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During menopause, many women report that the challenge of weight loss becomes even more difficult. The need to lose weight haunts women most of the time, and now more men are reporting the same struggle. When women hit menopause, weight gathers around the waist and hips; despite our best efforts to diet and exercise.

What we know is that this additional body fat is linked to your hormones. Most women follow a conventional low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet with lots of processed foods. Eventually this diet creates a condition known as insulin resistance; see Dr. Schwarzbein’s book on the book list. When you are insulin resistant, your body converts calories into fat even when you are dieting. Menopause feels like a losing battle, but it doesn’t have to be.

When you are stressed, as the body typically is during menopause, stress hormones block weight loss. Despite adequate food, the body acts as if it’s in a famine and stores all spare calories as fat.

This leads to a metabolic disorder called adrenal fatigue.

Many women combine a high-stress life with a low-fat, high-carb diet which creates a powerful hormonal imbalance which causes us to gain weight. Yo-yo dieting exacerbates the problem.

Also, when a woman is on a high-carb diet she is often barraged with a craving for sweets. The body can’t maintain optimal blood sugar and serotonin levels, so you snack and drink caffeine to feel better. That makes your insulin resistance worse and the vicious cycle of gaining weight is accelerated.

During perimenopause, women lose estrogen which is an added factor to this problem. As estrogen decreases, the body needs extra fat resources. Other factors that play into this problem, are unresolved emotional issues, food sensitivities, digestive issues such as yeast, and even heavy metal toxicity.

So what do we do?

The most important step is to GET HEALTHY!

Follow an eating plan like the one in the Schwarzbein Principle or the Zone Diet

You need protein at every meal, low carbs, very little to no processed food, and lots of fruit and vegetables

Drink plenty of water

Take nutritional supplements

Try Supplements Designed for Menopause

Stop weighing yourself, use your clothes as a gauge (focus on your health not your weight)

Start exercising – walk 4-5 times a week for 30 minute (it boosts metabolism)

Get help for emotional eating – you have to face your fears to get through them

Reduce the stress in your life, make time for fun and relaxation – strive for BALANCE

Learn to love yourself during menopause and accept who you are and at what stage in life you find yourself

Menopause can make weight loss even more challenging for both women and men. But with the right knowledge and some hard work, it can be done.

Here’s some products that deal with cellulite

The information in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice.

When you walk in the door, you see a stack of papers floating around your desk, and when you go home, just as at the office, you can’t find those important papers you need so desperately to stay out of trouble or make an excuse.

When you come home at night, you and your spouse argue, and your children ignore you because you just aren’t spending family time with some of the important people in your life.

Does this sound familiar?

Have you ever wondered why?

Well, you are not managing your time accordingly so that you reap benefits and the ones you love are happy. You are not organized, so therefore how the heck can you find those important documents?

Moms already have a big responsibility and we neglect to manage our times, our responsibilities turn to chaos.

Let’s face it: it is never easy to stay organized when we have busy work schedules and a family to attend to, as well as other responsibilities.

The traditional individuals often store files in a filing cabinet, and clean their room and desk once every week. However, there are people out there that are spontaneous. Some of us even store documents so they are out of sight and soon find those documents are out of mind, until someone calls their attention to the papers.

The key to success moms is getting your priorities straight. If you shop for groceries once per week, you can cut back time by buying enough to last longer, so that grocery shopping isn’t part of your weekly plan.

The extra hour or more that you spend at the supermarket can be spent on quality time with the family. This is only one solution to managing your time, but it is certainly a start. In addition, you can make up a list of your duties, starting with the most important tasks first, and working through the list one at a time. I found this to be a great solution for managing time, since when you work hard to complete one task, the rests fall into place with ease.

If you spend an hour or even one half hour in the mirror, it is probably because you are not feeling good about your self. It takes approximately five minutes to put make-up on, and to stand in the mirror longer is only taking up time. Hair is also important since our person in general sets an impression. If you spend longer time than needed doing your hair, try finding nice looking hairstyles that are less complicated to style. This is also a great process of the time management solution. Clothing should also be limited but appropriate for whatever it is that you doing and it should not take less than a couple of minutes to get dressed.

Unless you are a model, or actress, overdressing is not appropriate in most cases for every day life situations. If you are spending extra time preparing meals, you might want to consider recipes that are quick and healthy to manage your time mom.

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A breast enlargement pills costs much less than surgery and leaves no scars. Breast enhancement pills can really be an excellent non-surgical option for women desiring breast enlargement. Although initially met with skepticism, these pills are actually producing some excellent breast enlargement results in women. Many women choose a breast enlargement pills in order to feel better about their looks without undergoing surgery. You do not have to worry about recovery time with a breast enlargement pills. Does anybody know a good site where breast enlargement pills are really reviewed. Now if you are not up for surgery, but still want larger breasts, you may opt for natural breast enlargement pills.

These natural breast enhancement/enlargement pills are guaranteed to work! “Breast Enlargement Pills” These pills use herbs and foods for breast enhancement has been used in folk medicine for centuries. Takeing natural breast enlargement pills can creast natural breast enhancement and breasts splendor to admire! They scan web pages for the information they want regarding breast enlargement pills for transsexuals, but they do not read every word carefully. The veins are most likely due to the breast enlargement that you got with the pills. Most women prefer the idea of natural breast enlargement pills as opposed to plastic surgery.

Pueraria Mirifica Pills KWAOTIP THAI FDA. G. 187/42

Kwaotip is a premuim grade Thai traditional herbal formula derived mainly from White Kwaotip Krua (Pueraria Mirifica). After many years of research from Dr. Wichai Cherdshewasart, the studies indicated that this herb shows estrogenic and rejuvenate effects to the female body especially at the breast, hip, facial skin, body skin, hair and vaginal epithelium. Thus elevate the appearance of the female secondary sexual characteristics and also the skin beauty.

ALL Natural Dietary Supplement

Hight Phytoestrogen (especially isoflavonet):

*Increases sensitivity and vitality

*Promotes silky shiny hair ,keeps hair pattem bone calcium accumulation

*Enhances breast and skin appearance

*Serves as a anti-wrinkle agent

*Enhances physical and mental ability

*Serves as a fountain of youth

Ingredients: Pueraria Mirifica and other herbs (60 capsules per box)

Recommended Dosage: Take 2 capsules after breakfast and dinner.

Precautions: – Not for women under 20 years old.

- Women with developing cyst at the ovary, breast, and uterus.

- Pregnant women and breast feeking mother should avoid taking this product.

- Women who are taking birth control pill should not take this product.

Orgasm is the crowning of a successful and highly pleasurable session of sex. It puts a smile on the lips of satisfied women and makes men walk with a swagger. It’s the biggest little thing in the world and the crucial detail and the end of a delightful exertion. Life without orgasms is simply not possible.

But orgasm is not limited in scope to making one (or two) people feel good for five or ten minutes before falling asleep. Science has shown that frequent sex and orgasms are very important to the general well-being and health of every person. The more frequent the orgasm, the better off that person is going to be on both the physical and psychological planes.

Everyday life is bound to result in some nervous tensions for most people as the troubles of jobs and relationships take their toll on the mental balance. Sex and orgasms are a chance for these tensions to join the psychological and physical build-up and release. Thus, the mind uses orgasm to flush the tensions out of the system and replace them with the delicious relaxation of that comes with pleasure.

The best thing to do after disentangling from the tender embrace is, of course, to slide into sleep. The combined exertion of sex and relaxation brought by orgasm is the perfect replacement for any sleeping pill. Instead of reaching out for the bottle of pills, you would be better off reaching out for the man lying in bed next to you or for your favorite sex toy. It’s a perfectly natural solution that we heartily recommend.

Don’t let headaches get in the way. What men don’t realize is that headaches are many times a woman’s way of saying “You have to try harder”. The pleasure brought by orgasm is the result of a discharge of endorphins into the brain. No headache can survive the attack of pleasure flooding the brain and the calming effect it has.

Aside from releasing endorphins into the brain sexual stimulation also activates the production of phenethylamine, an amphetamine secreted by the body which is thought to play a role in the regulation of appetite. Of course, sex is not meant to replace dieting, but it seems to go some way toward helping you rein in those food cravings and it does burn some calories. In fact, sex burns a bit more calories per minute than tennis.

The number of scientific studies showing that frequent orgasms are good for one’s health is testimony to the important role played by a successful sex life in the physical and mental health of all men and women. Aside from the fact that increased heart rate and heavy breathing keep the circulatory system in shape and make oxygen circulate through the body, sex has other benefits.

A study published in Psychosomatic Medicine in 1976 showed that failure to reach orgasm has a negative impact on the cardiovascular health of women. Doctor Winnifred Cutler, a specialist in endocrinology, found that women who have sex at least once a week are more likely to have normal menstrual cycles and higher levels of estrogen in their blood. Healthy levels of estrogen help keep the cardiovascular system in shape, fight cholesterol and keep the skin supple.

This is why we recommend the Ultimate Sex Guide. This one-stop guide to more pleasure than ever before is packed with new positions, tricks and tips that will banish boredom and routine from your relationship. Bring back the spark and make it turn into a flame with the help of new information. More pleasure means a healthier life for you and your partner.

These days, there is much controversy surrounding the subject of pubic hair. In particular, the buzz is mostly about whether or not the hair in this very private area should or should not be removed. If the decision to remove pubic hair is made, just how much should actually be removed? Is a trim sufficient? Should the bikini line be free of unsightly, coarse black curls? Or should a woman jump on the bandwagon and go for the much-hyped Brazilian wax?

It seems that waxing is by far the pubic hair removal treatment method of choice for most. Waxing is relatively inexpensive, and in most cases, is only temporarily uncomfortable, mostly during the time of the actual procedure. When it’s over, the skin in the pubic area is soft and stubble-free.

Waxing is not a permanent hair removal treatment. With this process, the hairs are simply pulled out of the hair shafts. Hair will grow back in a few weeks, which means that the waxing process will have to be repeated for as long as the effect is desired. However, some people claim that the hair that does grow back does diminish over time and that these hairs grow back with a different texture: they’re finer and not as course as they once were. Because it is possible that repeated plucking of the hairs out of their shafts may ultimately damage the actual hair follicle, the point from which the hair grows, future hair growth can be affected.

Another benefit of waxing is that it enables a person to better control the location of the pubic area that is to be hair-free. It’s a quick process, and one that a person can do on his or her own, if desired. However, there are plenty of people who will perform this hair removal technique for you, if you’re willing to share this very personal encounter! Many waxing products are available but be sure you read the label before purchasing. You want a waxing product that is safe to use in this area.

Sugaring is a technique that is similar to waxing. But instead of using wax, which can be messy and difficult to clean up, a sugar-based organic mixture is used instead. Generally mixed with honey and lemon, the sugary paste concept has been around for centuries. The paste is applied to the skin, and as it hardens, it traps the pubic hairs. Once it has paste hardened, it is pulled very quickly from the skin, removing the hair as it goes.

Waxing or sugaring generally won’t cause skin irritation like shaving and chemical-based depilatories often do. And these methods are far less expensive than laser treatments and electrolysis.

Appearance is very important, it is the first thing you notice when you meet someone. As you grow older the body starts to let you down, but there are a few things that you can do. Some ideas are very simple, while others need a bit of work but they can all help to turn back the clock and make you look younger.

1. Standing up straight is one of the best ways to look younger and more confident. Standing straight, with shoulders back and down with your tummy pulled in. At first you will need to practice and check yourself that you are standing up straight but soon it will become second nature. Doing exercises to strengthen your tummy muscles will also help.

2. Having enough sleep, at least 7 to 8 hours a night will make you feel healthier and younger. Your body needs sleep so that it can repair your body cells and refresh you mind.

3. Smiling makes you look radiant and younger. Smiling also distracts from areas that show your age. A smile just changes your whole face, try standing in front of a mirror and see what smile can do for your face.

4. Just because you are older does not necessarily mean that you have to have a short haircut. It all depends on the shape of your face, a short hairstyle can be cut to flatter and frame your face. This can be great to draw attention away from signs of ageing. Though longer hairstyles can be just as flattering as long as you have a good haircut that is shaped and maybe layered. A good hairdresser should be able to advise on the best way to cut your hair, as it does not just depend on the shape of your face but also on the texture and volume of your hair.

5. Colouring your hair is also a great way to hide the tale tell grey hairs. It is best to choose a colour that is close to your original colour so that it naturally compliments your facial tones. Otherwise you can have high lights or low lights put into your hair, and these do not require re-doing as frequently as an all over colour.

6. Choose the right clothes to compliment your body and hide the areas that you do not like. For example if you have flabby arms you can wear three quarter length sleeves to hide them. Soft colours will help you look younger because your skin tones become greyer as you get older.

7. Keep your teeth clean, with brushing and flossing, and with regular visits to the dentist to have your teeth checked. Getting teeth cleaned to prevent plague build up can also save you losing teeth unnecessarily. If your teeth are discoloured, the dentist might suggest whitening them, so that you will be happy to smile and show off your teeth.

8. Losing weight can also help you look younger. Make sure that as you lose weight that you tone your body with aerobic and resistance exercises.

9. Make-up can also help as long as you do not cake it on. Use a light foundation that does not sink into the wrinkles and emphasis them is better than a heavier one that does. Be careful about which eyeshadows to use, cream ones will sink into your wrinkles.

10. Look after your skin. Do not clean your face with soap and water but with a proper cleanser so that it dissolves all the make-up on the face and cleanses it properly. Always make sure that you remove your make-up every night as one night leaving it on can age your skin eight days. After cleaning your skin make sure that you moisture it so that it keeps your skin hydrated and younger looking.

With the aids that have been shown above on how to look younger, start today by choosing a couple of ideas, implement them and watch the changes in your appearance.

Sensitive skin shows continuous hyperactivity to environmental factors and exhibits a reduced tolerance to frequent or prolonged use of cosmetics and toiletries. The skin displays signs of irritation such as erythema, desquamation or discomfort such as itching, burning and stinging. These conditions are becoming even more pronounced after exposure to dry and cold climates. Sensitivity can also increase with age. It has been reported for example that the skin gets more sensitive in women at the beginning of menopause.

Many ingredients usually included in cosmetics such as dimethyl sulfoxid, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, propylene glycol, lactic acid, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium benzoate, cinnamic acid, sorbic acid are potential irritants. Formulations, in which a beneficial constituent is involved, can be detrimental for the skin in certain conditions. For example, a formulation containing a small molecule such as acid hydroxy acetic (AHA) with a lower pH can provoke sensations of tingling, itching or irritation when applied to sensitive, unhealthy or inflamed skin. Such reactions can be triggered by uncontrolled release of the acid, fast penetration into the skin and low pH.

The moisturizers, which enhance the barrier function of the skin can protect against different irritants. Therefore, choosing a good moisturizer is one of the most important steps for a healthy skin. Natural constituents such as: essential fatty acids (linoleic and gamma linoleic acids), vitamins, minerals, high percentage of water and water like ingredients are the basic stones for providing skin regeneration and nourishment. Humectants, such as glycerin have an important role in retaining skin moisture and support the elasticity of the skin. Antioxidants, such as protoanthocyanidins found in grape seed oil for example, are particularly helpful in stabilizing the collagen structure, which held tissues together. Other antioxidants such as, beta carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C and selenium are beneficial for overall protection against environmental condition and UV rays. And finally, the least chemicals in a cream, the least chances of irritation and adverse affects it has when applied onto the skin.

By using natural and organic skin treatments, you will receive the same beneficial effects to your health as you would eat an organic food. Natural products are easily assimilated through the skin, easily metabolized as they are recognizable molecules and the surplus is easily discarded. However, the skin adjustment to the natural regimen is not a rapid process and it doesn’t occur with one application. It is a long term commitment, which substantially increases your skin health and rejuvenating power.

You certainly may choose the shortest way of becoming suddenly perfect, by covering skin imperfection with makeup, or by choosing a strong synthetic cream, which might show you 5 years younger but usually with side effects.

In conclusion: give your skin the same attention as your inner body. Nourish it and protect it as you would nourish and protect your whole body. Don’t wait until is too late to change to a natural cosmetic regimen.

In the olden days, the sun and gold and god and prosperity were all tied up together. They were also mostly considered to be the domain of men and many amongst us who are not of that gender still carry a residual notion that this might not be for “our kind”, simply by the virtue of overwhelming experience of so many generations for a hundred thousand years.

Fact is though that the sun is a powerful prosperity and wealth symbol, perhaps the most powerful of them all – and it shines on EVERYONE.

This prosperity sunrise is a shamanic healing meditation designed to bring you closer to the aspects of wealth and power inherent in the symbolism of the sun; it is easy to do and quite wonderful.

If you are of a mind, you could put on some suitable music and move or dance this meditation – this will give you 360′ of physical movement which strengthens the experience and makes it far more profound than if it is entirely autogenic.

So in a moment, close your eyes and find yourself on a wide, sweeping plane, cool and dark it is still but there is a banding on the far horizon that tells you the sun is about to rise.

This is YOUR personal prosperity sunrise.

Feel the power and radiance of the sun increasing as the sky fills with living light, as it gets brighter and brighter, all around, you feel the light and then the sun rises majestically over the horizon and floods the plane with light, bathes you in light, powerful energy, powerful charge and powerful wealth.

Accept this blessing with open arms.

Open your heart, your mind and all your being to the golden rays of sun.

Turn around slowly on the spot and bathe in this blessing of wealth and brilliant power.

When you are filled to overflowing and beyond, return and …

Continue with your day!

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

MENOPAUSE IS ENLIGHTENMENT

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

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

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

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

TAKING HORMONES? THESE HERBS ARE FOR YOU

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

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

Herbal Helpers Counter Side-Effects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Herbal Allies to Prevent Problems Caused by Taking Hormones

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF ESTROGENS

• Women make estrogens.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• I eat phytoestrogenic foods daily in quantity.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NEWS NOTES ON PHYTOESTROGENIC PLANTS

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

The American Academy of Dermatology has revealed that on the average, adult Americans use at least seven various cosmetics or cosmetic products daily.

The thing is that products like shampoos, colognes, deodorants, moisturizers and other cosmetics have become part of people’s daily personal routines and they are considered necessities these days.

Cosmetics are primarily used to enhance beauty and some people have become so dependent on them that they become part of lifestyles.

Without any further explanation, it is apparent and very much understood that there are several specified ingredients in such cosmetics that function like antigens or trigger substances for allergic reactions, like fragrances and preservatives.

Cosmetic allergies are not so common. However, experts and studies found that on the average, about 10% of the country’s population is expected to form or experience a form of cosmetic allergy within their lifetime.

But it would be logical to assert that women are more prone to experience cosmetics allergy than men.

Symptoms of cosmetic allergy

Basically, there are only two major skin reactions that will clearly indicate the onset of cosmetics allergy. These are allergic contact dermatitis and irritant contact dermatitis.

The most common manifestation of allergies from cosmetics is inflammation in the infected skin area. The affected spot would exhibit redness and swelling, and most of the time, those two symptoms are carried out with mild to severe itching.

Basic and primary symptoms for cosmetics dermatitis immediately show up or develop after the skin has taken contact with cosmetic products.

Symptoms for cosmetic allergy occurs when the skin breaks down after contact with identified harsh substances. Upon contact, those substances or allergens immediately and directly affect and injure the skin’s outer layer, thus the onset of symptoms.

Like any other form of allergies, cosmetics allergy should not be considered a disease. Rather it is just a normal reaction as the body’s protective immune system throws out or rejects foreign and harmful substances.

Treatment of cosmetics allergy

Creams and ointments specifically manufactured to treat cosmetics allergy are available without prescriptions through retailers and drug stores.

Most of these medications contain cortisone in the form of hydrocortisone acetate and hydrocortisone. Cortisones help curtail redness, swelling and itching during the onset of cosmetics allergy symptoms.

In severe cases, doctors prescribe extra-strong medications and ointments that can effectively and immediately relieve the allergy. Antibiotics are needed if blisters in the skin, which is caused by cosmetics allergy, cracks and becomes infected.

How to prevent cosmetics allergy

There are some recommended measures that can help you prevent contracting cosmetics allergy. Take note of the following ways.

- Before using any cosmetic products, read its labels. Look out for active ingredients that can obviously trigger an allergic reaction to your skin. Find products or alternatives that do not contain such ingredients.

- Perform mini-patch tests to determine if a new cosmetic product is too strong for your skin. It is done by rubbing your wrist with the products and observing for any redness or recatio within 24 hours.

- When buying cosmetics, pick up those that contain very simple cosmetic formulas.

- When wearing perfume, apply it on your clothes, not in your skin.

It would do you no harm if you take several precautions to avoid getting cosmetics allergy. Prevention is much better that treatments. Remember, cosmetic allergy, just like any other allergies, is only treatable, not curable.