General Herbal Care

Archive for the ‘Dissies’ Category

Most women know it’s not such a good idea to go skydiving or bungee jumping while pregnant. Many, however, don’t realize there are other things to avoid as well. There are certain foods, that while cause no ill effects to an expectant woman, they can be harmful to an unborn child. Here are 5 foods every pregnant woman should avoid to help ensure their baby will be born happy and healthy.

What you don’t put into your body when you’re pregnant is just as important as what you do put into your body. Listeria is a type of bacteria found in foods that can be harmful to an unborn fetus. Among the risks are miscarriage, premature delivery, infection, and in some instances, stillbirths.

There are a number of foods that contain listeria that you should be avoided completely during pregnancy.

Soft cheeses

Soft cheeses such as feta, brie, camembert, blue-veined cheeses and Mexican cheeses including queso fresco, queso blanco and panela. Safe cheeses include cheddar, semi-soft cheeses like mozzarella, and pasteurized cheeses such as cottage cheese, sliced cheese and cheese spreads are safe also, but remember, they need to be of the pasteurized variety.

Under-cooked meats and fish products

This includes pates and meat spreads, and all seafood. Undercooked food is a breeding ground for bacteria. While many people are, luckily, able to avoid contracting bacterial infects from under-cooked meats and seafood, pregnancy puts you at a much higher risk of becoming infected.

Unwashed fruits and vegetables

Because listeria is a form of bacteria that is present in soil and water, it is especially important to wash all food that is grown in the ground before consuming it.

Lunchmeats and hotdogs

Luncheon meats and hotdogs should be avoided unless they are reheated to a temperature of no less than 160 degree Fahrenheit. Heating to this temperature will ensure that any listeria that may be present is killed off. It is also recommended that pregnant women refrain from eating luncheon meats and hotdogs at restaurants as well because these establishments do not reheat their meat.

In addition to avoiding these 5 types of foods it is also important to store and handle your food with care.

Keep all food preparation surfaces clean as well as your hands. Set your refrigerator temperature to 40 degrees or lower. Do not cross-contaminate food (Keep raw foods and cooked foods separate). Clean the inside of your refrigerator often. Use a food thermometer to ensure your foods are cooked to the proper temperatures. Refrigerate food promptly. Reheat all food to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Meats should be cooked to the following temperatures:

Chicken: 165-180 F

Ground Meat: 160-165 F

Beef, Medium well: 160 F – Well Done: 170 F (It is not recommended to eat any meat cooked rare)

Pork: 160-170 F

Ham (raw): 160 F

Ham (precooked): 140 F

The Center of Disease Control estimates 27% of the roughly 2,500 people who become sick with listeria poisoning each year are pregnant women. It further reports that pregnant women are 20 times more likely to become infected than women who are not pregnant.

Trudi Buck writes about how to search for ultrasound tech schools.

Cleanse your blood. Ayurvedic medicine views fibroids as raktaja gulma-that is, tumors resulting from the impurity of your blood. How your fibroids are treated depends on your constitutional type, or dosha, explains Alakananda Devi, M.B., of Boulder, Colorado. In general, Dr. Devi advises patients with fibroids to exercise more and to reduce their intakes of dietary fat and alcohol. Dr. Devi also prescribes several Ayurvedic herbs, including chitrak and ashoka. Chitrak helps eliminate tumors, while ashoka relaxes the uterus, reduces menstrual flow, and shrinks fibroids.

Medical Measures

“In general, if your fibroids are not causing much discomfort, you might decide to just live with them until menopause shrinks them naturally,” Dr. Simons says. “If you have heavy periods, you can take iron supplements to reduce your risk of iron-deficiency anemia.”

For more troublesome fibroids, mainstream medicine offers two treatment options: drugs and surgery. Drug therapy aims to suppress estrogen, which makes fibroids grow. Two of the most commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals are leuprolide (Lupron) and nafarelin (Synarel). Both reduce estrogen by stimulating the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, or GnRH.

Surgery is usually reserved for the most severe fibroids. The most conservative procedure, called myomectomy, removes just the fibroids and leaves your uterus intact. But myomectomy may not be possible if you have lots of fibroids or if they’re hard to reach.

Whenever you talk about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, there are certain topics that always arise. Physicians will ask about your blood pressure. They will ask you about your weight and the percentage of body fat in your body. Some doctors will want to check your normal cholesterol range. Do you really understand cholesterol and how it works in your body? Do you understand what cholesterol is used for?

Cholesterol is not just a dirty word. Many people think of cholesterol as something that builds up in the body that can cause a heart attack. Others just know that cholesterol comes from animals.

Cholesterol is actually a necessary product in our bodies. Cholesterol serves a vital purpose for human beings. Cholesterol is a waxy material that is produced in your liver. You can find cholesterol in many products including meats and dairy products. The body uses cholesterol to help it burn fat, produce vitamin D, and help digest fat. Unfortunately, most people eat way too much cholesterol. As a result, cholesterol begins building up in the blood stream.

Just like many things in life, you can have too much of a good thing. Cholesterol is no exception. The real question becomes how do you cut back on the cholesterol in your diet. I always recommend doing all of the things that the health experts recommend.

Below are some of the natural remedies and reasons why one should go for natural cures for eczema:

• Sunlight, which is mankind’s biggest and never ending source of energy has the capability to kill the infectious bacteria which causes eczema. It is due to Vitamin D present in sunlight.

• A proper mixture of sandalwood and camphor is another method to get rid of eczema naturally. A paste is made and applied onto the affected area. Similarly a combination of neem leaves and turmeric powder also does the same job.

• Aroma therapy is a sure shot as a cure to eczema. In this therapy, volatile plant oils which are aromatic in nature are used to cure eczema. One thing to be observed here is eczema can also be caused due to stress and aroma therapy acts as a perfect stress buster. The essential oils help in relaxation of the body. It can be in the form of oil baths, ointments, etc.

• Ayurveda, which is an age old practice in India also has many methods to cure eczema.

• Hypnosis is also another method for relieving stress which is one major cause of eczema. A session of hypnosis is bound to change the state of our unconscious mind.

• Reiki, which is a technique practiced in Japan as a way to reduce stress is one more way to cure eczema.

• An oat meal bath softens your dry skin. A handful of oats is wrapped into a cheese cloth and circulated through warm water. This methodology cures constant itching.

• One last and useful remedy is tea tree oil. Various forms are lotion, cream and ointments which are applied on the affected area.

It is up to one’s discretion whether to use natural remedies or not. Only disadvantage is they are slow and need time to show results. Any remedy should be taken in exact consulted quantity and anything in excess can lead to unwanted side effects.