Are you eating foods and involved in activites that may make you vulnerable to cold sores and herpes outbreaks? Let’s review some triggers to be sure that you can stay in the best health and avoid these nuisances that can last a ten days or more on your lip. 1)  Watch your intake of the amino acid argine. This is common in protein powder supplements and foods, chocolates and products made from peanuts. Peanut butter can be found in thai dishes and hidden in after school snacks. Also peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are popular for everyone. Take lysine which will help counteract the argine, but try to cut back on it as well. 2)  Be careful around uv light and sunlight. Whether artificial or natural, uv light and sun bathing can be a trigger for cold sores. Be sure to use spf protection on your lips which are very fragile and vulnerable. 3)  If you’re a female, your hormones around menstruation may cause imbalances that create a cold sore. Be sure to eat very well around this time of the month as well as get a lot of rest so your system is strong. 4) Be aware that a big event like a school prom, work presentation or wedding can make you stressed and cause loss of sleep , anxiety and a cold sore. They are just when you don’t want them. Stay conscious of these factors and take lysine as well as vitamin b complex and vitamin c to assure your body stays strong. Avoid extensive dental work right before a big event as this can also stimulate a cold sore for some. When your mouth is stretched and kept open for long periods of time the tissue can be vulnerable.  

Have you seen the recent commercial that states quite plainly, “There’s a reason they call it the curse!”?  For most women, menstruation can seem just like that - a curse or punishment put upon us for a sin we haven’t committed.  Every month we deal with the cramps, bloating, fatigue, aching muscles, headaches, digestive problems, and an entire list of other ailments simply because we’re a normal healthy adult woman that is not pregnant.  You would think that there would be an easier way for a woman to actually experience menstruation but unfortunately it seems as if most women will need to take matters into their own hands and proactively address the pain and discomfort of this problem on their own.

In order to do that effectively it can help to understand a bit about why there is usually so much pain and discomfort with menstruation in the first place.  Much of this has to do with the surge of female hormones that the body produces in order to properly perform this function.  Hormones affect the body in a variety of ways, and what many women don’t understand is their affect on the digestive system.  Many women complain of gas, diarrhea, and other digestive disorders during their time of the month.  This is simply the hormones and is only temporary.  Other problems and pains during this time of the month are typically caused by dehydration.  The body needs to produce extra blood during this cycle and blood is made mostly from water.  When there isn’t enough water in the system to do this, the body will pull it from the muscles and organs.  This is usually why women get headaches and muscle aches during this time.  These areas of the body are being leeched of moisture.  Many stomach cramps that one gets during menstruation are also caused by dehydration. 

Most women hesitate to drink water during their cycle and even limit the amount of water they drink because they are often bloated; they figure that since the body is retaining water then they should drink less of it.  This is actually the worst thing you can do during this time of the month, and usually the body retains water when it doesn’t get enough of it in the first place.  Drinking plenty of fluids will not only help with the cramps but it should reduce the bloating as well.

Regular physical exercise is imperative for women to avoid a lot of the pain they would normally feel during this time of the month.  Exercise keeps the muscles loose and limber and so they won’t cramp or ache as badly during this time.  Some women also report more pain when they eat a lot of meat or chocolate; you need to be aware of how certain foods affect you during menstruation just as someone with allergies would need to be aware of this as well.

Most women feel that the discomfort of menstruation is a small price to pay for the privilege of bearing children, and if you’re proactive and take good care of yourself you may be able to lessen any pain you feel during this time as well.

Soy Isoflavones may ease menopause symptoms for without creating estrogen related problems and may help regulate hormone levels in premenopausal woman.

Calcium is needed to counteract the effects of mineralization of the bone.

Vitamin B taken together as B-Complex work together as a team to perform vital biological processes including energy production and efficient metabolic function.

Vitamin C is essential for defending the body against pollution and infection.  It enhances the immune system and aids in growth and repair of bone and tissue.  It also aids in the production of anti stress hormones.

Flaxseed Oil benefits include relieving menopausal hot flashes.

Vitamin E accelerates wound healing and aids in the functioning of the immune system.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.

Many women suffer from PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome). During this time, they can experience excessive bloating, abdominal pain, mood changes, tension and weakness. Recent study shows that approximately 85 percent of women experience one or more of these physical and emotional symptoms between the time they ovulate and the first days of their menstrual period. 85 percent is quite a large number of women. So are there are forms of relief or aid against PMS?

One way to relieve the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome is by taking certain supplements. For instance, taking daily calcium (1200 mg) has been shown to reduce the severity of PMS symptoms in many women. Taking vitamin B6, although it is not a proven fact, has been linked to an improvement in premenstrual depression as well as certain physical symptoms. Another way to help prevent these monthly aches and pains is by reducing your caffeine, refined sugar and sodium intake. All of these products have been lined to several emotional and physical premenstrual symptoms. Some of the side effects that these products encourage include tension, anxiety, insomnia, and bloating. So if at all possible, try avoiding these foods prior to and during your monthly cycle.

Another way to lessen the effects of PMS is with regular exercise. Many women have reported that regular exercise has helped them relive a lot of tension, pain, and mood related premenstrual symptoms. So try to commit yourself to one hour of regular exercise at least five times a week. If this is something that can truly help you feel better during that time of the month then why not give it a try. Also, try to keep a menstrual diary in order to keep track of any improvements that you experience while using these and other treatment options. This way you will know what works best for you and your specific premenstrual symptoms.

PMS (or Premenstrual Syndrome) affects many women around the globe. The symptoms can be mild or moderate, depending on the person. Some of the bothersome side effects include: irritability, mood swings, swelling of abdomen/breasts, restlessness, tension, depression, anxiety, painful breasts, decreased concentration, and forgetfulness. All women who suffer from PMS absolutely dread this particular time of the month. So, are there any possible cures or relief options that a woman can partake in to ease the discomfort?

One proven way to decrease the symptoms of PMS is through exercise. Studies have shown that an increase in physical activity can reduce the severity of premenstrual discomfort. Some of the proven exercise techniques include swimming, aerobic dance, and jogging. Swimming approximately 110 minutes per week is supposed to lessen the severity of pain. Aerobic dance is supposed to provide the best relief in the shortest amount of time, only 70 minutes per week. So if you happen to suffer from PMS try adopting an exercise regimen as a means of treatment.

Another way to relieve premenstrual symptoms is through supplements. Studies have shown that an increased daily intake of vitamin D, along with an increased intake of dietary calcium can prevent PMS symptoms. The recommended intake of vitamin D is up to 800 IU/day, whereas the recommended intake of calcium is at 1200 mg/day. However, prior to adopting these lifestyle changes, discuss your ideas with your doctor. An increase in supplements may not be ideal for everyone. Last but not least, a healthy diet can help in reducing PMS symptoms. Studies show that women who consume large quantities of caffeine, alcohol, and salt are more likely to suffer from premenstrual symptoms. So if you are one of the millions of women who are affected by PMS, try applying some of these changes into your daily lifestyle.

Ovarian cancer is often called “The Silent Killer” because the symptoms are so nonspecific and are often blamed on something else. Thus it is possible to have been experiencing early warning signs of this disease for years and not realize anything is seriously wrong. This is very understandable, as the symptoms, if they are seen at all, most often seem benign at first. However, if you have had one or more of these symptoms for several weeks or months, please consider calling your physician and scheduling a check-up. Cancer is a scary word and most people would prefer to just assume everything is fine and hope whatever is bothering them simply “goes away.” However, consider that ovarian cancer statistics show that 70% to 80% of diagnoses are made in late stages when the prognosis is not so good. To give yourself the best chance at long-term survival and even a complete cure, these are 7 of the symptoms to watch out for:1. Persistent indigestion.2. Bloating, feeling of fullness, tightness of clothes.3. Painful intercourse, or dyspareunia.4. Pelvic discomfort or pain.5. Unexplained weight loss or weight gain.6. Leg pain.7. Change in character of menstrual periods.Clearly, some or even most of these symptoms are common enough and could be problematic for women on occasion and most of the time it really is just overindulgence at the local Mexican eatery, too much Turkey dinner, that time of the month, or a strained leg muscle. However, if you experience any of these symptoms consistently on a regular basis it is possible they could be early warning signs of ovarian cancer so have your doctor check you out for peace of mind. Remember, your best chance is an early diagnosis.

I had never given a thought to ovarian cancer, and why would I? When it comes to gynecological cancers you hear about breast cancer all the time, uterine cancer, and cervical cancer when you go for your annual Pap smear, but you never hear much at all about ovarian cancer. I think it’s getting a little more noticed these days but several years ago I really didn’t give it a thought. I’m sure I probably heard the words before at some point but until I was diagnosed with stage 2 ovarian cancer I was pretty ignorant of signs and symptoms and had no idea what to look for. Not to mention I was a very healthy person - rarely even got the flu or colds - and the last thing I expected to hear from my doctor was the dreaded word, “cancer.” As it turned out, I had probably been having early warning signs for some time, possibly years, but I attributed them all as just regular old signs of getting a little older (but not that old! I was only 43) and entering that time in life where different things start to bother you or basically fall apart, kind of like a car that is reaching the end of your warranty. You know how that goes, your warranty runs out and you’re in the repair shop every other week.So I had been having very typical symptoms and had no idea, symptoms such as indigestion (never had that before), bloating, change in menstrual periods (heavier), and some pelvic pain shortly after my periods. The pelvic discomfort/painIt was really a strange symptom I thought because it wasn’t right along with that time of the month but several days after. But then it would go away and I would just figure, you know, getting older, et cetera.But then I started having this annoying leg pain. It was sort of a radiating pain, so I figured it must be something to do with a nerve. I have a little medical knowledge so I thought, could it be some sort of back issue like sciatica? No, I didn’t think so, because it didn’t follow the usual M.O. for that type of nerve pain. Instead of being alleviated by rest it was alleviated by getting up and walking. Maybe a muscle strain? How about fibroids? Yes, that was it, I decided, fibroids. I went online and researched all the symptoms and everything added up! A huge fibroid must be pressing on my sciatic nerve and causing this intolerably aggravating leg pain. I made an appointment with my gynecologist and she agreed, yes, that must be it. Whew, great, nothing that serious to worry about. My gynecologist sent me for an ultrasound where a large mass was seen, so I was immediately sent to a gynecologic oncologist. This was extremely scary but I was reassured by hearing this is the best person for any type of GYN problems (not only cancer but anything abnormal) that are out of the norm because these doctors are very specialized. However, it is very scary to be sitting in the oncologist’s office wondering if you may have cancer. You look around the waiting room and see all the obvious chemotherapy patients, and it’s quite overwhelming. As soon as I had my exam, my doctor scheduled surgery, and soon! My surgery was done six days later and the diagnoses was stage 2 ovarian cancer. I was then scheduled to begin chemotherapy. I did not want to hear this! All I could think of was losing my hair. In the grand scheme of things this is such a small thing, but believe me, when you are faced this it just seems so awful and dreadful.But there was good news hidden inside all of the bad, and that was that I only had stage 2 ovarian cancer and not a later stage which is most often diagnosed (due to the fact that no one realizes they are having any symptoms to be worried about). It is only a very very tiny percentage of diagnoses that are made at stage 1 or 2. The majority of all ovarian cancer diagnoses are made at stage 3 or 4. These later stages are a lot different in terms of prognosis (but not hopeless! there is always hope). I am happy to say I made it through it all and am now cancer free. I do believe though that if I had not had the leg pain I would not have gone to the doctor anytime soon, probably not for quite some time (I really dislike going to the doctor and always put it off), as my symptoms were just so nonspecific and seemingly very benign, and my disease may have gone unnoticed and kept growing to stage III or IV. So please heed your body’s communication with you and if you have anything going on that seems really out of the ordinary for you, even if it is ordinary for others, any early warning signs whatsoever, have it checked out by a doctor. It could make a huge difference in your ultimate diagnosis.