Posts Tagged ‘buy vitamins’

PMS Causes and Cures

While the exact causes of PMS (premenstrual syndrome) are unknown, the reported symptoms have remained virtually unchanged for decades. PMS is experienced by women of child-bearing age and symptoms include emotional, physical and psychological disruptions. Here we will evaluate what is happening in the body during a bout of PMS and how you might use vitamins and supplements to ease the severity of the symptoms.

PMS seems to occur when estrogen levels drop. In a normal menstrual cycle, estrogen levels slowly rise until about two weeks before menstruation. Then, they sharply fall until menstruation begins. During this two weeks, many women experience anxiety, fatigue, headaches, mood swings, fluid retention, insomnia and depression.

There seems to be a link with the drop in estrogen and production of the mood, appetite and sleep regulating hormone, serotonin. While there is no medical proof that low serotonin levels result in PMS, the symptoms are consistent with low levels of serotonin. Additionally, we know that estrogen keeps serotonin from breaking down and the two normally work together in the body to regulate mood and cognition. Read more…

Be the first to comment - What do you think?  Posted by admin - October 22, 2010 at 1:45 pm

Categories: Women's Health   Tags: , , , , , ,

Vitamins and Supplements: Managing Menopause

The metabolic changes that occur during menopause need to be considered when determining a woman’s daily requirement of vitamins and supplements. Certain vitamins and supplements can help to curb the symptoms of menopause, but also may help to reduce other health risks, like heart attack, stroke, and metabolic syndrome, that increase at the onset of menopause.

The most common symptom of menopause is hot flashes. Over three-fourths of women experience them. During a hot flash, the body’s core temperature rises. The woman’s body seems to be more sensitive to even slight temperature changes during menopause. The temperature change can cause the skin to suddenly become flush and women report sweating profusely. An episode can last several minutes and can occur multiple times a day. Most women overcome hot flashes naturally after one to five years, but some women continue to experience them for the rest of their lives. Read more…

Be the first to comment - What do you think?  Posted by admin - September 1, 2010 at 4:15 pm

Categories: Women's Health   Tags: , , , , , ,

Glaucoma: Prevention and Treatment

Glaucoma is a sneaky condition that can cause blindness. It is a lot like having high pressure in your eyes. The key to treatment is early diagnosis and prevention. It is sad to think that almost all people who lose their eyesight to glaucoma didn’t have to. Glaucoma is easily preventable in virtually every case.

Don’t think that just because you are young that you are safe. Even babies can get glaucoma. The fastest growing group of people to develop glaucoma and blindness are in the twenty year old to thirty year old range. Long hours at a computer raise the pressure and swelling in your eyes and don’t allow them to drain normally. Many people resort to drug treatment to increase drainage of the fluid. The next step is laser surgery to open up drainage ducts in the eyes.

People of Asian descent and African Americans are at the highest risk of developing the disease. People over forty are always at risk and should see their eye doctor every year for a glaucoma check. People with frequent migraines or headaches should be checked yearly. People who work outside in the sun or at a computer should be checked yearly. If you are diabetic you are at an increased risk. If you’ve ever had an eye injury or if you have ever used cortisone or steroid medications, you’re at higher risk.

So, how can you save your eyesight before glaucoma creeps up on you? Early recognition and prevention are key. See your eye doctor if you feel overly sensitive to light, are having more frequent headaches, or if you fall into one of the higher risk categories listed above.

If you are diagnosed, your ophthalmologist will probably give you a strict regimen of eye drops, medications and laser treatments that you must follow to hopefully keep from going blind. The medications must never be missed. The eye drops must be administered exactly as prescribed. You must never stop treatment, even if you can’t tell that there is anything wrong.

Read more…

Be the first to comment - What do you think?  Posted by admin - February 28, 2010 at 5:39 pm

Categories: Vision   Tags: , , , , , , , ,