Archive for June, 2008
Important Prenatal Vitamins
Even those women who pay attention to the nutritional needs of their body will want to consider the extra requirements necessary before and during pregnancy. Many obstetricians and health professionals will prescribe prenatal vitamins for their patients at an early visit, or even at a prenatal visit. There are many different formulas for prenatal vitamins, both prescribed and over-the-counter types, with prescribed formulas generally superior to those purchased over-the-counter.
If you decide to select your own prenatal vitamins formula there are certain standards which you should look for in the product you purchase.
VITAMIN A- The beta-carotene form is the safest version of this supplement. This is a vitamin where more is NOT better. Do not take more than 4-5,000 IU of Vitamin A daily. Amounts of 10,000 or more have been shown to have toxicity.
VITAMIN D – Vitamin D is another supplement where too much is toxic. Keep your daily intake at 400 IU or less.
FOLIC ACID – The B vitamin may be one of the more important supplements for fetal development. Any formula should contain 800 to 1000 mcg of folic acid.
CALCIUM – A supplement that contains 2-300 mg calcium is just a start toward reaching the recommended 1200 mg daily. However, anything beyond 250 mg of calcium (or 25 mg of magnesium) should not be taken at the same time as supplemental iron since both calcium and magnesium interfere with the absorption of the iron. A two hour gap in time between taking the iron supplement and the calcium/magnesium supplement will allow for maximum assimilation.
VITAMIN C – Most formulas contain at least 70 mg of this essential vitamin. There are no known side effects from taking a higher dose.
THIAMINE, RIBOFLAVIN, PYRIDOXINE, NIACINAMIDE, AND VITAMIN B-12 – Most formulas contain two to three times the recommended daily allowance of these prenatal vitamins and there are no known toxicity levels.
VITAMIN E – 10 mg of Vitamin is the minimum amount which should appear in the supplement formula. Most formulas contain at least two to three times the RDA. Vitamin E has no known toxicity level.
ZINC and IRON – You should be getting at least 15 mg of zinc and 30 mg elemental iron. In addition, a supplement that contains zinc needs additional copper. Both copper and zinc are needed to assist in the assimilation of iron. Zinc is also required when the calcium supplement reaches 1200 mg or more.
Although trace minerals are important in nutritional health, few if any prenatal vitamins formulas contain any of the trace minerals. Making sure that prenatal supplement formulas are balanced to each other and contain all the essential nutrients for mother and infant health is a difficult task. You are aided in your attempt though, with the availability of a wide variety of healthy food choices. That is the importance of eating healthfully and using the vitamin and mineral supplements as extra nutritional coverage.
These prenatal vitamins are sometimes available in liquid form for those who have difficulty swallowing a capsule, but you should be aware that much of the vitamins taken in liquid form will be lost in the digestive process. One other point to remember is to be sure to take the supplements with food or drink. Some of the vitamins taken on an empty stomach can cause unpleasant aftertaste and the assimilation rate is much higher when it is taken with food or drink.
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Fibromyalgia – Are You One of the 15 Million?
If you have been diagnosed with FMS, you know the overwhelming aches, pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia all too well. It makes every movement of your body an excruciating effort. Imagine if some of that pain could be relieved – without barraging your body with any more harsh drugs. Sound impossible? Think three things: chemical sensitivities, guaifenesin and emu oil.
Doctors are now recognizing that as many as 75 percent of the people who suffer with fibromyalgia are also sensitive to many common, often unavoidable chemicals, like perfumes, pesticides and fuels. Additionally, some individuals develop symptoms similar to fibromyalgia when they eat foods that contain additives. Some experience symptoms when exposed to carpeting and building materials.
Diagnosis of chemical sensitivities is difficult, since the signs so closely parallel those of fibromyalgia. Not only do they include the aches and pains associated with the autoimmune disease, but symptoms of chemical sensitivity may include unexplained fatigue and difficulty in sleeping as well as difficulty in breathing.
Additional signs of this problem include painful headaches, very often migraines, nausea, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. The signs even manifest as the flu-like symptoms of a runny nose, itchy eyes, and a sore throat. Some individuals complain of problems with concentration.
Chemical sensitivities usually accompany fibromyalgia. Medical experts are at a loss to explain what causes this health problem. But, that doesn’t mean your doctor can’t help lessen these problems. With a few simple lifestyle changes, including some which may involve your diet, you may be able to pinpoint the exact causes. Even partial relief is helpful.
Another helpful way to relieve pain besides monitoring chemical triggers I listed above, is to use emu oil on painful muscles. The emu bird was originally used by Australian Aborigenies for their meat and the oil had many uses.
Studies from University of Australia report temporary relief for painful muscles, arthritis joint pain, eczema, aging and many other uses. The meat is also reported to be healthier than chicken breast as far as cholesterol is concerned. So if you want an easy, safe and inexpensive way to relieve painful muscles due to fibromyalgia, try rubbing in some emu oil. Just make sure it’s pure and has the American Emu Association seal of approval. If the oil has not been purified properly, it may contain contaminants.
Prostate Cancer Symptoms
The prostate cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the prostate gland which is the part of male reproductive system. Prostate cancer symptoms might or might not manifest in a man suffering from this condition. Being a slow developing type of cancer, some men who have the disease might not even know that they have it.
Prostate cancer symptoms are not evident in its early stage. Screening for prostate cancer is relatively simple to do, with an annual prostate examination and PSA test . Most patients with prostate cancer will be identified and with a relatively high chance of cure. Screening for diseases is a fact of modern medicine. For prostate cancer, the issue is complex, as the overall benefit to patients is far from clear.
Screening means testing for cancer before you have any symptoms. A screening test can often help find cancer at an early stage. Prostate cancer symptoms are the key to determining if one has a possibility of developing prostate cancer. With early self-diagnosis, one can make a detour away from the deadly route of prostate cancer. Urinary difficulties and incontinence are characteristic of early stage prostate cancer symptoms. Men often experience frequent urination, although the amount of urine passed may be quite small. Urinary incontinence often follows childbirth or menopause. Urine or prostatic fluid cytology may reveal unusual looking cells. Also keep in mind that experts report that PSA tests are not reliable and they are looking for better ways to diagnose prostate cancer. Urine or prostatic fluid cytology may reveal unusual cells.
Another test usually used when prostate cancer symptoms are present is a digital rectal exam (DRE) performed by the doctor, proctologist or oncologist. Blood in the urine is normally a symptom of something other than prostate cancer.
However, in people who do have prostate cancer the presence of blood in the urine may be an indicator that the condition is advanced and has spread from the prostate and into the bladder or urethra. Blood tests will usually confirm diagnosis. If left untreated the disease can get serious and lead to kidney, liver, eye, and brain damage. Pain in the bladder or frequent urge for urinating are other symptoms which might indicate bladder cancer. However, none of these symptoms can be conclusively related to bladder cancer. Pain and stiffness in the lower back, hips, upper thighs and the pelvic area can be symptoms of prostate cancer that has already spread. If these prostate cancer symptoms appear, a visit to the doctor is most imperative.
Scientists are just beginning to study how diet and other environmental factors may or may not affect prostate cancer risk. Scientists still do not know the exact cause behind prostate cancer. No one knows why some people suffer with prostate cancer while others do not.