Tips & Advice

It’s not just the risk of osteoporosis that makes menopause quite the irksome adventure, it’s also all the different symptoms that go along with it. Even though not every menopausal woman will experience the same physical or psychological problems, it is important that you are aware of the most common symptoms. The reason is because you may be suffering from a symptom but are not relating it to menopause.

For instance, many menopausal women who suffer from dizziness have no idea that this is a common symptom of their condition. Dizziness may be directly related to menopause due to changes in the body. For instance, due to lower estrogen levels, changes occur in the blood vessels within the nervous system which can result in dizziness. Furthermore, hot flashes, night sweats and migraine headaches are other menopausal symptoms that can lead to dizziness and vertigo.

Dizziness could also be indirectly related to menopause by being a side effect of medications you are taking to treat other symptoms such as hormone replacement therapy.

Despite the cause of your menopausal dizziness, this symptom can be irritating, and in some cases dangerous. Imagine what could happen if a woman, who suffers frequent dizzy spells, becomes dizzy while driving a vehicle, riding a bike, crossing a street or walking down the stairs. This could result in an accident with possible, serious consequences. In addition, a severe case of dizziness may lead to vertigo.

Vertigo is a serious condition that can cause headaches, dizziness, a spinning sensation, imbalance and falling. Vertigo is often followed by nausea and sometimes vomiting. The condition is made worse with motion. Vertigo occurs when otoliths (calcium carbonate particles) are misplaced in the inner ear’s semicircular canals.

Excessive dizziness and incidences of vertigo should be brought to your doctor’s attention. Your health care provider can examine and diagnose your condition, and provide you with treatment options to help with your symptoms.

That being said, some common ways to treat menopausal dizziness include:

Eating – Most women are constantly on the go and fail to provide their body with the energy and nutrients it needs. Many women do not eat a proper breakfast, nor do they have snacks when they are hungry. Furthermore, they drink too many dehydrating fluids such as coffee, tea and soda, and not enough water to help their body stay hydrated. During menopause, your body is going through too many hormonal changes and cannot handle a poor diet.

Therefore, if you are experiencing dizziness, try improving your diet and eat foods with protein, and natural energy such as fruit. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day!

Relax – Stress leads to many negative emotional side affects including depression, anxiety and headaches. You can reduce the stress you feel by engaging in meditation and exercises that promote deep breathing such as Yoga and Pilates. Furthermore, getting a good night sleep can also help with dizziness.

Herbal treatment - A popular herbal remedy is inhaling lavender oil from a cloth. This treatment has been used for centuries to treat swooning (lightheadedness). As an extra bonus, it smells wonderful.

Note: Talk to your doctor before treating your dizzy spells with herbal remedies or over-the-counter medications.

Always remember that while dizziness is a common symptom of menopause, excessive dizziness may be a sign of something far more serious than menopause such as a brain tumor. Thus, before you brush your dizzy symptoms aside, take the time to seek the opinion of your doctor.

For information on the menopause relief or for details about treating menopause symptoms naturally, please visit NaturalMenopauseReliefSecrets.com and sign up for a free newsletter.

It’s not just the risk of osteoporosis that makes menopause quite the irksome adventure, it’s also all the different symptoms that go along with it. Even though not every menopausal woman will experience the same physical or psychological problems, it is important that you are aware of the most common symptoms. The reason is because you may be suffering from a symptom but are not relating it to menopause.

For instance, many menopausal women who suffer from dizziness have no idea that this is a common symptom of their condition. Dizziness may be directly related to menopause due to changes in the body. For instance, due to lower estrogen levels, changes occur in the blood vessels within the nervous system which can result in dizziness. Furthermore, hot flashes, night sweats and migraine headaches are other menopausal symptoms that can lead to dizziness and vertigo.

Dizziness could also be indirectly related to menopause by being a side effect of medications you are taking to treat other symptoms such as hormone replacement therapy.

Despite the cause of your menopausal dizziness, this symptom can be irritating, and in some cases dangerous. Imagine what could happen if a woman, who suffers frequent dizzy spells, becomes dizzy while driving a vehicle, riding a bike, crossing a street or walking down the stairs. This could result in an accident with possible, serious consequences. In addition, a severe case of dizziness may lead to vertigo.

Vertigo is a serious condition that can cause headaches, dizziness, a spinning sensation, imbalance and falling. Vertigo is often followed by nausea and sometimes vomiting. The condition is made worse with motion. Vertigo occurs when otoliths (calcium carbonate particles) are misplaced in the inner ear’s semicircular canals.

Excessive dizziness and incidences of vertigo should be brought to your doctor’s attention. Your health care provider can examine and diagnose your condition, and provide you with treatment options to help with your symptoms.

That being said, some common ways to treat menopausal dizziness include:

Eating – Most women are constantly on the go and fail to provide their body with the energy and nutrients it needs. Many women do not eat a proper breakfast, nor do they have snacks when they are hungry. Furthermore, they drink too many dehydrating fluids such as coffee, tea and soda, and not enough water to help their body stay hydrated. During menopause, your body is going through too many hormonal changes and cannot handle a poor diet.

Therefore, if you are experiencing dizziness, try improving your diet and eat foods with protein, and natural energy such as fruit. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day!

Relax – Stress leads to many negative emotional side affects including depression, anxiety and headaches. You can reduce the stress you feel by engaging in meditation and exercises that promote deep breathing such as Yoga and Pilates. Furthermore, getting a good night sleep can also help with dizziness.

Herbal treatment - A popular herbal remedy is inhaling lavender oil from a cloth. This treatment has been used for centuries to treat swooning (lightheadedness). As an extra bonus, it smells wonderful.

Note: Talk to your doctor before treating your dizzy spells with herbal remedies or over-the-counter medications.

Always remember that while dizziness is a common symptom of menopause, excessive dizziness may be a sign of something far more serious than menopause such as a brain tumor. Thus, before you brush your dizzy symptoms aside, take the time to seek the opinion of your doctor.

For information on the menopause relief or for details about treating menopause symptoms naturally, please visit NaturalMenopauseReliefSecrets.com and sign up for a free newsletter.

Although itching and blistery feet may be a sign of Athlete’s foot, those who have constant numbness or tingling in their feet may be suffering from a condition known as peripheral neuropathy. This is the general term given to disorders that affect the body’s peripheral nerves.

The peripheral nervous system is comprised of nerves that spread from the spinal cord to various parts of the body. This nervous system is responsible for motor and sensory nerves; the nerves that help us move and feel. When a peripheral nerve is damaged, the affected area (particularly the lower extremities) may become increasingly numb or hyper sensitive (sensory nerve) and/or weak or paralyzed (motor nerves). Either one or both sets of nerves can be affected.

Peripheral neuropathy that affects the feet is most common in people with diabetes, and in those who inherit the condition from their parent - hereditary neuropathy. However, foot neuropathy isn’t limited to these groups. It can occur in anyone.

The most common symptoms of foot neuropathy involving the sensory nerve include:
• Pain – sharp, stabbing or electric
• Extreme sensitivity to touch
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Burning or freezing sensation
• Lack of feeling

If the motor nerves are damaged in the feet, a person may experience weakness or paralysis, which can cause the muscles to waste due to the fact that they are no longer working as they should.

There is no cure for peripheral neuropathy. Therefore, without proper foot care, the feet of an infected person are in danger of blisters, thickened calluses and cuts that can lead to ulcers. Ulcers need to be looked after to prevent an infection that can lead to amputation.

Approximately 15% of people with neuropathic feet will develop foot ulcers that become infected. However, amputation can be prevented in 80% of cases by practicing daily foot care such as:

• Thoroughly wash and dry feet
• Inspect the bottom of your feet upon waking up and before going to bed.
o Look for redness, blisters or cuts.
o Touch your feet. If one feels particularly hot, this could be a sign that a bone is broken. Seek your doctor’s attention immediately.
o A callus is a sign that an extreme amount of pressure is being forced upon a particular area of your foot. Almost all ulcers begin as a callus. The most common callus areas are the big toe and the ball of the foot. If you have calluses consult your podiatrist on ways to relieve the pressure.
o If you see openings in the foot or there is blood under the surface of the skin, see your doctor right away.
• Wear shoes that have lots of room. Tight shoes cause pressure and cause and ulcer. Have a qualified pedorthist (shoe specialist) fit shoes to your feet.
• Take a walk. Walking helps increase the flow of blood to your feet. This reduces the chance of ulcers and infection. Note: stay off your feet if you have an ulcer.
• Foot stretches help improve circulation.

People with neruopathic feet should refrain from:

• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol intake
• Walking barefoot
• Soaking feet
• Wearing shoes without socks
• Wearing flip-flops or slip-on shoes
• Sleeping with ankles crossed
• Cutting calluses or corns
• Cutting toenails (a podiatrist or pedicurist should do this for you)

If you are experiencing tingling or numbness in your feet, see your doctor to get your feet checked out. He or she will be able to refer you to the right specialist to help you treat and monitor your condition.

If you are looking for more ways to experience Foot Pain relief please go to FootPainRelief.com where you can sign up for a free newsletter.

Do you enjoy wine, beer or other alcoholic beverages on a regular basis? Do you drink a moderate amount of alcohol, or do you go over your limit? Do you even know what the moderate amount is? If you are not sure if you are exceeding a healthy alcohol limit, you could be putting yourself at risk of developing a number of dangerous health conditions such as high blood pressure.

How can alcohol affect blood pressure? The answer to this question is still unknown, even though medical research has discovered that drinking alcohol excessively can cause blood pressure to rise. That being said, it has also been found that regularly drinking moderate amounts of alcohol can actually help keep the body healthy and protect it from heart disease and stroke; conditions linked to high blood pressure.

Drinking in moderation
Before we get into how excessive drinking can lead to high blood pressure, first we’ll take a look at what is considered to be moderate drinking. Drinking alcohol moderately is different for both men and women:

Men - 2 alcoholic drinks per day is considered sufficient for men up until the age of 65. After 65, men should drink the moderate intake recommended for women.

Women - 1 alcoholic drink per day is considered sufficient for women.

A single drink is the equivalent of:
• 12 oz. of regular beer or lager (1 bottle or can)
• 5 oz. of wine (1 standard glass of wine)
• 1 oz. of spirits (1 shot of spirits)

If you are over exceeding the amount of alcohol that is considered sufficient for you on a regular basis, it is highly likely that your alcohol consumption is having a negative affect on your blood pressure and overall health. In this case, it is imperative that you cut back. By decreasing alcohol intake and drinking in moderation, a previous heavy drinker can actually lower their diastolic blood pressure by 1-2 points and their systolic blood pressure by 2-4 points.

People who drink alcohol excessively can raise their blood pressure to unhealthy levels. Not only that, alcohol is also high in calories and can increase your weight. Furthermore, if you are taking blood pressure medication, alcohol can increase the negative side effects of these meds.

On the other hand, if you are drinking moderately, the alcohol you ingest should not be having an affect on your blood pressure. That being said, if you frequently indulge in binge drinking (drinking excessive amounts of alcohol in one sitting as is common on the weekend), drinking moderately on a regular basis can also increase your blood pressure.

Can people with high blood pressure still drink alcohol?
Yes - The average person with high blood pressure and has no other complications can drinking alcohol as long as they stay within the recommended limits, even if they are on blood pressure medication.
No – Someone who has a damaged liver, is an alcoholic, has heart disease, or has already suffered a stroke, should not drink alcohol.

It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about whether or not moderate alcohol consumption is safe for you. It’s also imperative that you have your blood pressure checked at least once a year by your doctor, at the local clinic, or any place that provides you the opportunity. It is a simple, fast and painless procedure that can give you peace of mind.

If you should discover you have high blood pressure, you can then take the right actions to help you avoid the serious complications associated with the condition.

If you are looking for more help for Blood Pressure Reduction symptoms please visit NaturalBloodPressureReduction.com and sign up for a free newsletter.

If you have diabetes, chances are good you will also have problems with a bacteria known as candida. Why is there a connection? Because every living human has candida in his or her system. Usually the “friendly bacteria” keep the non-friendly candida at bay, but certain factors can allow the candida to flourish — factors that are often brought on by diabetes.

For example, candida is a cause of vaginal yeast infections in women, and while yeast infections are very common, they are even more common among women with diabetes. This is because diabetes impairs the body’s immune system and its ability to fight infections. Candida growths that would be taken care of naturally in non-diabetic people become problematic. Also, high blood sugars (characteristic of diabetes) make the mucous membranes more sugary, which is a perfect environment for yeasts to grow in.

Diabetic women who have candida-caused yeast infections can usually remedy them just about as easily as other women, provided they are properly diagnosed. (Some studies have shown that about one-third of women who diagnosed themselves thought they had a yeast infection when in fact it was something else. Always see a doctor so you can treat the right illness!) Treating a yeast infection often takes longer for diabetic women, though. Usually the 14-day medicinal therapy is necessary to get rid of it for diabetic women, as opposed to a three-day or seven-day program. But it is just as treatable as for non-diabetic women, so the fact that it’s more common shouldn’t be worrisome to you.

Candida causes other conditions besides yeast infections, including many that are common to men, too. (In fact, the vaginal yeast infection is really the only “women-only” condition related to candida.) Candida is a bacteria that can grow into a full-blown fungus, and the entire body is susceptible to it.

For example, oral candidiasis, also known as oral thrush, is a fungal infection in the mouth that manifests itself with white or yellow spots. It occurs more often among diabetics. Antifungal medications, prescribed by your dentist, can take care of it. It’s important for anyone to practice good oral hygiene (brushing, flossing, etc.), but particularly for people with diabetes, since their immune systems are slightly compromised and their blood sugar levels slightly higher, thus creating an environment conducive to candida growth.

So it’s clear that people with diabetes should take extra care to avoid conditions that will lead to trouble with the candida bacteria. But how do you know if you have diabetes? The most common symptoms of type 1 diabetes (the more serious variety) are frequent urination, excessive thirst, and increased appetite. Some patients have blurred vision, fatigue, and irritability, too.

If you suspect you may have diabetes, it’s important to see a doctor right away and be tested for it. Diabetes was once deadly but is now almost always easily treatable — but it does need to be treated. Patients who monitor their blood-sugar levels and take the necessary treatments and precautions usually live normal, healthy lives. They are at greater risk for yeast infections, oral thrush and other candida-caused conditions, but even those can usually be managed.

Jane Symms has an interest in Candida. For further information on Candida please visit understanding Candida or Candida resource blog posts.