| Why do you think we have such a big problem with osteoporosis in our country today? Is it possible to prevent it from happening? and without drugs? I believe that the osteoporosis problem began when Americans began relying on fast foods and carbonated beverages for most of their nutritional needs—20-30 years ago, so in order to prevent it, we (as a nation) will have to make a large diet overhaul!! and then in another 20 years or so we’ll see the benefit of these changes in the nation. However, all is not lost, each individual can impact the chance of osteoporosis developing by making dietary changes and adding regular exercise. Osteoporosis affects millions of Americans every year and the number is increasing. The estimate is that there are at least 8 million women in the US and 2 million men with osteoporosis, and there may be as many as 3 new hip fractures occurring per min. When someone then develops a hip fracture because of the osteoporosis, this then creates a significant amount of disability. Instead of leading independent lives, people end out needing to be reliant on family, friends or even having to live in an assisted living facility. Most commonly the points that are discussed by the doctor with you to reduce risks include getting sufficient calcium, (at least 1500 mg / day), magnesium (at least 500 mg/day), and Vitamin D-3 (at least 1000- IU /day). also included in this discussion is the importance of regular exercise specifically weight bearing exercises, and eliminating smoking, and alcohol. However, what is missing is the fact that there has to be a BIG change in the diet so that people stop relying on the fast foods, carbonated beverages, caffeine, and the processed foods for their daily nutritional needs. These foods tend to be very acidic (including the whole milk line) which then leaches calcium out of the bones in order to neutralize the acid in the blood stream. The diet should be at least 80 % alkaline (which is fresh vegetables, and sprouts), and then you’ll find that the bones will get stronger. The other point that is lacking in the discussion is the role of natural progesterone. All of the situations where people are at higher risk for osteoporosis are situations where there is low progesterone ( menopause, amenorrheic conditions such as poly-cystic ovaries, bulimia, anorexia, and amenorrhea due to other anovulatory conditions). Progesterone has been shown to be one of the hormones that builds bone, the other is testosterone. Estrogen keeps bones from weakening, but does not actually build bone. The Standard American Diet or (SAD) is really that–sad. It is filled with a lot of non-nutritive products that contribute to rapid aging, diabetes, hypertension, chronic fatigue syndrome, osteoporosis, cancer and a whole lot of other medical problems. Change the diet and prevent a good proportion of these conditions. Even the mid-west reliance on a typical “meat and potatoes” diet promotes diabetes. Granted there are some problems that are genetic, but environment and diet can definitely modify how the genetics gets expressed. Having a healthy baby is the reason women to go the doctor and this book explains what is important. A growing baby depends on the mother for everything—nutrients, oxygen, and vitamins—from conception until delivery. Babies born with health issues are very stressful to the parents. People can’t expect to use drugs, alcohol, smoke, or have poor nutrition and expect to have a healthy child. The most disturbing thing for a family is to have a baby that is not healthy—this can wipe out a family financially, mentally and emotionally. Studies show that “ prenatal care remains the single most important factor to reduce infant mortality” Dr. Richard Smith, President of MSMS. For every $1 spent on prenatal care , $4 are saved on infant mortality. Everything that is done and ordered by the doctor surrounds the focus of having a healthy baby, the ultrasounds, the lab tests, the vitamins, all the prenatal visits , the monitoring are all done with the purpose of having a healthy child. This book is for extra information and it is NOT a substitute for seeing your doctor; however it can give you tips on important questions that you need to ask your doctor. By age 25, about 50% of women in the US have had at least 1 child, and by age 44, 85 % have given birth, so before getting pregnant it is important to implement measures to live a healthier life, which we will cover in greater detail in the coming weeks. The important points are to be involved in a regular exercise program, loose weight if you are overweight, stop smoking and drinking alcohol if you engage in these activities. Don’t get pregnant within a month of getting a rubella vaccine, and take folic acid (at least 400 mcg) daily when you are trying to get pregnant. If you have other health issues such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, seizures, thyroid imbalance, etc., it is important to have these under good control before trying to get pregnant. Some of these pre-pregnancy risk factors are reversible and an attempt should be made to minimize their effects on the individual prior to getting pregnant so that their effects on the pregnancy are minimized. What to expect or prepare for in the first trimester: - -importance of knowing what your menstrual cycle is like
- when is the most fertile time of the cycle?
- what should you do when you miss your period? (pregnancy testing),
- §-important clues to pay attention to in the beginning
- what is happening to the fetus @ this time?
- -how do you figure out your due date?
- What does the baby have by the time 2 months have passed?,
- 3 months?
- When can you pick up the heart rate? (by US or by the office Doppler?
- Does age have anything to do with it?
There are some tests that are routine, there are some that are extra depending on the situation (such as CVS, or amniocentesis), such as advanced maternal age, or prior child with a chromosomal abnormality. The last trimester is probably the most crucial of the trimesters, because the baby is gaining the most weight and all its organs are getting ready to be able to survive on its own once it is born. Very few babies survive when they are born prior to 24 weeks. What delivery options are available? There is a vaginal delivery versus cesarean section, and there is controversy as to whether cesarean delivery can be offered just because someone requests it or if it should only be done for the usual reasons: (failure to progress, fetal heart rate abnormalities, abnormal presentation to include breech and transverse lie). Pain management in labor: breathing techniques, IV pain medication, epidural, and intrathecal. Which one gets offered depends on the obstetrician, anesthesiologist and patient wishes. Whether someone can deliver vaginally after having had a cesarean delivery also depends on the hospital, obstetrician, prior cesarean scar line on the uterus, and anesthesia availability. Many Ob docs around the country are limiting their deliveries to normal vaginal deliveries and repeat cesarean sections and are not offering an option to have a trial of labor following a cesarean section, especially at community hospitals where there may not be a residency program. To breast feed or not to breast feed. Well, as speaking from an obstetricians point of view, breast feeding is the way to go—it is natures best option for milk for babies. Plus it is cheaper—no bottles to heat up in the middle of the night, no formula to mix up or that smells badly—and always ready and warm. If Moms could stay home for 6 months to a year after having a baby, then practically every one who has a baby could breast feed! However, you know and I know that mom’s have to go to back to work about the 6 – 8 week mark, and so have to wean the baby at that time, as most jobs are not that flexible to accommodate women so that they can continue to breast feed even after they return to work. So many babies are bottle fed. There are 7 main advantages to breast feeding and that is that 1) it promotes bonding: 2) it is a ready made supply; 3) it is always warm; 4) it usually suppresses the periods (but doesn’t mean a person can’t get pregnant again); 5) the extra calories burned to make the milk help with loosing the weight gained during pregnancy; as the demand for milk increases, so does the supply; and 7) colostrum, or the very first milk (within the first 3 days of birth ) is high in immune factors that protect the baby. Studies have shown that breast fed babies are healthier than bottle fed babies, there are fewer respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in the first year of life, there is also a decreased risk for breast cancer in the mother who breast feeds. There are 9 minor disadvantages to breast feeding and that is that 1) the mother is the only one who can feed the baby (unless breast milk is pumped from the breast and stored in advance); and 2) there is no way to know exactly how much the baby eats. You can only go by wet and dirty diapers, and a measure of the baby’s weight at it’s well checks; and 3) the milk taste can be affected by the mother’s diet which can have an effect on the baby. For example, gas producing foods for the mom, can cause gas in the baby. People who breast feed find out very quickly what bothers the baby; 4) sometimes breast feeding is painful ; 5) you might not be able to feed the baby in a private place when it gets hungry; 6) some women don’t loose weight while breast feeding, they gain weight because their appetite has increased a lot; 7) if you normally have to take certain medications, you need to check with your doctor if it is safe to take them while breast feeding; 8) sometime your breast may leak milk at inopportune times; and 9) hormone levels can be lower while breast feeding so intercourse can be painful for a time due to vaginal dryness. What are the advantages of bottle feeding? 1) Other family member can help feed the baby; 2) babies sometimes gain weight faster on formula (there is a higher sugar content); 3) you can begin your birth control sooner when bottle feeding. The disadvantages of the bottle fed baby are 1) that the immune system of the baby is found to be not as good as breast fed babies, 2) there is a lot of controversy implicating problems with the plastic in the bottles as having an adverse effect on the health of the baby; 3) and there is more work involved with sterilizing the bottles, heating the milk etc; and 4) many formulas contribute to gastrointestinal issues with the baby; 5) many formulas have an unpleasant odor to them; and 6) there are some studies to indicate that the extra hormones (ie estrogenic like compound in soy) has long term effects on the development of the child. Is financial freedom possible in today’s economy? Do you have to have your own business to make it work? What should you look for in a company before you decide to be involved in it as a business?
You’ll want to look for a company that has been in business for a long time; secondly, the products that you sell should be consumable so that your customers will want to order from you again and again. Thirdly, you will want a company that you do not have to invest a large amount either in franchise fees or in stock that you have to carry on hand. Fourthly, you’ll want a company that has products for all age groups: young and old, male and female, health conscious and those who are new to trying to be healthier. Fifthly, you’ll want a company whose products are actually good for you to use and beneficial for your health rather than products that do not help you at all. Finally for those that live in America, promoting a company whose products are all made in America is a plus, as it creates jobs for Americans.
Why Arbonne? Arbonne has been around for 30 years, it makes pure, botanical skin care and health/wellness products here in the United States. It only takes $29 to join as a preferred client in order to get a 20% discount on the products, or $109 to join as a consultant in order to get a 35% discount on the products with a goal of a secondary business. (There is flexibility in starting this as a part time job and building it sufficiently before going with it full time, and there are a couple of rules associated with being a consultant). There are products for babies, the young individual, the person who wants to loose weight or improve their overall health with nutrition, in addition there are products for older people as well. There are anti-aging products for men and women, an entire detox line (Sea Source), make-up and hormone balance, plus nutritional support for the immune system, vitamins, joint and heart formulas. The products are all vegan, which means that vegetarians can use the products, and people that have milk intolerance can use these products. Their products do not have any mineral oil, or petroleum products, and all the products are tested on human volunteers. To hear from a successful home business owner, click on this link: Dr. Rachel Yankama – VoiceAmerica: Interview with Carol Kirken
If this looks like a good fit for you, you can join me @ www.womenshealth.myarbonne.com.
What other company can you start up your own business with minimal start up costs ( from $29 to $109), and have the potential to move up to the top of the company in such a short time. (Most of the time, this is done on a part-time basis.) Plus there is the tax advantage of your own home business. In addition there is lots of support from your up-line, and training available on Arbonne University and the Learn and Burn series. The process can be duplicated very easily. What other company can you decide who you would like to work with? You can recruit your friends and people that you enjoy working with and have fun with. The results will vary depending on how much work you put in to it, and to get that person who catches the vision of the possibilities in Arbonne, it takes having classes, parties, telling the Arbonne story. But no matter what business you are in, you will want to learn the most that you can about marketing and how to build your business. One site that has helped me learn how to use the internet and feel more comfortable with the computer and that has offered a lot of FREE information (in the form of FREE e-books) is: The 7 Great Lies of Networkmarketing and Marketers Manifesto, especially about attracting people to your business that are interested in what you are interested in, rather than trying to convert people to your business that are not interested at all. What many people struggle to do is to balance the time spent at work with the time spent with the family, and with having fun, and with figuring out ways to deal with the stressors of everyday life. Here are some stress relievers: - church—being involved, learning how to forgive, letting go of resentments and grudges, (as these have been found to be very toxic to your health and well being, and associated with auto-immune disorders, arthritis, fibromyalgia, lupus, and cancer), and being connected to a family of faith,
- hobbies (movies, books, sports, vacations, collections, music, etc.),
- laughter– good jokes (“laughter is the best medicine”) People who are happy get better faster,
- goals—important to know what you ‘d like to achieve in your life time—what is important to you,
- being close to your family,
- pets—now being used in hospitals as therapy,
- friends—doing things together defuses stress,
- taking a good vitamin and herbal supplement, which includes Magnesium, potassium, B-complex, calcium, kava root, ginseng root, gotu kola, rhodiola, and Vitamin D 3,
- Other stress relievers include meditation, deep breathing techniques such as with yoga and Tai Chi, or visualization techniques that put your mind in a calm and peaceful place.
Of course it goes without saying that having the right attitude also facilitates that process of dealing with stress. Having a positive attitude begins the process, studies have shown that people with positive attitudes get better faster, and heal faster when they are ill. You can decide to be happy and successful. “Adversity is the breeding ground for miracles—winning begins between the ears.” said Cathi Almquist, a successful home business owner. So think on positive things, declare the positive, you decide. What you think about in your mind will occur, you can direct your future to some degree. Sleep deprivation is one of the sources of poor memory, poor energy, depression, stress and hormone imbalance. It is important to get sufficient hours of sleep besides sufficient quality of sleep . Sleep apnea also contributes to sleep deprivation and chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia. If your partner is telling you that you snore a lot at night, then you may want to contact your doctor to get tested for sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea actually stop breathing while they are asleep and then wake up sufficiently to start breathing again, but not to realize that they have woken up. This can happen many times during the night, so by morning when the person gets up, he/she feels like they haven’t slept. Also it is important to sleep in a totally dark room, so people that sleep during the day are not getting as restful a sleep. Getting sufficient hours of sleep definitely helps you deal with stessors better, helps your metabolism, and helps with staying younger. Vitamins that help a person handle their stress level better include: Pantothenic acid, which is considered to be the anti-stress vitamin, and usually included in the B-Complex vitamins and also in the Smart Nutritional Hybrids for Men and Women. It is also ideal for depression, for fighting allergies and migraines, beneficial in the maintenance of healthy skin, muscles and nerves, and used as an anti-aging vitamin. The Hybrids contain 500% of the Recommended Daily Value. Another vitamin that is important to have in sufficient quantities is Vitamin D3. If you do not get enough sunshine, then you have to use a supplement. Normally Vitamin D3 is made in the skin once the skin is exposed to ultraviolet light and a person needs at least 20 minutes of sun exposure during the middle of the day when the ultraviolet rays are more concentrated (between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm). And as most of us are not out in the sun, or there is minimal sun (like in Michigan, due to cloud cover), supplementation is necessary. Vitamin D 3 has been found to help reduce depression, breast cancer, does help to keep your bones stronger, and helps the body function better in multiple ways. To get these vitamins, go to www.womenshealth.myarbonne.com. Live long and live strong for the people you love! | A Doctor’s Guide to Pregnancy!VoiceAmerica Program!I am hosting an hour program each week for 13 weeks beginning on January 6th, 2010 on VoiceAmerica.com. This will start at 3:00pm (PST), and 6:00 pm (EST). We’ll cover lots of topics and you’ll be sure to learn ways to improve your health and your life. Be sure to tune in… |
