New research has just come out that shows there’s an increased risk of elevated blood pressure if a woman suffers pre-eclampsia during pregnancy. Actually, this medical condition could be experienced as early as a year after birth.

About Pre-Eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a medical condition in which a woman develops high blood pressure when she is pregnant. The amount of protein increases in the urine when a woman becomes pregnant, and this can cause elevated blood pressure. If it is not controlled, it could be life threatening to  the baby and mother.

However, even if the blood pressure is controlled, the after effects of condition can lead to problem later after birth.

The problem is that blood pressure is usually not checked a year after birth. Most new mothers stop seeing the doctor after their follow up appointment shortly after delivery.

This means that high blood pressure goes unnoticed for as long as they don’t see a doctor.

A person with high blood pressure is seven times more likely to suffer from heart disease.

The percentage of women with high blood pressure after birth is high – 41 percent. This is a huge concern that needs to be addressed.

The other issue is that the blood pressure can increase and decrease. When woman had their blood pressure read inside of the clinic, it could be normal. When they left the clinic, it could be high. The sustained readings was only seen in 14.5 percent of the women. If in-clinic readings were looking at more than half of women’s high blood pressure reading would go unnoticed.

Going Forward

The researchers have this to say:

“Our findings suggest women who have high blood pressure during pregnancy should continue to monitor their blood pressure long after they’ve delivered their babies,” “It’s not only important to monitor blood pressure in the doctor’s office, but also at different times of the day and night, at home.” – Source

With this information, it will be easier to find women who are suffering from high blood pressure after delivery. This can save women’s lives.

If you’re a woman who has recently given birth or you have in the last year or more, have your blood pressure check regularly throughout the day. If you notice high blood pressure signs:

• Headaches
• Blurred vision
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain

If you notice any of these signs of high blood pressure, contact a medical professional as soon as possible. The effects of high blood pressure can damage your kidneys and heart. Take care of yourself, so you can take care of your baby.

Constantly feeling tired can be a result of many different issues, but most of them are relatively easy to correct once you determine your issue. However, left unaddressed, being overly tired can have a devastating effect on your life. One in 25 drivers reported falling asleep at the wheel each month and each year over 70,000 car accidents are the result of a driver falling asleep or becoming drowsy. If you find that you feel tired frequently, then determining the underlying cause and correcting it will greatly improve your quality of life and your overall health.

Lack of Sleep

According to the American Academy of Sleep and the Sleep Research Society, adults between 18 and 60 require about 7 hours of sleep for optimal health. Getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night on a regular basis can result in fatigue, impaired performance, obesity, high blood pressure, depression, heart disease and a greater risk of strokes. If you are not getting the necessary sleep each night then try to maintain a more consistent sleep routine, ensure that your bedroom is quiet and dark, limit caffeine and avoid alcohol and tobacco before bed.

Proper Nutrition

Your diet can also be the cause of your excessive tiredness. Improving your diet will help to boost your energy level and your overall health. Following these guidelines can help you to begin improving your diet:

• Eat the proper amount of calories for your sex, age and weight
• Fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables
• Make sure that whole grains are at least half of the grains that you consume each day
• Switch to low fat or fat free dairy products
• Eat a variety of proteins including lean poultry and meat, unsalted nuts and seeds and omega-3 rich seafood
• Cut down on sugar
• Never skip breakfast
• Eat at regular intervals
• Drink plenty of water

Proper Exercise

A sedentary lifestyle is likely to make you feel more tired than being active. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that all adults exercise at a moderate level for 2 hours and 30 minutes each week. In addition, muscle strengthening exercises should be included 2 or more days each week. The University of Georgia reported that after sitting quietly, a 20 minute period of exercise actually increased energy rather than depleting it.

High Stress Levels

Excessive or long term stress has been found to cause physical and emotional exhaustion and can lead to illnesses. Stress is a mechanism that causes your body to generate chemicals to prepare your body for an emergency, a fight or flight type of action. But in a long term situation the chemicals that would normally protect you, can damage your health and ultimately be used up. Learning tricks to manage your stress can be very beneficial to your long term health.

• Learn to say no
• Avoid stressful situations when possible
• Keep a stress journal to learn what your stress triggers are and how to avoid them
• Communicate your concerns rather than keeping emotions bottled up
• Accept things that you cannot change
• Learn to forgive

Determining what the cause of your excessive tiredness is and correcting it can have a huge impact on your energy level and your happiness. Investing the time to find the issue and address it will have a positive impact on your immediate life as well as a long term impact on your overall health.

Every woman knows that person who claims that they can eat anything and never gain a pound. And in a few rare cases these ladies are actually blessed with the metabolism of a hummingbird and are being honest. But in most cases, the women who never seem to diet but maintain a stable weight are the ones who have mastered a few simple secrets when it comes to their weight and how it impacts their overall health.

Hydration is Critical

Drinking a lot of water is very important to staying hydrated and giving all of the parts of your body the ability to function efficiently. And despite all of the creative marketing material for sports drinks and zero calorie drinks, there really is no substitute for water when it comes to hydration. Unfortunately, many ladies consume a great number of calories in their drinks and are still not getting enough water to remain hydrated. Experts point out that if you feel the thirst sensation, then your body is already in the early stages of dehydration. Keeping a water bottle handy or a pitcher of water to help remind you to consume the original zero calorie drink. In addition to hydration, the water will help you to feel more full and reduce your calorie intake from food.

Keep Special Occasions Special

When you see slim ladies enjoying a desert after dinner you are probably witnessing the exception and not the norm. Ladies who only indulge in a treat on occasion are much better at managing their weight. Making everyday a special occasion is simply an excuse to over indulge. In addition to helping with health goals, consuming treats sparingly actually increases your enjoyment of the reward. The law of diminishing returns applies to desert as well as finances. Anything that you do or eat regularly becomes a part of your routine and is then less enjoyable. Keep special deserts or calorie laden lattes for special occasions and you will enjoy them more and truly feel rewarded and indulgent.

There are No Bad Dogs or Bad Foods

Food is not a person and it doesn’t have a personality or desire to cause you harm. Yes, some foods have more calories just like some dogs have more energy and are more excitable. But the choice of how to handle each of these potentially “bad” things is solely up to you. All food is best consumed in moderation. There is no one perfect superfood that you should consume in mass quantities to guarantee good health and fitness. Managing your calorie and fat intake is more about the total number at the end of the day and not each tiny item. But when you do indulge in a high calorie item realize that you need to account for those calories for the rest of the day. So a tiny bite could leave you very hungry later in the day after consuming your regular calorie intake.

Be Realistic

For most of the world, managing calories and your activity level are going to have a huge impact on your weight. So accepting what your metabolism is and learning to manage it is the toughest part of the battle. Lots of water and moderation are the two best kept secrets in the “diet” world.

Most women will agree that society places a great deal of importance on how women look and how much they weigh. There always seems to be pressure to drop a few pounds and hopefully a dress size, no matter how it makes you feel from a health perspective. Tiny is viewed as superior, better or more desirable. But the fact is that women need to focus on achieving complete fitness to find better health and happiness and not try to derive their happiness and strong self-image from a number associated with their dress size.

Make a Plan and Set Goals

Life is busy and without a plan and steps to follow, it is nearly impossible to reach any goal. Setting goals for your health and exercise is the most certain way to make sure that you set aside time for these important parts of your life. Plan your exercise, plan trips to the market to buy healthy foods and plan time to prepare and enjoy the healthy meals you are making. These are all investments in your health and yourself. Just as you set goals at the gym for increased weight or longer workouts on the treadmill, set goals for cooking more healthy meals or trying new healthy recipes. It won’t all happen overnight but small steps will get you to all of your goals.

Don’t Be Afraid to Build Muscle

We all know that muscle is heavy. But building muscle is not a bad thing even though it might slow down your actual weight loss. Muscle needs to be maintained and this happens by burning the calories that you consume. So by building more muscle you actually are going to be burning more calories simply for maintenance purposes. And this doesn’t mean that you will need to have bulky weightlifter looking muscle. Long lean muscle burns calories just the same and is more slimming and sculpted than the fat that you are burning to build it.

Don’t Forget Water

As you work out and sweat your body is losing fluids, minerals and nutrients. It is critical to replace all of these with enhanced water, coconut water or other sports drinks with electrolytes. Water also helps to flush out the acids that are created when you are working muscles. Without enough water they build up in muscle and lead to the aching and stiffness you feel a day or two after exercising. A good rule for staying properly hydrated is to divide your weight by two. The resulting number is the number of ounces of water you should be consuming daily. So a 150 pound person needs 75 ounces of water each day.

Complete Fitness = Better Health and Happiness

Women’s health is about more than a dress size or meeting unrealistic standards set by society. Achieving complete health is a complex process which incorporates a better diet, more exercise and a healthy mindset about your body. Finding your optimal weight and level of fitness for your body and age will help you feel your best, enjoy your life and have a positive outlook on your entire life.

Anxiety disorders are becoming more and more common, possibly because more people are starting to recognize the signs of anxiety that go far beyond normal worry and agitation to indicate a full-blown medical condition. Doctors have plenty of treatments for stress-busting, including medications and therapies, but many medical professionals will tell you one of the best things you can do to beat anxiety-related symptoms is to exercise.

Don’t Worry; We Know.

Exercising can feel almost impossible when you’re paralyzed by intense anxiety and the serious problems that can occur with disorders like PTSD, GAD, and others. But physical activity is one of the best ways you can treat the mildest to the most intense symptoms of your disorder, and even a little bit of movement can be helpful. So bring on the exercises!

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1. Yoga

Doing yoga is great for anxiety-related issues, simply because it asks the individual to slow everything down and focus on their breathing. No matter what pose you’re in and no matter how intense your practice is, the breathing should always come first. Even if your anxiety isn’t letting you get out of bed, you can practice yoga in its simplest form by closing your eyes, slowing your breathing down, and taking deep, calming breaths.

2. Dancing

Dance classes like Zumba can actually be great to help relieve anxiety and to make you feel comfortable and healthy at the same time. Other types of dance classes—like salsa, belly dancing, and hiphop—are also great ways to get loose and exercise. If you don’t feel ready to dance with others, just put on one of your favorite jams in your bedroom and bop along to the music.

3. Hiking

Hiking is a great alternative to an actual exercise class, plus it gets you out in the fresh air. Walking in places with lots of trees and flora will also lower the hormones in your body that produce the feeling of stress. Though it may seem like a cliché, there’s a reason why getting back to nature can help bust the cobwebs and help you find a calmer headspace.]

4. Running

If you can get your body up to it, running is one of the best ways to bust calories, boost your mood, and generally improve your overall health. It can also be meditative for your brain, as it causes you to repeat the motion of putting one foot in front of the other to a rhythm. It can be hard sometimes for those struggling with mental disorders to engage in such a vigorous activity, though, so you can always start out walking. As long as you’re putting one foot in front of the other, you’re helping yourself.

5. Cleaning

This is a low-key exercise you can take on that will also help you improve your living space, which in turn, will benefit your mental state. In some ways, cleaning is the ultimate exercise for anxiety! If you feel you’ll have trouble focusing, give yourself a specific task like “vacuum the carpets” instead of a broad one like “clean the house.”

Mammograms are key to the early detection of breast cancer. They have saved countless lives over the past decades since the inception of mammography. These days there’s lots of talk about adding an ultrasound to a mammogram for the best means of detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages. Some women are confused by this and wonder if they should ask their doctor to add an ultrasound, too.

According to a recent report from BreastCancer.org, it’s important that women talk with their doctors about the density of their breasts. Previous mammograms will determine breast density, and will categorize it into one of four definitions: mostly fatty, scattered areas of density, consistently dense or extremely dense. You may need your doctor to request this information, however. As of 2015, only 24 states had passed the legislation that requires women be notified of their breast density along with their mammography results.

The report goes on to explain that breasts with less fatty tissue and more non-fatty tissue are deemed dense. Forty-three percent of women in the United States between the ages of 40 and 74 have dense breasts. The report recommends women who fall into the consistently or extremely dense categories talk with their doctors about adding an ultrasound or—in places where it’s available—the 3-D mammogram—to their yearly screenings.

So why is there so much concern over dense breasts? Research has shown that women (and men) with dense breasts are up to six times more likely to develop breast cancer. In addition, breast density makes it harder to find breast cancer in mammography because it appears white on the mammogram—just like breast density.

A study that began back in 2012 included more than 3200 women who had been classified as having dense breasts. Previous mammograms showed no cancer. Additional screening, using both ultrasound and 3-D mammography detected 24 cases of breast cancer among these women. Twelve cases were detected via the combination of ultrasound and 3-D mammography. One was detected by a 3-D mammogram. Eleven were detected by ultrasound alone. False positives—which occur in every study—were deemed “acceptably low.”

Given this important information, women of mammogram age, or those with a history of breast cancer in their families, must learn whether or not they have dense breasts. Their next step is to talk to their doctors about adding either ultrasound or 3-D mammography to their routine tests.

Unfortunately, insurance companies often balk at paying for the additional testing. In many cases, however, they will approve an ultrasound or 3-D mammogram if the initial mammogram shows an area of concern. This isn’t acceptable for women with dense breasts. Those areas that show up for women with fatty or non-dense breast tissue stand a great chance that breast cancer will be easy to see on their regular mammograms. Not so for those women with dense breasts.

It’s still well worth the conversation with a doctor. It’s also worth a conversation with legislators. The best thing women can do, though, is to determine breast density and be prepared to advocate for themselves every step of the way.

Women often shrug off having mammograms done despite being reminded every October during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Studies have actually shown that more than half of women who should have the yearly screening done, women age 40 and above, do not follow through with it. This statistic is surprising when another study shows that four out of five women agree that mammogram screening is important for women’s health.

Why are mammograms so important for a women’s health? What can they detect? Simply put, mammograms save lives. They can detect breast cancer when it is in the early more treatable stages, before a woman even has any symptoms or a lump can be felt. This type of mammogram is called a screening mammogram. A screening mammogram takes two or more x-ray pictures of each breast. These images can detect tiny deposits of calcium that can sometimes indicate the presence of breast cancer or they can pick up small tumors that cannot be felt with the hand when doing self-examination.

Another type of mammogram is called a diagnostic mammogram. These specific mammograms are performed after a lump is found or any other symptom of breast cancer is experienced. These symptoms may include nipple discharge, breast pain, change in size or shape of the breast, or an inverted nipple among other things. A diagnostic mammogram can also be used in special situations where obtaining a screening mammogram is difficult, such as with women who have breast implants.

Are there potential harms associated with mammograms? Yes there are, and they include but are not limited to: false-positives, false-negative results, radiation exposure, and unfortunately not reducing a woman’s chance of dying by early detection.

False-positives results happen when abnormality is seen by a radiologist but there is no cancer present.  This happens more often with women who have denser breasts or younger women. This leads to unnecessary stress and anxiety. False-negative results occur when no abnormality is found. This happens in 20% of screening mammograms. The result of this leads to a false sense of security in women and a delay in treatment. As with false-positive results, this tends to happen with younger women and with women who have denser breasts. Abnormalities can easily be missed because of the dense tissue that is found in younger women.

While the risk of harm from radiation exposure is low, the risk is there after having x-rays done repeatedly. While mammograms can detect breast cancer before a tumor is felt, it does not always mean proper treatment will stop an aggressive form of cancer from spreading to other parts of the body quickly. This is usually undetected and a woman’s chance of death has not changed due to early intervention.

The top reasons women state they do not receive a yearly mammogram is the high cost and lack of health insurance. A woman’s health is vital to living a normal life, so always find a way to have your mammogram done every year. It could save your life.