Nutrition Month

Friday, July 23, 2010

Trouble Sleeping during pregnancy

Many women have trouble sleeping during pregnancy, especially during the last month.
Here are some suggestions that help with stress and relaxation in general, which may lead to sleep. Start these before sleeping becomes a serious problem, because if staying awake becomes a habit, it is harder to break.

If you've always been a back or stomach sleeper, you might have trouble getting used to sleeping on your side (as doctors recommend). Try buying a body pillow to give you more support and more positioning options.

If you cannot sleep due to leg cramps, try increasing your calcium intake during the day, and your magnesium intake at night... consider soaking in a tub with epsom salt at night.

If you have symptoms of restless legs, include foods rich in potassium, such as dried apricots, bananas, avocados, potatoes.
Include more calcium from milk products, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, sardines, almonds and Brazil nuts.
Include more magnesium, which is found in many fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lentils and brown rice.

Try not to resort to unisom until you have exhausted the other remedies, but it is okay to use in pregnancy if the sleep is affecting your life negatively. Sometimes a relaxing ritual before you go to bed like soaking in a tub will do the trick.

Acne in pregnancy

Most acne breakouts in pregnant women occur during the first three months of the pregnancy while hormone levels are increasing, causing increased oil production in you skin which causes acne flare-ups. By the second trimester the acne begins to clear up.

There are several acne treatments that are safe for pregnant women, some of them natural and or homemade. There are others that are manufactured which also have been deemed safe for use during pregnancy.

Of course there are some that are not to be used during pregnancy. Before we discuss any of these products remember that before you use any acne treatment consult with your obstetrician.

Benzoyl peroxide, an ingredient in some over the counter acne treatments, has been tested and deemed safe for use by pregnant women.

The first step to preventing acne is to keep the skin clean. Reduce your consumption of sugar and soda. Also, drink plenty of water. Water improves circulation, which will help flush toxins from the skin. Drinking water is important for you, the baby and the production of amniotic fluid. The benefits to your skin are a bonus.

Epsom salts can be used for face and body acne. Just pour a cup of epsom salt in the tub to exfoliate your skin. It can also relieve aches and pains. Some people get boils, bartholin's cysts and infected hair bumps on other parts of their body, and taking an epsom bath and using some of the products listed below on other parts of the body can be soothing.
When bathing, the magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) is absorbed through the skin and is natural way to treat skin problems. Epsom salt is a great exfoliator, and is useful to remove dead skin cells so that the pores have less of a chance of being clogged. Epsom salts soften skin, leave no residue, and don't dry the skin. Exfoliation is great to decrease the depth of the fresh scar, and stimulation of collagen and elastin to promote a healthier structure and appearance in new skin growth. Daily exfoliation is an effective way to fade fresh acne scars cheaply at home. This is easy to do.

For those who require a prescription to control their acne, topical erythromycin or clindamycin can be discussed with your obstetrician.

I have listed below some products that might offer some additional benefit.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Eating fish in pregnancy

Can I eat fish in pregnancy?

When you're pregnant or planning to get pregnant, you shouldn't eat
shark, swordfish, mackerel or marlin. You should also limit the amount of tuna
you eat to no more than two tuna steaks (weighing about 140g when
cooked, or 170g raw) or two medium-size cans of tuna a week (with a
drained weight of about 140g per can).

This is because these fish contain more mercury than other types of
fish. The amount of mercury we get from food isn't harmful for most
people, but if you take in high levels of mercury when you're pregnant
this could affect your baby's developing nervous system. When you're
breastfeeding you don't need to limit the amount of tuna you eat.

When you're pregnant, you should generally avoid having more than two
portions of oily fish a week, such as salmon, trout, mackerel and herring, because it can contain pollutants such as dioxins and PCBs. Shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish have the highest mercury levels and should be avoided by women and young children. For other fish and shellfish with lower mercury levels, women and young children may eat up to two regular servings per week (no more than 6 to 12 ounces).

Eat a variety of fish to minimize exposure and any adverse effects that may
be due to such environmental contaminants.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Ceduce Strips

CEDUCE Designed Especially For Women With Natural Ingredients To Help Raise Libido and Sexual Arousal.

Ceduce utilizes a proprietary blend of all natural ingredients for maximum results. Often a blend of nutrients can work better together than one nutrient on its own. The therapeutic effect is enhanced by the nutrients working together. Damiana leaf can work together with other herbs such as and licorice to stimulate the libido. Traditionally muira puama was used by indigenous tribes as an aphrodisiac and to treat impotence.

Spanish missionaries first recorded that the Mexican Indians drank Damiana tea mixed with sugar for its ability to enhance lovemaking. In herbal medicine, damiana is used to treat conditions ranging from coughs to constipation to depression. The herbal supplement is reputed to help with Fibromyalgia, energy, emphysema, low estrogen, frigidity, hot flashes, impotency, infertility, menopause, Parkinson's disease, PMS, inflammation of prostate, and Lou Gehrig's disease.

Aside from being studied as a fat loss agent, yohimbine is well known as a sexual stimulant.

The effects reported by users of Tongkat Ali extract includes increase in sex drive and libido, muscle gain, weight loss, along with an overall increase in energy and feeling more ‘positive about life’.

In history, M. pruriens has been used as an effective aphrodisiac due to its dopamine increasing properties.
PORTABLE
NO CALORIES
NO WATER REQUIRED
NO SWALLOWING REQUIRED
DISSOLVES IN A FEW SECONDS

Naturally Calm

Help yourself deal with stress naturally. Without pills. Dispensed in a discreet dissolving strip. Contains many well-studied herbal ingredients. L-tryptophan has been used in alternative medicine as an aid to treat sleep problems (insomnia), anxiety, depression, premenstrual syndrome, attention deficit disorder, and for smoking cessation and other conditions.

Not all uses for l-tryptophan have been approved by the FDA. L-tryptophan should not be substituted for medications prescribed for you by your doctor.

Contains St. John's Wort, an herbal remedy used for depression.

Contains Kava Kava, an herbal remedy used for anxiety.

In history, M. pruriens has been used as an effective aphrodisiac. It is still used to increase libido in both men and women due to its dopamine inducing properties. Dopamine has a profound influence on sexual function.

Mucuna pruriens seeds have also been found to have antidepressant properties when consumed.

Come get your happy strip.

These statements have not been reviewed by the FDA. This is not intended to diagnose or cure any disease.

Green Cell for healing

Who Needs Green Supplements?

Super green supplements are safe for almost everyone because there is nothing in them that you wouldn’t find in natural foods. They are all natural and have no chemicals. Because of this, they do not interact with medications in the way some herbal supplements do. However, it is always wise to let your doctor know everything you are taking. Still, are they right for you?

Here are people most likely to benefit from taking these supplements:

People who want to lose weight. Though super green supplements are not magic, they can increase your energy level which gives you more energy to get your daily workout in.

People on a juice fast or colon cleanse. Detoxifying the body is important for weight loss as well and these aid in ridding the body of toxins.

People suffering from fatigue. Anyone who wants to increase their energy level. Dragging at work or school is not productive. Adding super green supplements to your daily diet can help give you the boost of energy you need to accomplish many things.

People recovering from a health ailment If you just had the flu or took antibiotics, you can benefit from a super green supplement. Since the ingredients can aid in the repairing of damage to the body and even reverse the affects of some symptoms, they are a good choice for someone recovering from an illness or surgery.

People who don’t eat enough vegetables. Though parents should continue to offer children a variety of vegetables, putting a super green supplement into a glass of juice or sprinkling it into a meal can help get those much needed nutrients into little bodies.

People who suffer digestive complaints This product contains lactobacillus. Lactobacillus Acidophilus is a type of "friendly bacteria" that resides in a healthy colon. This important bacteria should always be present for optimal intestinal health and function.

When there is an imbalance of bacteria in the colon, you may notice symptoms such as:

Gas
Bloating
Constipation
Malsbsorbtion of Nutrients

People who suffer from anemia People who suffer from anemia are advised to eat green leafy vegetables. This supplement contains spinach, kale, spirulina, wheat grass, and chlorophyll. It is a good alternative for people unable to tolerate iron.

People who eat too much acid and need to balance their pH. Excess acid can cause low energy, fatigue, excess weight, poor digestion, aches, pains, and even more serious disorders. It’s not easy to get enough alkalizing foods in your diet, so this supplement will help tip the scales in your favor.

Your first line of defense and prevention should be a well balanced diet. If your life makes that challenging, then a healthy and natural substitute might make sense. Green supplements are getting positive attention because they can increase health and reduce disease, are considered safe, and can increase nutrition and energy. Adding a green supplement once a day has numerous health benefits that can balance the body and the mind.
The world is becoming more health conscious, which means the market for healthy foods and supplements is growing. Green supplements are coming of age in this time and offer their own special benefits for consumers like you.
As you try to improve your health, you may feel bombarded with all the different miracle supplements on the market. Not all supplements are created equally and it will take a bit of research to decide which supplements are appropriate for you. Take a few moments to read on about green supplements to see if they are the health supplement you are looking for.
In general, any one at any age and in any sort of physical condition could benefit from taking super green supplements. There are, however, some specific health problems that can be aided by the taking of super green supplements.

Though this is not an exhaustive list, if you suffer from any of the following you may greatly benefit from taking green supplements:

Asthma
Depression
Diabetes
Digestive problems
Heart Disease (like stroke)
Prostate problems
Skin disorders
Ulcers

You must keep in mind that green supplements are not considered a cure for any of these health problems. There is simply laboratory evidence that the ingredients in super green supplements can be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of these health problems.



This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Coloring Hair in Pregnancy

I get a lot of questions asking whether it is safe to color hair during pregnancy.

There is, as yet, no definite answer to these questions. In many cases these colors contain chemicals that are teratogenic, which means that these chemicals can cause birth defects. Hair dye or hair color has indeed been found to harm the fetus in animals, but the same data is not available for humans. In addition, the amount of chemicals administered to the animals was much greater than the amount a woman would use to color her hair once a month. When lower doses of these chemicals were applied to animals, they were found to be relatively harmless. However, as no human data is available, research on this subject is not conclusive. Because the dye is absorbed through the scalp and into the body (it can be identified in urine) some medical experts are hesitant to give carte blanche to hair coloring during all three trimesters.

So should you color your hair?

As you are going to be pregnant for nine months, it is perfectly understandable that you want to look good and feel good during this time. In fact, it is important that a woman feels good about herself when she is pregnant. Needless to say, there's not a lot you can do about your weight or figure, but you certainly can do something to make your hair look better, to hide those grey strands and to brighten it up. The question is, should you?

Not at all in the first trimester.

Your baby is most susceptible to harm in the first trimester, so it is best to avoid colouring your hair at all during this time. We know for sure that the chemicals in hair dyes and hair colours are not very toxic, and are relatively harmless except when administered in large doses. If a change in your hair color makes you feel better about yourself, play safe by coloring your hair in the 2nd or 3rd trimester.

Henna is a safer option

Henna is a completely natural product, so if you must color to your hair cover grey strands, highlighting and coloring may not be the best solution for you. In this case you could consider applying henna to your hair. Henna has no chemicals, and is safer for the baby. If you can find a color that suits you, this is your best bet.

Wear gloves

If you are coloring your hair by yourself at home, make sure you wear gloves. Wash off the color after the requisite time, and do not keep it for longer than necessary. The best way to ensure a healthy baby is to keep your contact with chemicals to the minimum.

Henna is great for making your hair darker, but to highlight your hair, this is safe...

For blonde highlights mix 1 cup of lemon juice with 3 cups of chamomile tea that has been brewed, cooled, and strained. Pour over damp hair and let sit for one hour - again sunlight will enhance the properties of the color. Wash out and follow with a conditioner. For significant blonde color use daily for up to three weeks.

Highlights seem safer than full hair color

Some people don't want to take a chance on coloring the whole head of hair, and want to consider adding highlights. This process involves applying the chemicals one-half to one-inch from your roots, they don't ever touch your scalp... until the rinsing process. So, they have less contact with your skin... but not zero. I still think the vegetable derived dyes are the safest bet.

Monday, July 5, 2010

HCG diet-general concepts

HCG Diets are weight loss programs that help you lose weight with the use of HCG and a very low calorie diet. Dr. Simeons originally used the diet with his patients. His diet and his work are discussed in his manuscript “Pounds and Inches” which was researched over 40 years ago.

Today, we continue the diet to help people detox and recover their organs. The concept of the program is based on the power of HCG to change a person’s metabolism which can happen when the organs get a "break". HCG is the same hormone that is secreted during pregnancy and when present in the body, it affects many metabolic functions. Combined with a special 500 calorie a day diet, HCG can reportedly force your body to utilize the stored fat in your body, thus losing weight rather rapidly.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Folic acid metabolism problems

MTHFR

MTHFR is a gene that makes a protein called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (now you see why we call it MTHFR). The MTHFR mutation is actually just a certain version of the gene.

This version leads to a weaker MTHFR protein. And people with weak MTHFR proteins need extra folic acid.

Indications for MTHFR DNA Testing:

* Hyperhomocysteinemia

* History of venous thromboembolism, coronary artery disease, and/or stroke

* History of pregnancy complications including neural tube defects, stillbirths, and/or recurrent pregnancy loss

* Individuals with other genetic hypercoagulabilites (e.g. factor V Leiden)

* Relatives of individuals with hyperhomocysteinemia and MTHFR gene mutations

*Current or past history of Hypertension and/or Preeclampsia
Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is the name of a gene that produces an enzyme, also called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. If a person carries the genetic mutation that inhibits production of this enzyme, it can result in hyperhomocytenemia, which is an elevated level of an enzyme called homocysteine found in blood plasma.

When the body is deficient in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, its ability to absorb folate (also known as vitamin B9), such as folic acid, is inhibited.

People with this mutation need extra folic acid. Something called homocysteine builds up in their blood and they need folic acid to combat its effects.

Symptoms Because MTHFR is a blood-based disease with many varieties, symptoms vary depending on the exact mutation of the disease. They can include:

*blood clots

*depression

*anxiety

Treatment Taking folic acid can help women with certain mutations of the disease. Folic acid can be found in eggs, dark leafy vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli, oranges and orange juice and legumes, such as peas and dried beans. Vitamin supplements also contain folic acid. Since this mutation is permanent, it is recommended that you take a supplement containing folic acid throughout your entire life.
Folic acid is often labeled folate or folicin. However, none of these are the active form of folate (known as 5-MTHF or l-methylfolate) your body can absorb and put to work. It takes four separate biochemical reactions for your body to turn folic acid into active folate. You can buy metafolin
if you have difficulty metabolizing folic acid. The products and statements made about specific products on this web site have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. All information provided on this web site or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this web site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new vitamins, supplements, diet, or exercise program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. Any testimonials on this web site are based on individual results and do not constitute a guarantee that you will achieve the same results.


http://www.gdx.net/core/sample-reports/NutrEval_FMV-Sample-Report.pdf http://www.spectracell.com/mnt/#nutrients Testing is available for vitamin deficiencies