Dealing with Dysmenorrhoea (Painful Periods)

Dysmenorrhoea is a medical condition where a woman has extremely painful periods. While menstruation is normal, it is very painful. This is caused by disorders like fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, adenomyosis, endometrial polyps, use of intrauterine contraceptive device or endometriosis. Many women assume that pain is normal and must be tolerated.

Few ways to deal with dysmenorrhoea are:

1. It’s Ok To Take Pain Relievers: To relieve the pain, simple analgesics like paracetamol and aspirin can be taken.

2. Anti-inflammatory Drugs Can Taken: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed to deal with dysmenorrhoea and most women are known to feel relief from the pain.

3. Fish Oils Capsules: Fish oil capsules which contain Omega 3 fatty Acids are also a good option to use when troubled with severe menstrual pain.

4. Prefer Light Diet: A few minor dietary changes can also help. Eating low fat vegetarian food especially on the days of the periods can prove to be helpful.

5. Avoid Sedentary Lifestyle: It is said that exercise can reduce the pain of dysmenorrhoea. Sedentary lifestyle is not good for the uterus region and it is advisable to indulge in regular exercises.

6. Use Heat Therapy: Heat therapy is a common and effective way to deal with dysmenorrhoea. Keeping a hot water bag on the region of the pain is known to soothe the pain and help relax the muscles.  

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Why Do Some Girls Have Extremely Painful Periods?

There has been an intense debate, which is in the loop for years and has been raging back and forth regarding the deficiencies of a vegetarian diet versus the perils of a non-vegetarian one. This heated debate is both accurate as well as unfounded. Probably, that s the entire reason it is still a debate. In fact, if you look into the diet of both groups, you will be able to identify the fact that, there is a space for healthy living in both.

Vegetarian Diet

In a vegetarian diet, the food intake of a person is confined to a large variety of foods derived from plants along with milk and dairy. And, any form of meat and products derived from animals are completely avoided.

Pros

Vegetarians have been noted to consume lesser amount of proteins, but they do not suffer from problems related to a high protein diet, such as osteoporosis (characterized by brittle and weak bones) and kidney failure.
The diet includes high level of antioxidants such as vitamin E & C as well as carotene, which is available in vegetables and fruits.
Additionally, they consume less amount of saturated fats.
Cons

Deficiency of vitamin B12 is common amongst vegetarians, as it is mainly available in meat, eggs and fish. Deficiency of vitamin B12 can yield rare symptoms such as increased fatigue, shortness of breath and a temporary loss of body balance.
Lack of protein, as stated above, along with iron and zinc deficiency is also common. 
Symptoms of protein deficiency can be troublesome and include signs like

Sluggish metabolism
Loss of body muscles (as the body tries to derive the regular protein intake from your muscles, thus making them weak),
Trouble gaining or losing weight
Persistent fatigue
Longer healing time in case of wounds and injuries
Pain in joints
Drastic changes in blood sugar level that might result in diabetes
A weak immune system makes you vulnerable to all kinds of diseases.
Non-vegetarian Diet

A non-vegetarian diet includes all forms of plant foods as well as foods and by-products that are derived from animals, such as poultry, fish, meat, etc.

Pros 

Vitamin B12 is present in adequate level since they are derived from sources such as meat, eggs and fish. Adequate intake of proteins is never an issue for  non-vegetarians
Cons

Meat products are loaded with saturated fats, which increase the risk of heart diseases. Studies have shown that people consuming non-vegetarian diets:
Have shorter lifespan and are more vulnerable to chronic diseases.
Tend to develop diabetes, heart diseases and hypertension.
Usually non vegetarians eat less amount of vegetables and fruits than what is recommended.  
If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Dietitian/Nutritionist.

Vegetarian vs Non Vegetarian Diet - Which is Better?

Pcos or polycystic ovary syndrome is an endocrine disorder in women, in which the female hormones, progesterone and estrogen, are imbalanced. This imbalance leads to the formation of cysts (benign masses) in the ovaries. Pcos tends to affect your heart functions, fertility, menstrual cycle and appearance.

There are certain symptoms, which can be indicative of pcos; these symptoms tend to begin as a woman's menstrual cycle starts. In certain cases, however, pcos may also affect a woman in her mid age. Pcos can also cause excessive hair growth in unwanted places like above the upper lip, chin, arms and chest like a male.
The symptoms are:

Increase in the production of male hormone, leads to development of male characteristics
The size of the breasts may reduce
The tone and the texture of the voice may change and become similar to a man's voice
Hair may start to fall
You may suffer from acne and pimple breakouts on your face
It can lead to sudden weight gain
It may affect a woman's fertility
It may lead to pain in the pelvis
Other symptoms: apart from these symptoms, a woman may also experience other health complications such as high levels of bad cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Causes: the causes of pcos are not well known, however, the likely causes are genetics and hormonal complications. If someone in the family has pcos, then the risk of being affected by pcos rises significantly. The other likely cause is the overproduction of the male hormone androgen in the female body. Although androgen is a male hormone, the female body also produces it in trace amounts. However, in some cases, when it is overproduced, it might impair the ovulation process.

Diagnosis and treatment: once the condition is diagnosed, there are certain treatments, which are recommended for the patient. The condition in itself does not have a cure, but the symptoms can only be controlled. Medications to control the androgen levels in the female body may be administered if you have androgen hormone complication. A balanced diet and an exercise regimen can be chalked out to control body weight and regulate blood sugar levels. If pcos leads to ovulation problems, then medications to facilitate ovulation may be advised.

PCOS: What You Need to Know About It

There are many food items which would become stale after a few hours, but there are certain foods which may last forever without the need to can them or freeze or dehydrate. If an individual is new to the field of food storage, these staples can be an excellent way to begin.

White rice: There are numerous researchers who have found that polished or white rice keeps up their nutrient content and flavour for almost 30 years if it can be stored in oxygen-free containers in temperatures that range below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Brown rice, on the other hand, doesn t last more than six months owing to the availability of natural oils in the bran layer.
Honey: Honey is preferably the only food that would last forever due to the perfect chemistry and the handiwork of the bees. The nectar extracted from the flower gets mixed with the enzymes present in the bees  bodies which alter the composition of the nectar. The nectar is further broken down into simple sugars and is accumulated in the honeycombs. The processing, as well as sealing of the honey, is primarily responsible for the incredible shelf life.
Salt: Since sodium chloride is a mineral which is taken from the natural components of the earth, its shelf-life should come as a natural consequence. It is used for centuries as a means of preserving other food products as it can extract out all the moisture. But this doesn t indicate that the table salt would last forever. Experts say that the addition of the iodine to the table salt reduces the shelf life of the salt which means that if the label says that it is an iodized salt, it will not last over five years.
Soy sauce: When left unopened, a container filled with soya sauce would last for a significantly long period. But it is also dependent on the type of soy sauce and the additives used. Even if the soy sauce has been opened, this salty condiment will last for many years if stored in the refrigerator.
Sugar: Quite similar to many items, the storage process of the sugar determines whether the sugar is going to last for long or not. Granulated and powdered sugar must be kept under an airtight condition to steer clear of moisture. Although retailers are needed to provide the manufacturing dates of the sugar, manufacturers say that the sugar remains edible even if it has hardened and become brown.
Pure maple syrup: Pure maple syrup, as well as commercial sugars such as granular sugars and honey, has an irresistible life owing to its shield against any kinds of microbial growth. Unopened maple syrup shall last forever, and in case there is the formation of mould, boiling it to a certain degree and skimming the surface and ultimately pouring it to a clean and air-tight container would eliminate all the problems.
Clarified butter: This kind of butter is boiled unless the total moisture is extracted which is the reason that it doesn t go bad. As long as the clarified butter or ghee is stored in sealed container under cool temperature, it would last for about 100 years.

7 Foods That Never Expire!

PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is a common disease of the endocrine system among women who have attained the reproductive age. Women with this condition generally have ovaries larger in size than the usual, containing small pockets of fluids, also termed follicles. These 'follicles' develop in each of the ovaries as diagnosed with the help of an ultrasound exam. Abnormal or extended menstrual cycles, unusual growth of hair and obesity are some of the common accompanying conditions associated with PCOS. This disorder can interfere with a woman's menstrual cycles, thus making pregnancy difficult. More so, this condition can also impact the way you look and if left untreated for long, can lead to underlying disorders such as diabetes and other cardio vascular diseases.

Causes of PCOS
1. Excessive Insulin secretion: Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas, which allows the body cells to utilize the sugar; the most important energy store of your body. If you suffer from insulin resistance, your body's ability to utilize the insulin gets affected adversely. This forces the pancreas to secrete more insulin in order to keep up with the body's energy supply. This excess insulin might result in an increase in the production of androgen, which in turn, might interfere with the ovulation ability of the ovaries.
2. Low- level inflammation: Inflammation is the process by which your body's white blood cells fight infections. Studies reveal that women suffering from PCOS have a low level inflammation which acts as a catalyst in the production of androgens.
3. Can be hereditary: If you have someone in your family suffering from this syndrome, you might automatically be at a higher risk of developing this disorder.

Symptoms accompanying PCOS
1. Abnormal menstrual is the most commonly observed symptom. Women suffering from PCOS may have less than nine periods in an entire year and in some cases, even none. 
2. Excess secretion of male hormone, which is related to excess androgen production may result in symptoms, such as abnormal body and facial hair, acne and baldness, which is identical to that in men.
3. Unexplained increase in weight and difficulty losing it as well.
4. Another fairly noticeable symptom is depression.
5. Infertility

PCOS- Causes and Symptoms

Protein is said to be a building block for the body. That being said, a high protein diet can either have some great results to show, or some terrible consequences. As long as a person is willing to learn more about it, only the former will appear!

When a person thinks of a diet which is high in protein, the automatic association is with the famous Atkins diet. This diet is not only high in the amount of protein consumed but is low in the relative amount of carbohydrate.

Who is it for?

A high protein diet is best if a person is looking to build little muscles and does not consume enough protein in his or her current or normal diet. However, studies have found that only professional endurance athletes showed any benefits from a hike in their consumption levels of protein, and that too they could have received these benefits by just eating more food. So, it is fair to say that the normal person is not likely to need more protein than what he or she already gets from his/her diet.

It can be bad too, in addition to this, if a person has an amount of protein which is beyond what is good for him or her according to the activity level, it can be quite bad. This is because a lot of the sources of protein from which most people fulfil their requirements also happen to be quite high in terms of the saturated fat content, which can put the heart at a great amount of risk. Moreover, gout can also occur and it is something that is not curable but can only be managed. A person who is considering the prospect of going on a high protein diet should take these possible side effects into due account prior to making his or her decision regarding the same.

The modest increase in the protein part of a person s diet can be good, and there are a variety of ways a person can increase it by having some simple munch food items such as almonds. Things like these can serve well as snacks and can go a long way in preventing a person from overeating on something less healthy just due to his or her being ravenously hungry. Another option is Greek yogurt and chia seeds, which can be added to almost anything! 

Making small changes in the diet can help in fulfilling the protein requirements. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dietitian-nutritionist.

High Protein Diet - Things You Must Know!

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