sex in most cases this has proven to hinder the sperm count with the ingredients in lube. If you do not have an orgasm this can make the process of getting pregnant slower so always make sure that your partner gets you to have one. Make sure your partner wears boxers because it is well-known that this can help with his sperm count and you could possibly get pregnant at a faster rate.
Out of all the information listed above the most important thing to remember is have fun and try not to stress out if you do not get pregnant the first time around.

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My Top 10 Tips To Be A Healthy Successful Business Women

If you follow these top tips and strategies, you are well on the way to achieving a healthier body and mind plus you will find you are more focused, motivated and have more energy in your work and business life.
 
1. It's never an easy place to start but these are the stark facts about women's health, taken from The Foresight Report 'Tackling Obesities: Future Choices':
  • 28% of women in the UK are obese (2010) with a further 32% classified as overweight having a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 25.
  • Projections indicate 50% of adult women will be obese by 2050.
Having a large amount of tummy fat makes you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and heart problems. The figures indicate that a large proportion of women could lose years off their lives through increased risk of cancer, coronary heart disease, obesity and stroke.
2. Employee participation in personal and corporate fitness programmes means healthier employees are less likely to call in sick, meaning reduced costs covering for absences. Exercise also improves staff productivity.
3. As a business owner, you want more sales. Fitter employees think more clearly, achieve more and are more valuable to your business, leading to increased sales.
4. As a business owner, you want improved profits. Improvements in fitness levels will increase staff morale meaning you are viewed as a better employer. Employees are therefore less likely to switch jobs as your investment in them is better rewarded.
5. The top health-related benefit staff would like to see introduced into their workplace is a Personal Trainer (Norwich Union Healthcare).
6. Many business owners have increased their profitability over a short period of time by participating in an exercise programme. Having a fit and healthy body creates a fit and healthy mind.
7. Many business women, who exercise and keep active, go on to make massive change in both their personal lives and business careers.
8. Enrolling in an exercise and nutrition programme will help you to make more money in your business. It will facilitate increased energy levels, helping employees to become more focused and motivated.
9. Introducing a healthy and nutritious eating plan into your business will ensure your employees eat to maintain optimum health, meaning a decreased risk of illness and therefore a healthy workforce.
10. Taking charge of your health and wellbeing today will lead to a very successful business.

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What You Can Expect In Regard To Your Fertility After 35

Women are delaying childbearing until their later years as they establish their careers in the workplace. This has led to more and more women attempting to have their first born on or near their 35th birthday. Unfortunately fertility after 35 is challenging - though not impossible.
The challenges of fertility after 35 occur at both pre and post conception.
In a woman over 35 years, ovulation is an issue as are the quality of the eggs. The lining of the uterus isn't always able to support a pregnancy and allow implantation of a fertilized egg. The risks of fertility after 35 extend to post conception when there is a higher risk of miscarriage due to chromosomal issues and a higher risk of diabetes and hypertension during the pregnancy.

The difficulties with fertility after 35 don't actually begin at the magic age of 35 but rather are on a gradual decline from the age of 32. Once a woman becomes 40 fertility decreases even more significantly.
One method doctors have of measuring your fertility after 35 is to measure the level of FSH which will indicate the quality of the eggs. Levels under 10 represent good egg quality. Women also have another indicator in the regularity of their cycles and fertility chart. The more regular the cycles are and the more regular the fertility chart is, the more likely the eggs are of good quality.
Fertility after age 35 can be affected by making positive health changes.
This include losing weight, stopping smoking, decreasing caffeine intake and not drinking any alcohol and getting regular exercise. These changes will help to make your body more receptive to a pregnancy as well as help to ensure a healthy baby.
Infertility is usually measured by a couple having unprotected sex for six months without conceiving a child. However, in the case of fertility after age 35, women should make some adjustments to the way they may be approaching a doctor's appointment. First, be aware that infertility specialists are difficult to get an appointment. If you have any idea that you may have problems you should make an appointment. The appointment can be timed to happen after you would have been trying to get pregnant for at least six months.
When you make the appointment be sure to ask what information the doctor would want you to bring with you. Most of the time, your physician will want a two or three month history of your menstrual cycle and your basal body temperatures. The first questions the specialist will answer are about the quality of your eggs, a sperm analysis and whether your fallopian tubes are open and moving well.
If you are going to be older than 35 at your due date you will be offered genetic counseling. A genetic counselor can help you understand the risks of fertility after 35 and decide if you want genetic testing or screening for chromosomal problems or other birth defects. Genetic testing can be done prior to a pregnancy. Some families decide that chromosomal testing of the baby is necessary to prepare for the potential of a child born with chromosomal problems. The risk of having a baby with Down's Syndrome rises from 1 in 759 at age 30 to 1 in 302 at 35 and 1 in 82 at age 40.
Problems with fertility after age 35 include issues with getting pregnant.
This includes maternal and baby issues once you are pregnant. Some of these problems can be gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia or placental abruption. The babies can suffer from premature birth, cesarean section, and still-birth.
Despite decreased fertility after 35 an impressive 20% of first-born babies were born to women in the US over the age of 35. As science and technology improve it continues to increase the chances of a pregnancy in women over 35.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7842205
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