Blaine561's Social and Health Commentary

Susun Weed maintains: “Menopause is not a ‘pathology’, but a passage to power. Like puberty, menopause is a natural – and healthy – change. Wise women the world over herald menopause as a health-promoting event. They see hot flashes as ‘power surges’ and menopause as an intense spiritual journey. Most treatments – including ERT, HRT, isoflavone, and progesterone creams – disrupt this process and can do severe damage to a woman’s health.”

MENOPAUSE IS ENLIGHTENMENT

The energy aspects of menopause are of special interest to me.

As a long-time student of yoga, I was struck by the many similarities between menopausal symptoms and the well-known esoteric goal of “awakening of the kundalini.” Though the ideas presented in this section may seem strange or difficult to comprehend, they contain powerful messages about menopause, which lie at the heart of the Wise Woman approach.

Kundalini [is] the root [of] all spiritual experiences … Kundalini is a special kind of energy known in many cultures, including Tibetan, Indian, Sumerian, Chinese, Irish, Aztec, and Greek. Kundalini is said to be hot, fast, powerful, and large. It exists within the earth, within all life, and within each person. Psychoanalyst Carl G. Jung called kundalini anima. Kundalini is usually represented as a serpent coiled at the base of the spine, but women’s mystery stories locate it in the uterus – or the area where the uterus was, if a hysterectomy has occurred. During both puberty and menopause, a woman’s kundalini is difficult to control and may cause a great number of symptoms.

East Indian yogis spend lifetimes learning to activate, or wake up, their kundalini. This is also called “achieving enlightenment”. When they succeed, a surge of super-heated energy goes up the spine, throughout the nerves, dilating blood vessels, and fueling itself with hormones. As kundalini continues to travel up the spine, it changes the functioning of the endocrine, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. Not just in yogis, but in any woman who allows herself to become aware of it. Menopause is a kind of enlightenment. Hot flashes are kundalini training sessions.

TAKING HORMONES? THESE HERBS ARE FOR YOU

More and more American women are using herbal remedies to help them with menopausal problems. Those who do take ERT (estrogen replacement) or HRT (hormone replacement) may be surprised to discover that herbal medicine has a lot to offer them as well.

Herbs for women on ERT/HRT include those that alleviate side-effects as well as those that counter problems caused by the hormones.

Herbal Helpers Counter Side-Effects

Water retention is the symptom most often cited for dissatisfaction with hormone replacement. Herbal tinctures and tea, such as dandelion or cleavers, and ordinary foods can not only relieve the distress, they will go to the root of the problem and help prevent recurrences.

Dandelion root tincture (Taraxacum officinale) strengthens the liver and helps it process out the excess hormones you are taking. When the liver works well, the kidneys work better, and tissues no longer bloat. A dose is 10-20 drops in several ounces of water or juice 2-3 three times a day. If you have any digestion problems, take your dandelion before meals; otherwise, anytime is fine. You can safely take dandelion daily for months or years if you need or want to.

Cleavers herb tincture (Galium molluga) tells the lymphatic tissues to get moving. Relief from edema is usually rapid when 20-30 drops are taken in several ounces of water or juice. Repeat up to six times at hourly intervals if needed. Cleavers is especially helpful for easing swollen, sore breasts.

Foods that relieve water retention include (in order of effectiveness): asparagus, nettles, corn (and corn silk tea), grapes, cucumbers, watermelon (and watermelon seed tea), parsley, celery, black tea, and green tea.

Headaches are the second most common side-effect of hormone use. Unfortunately, they are common among menopausal women not taking hormones, too. Herbs that help relieve headache without a drug-like action – such as dandelion, yellow dock, milk thistle, burdock, garden sage, skullcap, and St. John’s/Joan’s wort – are generally considered safe to take with hormones.

Chinese herbalists say headaches are caused by liver stress. My favorite liver-strengthening herbs are dandelion, yellow dock, milk thistle seed, and burdock. I use one at a time, a 15-25 drops of the tincture several times a day, for two weeks. If symptoms continue, I switch to a different herb.

A strong tea of garden sage leaves (Salvia officinalis) offers immediate relief from headaches and helps prevent future ones. It also reduces night sweats. Tinctures of skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) and St. Joan’s/John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) ease pain and relieve muscle spasms. Use 5-20 drops of skullcap and a dropperful of St.J’s at the very first sign – no, the very first thought – of a headache. Repeat the doses every five minutes until pain free. Skullcap can be quite sedative, especially in large doses.

Herbal Allies to Prevent Problems Caused by Taking Hormones

Breast cancer risk is increased 20% in women who use ERT for five or more years. Use of HRT for five or more years increases breast cancer risk by 40%. Each five years of continued use increases the risk. In addition, women who take ERT are far more likely to get uterine or endometrial cancers. All women on hormones increase their risks of lung and ovarian cancer, too. Nourishing herbs such as red clover, and foods such as beans and yogurt, offer easy ways to stay cancer-free.

Red clover blossoms (Trifolium pratense), when dried and brewed into a strong infusion (one ounce herb steeped an a quart of boiling water for at least four hours) prevent cancer by providing phytoestrogens that counter the cancer-promoting effects of oral hormones. Usual dose is 2-4 cups a day. The infusion tastes like black tea and can be flavored with mint if you like.

Since uncooked beans and unfermented soy contain anti-nutritional factors that may promote bone loss and dementia, soy “milk” and tofu are not recommended. Miso and tamari definitely help to prevent breast cancer but soy isoflavones may promote it.

Yogurt helps build powerful immunity. Women who eat a quart of yogurt a week have 700% less cancer than women who eat no yogurt.

Dry eyes afflict more than 9% of women using ERT and over 7% of those on HRT. Risk increases by 70% for every year of continued use. And the longer a woman uses hormones, the greater her risk. Herbs such as oatstraw, chamomile, and chickweed can help relieve and prevent this problem.

Oatstraw infusion (Avena sativa) cools and moistens your eyes from the inside out, builds strong bones too. Use one ounce of dried herb in a quart jar; fill to the top with boiling water and cap tightly. Let steep four or more hours. Dose is 2-4 cups a day. Refrigerate after straining.

Cucumber slices ease dry eyes; so do chamomile tea bags.

The ultimate ally for women with dry eyes is fresh chickweed (Stellaria media), applied as a poultice to the closed eyes. Leave on for five minutes, or until the plant material feels warm (it will heat up). Repeat as needed.

Stroke and heart attack are actually increased by use of ERT/HRT, though modern medicine has long proclaimed the opposite. Every major double-blind study done to date has created a larger and larger gap between ERT/HRT’s supposed ability to help cardiovascular health and its actual results. Protect your heart with nourishing and tonifying herbs and foods such as motherwort, hawthorn, and cherries.

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) tincture helps the heart. The Japanese claim it is their secret of longevity. A dose is 5-15 drops, twice a day. Motherwort also relieves hot flashes, calms tachycardiia, and eases anxiety. It’s an all-in-one remedy for menopausal women.

Hawthorn (Crataegus oxycantha) flowers, leaves, and fruits are all used to maintain heart health and control fluid build-up in heart tissues. A dose is 20- 30 drops of tincture 2-4 times a day, or a cup of tea with meals. This widespread shrub is considered one of the finest heart tonics in the world.

Cherries are even better than apples at keeping the doctor away. Dried cherries and cherry juice, even tincture of cherries.

More than three-quarters of the women in America over the age of fifty have refused ERT/HRT. If you want to join them, taper off your dosage slowly, while continuing to use nourishing and tonifying herbs such as dandelion, motherwort, red clover, oatstraw, and seaweed.

THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF ESTROGENS

• Women make estrogens.

Pharmaceutical companies make estrogens from substances such as horse urine, wild yam roots, and petrochemicals. Tamoxifen, used to treat and prevent breast cancer, is a type of pharmaceutical estrogen.

Women make at least thirty types of estrogen, including estradiol, estrone, and estrace. Estradiol is the strongest; it is turned on at puberty and turned off at menopause. Estradiol is positively linked with breast cancer; other human estrogens are not. Anything that reduces the amount of estradiol a woman produces (such as pregnancy, lactation, early menopause, and late puberty) also decreases her risk of a breast cancer diagnosis.

Phytoestrogens counter the detrimental effects of estradiol by competing for the same receptor sites.

Estradiol is a strong estrogen and is metabolized by the long path. The other estrogens our bodies make are weak estrogens and are metabolized by the short path. Alcohol turns off the short path. Phytoestrogens are weak hormones and hormonal precursors. Phytoestrogens in foods are metabolized by the short path. Phytoestrogens appear to protect tissues from the cancer-causing effects of estradiol, xenoestrogens and pharmaceutical hormones. Phytoestrogens in foods prevent cancer and promote health; phytoestrogen supplements and processed soy fake-foods may do the opposite. Breast cancer occurs four times more often in women whose urinary output of phytoestrogen by-products is low compared to women whose urinary output is high.

Phytoestrogens are common in food. They are concentrated in seeds (grains, beans, nuts, berries) and roots. The exceptions to the rule that plants don’t contain human hormones: French beans, rice, apple seeds, licorice, and pomegranate seeds contain the “weak” estrogen estrone.

To get the greatest benefit from phytoestrogenic foods and herbs remember:

1. Isolated phytoestrogens are not as safe as those “in matrix.”

2. To make use of plant hormones, you need active, healthy gut flora.

3. Herbs and foods rich in phytoestrogens need to be used in different ways.

4. Phytoestrogens may have different effects on women who do not have their ovaries.

1. Plants contain many types of phytoestrogens; additionally, they contain minerals and other constituents which help our bodies modify the phytoestrogens and so we can use them safely. Red clover is mineral-rich and contains all four of the major types of phytoestrogens: lignans, coumestans, isoflavones, and resorcylic acid lactones. It is the world’s best-known anti-cancer herb. In general, foods and herbs rich in phytoestrogens, with the possible exception of licorice, show anti-cancer abilities. Isoflavone, however, when isolated (usually from soy) has the opposite effect: in the lab it encourages the growth of breast cancer cells.

2. Plant hormones, including most phytoestrogens, can’t be used by humans. But we can convert them into ones we can use – with the help of our gut bacteria. When women take antibiotics, their excretion of phytoestrogens plummets. Get your gut flora going by eating more yogurt, miso, unpasteurized sauerkraut, homemade beers and wines, picked-by-your-own-hands-and-unwashed fruits and salads, sourdough bread, and whey-fermented vegetables. (See Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon for whey-fermented vegetable recipes.)

3. Plants which are exceptionally rich in phytoestrogens are regarded as powerful herbal medicines. Plants which are good sources of phytoestrogens are regarded as foods. While food can certainly be our medicine – a practice I advocate – it is also true that medicines are more dangerous than foods. Foods rich in phytoestrogens are different than medicinal herbs rich in phytoestrogens. They have different places in my life.

• I eat phytoestrogenic foods daily in quantity.

Phytoestrogenic foods are the basis for a healthy diet and a long life. The first food listed is the highest in phytoestrogens. The best diet contains not just one but many choices from each list:

• Whole grains (rye, oats, barley, millet, rice, wheat, corn)

Phytoestrogenic food-like herbs are generally considered longevity tonics. For optimum effect, use only one from the list below and to stick with it for at least three months.

• Citrus peel, dandelion leaves and/or roots, fenugreek seeds, flax seeds, green tea, hops, red clover, red wine.

Phytoestrogenic herbs are usually too powerful for long- term use. From the list below (which is in alphabetical order), it is safest to use only one herb at a time, and use it only when needed, although that may mean daily use for several months. More information about these herbs, including specific dosages and cautions, is in New Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way.

• Agave root, black cohosh root, black currant, black haw, chasteberries, cramp bark, dong quai root, devil’s club root, false unicorn root, ginseng root, groundsel herb, licorice, liferoot herb, motherwort herb, peony root, raspberry leaves, rose family plants (most parts), sage leaves, sarsaparilla root, saw palmetto berried, wild yam root, yarrow blossoms.

4. Most of the warnings about phytoestrogenic herbs center on their proven ability to thicken the uterine wall in animals who have had their ovaries removed. This could encourage cancer, just as taking ERT encourages cancer of the uterus by stimulating cell growth. Women without ovaries are probably safe eating phytoestrogenic foods, but may want to use phytoestrogenic herbs – especially ginseng, dong quai, licorice, red clover, and wild yam – in small amounts and only for short periods.

NEWS NOTES ON PHYTOESTROGENIC PLANTS

• Recent studies indicate black cohosh does not suppress luteinizing hormone, has no estrogenic effect, and contains no compounds related to estrogen. Red clover flower heads contain many hormone-like flavonoids, including isoflavone, daidzein, genistein, formononetin, biochanin, sitosterol, and coumestrol, a particularly strong phytoestrogen (six times more active than the one in soy). Red clover contains all four major estrogenic isoflavones; soy has only two of them. A cup of red clover infusion (not tea) contains ten times more phytoestrogens than a cup of soy beverage, is richer in calcium, has less calories, and contains no added sugars.

Norman Mailer said of Marilyn Monroe:

“Her stomach, untrammeled by girdles or sheaths, popped forward in a full woman’s belly, inelegant as hell, an avowal of a womb fairly salivating in seed – that belly which was never to have a child – and her breasts popped buds and burgeons of flesh over many a questing sweating moviegoer’s face. She was a cornucopia. She excited dreams of honey for the horn.”

And Elizabeth Hurley’s opinion:

“I’d kill myself if I was as fat as Marilyn Monroe.”

When I came across Normal Mailer’s words in his biography of Marilyn it reminded me of the famous Hurley quote and I thought the comparison between the two views of this iconic beauty was quite poignant and sad.

Hatred of a womanly body seems to be a common situation in our culture. Women are brainwashed into thinking they need to be as skinny as possible. We diet, workout, starve ourselves, judge each other harshly, and spend our lives in deprivation and desperation.

Meanwhile, men naturally adore the lush, sexual, curvy female body. They desire the soft, voluptuous bodies we women are born into.

Our natural bodies don’t require stringent dieting or starvation or plastic surgery or sculpting. We are each a perfect, unique creation and the more we accept and love our womanliness, the more wonderful life feels.

The Hurley quote used to make me angry. Now it just makes me sad that we have learned to be so shallow and so mean to one another, and to ourselves, with the thoughts we have about the female body.

• Diet plays a very important role either in aggravating or subsiding PMS problems. Eat complex carbohydrates such as whole grain breads, pasta and cereals, fiber and protein. Cut down on your sugar and fat intake.

• Start avoiding salt for the last few days before your period start as it would reduce bloating and fluid retention.

• Avoid caffeine in any form as it makes you less irritable and also eases breast soreness.

• Alcohol is no savior in such times as it depresses you even further.

• Drink plenty of warm water, coconut, raisins, papaya and sweet juicy fruits.

• Get a relaxing massage. Use unscented lotion or massage oil onto your palms and add 1 or 2 drop of essential oil of clary sage, chamomile, geranium, lavender or orange blossom. After mixing this mixture in your hand, massage it on your aching abdomen or lower back.

• Turn vegetarian and increase your diet with fiber as it helps remove excess estrogens. Also consume magnesium rich diet like millet, buckwheat and barley.

• Keep exercising and remain fit. Exercise helps in better functioning of the brain which keeps you in good mood.

• Get a mineral bath as it would keep your muscles relaxed and at ease. In a tubful of warm water add 1 cup sea salt and 1 cup baking soda to. Soak yourself into it for 20 minutes.

• Live a stress-free life, to get through this PMS problem more easily.

• Do not lose your romantic touch try to have a normal sex life because the intercourse stimulates the blood which otherwise remains sluggish and lethargic.

• Have smaller meals to keep your blood sugar level steady and also prevents the craving for sweets.

• Avoid saturated fats like red meat, cheese and butter as it increases the bad prostaglandins level causing uterine discomfort, bloating and mood swings.

• Suffering from cramps, drink a cup or two of red raspberry leaf tea. For bloating drink a cup or two of dandelion tea. If suffering from both drink both teas.

• Use oils like evening primrose, borage, flax seed and pumpkin seed which contain Essential Fatty Acids (EFA). These acids are changed into ‘good’ prostaglandin in the body. You can have primrose oil daily 3 to 6 grams. You can also use one tablespoon flaxseed oil for salad dressing.

• Chaste tree berry (Vitex agnus castus) is an herb, used immensely to reduce PMS problems. Take 10 drops of chaste tree berry extract every morning from mid-cycle until your period begins. It may take a nearly three months to see the results.

• Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is a Chinese herb used widely for PMS. It contains phytoestrogens and is a good hormone balancer. It helps relieve pain and also uterine cramps. Have 3 to 4 ml of Dong quai tincture three times a day during the second half of your cycle. Before consuming this herb you should keep in mind that it produces photosensitivity and should not be used if you have heavy menstrual flow or are pregnant, as it increases the flow.

• Use light therapy to ease PMS symptoms. The idea is to sit in front of a therapeutic light box for 20 to 45 minutes a day. Any ordinary light would not do, you have to buy this light box to get the right results.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

There are three basic types of orgasm for women. Most women can reach orgasm through stimulation of the clitoris with the fingers, oral sex or vibrator.

A vaginal orgasm involving the uterus and reproductive system can be achieved by stimulating the G-spot. The G-spot is a spongy mass of tissue that swells when stimulated. It’s still elusive to a lot of women, but it can be found a couple of inches inside the vagina on the front wall. G-spot stimulation can produce a more intense, deep orgasm.

Blended orgasms are a combination of clitoral and G-spot stimulation. These can produce some of the most powerful orgasms, often accompanied by female ejaculation.

Multiple orgasms are a series of orgasms that happen over a short period of time and they can happen with any type of orgasm. After the first climax a woman can have sequential multiples where she stops for a brief period and then stimulation is continued, or she could have serial multiples, where there is no interruption in arousal.

A simultaneous orgasm is when a couple orgasm at the same time. This can be a wonderful experience, though probably not something you should aim to do every time you make love, half the fun of orgasm is watching your partner have one.

The brain is the biggest sex organ, and because of this, some people are able to reach climax without genital stimulation. Spontaneous orgasm or extragenital orgasm is when a woman has erotic thoughts and fantasies until she reaches orgasm.

Nocturnal orgasms or wet dreams are another type induced by the brain while sleeping.

An extended orgasm is a single orgasm that maintains the pleasurable sensations of climax over a period of time. The length of the orgasm can be built up over time and can last an hour or more.

Expanded orgasm is a path of expanding both sensual awareness and consciousness while receiving genital stimulation. It is felt in the body, mind, emotions, and spirit, all at once. The goal (and focus) of receiving expanded orgasm is simply to feel as much of that pleasure as possible.

Isn’t this the question that everyone with a formal occasion wants to know about their hairstyle for the big night? While it may seem like a trivial question to most, how you wear your hair can make a big difference on your overall formal appearance. Choosing the wrong hairstyle to wear with a certain dress can make you look too over the top or make you look like you didn’t pay as much attention to your hair as you should.

When it comes to choosing a formal hairstyle, the most important thing to consider is the dress that you are wearing. Take into account the cut of the dress. Is it long, cropped, off the shoulder? Or does is have plumes of fabric on the shoulders or lace around the neck? All of these are important factors when it comes to deciding whether you want to wear your hair up or leave it down.

Here are just a few basic rules of thumb to help you decide:

· Off the shoulder or strapless dresses – These types of dresses show a lot of skin on the neck and shoulders. While it may be the tendency of some to sweep the hair up and off of the neck, doing so can make your neck look too long and thin and can detract the eye from the graceful curve of your neck and soft shoulders. I’m not saying that you can’t wear your hair up with this kind of dress, but if you do, choose a style that leaves a little hair hanging softly down on the neck and shoulders. This will help soften your look and direct the eye to wear it should go. It will also balance your complete look.

· Full-shouldered dresses – These dresses are the ones with the full, intricate or puffy sleeves. With this type of dress, you almost always have to wear your hair up. Leaving it down, only makes your whole style look much too busy. You should also choose a simple updo over an intricate one so that you do not end up looking like you’ve tried too hard. If you want the focal point to be your dress, try a simple French twist.

· Classic cut, simple gowns – These are the gowns that will really allow you to get creative with your do. You can choose just about anything. You can wear your hair up or down and style it with intricate weaving and braids or leave it simple.

So, the next time you’re battling with formal hair decisions, let your dress be your guide. Doing so will allow you to create a complete look that is complimentary rather than over the top.

If you had to describe bio-identical hormone therapy, which words would you choose? Individually designed hormone therapy? A non-natural means of menopause relief? Or substances that are structurally identical to the naturally occurring substances in the human body?

If you’re not sure which is correct, you have plenty of company. According to a recent survey, conducted by MenopauseRx.com, nearly 40 percent of women misidentified bio-identical hormone therapy as a non-natural means of menopause relief.

Bio-identical therapy is actually a more natural option for relief. Most estrogens and progesterone come from soy (estrogen) or yams (progesterone). Once the hormones are extracted from a plant source, they are processed to be used by a woman’s body.

While there is not one “best” hormone therapy option for all women, the reality is that women are much more responsive to the types of hormones normally found in the body.

These include bio-identical hormones such as estradiol (the primary estrogen produced by the ovary) and micronized progesterone. Women respond to these bio-identical prescription products because they are so similar to what the body makes naturally after the midlife change.

Bio-identical hormone therapy is available through FDA-approved prescription products such as gels, lotions, patches and pills, as well as non-FDA-approved compounded products. Some pharmacies offer to custom-compound bio-identical hormone therapies for a woman’s individual menopause symptoms but the safety and effectiveness of these formulations cannot be assured. Commercially available estradiol and progesterone products have undergone rigorous FDA monitoring. When prescribed by a health care professional, these medications are usually covered by insurance companies.

While the use of hormone therapy is currently the subject of debate, it remains the gold standard for relief of troublesome menopause symptoms. The North American Menopause Society recommends using the lowest dose of hormone for the shortest time to relieve symptoms. Research indicates that FDA-approved and prescribed bio-identical hormones can be an effective way to alleviate the symptoms of menopause.

In choosing a hormone therapy, experts recommend a yearly review with a health care professional. Most women find that over time the symptoms diminish or the reasons to use hormone therapy change. As that happens it may be beneficial to discontinue the use of hormones.

When it is one of those days when you feel bloated, have breast pain, gain weight, have acne, headaches, cramping and mood swings, you know it is one of those days that every woman dreads. A lot of women suffer from premenstrual symptoms (PMS) and it can cause a lot of inconvenience to the sufferer. There are a plenty of home-based treatments available for the PMS sufferers but it needs some experimentation to determine the right one for you.

The common treatments for PMS are:

• Reduce your intake of saturated fats: When you consume a lot of fatty foods, your PMS symptoms and pain tend to worsen. Avoid fatty cuts of beef, lamb and pork and go in for fish and poultry. Replace butter, which has high content of saturated fats with flaxseeds, safflower and corn, which are rich in polyunsaturated fats.

• Minimize salt intake: Excessive intake of salt leads to water retention. Many snack foods and some fast-foods have very high salt content. These foods will lead to bloating. Hence it is advisable to choose fresh fruits and vegetables over packaged and processed foods.

• Take more of carbohydrates to minimize the cravings: It is common to crave for high carbohydrate foods like ice cream, chocolate and potato chips during PMS. But switching to complex carbohydrates like whole grains, pasta, cereal and bagel will effectively counter the food cravings experienced during PMS. Also, these foods are the excellent sources of fiber and thus remove the excess estrogen from the body. High-carbohydrate, low-sugar foods help in relieving the psychological symptoms of tension, anxiety and mood swings associated with PMS. Women who eat high-fiber foods are more alert and happier than those who don’t.

• Move your body: Exercise has been shown to reduce many physical and psychological symptoms associated with PMS. This is because exercise releases endorphins, the chemicals in the brain associated with easing pain and increasing the sense of well-being. It also reduces breast tenderness, food cravings, fluid retention and depression.

• Eliminate caffeine: If you are sensitive to caffeine, it is best to avoid caffeine like tea, coffee, colas and chocolates. Studies have proved that women who consume two or more cups of caffeine a day are likely to suffer from PMS, since caffeine is a stimulant and can lead to anxiety and irritability. It also leads to breast tenderness.

• Read labels on pain relievers: Some over-the-counter medicines contain caffeine. Hence, if you take them during PMS, they will aggravate the symptoms. Read the contents of the medicine carefully before taking them.

• Skip alcohol: Alcohol is a depressant and a diuretic and can worsen PMS headaches and fatigue. It can increase depression. Hence, avoid taking any alcoholic beverages including wine or beer, if you have PMS.

• Prevent menstrual acne with vitamins A and D: Vitamins A and D have been proved to suppress menstrual acne. Eat plenty of carrots, cooked spinach, cooked sweet potatoes and cantaloupe for vitamin A and plenty of sunshine or fortified milk for vitamin D.

• Improve your mood with vitamin B6: Taking more of vitamin B6 has been shown to improve mood swings, fluid retention, breast tenderness, bloating, sugar craving and fatigue. You can take supplements of 25 to 100 milligrams a day or increase your intake of vitamin B6 by eating more of potatoes, bananas, fish, white meat in chicken and turkey.

• Reduce stress and allergies by taking vitamin C: Vitamin C helps in alleviating the stress experienced during PMS. Being a natural antihistamine, it helps women whose allergies worsen during PMS. Take more of vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts and raw peppers and fruits like cantaloupe, grapefruit, oranges, cranberry and citrus fruits.

• Vitamin E helps: Vitamin E has been shown to have a powerful effect on the hormonal system, thus relieving painful breast symptoms, anxiety and depression. Cooking oils and salad dressings like olive oil, safflower oil and corn oil as well as some fruits like blackberries and apples contain vitamin E.

• Fight PMS with calcium and magnesium: Calcium prevents menstrual cramps and pain. Magnesium helps the body in absorbing calcium. Magnesium helps in controlling premenstrual food cravings and stabilizing moods. If you do not suffer from lactose intolerance, you can opt for skim milk as a source of calcium. Include green leafy vegetables, beans, peas, tofu and canned salmon for calcium and spinach, tofu, rice bran and some fish like halibut and mackerel for magnesium.

Lipstick is a fashion accessory that some women just can’t do without. Lipstick has been the one cosmetic staple that most women have relied on.

It’s not uncommon for a woman to put on lipstick before anything else and in the case of being in a hurry many women forego mascara or blush and reach for their lipstick.

Although the term “lipstick” clearly means a cosmetic that is applied to the lips, there are several different types of lipsticks available for purchase. Each woman has her own unique preference when it comes to the different types of lipsticks and which one suits her best.

One common ingredient found in many different types of lipsticks is a moisturizer. This is important because lips can often become dried out because of the weather or the lack of humidity in a building. Incorporating a moistening agent into lipstick allows the woman to wear it all day without worry that her lips will become dry or chapped.

Another important ingredient in many different types of lipsticks is sunscreen. As much damage as the sun’s rays can cause to skin they can cause just as much damage to lips. Therefore it’s very important when browsing the cosmetics aisle to choose lipstick that has a sun screen in it. It doesn’t change the appearance or feel of the lipstick at all.

All of the different types of lipsticks come in many assorted colors. Some women love a bold look and for them a bright or dark red is a good choice. For other women they are looking for lipstick that is more demure. In this case they’ll want to concentrate on a lipstick that is a pale shade, perhaps pink or coral.

You can also change your shade of lipstick depending on the event or your mood. If you are attending a gala dinner you’ll want to choose a more striking lipstick that complements your outfit choice. If you are heading to the beach for a day of rest and relaxation a more subtle shade of lipstick would be most appropriate.

Although it seems that the color choice in lipstick is unending, there are also just as many brands of lipstick to choose from.

Cosmetic companies recognize the importance of lipstick in their customer’s lives. They want to improve their lipstick products so that they are longer lasting and the colors stay more vibrant.

There are several lipstick brands that now offer all day wear. This means that the woman applies the lipstick once in the morning and it is intended to stay fresh throughout the day. Many of these types of lipstick claim that the product wouldn’t smudge off even if the woman is drinking or eating.

For a very busy woman who enjoys looking her best this type of lipstick can be perfect. She chooses the shade that best matches her look for the day. She applies it before leaving home and can work all day without worrying about reapplication.

Purchasing lipstick is as easy as visiting your local cosmetics counter. In most major department stores the cosmetic counter is staffed with a beauty specialist. This person will be able to help you when you are buying lipstick.

Quite often they have training in cosmetology and understand what shades of lipstick complement what skin tones the best. They’ll choose a few lipsticks for you to consider. In most stores there are lipstick testers which allow the customer the chance to apply a small dab of lipstick on their wrist to check for color.

Lipstick is fun to wear and it can brighten up a woman’s mood instantly. When choosing lipstick it’s wise to pick a few different shades that reflect your different moods.

No matter what activity you are doing or what job you have it is important to wear the right apparel for the occasion. Can you imagine wearing formal apparel to work at a typical office job, or can you imagine wearing bathing apparel to make a presentation at a university? Of course you cannot, because choosing the right apparel for the situation is an important thing for everyone to do.

Before you head out and purchase any new apparel, it is important to consider carefully what kind of event or situation you need the new apparel for. If you are hoping to purchase an outfit that will be wearable only on special occasions and an outfit to wear everyday you should consider how much money you will spend on each outfit before you shop. It might be wise to spend the most money on the apparel you will wear the most. Also consider how one piece of apparel may be wearable in many situations. If you have a specific plan when you set out to shop for new apparel you will probably end up with clothing that fits your needs while not destroying your budget.

Slow down and take time to look through your closet and your dresser. What kinds of apparel do you already have? It is likely that you have a lot more apparel than you wear, so see if there aren’t some buried pieces that you can bring out and wear again. Are you looking for a formal outfit to wear to a party or a wedding? If so, look to see what kind of accent pieces you might already have that will save you money. If you can find some jewlery and a pair of shoes to wear in your closet then you will not have to spend as much when you do head off to the store.

After your have carefully considered the apparel you are hoping to puchase and you have reviewed the apparel you already own it is time to head out and shop for what you need. Begin this process with caution, however, and be sure to take time to compare apparel from different stores before you make an impulsive purchase you will regret later. Perhaps you can look at a discount store and find an item very similar if not identical to a name brand item you hope to purchase. Be sure to look on sales racks for great deals. You might be surprised at how many pieces of great apparel can be purchased at low prices.

Finding the perfect apparel for any occasion, whether it is a formal party or a lazy Saturday, can be easy and fun. The biggest thing is to take the process slowly. Consider with care what kind of apparel you need and then take time to check your closet and dresser for things you already have. And shop with care, looking for discounts and getting the best apparel for your valuable money. If you take this process seriously you will probably come out with outfits that you love to wear and can wear for a long time.

When women experience symptoms, they can ask their physician about hormone treatment. However, hormone treatment can cause more problems than solve them. A woman can however reduce the symptoms of menopause by simply adjusting one’s diet and taking certain minerals and vitamins. Here are some of the food and vitamins and minerals that could help.

For women entering menopause, they should learn how to control or limit eating saturated fats. This is because fats such as those found in commercial beef, chicken, and pork can decrease the ability of the body to produce estrogen. Women who are entering menopause also possess greater risk of heart attack.

Not all fats are bad. There are fats that are needed for good health because it is the building blocks of fats called the fatty acids. The production of hormones also relies in two fatty acids namely omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. These two fatty acids are not capable to be produced by the body.

Fish oil has lots of omega 3 acids that can help a woman suffering from the symptoms of menopause. It has been known to reduce depression, reduce risk of breast cancer and reduce cholesterol.

One source that has great amounts of omega 3 and 6 acids is the flaxseed oils. It can be taken either by tablespoon or capsules. The oils can also be used as substitute on salad dressings or even mixed with yogurt.

It is also important to limit one’s intake of carbohydrates. It does not only control your weight and also helps relive depression and mood swings. Instead of eating something sweet or fatty when you are depressed, try to control that urge.

Depression and mood swings as found out by clinical research is commonly associated with low blood sugar. Sugar is the source of energy of our body, so when the blood sugars drop, the brain becomes more agitated. This makes us the people crave more sweets like cookies, cakes and ice creams.

However, the amount of sugar our body really needs is really minimal. When the blood sugar becomes more than the body needs, the pancreas will produce more insulin that turns blood sugar to body fat. When the blood sugar rapidly increases insulin production will surge and the blood storage will turn quickly into fat. This will then lead to a person dropping energy levels.

Watch the type of carbohydrate you eat.

Try to balance your diet and the symptoms of menopause you feel will greatly be reduced. Aside from greatly reducing symptoms of menopause, you’ll also be living a healthier lifestyle.