Well Woman Blog

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Although a water softener rids your water of harmful minerals, they also rid your water a of few minerals that your body could benefit from.  If you are deficient in vitamins and minerals, you will need a more comprehensive approach during your pregnancy or menstrual cycle. Maintaining the right proportion of chemicals is extremely important during the formation of the fetus, and can be incredibly helpful in reducing the uncomfortable effects of your menstrual cycle. Here are some supplements we strongly recommend you make sure you're stocking up on:

Folic Acid – About 20% of pregnant women are deficient in folic acid and it's absolutely crucial for DNA creation and cellular growth. Folic acid nourishes the bodies of expectant mothers, reduces the risk of birth defects in the child, and may also reduce the chance of a preterm delivery.

Vitamin B6 – In addition to plying your body with good hormones and chemicals and helping to prevent memory loss, this power vitamin can reduce morning sickness in pregnant women. It's also very helpful on days when you have low energy.

Calcium – So important it should be taken as a separate supplement to ensure the proper dose. Calcium also helps lessen the symptoms of PMS, promote weight loss, and protects against colon cancer and osteoporosis. Calcium also works in combination with magnesium to help with contractions during child birth.

Vitamin D – Not only does this wonder-vitamin help to prevent the early onset of osteoporosis and colon cancer, it is also known to stem the depression, fatigue and cramps associated with PMS.

Copper – Since this mineral is found in all human tissues it is pretty much indispensable in the formation of the baby's body, from bones to heart. Both copper and iron are considered extremely important to minimizing the chances of birth defects.

Magnesium – Magnesium is critical to our health in many ways, including bone growth and enzyme functionality, but it's even more important for pregnant women in that it helps sooth the stress of fluctuating hormones. It also helps to prevent preeclampsia during pregnancy and safeguards the body against the rigors of delivery.

Zinc – Zinc aids in healthy pregnancies in many ways and has proven to be critical to many stages of the process, including conception itself (zinc is good for sperm count), ovulation and the development of the fetus. Zinc nourishes the pre-born fetus by modulating glucose levels and preserving cellular integrity.

There are hundreds of important considerations you must think about related to childbirth, but all of them revolve around ensuring your health and the health of the baby. Making lists of critical supplements will get you thinking about the new life you are now responsible for. If you're not pregnant, many of these supplements can help lessen the agony of your menstrual cycle.

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Dr. Paul Goss, the director of breast cancer research at Massachusetts General Hospital has revealed that they have found a new tool to prevent breast cancer. Tamoxifen, already a common breast cancer treatment drug is the cure. Patients need to take one of these pills daily, over a period of five years. Dr. Judy Garber, director of the Center for Cancer Risk and Prevention at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute stated that women taking Tamoxifen were half as likely to get breast cancer. At the moment, this treatment is only for women that have a high risk of breast cancer. This includes women who have had breast cancer before, have the BRCA gene mutation, have a family history or have had a biopsy showing changes in their breast tissue.

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Walking into the gym is usually a menacing, sometimes intimidating task for normal looking women. On the elliptical machines there are girls wearing the tightest shorts sporting chiseled midriffs in sports bras. There are trainers who look like they will yell at you if you mess up an exercise. Then there are muscle freaks who squat 550 and walk around the mirrors gazing at their oiled up physiques.

In order to get fit, you should put all of that stuff to the side and focus on your specific workout routine. There are other distractions that keep us from getting fit in the form of an internal monologue we have inside of us due to media saturation. Not only do we have to put physical distractions out of the way while working out, we need to shut off the mental blocks as well. Here are five things we shouldn't be thinking about at the gym:

I Only Have to do Cardio to Look Good

If you go to the gym with a magazine, bottle of water, and spend 60 minutes doing a low impact, lazy, and apathetic elliptical routine twice a week, you are wasting your time. Workouts need to be intense so they can burn calories and increase metabolism throughout the day. While resistance training does not burn as many calories, it will help add to your muscle definition which can burn calories throughout the day.

But I Saw That on The Biggest Loser

While watching The Biggest Loser is an excellent way to learn about fitness and nutrition, it should be viewed with a grain of salt. The trainers and contestants on the show often used a method of product placement which hasn't been pulled off this well since 1950s television. Just because it's on The Biggest Loser, doesn't mean it's always the best for you.

But Demi Moore Does This Kind of Workout

She can also afford to pay for expensive cosmetic surgery that makes her look like a 28 year old well into her 50s. Just because a certain celebrity does a specific workout routine doesn't mean you will get the same results. Livestrong's fitness section says that it is impossible to look like a celebrity if you aren't twins with her. Instead of focusing on what Hollywood does to stay fit, consult with a personal trainer to develop the best plan for you.

If I Don't Eat I Will Lose Weight

There is no doubt that you will lose a bunch of weight if you stop eating altogether. You could even begin to develop some of the early symptoms of anorexia nervosa if you try to starve yourself for a long period of time. If you are trying to workout at the gym and are not eating, you are making a huge mistake. Not only does your body need intelligent nutrients in order to function at the fitness facility, it needs enough fuel after to properly repair broken down muscle tissue.

I Don't Want to Get Bulky

Muscle doesn't just weigh more than fat, it is more compact and space efficient. Performing fat burning and muscle shredding activities at the gym will take away mass and help to create cuts in your body that actually accentuate the muscle you have been building. You may start to gain a little if you do resistance training, but it is going to look really good.

If you are not sure about how to properly do an exercise, when to eat what food, and where to purchase the correct supplements, consult a fitness professional or doctor for the best advice. They are paid to help you and have years of training with your needs put first.