Start Your Day With Water and Lemon

(NaturalNews) Clean water and fresh squeezed lemon is one of the most well tested energy boosters around. Most people in America rely on caffeinated beverages like coffee to get aroused in the morning. These adrenal stimulants produce dirty energy in the form of blood sugar swings and oxidative stress. Water with lemon produces clean energy by hydrating and oxygenating the body to extraordinary energy and mental clarity.

After sleeping through the night the bodily tissues are dehydrated and need clean, pure water to filter out toxins and improve energy production in the cells. Most individuals turn to stimulants like coffee in the morning to give them a jump start. Unfortunately, coffee is a diuretic that depletes your body of water reserves and essential minerals and electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium & magnesium.

People feel energized by coffee due to the effects of caffeine on the adrenal glands. Coffee stimulates these organs to pump out instant energy hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine. These hormones stimulate the body to breakdown stored sugar and release it into the bloodstream. This process causes abnormal blood sugar that increases oxidative stress, free radical formation and overall tissue damage.

This is called dirty energy because it produces a rampant amount of damage to the body in order to activate energy formation. Clean energy produces cellular energy without an excessive load of oxidative stress.

Food as Bioelectrical Energy

The food and beverages we eat provide electrically charged molecules that initiate energy production in our body. An ion is part of a molecule that carries an electrical charge. Positively charged ions are called "cations," while negatively charged ions are called "anions."

Most of the food we put into our bodies comes in a cationic form, while our natural digestive processes (hydrochloric acid, digestive enzymes, saliva) are anionic. Lemon is one of the only anionic foods on the planet. This means that it carries a very strong negative charge and is extremely electrically active.

Fresh lemon helps oxygenate the body and maximizes enzyme function. Lemon is known to stimulate the liver's natural enzymes. This assists the liver in the process of dumping toxins like uric acid and of liquefying congested bile ducts.

Citric Acid Cleanses the System

Citric acid can also play a very important role in chelating out abnormal calcium stones. It has a unique ability to form soluble complexes with calcium that many have used to eliminate pancreatic stones and kidney stones. This mechanism can also help prevent calcium deposits from building up in the arteries that promote cardiovascular disease.

Clean water with lemon provides the body with hydration, anti-oxidants and electrolytes. Lemon is a rich source of the immune boosting vitamin C. It also has good quantities of electrolytes such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. Lemon is a tremendous source of citrus bioflavonoid anti-oxidant phytonutrients that have been given the label Vitamin P.

Vitamin P consists of the flavonoid glycosides hesperetin and naringenin among others. Studies have shown that vitamin P enhances the anti-oxidant capability of vitamin C. These bioflavonoids also improve capillary permeability and overall blood flow. This is especially important for oxygenating tissues and maintaining normal blood pressure. These anti-oxidants have also been shown to reduce swelling, venous backup and edema.

Upon rising take 1 full lemon and squeeze it into 16-32 oz of fresh clean water and drink. Be sure to eat out the membranous parts of the lemon where the majority of the pectin fiber and citrus bioflavonoids are located. Stevia can be added to form sugar-free lemonade. Apple cider vinegar and various herbs can be used to boost enzymatic and anti-oxidant potential.

Natural Labour VS Tooth Extraction

In the wake of the recent pronouncements to allow women have elective cesarean sections without any underlying medical need as well as the studies recently released by Oxford university that claim first time mothers that chose home births are twice as likely to suffer complications than those that have their babies in the hospital, there has been a lot of debate about natural childbirth vs medicated/cesarean births.

Of particular interest to me is the recurring comparison between un-medicated vaginal birth and a tooth extraction. I've seen it on numerous websites as well as heard it bandied around in discussions. People saying, 'Oh, you wouldn't have a tooth extraction without any pain relief, so why go through childbirth/labour without pain relief'. For crying out loud! The comparison equates both pains as being unnatural and to be avoided at all cost. Whereas childbirth is completely natural, a damaged or decaying tooth is in no way a 'normal' part of human existence.

The human body is actually built to grow a little human being and bring it out into the world. Without learning or training, your body knows exactly what to do.

I am personally not anti-pain relief. I'm hoping to get high on gas and air for my labour, but I still choose a natural labour regardless (if all goes according to plan) and I have no issues with women that have other ideas about how they want to labour and give birth. If you want to have a drugged up labour that makes you completely numb to whats going on, or you want to have a c-section because you can't cope with labour pains, go ahead and do it. But please, stop berating women that choose to go through the motions as nature intended as though they are masochists.

End of rant!

Omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA improve insulin resistance and boost cardiovascular health

(NaturalNews) Compelling evidence now exists to demonstrate that heart disease is largely caused by the proliferation of increased levels of small, dense LDL cholesterol particles that have become oxidized in the blood and of abnormalities relating to insulin resistance. Both factors combine to deal a potentially deadly punch to the vascular system, leading to metabolic stress, diabetes and increased risk for a heart attack. Published studies appearing in the journals Nutrition Review and Biological Psychology detail the impact of nutritional intervention with the long-chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA to improve insulin signaling and lower heart disease risk. A balanced diet including fatty fish, nuts, seeds and olive oil or fish oil supplementation are shown to significantly improve biological markers associated with diabetes and cardiovascular pathogenesis.

Many people discount the effect of mental stress on physical health and cardiovascular disease in particular. Overt demands on the nervous system that result from unresolved stress result in excessive demands on the circulatory system, reduced blood flow to cells and increased levels of damaging inflammation. Combined with a diet favoring poor balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, the stage is set for a dangerous deterioration of the cardiovascular system.

Omega-3 Fats Lower Risk for Heart Disease in Women by 38 Percent

Researchers examined 3277 Danish men and women over a period of 23 years to determine the effect of long-chain omega-3 fats on cardiac health. Scientists found that 471 cases of ischemic heart disease (IHD) occurred during the study period. A detailed analysis of the results showed that those participants with the highest intake of EPA and DHA omega-3 fats (1.4 total grams of EPA/DHA per day) experienced the highest risk reduction for IHD. The study authors noted that omega-3 fat intake: "was especially clear for women, who had a statistically significant 38 percent risk reduction for heart disease. Men also showed a benefiting trend of 26 percent risk reduction."

Further evidence demonstrating the importance of omega-3 fats for optimal human health is published in the journal Nutrition Review. Adiponectin is a potent hormone secreted by white adipose tissue that regulates insulin function and reduces inflammation in your circulatory system. As central abdominal fat increases, adiponectin levels go down, increasing the risk for obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Researchers found that omega-3 fats from diet or supplementation, combined with dietary fiber and exercise, increased adiponectin levels up to 60%, dramatically lowering the risk from inflammatory disease and metabolic syndrome.

An extensive body of research continues to mount showing the importance of omega-3 fats as a cornerstone for disease prevention and ideal health. Stress is a part of everyday life that directly impacts disease development and progression on the cellular level. Research confirms that a healthy diet favoring omega-3 fat sources or distilled fish oil supplements (1.2 to 1.4 grams EPA/DHA per day) can negate the effect of stressors that cause inflammation, metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular disease.

PCOS and Breastfeeding

"There are several different ways that PCOS could potentially interfere with lactation. Breast development largely occurs during puberty and pregnancy as the result of estrogen, progesterone, and during pregnancy, prolactin. Estrogen mediates ductal growth, while progesterone mediates alveolar growth. It is well known that many if not all PCOS women are deficient in progesterone; depending upon the onset of PCOS, there is a hypothetical potential for disruption of alveolar growth during adolescence, not to mention during pregnancy. A recent case study in the Journal of Human Lactation noted a mother who was diagnosed with lactation failure due to insufficient mammary tissue who developed more breast tissue with her second successful pregnancy after treatment of secondary infertility with pre- and post-conception progesterone therapy; she went on to produce a full supply of milk. This case seems to lend credence to the progesterone deficiency theory.

In addition to the progesterone contribution to breast development, there are also the hormones estrogen and prolactin. While estrogen levels can be high in the peripheral tissues of some PCOS women, it has also been noted that androgens, which are generally high with PCOS, can down-regulate both estrogen and prolactin receptors. In essence, a woman could produce enough hormones but not have enough receptors to utilize them, thus limiting their influence upon breast tissue.

Another level of potential disruption lies in the lactation process itself. It is believed that the drop in progesterone at parturition serves to initiate production of mature milk. As this occurs, a process takes over which is driven by two major hormones, prolactin (affects production) and oxytocin (affects delivery). Prolactin receptors begin to develop during pregnancy, and then continue to multiply during the early postpartum period in proportion to the frequency of nipple stimulation. If receptor development was inhibited, the effectiveness of the circulating hormone would be diminished, thus limiting milk production.

Estrogen is a known inhibitor of milk production, especially in the early postpartum period. If the receptors are not down-regulated and the circulating estrogen levels are high, this too could potentially disrupt lactation.

Insulin also plays a vital, though less well-known, role in milk production. Women with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus will not make enough milk. Given this fact, what might be the effect of insulin resistance, which appears to be a significant factor in PCOS, upon lactation? The breast is a sensitive target organ for insulin; if insulin cannot be taken in quickly and efficiently enough, this too could hypothetically cause lactation problems."


Read full interview here: http://www.obgyn.net/displayarticle.asp?page=/pcos/articles/childers-chats


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It never ends, does it? You overcome one challenge and there's another one possibly lurking around the corner

*sigh*

Aluta continua!

Quick Update

Got a call from the Birthing Center today confirming my 36week appointment to determine if I'll be suitable to give birth there. Fingers crossed it happens for me. I'm not really keen on a hospital birth, my mind doesn't even want to go there; although I'm yet to visit the labour ward. I'll psyche myself up to do so next week.

Haven't started antenatal classes. Waiting for Dh to get back so we can go together. I don't want him freaking out on me during labour. He's a tough, manly man, but when it comes to me being in pain he can't take it. I don't know how he'll react. Which is why I don't want a hospital birth. He'll most likely be the ones to bully them into giving me an epidural just to seem me in less pain. I don't trust him to uphold my no meds Birth Plan.

Speaking of a Birth Plan, I don't have one. I mean, I know what I want and what I don't want but I haven't put it down in writing yet.

Haven't done any baby shopping whatsoever. Mainly and only because I hate shopping. What does Bob the sprout need anyway? Diapers and a bunch of little shit here and there... I'm putting it off till the last minute. Waiting for the Christmas sales to roll around. Early this year I did some shopping for my SIL who was due in February. Unfortunately she didn't let me know before the sales otherwise she would have had a mad deal. By the time I got to the shops most items had been cleared out and the ones remaining were very slim pickings. I'm determined not to make the same mistake. At the same time I'll be really pushing it, I'll be about 37 weeks by then and ready to pop.

As for Bob, he's sleeping right now. In my last ultrasound he was lying head down and has been so since about week 14. Lately however, he's been flipping between head down and transverse. I feel him turning around a lot. He's been very active too. I get the super kicks and wobbly belly effect from his activities. When he does that I could watch my belly for hours. I often wonder where he gets the energy from.

Source: Adam

One minute he is kicking me in the ribs. Next minute there's a hard lump on my left side and he's kicking me on the right side of my tummy. The hard lump is his head, and when I rub it he kicks me.... so cute! He really doesn't like it when I lie on my right side. He literally kicks and scratches in what can only be described as someone standing in front of a door, while kicking and knocking real hard. Once I change positions, he stops.

He's been a good baby, mashaAllah. I haven't had heart burn or constipation. My fatigue is getting better with the iron supplements and after sitting in the sun yesterday I feel soo much more energized today. I feel a tad out of breath every now and then, but that's to be expected.

So far it's been a great pregnancy. I've been REALLY blessed and I'm grateful. For once my body is functioning the way it's supposed to. I was so glad to see that my BMI on my maternity notes was NORMAL. What I couldn't achieve before conceiving I did afterwards, thanks to Bob. Feels great not to be lectured about my weight or have to worry about complications.

Winter Flu Vaccine

Whenever September rolls around the NHS starts urging people to get their flu jab. Old people, pregnant women, people with conditions like heart problems, asthma and diabetes, etc,. I received my letter in the post last month. Before then I'd  asked the GP what her opinion was; she said that if one is healthy even in pregnancy, with no known complications, her own personal opinion is that it's unnecessary. 

Even before asking I'd already made up my mind that I wasn't going to subject myself to the vaccine. 

Today at the pharmacy, when I went to collect my iron tabs, the pharmacist was trying to 'guilt' me into getting the shot. He told me he had 20 pregnant women in his pharmacy a few days ago and was out of supply at the moment if not he would have given it to me. Fat chance of that! Why do they always assume everyone is game for everything they are offering? He made me sit down and read the leaflet about the safety and importance of the flu shot for pregnant women (as if I hadn't already done my own research, as if I would knowingly put my baby in danger). I sat down and read it out of politeness and then politely told him I'd think about it. 

I'm not getting the flu shot and that's that. I'm not too keen on the Vitamin K shots they give new born babies either. It's administered to babies here. Though optional, I haven't heard of it being done in other parts of the world where I know tonnes of people that have had babies there who've all turned out okay without it. 

Sheesh!

How To Reduce Risk of Miscarriage

Source: www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/pcos-news144.html#sec3

If you're pregnant or intending to become pregnant, you may be concerned about having a successful pregnancy, since women with PCOS have poorer pregnancy outcomes than other women.

One thing you can do for a better outcome is carefully review your use of pharmaceutical drugs while pregnant.

A Canadian study has revealed that women who take either antidepressants or NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) while pregnant have a significantly higher rate of miscarriage.

Women taking an antidepressant while pregnant had up to twice the abortion rate of those who did not take antidepressants. Paroxetine, venlafaxine or the combined use of different classes of antidepressants were the most risky.

Women taking NSAIDs during the early stages of pregnancy had 2.4 times the risk of miscarriage compared to women who did not take NSAIDs.

Individual drugs have different risks. Diclofenac tripled the risk; naproxen (Aleve) had a 2.6-times increased risk, and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) doubled the risk. Combinations of drugs were associated with a 2.6-times increased risk.

We all have little aches and pains at times. This is usually caused by inflammation. You can actually reduce chronic inflammation by improving your diet. There are also many natural herbs, antioxidants and other natural products you can take as well. None of these have the side effects that NSAIDs have.

As soon as you become pregnant, please consult with your doctor about the benefits and risks of every pharmaceutical drug you take.

My Ideal Birth

Every expectant mother has an idea of how she wants her birth to go. In preparation for natural birth, which is what I'm really hoping and praying for, I've been learning to embrace pain. Rather than tensing up when I feel pain, I'm learning to relax my whole body and embrace it's temporal nature.

I believe in the 'women have been doing it naturally for centuries' school of though, and that no matter how bad it is, you'll always want to do it all over again once you're done. For me labour should not be a clinical experience, like having your tooth pulled out. It's a natural process one the female body has been created for. So I'm not preparing for the worst pain in my life but for the most enjoyable euphoric moment in my life. Through positive reinforcements I hope to manage the pain. I'm trying not to even think of it as pain, but as  discomfort.

I came across this video of a French woman giving birth. What struck me is how contrary it is to what we normally associate with child birth nowadays; woman screaming, people running helter-skelter around her. I know not every birth is the same and not every woman is the same, but still, I think her own experience epitomizes what I would like my ideal childbirth to be as far as a normal, uncomplicated birth is concerned. She's so relaxed through the entire process and the pure joy on her face when she holds baby in her arms is beyond words can describe.

Enjoy, if you are a sucker for babies being born....