Blaine561's Romance and Dating Advice Center

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.

You will find quite a bit of information available these days all about search engine optimisation. In fact there can appear to be so much to learn that it puts people off even trying to pick up the basics. The only way to ensure your website is successful, is to learn about SEO unless you are planning on paying someone to do this job for you. If you do want to benefit from SEO, then the good news is that you won’t have too much to learn. Below are just some of the things that you should learn in order to benefit your website

• One of the easiest SEO tactics that people can begin implementing right away is to label any images they put on their website. This labelling should include relevant keywords. When you label your images, you will probably see an increase in visitor numbers.

• Writing good quality content is an essential part of SEO. This is because it will encourage a lot of organic SEO. Readers will want to link to the content because they view it as valuable; this means that these people will be doing the search engine optimisation work for free. Although it is not enough to just write good quality content, it is a very important part of SEO.

• Using social media to promote your website is another effective SEO tactic that does not need to require much effort. You will no doubt see a jump in visitor numbers if you supply links to your content via Twitter or Facebook on a regular basis. And don’t forget sites such as StumbleUpon for link sharing.

All website owners understand the advantages of getting a SEO agency. There are a lot things a good SEO company can achieve for your website, including article marketing. There is no point in walking a lone furrow with regards to SEO, so get the assistance of some experts. But SEO is only part of the equation, web hosting are equally important.

Most of the women die of poor reproductive health as a result of unwanted pregnancies or because of sexually transmitted diseases. Sexually transmitted disease, as the term indicates is any sort of venereal disease caused due to sexual intercourse or other sexual intact. The microbes which cause STD’s are just opportunity bugs that don’t consider any gender or sex but only require a warm body. In women, STD’s often lead to infertility, miscarriage, infection among the newborn or premature birth of the child.

You should know the below mentioned facts to protect yourselves from sexually transmitted diseases.

1. STD easily spreads when there is any transfer of bodily fluids such as semen, vaginal secretions or blood from any person to another.

2. If a person has any sort of sexually transmitted disease and some other person has sex with that infected person, he or she is the quickest victim of STD. This is the reason why one should avoid having multiple partners or any monogamous relationship where one person is carrying an infection from a prior sexual encounter.

3. Sexually transmitted diseases are very contagious so if a woman has sex with his partner who is already infected with gonorrhea (a kind of STD) then she holds a chance of 80 to 90 percent of getting the disease. In case her partner carries two diseases namely gonorrhea and Chlamydia, she could be infected with both of them at the same time.

4. Vaginal intercourse carries the highest STD infections but other routes such as anal sex, oral sex or sexual abuse of children and mother to baby infection during child birth are also causes for such diseases.

5. STD’s weakens the immune system and therefore if a person is infected with such disease he or she has more chances of getting other infections. Even if a person recovers from a sexually transmitted disease, he or she has a weak immune system.

6. STD among women is not much obvious as compared to men which show clear symptoms of the disease. As such the problem could be misdiagnosed among women.

7. Most of the times, it happens that women are infected with such diseases but since the symptoms are not clear they unknowingly infect other sexual partner.

8. Men are secretly bisexual and as such they could easily pick up an STD from any homosexual encounter and pass it to an unsuspecting heterosexual partner.

9. Lesbians are less likely to have STD’s as sexually transmitted diseases are not easily spread from woman to woman.

The Human Parvo Virus B19 is present in almost every place. One of the diseases it produces is called the ‘Fifth disease”, a common infection experienced during childhood or adolescence. Thus, the National Center for Infectious Diseases has estimated that approximately 50% of all adults have experienced the fifth disease. After recovering from the disease, a person will most likely have developed immunity against further attacks of the B19 parvovirus.

A woman who is pregnant can be attacked by the B19 parvovirus. This occurrence is usually not life-threatening since many pregnant women are already immune to the virus. This immunity will also protect the unborn child. But sometimes, the pregnant woman will be easily fatigued and have mucous discharges from her nose. Aside from this, there are no serious human parvo virus symptoms that could endanger the lives of both mother and child. The B19 was never linked to mental retardation or any birth defects.

But there are a few cases of pregnant women who, after being infected by the B19 parvovirus, suffered miscarriage in the first half of pregnancy. The cause of the miscarriage is the severe anemia that happens to the unborn baby. The National Center for Infectious Diseases estimated these few cases to be about 5% of all B19-infected pregnant women.

If a pregnant woman has been known to be exposed to the B19 parvovirus, she should immediately inform her personal doctor about it. Usually, the physician will perform blood tests in order to know the medical situation of the pregnant woman with regards to the B19 parvovirus infection. The blood test will reveal one of the following:

· The pregnant woman is already immune to the B19 parvovirus and her body is not suffering any infection – This means that she has nothing to worry about the presence of the virus. Her immune system can easily handle the B19 parvovirus.

· The pregnant woman had a recent infection, most probably within the last three months – This means that the pregnancy must be closely monitored. There are no specific steps established to monitor a pregnant woman who recently had a B19 parvovirus infection, but the doctor can perform ultrasound examinations and more blood tests to make sure that the unborn baby is developing as he/she should be.

· The pregnant woman has no B19 parvovirus infection but she has no immunity against it – This means that the woman must avoid exposure to the B19 parvovirus. There is no vaccine yet against the B19 infection.

If the blood results revealed that the pregnant woman has no immunity against the B19 parvovirus infection, and she believes that she has been exposed to this virus, the doctor cannot provide medications to stop the infection. All the doctor and the pregnant woman can do is to weather the infection, which could last for one to two weeks. The unborn baby will be frequently examined for any signs of anemia.

Laser hair removal has become one of the most popular techniques for removing unwanted body hair. Much of the reason this technique has become popular is that it has the capability to permanently remove unwanted hair, without causing a lot of pain. However the procedure is fairly expensive, and you may have to visit a clinic multiple times to get the results you desire. Also, laser hair removal will not work for everyone as its effectiveness is highly dependant on skin pigmentation.

Laser hair removal works by shining a laser onto the skin where it gets absorbed by the melanin pigment in the hair follicles. Ironically, nobody is exactly certain what causes this hair removal process to work. But it is believed that the heat generated at the hair follicle by the laser breaks down that follicle so that it will no longer grow hair. In some cases it is possible that the follicle may be damaged but not permanently destroyed. Since hair grows in cycles in some cases people have had hair come back after undergoing laser hair removal. The laser can be modulated so that it goes through the skin and directly to the hair follicle without causing significant pain or discomfort.

Laser hair removal does not work for everyone. Results will depend on your skin type. Generally speaking, the results are best with people who have fair skin. However if your skin is too light colored it still might not work. For people with lighter hair, or people with little melanin in their hair it might not be as effective. Be sure to fully understand the benefits to your skin type before paying the money to try laser hair removal.

The laser hair removal procedure is quite simple. A practitioner will guide the laser over the body areas to be treated. Typically this will take about one hour for an entire set of legs.

In order to prevent the skin from getting burned various gels and cooling sprays are rubbed onto the area to be treated prior to the laser beam directed towards the hair follicles. When you have the procedure done you’ll wear protective goggles to prevent any possibility of the laser impacting your eyes. This removes one of the potential dangers that could exist by having a laser used on your body in this fashion.

Laser hair removal is effective at removing hair all wide range of body parts. Effective areas that are treated include the legs, chest, back, under arms, and facial hair. The chin and the upper lip are the most commonly treated areas.

Laser hair removal can be quite expensive, especially if you have a large area to be treated. In many cases it will take four or five treatments to get the results you are looking for. However, laser hair removal offers a superior alternative to other more painful or less permanent techniques of removing unwanted body hair.

If you are considering trying this technique to remove unwanted body hair, be sure to research practitioners in your area and ask for references. Laser hair removal might be the right solution for some people. But for others laser hair removal will not be as effective. For those who are not good candidates for laser hair removal, or anyone else who is concerned that the procedure might not yield permanent results, electrolysis might be a better alternative.

Identity theft is the fastest growing criminal activity in the 20th Century, replacing illegal drug sales.

How BIG is this Problem?

Banks, credit card companies and businesses that house servers storing passwords or other sensitive information all report “break-ins”through Trojan viruses or other online hacking methods – resulting in the loss of millions of pieces of information. Instances of lost information are employees selling it and other lax security measures resulting in thieves having access to your identity.

Thieves Want

- Your Name

- Date of Birth

- Home Address

- Phone Numbers

- Social Security Number

- Driver’s License Number

- Credit Card Numbers

- CW2 Security Code (the number on the back of your credit card)

- Your Credit Report

- ATM Cards

- Telephone Calling Cards

- Mortgage Details

Where Are They Getting Your Information?

- Banks

- Credit-Reference Agencies

- Retailers

- Credit Card Networks

- Data-Brokerage Companies

- Payment Processing Companies

- Phone Companies

- Schools

- Your Employer

- Doctors, Clinics and Health Departments

- Government Agencies

There are other effective methods:

- Dumpster Diving

- Mail Theft

- Retail Theft

- “Phishing”/pretexting/pretending

- Purse/Wallet Theft

What are Thieves Using Your Information For?

- Making charges to your existing credit cards

- Opening new credit cards in your name

- Having phone or utilities turned on

- Withdrawing money from your existing bank accounts

- Employment purposes

- Driver’s Licenses

- Tax Fraud

- Social Service benefits

- Student loans

- Business or Personal loans

- Health care

- Mortgage loans/leases

- Auto loans

- Using your ID when caught committing a crime

How Can You Protect Yourself?

- Keep a photocopy of your credit cards, bank account numbers and investment account numbers in a safe

place

- Keep your credit card receipts

- Put a “fraud alert” on all your credit reports

- If you apply for credit and the card doesn’t arrive on time, call the card issuer

- Choose difficult PIN numbers or passwords. (Don’t use birth dates, your mother’s maiden name, etc.)

- Never give personal information to anyone who sends you an email, a letter or calls you asking for it

- Shred personal information

- Don’t use the ATM machine if someone is watching you

- Pay attention to what’s going on around you – cell phones often have cameras in them. If someone is standing by you with a cell phone while you’re entering a PIN number, block their view

- Review your bills each month. If there’s something you don’t remember, call the creditor.

- Check your credit report at least once a year

- Store your cancelled checks safely.

- Don’t leave your purse in plain sight when driving

- Keep your valuables locked in the trunk or glove box when driving

- Make all personal information on your computer password protected

- Don’t carry information about your PIN numbers, passwords and account numbers in your purse or wallet

Warning Signs that Your Identity Has Been Stolen:

- A loan application is denied, or you’re refused extended credit requests

- You are contacted by a debt-collection agency

- Your purse or wallet has been stolen, or your house broken into

- Unfamiliar activity on your credit report

What to do if it Happens to You:

- If your purse or wallet is stolen, call the police

- Contact your bank, credit card and other credit extending companies and report the theft

- Close accounts

- Contact the credit-reporting companies

- Have fraudulent activity removed immediately and monitor your credit report every 90 days for the next year

- Put everything in writing

- File a report with the Federal Trade Commission

- Change passwords on your existing accounts and create new ones for new accounts

Identity theft is real. There are no guarantees you can keep your information safe, by taking proactive steps to protect yourself, you can minimize your chances of having an “identity crisis”.

Pregnancy is an exciting time for any woman, but with the many pregnancy complications out there, it can also be scary for first time mothers. It has been reported that one in every thousand pregnancies in the U.S. is a molar pregnancy, which makes it one of the most common pregnancy complications for women today.

What is a molar pregnancy?

This occurs when a sperm fertilizes an empty egg. Even though it’s empty, it continues to develop and a placenta is formed despite there being no fetus. The hormone HCG is also produced which fools the body into thinking that there is a pregnancy when there is only placenta.

A partial molar pregnancy occurs when two sperms fertilize an egg. However, instead of forming twins, in this type of pregnancy, something goes wrong and an abnormal fetus and placenta is developed instead. As there is double the sperm, the fetus receives too many chromosomes and instead may die in the womb.

Molar pregnancy symptoms

One of the first molar pregnancy signs you may notice is spotting which could lead to heavier bleeding. Depending on the severity of the case, the bleeding may start as early as 6 weeks into the pregnancy or as late as 12. Another common sign of this type of pregnancy is nausea, abdominal cramping and swelling. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and feel as though your pregnancy may be molar, don’t hesitate to consult your doctor.

Molar pregnancy treatments

A D&C (dilatation and curettage) will be used for treatment. This is a safe procedure in which a small vacuum is inserted into the uterus to remove the placental parts. However, great care must still be taken as not to provoke any excessive bleeding or blood clots. This type of pregnancy can recur as some women may just be prone to them. If this is the case and after your first such pregnancy, you have another, consult your doctor about special treatments to prevent this from happening again.

Molar pregnancies are a tragic way to lose a child, but having one does not mean you are never going to have another baby again. Make sure you are aware of molar pregnancy symptoms and regularly go to the doctor for consultations.