Aspirin and Heart Disease

You see the ads on television almost every day...you know the ones, where a young man and his dad are playing basketball and suddenly the man clutches his chest in obvious pain. A heart attack is the first thing that comes to your mind. The son runs to the gym bag nearby and gets help...a bottle of aspirin. Dad takes one and lives to see another day.

The commercial is advertising a popular brand of aspirin. You know it can help tame a headache, but do you believe aspirin can save your life? Well, according to the American Heart Association and researchers at Harvard Medical School there’s a reasonable chance it can. In October 1997, the AHA reported in its journal, Circulation, that up to 10,000 more people would survive heart attacks if they would chew one 325 milligram aspirin tablet when they first had chest pain or other sign of a heart attack. Other studies have come to similar conclusions. One found that heart attack patients who took aspirin when their symptoms began, and then daily for one month, significantly lowered their risk of dying and of having another heart attack or stroke over the people in the study who were given the placebo. Now, just about all researchers agree that patients should be given aspirin during the first hour -- during pre-hospital transport or in the Emergency Room -- if a heart attack is suspected.

In the late 1980’s, a report circulated in the medical community that astonished many who saw it for the first time. The study involved 22,000 male physicians, all in good health, who were divided into two groups: half of them took a buffered aspirin every other day, and the others were given a placebo. The findings made headline news around the country: for the doctors taking aspirin, the risk of a coronary was cut by almost half. Among those taking the aspirin, 104 heart attacks (with five deaths) occurred compared to 189 heart attacks -- 18 of them fatal -- among those taking the placebo. The statistics were too dramatic to ignore and -- to be fair -- the doctors monitoring the study recommended that the volunteers taking the placebo be advised of the results so that they, too, could take aspirin if they wished.

Since that study, there have been many research projects focusing on the effects of aspirin on heart disease and additional studies have confirmed that aspirin may also lower a woman’s risk for heart attack by 25 percent when taken one to six times a week. While it is true that heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women, people have traditionally thought heart attacks happen primarily to men. And, up until the past decade, women have been virtually excluded from cardiac research over the years. As one women’s rights activist put it, “The heartaches of women have gotten more attention in country-western songs than their heart attacks have received in clinical research.”

There are still some women who fail to recognize the symptoms of a cardiovascular “event” because they don’t believe it could happen to them. Fortunately, cardiovascular research today generally includes women. The National Institute of Health has conducted a study of 40,000 post-menopausal female nurses, for example, to evaluate the effects of aspirin as well as beta carotene and Vitamin E on their risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease.

How Aspirin Works...

Even before the potential effect of aspirin on heart disease was confirmed, aspirin had been the “anchor drug” in medicine cabinets across the country. Aspirin was officially introduced 100 years ago and has been marketed in its current form for more than 80 years. Aspirin is found in so many homes, however, that few people think of it as a drug. If it were introduced today, though, aspirin might have a difficult time being approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and might even be restricted to being dispensed by prescription only. It does have side effects and it is not for everyone.

The origin of the drug can be traced back to Hippocrates. he advised his followers to chew the leaves of the willow tree to alleviate pain. The Chinese have been using the bark of the same trees -- which contain salicin -- to control fever. In the early 1800’s different derivatives of this bark were tested and one -- acetylsalicylic acid, the chemical name for aspirin -- was found to be tolerated better than the others.

Aspirin can realistically be called a wonder drug because of the many remedial effects it can have on the human body. Basically, it interferes with the production of a series of chemicals in the body -- called prostaglandins -- that regulate many of the body’s vital functions. By blocking certain prostaglandins, aspirin lowers body temperature, relieves minor aches and pains, relieves inflammation and interferes with the role of blood platelets in forming clots. It is this last effect that appears to impact on risk for heart disease.

Blood clots are formed by platelets grouping together. Aspirin interferes with this process by making the platelets less “sticky” -- and therefore less successful in grouping together -- by inhibiting the manufacture of prostaglandins. This same blood “thinning” action that makes aspirin effective in reducing a person’s risk for heart disease is also the reason that some people are unable to take the drug.

Aspirin may well be one of the safest and most widely used drugs on the market today, but it also has some potentially serious side effects for those who cannot tolerate it. Aspirin can be hard on the stomach and cause nausea; it can aggravate gastric ulcers; and cause internal bleeding. It may increase the risk for stroke due to bleeding. Those who are allergic to aspirin can go into shock if they take it. And, aspirin is the trigger to a rare and sometimes fatal childhood disease, Reyes Syndrome, when taken following certain viral infections.

While it can certainly be an effective weapon against heart disease when used as part of a medically supervised program to modify the risks for heart disease, aspirin should not be considered a substitute for stopping smoking, for exercise, or for lowering cholesterol levels. The use of drugs -- even those sold over the counter -- should always be discussed with your physician. Ask your doctor to help you determine if the potential advantages of taking aspirin outweigh the risks in your individual case.

Create Better Breathing Space for Asthmatics

• Ventilation is crucial.
  
  "The building of tightly-sealed houses over the last two decades has made it much easier for moisture and dust to collect in homes," Harvard professor Dr. Douglas Dockery notes. Many vapors trapped indoors, from perfumes and air fresheners to formaldehyde from particleboard, irritate asthmatics. When it’s fresh or even cold outside, keep windows open a crack to circulate air. On hot days, close windows and use air conditioners to ventilate and filter out smog.

• Don’t harbor dust mites.
  
  Microscopic dust mites and their droppings are a potent allergen and asthma trigger. One of the best ways to limit the amount of dust mites in your homes are to encase mattresses with impermeable covers. For more tips, see How to Reduce Dust Mites in Your Home.

• Eradicate cockroaches and keep clutter to a minimum.
  
  Piles of dirty clothes make a growth environment for mildews and mites; piles of paper attract cockroaches. Remember, you can eliminate household pests without using toxic pesticides.

• Maintain humidity below 50 percent.
  
  "Dehumidifying is enormously important, as many asthmatics are highly allergic to mildews and molds," says Harriet Burge, Ph.D., associate professor at Harvard School of Public Health.

• Minimize pet dander.
  
  "Cat dander is everywhere, even if you wash the cat," Centers for Disease Control Dr. Ruth Etzel says. "The only real solution is not to have the cat." Or, wash the animal every two to three weeks, Los Angeles pediatrician Harvey Karp advises.

• No cigarette smoking in the home or car, or anywhere in asthmatics’ presence.
  
  Furnace and heating duct filters should be replaced periodically as they collect dust and molds. Some businesses provide duct-cleaning services.

• Keep asthmatics away from gas stoves.
  
  "Open the oven door and you get a blast of NO2," says University of British Columbia professor emeritus Dr. David Bates. "The asthmatic child should not sit in the kitchen doing homework if the oven is being used." Make sure that stoves are well-ventilated, too.

• Ask your pediatrician about allergenic foods.
  
  If there is a family tendency to allergy, Dr. Ruth Etzel from the Centers for Disease Control says, parents might limit foods associated with allergies, such as cow’s milk, from the child’s diet in the first two years. She and other pediatricians recommend that mothers try to breastfeed their infants for at least the first year.

• Check your local air quality index daily.
  
  Asthmatic children should not exert themselves outside in hot, smoggy weather, or when a dusty wind blows; smog counts tend to be highest between 3pm and 6pm. Air Now, a site provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, allows you to check your local air quality, get ozone maps and more.
  
  
• Try air cleaning and purifying machines.
  
  Consumer Reports says a good air cleaner can help those allergic to dust and mold spores, citing the fan/filter models as most effective in removing airborne dust. The machine will help most in the asthmatic’s bedroom; but keep it at least six feet from the bed (it creates draft), and don’t place on carpet (it can kick up dust). But, "They can only help if you’ve gotten rid of the risk factors first, like dust mites, mold and danders," Harvard School of Public Health associate professor Dr. Harriet Burge warns. Warning: many asthmatics experience irritation from the ozone type of air purifier.

If A Pregnant Woman Told You BPA Was Safe, Would You Believe Her?

Christopher Gavigan

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Bisphenol-A (BPA), the endocrine disrupting chemical found in baby bottles and canned food, has been getting a lot of bad press over the past year. It's really no surprise given the growing list of studies linking it to health impacts ranging from cognitive problems and early puberty to increased fat cell production and miscarriage.

Industry thinks they're getting a bad rap. They think it's unfair that everyone keeps focusing on these studies and not the ones they funded that show no health impacts. Aww. Poor industry. Always getting picked on by the little guys.

They're not going to take it anymore though, and they formed a new club they're calling the BPA Joint Trade Association. In a meeting last week, they decided it would be awesome if they could get a pregnant woman to travel the country eating and drinking from packages and containers that had BPA in them and touting its safety with a big, nurturing smile. That'll show those doubters -- all those toxicologists, public health groups and parents poo-pooing BPA. If a pregnant woman paid by industry happily ingests this chemical, it must be safe. (But, they would make her sign a waiver releasing industry from any liability in case her fetus suffers any birth defects or other health impacts. Yep, best to not be liable for the experiment.)

Seriously. This is what they're stooping to.

Another brilliant idea to come out of that meeting is a scare tactic used last summer in California in order to stop a ban on BPA being reviewed by the legislature. The American Chemistry Council mailed flyers to people's homes claiming "Soon, many common, everyday products could disappear from grocery store shelves across California," and "Your favorite Products May Soon Disappear."

Yep. I guess all that will be left on the shelves at the grocery store will be the foods that are fresh or frozen or in boxes or jars or safer plastics -- oh, and cans that don't use BPA in their lining -- like Eden Foods. According to Eden, (who's still working on finding a replacement for lining cans of acidic foods like tomatoes) it costs the company 2 cents more per can to make them BPA-free.

Seriously? They're putting up this big of a fight over 2 cents a can?

The end is near, BPA industry, best put your money into R&D for a safer alternative instead of poorly thought out marketing plans. Major retailers have been pulling your products from their shelves. Consumers are refusing to buy them. New Jersey, Minnesota, and Chicago have passed BPA bans. Connecticut, California, and even Congress are considering BPA bans. It may be time to throw in the towel.

Those BPA proponents are pretty stubborn though. The California State Senate passed the Toxics-Free Babies and Toddlers Act on June 2, which will ban BPA from food and drink containers for children under three. Now it moves to the Assembly and according to the San Francisco Chronicle, recently revealed e-mails from the BPA Joint Trade Association outlined its strategy to deploy lobbyists in Sacramento for "befriending people that are able to manipulate the legislative process."

In response to all of this questionable activity, the House of Representatives Committee of Energy and Commerce, which has been investigating the safety of BPA, issued a letter to the Chairman of the North American Metal Packaging Alliance (NAMPA -- a core member of the BPA Joint Trade Association). They would like to know exactly what's been said and what's being planned and have requested all of the documents, minutes, emails and communications relating to meetings of the BPA Joint Trade Association, a list of all attendees at meetings, and a list of all members of the BPA Joint Trade Association.

Simultaneously, they wrote FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg asking the agency to examine its relationship with industry groups. What relationship with industry you ask? The one that prompted the FDA to rely on two industry reports instead of 153 independent studies in order to assess the safety of BPA. They also want the FDA to reconsider its assessment that the chemical is safe. And, surprise, instead of dragging it's feet like so many times during the Bush years, the FDA quickly replied that they would re-assess BPA and that they would get it done ASAP. As in weeks, instead of months.

The times they are a-changing. But, the BPA battle is not over yet.

If you live in California, contact your state representatives and urge them to support the Toxics-Free Babies and Toddlers Act.

If your congressional representative is on the Committee on Energy and Commerce, contact him or her with your support in the effort to investigate the safety of BPA. Also, urge them to support the Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2009.

You can also give big business a piece of your mind. Visit the Environmental Working Group to find phone numbers and a sample script for when you call.

And, if you're a pregnant woman looking for a job, don't answer the BPA want-ad.

Immunization-Related Problems

© Janet Zand L.Ac., O.M.D.
(Excerpted with permission from Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child
Published by Avery Publishing Group)

An immunization, or vaccination, is an injection of weakened or killed bacteria, viruses, or, in some cases, deactivated toxins that is given to protect against or reduce the effects of certain infectious diseases. When your child receives an injection of, for example, a small amount of tetanus toxoid, her immune system produces antibodies to fight this foreign substance. Should your child later be exposed to tetanus, her body's defense system will remember and rapidly form antibodies against the bacteria, thus preventing the disease from gaining a hold within the body.

The following vaccinations are among those most commonly recommended for children.

• DPT, or diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus, is designed to protect against three different diseases: diphtheria, a rare but potentially fatal disease that affects the upper respiratory tract, the heart, and kidneys; pertussis, or whooping cough, a disease that is particularly dangerous for children under one year of age and can lead to pneumonia, seizures, and other complications; and tetanus, a potentially deadly infection of the central nervous system.
• DT, or diphtheria/tetanus, is an alternative to DPT, without the pertussis vaccine. It is designed to protect against diphtheria and tetanus only.
• Hemophilus influenzae (H. flu.) meningitis type B vaccine, or Hib vaccine, protects against a common bacterial infection that can lead to meningitis, a potentially fatal brain disease. Complications of H. flu. meningitis include pneumonia, hearing loss, and possible learning disabilities. There is now a combination DPT and Hib vaccine available that reduces the number of injections a child must receive to be immunized against all of these diseases.
• The hepatitis B vaccine, the most recent addition to the list of routinely administered vaccines, protects against one of the more serious forms of hepatitis, hepatitis B. This is an infection of the liver that, while not highly contagious, can lead to chronic liver disease or even liver cancer. This vaccine is now being recommended for all children, starting a day or two after birth. Parents are also being encouraged to arrange for the vaccination of unimmunized older children and adolescents.
• MMR-or measles/mumps/rubella also works to prevent three different diseases: measles, a highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever and rash, whose danger lies in the possibility of such serious complications as pneumonia, strep infections, and encephalitis; mumps, a contagious viral disease that causes fever and swollen glands around the neck and throat (and, rarely, the testicles); and rubella, or German measles, a viral disease involving fever and a mild rash that causes relatively little discomfort to the affected child, but that can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or birth defects if a woman is exposed to the virus during pregnancy. Because there have been outbreaks of measles among previously vaccinated college students in the past few years, it is now recommended that children receive a total of two MMR injections, the first at fifteen months and the second either before entering school or at the age of eleven or twelve years.
• The polio vaccine is designed to protect against poliomyelitis, an acute viral infection that can lead to paralysis and death. Vaccination against polio involves a more complicated set of decisions than other vaccinations do. Immunization against polio may be accomplished either by an injection of inactivated, dead vaccine, or by live vaccine, which is taken by mouth. The live vaccine present in the oral form appears to give somewhat better immunity than the injectible form does, and has therefore been generally recommended in the United States. However, it also poses a higher risk of complications. An estimated six or seven children come down with polio every year as a result of receiving this vaccine. For this reason, this form of polio vaccine is specifically not recommended for a child with a compromised immune system. Also, it is possible for an unimmunized person to contract polio from a child who has been given the live vaccine, even if the child has no noticeable reaction to it. This poses a particular danger if a child has friends or family members who have not been vaccinated, or who have impaired immune function. In such cases, the injectible, inactivated form is recommended. A newer, more potent form of the injectible vaccine now appears to give better immunity than the original one did, while still avoiding the risk of a child (or others with whom she comes in contact) getting the disease as a result of the immunization. Some doctors who recommend the oral, live vaccine take other measures to reduce the chance of a child contracting the virus from it, such as giving the injectible version for the first dose, then switching to the oral form for the additional doses.
• Immunization against rubella may be recommended if your child is a girl between thirteen and sixteen years old who has not received the MMR vaccine (see above) or had German measles.
• The tetanus toxoid vaccine protects against tetanus, an infection of the central nervous system that can be fatal. It is usually given to children in the form of a DPT or DT immunization (see above), but it can be administered individually.

Other immunizations, or changes in the conventional immunization schedule may be recommended for special reasons, such as illness or travel.

Latin light

Ingrid Hoffmann, host of the Food Network’s Simply Delicioso, says maintaining her weight is easy: She just eats what she cooks!

By LYNNE PALAZZI
Recipes by INGRID HOFFMANN

A funny thing happens to women who come to work for Food Network star Ingrid Hoffmann: They lose weight. A lot of weight. “They don’t go on a diet,” says Hoffmann, the Miami-based host of the Latin cooking show Simply Delicioso. “They eat what I cook—avocados, mangoes, organic chicken—and the weight comes off.”

Fresh food fix
When you work long hours in close quarters—as Hoffmann and her staff do, often getting up at 4 a.m. to prepare food for an 8 a.m. shoot—you get to know the eating habits of your co-workers pretty well. “When I see them making bad choices, or not eating at all, I say ‘Come on, you gotta eat something now.’ Then I feed them whatever I’m cooking—arroz con pollo, fish tacos, plantains,” says 43-year-old Hoffmann. (Click here for her delicious Arroz con Pollo recipe.) For Claudia Uribe Chang, who had trouble losing post-pregnancy pounds, that meant easing up on fatty, sugary foods. “Ingrid didn’t tell me what she was up to,” Chang recalls. “She just got me eating her whole, fresh foods and I dropped 35 pounds!”

Latin lessons
If you’re wondering how someone can eat tacos, rice, and plantains all day and lose weight, Hoffmann has the answer. “Latin food is good for you: It’s mostly grains, fruits, garlic, and tubers,” she says. In Colombia and Curaçao, where she grew up in the ’70s (she’s a self-proclaimed “mutt,” part Argentinean, Bolivian, Colombian, Peruvian, and German), the beans, greens, fruits, and spices the family ate were grown locally—sometimes in their own backyard. In addition, Hoffmann notes, in Latin America people eat portions half the size of those we eat in the U.S., and the biggest meal of the day is usually lunch—plus, they don't skip meals. So when Hoffmann noticed another assistant, Delia Leon, not eating for long stretches of time, she suggested Leon wear a timer set to go off every two or three hours. “When you forget to eat—or refuse to eat—for seven hours you get ravenous and lose your ability to eat smart,” Hoffmann claims. “Once Delia started eating every few hours, she lost 50 pounds.”

Easy does it
With her first cookbook, Simply Delicioso (Clarkson-Potter, 2008), Hoffmann is spreading the word about healthy Latin food—and how easy it is to cook. She reinforces that notion with her TV motto, “If I can do it, you can do it.” “I’m not a trained chef—I learned to cook from my mom, who was a caterer. I was always the kid wandering into the kitchen and poking my fingers into things. For me, it’s about inspiring people to take that half hour to make a great-tasting, healthy home-cooked meal.”

Yoga for Menopause

© Susan M. Lark M.D.
(Excerpted from The Estrogen Decision Self Help Book
Published by Celestial Arts)

Yoga stretches can benefit both the body and the mind, bringing energy and balance. This is particularly helpful to women who are currently in menopause or in menopause transition because their hormonal levels and body chemistry may be fluctuating rapidly. This can leave women feeling out of balance and truly victims of their changing bodies. Yoga exercises level out this physiological instability by relaxing and gently stretching every muscle in the body, promoting better blood circulation and oxygenation to all cells and tissues. This helps optimize the function of the endocrine glands and the organs of the female reproductive tract. Yoga exercises also improve the health and well-being of the digestive tract, nervous system, and all other organ systems. The yoga exercises included in this chapter address many specific menopause related symptoms and issues, such as bone strength, cardiovascular and breast health, of concern to all women past midlife. You may want to begin by trying all the stretches, then practicing on a regular basis those exercises that bring you the most symptom relief and general health benefits. If you prefer, begin with the exercises that offer relief for the specific symptoms of greatest concern. General Techniques for Yoga When doing yoga exercises, it is important that you focus and concentrate on the positions. First, let your mind visualize how the exercise is to look, and then follow with the correct body placement in the pose. The exercises are done through slow, controlled stretching movements. This slowness allows you to have greater control over your body movements. You minimize the possibility of injury and maximize the benefit to the particular area of the body where your attention is being focused. Pay close attention to the initial instructions. Look at the placement of the body in the photographs. This is very important, for if the pose is practiced properly, you are much more likely to have relief from your symptoms. In summary, as you begin these exercises: Visualize the pose in your mind, then follow with proper placement of the body. Move slowly through the pose. This will help promote flexibility of the muscles and prevent injury. Follow the breathing instructions provided in the exercise. Most important, do not hold your breath. Allow your breath to flow in and out easily and effortlessly. Practicing yoga stretches regularly in a slow, unhurried fashion will gradually loosen your muscles, ligaments and joints. You may be surprised at how supple you can become over time. If you experience any pain or discomfort, you have probably overreached your current ability and should immediately reduce the amount of the stretching until you can proceed without discomfort. Be careful, as muscular injuries take time to heal. If you do strain a muscle, immediately apply ice to the injured area for ten minutes. Use the ice pack two to three times a day for several days. If the pain persists, see your doctor. If you wish more background and information on yoga, refer to the books listed in the bibliography at the end of this book. Stretch 1: The Locust This exercise energizes the entire female reproductive tract, thyroid, liver, intestines and kidneys. It is helpful for premenopausal women with dysfunctional bleeding, as well as women with menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, because it improves circulation and oxygenation to the pelvic region, thereby promoting healthier ovarian function. This exercise also strengthens the lower back, abdomen, buttocks, and legs, and prevents lower back pain and cramps. Lie face down on the floor. Make fists with both your hands and place them under your hips. This prevents compression of the lumbar spine while doing the exercise. Straighten your body and raise your right leg with an upward thrust as high as you can, keeping your hips on your fists. Hold for 5 to 20 seconds if possible. Lower the leg and slowly return to your original position. Repeat on the left side. Remember to keep your hips resting on your fists. Repeat 10 times. Repeat 10 times with both legs together. Stretch 2: The Pump This exercise improves blood circulation through the pelvis, thereby promoting healthier ovarian function. It helps relieve menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and controls excessive bleeding in premenopausal women. The exercise helps calm anxiety and also strengthens the back and abdominal muscles. Lie down and press the small of your back into the floor. This permits you to use your abdominal muscles without straining your lower back. Raise your right leg slowly while breathing in. Keep your back flat on the floor and let the rest of your body remain relaxed. Move your leg very slowly; imagine your leg being pulled up smoothly by a spring. Do not move your leg in a jerky manner. Hold for a few breaths. Lower your leg and breathe out. Repeat the same exercise on your left side. Then alternate legs, repeating the exercise 5 to 10 times. Stretch 3: Wide Angle Pose This exercise opens the entire pelvic region and energizes the female reproductive tract, improving ovarian function as well as normalizing excessive or irregular menstrual flow; diminution of menopausal symptoms may also occur. It is helpful for varicose veins and improves circulation in the legs. Lie on your back with your legs against the wall and extended out in a V or an arc, and your arms extended to the side. Hips should be as close to the wall as possible, buttocks on the floor. Legs should be spread apart as far as they can and still remain comfortable. Breathing easily, hold for 1 minute, allowing the inner thighs to relax. Bring legs together and hold for 1 minute. Stretch 4: Spinal Flex This exercise energizes and rejuvenates the female reproductive tract and tones the abdominal organs (pancreas, liver and adrenals). It emphasizes freer pelvic movement with controlled breathing. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor close to your buttocks. Exhale and press the lower back into the floor, raising the buttocks slightly. Arch your back slightly. Inhale and lift your lower back off the floor. This stretches the region from the sternum to the pelvis. Repeat this exercise 10 times. Always lift your navel up on the in breath. Always elongate your spine and press the lower back down on the outbreath. Stretch 5: Pelvic Arch This is an excellent exercise for stretching the abdominal and pelvic muscles. Menopause related vaginal and bladder symptoms are reduced by promoting better circulation and relaxation in the pelvic region. It is also helpful in reducing pelvic congestion. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Spread your feet apart, flat on the floor. Place your hands around your ankles, holding them firmly. As you inhale, arch your pelvis up and hold for a few seconds. As you exhale, relax and lower your pelvis several times. Repeat this exercise several times. Stretch 6: The Bow This exercise helps relieve menopause-related fatigue and lack of vitality, elevating your mood and improving stamina. The exercise also stretches the entire spine and helps relieve lower back pain and cramps. It stretches the abdominal muscles and strengthens the back, hips and thighs. It also stimulates the digestive organs and endocrine glands. Lie face down on the floor, arms at your sides. Slowly bend your legs at the knees and bring your feet up toward your buttocks. Reach back with your arms and carefully take hold of first one foot and then the other. Flex your feet to make grasping them easier. Inhale and raise your trunk from the floor as far as possible and lift your head. Bring your knees as close together as possible. Squeeze the buttocks while raising them off the floor. Imagine your body looking like a gently curved bow. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Slowly release the posture. Allow your chin to touch the floor and finally release your feet and return them slowly to the floor. Return to your original position. Repeat 5 times. Stretch 7: Child's Pose Excellent for calming anxiety and stress due to emotional causes, this exercise will also relieve menopause related anxiety and irritability. The exercise gently stretches the lower back and is one of the most effective exercises for relieving menstrual cramps and low back pain. Sit on your heels. Bring your forehead to the floor, stretching the spine as far over your head as possible. Close your eyes. Hold for as long as comfortable. Stretch 8: The Sponge This exercise relieves anxiety and stress due to emotional causes or menopause related anxiety and tension. It relieves menstrual cramps and low back pain as well as reducing eye tension and swelling in the face. Lie on your back with a rolled towel placed under your knees. Your arms should be at your sides, palms up. Close your eyes and relax your whole body. Inhale slowly, breathing from the diaphragm. As you inhale, visualize the energy in the air around you being dawn in through your entire body. Imagine your body is porous and open like a sponge, drawing in this energy and revitalizing every cell of your body. Exhale slowly and deeply, allowing all tension to drain from your body. Stretch 9: Dollar Pose This pose reduces anxiety and nervous tension and will help eliminate tension headaches and insomnia. It improves flexibility of the spine, reducing stiffness and back pain. Lie on your back with your legs bent and your feet together. Place your hands on the sides of both ankles to keep your legs together. As you inhale, raise your legs up over your head. Make sure that the posture is comfortable by adjusting the angle of your legs. To do this, bend your knees to apply pressure between the shoulder blades. Hold this posture for one minute, breathing slowly and deeply. Return to the original position, lying flat on your back with your eyes closed. Relax in this position for several minutes. Stretch 10: Tree If your goal is to strengthen bone mass by increasing weight bearing on the legs, hips and spine, this exercise will help you accomplish increasing bone mass. It also improves balance and posture. Standing erect, focus your eyes on a stationary point. Place one foot against the opposite thigh, so that one leg is bearing your weight. Slowly raise your arms over your head. Hold for a count of 5. Reverse sides. Repeat 3 times. Note: You may place one hand on the wall for support if needed. Stretch 11: Chest Expander This exercise increases circulation to the upper half of the body, energizing and stimulating the body. It also loosens and stretches tense muscles in the upper body, especially the shoulder and back, and expands the lungs. Stand easily. Arms should be at your sides; feet are hip distance apart. Extend your arms forward until your palms touch. Bring your arms slowly and gracefully back until you can clasp them behind your back. Exhale, then straighten your clasped hands and arms as far as you can without discomfort. Remember to stand upright; body should not bend forward. Breathe deeply into chest. Inhale deeply and bend backward from the waist. Keep your hands clasped and your arms held high. Drop your head backward a few inches and look upward as you relax your shoulders and the back of your neck. Hold this position for a few seconds. As you hold your breath, bend forward at the waist, bringing your clasped hands and arms up over your back. Relax your neck muscles and keep your knees straight. Hold for a few seconds. Exhale as you return to the upright position. Unclasp your hands and allow your arms to rest easily at your sides. Repeat entire sequence 3 times. Choosing the Right Yoga Technique From among the many specific yoga poses in this chapter, you can choose the best exercises to provide relief for your personal menopausal symptoms by using the accompanying chart. Try all the poses that pertain to your specific symptoms to see which ones bring you the most relief and practice those poses on a regular basis along with your exercise program. The combination of yoga stretches plus a good aerobic and strength-building program should help relieve and delay menopause-related symptoms and improve your general state of health. Symptoms Exercise Entire female reproductive tract Locust, Pump, Wide Angle Pose Spinal Flex, Pelvic Arcg, Bow Excessive or irregular menstrual bleeding Locust, Pump, Wide Angle Pose Hot flashes Locust, Pump, Wide Angle Pose Spinal Flex, Pelvic Arcg, Bow Insomnia Child's Pose, Sponge, Dollar Pose Psychological symptoms- anxiety, depression, fatigue Bow, Child's Pose, Sponge, Dollar Pose Vaginal atrophy and bladder symptoms Locust, Pump, Wide Angle Pose Spinal Flex, Pelvic Arcg, Bow Osteoporosis Tree Cardiovascular health Chest Expander Breast health Chest Expander

Let's Talk about Vaginal Discharge

By Tracee Cornforth, About.com

Do you know the difference between normal vaginal discharge and abnormal vaginal discharge? Did you know that having a vaginal discharge is normal? Let’s take a look at various types of vaginal discharges so that you’ll know when you have an abnormal vaginal discharge.

The Natural Vagina

The basic function of you vagina is to provide a route from the outside of your vagina to your uterus and the rest of your internal reproductive system. The natural, acidic, pH of your vagina acts to prevent infections. The acidic nature of your vagina is caused by natural, good, bacteria produced by your body. When your vagina is healthy, the vagina keeps itself clean and in a healthy state by producing secretions of normal vaginal discharge. The natural balance of the vagina can be disrupted by anything that interferes with its’ normal environment.

What is Normal Vaginal Discharge?

First it’s important to understand that all women experience some amount of vaginal discharge. Glands in your vaginal and cervix produce small amounts of fluid that flows out of your vagina everyday taking with it old cells that line the vagina. Your normal vaginal discharge helps to clean the vagina, as well as keep it lubricated and free from infection and other germs. A normal vaginal discharge does not have a foul odor and usually has no odor at all. Normal vaginal discharge often appears clear or milky when it dries on your clothing; occasionally you may notice white spots or a normal vaginal discharge that is thin and stringy looking.

Other things that may cause changes in the appearance or consistency of your vaginal discharge include:

• Your menstrual cycle

• Emotional stress

• Pregnancy

• Any prescribed or OTC medications you take including hormones such as in the Pill

• Sexual excitement

• Breastfeeding

• Ovulation

• Your diet

Other things that can upset the natural pH balance of your vagina and lead to vaginal infections include vaginal douches, feminine hygiene products, perfumed or deodorant soaps, antibiotics, pregnancy, diabetes, or the presence of another infection.