5 Signs and Symptoms of Folic Acid Deficiency

Folic Acid is one of your body?s essential nutrients! It is important for everything from brain function to cardiovascular health. Folic Acid deficiency is the most common deficiency of any of the B vitamins. It also works along with vitamin B-12 for formation of red blood cells.

Some of the signs and symptoms you would want to look out for would include:

?Irritability or Depression- Because of folic acids importance in your central nervous system you may experience symptoms such as irritability, sluggishness, forgetfulness, or depression.

?High Homocysteine Levels- Along with other B-Vitamins, folic acid works to lower homocysteine levels. People with high homocysteine levels have been shown to have a higher increase in cardiovascular events such as heart attacks.

?Birth Defects and Miscarriage- Folic acid is critical in the development of your fetus. Folic acid supplements are recommended to women that are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.

?Some Cancers- Some cancers have been associated with abnormally low levels of folic acid.

?Diarrhea and loss of appetite- Many vitamin deficiencies have been linked to gastrointestinal complaints.

It is very important to identify why your body may be deficient in folic acid!

Are you eating enough foods that are rich in folic acid, such as spinach and other green leafy vegetables, soybeans, salmon, or orange juice?

Are you taking any prescription or over the counter drug that has been shown to either lower folic acid levels, or increase your bodies need for folic acid such as oral contraceptives, aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs, antacids such as Zantac, Pepcid or Tagamet, or metformin for diabetes?

If you want to learn more about why your body needs folic acid please visit: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/vitaminB9.htm

If you would like to learn more about other medications that have the potential to put you at risk of other vitamin and mineral deficiencies please visit: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/

If you would like to see the full line of NutraMD products please visit: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/store/PPF/CategoryID/11/products.asp

Teflon Frying Pans: Is Your Health at Risk?

What is Teflon?

Teflon is a brand name and registered trademark of E.I. duPont de Nemours and Company, Dupont for short. Teflon is a non-stick, stain resistant, and durable material used in a variety of products. This versatile material, which most people associate primarily with cookware such as frying pans, muffin tins, and cake pans, has been in existence for more than 40 years. Teflon however, is used for more than just cookware it is also used in personal care products such as lens coatings for eyeglasses and nail hardeners for nail polish, as a stain protector in fabrics used to make clothing, to make carpets and other textiles stain-resistant, and in a number of automotive and industrial applications including wiper blades, marine coatings, and in the semi-conductor and biotech manufacturing processes.

Teflon prides itself on being a brand that people trust and rely on for many of their every day needs. Teflon?s multi-layered technology is what sets it apart from the competition. The first layer applied to the surface of the pan or other piece of cookware is the adhesion or rugged primer layer. The second layer is the mid-coat or protective layer, and the surface layer is called the top coat, which is what makes Teflon so easy to cook with and to clean up. These three layers are what makes Teflon so durable.

The History of Teflon

Dupont, based in Wilmington, Delaware, holds all of the patents relating to Teflon, the first of which was obtained in 1945. The story of Teflon begins nearly ten years before that however, on April 6, 1938. A chemist by the name of Dr. Roy J. Plunkett was working in one of Dupont?s laboratories in New Jersey and discovered Teflon by accident. While conducting experiments on tetrafluoroethylene, a substance associated with Freon? refrigerants, he noticed that a frozen sample had polymerized or plasticized into another substance called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a slippery substance that is inert under almost any chemical condition.

The substance was given the brand name Teflon and products using the Teflon trademark were manufactured and marketed to the public one year later in 1946. The rest is history as they say. Subsequent patents in the Teflon ?family?, which go by the name of fluoropolymers (a group of organic compounds containing fluorine and carbon that are not trademarked), include FEP Teflon, introduced in 1960; Tefzel? ETFE in 1970; and PFA Teflon, in 1972.

Are Health Risks Associated with Teflon?

In a word, yes, but not necessarily in the way you might think. Teflon has recently come under fire by consumer groups and individuals as a possible source of health risks, primarily as a result of the confusion between Teflon, the brand name, and PFOA. PFOA is the synthetic chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid and is also known as C-8, the name it was originally manufactured under by 3M Corporation. Contrary to popular belief, Teflon and PFOA are not synonymous in any way and should not be viewed as such. In fact, according to Dupont, using these names interchangeably violates trademark laws.

Since Teflon is only a brand name, Teflon in and of itself is not a health risk. As a consumer who uses cookware with Teflon non-stick coatings, you may or may not be at risk for adverse health effects due to degradation of the non-stick coating under certain conditions. If you are someone who works in a facility that manufactures Teflon and during the manufacturing process are exposed to PFOA, a chemical used in the manufacturing process for Teflon, the answer is equally ambiguous based on current information.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in an OPPT (Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics) Fact Sheet issued August 2004 maintains that it doesn?t believe there is any reason for consumers to stop using Teflon products. The EPA also states that PFOA is generally present in humans at very low levels; however, a specific source of PFOA is not known as it is used in the manufacture of many different products among them fire fighting foams; personal care and cleaning products; and oil, stain, grease, and water repellent coatings on carpet, textiles, leather, and paper. Nor is it known why or how humans have acquired PFOA in their bodies.

While PFOA has been linked to birth defects and cancer in laboratory studies conducted on animals, it is less obvious as to whether it or Teflon non-stick coatings present a health hazard when it comes to human beings. According to the Environmental Working Group, using a Teflon non-stick coating pan to cook in may cause flu-like symptoms such as headache, chills, and fever, if it is overheated to 680 degrees Fahrenheit, due to fumes that are emitted at these temperatures, which are hotter than those normally used in cooking or for example if the waters boils away and the pan is left on the stove. Researchers at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have also found trace amounts of PFOA when Teflon non-stick coatings on cookware have been subjected to conditions of extreme testing methods, which again are not typical of how most consumers use these products.

It appeared that Dupont knew this could happen but declined to disclose it to the public until fairly recently. As a result, the EPA?s opinion has been slowly changing. In March 2005, the EPA sent letters out to eight companies, including Dupont, asking them to begin phasing out the use of PFOA in the manufacturing process and to completely eliminate PFOA by the year 2015. In December 2005, the EPA ordered Dupont to pay $16.5 million in civil penalties for withholding health and safety data pertaining to the degradation of PFAO in Teflon non-stick coatings. The monies will be used to fund additional research on the effects of PFOA on humans. Dupont expects to reduce PFOA emissions by 99% in its U.S. manufacturing facilities by 2007. In early 2006 an EPA scientific advisory board indicated that PFOA might indeed be a likely carcinogenic substance, although the EPA has not yet added PFOA to its list of carcinogens.

As with many other chemical substances whose effects on humans are not well known, the answer to whether Teflon non-stick coatings in cookware present health risks to human beings requires further research.

Heleigh Bostwick is a freelance writer for print and online magazines specializing in health, nutrition, anti-aging, and natural living. She is also the publisher of http://www.marigoldlane.com, dedicated to simple living with a green twist.

Zeros and Freedoms

Did you ever notice that there are some things that just don?t matter any more? Things seem to lose their places: important things, trivial things, ceremonial things, traditional things. (This, by the way, is a little different than when things like reading glasses and lists lose their places.) I am speaking of priorities that change. And the attitudes and behaviors that follow those changes.

I see it in people who are having those milestone birthdays. You know, the ones with the zeros in them.

There is a freedom that comes with zeros, but I think that with different people, that freedom arrives with different zeros. There?s a newly minted forty year old who recently stopped allowing her aging father to verbally abuse her and the soon-to-be seventy year old who no longer colors her hair. And speaking of hair, there?s a sixty year old who?s letting his hair grow long for the first time in decades. Other indicators might include the eighty-year-old who is finally unselfconscious enough to sing outside of the shower and the ninety year old who says whatever comes in to his mind.

All of us are aging. But the zeros bring awareness?. Awareness that kindness is more important than politeness... that doing is more important than wanting.... and that the moment that matters most is this one.

All of a sudden, it doesn?t much matter what anyone else wants for us. The fact that life spans are limited forces us to make decisions, to answer the question ?Who am I and what do I really want to do with my time??

Security becomes less important than honesty.... and not telling someone that we love them looms as a far greater risk than if we do. What would you do if you knew that you only had six months to live? Where would you go? Who would you talk to? What would you say?

Whether we have six months or another sixty years, maybe we should listen to the zeros.

Lawrence Bienemann is a program coordinator for RSVP in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. He also speaks and writes about issues related to aging well and can be reached via e-mail lawrenceb@rcn.com

Taking Birth Control Pills? You May Need More Calcium

Are you taking Birth Control Pills? You may want to add another glass of milk. Research indicates that women taking oral contraceptives appear to have a decrease in bone density leading them at risk for osteoporosis later in life. The time to optimize bone mass is during adolescence and young adulthood. It is estimated that 8 out of 10 women use birth control pills during this crucial time in which peak bone mass is developing leaving them at a greater risk of future bone density problems.

The Recommended Daily Allowance for women age 9-18 is 1,300 milligrams a day and this number decreases to 1,000 milligrams a day for women age 19-50. Many young girls are starting on oral contraceptives by the time they are 14 for many reasons including regulating menstrual cycles. Little emphasis is given on consuming enough calcium during adolescence plus the fact that many girls are voicing their individuality with food preferences at this age. Drinking milk and other calcium-rich foods may not be high on the priority list. So what happens when young women and adolescent girls don?t consume enough calcium coupled with birth control pills? They may pay later in life with a higher risk of osteoporosis. By consuming the recommended calcium level they can greatly reduce that risk.

A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism compared 135 oral contraceptive users to non-users between the age of 18 and 30. The participants were split into 3 groups: control (less than 800 mg of calcium per day), medium dairy (1,000 ? 1,100 mg of calcium per day), and high dairy (1,200 ? 1,300 mg of calcium per day). After a year on the different diets the women using oral contraceptives who were in the medium to high dairy group gained significantly more bone mineral density in their hips and spine than those women in the low dairy group.

These results suggest that women using oral contraceptives during their peak bone-building years can decrease their risk of osteoporosis by 3-10% in just one year by making sure they are consuming the right amount of calcium. To meet this recommendation, young women and adolescent girls should consume around 4 calcium rich foods each day or speak to your healthcare provider about supplementation. Here are some calcium-rich foods:

Milk: 300 mg (1 cup)
Yogurt: 150-200 mg (1 cup)
Cottage cheese: 140 mg (1 cup)
Pinto Beans: 103 mg (1 cup)
Kale: 90 mg (1/2 cup)
Almonds: 80 mg (1 ounce)
Kidney Beans: 69 mg (1 cup)
Black Beans: 46 mg (1 cup)
Broccoli: 36 mg (1/2 cup)

There are also many foods fortified with calcium such as soy milk, soy yogurt, and orange juice. Look on the label for ?fortified with calcium?. Get creative! Enjoy some almonds as a snack, make a fruit smoothie with yogurt, or add some kidney beans to a salad. There are all kinds of ways to sneak in calcium rich foods to maximize bone density.

? 2006, Meri Raffetto

Owner of Real Living Nutrition Services, Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She offers online programs to help people reach their weight loss and health goals.
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Birth Control Patch Side Effects Ortho Evra Patch Lawyers

The Ortho Evra birth control patch was created in hopes of providing an easier, more convenient method of birth control. Taking a pill every day is hard to remember, and missing a pill can have dire consequences on a woman?s menstrual cycle. By using the patch there would be no need to for daily use. You would just need to apply it once a week and forget about it.

Although the patch is supposed to be just as effective as traditional birth control pills, it is unfortunately much more dangerous. The birth control patch will increase levels of progestin and estrogen which have been known to affect the way blood forms into blood clots. Blood clots form a serious number of health risks including the restriction of blood flow to the brain and lungs. In some cases a stroke or pulmonary embolism can occur which ultimately causes long-term disabilities.

To this day Ortho Evra has been linked to a large number of negative health effects and is being held responsible for at least 17 blood clot related deaths. If you or someone you love has experienced harmful side effects from using the Ortho Evra birth control patch, it is very important that you contact a lawyer immediately.

To learn more about Ortho Evra birth control patch lawyers please visit our website at http://www.resource4orthoevrainfo.com. This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact as hyperlinks.

Homocysteine Causes Heart Attacks and Birth Defects

More than 10 percent of all heart attacks and most cases of a birth defect called spina bifida are caused by a buildup of a chemical called homocysteine.

Proteins in your body are made up of 21 building blocks called amino acids. Of the 21, 9 are essential and must come from the food you eat, while the other 12 are non- essential because your body can manufacture them from the essential nine. The non- essential amino acid, cysteine, must be made from the essential amino acid, methionine. The chemical reaction causes methionine to be converted to homocysteine, and then to cysteine. However, your body cannot convert homocysteine to cysteine unless you have enough available vitamins, pyridoxine, B12 and folic acid. A deficiency of any one of these three vitamins blocks the breakdown of homocysteine and causes large amounts to accumulate in your bloodstream. Homocysteine causes heart attacks by punching holes in arteries, starting plaque formation and then causing clots to form in the plaques. Lack of folic acid is more likely than B12 or pyridoxine to be the cause of heart attacks.

Spina bifida means that the spinal bones do not close completely around the spinal nerves, causing babies to be born with nerve damage that can interfere with control of their legs, bladder and intestines. These babies are often born to mothers who have a genetic defect in which they require more folic acid than normal.

Anyone with low levels of folic acid increases his or her chances of having a heart attack. Low levels of folic acid are caused by not eating enough leafy green vegetables such as spinach, lettuce or turnip greens, and fruits and vegetables such as asparagus, beets, beans and citrus fruits. Even small elevations of blood levels of homocysteine are associated with increased risk for heart attacks. 21 percent of North Americans over 60 have high blood levels of homocysteine and these people are three times more likely to suffer heart attacks.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com For journal references on this article see report #7222.

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Ortho Tri Cyclen Guide

This prescription birth control pill is a tablet, taken once daily. It has an additional benefit of clearing acne from your skin and keeping you beautiful.

Ortho Tri-Cyclen is usually a good idea for women who are at least 15 years old, and who have to deal with with mild to moderate acne and have reached menstruation. You must have no known condition or symptom that would stop you from using a birth control pill, and do not respond to topical acne medications.

How Is This Medication Used?

To ensure that your Ortho Tri-Cyclen remains highly effective, you must take your prescription at the same every day. Come up with a time you will easily remember; for example, in the morning after your brush your teeth. Your prescription releases a low dose of hormones daily, stopping pregnancy by preventing eggs from being released. It also causes thickening of cervical mucus, so that sperm have much more difficulty entering the uterus. Therefore, it is easier for you to prevent pregnancy.

Ortho Tri-Cyclen also decreases the ammount of the hormone in your body which tends to cause acne. This medication has been proven through laboratory and clinical tests to help decrease light to medium acne. Close to nine out of ten womens' skin condition improved.

What Side Effects Might Occur?

Typical side effects of Ortho-Tri-Cyclen include vomiting or nausea, sore breasts, bleeding between periods (menstrual) or a change body weight. These side effects do not always occur or persist.

If side effects persist or begin to bother you more than usual, please talk to your doctor.

Let your doctor know as soon as possible if you are seeing persistent and unusual vaginal bleeding, if you miss your period of menstruation, experience fainting or dizziness, headache, difficulty wearing contact lenses, or swollen fingers or ankles. If you have crushing or sharp pain in your chest, spontaneous shortness of breat, spontaneous headache or leg pain, yellow-tinted eyes or skin, vision problems or changes, arm or leg numbness, or extreme stomach pain; please notify your doctor immediately. In the case that any unmention effects occur, please tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible.

Is Ortho Tri-Cyclen Safe?

It is one of the most safe options of birth control currently available. However, it's not for everyone. Note that if you smoke cigarettes while taking this prescription you are choosing an increased risk of heart attack, blood clots, stroke, high blood pressure, or similar diseases involving your body's blood vessels and heart.

In the case that you experience diarrhea or vomiting, this medication might not work as well. It is then suggested that you use another form of birth control as backup until your next period. This is to help prevent pregnancy.

You should not use Ortho Try Cyclen if you are pregnant. If you think you might be pregnant, talk to your doctor immediately. This medication is excreted in breastmilk. Meet with your doctor or pharmacist to talk about any dangers to your baby.

How Does This Medication Interact With Other Drugs?

Your prescription may become less effective for preventing pregnancy if used in combination with certain other types of drugs. These combinations may also increase breakthrough bleeding. Drugs such as these include rifampin, anti-epilepsy drugs like barbiturates (ex., phenobarbital), anticonvulsants like carbamazepine (Tegretol? is a brand of this medication), phenylbutazone, phenytoin (Dilantin? is one brand of this drug), and possibly specific types of antibiotics. You may need to use another form contraception when you take other medications. These other drugs may decrease the effectiveness of orally-taken contraceptives.

Tell your doctor and dentist that you're using Ortho Tri Cyclen before you undergo any medical or dental treatments, surgery, or medical emergency care. If you develop difficulty wearing contact lenses, please talk with your doctor.

Consult your pharmacist or physician/doctor before you begin taking any new prescription or over-the-counter medications. This medicine may cause dark patches of skin to appear on your face. Avoid exposing your facial skin to direct sunlight, as the patches may become darker. In the case that patches actually develop, protect your skin using sunscreen before exposing it to direct sunlight, tanning beds, etc.

What If I Miss My Dose?

This type of birth control pill should be taken daily, around the same time each day. In the case that you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible. Then take the following dose on your regular schedule. According to this rule, you can take 2 doses in the same 24 hours, but you need to wait two days or more while on your regular dosing schedule before engaging in sex.

Learn more about Ortho Tri Cyclen at Shoppe.MD.

Folic Acid for a Healthy Self

Everyone knows about vitamins. There are many common vitamins that we are familiar with, and their functions. Vitamin C is known to be good for the skin, while Vitamin A is good the for the eyes. Vitamin D is often called the sun vitamin. These are the ones that many people think of when they think of vitamins. However, there is one important one that many people don't know of. This vitamin is folic acid, and helps create healthy, new cells.

Most people have found themselves staring at the ingredients list on the cereal box during breakfast. The words printed on the back like riboflavin, folic acid, and pyridoxine, are just words to those who don't know much about vitamins. Your mother has probably advised you to make sure you eat your vegetables, and your doctor to maintain a healthy diet. Both your mother and your doctor, along with the cereal box, are talking about Vitamin B, and a specific group, folic acid.

You can find folic acid in many food groups, and also vitamin supplements. It is advised for women who are pregnant, or could become pregnant take folic acid because it can help prevent birth defects.

You can get enough folic acid in three ways. First off you can choose to take supplements. Must of these vitamin supplements contain 400 micrograms of folic acid. This is a good way because you don't have to worry about getting enough folic acid into your diet; it was all given to you in a supplement.

Another way is to begin your day with folic acid. Choose to eat a breakfast cereal that is full of folic acids. The label will say it contains 100% of recommended daily about of folic acid, which is 400 micrograms.

Lastly, you can also increase your consumption of foods that are rich with folic acids. These foods include enriched cereal, bread pasta, and other grains. Also, adding orange juice and more green vegetables to your diet is suggested.

No matter how old you are foods that are rich in folic acid are good for you. Not only should mothers or mothers to be take folic acid, but also young girls. This way, when the young girls grown up, folic acid will already be a part of their diet. Folic acid is best known as the acid that helps prevents birth defects. One of the concerns in today's maternity environment is the large percentage of children born with neural tube defects or NTDs. NTDs happen when the spinal chord of the fetus doesn't close properly.

Spina bifida is the most common NTD. Spina bifida occurs when a part of the baby's spinal chord remains outside of the body. This birth defect can cause paralysis. The baby could be paralyzed in the legs, and have problems controlling the bladder or bowel movements. Anencephaly is another defect that occurs among babies. This is considered the most serious NTD. Anencephaly causes a baby to be born lacking parts in it's skull and the brain eventually dies. Folic acid can help prevent these defects and can help keep the baby healthy from the first month of pregnancy, to the time of giving birth.

Get Fertility Help and Find the Latest and Most Informative Fertility Advice and Tips at http://www.fertility-help.com

Total Health

Total health is more than being the perfect weight. There are people who weigh just what they should and work out three or four times a week. This is all well and good but it does not mean that they are completely healthy.

What is needed for total health? Of course it is not possible to attain good health if you are fifty pounds overweight and your only exercise is reaching for snacks every time you pass by the cupboard.

So let?s start with your diet. I have known more people who have lost weight and kept if off by cutting back at each meal and limiting between-meal snacks to healthier choices. In fact the most successful dieters I have met eat five or six small meals a day. They are eating fruits, vegetables, meat and whole grains and throw in the occasional cookie or small piece of pie. Not only have they lost weight but they have been able to keep that weight off.

Exercise, yes, it is important to total health. Even if you don?t have time for a gym and a trainer you can find the time for a walk each day and a little stretching time.

Your mental health is also a crucial part of a total health program. Start each day by remembering it is a new day and be willing to meet each task with a positive attitude. Take a little time each day to be quiet and journal your feelings and experiences.

Keep in touch with your spiritual side. Connect with God, pray, meditate or whatever you do that gives you peace. Remember to be thankful for several things everyday. Use your gifts and talents to help someone else.

Total health involves many different areas and when you pay attention to each area you may be surprised at the benefits.

I am the source.

Copyright Glenda Erceg.

For more health resources visit http://healthmattersinfo.com/health

When Words Are Not Enough

For most people getting flowers sure helps brighten up a day or just make you feel special. Many things can be said with flowers and at times flowers may say more than a thousand words. Everything from showing your love to sending your condolences may be done with flowers. On many occasions during our lives we get in a situation when we just don?t know what to get a person or how to express your feelings for someone.

This is when flowers come in handy.

For you men who get yourself in trouble by missing that special occasion let me give you a little tip. Flowers go a long way with the ladies and can say sorry better than any words.

Sometimes saying I am sorry or I am wrong can be some of the hardest things to say, and sometimes it is not the right time for words cause the wound is to fresh. For example, when a person passes and we send flowers with a little note, is one real good way to soften the immense pain of losing this person from their lives. Flowers seem to have a special way of softening this pain.

But flowers are not just for sad times, they can really make a persons day just by saying ?Hi, I am thinking of you?. People really need to know that they are important in your life and that they most certainly are.

You can see picture of arrangements you can choose as well as create your own.

And for you ladies, as a man I can surely tell you that it would knock my socks off to get flowers from my wife and it has done so in the past.. So give it a try. You will be pleasantly surprised!

And for those who don?t want to send flowers, a beautiful bouquet of balloons can be sent via www.FlowersCrow.com

A wedding tip for you that really looks great is white balloons. At my wedding we had over 500 white balloons around the seating area. Boy did it ever look great!

You can order all these supplies at www.FlowersCrow.com plus get many other ideas for that special day. FlowersCrow.com isn?t just a store but it has thousands of tips on how to make that special day a little extra special. That?s why we choose FlowersCrow.com as our special site for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, funerals, Christmas, Easter and many other holidays.

Luckily nowadays you don?t have to find your local flower shop, take the time to go there and then make the decision of what and how you want the flowers to be.

All you have to do is go online where you can view your options, pay for it, click the button and the flowers are on their way to virtually anywhere in the world.

I recently needed to send flowers in a hurry to my uncle whose wife passed away. (My aunt.)
I went online to a company who I have been dealing with for some time so
I knew the flowers would be fresh, on time and look good when they arrived.

www.FlowersCrow.com has a huge variety for one to choose from and I recommend you check them out.

On a more personal note, there is one person that deserves flowers more than anyone in this world and that person would be my mother. My mother is my best friend, the first woman to love me and the first woman that I ever loved. I am sure going to try to send her roses while she is alive so that she can appreciate them. So many people make this mistake. They don?t take the time to say I love you until it?s to late, then they spend the rest of their lives wishing that they would have let the people know how much they love them.

David Crowton is the Founder of http://www.CrowSites.com . Mr Crowton was disabled after a horrific automobile accident and is now working agressively to overcome, against all odds. Mr Crowton is the winner of the Client of the Year Awared for the entire rehabilitation services where he was a client. Thank you for supporting his comeback by reading this article. Please visit http://www.CrowSites.com to know more or http://www.DisabledCrow.com

How Birth Control Pills Can End Your Acne

It would almost be shorter to list the things that birth control pills DON'T effect, then to mention all the things they DO effect. They don't, for instance, effect vegetables, they don't effect rocks, and they don't effect outer space, however they may, on occasion, effect machinery and small animals.

Weather you're taking them to even out your menstrual cycle or to keep yourself from getting pregnant, now you have yet another reason to try out birth control pills,... clear skin. Birth Control Pills have proven that they help reduce acne. So much so in fact that the FDA has approved Ortho Tri-Cyclen and generic norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol (the stuff in Birth Control Pills) for use in the treatment of acne.

How Does this work? Androgen is a male hormone that increases oil production. Androgen is always working away, but it increases it's production of oil just before menstruation begins, which could result in your skin breaking out around you period. Where does the pill fit in? Low-doses of birth control pills have shown that they decrease these excess androgens. That means less oil and less breakouts, and they can even be used with other acne therapy (details can be found in the February 2001 Skin Therapy Letter)

Does this mean you should go out and pick up some birth control pills to kill that acne? Probly not, remember these studies were done with low doses of birth control pills. You might wanna think of it more as one of the things to add to the benefits of birth control pills. Maybe it'll help offset the nausea and headaches over on the drawbacks side.

Jessica MacQuarrie is a writer from San Franciso California. She currently edits her web site http://www.endacnenow.com from her bay area home.

The Earliest Trauma: The Unspoken Impact of Medical Trauma

Thousands of children every year are brought into the world in traumatic ways that often times are seldom discussed or processed following the event. These traumatic experiences may vary from a child being born with the umbilical cord around his neck with vital oxygen withheld for seconds to minutes, or a labor that is prolonged, stressful, and unusually painful, to pre-mature birth, separation from the primary care giver for medical purposes, or even surgery. Children who experience traumatic events as their first events of life are typically traumatized in two ways if not more. The first being the experience itself: Whether it?s trauma before the child is born, during the birth process, or following birth, it can be stored at the earliest level of the child?s memory, the state level. This level of memory is actively triggered throughout the rest of an individual?s life.

Brain research informs us that as early as the fourth week after conception, the fetus is capable of auditory processing, and as early as the second trimester, the fetus is capable of psychological processing, which translates to mean that unborn that babies can hear and think. Stress during pregnancy can create trauma for the developing fetus. Divorce during pregnancy, domestic violence, loss of significant figure, automobile accidents, moving, or illness are a few examples of stress that may create such trauma in utero. It is important to note that stress is different for each person. What one mother may experience as stress, may not impact a different mother in the same manner, and thereby, the impact on the fetus is also unique. Secondly, because the medical profession does little to acknowledge and validate the early life of the fetus/infant, sufficient understanding of the impact of such events on the child is lacking. In fact, personal experience with a child who had two brain surgeries within three months following birth verifies that the word trauma was not even mentioned. It was not mentioned that the child may have reactions to things being placed on her head, to loud noises, sudden actions, and separations among other things.

Early traumatic experiences for infants before, during, or following birth may set the child up to be much more sensitive to stress, fear, and stimulation than other children. Because of this, creating difficulty for the child in active settings such as family time, shopping, and school is not unusual. Your child will require a deeper understanding of his innate sensitivities that can not always be seen with the human eye. He will require that you look beyond what you can see and sense deeply where he may be challenged. This will require slowing down as a parent to see where your child may struggle and thinking about how some of his existing struggles may be connected to his earliest trauma.

Copyright? 2006 Dr. Bryan Post. All rights reserved.

To learn more about how your child's early trauma can impact his/her behavior and the family dynamic, visit http://www.postforparents.com and http://www.postfamilysystem.com.

B. Bryan Post PhD, LCSW, is an internationally recognized expert in the treatment of children and families struggling with issues related to trauma, attachment and bonding. A free copy of Dr. Post?s parenting book, For All Things A Season, and past articles can be downloaded at http://www.postinstitute.com .

Male Infertility and Glutathione

Are You Half The Man Your Father Was?

It is a well-known fact that sperm counts have dropped by half in the last 50 years, and that modern men have 20 percent less semen volume than their fathers (BMJ, 1992, volume 305).

A recent report from researchers in Aberdeen presented preliminary data that suggests the sperm concentration of the men seen in their clinic had declined by 29% over the past 14 years. (British Fertility Society; 5 January 2004)

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals from normal, everyday plastics are known to cause reproductive damage, as documented in Theo Colborn's book Our Stolen Future.

Damage to sperm caused by exposure to common chemicals like alcohol, pesticides in food, has been linked to lowered intelligence and behavioral disorders in children.

Lifestyle risk factors known to decrease sperm quality include

> Cigarette smoking

> Alcohol consumption

> Chronic stress

> Nutritional deficiencies.

Other reasons for infertility include congenital factors, and health conditions like prostatitis and diabetes that can affect sperm production.

Pollution is stealing our future, and there's little anyone can do to avoid it. There may not be a lot you can do to reduce your exposure to persistent environmental toxins.

But there are definite measures you can take to reduce the impact of the environmental pollutants and toxins on your body.

You can prevent and, to a certain extent, repair the damage they cause to your body, through a better lifestyle and nutrition.

Some nutritional therapies and antioxidants that have proven beneficial in treating male infertility and improving sperm counts, sperm morphology and motility include:

> Carnitine

> Arginine

> Zinc

> Selenium

> Vitamin B-12

> Vitamin C

> Vitamin E

> Glutathione

> Coenzyme Q10

Studies show that anti-oxidant supplementation - glutathione in particular - can improve sperm quality, and possibly increase your chances of conceiving.

If you smoke, drink, are exposed to stress, chemicals, radiation, pesticides or take medication or drugs (like sulfasalazine, ketoconazole, azulfidine, anabolic steroids, marijuana) that affect fertility, you should consider taking an antioxidant supplement to reverse some of the damage.

Why are Antioxidants Important for Sperm Quality?

Mammalian spermatozoa are coated by a membrane rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. These fatty acids are extremely susceptible to oxidative damage by free radicals or Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by a process called lipid peroxidation (LPO).

Lipid peroxidation damages the sperm cell membrane. It is considered to be the key mechanism of ROS-induced sperm damage and leads to

> Loss of sperm motility

> Abnormal sperm morphology

> Reduced capacity for oocyte penetration

> Infertility

To protect sperm from damage, the body depends on powerful antioxidant enzymes in the body such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase/reductase (GPX/GRD).

Seminal plasma and spermatozoa have several antioxidant enzymes - glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase.

Some amount of all the antioxidant enzymes, which may protect spermatozoa from oxidative attack, are also made by the epididymis during storage.

The glutathione peroxidase/reductase enzymes play a central role in the defense against oxidative damage in human sperm.

Why is Glutathione important for Sperm Quality and Fertility?

A decrease in levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) during sperm production is known to disrupt the membrane integrity of spermatozoa due to increased oxidative stress.

Intracellular glutathione levels of spermatozoa are known to be decreased in certain populations of infertile men. Compared with a control group, the infertile men in all groups had significantly higher levels of ROS and lower levels of total antioxidants.

There is strong clinical evidence to show that men diagnosed with infertility have high levels of oxidative stress that may impair the quality of their sperm.

In some groups, higher levels of ROS were associated with lower sperm counts and defective sperm structure, while lower antioxidant levels correlated with reduced sperm movement.

Previous evidence has also shown that oxidative stress can decrease a sperm's life span, its motility, and its ability to penetrate the oocyst, or egg cell.

Up to 40% of men with unexplained male infertility have higher levels of free radical activity in their bodies.

Because men with high levels of ROS have a seven-fold lower likelihood of inducing a pregnancy than men with lower levels, researchers recommend that treatment for infertile men should include strategies to reduce oxidative stress and improve sperm quality.

How can Glutathione help in the Treatment of Infertility?

Glutathione is not only vital to sperm antioxidant defenses, but selenium and glutathione are essential to the formation of phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase - an enzyme present in spermatids - which becomes a structural protein in the mid-piece of mature spermatozoa.

When either substance is deficient, it can lead to instability of the mid-piece of the spermatozoa, resulting in defective motility.

Free radical scavengers - such as glutathione - that restore the structure and function of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the cell membrane, can be used to treat these cases.

In a double-blind cross-over study of twenty infertile men, treatment with glutathione led to a statistically significant improvement of the sperm quality.

The study concerned men in whom the sperm quality was poor due to unilateral varicocele or germ-free genital tract inflammation - two conditions in which ROS or other toxic compounds are indicated as causative factors.

Treatment with glutathione was also found to have a statistically significantly positive effect on sperm motility (in particular forward motility) and on sperm morphology.

The findings of these studies indicate that glutathione therapy could represent a possible therapeutical tool in cases where ROS or exposure to toxins is the probable cause of infertility.

Read the complete report with references on Male Infertility and Glutathione

Copyright ? 2004 Priya Shah

About the author:
Priya Shah is the Editor of The Glutathione Report, a newsletter featuring regular updates on the health benefits of glutathione. Get a Free report on Glutathione in Health and Disease

Infertility And The MindBody Connection

In the 1980's many in the healing professions were beginning to recognize how physiological processes such as heart rate, blood flow, pain thresholds etc. could be controlled via modalities such as hypnosis, visualization, meditation, humor and so on.

Out of these observations grew the new and exciting field of mind-body medicine also known as psycyhoneuroimmunology.

In this article I will address a new healing modality called the Mind Resonance Process? (MRP) in the context of the mind-body links that I have found to exist in couples struggling with infertility.

Millions of dollars are spent to diagnose and treat infertility each year. Most of this money is spent on advanced and often invasive technological approaches that in the majority of cases yield very little in the way of results. Why is this?

Well in my view it is because if there is some emotional block in the couple that creates the infertility problem in the first place it will sabotage any attempts to get around it. Although many physicians are reluctant to accept this, it is my view that emotional issues can and do have an upper hand in such cases.

What are some examples of such emotional issues?

Well they are:

1. The fear if getting pregnant or being pregnant.

2. The fear of having a deformed or defective child.

3. The fear of having to make the required changes in life style that is demanded of couples when a new member of the family arrives.

4. The fear of the financial repercussions.

5. The fear of being responsible for another's life or well being.

6. Lack of self confidence as a new parent.

7. Fear that the new member will disrupt what is often an unhealthy co-dependent bond between the parents.

And so on.

The recent work of Dr. Bruce Lipton, an eminent cell biologist posits that our beliefs can affect our physiology. This is also corroborated by the work of Dr. Candace Pert (Molecules of Emotion). Their work supports my clinical observations working with MRP.

In one case working with a woman who was terribly afraid that her child might be deformed I helped her completely release the fear in a matter of minutes. This left her feeling relaxed, confident, resilient, ready and willing to move towards childbirth. The effect on her physiologically was reflected by the shift in her emotional state.

MRP has the powerful ability to not only shift one's inner emotional matrix it also has the ability to translate this shift into the way the body works and is structured.

If you are dealing with issues of infertility that you feel are emotionally based or are dealing with the stress of infertility and you would like to experience what MRP can do for you kindly visit the web link below.

Dr. Nick Arrizza is trained in Chemical Engineering, Business Management & Leadership, Medicine and Psychiatry. He is an Energy Psychiatrist, Healer, Key Note Speaker,Editor of a New Ezine Called Spirituality And Science (which is requesting high quality article submissions) Author of Esteem for the Self: A Manual for Personal Transformation (available in ebook format on his web site), Stress Management Coach, Peak Performance Coach & Energy Medicine Researcher, Specializes in Life and Executive Performance Coaching, is the Developer of a powerful new tool called the Mind Resonance Process(TM) that helps build physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being by helping to permanently release negative beliefs, emotions, perceptions and memories. He holds live workshops, international telephone coaching sessions and international teleconference workshops on Physical. Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Well Being.

Web site: http://www.telecoaching4u.com/IntroConsult.htm

Full Marks at Birth!

The majority of us have, or have had, some sort of birthmark during our lives. Many are tiny and are in places that only our closest relations/ ?friends? know about. There are though, some that are more noticeable and vary in shape and size and can be of numerous colours. The differing types of birthmarks are known by fairly common sounding names, but each have their own characteristics.

Angel kiss birthmarks, also known as salmon patches or stork bites; occur in many newborns, on the back of the neck or between the eyebrows. These birthmarks are thin, flat, light pink or red in colour, with poorly defined borders. Many angel kiss birthmarks will spontaneously disappear within the first year of life, but those that are situated around the hairline at the back of the neck often remain into adulthood. Another common birthmark is the brown variety, also known as Caf?-au-lait spots, and can appear anywhere on the body, but most often on the legs, torso and buttocks. They are permanent and range in colour from a light shade to a chocolate shade of brown. Purple birthmarks, also referred to as port-wine stains are uncommon birthmarks that are pink-red at birth and darken to reddish purple birthmarks by several years of age. develop normally. They can very often cover a large area of the body, generally are found on the face. The strawberry birthmark, as you might gather, gets its name from its resemblance to the fruit. They most often develop on the face, scalp, back or chest and are the most common of all birthmarks, but can be quite alarming at birth. They begin as raised, red soft lumps on the skin usually the size of a 50p piece.

A mongolian birthmark, also known as blue spots, are common among darker skinned races, such as Asian, East Indian, African and Hispanic. They are flat, pigmented lesions with nebulous borders and irregular in shape. They appear commonly at the base of the spine, on the buttocks or back, as well as the shoulders and can sometimes be mistaken for bruises.

The vast majority of birthmarks will disappear by the time a child starts puberty, but for those that don?t and are thought to be unsightly and/or in a place which attracts attention; technology in the form of a laser removal process has been developed and is available in some cases. This laser removal treatment is quick and practically pain-free. The technique involves the lasers penetrating the surface of the skin and lightening the darkened areas and dependant upon the size of the birthmark, can take anywhere from several minutes to an hour, but are nearly always performed on an outpatient basis.

Mick Burrows writes for http://birthmarks-the-spot.info

Drop in for a spot of info on those worrisome birthmarks!

Using Birth Control Pills For Acne Control

The use of birth control pills to control acne flare ups may or may not be an effective.

Usually, the first signs of acne develop during adolescence, when hormone levels begin to rise. When hormone levels surge, the sebaceous glands located at the base of each hair follicle, produce excess oil. This oil combined with dead skin cells and dirt becomes trapped within the skin's pores and acne develops.

Since acne can be triggered by fluctuating hormone levels within the body, it stands to reason that acne can appear at the various 'stages' in life when hormone levels are changing such as puberty, pregnancy and menopause. It also makes sense that controlling hormone levels may help to reduce acne outbreaks.

The use of birth control pills for the treatment of acne is an attempt to regulate hormones. It is important to understand that every human body contains both male and female hormones. Overactive sebaceous glands are the result of rising levels of the male hormones - testosterone and androgens. Birth control pills contain artificial female hormones - estrogen and/or progestin. The theory is that birth control pills shut down the ovaries which are producing inappropriate male hormones allowing a more balanced male/female hormone mixture.

There are problems with using birth control pills to control acne. Some women may actually notice their acne worsen with the use of birth control pills until the estrogen levels become dominant.

Women who do take the birth control pill and who notice that their acne is getting worse should discuss the situation with their doctor. Different brands of oral contraception have different levels of hormones. Switching to another brand may bring acne back under control. There are several brands that may help clear up acne but only Ortho Tri-cyclen has been approved by the FDA for treating acne.

Keep in mind that using birth control pills for acne control is only a temporary solution. Many women find that once they stop using birth control pills, their acne returns - often worse than before.

Birth control pills can have undesirable side effects including nausea, weight gain, water retention and mood swings. There are also other more serious health risks than acne to consider. Prolonged use may increase your chances of heart attack or stroke.

It is for these reasons that using birth control pills for acne control should be considered only after all other treatment options have failed and always with the guidance of your physician.

Cindy English publishes informative articles and product reviews of today's most popular acne treatments. Visit the Acne Skin Care Guide. It's the first step to a clearer complexion and greater self-esteem!

? Copyright 2006 by Cindy English

Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch Lawyers Lawsuits & Side Effects

Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch Side Effects

Ortho Evra is the maker of a popular birth control patch. This patch has similar side effects to the birth control pill, although some of the dangers of the patch might be more severe. Some women experience weight gain when they first go on the pill, while others notice changes in menstrual flow, vaginal discharge and even sexual desire. The pill is also known to have common side effects such as changes in blood pressure, skin problems and urinary tract infection.

In 2005, the Associated Press found around 10,000 accounts of people reporting adverse reactions to the Ortho Evra birth control patch. Side effects of Ortho Evra birth control patches have been known to include an increase in risks of deep-vein thrombosis, heart attack, strokes and blood clots. Many women who were using the Ortho Evra birth control patch have recently died of these symptoms and thousand more are now very concerned about their own safety. In just one year the Federal Drug Administration reported 44 deaths linked to Ortho Evra.

If you or someone you know has been affected by the Ortho Evra birth control patch you may have a right to receive compensation for your suffering. Please contact a qualified Ortho Evra patch lawyer today.

For more information on the Ortho Evra birth control patch or hiring a birth control patch lawyer please visit http://www.sddefenselawyers.com/orthoevra/

This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all link remain intact and active as hyperlinks.

Trends in Gift Giving Jewelry a Timeless Favorite

In times of rapid change, constants lend comfort to our lives. Since ancient times, jewelry has been one of the most popular gifts to give and to receive, and it still ranks among the top gifts as a universal, particularly pearls and birthstones. Jewelry ranks just beneath flowers as the gift that says I love you, and it ranks just above flowers as a gift to convey that the recipient is someone special. A gift of jewelry delights the recipient and evokes a genuine smile.

It's the Style?

It's not the price; it's the style that determines whether your gift of jewelry is received in the same spirit in which it is given. To give jewelry that delights, match the gift to the recipient's style. Jewelry is one area where you cannot give a gift that you would love to own. Your idea of a fashionable bauble may be another's idea of junk. Is the intended's style casual or more formal, traditional or contemporary? You wouldn't give a Swatch watch to your great-grandmother any more than you would give a diamond tennis bracelet to your Goth niece. Select a compatible style and your gift will stand out among the recipient's favorites and ensure that the gift never finds its way to the regifting closet.

The Many Faces of Pearls

Any woman over the age of 30 appreciates a fine strand of pearls. They're elegant, timeless, and suitable for most occasions. Think back to your favorite old movies; most leading ladies wore pearls at some point during the movie.

Pearls are the only gemstone created within another living organism. Natural pearls are grown without any human intervention when a speck of sand or other irritant lodges itself inside an oyster. Deteriorating environmental conditions have rendered natural pearls all but obsolete.

Cultured pearls have quickly filled the void. The only difference between a natural pearl and a cultured pearl is that human intervention is required to place the irritant inside the oyster shell. By controlling the size and shape of the irritant as well as the environmental factors, cultured pearls guarantee greater quality control. You?ll find pearls in many hues ranging from white South Sea pearls to black Tahitian pearls, and covering a lot of territory in between: pink, green, blue and ivory.

Freshwater pearls sport a combination of interesting shapes and hues not usually found in saltwater varieties. Freshwater pearls come from Chinese rivers and lakes where the Hyriopsis cumingi mussels can produce 50 pearls at once. They are usually less expensive than saltwater pearls, but no less elegant than their saltwater counterpart.

Birthstones

Precious and semi-precious gems linked to birthdays date as far back as the 15th century. Unlike today, early birthstones were linked to the signs of the Zodiac instead of to calendar months. Almost everyone appreciates a birthstone, and it shows that you actually put some thought into the gift. Many people believe that wearing their birthstone protects them and brings them good luck. When giving a birthstone as a gift, think beyond rings to bracelets, pendants, earrings, pins and chokers.

The chart below contains the official modern birthstones, as established in 1912 by the National Association of Jewelers. Some birthstones have many legends associated with them; you'll find a brief summary below. This official list applies only to the United States. Several other birthstone lists exist, such as the mystical birthstones, which originated in Tibet and the Ayurvedic birthstones, which originated in India.

Month Birthstone

January Garnet

-Associated with blood, garnet provides victory, protection from injury and health and brings constancy

February Amethyst

-Said to have been worn by St. Valentine, amethyst signifies spirituality and sincerity

March Aquamarine

-The stone of serenity and courage, also associated with water

April Diamond

-Banishes evil, promotes goodness, improves financial situations - the world's favorite precious gem also signifies pure and eternal love, innocence

May Emerald

-Brings harmony, the stone of life and renewal, love and success

June Pearl

-Purity, chastity and modesty, health and longevity

July Ruby

-Devotion, integrity and success - contentment

August Peridot

-Dignity, success and fame ? married happiness

SeptemberSapphire

-Clears the mind and brings prosperity and clear thinking

OctoberOpal

-Happiness, beauty, love, magic - hope

NovemberTopaz

-Brings wisdom and strength of mind, fidelity

DecemberTurquoise

-Good fortune and prosperity

Enclose a card with the gift explaining the meaning of the birthstone. While most people know their birthstone, few know the significance attached to it.

If you want to give jewelry as a gift, but you?re at a loss for what to give, pearls and birthstones provide two safe options that are sure to please and make a lasting impression.

M J Plaster is a successful author who provides information on shopping online for jewelry and jewelry gifts. M J Plaster has been a commercial freelance writer for almost two decades, most recently specializing in home and garden, the low-carb lifestyle, investing, and anything that defines la dolce vita.