Menopause-Demystified What You Need to Know

By John Mancini

Menopause has a bad rap, at best. This is one of the most misunderstood times in a woman’s life. However, it is natural and can be controlled through both medicinal and non-medicinal means. The following information regarding menopause will, hopefully, answer some questions and offer some treatment options for the millions of women who will soon be entering this next stage of life.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) has been the standard of care for menopausal women since the 1970′s. In fact, more than 40 million women every year receive prescriptions for this treatment. However, in recent years this form of treatment has come under attack as it is being thought that it causes an increase in heart disease.

The use of soy and vitamin E as a treatment for the symptoms of menopause are gaining momentum among those women who do not want to use hormone replacement therapy. Nevertheless, these options have not been subjected to the same scrutiny as prescription drugs. The reason for this is that vitamins, minerals and other non-traditional methods are classified as food items and not drugs. Therefore, the studies that may have been conducted are not done in accordance with the FDA guidelines. This means that any information gleaned from such studies may not be accurate.

There are a myriad of symptoms that signal the beginning of menopause. Irregular bleeding, menstrual cycles that are longer or shorter than normal, hot flashes and night sweats are some of the more common signs. It is important to note however, that even with a list that is this varied in symptoms that not all women have the same symptoms or experience the same severity of those symptoms. One woman’s experience of during this time in her life may vary greatly from the experiences of her friends and family.

It is best to talk to your health care provider if you suspect that you are entering the early stages of menopause. Together, you will be able to decide upon a course of action to alleviate some of the more uncomfortable aspects of this time of your life. Treatment does not need to follow either traditional or non-traditional methods, in fact, for many women a combination of the two works best.

The first step to alleviating some of the fear that is associated with menopause is to understand what menopause is. Simply put, it is the time when a woman’s ovaries cease to function. The ovaries control such functions as producing eggs and estrogen, when the ovaries stop working, so does the production of these two things. The cease in production of estrogen can lead to a fluctuation in hormone levels and can cause osteoporosis later in life. This is why hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) is the treatment of choice.

One last piece of information, menopause is not considered complete until the absence of a menstrual cycle for 12 consecutive months. During this time, you may experience an occasional cycle. It is important to note that pregnancy may still occur, if menopause is not completed. It would be wise to continue any birth control that you prefer during the menopause phase, if pregnancy is not wanted.

John Mancini has been writing about Menopause online and offline for a long time. Visit http://menopause-expert.com or http://menopause-now.info to read more about matters like menopause treatments and stop hot flashes.

Article Source: http://www.free-articles-zone.com

This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Seek the guidance of a licensed physician if you need medical advice.

Menopause Resources

Menopause
Menopause Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

Peeling Your Way To A Younger You

By louise forrest

Years of sun damage, elemental damage, and simple aging can wreck havoc on your skin. You look in the mirror and you can see it all in your face. The fine lines, forming wrinkles, discolored areas, skin that just looks a little less healthy than it should.

But after so long, what can you do but continue taking care of your face? You have top of the line moisturizers, gentle exfoliators, firming creams, and other products that do what they can for the beauty of your skin.

What you may have neglected are the professional options out there. Anybody who is anybody gets botox these days, but you are not exactly fond of freezing your face into one expression. You could get microdermabrasion, though that is a very good option, it will take several visits to gets really fabulous results. Another option, if you feel like going all out on your facial, is to try a chemical peel.

A chemical peel uses specific chemical solutions and applies them to your skin. These chemical solutions can vary, the main types being peels that contain alpha hydroxy acid (or AHA), beta hydroxy acid (BHA), tricholoracetic acid (TCA), or phenol. Alpha hydroxy acid is also known as glycolic acid and beta hydroxy acid as salicylic acid.

These chemicals each have their own specific strength and can result in different types of peels. You can get a superficial peel, which is a light or micro peel, or medium to deep peels. Usually the use of AHA and BHA will apply with the superficial peels while TCA and phenol will be used for deeper peels.

The solutions placed on your skin, depending upon the type and how deep you want the peel to be, will actually dissolve the top layers of your skin. Superficial peels are usually the best, as you can do several with a measured amount of time to get good results. There are few risks and you may only experience redness, swelling, and skin sensitivity.

However, as you get deeper peels, the complications can be a little more severe. Medium and deep peels can possibly leave you with scarring, infection, and skin color changes. These color changes can be temporary, but they may also become permanent.

A chemical peel is meant to help restore your beauty by giving your face major exfoliation, removing skin surface cells that have been damaged by the sun, reducing wrinkles, skin discolorations, and helping your overall skin texture, and aiding in the rebuilding of collagen, which helps to prevent future wrinkles. A chemical peel can also remove blackheads and give you a temporary reprieve if you have oily skin by reducing the amount of oil your skin is producing.

If you are looking for an improvement for beauty, a chemical peel may sound pretty good, but you need to know all the facts before getting one. As chemical peels to have helpful benefits, there are a few things that even a chemical peel cannot change. You need to be aware of these things before you think a chemical peel will solve all your beauty problems.

If you have the appearance of blood vessels beneath your skin, a chemical peel is definitely not going to erase them or reduce their appearance. Likewise, if you have large pores, a chemical peel is not going to make them smaller or make them look smaller. When trying to rid yourself of skin discoloration, those with darker skin will have fewer results. If you have certain types of scarring, a chemical peel may not be able to fully remove them.

A chemical peel is not a facelift. It is simply a way of removing skin layers to help promote healthy skin growth underneath. This healthy skin then takes the place of your old skin layers, leaving you with fewer problems and healthier looking skin.

You will have to be the one to decide whether or not you want to do a chemical peel to help capture some of your past beauty, as a chemical peel can cost you anywhere from $500 to over $2,000.

Choose wisely in your options. True beauty should not have to come at the expense of potentially harming your skin or your wallet.

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Article Source: http://www.free-articles-zone.com

This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Seek the guidance of a licensed physician if you need medical advice.

Chemical Peel Resources

Chemical Peel Before And After
Chemical Peel Reviews

How Do I Know If I Have Genital Herpes?

by: Robert Green

How do I know if I have genital herpes?

Despite the fact that millions of Americans are living with genital herpes, the disease can be surprisingly difficult to detect in some cases. However, many people with genital herpes have at least some detectable signs.

The most obvious sign of genital herpes is the appearance of red bumps in and/or around the genital area, often starting around two weeks after the initial exposure to herpes. The bumps may spread to the anus and/or surrounding skin, and in some cases also develop within the vagina and/or urinary tract. These bumps turn into blisters, which in turn become sores. Often these sores become encrusted and very itchy; after a period of time, however, they will clear up. An outbreak can involve a large number of sores, but can just as easily involve just a single one.

Because genital herpes is incurable, these outbreaks will recur over time. Certain medications are available to increase the length of time in-between herpes outbreaks.

Other symptoms of genital herpes may or may not accompany an outbreak. These include a reddening and/or sudden extreme dryness of the genital area; a burning, itching, and/or painful sensation in the genital area; vaginal discharge; difficulty urinating; headache; fever; and/or swollen glands.

The most difficult aspect of genital herpes, and a large contributor to its spread, is that the herpes virus can remain inactive in many individuals and never cause them to show any signs or symptoms of the condition. However, they are still able to spread genital herpes to others. Many times the symptoms of genital herpes are confused with other conditions, such as yeast infections, urinary tract infections, and even ingrown hairs.

While it’s important to know and be able to recognize the symptoms of genital herpes, you should always seek an official diagnosis from a medical professional if you are at all concerned that you may have contracted the disease. Only they will be able to say for certain whether your symptoms are the result of herpes. If you do have genital herpes, they can provide you with medication and important information necessary to handle the condition.

If you are currently experiencing an outbreak of genital herpes, a doctor can diagnose your condition visually. A blood test or a viral culture can also check for the herpes simplex virus, although results can be vague and/or inaccurate in many cases. Two different strains of the herpes simplex virus lead to genital herpes: HSV-1 and HSV-2. The former, HSV-1, can indicate any form of herpes, including mouth sores, and does not necessarily translate into a genital herpes diagnosis. However, HSV-2 is almost always linked to genital herpes, and is a more reliable sign of the disease.

Disclaimer: This article is for information only and you should seek the advice of a professional regarding your particular situation.

About The Author

Robert Green knows that 1 in 5 Americans has Genital Herpes. For more information on symptoms and what to do visit: http://www.Genital-Herpes-Solutions.com.

This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Seek the guidance of a licensed physician if you need medical advice.

Herpes Resources

Genital Herpes
Controlling Herpes

By Sonya Gallap

We all get them and we all hate them – yeast infections. It is practically impossible to completely avoid them. Our bodies are very complex and many women are unaware of the many harmless things that can lead to such infections. Things as simple as wearing underwear made of synthetic material or taking a bubble bath can lead to yeast infections. The biggest question is not how you get a yeast infection, but rather how you should treat it.

Many people have a misconception that getting a yeast infection is a sign of poor personal hygiene. Regardless of how popular this notion may be, it is just not true. Like many other things, taking antibiotics can cause a yeast infection. Using some soaps can irritate the area and alter the ph level. Although we all enjoy a bubble bath from time to time, many women are unaware that soaking in some bath products can be irritating to certain areas. When it comes down to it, the female system is remarkably sensitive and a fluctuation in the ph balance can leave the body susceptible to yeast infections. You should try to steer clear of harsh or unnatural chemicals if you want to keep your ph levels in check.

12 Hour Cure For Yeast Infections – Click Here

There may not be a lot we can do to avoid them but there are many options available when it comes to treating them. Many yeast infections clear up on their own because our bodies constantly seek out unhealthy elements and clear them from our systems. Sometimes the infection will clear after a day or two. If not, there are many affordable treatments available at your local drugstore.

If you or dealing with a yeast infection for the first time you should be aware that at many of the treatments you will find at a drugstore are better if taken at night. The reason for this is that the substances can leak and will not be effective if too much of the medication leaves your system too soon. If you are experiencing itching you should look for a treatment that comes with an anti-itch cream. This will save you a great deal of discomfort.

Most yeast infections are not a big deal and will clear up in few days. I don’t believe that you need to change any significant aspect of her lifestyle while dealing with one even though the commercials we all see about yeast infections might suggest otherwise.

This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Seek the guidance of a licensed physician if you need medical advice.

Yeast Infection Resources

Yeast Infection No More
Bacterial Vaginosis – Gone Forever