Dysmenorrhea: What Do I Need to Know About It?

By Borgon Trocepticlon

Being a woman is very hard because you need to endure a lot of pain. The most common pain that women suffer is the pain of giving birth; however, there is also another pain associated with the women's reproductive system and that is dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea is the pain experienced by a woman before or during onset of menstruation.

Cramping is the common symptom that occurs in a woman with dysmenorrhea. However, some women also experience other symptoms aside from cramping. These symptoms are weakness, nausea and vomiting, and sometimes anorexia due to feeling of fullness. Most women who experience dysmenorrhea feel very tired to do their daily activities and often resort to resting.

In general, dysmenorrhea can be divided into two different kinds. These are primary and secondary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea is common among teenagers and young adults. This happens when menstruation is fast approaching. Usually, teenagers know that their period will be near approaching because they would feel cramping at the lower portions of their abdomen. For teenagers who have just started to menstruate, dysmenorrhea will be evident after two years or three years from the first menstruation.

The second type of dysmenorrhea is named secondary dysmenorrhea. Secondary dysmenorrhea happens because of a pathological root cause. Usually, these causes are pelvic inflammatory disease, fibroids, and also endometriosis. This secondary dysmenorrhea is common among women ages 30 and above. To differentiate secondary dysmenorrhea from primary dysmenorrhea can be quite difficult; although these two conditions differ in duration and onset.

The main cause of the cramping and contractions that occur in a woman's reproductive system is the chemical called prostaglandin. It is a hormone-like chemical that is found in the body and usually increased before menstruation. When these prostaglandins accumulate in the area of the womans uterus, it causes painful continuous contractions. Because of these excessive prostaglandins, the normal contraction response becomes stronger leading to spasms.

Physicians recommend women with dysmenorrhea to take over-the-counter drugs such as NSAIDS. These NSAIDS often provide relief of pain experienced during dysmenorrhea. The two most common NSAIDS are acetaminophen and ibuprofen. However, for those people who do not like to take drugs to relieve dysmenorrhea, heat compress can be applied to the lower abdominal area. Heat compress can be achieved by using commercial heating pads. But for women with secondary dysmenorrhea, immediate medical attention should be provided. This is to prevent further complications brought about by the underlying pathological cause of the secondary dysmenorrhea.

During the onset of dysmenorrhea, a woman can try to have some hot baths to relieve the discomfort. Circulation can also be enhanced through performance of simple exercises. Exercise can either be just a simple stretching or a total workout. It totally depends on the woman, whether she can tolerate certain exercises.

Rest is the best way to feel better during dysmenorrhea, although physical activity can also provide relief. Women who have a stronger ability to endure pain can perform multiple tasks without feeling weak even with dysmenorrhea. - 17273

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Need More Energy? Forget Coffee, Make Fresh Green Juice Instead!

By Joanna Verdan

It's a fact: nothing is more enzyme-rich and nutrient-rich than freshly extracted vegetable juice. It is also the most easily absorbable form of nutrition available! Unfortunately, when most people think of vegetable juice, they typicaly picture canned tomatoe or V-8 juice. However,vegetable juices can be surprisingly tasty and even addictive - in a good way, of course.

If you feel you aren't getting enough nutrients, if you are feeling insatiably hungry, if you are craving junk food, if you have any physical or emotional complaints, a glass of juice can help. Grab your juicer (if you dont have one, you should seriously consider getting one!), make yourself some vegetable juice, and drink it twice daily for amazing results, daily for great results, three times a week for noticeable results, or even just once a week for improvement!

Fresh vegetable and fruit juice has all nutrients that your body needs in a form that can be instantly digested and absorbed. Its also great for your health. If you search the Internet, you'll find thousands of stories about people who healed themselves of various ailments, lost weight and improved their well-being by drinking freshly made juices.

Recipe for a Green Juice Cocktail

There are many recipes that you can find on the Internet and in books on the subject. Here is one versatile recipe for a Green Juice Cocktail, that is often recommended as you browse through various resources:

Simple version:

3 stalks of celery or 1 head of lettuce (e.g. romaine)

5-6 leaves of kale

1-2 apples

1 lemon (not peeled)

Additional ingredients (optional):

1 cucumber

1/4 to 1/2 ripe Hawaiian papaya (1/2 makes the juice sweeter)

1 handful of cilantro or parsley (or both for deeper green juice)

1 cup of fennel (stalk can be used too)

I like to add some beets or carrots sometimes too, but then of course it is no longer green juice... Some people also like to add a slice of garlic and/or ginger.

Drink it every morning or afternoon to jumpstart your energy!

Note: It is best to drink your juice on an empty stomach.

The Benefits of Drinking Fresh Juice

So why juice the vegetables instead of eating them? What's the benefit of juicing them?

First of all, a juicer separates the juice from the fiber of the fruits and vegetables making them easier to digest, leaving you with organic water with all the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes from the plants. And second, just imagine having to chop and then chew all the above ingredients - it sure takes a while!

Of course, everybody knows, that eating fiber is good for our health, too. However, when fiber is removed from the juice, our bodies do not have to waste energy on digestion and the nutrients are absorbed instantly. So, whenever you are experiencing low energy or any health issues - drink a glass of fresh fruit and vegetable juice. It certainly can't hurt, and will most likely help! - 17273

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For more information about juicing and juicers, visit Juicer Recipes and Juicing Advice site.

Controlling Mistakes: Crucial Tips for Muscle Gain

By Brad Morgan

When you are trying to build muscle, there is a lot of conflicting advice out there. You may not know where to get started.

Sometimes it is easier to start with what not to do and go from there. Here are some things that will sabotage your efforts to build muscle:

1. Buying overpriced gym memberships.

If you are considering a gym membership, it may be much better for you to save yourself the expense. While gyms tout their stack-pulley, computerized, or hydraulic machines as much more effective and safe than free weights, the best workouts are the low-tech, low-cost ones that you can do in the comfort of your own home.

In the privacy of your own home, you can workout with moves like squats and lunges, which require absolutely no equipment, or with free weights, which are relatively cheap. The best equipment is your body, some free weights, and hard work.

2. Letting your body get bored.

It is easy to see results immediately after starting a muscle building program. Be careful of becoming complacent, however. It may not work as well as you progress.

Your body is a remarkably efficient machine: doing the same workout causes your body to become used to it. It is much less work to execute moves you've done over and over. Once that happens, it uses fewer calories to complete the exercises, making the workout much less effective.

Doing the same workout time after time sabotages your efforts to build muscle. To overcome this difficulty, add variation and more intensity into your workouts. You have to make a constant effort to challenge your body so it has to work just as hard. A side benefit is that you are always changing your workouts, meaning you won't get bored.

3. Not doing any cardio.

Cardiovascular exercise is an important part of building muscle, yet it is something that many people trying to gain muscle mass usually ignore. Focusing only on weight training can halt your results.

Cardio has multiple advantages, including preventing your body from gaining fat and helping your body recover from rigorous weight training. To get the maximum benefit from your cardio, do it immediately after your weight training session when your body is primed for fat burning. Also, limit it to high intensity intervals totaling no more than twenty minutes.

4. Not resting enough.

Working out everyday can also hurt your muscle building efforts. Since muscle repairs itself and develops during rest periods, it is vital to build some into your workout routine. Two or three rest days per week should be sufficient to allow your muscles to do their work.

Also, alternate which muscle groups you work on. For instance, if you work on your arms and back one day, the next day do your abs and legs. This will keep the muscles from becoming fatigued or injured and allow them to do their work.

5. Ignoring Diet

Food is fuel, and many people who fail when building muscle do so because they are not adequately fueling their body. To put your body into muscle building mode, eat properly.

Especially important is protein, which is essential to muscle building. Make sure you get plenty of lean meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy in your diet, and eat a protein snack within thirty minutes of your workouts.

6. Abandoning your goals.

Everyone's body is different, and it takes some people longer to build muscle than others. Quitting because you are not seeing results fast enough is a huge mistake.

Maybe you need to reevaluate your workout routine and diet to determine what you can add/subtract to get results. Maybe you are laying a good foundation for muscle building and your body will start demonstrating the progress you've made if you just give it a little longer.

Whatever the cause of your stagnation, don't quit. If something is not working, change it. But don't stop; it will only put you back where you started and you won't have the body you want. - 17273

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Is The Zone Diet A Fad Diet

By Ron C

The zone diet is considered a fad diet created by a biochemist named Barry Sears. In reality it's not a fad diet in that it is not planned to only be consumed in short periods, but rather to become the normal eating habits for a person. It is considered a low carbohydrate diet, however is more based on balancing hormones and therefore does not restrict carbohydrates as much as other low carbohydrate diets such as the Atkins diet.

The basis of the zone diet is a ratio of calories from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats all of 40 to 30 to 30. Some nonscientific studies done by various television shows have shown that the diet can indeed produce reasonable weight-loss. In fact, many of these nonscientific studies show that people gain muscle mass while losing weight on the zone diet. People included in the studies said it was very easy to stick to the zone diet as compared to other low carbohydrate diets.

The zone in zone diet refers to a hormone balance in which insulin levels are perfect, glycogen levels are perfect, and thus the body releases various anti-inflammatory chemicals similar to aspirin but without side effects. In addition, claims Sears, the natural anti-inflammatory help with heart health. The zone diet also creates a state in which the body stops storing fat. If the body isn't storing fat, it's losing weight. Fatty acids such as omega 3 were later added in the form of supplements such as fish oil.

A typical zone diet meal was described by its creator in the following manner. In every meal eat enough protein to fit in the palm of your hand, as many non-starchy raw vegetables as you can take, just enough carbohydrates to maintain mental clarity, and just enough oils to stop hunger.

A man who once weighed 1200 pounds attributes amazing weight loss to the zone diet. He had tried every diet and even liposuction, but after 24 months on the zone diet he lost about 400 pounds. The man's current diet consists of 2000 calories broken up into six meals per day. It includes egg white omelets, fresh salads, chicken, fish, and other healthy foods mandated by the zone diet.

Exercise care when taking up the zone diet. After all it is only considered a Fad Diet and as we know many fad diets can actually do more harm than good towards your weight loss efforts - 17273

About the Author:

Is The Zone Diet really a fad diet or can you really lose weight and keep it off. Find out this and more at our Fat Loss 4 Idiots Weight Loss blog. With expert reviews on most of the diets available to you today. Find out what fad diets are and why they can damage your health.

Have More Fun While You Workout

By Jason Thompkins

When you ask someone to workout with you, you will usually hear the word "no". Besides, working out is boring. Maybe even you will consider that working out is boring and rather do fun things than spending time at the gym doing some boring workout routines.

However, you have to consider that more and more people are putting up with the boring workout routines because of the alarming increase of heart related diseases and obesity. You have to consider that you have to take care of your body in order to live a happier and more satisfying life.

You and only you are responsible for maintaining your body's health. This is why you have to do fitness workouts in order to keep your body in top working condition. Failing to do so will result in a disease-ridden life where you and your family will suffer.

Once you get to where you want to be, and have the great body that you built, you will have to maintain that fitness plan. You do not want to throw everything away that you had worked for.

However, if you find regular fitness workout routines very boring, there are quite a lot of fitness workouts that you can do to make workout more fun. There are fun activities that you can do where you can definitely enjoy and at the same time, give you a great quality fitness workout experience.

First of all, most people consider that fitness workouts are only limited at the gym. However, you have to consider thinking out of the box and start being creative. Active sports such as swimming, golf, tennis, football, and basketball is a fun sport that can give you great quality fitness workout experience.

If you are not sports minded or you can't think of any sport that can be fun for you, you can also consider dancing as a great fitness workout experience. You can try and enroll in dance classes. Although some people think that dancing is easy, you have to consider that it's not.

Dancing is quite difficult and can be very stressful for your body as it will require you to run, walk, and jump around in the dance floor to do those dance moves. Dancing can definitely be a great fitness workout alternative if you find regular gym workouts boring. Plus, dancing is also fun especially if both you and your significant other enroll in the same classes.

A couple of other great fitness workouts that you can make fun are hiking and rock climbing. These are just some of the activities that you can do for fun and get into shape too. Just pick something out that you will like and not hate, be creative and you will achieve your fitness goals. - 17273

About the Author:

Jason Thompkins has been a fitnesscoordinator for more than 15 years, you can find more details on fitness training tips at this great resource that the author found. how to get fit

Over 40 & Fit? Massage Chairs Are The Missing Link

By Steve Esquire

Fitness in your 40s and beyond is not impossible. What you are really fighting is a slowing metabolism. As we age our metabolism begins to slow down. This is especially true for women where their metabolic rate tends to start declining in their 30s. Focus in on 3 main areas to get fit when your over 40. The trilogy of fitness is diet, no surprise there! Exercise--I don't know why that never goes away, but wait there is hope with massage chair therapy.

With the slowing down of the metabolic rate, there are feelings of less energy. A woman is fighting a battle. It does not have to be this way. If you can handle a little hard work and have a little determination, a woman can keep the figure that she once had not too long ago. Now, let us not think this just applies to women. Men, as well, can experience a little excess weight once they hit their 40s.

Fitness over 40 requires determination, a healthy diet is paramount. Too much high calorie intake only adds to the mid-life tire. Dont contribute to the bulge by eating the wrong foods. Balance your diet and eat meals consisting of more fruits and vegetables and just a little of everything else.

Fitness over 40 is achieved by eating several small meals a day that consistent of fruits and vegetables and protein. Protein should come in the form of nuts, lean meats, fish, and so on. You should stay away from saturated fats if at all possible.

Jump start your metabolism with exercise. First stretch your muscles. Warm up your body with some walking. You can do light exercise, but do it for 30 minutes. It can be a walk with your dog, but do it daily.

Look, the important thing is to do some basic, light aerobic exercises. Aerobic means heart and lungs. That means your heart rate increases and you have to breathe harder to increase the oxygen. Start a routine of going for a walk 4 times a week.

The third member of the triad of vitality over 40 is massage therapy. Food is the energy and exercise processes the energy. Massage helps recuperation of the body and muscles. This is the great circle of vitality.

It is interesting that people think of massage as just being pampered. Of course, there is that side of it, but at the heart it recuperation. Your body needs to go through a healing process. Healing is rebuilding. Massage chair therapy provides a practical way to receive consistent treatments.

Massage chair therapy offers a practical way to integrate massage into your daily exercise routine. Start with a brisk warm up massage. Get the blood flowing with some morning shiatsu. Invigorate your muscles with the chopping massage. This has an excellent loosen effect. Limber up before a round of golf.

Does fitness over 40 need to be all bad? Of course not! It is all about balance. Start a routine where it just isn't all no pain, no gain. Massage chairs therapy is a great way to recover and bring out the best. Yes, you have to work harder, but why not also work hard on recovery. This is the way to balance your body and get it in peak performance.

A lot of the secret to fitness over 40 is common sense. Eat a balanced diet without huge meals. Eat less, but eat more often. Exercise with light aerobics 4 to 5 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes. Let your body recover with your own massage chair. Perfect for warming up and warming down for exercise is the convenience of a massage chair. Get your life in balance and increase your metabolism to have the vitality you want over 40. - 17273

About the Author:

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