Dr. N Hephzibah Kirubamani

Bleeding in early pregnancy or during the first trimester may or may not be a serious reason for concern, depending on the cause. But because bleeding can sometimes be a sign of something serious, it's important to know the possible causes, and get checked out by your doctor to make sure you and your baby are healthy. About 20% women have some bleeding during first 12 weeks. The possible reasons are implantation bleeding, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, cervical changes and infection. So how do you deal with it? Here's a quick list.

• Hygiene: Ensure that hygiene is your first priority, especially during pregnancy.
• Light Bleeding: Light bleeding or spotting that is dull red or brown in colour is a normal occurrence for many pregnant women. This can point to the foetus getting lodged and pressing against your womb's lining, or even the cervical changes that you may be going through due to the implantation and impending trimesters and eventual delivery. The best thing to do in such cases is to not panic.
• Sex: Having sexual intercourse can also sometimes lead to mild spotting. Also, you should avoid using abrasive material and clothing during this time.
• Ultrasound: Go for an ultrasound and ensure that your pregnancy is normally placed and not ectopic. An ectopic pregnancy can lead to bleeding which can later become fatal. It may cause cramps in the lower abdomen region as well. 
• Infection: Speak with your gynecologist and ensure that there is no risk of infection. Usually, many women suffer from infection (can be on cervix or vagina) during the early stages of pregnancy. This may give rise to spotting and mild bleeding. Take necessary actions and precautions to ensure that the infection does not get out of hand and is treated right away. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.

A woman is an extraordinary and beautiful creation of nature, and it is natural that she would want to see herself as perfect and complete. And, staying sexually attractive is one of the major factors that motivate a woman to seek the benefits of Cosmetic Gynaecology. Cosmetic Gynaecology or Intimate Aesthetic Surgery covers procedures which alter the appearance of female external genitalia and make it seem more natural and youthful. These methods, aid in correcting congenital defects, enhances the self*confidence of a woman, and positively affects the intimacy she shares with her partner.

With age and life events like childbirth, the vagina and labia often change in appearance and structure, which not only hampers the feeling of self-worth in a woman, but also prevents her from enjoying sexual activities completely and Cosmetic Gynaecology emerges as the savior in such situations.
Here are some procedures, which are here to help the fairer sex rediscover the beauty of their body:

* Vaginal Rejuvenation: With the help of laser technique, this process helps in tightening the internal diameter of the vagina, when it gets stretched during birth or owing to genetic factors.

* Labiaplasty: Through this method, the contours of the labia majora or labia minora are changed. It may cover reconstruction, augmentation or reduction.

* Hymenoplasty: It is done to create a pseudo hymenal membrane from hymenal tissue, which already exists or non*hymenal soft tissue. The intention is to cause bleeding when the membrane tears during intercourse.

* Clitoroplasty: This procedure deals with the surgical transformation of the clitoris, which caters to conditions involving increased tissue volume. It can also aid in creating clitoris in transgender women.

* Clitoral Hood Reduction: The method is focused on the loose skin around the clitoris, and can be conducted during labiaplasty or as a separate procedure.

* Monsplasty: The contours of the Mons pubis can be changed through this process. It involves liposuction for the reduction of excess fat, subcutaneous fat, as well as skin. Often, techniques like laser and ultrasound are used during monsplasty.

* Perineoplasty: Repairing and restoration of the loose, ageing or injured perineum is taken care of through this method. Perineum is the area between the vagina opening and the rectum. And this procedure is usually helpful for women who don't heal efficiently after a vaginal delivery or experience scars.

So if you are worried about the structure or appearance of your intimate area, don't fret. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.

It is common for most of us to wonder how some celebrities just don't seem to age, both in terms of looks and physique. It is not easy and requires in addition to a lot of hard work, loads of determination and self-constraints to achieve that. however, different bodies react differently to different food items and there is no one size that fits all. Though media claims and promotes various celebrity diet plans, but a word of caution. A detailed physical examination and discussion should be done with your dietician to identify what will work best for you.  Listed below are some things that has helped celebrities to lose weight. 

1. Regular, well balanced meals: It is popular belief and advise that eating regular, small proportioned meals with the right mix of protein, carbs, and fats is the best way to lose weight.  Of course, there have to be supplements to this including a good workout regime, reduced alcohol, reduced refined sugars, etc., but most people believe starving to be skinny is not the healthy way to go. Another good rule to follow is the 80/20 rule that is enforce discipline and let 80% of your food be nutritious and 20% can be damaging (chocolate cake included!). Most would also set a daily intake target and keep a count of the calories that are ingested.
2. Increased fiber: Be it greens or vegetables, fruits, or dry fruits, added fiber makes you feel full and reduces the amount of food ingested.  Atkins diet, which pumps your body with fiber for 3 consecutive days helps by flushing out a lot of toxins and is one of the most widely followed detox diet plans.
3. Flush out with Lime Juice: Beginning your day with a glass of lime juice and warm water is supposed to flush out the toxins and reduce weight.  Adding ginger and mint is believed to make this work better.
4. Replace red meat with chicken: While chicken is believed to increase the protein intake levels, reducing red meat is believed to help reduce weight.
5. Do away with the dairy: A lot of dairy products, which forms the main source of proteins, especially for vegetarians is believed to add to the weight. If weight loss is your goal, then dairy should stay out of your food diary.

A lot of celebrities also use natural boosters and suppressants to reduce appetite.  Removing alkaline food items from your menu, gluten laden foods, alcohol, refined carbs, are followed as well. Weight loss supplements are another option, but should be used only under supervision and as a last resort. As mentioned, celebrity diet patterns should not be followed blindly. They are highly personalized and seek advice before adapting it. 
 

Hunch back: stretching exercises for good posture
This stretch vastly helps if you are suffering from a sore neck or back.
Stretch or tilt your head in all four directions (forward, back, left, right). Don't roll in a circle, as it can cause additional strain.
Massage your neck gently.
Get on your hands and knees and bend your back upwards (cat stretch). Do the opposite next.
Repeat a few times daily. This stretch, when done in the morning, helps in relieving the sleep induced muscle lethargy. If done regularly throughout the day, it helps in boosting your energy levels

Exercises to improve your posture
Stay in shape by keeping your entire musculoskeletal system modified to support your posture. For this the following exercise are helpful:

Lie on your back with your feet on the floor and flex your legs to about 90 degrees at the knee.
Pull your belly-button in towards your spine and hold it at the end for 10 seconds.
Repeat eight times daily.
Always keep a proper posture even if it is tiring and other muscles, like the back or butt, are not being used.
Breathe normally when doing this exercise, because you are trying to train your core to maintain this position when doing daily normal activities.
The following exercises can be done with or without hand weights:
Exercise 1:
Keep your head upright and shoulders squared so that the ears are in alignment over the shoulders.
Lift both the arms straight out, palms up and alongside your ears.
Bend the forearms in and backwards, towards the shoulders while trying to touch your shoulder blades with your fingertips.
Repeat 10 times with both arms.
Do alternate ten reps for each arm individually.
Exercise 2:
Keep your head upright and shoulders squared so that the ears are in alignment over the shoulders.
Lift both the arms sideward at shoulder height.
Hold this pose for 10 seconds.
Now slowly bring the arms to the sides while counting till ten.
Again, slowly lift arms back to shoulder height while counting to ten when raising your arms.
Do 10 repetitions while checking your alignment with each rep. You should be able to feel mild tiredness in the shoulder muscles.