Category: Family Health

Abstinence: Does it Work in Today’s Society? Part 1

As a parent, you are naturally concerned about your daughter getting pregnant. A daughter is concerned about that and also the risk of acquiring a sexually-transmitted disease. For some, the answer lies not in conventional birth control but abstaining from sexual activity altogether.

 

Abstinence is saying no to sex until you are ready. Over the years, there has been a debate amongst parents, their children and medical professionals as to how effective the abstinence message can be.

 

With the high incidence of teen pregnancy, condoms were available in health clinics. Some parents thought their teens were being encouraged to have sex as a result of this availability.

 

Medical professionals wanted to keep them safe from pregnancy and things that were much worse, and could not understand what all the fuss was about.

 

As a man or a woman, teen or adult, sexual activity carries with it some risks. A person with multiple partners increases their risk of pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases with each new contact, even with protection. There is also the reality that even if you are being faithful, your partner may not be.

 

The only foolproof method of birth control and avoiding STDs is abstinence. But, is it a choice that is still possible?

 

The answer is yes, of course. Abstinence will be a part of various stages of a person’s life and is a conscious choice.

(Continued in Part 2)

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Product Review: Johns Hopkins Medical Letter Health After 50

5 stars
Fantastic health advice for aging well, and a great website to use as a resource.

If you are looking for a fabulous newsletter for the over 50s for your parents, or even yourself, you will not want to miss Johns Hopkins Health After 50. Each issue is crammed with the kind of news you need to know about your health. They deal with about dozne main topics every month, from arthritis to memory to vision. The editors who work on the newsletter all teach at the medical school, so the information is cutting-edge, but you can understand it easily when you read it. My parents wouldn’t miss an issue, and I always find things I never knew about my health. Since 50 is the new 20, you won’t want to miss all this great information.

They also have free Special Reports and free email health alerts you can sign up for into your email box every time they put up a new article. So if you’re interested in weight loss or diabetes, for example, they will email the article direct to you. The site is totally free and they add a new article almost every day.

It’s great if you’re a caregiver for older parents too, so you can learn more about your loved one’s health conditions, and effective prevention strategies. This is especially important if you have, for example, heart disease in the family, and want to take steps to avoid a heart attack.

http://www.healthafter50.com

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When Prescription Drugs and Herbal Supplements don’t mix

It seems that everyone is interested in trying natural remedies these days, including herbs and other supplements. However, naturall does not mean completely safe and free from any potential side effects. In fact, when added to prescription drugs you are taking, you can start to have real health issues if you are not careful.

Here is a handy list of herbs you should avoid with certain prescription drugs:
http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/prescription_drugs/1933-1.html?ET=johnshopkins:e4852:219a:&st=email&st=email&s=RKH_080408_005

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Morning Sickness During Pregnancy Part 2

Part 2 of 2 Parts.

Different smells tend to be another reason for morning sickness. Imagine walking into a restaurant and the first thing you smell is something greasy like bacon or sausage. This can easily set it off.

Bad smells and even certain tastes can often trigger morning sickness. It will take a bit of time for your body to adjust, and for you to discover just what triggers your nausea. Knowing how to avoid it can make a world of difference to how frequently you get sick during your pregnancy.

A few reasons you should go to your doctor would be if you begin losing weight because you are constantly sick. If you become dehydrated, faint, look pale, feel mentally confused, or throw up more than four times in a day, your doctor may be able to prescribe something that will stop it.

In addition to eating small meals and avoiding bad smells, you might also try slowing down a bit. Sometimes your body is just exhausted from all the chores you are doing, and it is trying to give you a break.

Listen to your body, take a nap, relax and watch a television show. Take some time off. Far too many woman try to work a full schedule despite their pregnancy, and work right through to the very end of it.

If you are looking for remedies for your morning sickness, you may try buying some pregnancy pops. Or if you’d prefer to stay away from the sweets you can wear a bracelet designed to stop morning sickness. They are just like the motion sickness bracelets.  They don’t work for everyone but they could work for you.  Acupressure also seems to help some women, but check with your doctor first before trying any alternative remedies.

Once you are pregnant, you will be bombarded with well-meaning advice, but just remember, your body and circumstances are unique. So listen to your body, and do you best to cope with your morning sickness in your own way, for a happy, healthy pregnancy.

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Morning Sickness During Pregnancy Part 1

Part 1 of 2 Parts.

Morning sickness can be one or the first signs that you’re pregnant.  Unfortunately, despite the name, this doesn’t always mean that you’ll get sick only in the morning. It can happen, morning, noon or night.

It will normally occur in the first trimester of your pregnancy, and end by the second. This isn’t the case in all pregnancies, though. Some women will continue with it until the very end of term.

Nausea can happen immediately, or you may get lucky and have no morning sickness at all. No one is certain what causes morning sickness. It is no doubt just one of the many changes in the body that happens during pregnancy.

Many women seem to get sick after taking the pre-natal vitamin, so try taking it later in the day. Your doctor may even advise you to take some other form of vitamin instead of the usual pre-natal ones. Always check first with your doctor before taking anything new or taking yourself off medication, even pre-natal vitamin.

There are a few ways to minimize the sickness, but they don’t work for everyone. Try keeping crackers on hand, most people prefer saltines. Try drinking some ginger ale to calm the stomach, especially flat ginger ale.

Dry cereal is another good thing to eat. Your stomach may just be a little bit hungry and trying to tell you, but you mistake it for nausea.

Remember to eat only small portions, that way you will not make the nausea and any vomiting worse than it has to be.

Resting and sleeping is another good way to avoid it; however, it can wake you up. Keep yourself hydrated. Not only can this make your sickness settle down a bit, but it can help you avoid becoming dehydrated, which would  require a trip to the emergency room to get intravenous fluids and antinausea medication.

 

Continued in Part 2.

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