General Interventions To Deal With Acne During Pregnancy

Pregnancy can induce acne breakouts or make pre-existing adult acne even worse; however some women who have acne-prone skin claim a decrease in outbreaks of acne during pregnancy. Increased levels of androgens are at least partially responsible for breakouts because they cause the sebaceous glands (found in the inner layer of the epidermis) to become bigger; and this boosts production of oily substances, called sebum.

This added sebum, combined with shedding skin cells lining the hair follicles, block your pores, thus creating an environment where bacteria can rapidly proliferate. All this can potentially lead to the irritation, inflammation and eruptions of acne.

Usually, the spike in hormones occur during the very first trimester, so if you do not develop acne in these first three months, it is unlikely that you'll have breakout issues during the succeeding trimesters. Fortunately, thus subsides once hormone ranges come back to normal.

There is no way to avoid this problem, but there are some general interventions that may help:

• Do not pop, rub, or squeeze your pimples (this aggravates the problem and can lead to scarring).

• Gently wash with a mild cleanser or soap twice a day.

• Instead of rubbing your skin, it is more advisable to pat it dry.

• Do not use a washcloth to scrub your face, because that can cause further skin irritation. Use your hands instead to gently clean up your face.

• If you wear makeup or use moisturizers, use water-based products rather than oil-based ones. It should also be labeled "non-acnegenic" or "non-comedogenic" meaning, they will not clog up your pores and trigger breakouts. Make sure you wash your makeup off completely before going to sleep, too.

• Refrain from resting your face on your hands because this can trap sweat and oil.

• Eat colorful organic fruits and vegetables.

• Choose whole grains and cut back on refined grains and sugar. Small portions of dark chocolate is allowed (darker varieties are better).

• Do not consume saturated fats. Eat skin-boosting healthy fats such as almonds, walnuts, salmon, and avocado.

• Increase your dietary consumption of vitamin A (i.e. milk, carrots, eggs, and fish). But avoid vitamin A supplements because its excess has been proven to result in birth defects.

Consult with your health care provider before using medicated lotions or gels. What you apply on your skin is absorbed into your body's bloodstream. Hence, even topical medications are potentially harmful to your baby. Generally speaking, you should stay away from all medications that you do not absolutely need throughout the course of pregnancy. This includes seemingly harmless OTC (over-the-counter) medications as well as chemical spot therapies. Topical acne medications are still safer when compared to oral acne medications though, because only about 5% of the topical ointment or cream is absorbed into your body.

Two commonly prescribed topical medications are azelaic acid (Azelex, Finacea) and erythromycin (Erygel).

Over-the-counter drugs containing glycolic acid and benzoyl peroxide are often an alternative choice, but quite a few topical products have not been thoroughly studied when used by pregnant women, so make sure you consult your health care provider before initiating any acne treatment. A few medications, such as tretinoin, isotretinoin, oral tetracyclines, tazarotene, adapalene, salicylic acid specifically, have a potentially high risk of causing birth defects to both the developing fetus and a baby which is being breastfed.

Remember that being pregnant is not all bad for the skin. Even though you may need to endure some new blemishes of acne during pregnancy, once you retain more water and circulate more blood, you may discover that your complexion has become more radiant than in the past.

Medication For Graves Disease

The medication for Graves Disease involves the taking in of antithyroid drugs. Antithyroid drugs reduce the production of the thyroid hormones. Usually, it takes two weeks after starting the medication for the thyroid hormone level of the blood to improve and will eventually normalize after six to eight more weeks.

However, this kind of treatment has its side effects. The common side effect of this medication for Graves Disease is a rash thus requiring the medication to be stopped once the rashes become severe. Other side effects include liver inflammation, joint swelling and even a very rare case of knocking down the function of the immune system. By the time the patients experience a sore throat, a fever or a bad infection, they are advised to go see their physicians to determine if it is necessary to stop taking in the drugs.

For pregnant women and nursing mothers, it can be a safe treatment but it is important that the doctor should monitor the taking in of these drugs by these women. The thyroid status of the baby should be well monitored as well to prevent any complications. Often, the disease improves as pregnancy reaches its peak but it can return by the postpartum period.

While the treatment may help the patients, this antithyroid medication for Graves Disease is only for the symptoms and not exactly for the root cause of it. Unfortunately, for most patients the disease will still return and they will have to go through the same treatment all over again.

Unlike taking in medication for Graves Disease [http://graves-disease-treatment.blogspot.com/2007/09/best-treatment-for-graves-disease.html], there are other methods known to us now which are safer and more effective compared to these antithryoid drugs. The most natural method is to get the right kind of diet. This process is well explained in some reading materials that are now available today. This treatment affectively reverses the condition of the patient and it does not only treat the symptoms but it treats the root cause of the disease.

Finding Individual and Family Health Insurance in Virginia, Maryland and The District of Columbia

Individual health policies are for those who are responsible for their own health insurance expenses. My best recommendation is that you have a Health Insurance Broker licensed in your state assist you make the best decision. The coverage you should choose is determined by your particular needs and those of your family.

Examples of specific considerations:

-Maternity

If your family is young and growing, you will want to consider a policy that includes maternity care from the onset.

-Prescription Plans

Some plans have prescription plans that only cover generic drugs while most do cover preferred brands. It is just good to know what you are going to get.

-Doctor Networks

Check and see if your doctor is included. Typically PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans provide the most freedom of choice and greater flexibility as compare to HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)

-Preventative Care Packages

If you can opt for a plan that includes a preventative plan without having to first meet a deductible. Preventative Care usually includes Annual Physical, OB/GYN Exams, Mammograms, PSA screening and well child care.

-Dental and Vision are pretty important but do not allow these to disproportionately affect your Major Medical plan decision. If need be get them separately and focus on a health plan that is solid and that meets your needs.

VALUE NOT PRICE

Be diligent, compare plans and comb through the outlines of coverage. My little rule is that the better insurance companies have simple and easy to understand plans as opposed to those that present you volumes of literature and very little coverage.

REGIONS

DC- DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PLANS

Care First Blue Cross Blue Shield probably offers the most coverage for the best price in DC. The savings are pretty substantial.

NORTHERN VIRGINIA PLANS

Care First Blue Cross Blue Shield and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield both serve Northern Virginia but their territories do not overlap. They both offer very comprehensive and competitively priced plans. Most Plans include a nice preventative package - Contact your broker to determine which side of the fence you are on. (HMO & PPO) Blue Cross Blue Shield boasts the biggest PPO network in the DC metro area.

Kaiser Permanente (HMO) offer very inclusive and competitive plans in this area too. This company's plans almost always include maternity for no extra cost.

Golden Rule (United Healthcare) also offers Health Plans in some Northern VA zip codes. Great PPO and HSA plans offered.

MARYLAND PLANS

Care First Blue Cross Blue Shield offers very comprehensive and competitively priced plans. The majority of the Plans include the important preventative package. (HMO & PPO) Blue Cross Blue Shield boasts the biggest PPO network in the DC metro area. Do Consider the Blue Preferred Plan.

Kaiser Permanente (HMO) offer very inclusive and competitive plans in this area too. This company's plans almost always include maternity for no extra cost. This is indeed a popular company in this state.

Golden Rule (United Healthcare) also offers Health Plans in Maryland. These plans are very competitive and the Network is large. Great PPO and HSA plans offered.

Tips

-Blue Cross Blue Shield Families may realize substantial savings by submitting separate applications for each individual as opposed to a family application. The savings seem to be greatest for a two parent (adult)-one child family especially when there is a notable age difference between the parents (adult)

-Blue Cross will accept domestic partner family applications.

-For BlueCross and Kaiser Permanente Quotes go to RxMom.com

-For Golden Rule Quotes go to GoldenHealthInsurance.com

How to Help Your Wife If She Has Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is a very real thing that a lot of women go through after giving birth. Lots of things contribute to postpartum depression from a feeling of despair from no longer being pregnant to being upset because her body still looks as though she is. Some estimate that as much as 90% of women will go through some form of postpartum depression at some point after delivery. Most of the time the postpartum depression will go away without the aid of medication. Hormonal changes play a big factor in postpartum depression. Even though the depression may not be that severe, it is a very real and emotional problem that your wife is facing. You should respect that she cannot simply "cheer up" and that you can play a key role in helping her through the period of depression.

Help combat her fatigue. Make sure that you give your wife all the support that she might need. Offer to take over duties around the house like laundry or cooking. Offer to do diaper changing duty or take over some of the baby's feedings too. If you can't be around to help her, enlist the help of family or friends. Often having a new baby around means not a lot of time for mommy to get some much needed rest. Make time for her to relax and take a nap or two.

A little positive support goes a long way. You may not realize it but new moms go through a wide range of emotions during the postpartum period. Women often feel unattractive or like they have no idea what they are doing. She may feel neglected now that the shift of attention has dramatically shifted from her onto the new arrival. It's important that you spend time with your wife and compliment her often on her appearance or on her mothering abilities. Small, unexpected gifts can sometimes help to lift her spirits too.

Get away for a bit. Just because you have a new baby around doesn't mean your life as a couple is over. Encourage (but don't force) your wife to allow grandma or some other trusted adult to care for the baby for a short period of time. Spend some time alone with her away from the house and the baby whenever possible. Even if you can only get out once a week or once every other week, it will make a difference. Make sure that you spend alone time with her every day. Even if you can just curl up with her while she takes a nap, your presence is important.

Give her something to look forward to. If you can, plan a trip or a vacation for sometime in the future. Make sure that you plan it for some period in the future when you think baby and mom will be ready.

If the period of postpartum depression is interfering with your wife's sleep or appetite or is accompanied by thoughts of hopelessness, extreme anger or violence, seek professional help for her right away. Never wait for the depression to go away on it's own if you have any concerns at all. It never hurts to speak to a doctor if you have any questions.

The Danger Behind Teenage Pregnancy

A sad reality confronted the entire world after the reports coming from US regarding teen pregnancy. It has been reported that 17 teenagers from a school in Massachusetts are pregnant and many of them are less than 16 years of age. The whole idea about being a teen mother is not out of compulsion but fancy. The hormonal growth of a teen is much higher as compared to adult women, which makes a young girl more active and energetic. Nonetheless, this increased fertility rates and strong body metabolism are not enough to cope up with the emotional and physiological stress during pregnancy. The large number of pregnant teens not only adds to population growth but pose a threat to entire mankind.

This situation arises more due to peer pressure, or increasing sexual experimentation at a tender age. The recent report shows that teenage pregnancy in US is relatively higher than any other developed or developing nations. The number is expected to cross the shocking figure of 1 million each year, according to a news report. The prime concern about being a mother is responsibility. Becoming a mother in an adolescent age leaves the teen perplexed about handling the entire situation. Moreover, such unwanted pregnancy usually creates major health concerns. This article is more focused on looking at the health risks attached behind teen pregnancy.

Risk to Fetus

The body metabolism of a teen mother is such that it cannot nourish the fetus adequately, which might result in a low -weight babies. It is also possible that certain body organs of the child is under developed leading to childhood disorder and higher infant mortality rates. Owing to the body shape and size, it is difficult for a teenage mother to deliver a baby normally, whereas the caesarian method might be dangerous. It could lead to physical complications like excessive bleeding.

Negligence of teenage mother

Often the teen age moms-to-be are not responsible enough to take care of their health and their babies health as well. Random eating habits and mal nutrition due to increased rate of smoking, excessive alcohol intake, or taking drugs during pregnancy may put both the mother and infant in a great danger.

Prenatal Care

According to the American Medical Association (AMA), newborn babies who do not get sufficient prenatal care are under higher risk and are more likely to die before the age of 1 year.

Social Negligence

Not only the increased health risks but the added pressure from the society comes as a serious shock for the teenage mothers. It is usually hard to get a social acceptance for such babies. It may hamper the psychological balance of a teenage mom, resulting in suicide in extreme case.

Other Consequences

Apart from facing a rejection from the society, factors like running a family and low annual income of the child's teenage parents may pose a serious trouble to carry out day to day functioning. According to reports, In the United States, the annual cost of teen pregnancies from lost tax revenues, public assistance, child health care, foster care, and involvement with the criminal justice system is estimated to be about $7 billion.

By no means, being a mother is an easy task. It takes lots of planning, sleepless nights, hair - tearing episodes, firm decision, and proper financial support before you opt to be mother. And that too, it is never advisable to get pregnant at a tender age. Never let your sexual adventures and other such experiments spoil for health, career and your future.

How to Look Great in Pregnancy and Nursing Wear!

Pregnancy can be a tough time for the fashion conscious. You suddenly realise how small the maternity section you've been ignoring your whole life really is, and the temptation to dress in frumpy plus size tops, jogging bottoms and men's shirts is greater than ever before. Even if you crave style and class, the choice on offer in high street shops is limited, and the rails rarely extend to smart outfits for work or elegant evening wear.

But 700,000 women in Britain are expecting a baby every year - there must be some way to look stylish. Well, there is! You simply need to change your old habits.
Change your shopping routine!

The key to looking great during the pregnancy and nursing stages is to change your shopping habits. You're going to have your favourite brands right now, but if their maternity ranges aren't up to scratch (and very few high street brands are), steer clear until you're back to your pre pregnancy shape.

If you do most of your clothes shopping on the high street, now is the time to consider online shopping. The maternity section in clothing stores tends to be limited to say the least, often with just one small section pushed to the back of the store. Online maternity and nursing boutiques offer a much wider choice, with everything from comfortable lounge and night wear to glamorous maternity feeding tops, couture winter coats and even stunning wedding dresses.

Don't stand by your old favourite designers; boutique maternity brands are much more experienced at creating practical clothes to flatter your bump. Look for Mothers en Vogue, Annee Matthew and Milker for quality maternity feeding tops and knitwear with concealed openings for nursing. Breastfeeding tops are a great way to make the most of your maternity wardrobe because they can be worn during and after pregnancy -look for stretchy yet breathable materials which change shape with your bump.

For something a little more special, try Sweet Belly's couture range. Online boutiques stock all of these brands - and many more - in one easy place. This is your chance to enjoy a whole new fashion world!

Dress for your new shape

It sounds obvious that you need to dress for your new shape; that's why you're buying new clothes, after all. But your new shape isn't bigger. There's no excuse to simply buy a couple of sizes up; these clothes will swamp your shape and make you look big, rather than pregnant.

Wrap and empire line dresses and breastfeeding tops are your new best friends! They'll pull you in at the waist, flattering your bump while making you appear slimmer.

Many women find they don't need to shop for pregnancy clothing until the third or fourth month, although the time to switch is different for everyone. Buy your maternity and nursing wear whenever you feel comfortable - most are stretchy enough to flatter your figure even pre or post bump, so are ideal for getting your money's worth!

Comfort is now key

Pregnancy can make your skin sensitive, and your body temperature may be higher than usual. The key to dressing for comfort is to make sure your wardrobe staples are made from natural breathable materials like cotton.

Maternity feeding tops and plus size nursing tops made from these materials offer extra comfort when feeding. Their completely concealed openings are an ingenious way of having extra privacy when nursing your baby.

Using Essential Oil to Fight Depression

Depression is real. It is not something to be ignored, laughed at, scoffed at, nor is it something to be ashamed of. It can come from many different causes-hormonal imbalances, diet, exposure to chemicals, as a side effect from medication, and more. There are also different kinds of depression, seasonal depression, postpartum depression, panic disorders, anxiety, and others. I'm not going to go into the various kinds and causes here. Be aware that in order to fully rid yourself of depression you will need to explore diet, environment, and your health. That's a step you can take a little further down the road. It amazed me as I researched depression how depressing many of the articles and information were that I read! I didn't have a problem with depression and then I started researching it and started feeling low. That's not what we want to do here. I want to give you some good, solid ways to use essential oils to give you a lift, a hand up, a smile, a dose of hope so that you can get to feeling better. Once you've accomplished that then you'll be in a better frame of mind to begin exploring your options to restored health.

Aromatherapy, or the use of essential oils, can have an incredible effect on your emotional outlook. We all know that scents can affect us emotionally. We use perfumes and colognes to make us more attractive. We associate memories with various smells. A newborn baby learns to identify his mother by sense of smell before his eyes are developed enough to focus. Diffusing an essential oil (spreading the aroma throughout a room) can have a profound and almost immediate effect on mood. Scent is a vital part of our lives. The limbic system is considered to be the oldest system in the human body. The limbic system is made up of several organs that together process scents and determine how the body will respond. These responses often involve emotions, especially those that are related to survival such as fear and reproductive urges. The limbic system is also tied in closely to determining which memories will be stored and how they will be recalled. The hypothalamus is also a part of the limbic system. It has a major role in monitoring and regulating hormones.

Essential oils have an aroma that activates the limbic system through smell. Essential oils also have the ability to affect our hormones. They can help us eliminate unwanted toxins from the body. They can help ease pain. They can carry oxygen to the cells of our body. Essential oils applied to the skin can be detected in the blood in as little as twenty seconds! The essential oil molecules are smaller than our cells; they permeate our bodies and affect us on a cellular level. There are ten main systems in our body: integumentary (skin), skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine (hormones), digestive, respiratory, circulatory, urinary, and reproductive and essential oils can affect them all!

Here's a quick list of essential oils that are commonly used in relieving depression:

• Basil (especially good for manic depression and anxiety)


• Bergamot


• Blossom blend


• Brain Gem blend


• Cedarwood


• Chamomile, Roman


• Clary Sage


• Frankincense


• Geranium


• Grapefruit


• Helichrysum


• Juniper Berry


• Lavender


• Loving Care blend


• Marjoram (especially helpful with grief based depression)


• Orange


• Palmarosa


• Peppermint (especially helpful if you can't stay awake)


• Quiet Scent blend (especially good for when you can't sleep)


• Ravensara


• Rose


• Rosemary (especially helpful if you're anxious)


• Sandalwood

*All blends mentioned are Be Young blends.

**A warm or hot essential oil that you will want to use diluted with carrier oil before applying to the skin. If you use without a carrier and it feels hot DO NOT rinse with water, it will get hotter, apply a carrier oil to the area and it will cool it.

As you can see, there are quite a few to choose from. The best way to choose is to smell each one. If you smell an essential oil and it's just nasty smelling to you, you're not going to want to use it, you'll hesitate because it's not a pleasant experience. When you find that oil that you just want to crawl in the bottle and live there, that's the one for you! I worked with a gentleman whose oil of choice for improving his mood was Birch. Now, that's not on the list above, but Birch oil smelled like root beer to him and started him reminiscing about his childhood days and homemade root beer and always lifted his mood and made him smile. It was the perfect pick-me-up for him. Here we see the perfect example of how powerful smell is in affecting the emotions.

Diffusing an essential oil is a powerful way to impact your mood. You can set a timer so that the oil is released into the air at certain intervals. I use a diffuser that is set to diffuse fifteen minutes out of every hour. You can also purchase a pendant diffuser. This is simply a necklace made of clay you add the oil to or a hollow necklace with a wick inside you put the oil on. Some people prefer a sniff stick-it looks kind of like a tube of chap stick, but inside is a cotton wick that you add the essential oil to. Whenever you need a whiff you open it up and the aroma comes out. Some people simply carry the bottle of essential oil with them and open it up when needed, just be careful the lid doesn't come undone in your pocket so the oil spills. Find what works best for you.

Frankincense is perhaps the most often used essential oil for depression. Many people have been able to discontinue use of antidepressants by using Frankincense. First, make sure you have a 100% pure essential oil of Frankincense. Frankincense is an expensive oil so it is often cut or synthesized. If you're not familiar with the various essential oil companies, you can get a good idea of the oil's purity by its price. I recommend the Be Young brand; they stand strong against diluting an essential oil in any way before you receive it. They also regularly test their essential oils to make sure that the grower didn't dilute it before they received it. Why do you care? If you'll recall, up in the first paragraph I listed some of the causes of depression, among them are exposure to chemicals. If an essential oil is synthesized (made with chemicals) or improperly extracted (with chemicals) those chemicals are now a part of that essential oil and can be carried into every cell in your body.

This will only compound the problems you are experiencing. It is absolutely vital that you get the best essential oil you can or you may be feeding the fires of depression instead of smothering them. To use Frankincense to replace your antidepressant, every morning put a drop of Frankincense under your tongue. Carry Frankincense essential oil with you throughout the day. Some days are one drop days, some are ten drop days. If you have difficulties getting just one drop or can't handle the taste, put it in a little bit of water. You can purchase droppers that can be used with essential oils so you can control how many drops you get. Always consult with your doctor when decreasing any medication! Use an essential oil two hours before or after taking a medication so that they do not interfere with each other.

Ways to use essential oils for depression:

• Diffuse or use the essential oil as a room spray (To make a room spray add 10-12 drops of essential oil to 1-2 ounces of filtered water in a glass spray bottle. Shake and spray. Always shake before each use and use a glass bottle as the essential oils will eat through a plastic bottle.)


• Internally (Frankincense especially and ONLY if you are sure the oil is pure, like the Be Young brand) Apply a drop or two under the tongue, or take in a capsule filled with carrier oil


• Apply a drop to the back of the neck and the temples


• Use in a massage (add 5-6 drops of essential oil to an ounce of carrier oil and massage with this blend)


• In a bath (Add 5-6 drops of your chosen essential oil to 1/4-1/2 cup bath salts or Epsom(tm) salts, then add to your bath water. Soak for twenty minutes and rinse off. Always rinse off, the combination of salt and essential oils will pull toxins from your body to the surface of the skin. If you don't rinse off you will reabsorb those toxins and may develop a rash. Always add to the salts before the water or the essential oils will float on top of the water.)


• Simply open the bottle and inhale


• Use as a perfume, apply a drop or two to your pulse points


• If you're feeling anxious, apply a drop to the tops of your ears

After you start feeling better you'll want to begin modifying diet. Often depression is caused because various chemical receptors within the body are blocked by toxins. Start with the Liver Cleanse (see my article on Liver Cleanse for more information) and begin eliminating prepared foods and other harmful activities from your diet and lifestyle. A lack of calcium can often contribute to depression. Carbonated beverages (especially those in the cola category) leach calcium from the body. The neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin control depression. Trace minerals allow our bodies to use these neurotransmitters. A good source of trace minerals is Masaji(tm) (a whole food supplement created by Be Young, it also contains Frankincense and Rose essential oils.)

Some fun recipe blends you may want to try:

Recipe #1

10 drops Bergamot

5 drops Clary Sage

2 drops Rose

(Note, Bergamot can cause photosensivity in some individuals, avoid direct exposure of skin with Bergamot oil applied to it to the sun or tanning beds for 24 hours. As long as the skin is covered by clothing you should be fine.)

Recipe #2 (guilt and depression)

15 drops Geranium

5 drops Lavender

10 drops Bergamot

This should give you some good ideas. Don't allow yourself to get overwhelmed, pick one direction and give it a try, give it a week or so and then evaluate yourself-no change, try a different oil; some change, add something in addition to; great change, congratulations! Start making modifications (slowly, one step at a time) to your diet and environment and enjoy your journey to health and happiness!