Dark Chocolate, Keep Stress At Bay

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
A small bar of dark chocolate a day can keep stress at bay, according to a small study by international researchers. German and Swiss researchers have found that eating about an ounce and a half of dark chocolate a day for two weeks reduced the levels of stress hormones in highly stressed people.

Dark chocolate, which is rich in a variety of bioactive compounds, also partially corrected other imbalances in the body related to stress, making it a natural way to ease stress.

"The study provides strong evidence that a daily consumption of 40 grams (1.4 ounces) during a period of two weeks is sufficient to modify the metabolism of healthy human volunteers," wrote the researchers led by Sunil Kochhar, from the Nestle Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The study, published online in ASC's Journal of Proteome Research, comes amid growing scientific evidence that antioxidants and other beneficial substances in dark chocolate may reduce risk factors for heart disease and other illnesses.
The trial was performed on 30 people who were classified as having low or high anxiety. Researchers measured levels of stress hormones in blood and urine samples collected several times a day from the participants in the trial to measure metabolic changes.

The participants snacked on 20 grams of dark chocolate mid-morning and again as an afternoon snack.

The researchers said people with high anxiety traits had a distinct metabolic profile, and changes that occurred from eating dark chocolate showed up clearly after two weeks with reduced stress hormones and other stress-related biochemical markers.

But they said the study was small and further research was necessary -- while nutrition experts were quick to add that chocolate is high in fat and too much can lead to weight issues.

Read More..

Gum Chewing May Speed Healing Cesarean

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Chewing low-sugar gum, can help the healing mother's abdomen after a cesarean delivery. Egyptian researchers found that giving them chewing gum to help restore normal bowel function and shorten the time to stay in the hospital.

Like any other surgery, cesarean section also makes the intestines and digestive functions become sluggish for some time that cause gas and constipation.
Chewing gum will help trigger the nervous system response and the release of gastrointestinal hormones that stimulate the activity of the stomach to work, according to Dr. Abd El-Karim Maeboud and colleagues at the Ain Shams University of Cairo.

Research results published in the journal BJOG obstetrics, which involved 200 women who had cesarean section and anesthesia. At random, half of the respondents were given sugarless gum to chew for 15 minutes every two hours after surgery Caesar, while half of the respondents applied the standard treatment that includes getting out of bed and practice walking to encourage bowel moving again.

In general, they found that respondents who chew gum more quickly get back to normal bowel activity. On average they will experience shitting first 21 hours after cesarean section compared to 30 hours on respondents through standard care. They are also faster to leave the hospital only 41 hours after childbirth than 50 hours in women with standard treatment.

Furthermore Abd El Maeboud explained that this research is still premature and needs further research, especially regarding the effects due to differences in anesthesia / or local anesthesia during the Caesarean section. Local anesthesia including epidural blocks and spinal expected to be influenced by the nervous system activation with chewing gum.

Read More..

Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause Solution

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Menopause is a natural event that would be faced by women/mothers. While this is very aware of women and mothers, there was always a worry and fear. Menopause usually come at the age of women/mothers reached of 50 or when ovary lifting that cause menstruation stops permanently. From the threat of bone loss until the decline of sexual desire, and the more serious is the decline in quality of life for women/mothers menopause because of psychological concerns due to the many physical effects that must be endured.

"A lot of menopause women/mothers live with drugs because of the large variety of physical complaints experienced by the menopause. And if the woman/mother menopause will notice and open, in fact the main cause of the decline in physical condition is largely due to reduced estrogen hormone itself as the impact of cessation of menstruation, "says Prof. Dr. Ali Baziad, SpOG (K).

Hormone replacement is needed to make the needs of estrogen/menopausal women remain the same as being met when they were menstruating. It's just that there is still resistance and fear of women/mothers would menopausal negative effects of hormonal drugs such as obesity and concerns about breast cancer or high blood pressure.
Now we have solutions hormone replacement estrogen/menopausal women have entered a new phase with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with drospirenone 2mg besides additional 1mg estradiol 17β or commonly known as the estrogen. Drospirenone is expected to be able to counteract the weight gain, high blood pressure and increased cholesterol levels experienced by women / mothers who consume only menopause estradiol HRT alone.

TSH Ideally should do for 5 to 6 years when a woman/mother is no longer menstruating for one to two years. This is done so that the body condition woman/mother to fit and do therapy when everything is still possible physical condition for granting such TSH.

Current management of medication in women with HRT/menopausal women is raw and can be given by any physician who has been through the certification. This self certification by PERMI (Indonesia Menopause Society) which is the association of practitioners and observers in the medical field, especially regarding this menopausal problem.

This certificate will give flexibility to the doctor to determine the physical condition of the woman/mother menopause before prescribing HRT to prevent contra indications. Contra indication for patients TSH itself include patients with breast cancer, acute liver, brain cancer and cervical cancer. Women/mothers who have complete menopause with a thorough examination will be given HRT with one-month trial. If the TSH is suitable, it will be given later for TSH for 6 months and if possible be given HRT for 5 to 6 years without the need to control prescription.

For the woman / mother with a premature menopause as he lifted the ovaries, radiation or other reasons there is no choice of hormone replacement therapy is an urgent need, according to Prof. emphasis. Dr. Ali Baziad, SpOG (K).

Read More..

Evaluate Your Own Erection

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Survey in 2008 of 328 men and 250 women in Indonesia showed that no less than 57 percent of men and 64 percent of women experience dissatisfaction with their sexual lives. The survey is part of the research titled APSHOW ((Asia Pacific Sexual Health and Overall Wellness).

Professor of Faculty of Medicine Udayana University Bali,. Dr.dr. Wimpie Pangkahila, Sp.And, FAACS said, "The inability to achieve or maintain penile erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual relationship, known as erectile dysfunction. Only a very few cases of erectile dysfunction is revealed and received proper medical treatment. Approximately 13% of patients who have responsive information and to find the right treatment, whereas most of the others shut down for not understanding, embarrassed, not the disease and considers also the possibility that the treating doctor is not ready. "

Furthermore Wimpie said that the level of violence in the male erectile determines the quality of sexual relationships. If the maximum hardness level of the couple can get optimum level of satisfaction.

While Pfizer pharmaceutical company has developed an evaluation technique erection hardness level of personal and couples who packed in the form of five short questions. This technique produces a number called the Erection Hardness Score 8(EHS). The higher EHS rates of violence the maximum level resulting from the erection. To conduct their own evaluation of Erectile Dysfunction, readers can visit the site www.vi-lounge.com.

Read More..

Contraception Services Dilemma For Teens And UnMarriages

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Family planning programs have been implemented in Indonesia today which require attention more seriously by the parties concerned. The approach must be done through the individual rights approach (right-based approach) that guarantee human rights of all individuals, especially women to obtain family planning services and reproductive health

Unfortunately for the group of teenagers and unmarried women there is no body or institution appointed by and responsible to serve the needs of family planning services and reproductive health information dissemination. This was revealed during the exposure by the head of BKKBN Dr. Sugiri Syarief, MPA at a press conference in the framework of the World Contraception Day, held in Jakarta last week (8 / 10).

We have as many as 64 million adolescents (aged 10-24 years), or about 28.6 million percent of the total population in Indonesia. From the results of Adolescent Reproductive Health Survey Indonesia 2007 shows that there is one percent of women and 5 percent of teenage boys who agreed to when making pre-marital sex. If this behavior continues, and knowledge of adolescents about reproductive health is less, there will be a possibility of pregnancy is not expected that the end will trigger an unsafe abortion.

"In this case the BKKBN can not serve the needs of teenagers and unmarried woman is the absence of mandates and laws that legalize the services for them," said Sugiri further. This inimenjadi challenge for the makers eputusan legislative level and all elements of society including religious leaders in seeking appropriate solutions to the national family planning program can be successful.

Read More..

Take the Load Off Your Child's Back

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
A backpack can be a great help to school children, but it needs to fit properly to avoid a lifetime of hurt, health-care professionals say.

"If too heavy or worn incorrectly, backpacks can strain muscles and joints and cause serious back pain," Paula Kramer, who chairs the occupational therapy department at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, warned in a news release from the university.

Backpack-related injuries resulted in 7,300 emergency room visits in 2006, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Kramer offered tips for buying and using backpacks:
• The backpack size should correlate with the child's size and age -- smaller, younger children should have smaller backpacks. Look for reflective material on the backpack to improve visibility and padded shoulder straps for added comfort.
• Consider buying a backpack that can be wheeled or a triangular sling-style bag, which is worn over one shoulder and across the body, which better balances the load.
• When loading the backpack, put heaviest items closest to the back. This helps distribute weight more evenly. When loaded, the backpack should weigh less than 10 to 15 percent of the child's body weight.
• Adjust shoulder straps so the backpack fits snugly against the back. The child should always use both should straps and clip the waist belt, if the backpack has one, for added support and even weight distribution.

Healthday
Read More..

Mosquitoes Attracted to The Pregnant Women

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Do you know that pregnant women are more interested and more attracted for mosquitoes? This is because when the mother's body will produce more carbon dioxide. Plus movement and body heat that produced more interested in making the mosquitoes to bite.

John Colon, PhD, Technical Advisor Mosquitoes Control Association of America said that any type of carbon dioxide will make the mosquitoes attracted to approach, even in the relatively far distance up to 50 meters. Include obesity in adults and children suspected also cause excess production of carbon dioxide that makes mosquitoes are more interested in people with excess body weight.
Anti-mosquito cream for the skin that are common in the market usually contain the concentration of 30 to 50 percent DEET, the actual chemical used as a mosquito repellent. Concentration 30-50 percent DEET can protect the body from the spread of pathogenic by mosquitoes. DEET with a concentration of up to 100 percent able to protect the body from mosquito bites up to 12 hours.
Meanwhile, for children, it's better for anti-mosquito cream contain only 10 to 30 percent DEET. While for children aged less than 2 months are strongly advised not to use anti-mosquito cream.
Just remember in the use of anti-mosquito cream is not used on the skin area that closed or under clothes and do not be smeared on the skin that injured or damaged. Is the iritatif (easily react with the skin) causing a public-use must also be careful. Wash the skin after the protection and reduce a constant use is a quite effective way to reduce the possibility of irritation.
Some studies indicate that the Eucalyptus trees to produce oil which is very effective as an alternative for DEET. There are also oil citronela (usually smelled in the orange peel) has been known that more than 60 years as a mosquito repellent.
Although found some cases due to the use of DEET on pregnant women and children, but the amount is not significant enough to be a reason to avoid anti-mosquito cream. The only consideration that is required for mature anti-mosquito cream for pregnant women, breastfeeding and children.

Read More..

Are You Pregnant Ready, Mother?

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Ideally pregnancy is planned before, even when it was planned a year before conception. For the couple it's good to prepare the emotional side each to become parents. Then have your body to pregnant?

To prepare for pregnancy is a good idea to visit a doctor where a couple later guided ginecologycally to be pregnant as soon as possible.

Contraceptives you use
If couple use pills, doctors will recommend to stop the consumption of these pills. This will enable the system to improve reproductive cycle menstruasi normal before conception - so the ovulation time where the condition of women in a very fertile will easily determined. When cessationof pill initercourse should not occured on the fertile period is only until the normal cycle menstruasi on the mother so that conception occurs only at the most appropriate period.

Whether the mother has been vaccinated?
Smallpox infection, rubella and hepatitis type B is very harmful to the fetus in the womb. If mothers do not complete the immunization list, you should immediately do so, at least a month or more before conception plan.

Whether the mother has a special medical condition?
If the mother has a chronic disease that must be considered specifically as diabetes, asthma or high blood pressure, then this chronic condition can be controlled before and during conception. Doctors recommend that mothers can do to a certain therapy treatment before pregnancy occurs. Doctors will also immediately explain special conditions that must be awared in pregnant period later.

Whether mothers are consuming any medications or supplements?
Tell the doctor about your medication therapy if you are in the middle of therapy series or your herbal supplements. So the doctor can recommend a change dose or stop treatment or supplements that you are consumed before. Usually copule recommended to consume vitamin. Why you should as soon as this? Tuba neuralis (humans tube) fetus - which later becomes the brain and spinal nerve fetus-form since the first month of pregnancy, perhaps even before the mother realized that her pregnancy. For the pre-pregnancy vitamin is an ultimate way to protect the growth of tuba neuralis.

Are you vulnerable to sexually transmitted disease?
Sexually transmitted diseases increase the risk of miscarriage, such as the occurrence of ectopic pregnancy/pregnancy outside the uterus where the egg mother cell that has been fertilized will embedded outside the womb or other pregnancy complications. If couple includes or vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases, will usually be advisable to do thorough inspections and special therapy.

Is there a family history of certain medical conditions?
Sometimes the family health history is important information to detect possible harm that can be derived on the genetic fetus. Uterus so that doctors can perform genetic testing before conception occurs.

How old are you, mother?
Above the age of 35 years will increase the risk of pregnancy. Risk of pregnancy can include miscarriage, chromosome aberration and premature birth. Some of the specific disease such as diabetes that normally experienced women aged above 35 years must also be awared. Usually doctor will give the actual solutions that are specific so that pregnancy can also occur in the best condition.

Whether maternal lifestyle support health pregnancy?
Discuss with your doctor the actual condition of health as the most optimal choice Feed food, sports and keep the stress low. If the mother has excess body weight doctor would recommend to immediately reduce the weight before conception. Also important to avoid alcohol and drugs abuse. Similarly, if the mother is an active smoker.

How do I pair with lifestyle?
Try to consult to obstetricians physician together as a couple. Health of each pair is very important including health history of each pair so that all risk factors that may later be faced can be minimalized.

Read More..

Facts About Pregnancy and Thyroid

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Thyroid gland is located in the middle bottom of the neck. Although small, this produces thyroid hormones which affect every cell, organ and network throughout the body. This hormone will set throbbing body metabolism that will generate energy for the body from oxygen and nutrients and affects the function of the body such as the critical level of energy and tap the heart. Pregnancy is one of the results.

• During pregnancy, thyroid hormone would produce 50 percent more than that of the woman who is not pregnant
• During pregnancy thyroid will raise 10 to 15 percent (normal weight ranges between 15 to 20 grams)
• Hypothyroid probability (lack of hormones tiroid) increased during pregnancy compared to women not pregnant

Goitre, the mother and fetus

In the 10 to 12 the first week of pregnancy, the needs of tiroid hormones tor fetus depends entirely on the mother.

• At the end of the first trimester, fetus thyroid hormone is able to produce for themselves.
• Even though the fetus is still depending on the mother to meet the needs iodine fetus as an important element for making hormones tiroid.
• During pregnancy, the needs of iodine is very important for the establishment and development of the fetus brain.
• During pregnancy the mother must continue to increase the supply of iodine to produce hormones tiroid and ensure adequate iodine is available for the fetus
• During pregnancy, mothers are advised to consume a daily vitamin that contains 150 μg (read: microgram) iodine in the form of potasium iodine (thyroid recommendations from the American Association).

Statisics indicate that not less than 2.2 billion population of the world experiencing iodine deficiency, and this is one of the causes of mental retardation.

Hypothyroid

Hypotiroidisme/hypothyroid is a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones and symptoms that arise, among others, fatigue, depression, often forget, is not tolerant of cold, constipation and dry out the skin.

• Handling hypotyroid in pregnant women with the same woman who is not pregnant, such as the consumption of thyroid synthetic hormones, Synthetic levothyroxine (T4) is usually obtained from the dried thyroid gland from animal-gland thyroid
• Due to the nature of the treatment hypothyroid throughout the ages, before the pregnancy, the mother should consult a doctor to get the dose of the right T4
• Mother with T4 therapy is pregnant should increase the dose of general consumption, especially the first trimester on until at least 50 percent.
• Hypothyroid on pregnant women who do not enough medication can lead to miscarriage, premature birth and a decrease in IQ in the fetus.
• Children / babies born with congenital hypothyroid (without thyroid gland on birth) usually will not develop normal, if not identified and handled immediately.
• In the United States, all infants born through the need to review thyroid to see if he has a congenital aberration thyroid so that therapy can be determined earlier to prevent the occurrence of retardasi / decrease in metal children.
• Eight to ten percent of mothers suffering from postpartum suspected thyoriditis that occurred in the first 12 months after the birth which occurred hyperthyroid followed by a hypothyroid 2-3 days later and then gradually to normal.

Hyperthyroidisme

Hyperthyroidisme/hyperthyroid is a condition in which the gland produces too much hormone. Symptoms are caused, among others, trembling, eye irritation, tired muscles, a decrease in body weight that is not controlled, and sleep disturbances of vision problem.

• Hyperthyroid will be difficult to detect in pregnant women because the symptoms and be difficult with the normal pregnancy
• Graves disease is one hyperthyroid type, is a disease estimated autoimun/a kind of allergy. This disease including the genetic disease or a derived/inherited. Clinical symptoms of the disease is grave sweat a lot, like the cold, often pulsatile, both hands often tremble, rapid pulse is a consequence of hyperthyroidisme.
• Mother pregnant with Graves disease will usually be required to reduce the therapy received during pregnancy.
• Handling the missing top hyperthyroid before birth can cause serious complications and the time as "preclampsia".

Examination of Thyroid disease during pregnancy

American thyroid Association recommends inspections at the women with high risk as below before or during pregnancy:

• Mother / woman with a history of disease thyroid / mumps or never perform surgery tiroid
• Mother / woman with a family history had suffered from mumps
• Mother's / women who carry antibody thyroid
• Mother / women with symptoms of clinical hyperthyroid or hypothyroid
• Mother / women with type 1 diabetes
• Mother / female difference with mumps
• Mother / woman with a deviation autoimun
• Mother / woman who is not fertile / infertile
• Mother's / women who have to do radiation therapy on the head or neck
• Mother / woman with a history of miscarriage or premature birth

A simple blood test is the first step in diagnosis. From there, the doctor can suggest what should be the next step. Remember that thyroid disease is very common, and in the experienced paramedics, a disease that causes the excess/lack of hormones thyroid can be easily treated and diagnosed.

Read More..

Baby Movement Count

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Many pregnant women feel out of the birth of the patient himself forward on the last weeks of third trimester. Even mothers often feel the movement of the baby in the womb. Movements can be perceived start week 18 to 25 pregnancies. For the first pregnancy, the movement is felt when pregnancy enter 25 weeks, and for the second or third pregnancy may at the age of 18 weeks a small movement can be felt.

For several weeks it may be difficult to distinguish between the movement of the baby or not (indirection), but then you will find the pattern of movement. Then the mother will learn to distinguish itself in the womb if the baby is asleep or are moving, when it was most active and triggered the activity.

Given the movement in the womb the baby may indeed help the mother when there is a marked change significantly with the baby. Try to take time each day while the baby is active when engaged in the womb with his kick, tumble or hand movement. This activity will be able to help mothers to identify potential problems that may occur and can help the birth at the right time. Therefore, it is highly recommended for mothers with high risk pregnancy to monitor the movement and the baby starts to 28 days.

Make this event a moment that you wait for

Generally the mother will feel the baby move very active after eating or swallow sweet, drink a cold or after physical activity. Sometimes active period occurred between the hours of 9 pm and 1 am as a result of sugar in the blood are low. Take a moment to calculate the movement of the baby will help you rileks and also strengthens the relationship between emotions and the baby's mother. Some pregnant women prefer to sit, rest and hold the back and stomach. Sometimes mothers are also more comfortable lie to the left that are important to effectively monitor the movement of the baby. Lie to the left also allows the best circulation that will make the baby move more actively.

Calculate the movement

There are many ways the movement of the baby in the womb, and there are a number of opinions of how much the amount of movement your baby at a time. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG) recommend that the mother of to calculate the time required to do ten baby movement (backlash, friction, and the brunt of all the movement). Ideally the mother will feel 10 movements in two hours or less.

In making a recording, try to write the minutes during the first three movements, each movement mark that you feel movement until ten minutes and record the movement time to reach ten. Notes the movement will help the mother and baby's movement pattern, determine the time for the ten normal baby movements. Important note is that distortions of the normal pattern of movement is felt.

When looking for help / to see a doctor?

• If the mother does not feel the full backlash 10 for up to two hours after the first motion passed, wait a few minutes and do count again. After trying to calculate the second time the mother does not feel 10 movements in 2 hours, you should immediately consult a doctor.
• If the mother finds a significant detour from the pattern of movement for 3 to 4 days.

Example of calculating a movement baby
Week-28
Monday 9:00 xxxxxxxxxx 9:32 Total: 32 mins
Tuesday 12:00 Xxxxxxxxxx 12:45 Total: 45 minutes
Wednesday 9:00 xxxxxxxxxx 10:00 Total: 1 hour
Thursday 9:00 xxxxxxxxxx 11:15 Total: 2 hrs 15 mins
(Example change significantly the pattern of movement. If the mother noted this change, the alert and to immediately consult a doctor).

Read More..

Diabetes Affecting Quality of Women's Sexual Life

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Approximately one third of women who suffered from type 1 diabetes is estimated to have difficulty in intimate relations with a spouse, as the latest research. The research found that the depression became key factors in the woman who caused a problem in her life seksual. Although in men the same things happen but does not cause a significant result.

Research published in the journal Diabetes Care involving 652 women with diabetes type 1. After 10 years and the respondents fill out questionnaires and undergo physical examination, psychological evaluation and laboratory tests. "35 percent classified as suffering sexual dysfunction", said Dr. Paul Enzlin from the University of Leuven Belgium.

Problems that are reported include loss of appetite (57 percent), problems with orgasme 51 percent, lack of pelumasan 47 percent, 38 percent reduction in the stimulus and painful 21 percent.

In the initial analysis sexual dysfunction related to aging, not married, post-menopause, blood circulation problems and depression. After the research was only depression and marital status are related specifically to the occurrence of sexual dysfunction.

Enzlin and his team concludse, "women with type 1 diabetes should regularly seek solutions on the symptoms of depression, sexual dysfuction and her sexual satisfaction."

Read More..

Daddy in Delivery Room

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Previously the role of father at the baby birth is just hope and wait anxiously in the waiting room filled with cigarette smoke. But time passed and the tradition begin shifts. When this (potential) role of the father prosecuted actively assist the process of birth.

Some fathers, particularly those awaiting the birth of first child, will generally have a sense of worry and a more uncertain and does not see his wife when tega pain during childbirth. Please, please also worried prospective father often descend. There are also fears that the father if he does not hold in the maternity room and even cause a shameful incident, such as fainting in the maternity room.

In fact what the role of fathers in the maternity room indeed? According to many of the father, not a lot of active role that fathers can do. The main function of the father in the maternity room to give the main sense of calm in the capital and the labor process usually help set the rhythm of contraction experienced by the mother. Therefore if your father is a type of simple nervous, following some of the things you can do to help you overcome the problem.

Acknowledge yourself.
Fears and concerns you is because your ignorance. Try to be involved in the pregnancy with his wife partake actively seek informai about everything about pregnancy and the problem. Also follow if the wife take the prospective mother-class education. Andapun can ask the doctor about the pregnancy situation wife. The more you know you are, the more comfortable you accompany his wife giving birth.

Discuss with the other.
His wife is also entitled to know what you feel and why, this will reveal what actually desired by the wife during the birth process. To remember that this discussion has a critical point which do not arise until that ketidakinginan assist you in the room as maternity passivity on your wife or your baby.

Clarify the role.
If you do not have a problem in the maternity room, you need to clarify the role of space in your clothes later. Maybe you want to immortalize precious moments birth of your child? Talk with your wife, you make sure that he will accompany the birth, just may not be exactly as you hope his wife.

Be quiet.
No matter seberapapun inquietude awaiting the birth of you, your willingness to support his wife in a small tote soon will overcome everything. Therefore Be calm and stay focused.

Ask for assistance.
If you worry too alone in the room or the clothes you will only be felt with the birth of the future, please ask your brother's wife or friend to accompany you in the maternity room.

Exchange experiences with friends.
Take time to exchange experiences as well as draw on the knowledge that your friend never accompanies his wife giving birth. Perhaps they can give advice on your concerns and how to overcome the chaos when you see your wife giving birth. Perhaps they will recount their experiences of emotional, exhausting, incredible, boring, frightening that appear simultaneously. And that they usually will not recommend to spend the most precious moment of it.

Of course supportif attitude and support you, the wife akan akan more calm during the process of birth in the maternity room. But when the last time you really do not feel strong does not impose itself, still waiting on the outside will be better. Remember that your involvement in the process of birth akan add emotional ties in your family, and that it is very useful in the future.

Read More..

Stay Healthy After Delivery

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Post-birth, the mother usually busy activity by the baby. Some mothers also worried about the body condition (who gain weight) during pregnancy. Here ... there are a few tips from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist which can be practiced before you make a small exercise program after delivery.

• Start the sports low impact, especially when you didn’t have enough exercise during pregnancy.
• Sports always begins with the warming-up and end with cooling-down.
• Select adequate support bra for sport.
• Select walk as the beginning of the program. You also can bring your baby with you.
• Slowly increase your sports program from jast walk to the more.
• Consider joining a special sports classes for mothers after the birth (usually held in a hospital).
• Or join a fitness center nearby, which provides programs for young mothers.

However, post-birth mother still not recommended for sport too much, which usually the mother who wanted her body back to its original shape. There are some marks on the body of the mother suggests that too much exercise according to the American Council on Excercise.

• The difficulty in achieving normal level as before.
• Feeling does not focus
• Body recovery last longer than before pregnancy
• Faster heart rate (in the morning) but normal blood pressure
• Lack of appetite
• Headache and muscular pain
• stomach problems
• More frequent ill, bone or muscle injury
• Sleeping problems.

Read More..

Understanding Swine Flu

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
The never mentioned disease has become a death-threat in Mexico and caused panic through the rest of the world. Some state governments are geographically close to Mexico has issued a statement to their residents should not panic while they take the necessary actions.

Dr. Richard Besser of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that explains what needs to be known by the public about the swine flu.


Q: How can I protect myself and my family?
A: For now, better be alert. Close the mouth when coughing and sneezing with a handkerchief or tissue. Frequently washing hands, if soap and water if not available use a antiseptic gel. But stay at home if you are sick and keep children home from school if they if they are sick too.
Q: How easy way to infected by this virus?
A: Scientists can not yet explain how this vicious swine flu. But generally infection occur through coughing or sneezing - to the important wash your hand which is used to close coughing or sneezing. The virus itself can live a few hours in the environmental temperature conditions.
Q: In Mexico, officials use masker. Do I need to use them also?
A: The CDC says there is no evidence that the mask can help reduce the spread. The most important is to avoid close contact with someone sick, and avoid the crowd in the swine flu which is known to be spreading. But if you need to be forced in the situation, the CDC recommends to use face masks
Q: What is the swine flu can be cured?
A: Yes, use Tamiflu or Relenza, but not with two older flu medications.
Q: Can I use Tamiflu as a precaution if I have not contagious?
A: No. Use when you have just contagious. Dr. Marc Siegel of New York University Langone Medical Center said, "that is not controlled use of antiviral drugs may help the bacteria become resistant to the medicine itself.
Q: How much risk I contagious?
A: For most people, is very low, except when you are in Mexico some time ago.
Q: Do I have to cancel travel plans to Mexico?
A: The Indonesian government has already issued a travel warning as the United States did, better postpone and delay your trip first.
Q: What are the symptoms of swine flu?
A: Basically similar to the regular flu - fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people also have diarrhea and vomiting.
Q: Is there a vaccine to prevent infection of this new?
A: No. Temporarily not available
Q: How long will it take to produce the vaccine?
A: In a few months. CDC United States has created what is called " seed stock " so that vaccine can be produced massly.
Q: Does it safe to eat pork?
A: For now Yes, Swine virus does not spread through the food.

Read More..

Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, Which One?

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is a common disease which so disturbing for some men. But to note that at this time there are only three drugs recommended by the FDA, namely Viagra (sildenafil Citrate), Cialis (tadalafil) and levitra (Vardenafil Hydrochloride). What consumers need to determine whether differences in and similarities?

For newbies (people new ED), on the third drug is quite effective to prevent the PDE-5 (PDE-5 inhibitor). Whether PDE-5 is? PDE-5 is the enzyme that will neutralize cGMP (cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate) which functions in the form erection of male vital organ. Let us compare those three.

Manufacturer:
Viagra manufactured by Pfizer
Cialis manufactured by Eli Lilly and ICOS
Levitra manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and Bayer

Its generic name
Viagra - sildenafil Citrate (in Indonesia known as "blue pill")
Cialis - tadalafil
Levitra - vardenafil hydrochloride

Consumption of the recommended dose
Viagra. Tablet that has a size of 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg. most patients using 50 mg where decrease or increased doses are based by tolerance and effectiveness. Viagra should usually consumed at least 1 hour before sexual activities. However, some research recommends a range within 30 minutes to 4 hours before the intimate relationship be done.
Cialis. Sized tablet 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg. For a start usually recommended to consume 10 tablets. And a decrease / increase dose is determined and then based on the results obtained. Cialis is generally consumed about 30 minutes to 12 hours before the "activity".
Levitra. Tablet-sized 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg. As well as Cialis, DE recommended people consume 10 pills before and the increase or decrease the dose after the results are visible. Levitra themselves can be consumed 25 minutes to 1 hour before the sexual activities, even according to some experts can be consumed 15 minutes prior to intimate relationships.

Duration of effects
Viagra. Approximately 4 hours.
Cialis. Approximately 17 to 36 hours (so-called ordinary pill "last week").
Levitra. Approximately 5 hours.

Price
More or less the same though Cialis tends to be a bit cheaper.

Level success
They have the average success of the same at around 70 percent. How the 30 percent? They will be recommended to use vacuum pump or even penile implants

Side effects
Third DE medicine has side effects that are similar. Ranging from headache, back pain, runny nose, sore eyes and stomache or even changes in vision. The three drugs are not recommended consumed with drugs to increase blood pressure, which will result in heart attack. People with high blood pressure, also should be consult with doctor first.

Note
Although they effective enough to use for people with DE, levitra claimed to work more quickly after consumption. Viagra has been famous for long enough, proven track record and has been trusted by over 30 million men, while Cialis is known as durable.

Now depending on you, the coice is up to you ...

Read More..

Sleep for New Parents

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
A Baby is a dream for a new couple who have been married. But whether they realize that with the introduction of the new home means that the consequences will arise. For the couple who just had a baby first, perhaps enough sleep is a dream. Wake up in the middle of the night when everyone asleep, not to mention the need to wake up tomorrow morning to leave for work. Here are some ways to get enough sleep time for new parents.

In the initial 3 months of age, babies will sleep at least 5 hours in the night. After reaching the age of 6 months, the baby will sleep better tonight, ranged from 9 to 12 hours. Here's the tricks for parents to find time to increasee quality of sleep in the lack of time.

There is no formula for getting good quality sleep, but some tips and tricks may be useful:
Sleep when baby sleeps. Turn off the mobile phone / telephone or at least activate the silent mode. Remove laundry basket and forget dirty dishes that have not yet had time to wash, you can delay it.
First get rid off other activities. If you or your friends you intend visiting, do not you become a master house. Let your friends to host in your home with their own self-serving. Tell them if they can pretend as they are in their own home. So you can use your time to have a baby and your rest time.
Organize your bed. Initially may feel strange to share the bed with your baby, especially if you are breastfeeding mother. If you are the baby's activities, the crib can be a possible option.
Sharing the night's activities. You and your partner can share the baby during the night, changing nappies or making a bottle of milk.
Do not be surprised and panic when the baby suddenly cry. Sometimes midnight your baby crying as a sign of just inconvenience, it is still small akan itself. Wait some time, the long run you will understand when you cry baby is only a sign of hungry or not.
When necessary, ask for assistance. Find a trusted person who can help you keep the small, such as parents or relatives. Assistance they may be very valuable to keep you stay fit with the rest of time limitations. When you are forced, hire a baby-sitter, but realize that her present is not able to replace the warmth of own parents.

Taking care of baby is easy and difficult, fatigue can make you easily fall asleep anytime, anywhere. If you have difficulty sleeping, make sure that the situation around to fit your bed. Select a mattress and pillow are you most comfortable, turn off the television. Rooms are cool and dark is easier to make your bed. Keep nicotine, caffeine and alcohol.

30 minutes if you can not fall asleep, find another activity. If fatigue and drowsiness came back to try and sleep. Difficulty sleeping if this happens more than a week, consult your doctor, you may need assistance therapeutist to help improve the quality of your sleep.

If you pair and expect the presence of the very small before, then wake up the night is not something that heavy. Happiness overcome your fatigue.

Read More..

Masturbation, Normal and Safe?

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Masturbation is stimulation (excitation) genital organs to achieve the personal satisfaction of sexual abuse, usually end with orgasm. Action stimulation was done with the, rub or squeeze the penis (in men) or klitoris (in women) to achieve orgasm. Some women stimulation can be done with the help of tools such as the vibrator.

Who?

Each person can do. Masturbation are many activities that are done by people who have reached sexual maturity both physically and mentally. Masturbation usually be the first experience of many men and women when young and according to medical science this is normal as part of a curiosity at children growing up. Some people still do this even though masturbation have grown and married.

Why?

Masturbation be to remove the option to increase sexual desire over time, especially for those who do not have a pair or pairs lack at that time. This is also often used as an alternative to avoid pregnancy and sexual disease transmission. On examination male fertility, the semen sample is also obtained in a way masturbation. In the case of sexual disfunction, masturbation sometimes used as a method of treatment by therapeutist to reach the orgasm (in women) or to delay orgasm (in men).

Is it normal?

For some people, masturbation action is not considered normal or sexual misuse. But over the development of culture and a more advanced understanding of medical science, masturbation normal can be considered as an alternative solution for safe and sexual desire.

Masturbation not be normal if the lazy to be intimate with the pair. Not normal if done in ways that are not normal, which usually indicates a mental abnormality the way in public. Feeling guilty, guilty and ashamed also make masturbation not be normal. If so, then it is best to switch to the "energy" with the excessive exercise.

Is it harmful?

In general, medical science considers masturbation is normal and not harmful and does not cause physical damage or harm the body. Some experts even suggest that to improve the sexual ability of a person. By exploring the whole body, it is expected to be found erotic zones on the body the most inflammable.

Read More..

Why Men Snore

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
O.k. women also snore, but men snore more than women, in fact four out of every ten men snore compared to roughly 3 out 10 women. At any one time around 25 per cent of people are habitual snorers.

Reasons why men snore are mainly related to differences in lifestyle although there may be clear physical reasons why snoring occurs. Snoring is noisy breathing that occurs as a result of partial obstruction of the air passages. It is usually due to the soft tissues of the palate, uvula, tongue and tonsils relaxing during sleep.


Snoring is a problem because it affects everyone in earshot, including the person who is snoring. Many a previously happy relationship has reached or gone beyond breaking point as a direct result of broken sleep patterns. For the snorer it can result in tiredness and irritability during the day which can increase the chances of accidents. Long-term it can cause circulatory problems such as high blood pressure, heart problems and strokes.

Snoring Facts

• Snoring is made worse by alcohol or sleeping tablets
• Overweight people are more prone to snoring
• Sleeping on your back increases the chances of snoring
• Colds, nasal polyps and allergies make snoring worse
• Older people often snore due to muscular weakness that occurs with age
• Medications may cause dryness or minor irritation of the nasal passageways and increase the incidence of snoring
• A larger than usual uvula can limit airflow
• Injuries to the nose that result in a deviation of the septum may result in snoring
• Smokers are twice as likely to snore

Sleep Apnea

Sometimes people who snore also suffer from sleep apnea. Apnea refers to periods of interrupted breathing which can last 10 seconds or longer. Essentially the same process as snoring occurs except that muscles relax so much they cause a complete rather than partial obstruction. When sleep apnea occurs a build up of carbon dioxide occurs in the blood stream. The brain detects the lack of oxygen and reacts by waking the person up in order that normal breathing can resume. Sleep apnea can occur several times a night and the effects of broken sleep are the same as with snoring. However, the chances of heart failure increase with sleep apnea as the heart has to work so much harder.

Self Help Ideas to prevent or minimize snoring

• If you're overweight try to lose some of it
• Avoid alcohol and rich foods like chocolates before bedtime and eat healthy foods generally
• Stop smoking
• Try raising your head by putting pillows under it
• Sleep on your side. Some people sew a tennis ball on the back of their night clothes to help them
• Blow your nose before going to bed
• If you are the partner of the snorer you may seriously need to consider options like changing bedrooms or going to bed earlier in order to get some sleep. Clearly these fall into the last resort category and unless your partner does something about their problem this could be the start of a slippery slope so far as the relationship is concerned

Medical help for snoring

If none of the self-help ideas work then you need medical advice. Advice may involve surgical intervention (e.g. removal of adenoids or tonsils) but in the first resort a mouthpiece could be recommended in order to keep the airways open. Other treatment options, such as nasal sprays or nasal plasters may also be considered.


menshealth

Read More..

Can we choose the sex of our child?

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Yes, choosing the sex of your child is technically possible thanks to advances in fertility treatments that allow doctors to create or identify embryos of a certain sex. But today's sex-selection options aren't equally effective, affordable, or available.

The most accurate sex-selection methods are usually the most expensive (tens of thousands of dollars), often involving invasive infertility treatments and fertility drugs with side effects. If you're serious about trying one of these techniques, you'll have to meet strict eligibility requirements, too. In some cases you won't be eligible unless you're married and already have at least one child of the sex opposite from the one you're trying for. Some clinics also have age limits or require you to take hormone tests to prove you're not approaching menopause.

And keep in mind that Mother Nature has already tipped the odds a bit in favor of boys in the sex-selection game. According to data released in 2004 from the National Center for Health Statistics, approximately 1,050 boys are born for every 1,000 girls.

The following gender-selection methods draw from two existing infertility treatments: in vitro fertilization (IVF) and artificial insemination (AI). IVF starts with a round of fertility drugs to stimulate your ovaries to produce several eggs for fertilization, instead of the single egg you normally release each month. Fertility drugs may also be used for AI. For AI, also known as intrauterine insemination (IUI), your doctor uses a catheter to insert a concentrated sperm sample directly into your uterus.

For IVF, fertilization occurs outside your body (in vitro means literally in glass). Your doctor gives you an anesthetic and removes your eggs from your ovaries by inserting a needle through your vaginal wall. Your eggs are then fertilized with sperm in a petri dish. Two to five days later your doctor places the fertilized eggs — now embryos — in your uterus by inserting a thin catheter through your cervix. The number of embryos inserted depends on your age, the quality of the embryos, and your reproductive history. As a general rule, if you're under 35 and the embryos look healthy, no more than two are transferred.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)

An in vitro fertilization (IVF) technique in which embryos are created outside the womb and then tested for genetic disorders and gender.

When PGD was introduced back in 1989, it was used solely to help couples or individuals with serious genetic disorders reduce their risk of having a child who suffered from the same condition. Today PGD is still used for this reason, but is also used commonly when women are 35 or older and/or have a history of recurrent miscarriage. Only a handful of clinics offer the technique for sex selection for nonmedical reasons.

Effectiveness
Almost 100 percent effective.

How it's done
During an IVF cycle, eggs are fertilized with sperm in a petri dish. A single cell or cells are later removed from each of the resulting 3- to 5-day-old embryos and tested for gender.

In a regular IVF cycle scientists try to determine which embryos are normal merely by looking at them under a microscope. But with PGD, the embryos are tested thoroughly for genetic abnormalities and sex. By transferring only healthy embryos to the uterus, you're less likely to miscarry or have a child with a genetic disorder. Prenatal tests such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) are still recommended if you're 35 or older because more genetic abnormalities can be detected later in pregnancy.

In a regular IVF cycle, doctors usually transfer two or more embryos to your uterus — the number depends on your age, the quality of the embryos, and your reproductive history. (If you're 40 or older, typically four or five embryos may be transferred.) But in PGD, doctors transfer no more than two because they've already weeded out embryos that are unlikely to implant or to result in a healthy pregnancy.

Pros

• If you do get pregnant, PGD guarantees with almost 100 percent certainty that you'll have a baby of your desired gender.
• Following a PGD cycle, remaining embryos of the selected gender are automatically frozen. These can used in another attempt, if you miscarry or decide you want more children down the road. Frozen embryo transfers aren't as successful as fresh transfers, but the procedure is less invasive and significantly cheaper.

Cons

• A single round of PGD can cost nearly $20,000.
• The procedure is invasive and the removal of eggs from your ovaries can be painful.
• The fertility drugs you have to take can have uncomfortable side effects such as weight gain, bloating, swelling, and blurred vision.
• As with any IVF pregnancy, you're more likely to have multiple births. According to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 38 percent of infants conceived as a result of IVF and related procedures were twins.
• About 43% of fresh IVF cycles result in a live birth, and that figure goes down as you get older. But some doctors claim higher success rates with PGD because defective embryos are excluded.
• You'll need to decide what to do with the embryos of the undesired gender: freeze, destroy, or donate for other couples or research.

Cost
IVF cycles cost an average of $12,400. PGD adds an additional $3,000 to $6,000-plus to the tab. Check with your medical insurance company — part of the expense may be covered.

Availability
Most fertility clinics that provide PGD don't allow it to be used solely for sex selection. You must have a medical reason such as a family history of genetic diseases or repeat miscarriages, or be over a certain age, usually about 38, to qualify for the procedure.

That said, a few centers allow you to use PGD to choose the sex of your baby even if you don't have a medical reason to do so:

• Genetics and IVF Institute, with facilities in Virginia and Maryland. (To qualify, couples must be married, have at least one child, and desire a child of the opposite gender.)
• The Sher Institutes for Reproductive Medicine, with seven branches nationwide. (Prospective patients are screened on a case-by-case basis, and couples with no children are not excluded from consideration.)
• Reproductive Specialty Center in Newport Beach, California (restricted to couples who have at least one child and desire a child of the opposite gender).

Ericsson
What it is
A technique that aims to separate faster-swimming boy-producing sperm from slower-swimming girl-producing sperm. Sperm of the desired gender are inserted directly into your uterus via artificial insemination (AI).

Effectiveness
Ericsson claims his technique is 78 to 85% effective when it comes to choosing boys and 73 to 75% effective for girl babies.

How it's done
This technique, which has been around since the '70s, attempts to separate boy and girl sperm by pouring a sperm sample on a gluey layer of fluid in a test tube. All the sperm naturally swim down, but the boys tend to swim faster and reach the bottom earlier. Once the fast and slow swimmers are separated, you're inseminated with the sperm that will enable you to conceive the gender you desire.

Pros

• Inexpensive compared to higher-tech methods.
• Noninvasive.
• Relatively safe.

Cons

• There's no guarantee of success. The technique's pioneer, Ronald Ericsson, has published extensively and claims a success rate of approximately 75 to 80 percent. But some fertility doctors dispute this figure and say that it's no higher than 50 percent.
• AI is not as effective as in vitro fertilization (IVF), and it may take many cycles to achieve a pregnancy, depending on your age and fertility.

Cost
Approximately $600 per insemination.

Shettles method
What it is
Timed intercourse on specific days of your cycle.

Effectiveness
Shettles proponents claim the technique is 75 percent effective, but other experts dispute this. Keep in mind that you always have about a 50 percent chance of conceiving the sex you want.

How it's done
The theory is that sperm bearing Y chromosomes (for boys) move faster but don't live as long as sperm that carry X chromosomes (for girls). So if you want a boy, the Shettles method argues, you should have sex as close as possible to ovulation. If you want a girl, you should have sex two to four days before you ovulate.

Pros

• Requires no drugs or invasive medical procedures.
• Free or low cost.
• Relatively safe.

Cons

• You must take your basal body temperature every day to figure out when you're ovulating, or use an ovulation prediction kit.
• There's no guarantee of success.

Availability
Anyone can try it.


Whelan method
Timed intercourse on specific days of your cycle.

Effectiveness
Whelan claims her technique is 68 percent effective for boys and 56 percent effective for girls, but many experts dispute this. Keep in mind that you always have a 50 percent chance of conceiving the sex you want.

How it's done
The Whelan method directly contradicts the Shettles method. The theory here is that biochemical changes that may favor boy-producing sperm occur earlier in a woman's cycle. So if you want a boy, you should have intercourse four to six days before your basal body temperature goes up. If you want a girl you should have sex two to three days before you ovulate.

Pros

• Requires no drugs or invasive medical procedures.
• Free or low cost.
• Safe.

Cons

• You must take your basal body temperature every day to figure out when you're ovulating, or use an ovulation prediction kit.
• There's no guarantee of success.

Availability
Anyone can try it at home.

Sex-selection kits
These at-home kits are based on the Shettles theory. Separate girl and boy kits include a thermometer, ovulation predictor test sticks, vitamins, herbal extracts, and douches that are supposedly gender specific.

Effectiveness
Kit makers claim a 96 percent success rate. But the American Society for Reproductive Medicine tells consumers not to bet on it. Some medical experts go a step further and say the kit maker's claims are without scientific merit.

How it's done
You track your cycle using the thermometer and ovulation predictor test sticks (which you urinate on). Following the Shettles method, you have intercourse two to four days before ovulation if you want a girl and as close as possible to ovulation if you want a boy. The douche is intended to change the vaginal environment to "influence the chances that either an X-carrying sperm or a Y-carrying sperm will be successful in fertilizing the egg." Vitamins and herbal extracts are also included to supposedly boost your odds of getting the gender of your choice.

Pros

• Requires no invasive medical procedures.
• Convenient.

Cons

• The success rate claimed by the makers is questionable.
• Expensive

Low-tech sex selection has not sparked the same controversy, probably because these methods are far from foolproof and the assumption is that couples practicing them are investing less — both financially and emotionally — in their success. But do they work?

These techniques range from Shettles and Whelan to folk wisdom such as making love standing up and eating more meat if you want a boy, and eating lots of chocolate and having sex in the missionary position if you want a girl.

babycenter
Read More..

Top 10 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Having Twins

Switch to Bahasa Inggris
Many people wonder what it takes to have twins, triplets or more. While having multiples is a gift and a blessing, there are some common factors that increase the chances of conceiving twins.
Think you want to have twins or more? Here's how.

1. Have a History
Do twins run in your family? If you have a mother, brother, sister, uncle or long lost cousin with multiples, you may wonder if you'll have them too. Sometimes twinning is hereditary, it's true. However, only fraternal (dizygotic twins are influenced by heredity, and then only in some cases. If your mother or maternal grandmother was or had fraternal twins, you might have inherited a gene for hyperovulation, increasing your chances of conceiving twins also.

2. Grow or Gain Weight
A recent study published by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology correlates the rise in multiple birth rates with rising rates of obesity. Research found that mothers with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30 or higer were significantly more likely to have twins. Again, this statistic only holds true for fraternal (dizygotic) twins. The research also showed that women of above-average height were also more likely to have multiples.

3. Grow Up: Wait Until You're Older
Older mothers are more likely to conceive twins than their younger counterparts. It's thought that the body accelerates ovulation as the biological clock starts ticking faster. Seventeen percent of mothers over age 45 have multiples. Wait five more years and the odds rise to one in nine! However, the risks also increase; older mothers have a higher rate of miscarriage and are more likely to experience problems such as gestational diabetes during their pregnancy; in addition, their babies are at higher risk for chromosomal abnormalities.

4. Have More Twins
Once you have had a multiple pregnancy, you are significantly more likely to conceive -- and deliver -- twins again! Some estimates suggest that mothers of twins are four times more likely to have twins again than a woman who has never been pregnant, or who only had a singleton.

5. Diet: Yams & Dairy
No one is quite sure why, but the Yoruba tribe in West Africa has the highest rate of twinning in the world. A study concluded that the mother's diet was the cause, being high in cassava, a type of yam or sweet potato. The peelings of this vegetable are thought to contain a chemical that causes hyperovulation. In addition, a 2006 study found that women who consume dairy are five times as likely to have twins.

6. Seek Fertility Assistance
Reproductive technology has dramatically increased the multiple birth rate. Drugs that stimualate ovulation can lead to a multiple pregnancy, but multiples can also result from invitro fertilization. It's not just that multiple embryos are implanted in the mother, but there is also an unexplained increase in the number of monozygotic twins among IVF patients. No ethical doctor would provide treatment if it wasn't warranted, so fertility assistance should only be sought out when necessary.

7. Have A Big Family
The more kids you have, the more likely you are to conceive twins in a subsequent pregnancy. No one knows the magic limit that triggers a multiple pregnancy, so you'll just have to keep trying until it happens.

8. Conceive While Breastfeeding
Most people think that you can't get pregnant while breastfeeding, that the process of lactating keeps a woman from ovulating. However, plenty of mothers of twins can disprove that theory. Some research has supported the theory that the chance of twins or multiples is increased if a woman conceives while breastfeeding.

9. Get Pregnant On the Pill
Birth control pills are usually thought to be 99.9 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. However, that .01 percent often results in a double whammy -- multiples. Sometimes pregnancy occurs when the pill isn't taken consistently; in other cases, the hormonal mix of a particular drug type simply doesn't provide enough coverage to completely prevent ovulation. In either case, playing around with hormones can lead to hyperovulation, increasing the chances of multiples.

10. Just Get Lucky!
Many parents of multiples don't meet any of the classic criteria, yet find themselves doubly blessed. Monozygotic twins are particularly mysterious; no one is exactly certain what causes an egg to split after conception, producing identical twins. The bottom line is that there truly isn't a whole lot an individual can do to influence their chances of having twins; sometimes you just get lucky!


Pamela Prindle Fierro, About.com

Read More..

The Nutrients You Need

Switch to Bahasa Inggris
A recent government report found that Americans aren't getting enough calcium, fiber, magnesium, potassium, or vitamins A, C, and E. "You're not going to have a major health event as a result," says Alanna Moshfegh, an author of the USDA report What We Eat in America, "but the recommended amounts will help you maintain your health and decrease your risk of chronic diseases." Here are the figures (as they pertain to women) and a little help interpreting them.

Calcium
Recommendation: 1,000 milligrams a day.
Benefits: Bone health.
Sources: Dairy products; fish with bones; dark, leafy greens.
Fiber
Recommendation: 25 grams a day.
Benefits: Protects against coronary heart disease and reduces the risk of diabetes.
Sources: Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains.
Magnesium
Recommendation: 310 to 320 milligrams a day.
Benefits: Helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function and develop and maintain bones.
Sources: Nuts, seeds, bran, halibut and other fish.
Potassium
Recommendation: 4,700 milligrams a day.
Benefits: Helps maintain healthy blood pressure and reduce the effects of salt; may reduce the risk of recurrent kidney stones and possibly decrease bone loss.
Sources: Potatoes, tomato paste and puree, white beans, yogurt, soybeans, bananas.
Vitamin A
Recommendation: 2,310 international units a day.
Benefits: Important for vision, red blood cell production, embryonic development, and immune function.
Sources: Organ meats; orange vegetables; green, leafy vegetables.
Vitamin C
Recommendation: 75 milligrams a day.
Benefits: Acts as a disease-fighting antioxidant; may help to maintain a healthy immune system.
Sources: Fruits and vegetables, including citrus fruits, red and green peppers, kiwis, and guavas.
Vitamin E
Recommendation: 15 milligrams a day.
Benefits: Acts as a disease-fighting antioxidant; may support eye health.
Sources: Some ready-to-eat cereals, some oils, almonds, peanut butter.

yahoo


Read More..

World Population to Reach 9.1 Billion in 2050, UN Projects

Switch to Bahasa Inggris
The world's population will reach 6.5 billion by July and, despite lower expected fertility rates, is likely to reach 9.1 billion by 2050, with most of the increase taking place in developing countries, the United Nations Population Division says in its revised report for 2004.

In 2002 the Division had estimated a population in 2050 of 8.9 billion and last week, in a report sent to the 47-member UN Commission on Population and Development, had calculated the figure at 9 billion, reaching the 7 billion mark by 2012.

"World Population Change 1950-2050, the 2004 Revision" is the first of three volumes by the Division on global population trends. "The world has added nearly 500 million people since 1999 – just six years," Hania Zlotnik, the new head of the Division, told a press briefing. "The good news is that new estimates show that it will take a little longer to add the next half billion, reaching the 7 billion mark probably by 2013."

A summary of the report says, "Future population growth is highly dependent on the path that future fertility takes."

Median fertility is expected decline from 2.6 children per woman today to slightly over 2 children per woman in 2050. If fertility were to remain about half a child above that level, world population would reach 10.6 billion by 2050, while fertility half a child below the median would lead to a population of 7.7 billion by mid-century.

"At the world level, continued population growth until 2050 is inevitable, even if the decline of fertility accelerates," according to the report.

Almost all of the increase will take place in the less developed countries, whose populations is expected to reach 7.8 billion in 2050 from 5.3 billion now, while the population of the more developed countries will remain around 1.2 billion, it says.

Between 2005 and 2050, eight countries – India, Pakistan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Bangladesh, Uganda, the United States, Ethiopia and China – are likely to contribute half of the world's population increase, while the population would at least triple in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Congo, the DRC, Timor-Leste, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger and Uganda.
Fertility in the 44 developed countries remains generally low, with any increases being small, the report says.

In the 60 countries worst affected by HIV/AIDS, the impact of the disease is seen in increased morbidity and mortality and slower population growth, the report says.
"We must take more urgent action to promote access to reproductive health, including family planning, and fight HIV/AIDS to save millions from AIDS and maternal death, as well as to reduce poverty in developing countries," UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid said after reading the figures.

"As the world reviews the Beijing women's conference next week, we must promote women's rights to protect their welfare and health, especially reproductive health. Too many of our sisters in developing countries are lost to their families and societies due to maternal death. We must do better to empower women to help eliminate poverty and promote prosperity."

UN News Center
Read More..

Too much TV linked to higher asthma risk

Switch to Bahasa Inggris
Children who watch television for more than two hours a day have twice the risk of developing asthma, British researchers reported last February

Asthma affects more than 300 million people worldwide and is the most common children's chronic illness. Symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing and chest tightness.

A study published in the journal Thorax may help link asthma, estimated to account for one in 250 deaths globally each year, to obesity and lack of exercise, experts said.

"There has been a recent suggestion that breathing patterns associated with sedentary behavior could lead to developmental changes in the lungs and wheezing illnesses in children," Andrea Sherriff of the University of Glasgow and colleagues wrote.

Sherriff and colleagues studied more than 3,000 children from birth until nearly the age of 12.

The parents were questioned annually on wheezing symptoms among their children and whether a doctor had diagnosed asthma as they grew up. The researchers also analyzed how much television the children watched.

They did not consider video games or personal computers, which were not as common in the mid 1990s when the children were growing up, the researchers added.

The study found that 6 percent of children at around age 12 who had no symptoms of the disease growing up had asthma.

But children who watched television for more than two hours daily were almost twice as likely to have been diagnosed with the condition as those who watched less.

"The findings add to a wealth of evidence linking a lack of exercise and being overweight with an increased risk of asthma," Elaine Vickers of Asthma UK, who was not involved in the study, said in a statement.

"But this study is the first to directly link sedentary behavior at a very young age to a higher risk of asthma later in childhood."

In some countries as many as 30 percent of children develop the inflammatory disease, according to the World Health Association.


Yahoo,Reuters

Read More..

Top 5 Reasons for Skipping Sex

Switch to Bahasa Inggris
Being tired or needing sleep are the top reasons for skipping sex, a new poll shows.
The national poll, conducted by phone in January by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, included 1,000 adults 18-75. Women made up 52% of the group. Most participants, 57%, were married or living with a partner, and 48% have kids younger than 18 living at home.


Most participants, 81%, said they sometimes avoided sex last year. Here are their top five reasons for not having sex, along with the percentage of participants who chose that reason (they could choose more than one reason for not having sex):
1. Too tired or need sleep: 53%
2. Not feeling well or health reasons: 49%
3. Not in the mood: 40%
4. Taking care of children and/or pets: 30%
5. Work: 29%

The flagging economy wasn't one of their reasons. Of the 595 participants who reported being sexually active in 2008, 78% said that the economy hadn't affected how often they have sex.

Other findings from the survey include:
• 45% of sexually active participants say they've ever planned a time to have sex with their partners, but only 7% schedule sex on their calendar or PDA.
• 56% of men said they think about sex daily, compared to 19% of women
• People who rate their health as "poor" are less likely to have sex, but they're not less likely to think about sex.
• Parents of kids younger than 18 were more likely to report having sex in 2008 than people not living with children.

Miranda Hitti/WebMD

Read More..

Kissing Benefits

Switch to Bahasa Inggris
And while kissing may feel oh-so-good, it also has health benefits, too. It triggers a whole spectrum of physiological processes that boost your immunity and generally spruce up that body you work so hard to keep attractive.
Among the benefits of a good wet one: That extra saliva washes bacteria off your teeth, which can help break down oral plaque, says Mathew Messina, DDS, a private practice dentist in Fairview Park, Ohio, and consumer advisor for the American Dental Association. "Still, I would not go around advocating kissing after meals instead of brushing," he says.

A serious, tongue-tangling French kiss exercises all the underlying muscles of the face -- which some say could keep you looking younger, and certainly looking happier.

Kissing might even help you lose weight, says Bryant Stamford, PhD, professor and director of the health promotion center at the University of Louisville. "During a really, really passionate kiss, you might burn two calories a minute -- double your metabolic rate," he says. (This compares to 11.2 calories per minute you burn jogging on a treadmill). When you give sugar, you actually burn sugar. Sex sparks a good calorie burn, Stamford says, especially "if you're passionately involved, thrashing around. If things were really hot and heavy, you might be looking at a caloric expenditure similar to a brisk walk."

Sex, sensuality, and sensual touch have profound effects on well-being, says Joy Davidson, PhD, psychologist and clinical sexologist in Seattle, and former columnist for an online column called "Underwire." "Kissing is an exciting excursion into the sensual, If we happen to be connecting with someone we care about, it produces a sense of well-being and a kind of full-bodied pleasure." Kissing is also "a sensual meditation," she says. "It stops the buzz in your mind, it quells anxiety, and it heightens the experience of being present in the moment. It actually produces a lot of the physiological changes that meditation produces."

"All kinds of animals kiss," says Helen Fisher, PhD, professor of anthropology at Rutgers University in Newark, N.J., and author of several books, including The Sex Contract and Anatomy of Love. "Insects will stroke each other with a leg, or stroke another's abdomen. Even turtles, moles, and cats rub noses. Dogs lick each other's faces. Elephants put their trunks in another elephant's mouth." Kissing is a very investigatory process, Fisher explains.

In fact, Fisher explains that the smell can improve the resilience of the system body. "When you exchange and bacillus bacteria, it will increase the body's immune system."

Smooch fact is likely to continue in touch. Touch and massage will release oxytocin, a kind of hormone that are known to give effect quiet and comfort in the body. Because Oxytocin also released at the time the baby suck milk from his mother's breast. This is what causes the emergence of a strong emotional bond between a baby with his mother.


webmd

Read More..

Bad Fat, Good Fat

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Two fats are considered "bad": Trans fatty acids and saturated fat. Most trans fat is created when manufacturers turn liquid oils into more solid fats like shortening and margarine. Saturated fat occurs naturally in nearly all fatty foods, but mostly in meats, dairy products and tropical oils such as palm oil and coconut. The evidence against both fats is so strong that it is foolish to play one against the other. No longer is it a matter of choosing which fat to avoid. People should cut down on both saturated and trans fats.
Technically, trans fats is worse than saturated fat, because saturated fat raises both LDL (bad) cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol, while trans fats only raise LDL cholesterol. If you must target one of the fats for modification, you have a greater potential for change by cutting saturated fat because only two-percent of our calories come from trans fat, while 13 percent comes from saturated fat. The trouble with this is that saturated fat is in so many of our popular foods: Pizza, hamburgers, steak, and tacos, ice cream, lasagna and cheese to name some.

Good fats - Omega-3's

Polyunsaturated fish oils have always had a stellar reputation but now, three new studies show the omega-3 fats in fish oil protected people from sudden death. (In "sudden cardiac death", which causes half of all heart disease deaths, the heartbeat goes awry and then stops. Most victims have clogged arteries). *Healthy men who had more omega-3 fats in their blood were less likely to die of sudden death.
• Healthy women who reported eating fish at least five times a week had a 45-percent lower risk of dying of heart disease.
• Men who survived a heart attack and were randomly assigned to take fish oil supplements (1 gram or 1,000mg a day) were 53-percent less likely to die of sudden death than survivors who were given a placebo.
• Due to these results and earlier studies, experts can now say that fish oils prevent arrythmias and sudden death. At higher doses, omega-3 fats may also protect the heart by lowering triglyceride levels and preventing blood clots, though that would not explain why the stave off sudden deaths.
In any case, the message is clear that eating more seafood is of great benefit to heart health. The American Heart Association now recommends at least two servings per week, preferably of fatty fish. (See list below). If you don't care for fish, there are other options. Among them: alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 that is largely found in flaxseed, canola and soy oils as well as flaxseeds, walnuts and soybeans. Other alternatives are as follows:

Fish oil pills

The best alternative to seafood is to get both DHA (docosahexaenoic acid - a key fish fat) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid, another key fish fat) from fish oil pills or from fish oil that has been added to other foods - but be careful. Fish oil pills can cause side effects like belching and nausea. Getting more than a combined three grams of EPA and DHA a day from foods and supplements may raise the risk of hemorrhagic stroke says the Food and Drug Administration. Most fish oil pills contain only 0.18 grams of EPA and 0.12 grams of DHA, so it would take more than ten capsules a day to exceed three grams.

Designer Eggs

Some companies now feed fish oil, algae, or flaxseed to their hens to raise the omega-3's in their eggs. But most brands of "omega-3 eggs" have very little DHA. Eggland's Best eggs, for example, have only 0.05 grams a piece, while Gold Circle Farms eggs have just 0.15 grams each. Neither has EPA, which may be essential to protect against sudden cardiac death. And the eggs still contain cholesterol and saturated fat, both of which can raise your risk of heart disease.

DHA Supplements

You can take DHA supplements that are made from algae, though they are costly. Each capsule has 0.1 grams and a bottle of 30 capsules can cost $10.00 or more. Another problem: DHA supplements made from algae have no EPA. There is internal conversion between EPA and DHA, so eating one may mean you get both, but there is no evidence from studies on people that taking DHA is as good as taking both.

Alpha-Linoleic Acid

Alpha-linoleic acid (found in canola, soy and flaxseed oils) is an omega-3 fat that our bodies can convert into EPA and DHA. But it is difficult to measure how much gets converted. In some studies, people convert almost none. In others, they convert more (though not necessarily as much as they would get from eating fish). However, if you eat no fish or fish oil, getting alpha-linoleic acid by using an oil like canola is better than nothing. Your cardiovascular protection may go up, though not nearly as much as with fish oils or fish.

Fish sources (and amounts) of Omega-3's
(6 ounces unless otherwise noted):
• Salmon, Atlantic, farmed -3.7 grams
• Salmon, Atlantic, wild - 3.1 grams
• Sardines, in sardine oil (3-ounces) - 2.8 grams
• Salmon, coho, farmed - 2.2 grams
• Trout, rainbow farmed - 2.0 grams
• Salmon, coho, wild - 1.8 grams
• Herring, kippered (3 ounces) 1.8 grams
• Trout, rainbow, wild - 1.7 grams
• Swordfish - 1.4 grams
• Sardines, in tomato sauce (3 ounces) - 1.4 grams
• Herring, pickled - 1.2 grams
• Oysters (3 ounces) - 1.1 grams
• Mackerel, canned (3 ounces) - 1.0 grams
• Pollock - 0.9 grams
• Flounder or sole - 0.9 grams
• Whiting - 0.9 grams
• Rockfish - 0.8 grams
• Halibut - 0.8 grams
• Sardines, in vegetable oils (3 ounces) - 0.8 grams
• Tuna, white, canned (3 ounces) - 0.7 grams
• Scallops - 0.6 grams
• Perch, ocean - 0.6 grams
• Cod, Pacific - 0.5 grams
• Tuna, fresh - 0.5 grams
• Crab, blue (3 ounces) - 0.4 grams
• Haddock - 0.4 grams
• Catfish, wild - 0.4 grams
• Fish sticks (six) - 0.4 grams
• Cod, Atlantic - 0.3 grams
• Crab, Dungeness (3 ounces) - 0.3 grams
• Shrimp (3 ounces) - 0.3 grams
• Catfish, farmed - 0.3 grams
• Tuna, light, canned (3 ounces) - 0.2 grams
• Clams (3 ounces) - 0.2 grams
• Crayfish (3 ounces) - 0.2 grams
• Lobster (3 ounces) - 0.1 grams

Read More..

Gynecomastia (enlarged breasts in men)

Switch to Bahasa Indonesia
Gynecomastia is swelling of the breast tissue in boys or men, caused by an imbalance of the hormones estrogen and testosterone. Newborns, boys going through puberty and older men often develop gynecomastia as a result of normal changes in hormone levels. There are other causes as well. Generally, gynecomastia isn't a serious problem, but it can be tough to cope with. Men and boys with gynecomastia sometimes have pain in their breasts and may feel embarrassed.
Gynecomastia may go away on its own. Gynecomastia can also be treated with medications that help balance hormone levels. In some cases, surgery to remove breast tissue also may be an option.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of gynecomastia include:
• Swollen breast gland tissue
• Breast tenderness

When to see a doctor: If you have swelling, pain, tenderness or nipple discharge in one or both breasts, see your doctor.

Causes

Gynecomastia is triggered by a decrease in the amount of the hormone testosterone compared with estrogen. The cause of this decrease can be conditions that block the effects of or reduce testosterone or by a condition that increases your estrogen level. Several things can upset the hormone balance, including:
• Natural hormone changes
• Medications
• Certain health conditions
In about 25 percent of cases, the cause of gynecomastia is never found.

The testosterone-estrogen balance
The hormones testosterone and estrogen control the development and maintenance of sex characteristics in both men and women. Testosterone controls male traits such as muscle mass and body hair; estrogen controls female traits including the growth of breasts.

Most people think of estrogen as an exclusively female hormone, but men also produce it — though normally in small quantities. Estrogen helps regulate bone density, sperm production and mood. But male estrogen levels that are too high or are out of balance with testosterone levels can cause gynecomastia.

Gynecomastia in infants
More than half of male infants are born with enlarged breasts due to the effects of their mother's estrogen. Generally the swollen breast tissue goes away within two to three weeks after birth.

Gynecomastia during puberty
Gynecomastia caused by hormone changes during puberty is common. In most cases, the swollen breast tissue will go away without treatment within six months to two or three years.

Gynecomastia in men
The prevalence of gynecomastia peaks again between the ages of 50 and 80. At least one-quarter of men are affected during this time.

Medications
A number of medications can cause gynecomastia. These include certain:
• Anti-androgens used to treat prostate enlargement or cancer and some other conditions. Examples include cyproterone, flutamide, finasteride and spironolactone.
• AIDS medications. Gynecomastia can develop in HIV-positive men who are receiving a treatment regimen called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Efavirenz is more commonly associated with gynecomastia than are other HIV medications.
• Anti-anxiety medications, such as diazepam (Valium).
• Tricyclic antidepressants.
• Antibiotics.
• Ulcer medications, such as cimetidine.
• Cancer treatment (chemotherapy).
• Heart medications, such as digitalis and calcium channel blockers.

Street drugs and alcohol
Substances that can cause gynecomastia include:
• Anabolic steroids and androgens
• Alcohol
• Amphetamines
• Marijuana
• Heroin

Health conditions
Several health conditions can cause gynecomastia by affecting the normal balance of hormones. These include:
• Hypogonadism. Any of the conditions that interfere with normal testosterone production, such as Klinefelter syndrome or pituitary insufficiency, can be associated with gynecomastia.
• Aging. Hormone changes that occur with normal aging can cause gynecomastia, especially in men who are overweight.
• Tumors. Some tumors, such as those involving the testes, adrenal glands or pituitary gland, can produce hormones that alter the male-female hormone balance.
• Hyperthyroidism. In this condition, the thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine.
• Kidney failure.
• Liver failure and cirrhosis.
• Malnutrition and starvation.

Herbal products
Plant oils, such as tea tree or lavender, used in shampoos, soaps or lotions, have been associated with gynecomastia. This is probably due to their weak estrogenic activity.

Risk factors

Risk factors for gynecomastia include:
• Adolescence
• Older age
• Use of anabolic steroids or androgens to enhance athletic performance
• Certain health conditions, including liver and kidney disease, thyroid disease, hormonally active tumors, and Klinefelter syndrome

Complications

Although there are few physical complications associated with gynecomastia, having this condition can cause psychological or emotional trouble caused by appearance.

Tests and diagnosis

Your doctor will ask you questions about your medical history, what medications you're taking and what health conditions run in your family. The doctor will also do a physical examination that may include careful evaluation of your breast tissue, abdomen and genitals.

Your doctor will want to be sure your breast swelling is actually gynecomastia and not another condition. Other conditions that can cause similar symptoms include:
• Fatty breast tissue. Some men and boys have chest fat that resembles gynecomastia. This is called pseudogynecomastia or false gynecomastia, and it isn't the same as gynecomastia.
• Breast cancer. This is uncommon in men, but can occur. Enlargement of one breast or the presence of a firm nodule raises the concern for male breast cancer.
• A breast abscess (mastitis).

Initial tests to determine the cause of your gynecomastia may include:
• Blood tests
• Mammograms

You may need further testing depending on your initial test results, including:
• Chest X-rays
• Computerized tomography (CT) scans
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans
• Testicular ultrasounds
• Tissue biopsies

Treatments and drugs

Most cases of gynecomastia regress over time without treatment. However, if gynecomastia is caused by an underlying condition, such as hypogonadism, malnutrition or cirrhosis, that condition may need treatment. If you're taking medications that can cause gynecomastia, your doctor may recommend stopping them or substituting another medication.

In adolescents with no apparent cause of gynecomastia, the doctor may recommend periodic re-evaluations every three to six months to see if the condition improves on its own. Gynecomastia often goes away without treatment in less than three years. However, treatment may be necessary if gynecomastia doesn't improve on its own, or if it causes significant pain, tenderness or embarrassment.

Medications
Medications used to treat breast cancer and other conditions, such as tamoxifen and raloxifene, may be helpful for some men with gynecomastia. Although these medications are approved by the Food and Drug Administration, they have not been approved specifically for this use.

Surgery to remove excess breast tissue
If you still have significant bothersome breast enlargement despite initial treatment or observation, your doctor may advise surgery. Two types of surgery are used to treat gynecomastia:
• Liposuction. This surgery removes breast fat, but not the breast gland tissue itself.
• Mastectomy. This type of surgery removes the breast gland tissue. The surgery is done on an endoscopic basis, meaning only small incisions are used. This less invasive type of surgery involves less recovery time.

Coping and support

For a man, enlarged breasts can be stressful and embarrassing. Gynecomastia can be difficult to hide and a challenge to romantic relationships. During puberty, gynecomastia can make boys a target for teasing from peers. It can make activities like swimming or changing for gym class traumatic.

Whatever your age, you may feel like your body has betrayed you and you may feel unhappy with yourself. These feelings are normal, but there are a few things you can do to help you cope:
• Get counseling. Talk therapy can help you avoid anxiety and depression caused by gynecomastia. It can also help you communicate with your partner or family members so that they understand what you're going through.
• Reach out to your family and friends. You may feel embarrassed to talk about gynecomastia with the people you care about. But explaining your situation and asking for help will likely strengthen your relationships and reduce stress.
• Connect with others who have gynecomastia. Talking with men who have had a similar experience can help you cope. Web sites such as Gynecomastia.org provide a forum for connecting with others who have the condition.

Prevention

There are a few factors you can control that may reduce the risk of gynecomastia, including:
• Don't use illicit drugs. Examples include steroids and androgens, amphetamines, heroin, and marijuana.
• Avoid alcohol. Don't drink, or drink very little.
• Review your medications. If you're taking medication known to cause gynecomastia, ask your doctor if there are other choices.


Mayoclinic

Read More..