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photo credit: Ed Yourdon

The causes of menopause are either physiological or pathological. The physiological cause simply means that for a woman that her body is starting to go through the process of menopause for a natural reason which is quite normal. On the other hand a pathological cause means that a woman is starting to go through the process of menopause due to a medical condition which has led to a loss of ovarian function.

This loss of ovarian function prematurely pushes a woman’s body into menopause as hormonal support is gradually withdrawn from the body. Hormones control the initial development and release of the egg as well as initiating changes in the uterus to support a pregnancy such as building up a supply of blood. Additionally hormones aid in keeping collagen and elastin present in the skin as well as supporting physical and physiological processes which happen each month.

Pathological factors which can prematurely hasten menopause are conditions such as, extreme emotional stress, malnutrition, debilitation, reproductive tract tumours, a surgical procedure such as hysterectomy, radiation treatment and chemotherapy, or any other surgical procedure that can cause a loss of blood supply to the ovaries.

Once the ovarian function declines and the woman’s body reduces the natural functions surrounding ovulation then she is thrown first into peri menopausal, or pre menopause symptoms and then into menopause itself.

In normal physiological menopause the decline in function with the ovaries and symptoms of menopause are usually due to age. As the hormonal levels decrease the woman finds out her menstrual cycles become unpredictable, may last longer or shorter, and may be lighter or heavier than usual. These are menopause symptoms and the first signs of the start of approaching menopause.

Naturally these menopausal symptoms can bring an onset of depression, so if you are suffering from the above symptoms and some associated depression you may find menopause relief psychological support from a group of people suffering the same symptoms, helpful.

The first stage as I previously mentioned is peri menopause. There are actually three stages and the process is gradual and permanent. Peri menopause is the stage when you experience hot flushes and your menstrual cycle goes a bit pear shaped. The stage lasts for several years until the ovaries actually stop releasing eggs. During the last couple of years of the process there is a sudden decrease in estrogen.

In the second stage, which is actually menopause itself, is when a woman has her final menstrual period. Once this has happened for 12 consecutive months the normal diagnosis is menopause.

The latter stage is called post menopause. These are at the years following the diagnosis of menopause. By this time the hot flushes and depression should be well past, however they are are risks for women associated with the loss of estrogen during these years and they should seek regular medical consultation with their general practitioners. One condition which seems to affect women more than men is osteoporosis.

One word of warning though for a woman who starts to experience the symptoms of premature menopause before they are 39. If this applies to you be sure to be fully evaluated by your physician, in case there are any potential medical conditions that are causing the early onset of symptoms.

For further information and help with menopause symptoms click here.


Tags: menopause, pre menopause, premature menopause, peri menopause, post menopause, menopause symptoms, menopausal symptoms, pre menopause symptoms, early menopause symptoms, early signs of menopause, premature menopause symptoms, signs of menopause, symptoms of menopause, peri menopausal symptoms



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photo credit: I Are Rowell

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ADHD is a mysterious condition the cause of which is not readily known. The fact that you are reading this article may suggest that you have some suspicions about perhaps some unusual behaviour that you have recently noticed in your child, which is causing you concern as to whether or not they may be displaying symptoms of the disorder.

If you’re feeling a bit bewildered, lost, or helpless about what you should do if you suspect your child may be ADHD, here are some facts and opinions which may help you.

There are many theories about just how this condition may be caused. These theories include the possibility of the condition being a hereditary brain abnormality, but so far are there has been no definite conclusion as to the cause. What is known is that ADHD is not connected to what the child eats, and is not affected or cured by diet. Personally I’m not sure whether this means that additives do not play a part, however I would suggest that food additives certainly would not be beneficial to the condition.

So what are the primary symptoms of ADHD?

The primary symptoms include inability to listen and follow directions, lack of attention, impulsive behaviour, restless body movements and fidgeting, an abnormal level of noise making, constant talking, forgetfulness, and always moving about from one thing to another in succession with a lack of concentration for any length of time on one subject or object.

A lot of parents would say that this is may just be a stage they go through at two years old, and in a lot of cases this behaviour gradually resolves itself over the following year. However in some cases it does not resolve and it starts to become obvious that there is a cause for concern. If the behaviour reaches a proportion where it becomes clear that the child may be socially and intellectually impaired, then a consultant paediatrician or child development specialist should be approached for a diagnosis.

So what do I do if I suspect my Child has ADHD?

If you suspect your child has ADHD, you must consult a pediatrician and a child development specialist as soon as possible to confirm the diagnosis. Once diagnosed, you’ll need to be aware that there are certain choices regarding treatment for your child. Traditional ADHD drugs are Ritalin, Cylert and Dexedrine.

These drugs are powerful stimulants and unfortunately come with some side-effects which include irritability, insomnia, and possibly stomach pain, increased blood pressure, and sensitivity to sunlight. It might not seem sensible to give a child who is suffering from ADHD a stimulant, however medical research would seem to indicate that in children and adult’s stimulants help the sufferer to focus and concentrate.

Another choice is the latest medication for the treatment of a ADHD, a drug called Strattera. Strattera is not a stimulant unlike Ritalin, so you won’t be faced with any of the stimulant related side effects. Strattera has been proven to be effective with adults, but not enough testing has been done to provide proof of effectiveness with children under six years of age. It is however becoming a favourite choice of medication.

Overall you have four options. Decide to go with traditional stimulant drugs, and the side-effects that go with that or, the non FDA approved Strattera. If you go for either of those choices you should still closely watched your child for any adverse side effects. Your third choice is to simply keep your child on traditional medicine until they are over six years of age, and then consider Strattera.

The fourth and final option is much more difficult. That option is to choose behavioural methods of controlling your child’s ADHD, without using any medication. This is an extremely challenging and difficult choice to make as a means attempting to best manage the child’s behaviour 24 hours a day.

At least if you know the likely options, then knowing the facts will enable you to best act in the interests of your own child.

Tags: attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder



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photo credit: Mel B.

The problem with sugar is simply that all plants and animals utilise sugar as a means of storing energy. The sugar that is of the most use to us is sucrose, which is the main sugar in our diet. This dietary sugar appears to have been intended to come from plants that make sugar as part of the process of photosynthesis.

Health experts always dispute just how much sugar is needed in our diets. Surprisingly the answer is no sugar is needed, but since the 1500’s when refined sugar first became widely available, it has been used to sweeten food and make it more appetising.

Our problem is we like sweet tasting foods, and of course people buy sweet tasting foods rather than blander ones. Which do you enjoy more, cereal with some sugar and milk, or cereal with just milk?

Additionally sugar gives you an almost instant energy kick, but although it will give you that instant energy it provides no valuable nutrients.

Unfortunately sugar is easily changed to fat, hence the saying from your lips to your hips. Excess sugar simply leads to obesity and dental problems because bacteria in your mouth can easily break down any sugar there for energy and in the process leaves behind acidic residue which dissolve teeth.

Surprisingly while looking at sugar is for this article I discovered that a recent Harvard study where researchers looked at more than 38,000 healthy middle-aged women and their sugar intake, concluded that women with high sugar intakes were no more are at risk of developing diabetes than those who consumed lower amounts.

This would seem to suggest contrary to popular opinion that sugar levels are not the primary causative factor of diabetes. However it would suggest that sugar intake is one of the primary causes of obesity, as nearly everything we consume now has added sugar.

Scientists would recommend that no more than 10 per cent of our daily calorie intake should be sugar. Unfortunately this is just about impossible to keep to, because even one can of soft drink will exceed the average person’s 10% of sugar intake in an organic diet.

Unlike seventy years ago when most families grew or made a proportion of their own food, we now mostly buy ready-made processed food, and with additional steroids now being pumped into cattle to make them produce meat quicker, the end result combined with additional hidden sugar is a natural obesity trend.

What does this mean? Well it actually means that it’s not entirely your fault that you are overweight. Less food consumed today makes you fatter than greater amounts of food consumed in the first half of last century.

Consumer buying and manufacturers driven by profit have created a problem with sugar which is seriously affecting the health of many nations worldwide.

Simply put, this is why we are all suddenly becoming fatter more quickly and easily than ever before.

Tags: sugar, obesity, overweight



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