Menstruation is the monthly discharge of blood as well as cellular debris from the vagina. It accompanies the periodic shedding of the uterus lining in non pregnant women. Women experience menstruation differently. In some it is painless and predictable, while for others it causes extreme discomfort. Some women lose little blood, whereas others lose enough to cause anemia, fatigue and dizziness. A painless and trouble free menstrual cycle depends on proper functioning of the endocrine glands. A healthy lifestyle and diet can help deal with menstrual problems. However, if the menstrual problems persist, using certain Women Herbal Medicines for menstruation can provide relief to suffering women.

Specific herbs are used for treating different menstrual problems.

For instance, the following menstrual irregularities can be treated by using the following herbs:

Heavy periods: Herbs like nettles, yarrow, and shepherd’s purse help lessen heavy bleeding by directing the blood flow away from the pelvis.

Menstrual cramps: Herbs like cramp bark and false unicorn root can help lessen the cramps associated with PMS. Red raspberry is another herb which provides relief during menstrual cramps.

Irregular periods: Women who suffer from irregular periods benefit from herbs such as blue cohosh, jatamansi, skullcap and ginger to help regulate their menstruation cycle.

Other Herbs for Menstruation:

Aloe vera: This herb is known to be an excellent stimulant of the uterus. Aloe vera is often administered for women experiencing painful menstruation.

Valerian: Valerian is used to stimulate the menstrual blood flow.

Asafetida: Asafetida herb increases the secretion of progesterone and facilitates smooth menstruation.

Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha herb can be used to reduce heavy flow during menstruation.

Liquorice: Liquorice is another herb which is useful for reducing heavy flow during menstruation.

Chamomile: Chamomile is a popular herb which is used to help relieve menstrual cramps. Drinking chamomile tea is a great relaxant for menstrual cramps.

Ginger Root: This herb is widely used to soothe menstrual cramps. Women can prepare a tea using ginger and drink it to help alleviate the pain as well as the inflammation caused due to menstrual cramps.

Calendula: This herb has potent astringent properties which help in controlling excessive bleeding caused during a heavy period. It also helps in reducing congestion in the uterus and consequently helps to reduce heavy pain caused due to menstrual cramps.

Mint: Mint helps calm the inflamed muscles and numb the pain caused due to inflammation. This proves beneficial in the case of menstrual cramps. Women can prepare a tea using mint and drink it for some much-needed relief.

Blue Cohosh: Blue cohosh contains contracting and relaxing properties that help to ease the pain caused during menstruation.

Black Cohosh: This is another herb which is used to get relief from menstrual cramps. You need to boil the roots in water and drink it twice a day to get relief.

There are plenty of other herbs that women can use to help lower the pain and discomfort caused during menstruation. However, it is advisable to consult an Ayurvedic doctor before using any of the herbs mentioned in the article.

Although these herbs have proven beneficial for treating menstrual problems, some allopathic medications like Evecare Capsules can also prove helpful. Evecare helps to regularize the menstrual cycle due to its uterine stimulant action. Evecare Herbal Capsules helps regularize the endogenous hormonal secretions, enhances the repair of the endometrium and helps in controlling abnormal uterine bleeding. Evecare’s antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory actions have a healing effect on the uterus and help alleviate pain. It is advisable to consult a doctor before using this medicine and herbs mentioned above.

Papaya is very delicious and has lots of benefits. However, whenever we think of papaya in pregnancy our minds fill with doubt about the benefits of papaya.

In pregnancy it is important to eat right. This includes proper diet and right nutrition. However, when papaya is considered; many expectant women have doubts about eating papaya in pregnancy. In many countries, eating papaya is believed to create problems in pregnancy and may also cause a miscarriage. However, eating papaya in pregnancy has been proved to be a good measure of prenatal care in many cases.

Indigestion is very common during pregnancy and so papaya can be very helpful for those facing the problem of indigestion while in pregnancy. Papaya’s raw skin is one of the best sources of vitamin A and vitamin C. These vitamins could be very useful in various medical conditions like heartburn and inflammatory bowel problem.

Papaya can only be useful if eaten when fully ripe. Unripe papaya in pregnancy causes natural initiation of labor if you eat it in the final days of pregnancy. Unripe papaya has highly concentrated latex that causes early contractions. The latex concentration gets reduced as the papaya ripens. When it is fully ripe the amount of latex gets reduced to very little or almost zero.

The problem with papaya is majorly because of this latex which contains 2 main enzymes – one is papain and the other is chymopapain. Both of these enzymes can cause physical abnormalities in the development of an unborn baby or can also induce abortion in a pregnant woman. Papain increases the risks of uterine contraction which leads to abortion. Therefore, the effects of eating papaya in pregnancy may be adverse for both the mother and the baby.

That is why papaya is believed to be dangerous during pregnancy. Even if there is the slightest amount of latex present in papaya, it can cause early labor which may lead to miscarriage or abortion. So while eating papaya in pregnancy it becomes most important that a pregnant woman eats only the fully ripe papaya.

Papaya should be completely avoided while in the early stage of pregnancy because in that stage the placenta gets formed and even a fraction of latex can cause harm to the womb. Furthermore, just by looking at a papaya, how can we make out that there is no latex present in it? It is not possible to judge the ripeness of a papaya just by looking at it. Thus to avoid the disaster it can bring, it is better not to eat papaya in pregnancy.

In this way though papaya in pregnancy can be useful, it is important to confirm its ripeness as even a small amount of latex can be dangerous and can cause serious complications. Therefore, if you are not 100% sure of the ripeness of papaya, do not try eating it.

Giving birth to a child crosses all boundaries of joys for any woman on the planet, a feeling which cannot be compared to anything in the world. From the time the baby is conceived till the time it reaches the mother’s arms, there are a lot of factors and health complications which need to be taken into account. A common pregnancy issue is when an expectant woman gives birth to a premature baby.

Normally, most babies are born between 37-40 weeks after their mother’s last menstrual period. An infant which is born before the 37^th week of pregnancy is known as a premature baby or a preemie. They weigh less as compared to full-term babies. Around 10-12% of pregnancies in United States result in premature births. Babies born between 35 to 36 weeks are known as late preterm infants. These new-borns weigh about 5-6 pounds and although they might appear healthy like full term babies, they are still premature. After birth, they are kept in a specially designed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)as a precautionary measure till they are deemed fit by the doctors to be taken home. This unit takes care of important needs like warmth, nutrition and protection required by the babies and ensures their growth and development

Babies born before their due date may suffer from the following health issues as their organs are not developed fully:

1. Breathing Problems: Vital organs like the lungs are not fully developed in premature babies. This makes breathing difficult and leads to respiratory problems like Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Lack of surfactant in premature infants, a liquid substance present in lungs which makes breathing easy forces the babies to breathe harder thereby, causing them a lot of discomfort. At times, ventilators are required which breathe for them. Such complications generally improve within some days.

2. Hyperbilirubinemia: Affecting 80% of early born infants, babies suffering from this condition have high levels of bilirubin, a compound which is a result of natural breakdown of blood. High amounts of bilirubin can lead to jaundice resulting in skin and eyes turning yellowish. It can also cause brain damage in case of extremely high levels. To avoid this, babies are placed under special blue lights that aid the body to get rid of bilirubin.

3. Maintaining Body Temperature: Late preterm babies find it difficult to sustain their body temperature due to lack of body fat. To keep the temperature within normal range, they are placed in radiant warmers or incubators in the NICU. Such devices keep the babies warm and reduce the chances of infection.

4. Feeding Difficulties: Premature babies tend to get tired easily and are unable to consume enough breast milk or formula. As a result, they cannot gain weight easily and also feel dehydrated at times. Infants with mild breathing problems may need to be fed through a tube for some time till their lungs become stable.

5. Risk of Infections: Since the immune systems are not fully developed, premature babies are prone to infections and should be treated with antibiotics.

There are exceptions where a baby born at 36 weeks is healthy with little complications. But parents should be extremely careful and ensure that their baby is on the right path of progress by consulting a paediatrician about the various concerns affecting the baby’s health. Similarly, expectant mothers should also do their bit by obtaining prenatal care throughout the pregnancy and regular visits to the gynaecologist for check-ups.

A few precautionary measures and some efforts is all it takes to experience this wonderful emotion.

Beauty is God’s gift to women. Each and every woman is beautiful but some are more beautiful and others are a bit less beautiful. Every woman wants to be in that “more beautiful” category. So they are always focused on various beauty values like fairness, fitness and fashion.

Fairness obsession in women:

Women are more obsessed about fair skin. Fair skin is considered more attractive and beautiful. Those who have dusky or brown skin are all the time pining to get fair skin. There are various fairness products available in the market and so most of the fairness product companies are earning tremendously because of the obsession for fair skin.

Today we see that all guys want to have a slim, tall and fair bride and this is the reason for this obsession. If you want to have a rich and handsome groom then you should have fair skin. People easily get attracted to fair skin especially when one is looking for a bride. This is making many women run after all types of fairness products.

Fitness obsession in women:

Another obsession is fitness. Along with fair skin women are also concerned about their weight and fitness. They try hard in all possible ways, to reduce their weight if they are even a slight bit overweight. To be slim and trim is one more factor that matters a lot in women’s beauty.

Fitness includes exercise, diet and weight management. Women, in spite of their busy schedules, take out time to keep their figure attractive. They spend time in exercising either in the gym or at home. This not only helps them to control their weight but also to have a healthy life. Diet is also very important to women as they are obsessed about their fitness.

Women get further obsessed about their fitness after pregnancy. After giving birth to a child; when they look at themselves and find that they have lost their shape they are very upset. They become obsessed with regaining their shape and increasing their fitness. They make all possible efforts to get back into their pre-pregnancy shape.

Fashion obsession in women:

Fashion is one of the most significant parts of a women’s life. They not only want to be up to date with the latest fashions, but they also want to follow these same fashion. Mostly, they want to be the first to know the latest fashion so that they can impress others. They are also ready to spend generously to get into the new fashion. This fashion could be of garments, footwear, watches, accessories, hand bags, ornaments, handsets etc. as they are always obsessed with all of these.

Women and their obsession for fair and clear complexions, fitness and fashion could be the same in anywhere in the world. So guys, be prepared for these obsessions in your loved ones and keep your wallets always full.

It is recommended by gynecologists that a girl should visit her gynecologist anytime between the ages of 13 to 15. It is felt that the girl should be made aware of the bodily changes which are in the process of occurring and that she should be prepared for them. Another reason is to check for any abnormalities like missed periods, signs of infection, pain, etc. In the event of having a sexual intercourse, then visiting a gynecologist becomes all the more necessary.

breast and pelvic exams

Selecting the appropriate health care professional:

Choosing the right doctor is important for your maiden visit to know about such sensitive issues.

If your family doctor or pediatrician also does breast and pelvic exams and advises youngsters on sexual health, it would ease a lot of pressure and would surely make you more comfortable during the breast and pelvic exams.

You can also visit a gynecologist for your first breast and pelvic exam.

Another specialist is the Adolescent Medicine doctor who is specially trained in health and management of teen concerns.  They are familiar with problems most young women face regarding their reproductive systems. They can also guide the teens on birth control measures and STD prevention.

Nurse practitioners are also specialists who can be contacted for breast and pelvic exams. These practitioners specialize in gynecology and have advanced training that enables them to deal with women’s reproductive health issues.

Whether the health care professional is male or female is up to the individual’s choice. Some women are more at ease with a female health care professional as they feel they can express their views more freely and openly without any awkwardness. Other women are equally comfortable being examined by both male and female doctors. It is always advisable to take the help of your parents regarding your health care. You will have that much-needed emotional support which is so very important during such times.

For many young girls it is difficult to predict the time of their periods since many have irregular periods in the initial stages. However, you may take the advice from your doctor’s office, as to what should be done in case the periods start, at the time of appointment.

The Breast Exam:

At the time of the physical part of the gynecologic exam, you are made to lie on your back on the table with a gown or a paper sheet covering you. Your health care professional will uncover only the portion that needs to be examined.

The doctor does the breast exam by lightly pressing different areas of the breasts feeling for lumps which are usual and which may be the effect of a transformation. You may also get educated in how to do a self-assessment of your breasts.

The Pelvic Exam:

During the pelvic exam you will be asked to move down till your behind rest at the edge of the table. Then bending your knees you will be asked to place your feet on the metal protrudings for support.

The doctor will then examine the outside portion of the vagina and make sure that there are no swellings or sores.

With the help of a speculum your doctor may also examine the inside vagina looking for anything unusual like swelling, sores or discharge. To examine the ovaries and the uterus the doctor is required to slide one gloved hand inside the vagina and with the other hand he will press the outside of the lower abdomen. This exam determines the size of the ovaries and uterus and whether they are free of any cysts or growths.

When women get food cravings during their menopause, it is not because of eating disorders but due to hormonal imbalance. Food craving is a sign of hormonal imbalance which is caused by deficiency in healthy nutrients.

Food cravings during menopause may vary from person to person. You may crave for chocolate, candy or foods which have high carbohydrates such as potato chips or may be something sweet or you may want to have some extra wine. So it depends on the person, what the craving would be!

There could be various reasons behind food cravings during menopause; a few of them can be listed as below:

Weakness:

When body signals get mixed up it results in food cravings. If a woman gets exhausted, she has low blood glucose or may be low serotonin levels and thus the body sends a signal to the brain saying that it needs refreshment to restore the levels. This signal results in cravings for sugar or carbohydrates.

Serotonin imbalance:

Hormonal imbalance during menopause leads in lowering of the levels of serotonin. This lowered level can be increased by having sugar or carbohydrates but sadly it cannot last for long. Slowly it again starts going down. So the food cravings during menopause keep going on for quite a longer duration.

Low fat diet and insulin resistance:

If you worry about your weight and eat a low fat diet in order to lose weight, unknowingly you are making your condition worse. If you have been taking a low fat diet for many years then there are chances that you might have become somewhat insulin resistant. Becoming insulin resistant means the body does not respond to insulin in the proper way; and every calorie ingested gets deposited in fat. That means even if you eat too little, still you are going to gain weight. After becoming insulin resistant your body cells are may not absorb the required glucose and so they convey to your brain, the need of sugar and carbohydrates. Therefore, you get continuous food cravings during menopause.

Adrenal fatigue:

Adrenal fatigue could also be one of the causes for food cravings during menopause. When the adrenal glands produce less amounts of hormone they signal the brain to help them out. If you are suffering from a lot of stress, insomnia or sleeplessness then you might feel exhausted for most of the time. In such a condition you may crave coffee, sugar or carbohydrates by day and alcohol by night.

So it is important to eat while you are craving for food but take a little care while eating to avoid further complications. If you crave for salty food, eat mildly salty food items. While fighting with sweet cravings eat whole grain bread with sesame or almond butter. For carbohydrates, eat complex carbohydrates with healthy oils and ample protein. This will surely help you fight against your food cravings during

When the news of Martina Navratilova suffering from breast cancer was broken, it shocked everyone and all her fans expressed their concern for this tennis star. She herself admitted that she was broken down emotionally when she first came to know about the disease. However, she kept up a brave front and decided to fight the disease. After long term treatment of this disease, Martina Navratilova got completely cured of breast cancer and has become a success story of breast cancer for all the females suffering from this disease.

Martina Navratilova has also helped to create awareness about the disease so that women understand the signs and symptoms of the disease and early diagnosis of the disease is possible. The risk factors of breast cancer are given below –

• Gender – breast cancer is most commonly found in females. Its occurrence in males is very rare.
• Age: risk of this disease increases as the age progresses.
• Race: it is more commonly found in white women than in African-American women in America
• History of Breast cancer: women having a history of breast cancer in one breast are at more risk of developing the same in the other breast. Also, females having a family history of breast cancer are more prone to it.
• Women who have never given birth to a child or never breast fed a child are at higher risk of developing breast cancer.
• Menstrual history: women who had an early start of menses and a delayed menopause are more prone to this disease.

Symptoms of breast cancer

Breast cancer may not show any signs and symptoms at the initial stage. The lump of breast cancer is too small to be felt in the early stage. Usually the lump at this stage is found only in a routine mammography. A lump may enlarge and be felt at a later stage. A lump, which is a hard, painless mass with uneven edges, points to breast cancer. Following changes in the breast can be expected in case of breast cancer:

• Dimpling of the skin over the breast
• Irritation of the skin.
• Swelling of a part or whole of the breast
• Pain in the breast
• Pain in the nipple and inward turning of the nipple
• Abnormal discharge from the nipple
• Lump in armpits

Women are advised to consult a gynecologist at once if they notice any of the above symptoms. These symptoms can also be a result of a less severe disease like breast cyst, but it is important to rule out breast cancer, anyway.

Treatment of breast cancer

Martina Navratilova has set an example for all those who are suffering from breast cancer. It should be borne in mind that there are various forms of treatment available to fight this disease. The modes of treatment for breast cancer are radiation treatment, hormonal therapy, surgical intervention and chemotherapy. Radiation and surgery are forms of local therapy, where the cancerous part of the breast is destroyed or removed. Hormonal therapy and chemotherapy are forms of systemic therapy. In this, the drug is administered via systemic ways through the blood stream and the cancer cells are destroyed or controlled throughout the body of the patient. The choice of treatment depends upon the stage of breast cancer, the expected outcomes and the probable side effects. These issues can be discussed with the physician before making a choice of treatment. In whichever case, the treatment goes on for a long period of time and the patient and her family should fight it bravely and be determined to come out of the illness, like the Wimbledon Champion, Martina Navratilova.

In every woman’s life, pregnancy is one of the most crucial events. While being pregnant there are lots of changes in your body. You must know that there are some changes in your eye health as well. Most of the women do not have eye health issues persisting and many don’t even notice any changes regarding their eye health.

In pregnancy your hormonal level sometimes has imbalances and that has an impact on your many body organs; no need to mention that this includes the eyes too. During pregnancy lots of fluids are retained in your body which causes puffy eyes. And also when the blood vessels around your eyes and eye tissues get swollen, it results in puffy eyes. The symptoms of puffy eyes are swollen eyes, irritated and itchy eyes, or bags under eyes.

Home remedies for puffy eyes:

Generally, puffy eyes are cured without any treatment. However, this happens only if the reason behind puffy eyes is not serious. The remedy for puffy eyes completely depends upon the cause. If you are sure that your puffy eyes are not caused because of any heath related problem, you can implement home remedies to cure puffy eyes.

If insufficient sleep is the reason for puffy eyes, of course the remedy is to take enough sleep. It is important to take 8 to 9 hours sleep at night and also your sleeping and waking up timings should be maintained the same every day.

If dehydration is the cause of puffy eyes, drink plenty of water. Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water every day. This will reduce the swelling on your eyes.

For puffy eyes the most excellent home remedy is cold treatment. Take a few ice cubes in a towel and apply them over the closed eyes. You can also use cucumber slices, chilled spoons or potato strips etc. for placing over the closed eyes. This cold treatment reduces the symptoms of your puffy eyes and also causes you to relax.

In order to cure puffy eyes you also need to take care of a few small things like: removing your contact lenses before you go to bed, decreasing salt intake in your diet, stopping alcohol completely etc.

Treatment for puffy eyes:

In case even after applying all these home remedies if your puffy eyes still persist then you need to seek medical attention to find out the exact cause of puffy eyes. Puffy eyes very rarely become a serious health issue, but since you are pregnant do not take any risk. Your health care provider will give you the correct line of treatment in order to heal your puffy eyes. The duration of the treatment depends upon the cause of puffy eyes. There are many medications available in the market to cure puffiness of eyes.

So, if you find your eyes swollen then apply the appropriate remedy, after considering the cause of puffy eyes. Take good care of your eyes.

Life is full of ups and downs. Especially for women it is very tough to manage the home and career together. While racing in both races you obviously get stressed. Never let stress overcome your happiness. Do not become panicky or get crazy over whatever your life brings to you. Each situation has some solution or other, be calm and serene. Here are some tips to help you to manage your stress in daily life.
•    Have a cup of black tea:
The question may come to your mind – how can tea be helpful in stress? This is not just experienced by many people but also has been proved by researchers. They have concluded that drinking black tea relieves your stress very quickly, rather than any other alternatives for tea. The scientific reason behind it is that black tea has greater influence on the brain by which it reduces the stress hormones known as cortisol.
•    Eat nuts:
‘To stay healthy you must eat healthy’ if you follow this rule you can easily drive stress away. Eat nuts everyday and whenever you feel stressed. Nuts are weapons to fight against stress. If you eat some crunchy almonds they will give you vitamin B & E and zinc and this also is one of the best antioxidants. Come on then it’s the time to have one; get one for yourself.
•    Smelling the scents:
Walk up to a place where you can find a nice scent; that is going to reduce all your stress. This type of therapy is well known as aroma therapy. It has potential properties to heal your stress. You can also go to the garden where there are lots of sweet-scented flowers. The perfume of these flowers will certainly relax you and reduce your feeling of being stressed and tense.
You can also do one more thing – soak a few small cotton balls in your favorite essential oil and place them in your car or bedroom or any place in your home where you go frequently. You will feel refreshed by the smell; whenever a breeze passes over the cotton balls.
•    Make vitamin C a part of your diet:
Research has proved that stress hormones can be reduced by vitamin C. So no need to wait anymore to have vitamin C. You can regularly add in your diet all the foods that contain vitamin C such as: oranges, citrus fruits, papaya, lemon, strawberry and also vegetables like cauliflower, spinach and so many other fruits and vegetables that have vitamin C. From now on, you need to enhance your diet with lots of vitamin C and do not let stress scare you.
With the help of these few stress buster tips you can surely keep stress away. Life is short; do not waste it in being stressed;  rather enjoy it fully as a stress free life.

Congratulations! Being pregnant and being a mother are the most incredible and glorifying experiences a woman can have in her life. With the ever changing and fast-paced lifestyles that we live in, it is very essential that we know the best approach to having a healthy and happy mother and baby.
The following are some pregnancy related guidelines, a checklist for a ‘to be mother’ to follow and to ensure a perfect pregnancy.

Pregnancy Do’s
➢    Maintain a journal of all the changes that you go through physically and emotionally.
➢    It is very important to have a well balanced diet and healthy snacks (fruits and mainly leafy veggies, whole grains, cereals, peanuts, etc.)
➢    Keep yourself hydrated at all times by drinking plenty of liquids such as water, fresh juices and milk, and yogurt as it gives you your daily supply of calcium.
➢    Have regular medical check-ups.
➢    Always maintain dental hygiene.
➢    Doing light regular exercises e.g. walking, doing yoga or swimming, is highly recommended during pregnancy.
➢    Have a daily dose of vitamins and proteins that have been advised by your doctor are very essential for both mother and baby.
➢    Have plenty of iron rich foods as they keep you from getting fatigued if you have iron deficiency and are anemic.
➢    It is safe to travel by air between the 18th to the 24th week of your pregnancy.
➢    Try to be relaxed, happy and stress free. Have a positive mind with positive thoughts.
➢    Making love is fine during pregnancy as long and there are no complications or your doctor has recommended that you don’t.
➢    Ensure that you are getting a good 8 hours of sound sleep. Go to bed early.
Pregnancy Don’ts
➢    There are harmful bacteria in certain foods that should be avoided, as there is a risk of contamination with bacteria (raw meat, sushi, soft cheese, blue cheese, feta, Camembert and Mexican-style cheese, raw eggs).
➢    Do not consume junk food.
➢    Avoid active or passive cigarette smoking.
➢    Do not consume alcohol, any form of drugs or medications not prescribed to you by your doctor.
➢    Do not take large doses of vitamin A as it can cause problems to the heart and face during pregnancy.
➢    Caffeine consumption should be avoided.
➢    Do not be in close contact with any sort of chemicals such as household cleaning chemicals, pesticides, paints and even cat litter, as it may affect the brain and nervous system of the developing    baby.
➢    Do not expose yourself to microwave radiation.
➢    Any form or ways of external heating should be abstained from since there is also internal heat from the baby, for e.g. tanning, saunas, taking long hot tub baths, etc. These could lead to low blood pressure, dizziness, dehydration and if the risk is increased could also lead to a miscarriage.
➢    Do not stress or have negative thoughts especially if you are working during your pregnancy. Do not overwork yourself and do not carry anything heavy or be on your feet for long hours.
➢    It is not safe to travel by air after the 36th week of your pregnancy. Due to pressure changes, it may lead to premature labor or a miscarriage.
➢    Avoid oral sex during your pregnancy, as there is a rare chance of air getting into your vagina, which could lead to an air bubble getting into your bloodstream. As your blood vessels dilate during pregnancy, this could be fatal.
All the very best, follow the tips and hug your happy, healthy baby for me.