Pregnancy Talk: How Pregnant Moms Can Avoid Miscarriage

Giving birth may be one of the few miracles you will encounter in your life.

Unfortunately, medical experts say that as much as 30 percent of pregnancies end up in loss of pregnancy or miscarriage. This “spontaneous abortion” usually happens within the first 20 weeks. This is one of the reasons why pregnant women should take extra care of themselves and the baby they are carrying.

To reduce the risk of miscarriage and avoid it at once, here are safe and effective tips pregnant moms should follow and live by:

1. Live healthy. Making sure you are healthy ensures your baby will be, too. So eat a nutritious well-balanced diet, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and avoid stress.

2. Do NOT smoke. The list of the adverse effects of smoking is a very long one. In terms of pregnancy, the number of cigarettes a woman smokes increases the risk of losing a genetically healthy baby. Passive smoking is just as dangerous, so stay away from smokers, too. Choose your baby over those harmful sticks of cigarettes.

3. Avoid physically taxing activities. Especially for women with a history of miscarriage, any activity that can cause trauma to the abdomen should be avoided. As much as possible, stay calm and relaxed during your pregnancy period.

4. Minimize, if not totally avoid, caffeine and alcohol. Consuming more than four cups of coffee or beverages containing caffeine every day increases the risk of miscarriage. If coffee can’t be avoided, limit it to one cup a day. According to scientific studies, the intake of alcohol triples the risk of miscarriage. So before you regret losing your baby, set aside that glass of alcohol first!

5. Avoid exposing yourself to contagious diseases. Contagious diseases such as chicken pox, German measles, and mumps have been linked not only to abnormal babies but also to miscarriage. If you contacted a fever, call your doctor and seek immediate help.

6. Seek medical attention in case of spotting during pregnancy. Seek medical help once spotting is experienced, accompanied by cramps and blood clots. If the bleeding is heavy, lie down and elevate your feet and relax while waiting for the doctor.

Nothing is more rewarding that to see your baby normal and healthy once given birth. Make and live this miracle by taking care of yourself and the baby you will bring into this world.

How to Stay Energized throughout the Day

Always feeling tired, drowsy and stressed out? Learn the secrets of staying alive, alert, and energetic throughout the day.

Have you ever gotten up in the morning with your muscles feeling like lead and your brain reluctant to get alert? Do you find yourself yawning in the middle of the day, craving for a few minutes of sleep? Do you find yourself too tired to go out with friends or family at the end of the day?

A few simple lifestyle changes will help you combat fatigue and give you the boost of energy you need to keep you alert – both physically and mentally – throughout the day. Below are some energy booster tips that you want to consider if you want to stay alert and energized all the time!

1. The first thing to check is the amount of sleep you are getting. Do you know that your mother was not kidding when she told you to get 8 hours of sleep every night? When you are asleep, your body is at its most relaxed state, and a good sleep will allow you to wake up energized and refreshed. To make sure you easily drift away to dreamland, avoid exercising at night and avoid watching suspense-filled TV shows or movies as these activities stimulate your brain and get your heart beat up, making it more difficult for you to catch your zzzz’s.

2. A glass of warm milk can help get you in a more relaxed mood. Soothing music or relaxing nature sounds can also help you get drowsy. You may also want to try aromatherapy or using scented oils or candles to calm you. Chamomile and lavender are two scents that are sure to make you feel light and meditative. Also, turn off bright lights and make sure the temperature in your room is right so you’ll feel more comfortable as you sleep.

3. Tweaking your diet can also increase your energy levels. Whole-grain foods, vegetables, and fruits especially those high in magnesium (green vegetables, avocadoes, bananas, legumes, nuts, and seeds) are a good source of long lasting energy. Instead of eating 3 large meals a day, try dividing these into smaller portions which you can eat 5 to 6 times a day. This helps avoid the peaks and valleys experienced by your blood sugar levels after digesting a heavy meal.

4. Lastly, get some exercise! Find a fitness activity that suits your personality and lifestyle. Whether this be walking, dancing, swimming, running, or biking, pumping up your heart rate increases the amount of oxygen-rich blood received by you brain and muscles. Exercise gives you greater stamina and is a great way to reduce stress.

To stay alert and energized throughout the day, all it takes is a routine change. Bet determined to conquer the day by saying yes to these positive changes.

Sure and Effective Ways of Getting that Sound Sleep Every Night

Trouble sleeping? We might not know it but many people have trouble sleeping. While, there are people who are downright insomniacs, there are others who have good sleeping habits before then suddenly find themselves having difficulty sleeping.

If you are one of those who are suffering from such sleeping problem, won’t you give just about anything to be able to sleep like a baby in no time?

Reasons for Sleeplessness Nights

Why do we have trouble sleeping anyway? There are many reasons why people find it difficult to sleep sometimes. For one, the mind might be busy thinking of so many things even while already in bed, that’s why it cannot relax and fall sleep. It might be busy planning for the next day or glossing about problems. Thus, the body tosses and turns, trying so hard to lose consciousness.

Another reason for sleeplessness is the tendency of the body to be physically tensed. It may also be due to excessive caffeine intake before one goes to bed. There are actually a variety of reasons why we find it difficult to sleep sometimes.

Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

But whatever the reason is, it is best to cure sleeplessness as early as possible so as not to ruin the body’s sleeping habits and affect the body clock system. Here are effective ways on getting back that sound sleep you might be missing.

1. Read a story or make a story in your mind. Visualize the events, the characters, and other details in the story. Let your mind flow. Little by little, your mind will relax until you are asleep.

2. Take a warm bath for 15 to 30 minutes before going to bed. A warm bath relaxes tired muscles, thus releasing physical tension. It also lowers the body temperature similar to when the body is going to sleep. For an added bonus, use bath oils, lotions, or scents that are calming and relaxing such as chamomile.

3. Minimize caffeine intake at night. If you really need to drink coffee, drink it a little earlier. Do not drink it when you know that the time is nearing for you to sleep.

4. Distract yourself from watching the clock. Knowing how much time has passed and watching it actually pass by add to the pressure of getting sleep. These habits distress you more than making you feel a little relaxed, thus lessening the probability of sleep.

5. Do not perform strenuous exercise before bedtime. Exercise keeps the blood flowing and the body awake. If you really need to, perform it at least two hours before you go to bed.

Get the sleep you’ve always wanted – and needed – by following the tips above. With a few routine changes, before you know it, you will be dozing off like a baby once more.

Protein and Work Out: How Important is Protein in the Body

If you are digging the protein diet while engaging in a regular exercise, then carry on with it. Read on and learn how important is in the body.

The Importance of Protein in the Body

The need for protein in working out can never be underestimated. Protein is essential in rebuilding tissue broken down in working out and building new muscles in the body. It is also essential for bodybuilding and gaining more mass.

Taking the right amount of protein is essential to the success of any bodybuilding program. Building new muscle depends on adequate protein intake. It is important that you become aware of the need for increased protein intake and takes it in the right form if you aim to achieve a stronger and more powerful body.

Common Sources of Protein

There are varied sources of protein, and it can be taken in in different forms. Protein comes in protein tablets, protein shakes, and even protein bars. However, the best source of protein lies within a good diet, generously laden with healthy choices.

How Much Protein Do You Need?

If you wish to attain more mass, you should take at least one-half to one gram of protein per pound of body weight on a daily basis. If, for example, you weigh at about 140 pounds, you must take at least 70 to 140 grams of protein everyday.

Here is a simplified guide in determining protein intake in the diet:

• 3 ounces of meat (about the size of a deck of cards) have 21 grams of protein;
• 1 100-gram portion of tuna has 17 grams of protein;
• A 250 mL or about one glass of low-fat milk (about a glass) contains 7 grams of protein;
• A whole egg with yolk provides 6 grams of protein;
• 2 slices of high-protein bread have 8 grams of protein;
• 1 cup of rice or pasta has about 2 grams of protein; and
• 1 cup of cooked vegetables contains 2 grams of protein.

Protein intake must be spaced throughout the day. Especially after working out, a meal rich in protein must be served in order to jumpstart the body’s process of repair. Small meals with protein served 5 to 6 times in a day help burn fat and build more muscle. Of course, you could explore consuming other sources of protein that are low in fat, such as tofu and soymilk. Supplements such as protein shakes, on the other hand, should not take the place of a healthy diet.

A healthy intake of protein could help you attain your desired figure. So be generous with that protein and work your way to a nice body!

Understanding Spinal Stenosis

Do you always experience cramping on your legs whether you are awake, moving, or sleeping? Be careful! It could be a symptom of something more serious.

What is Spinal Stenosis?

Neurogenic intermittent claudication or leg pain or commonly known as cramping is also one of the common symptoms of spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis may also be caused by osteoarthritis. After a decade of friction, some of the cartilages in the body break down which causes the bones to rub with each other. The body cells repair the damage by stimulating growth in the spurs (extra bone) which is located in the spinal canal. The spinal canal is the part that presses the nerves of the spinal cord.

Common Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis

When a person ages, the spinal vertebrae of the body breaks down that causes it to shrink. The thick ligament inside the spinal canal folds at the top that causes nerve pressure which results into spinal stenosis.

Other symptoms of spinal stenosis are hip, leg, and shoulder pain or non-stop pain at the back. You can check yourself out if you have the tendency to have neurogenic intermittent claudication that might lead to spinal stenosis. While standing up, bend forward (this will an enough space in the spinal canal), if the leg pain suddenly disappears and you feel relieve, you might have spinal stenosis.

Preventing Spinal Stenosis

The good news is you can fight the risk of having spinal stenosis by doing the following recommendations.

1. Frequent exercise should be done to maintain the strength and flexibility of the bones which includes the spinal cord. A combination of cycling and walking is good especially of there is an enough weight training and stretching.

2. Aside from aerobic activities, abdominal exercise like crunching should also be done. Strong abdominal muscle maintains the tilt in the pelvis that fills up the space in the spinal canal.

3. Refrain from smoking for it decreases the amount of oxygen in the spinal cord which increases the risk of nerve pain.

4. Drink milk or eat rich in calcium. Foods which are rich in calcium make bones stronger.

5. Engage in chiropractic care. Regular muscle and nerve adjustment is essential in maintaining the function and mobility of certain parts of the body, such as back, leg, and neck, and in improving the overall health and wellness of an individual.

As a primary treatment for spinal stenosis, doctors usually do surgery to take away the bone or soft tissue which causes friction in the nerves. But in most cases, non-surgical methods can also be done.

Treatment Options for Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is a condition where the inside of the spinal canal narrows. It is mainly attributed to aging and changes in your spine. The gradual wear and tear on the different parts of your spine causes enlargement of the joints near the spinal canal, thickening of the spinal ligaments and bulging of the discs. These results from the degenerative developments in your body can occupy space inside your spinal canal and cause pressure on your spinal nerves. People over 60 years of age are mostly affected by these changes. Spinal stenosis usually brings about back and leg pain that are felt with normal body movements and activities such as walking.

Causes of Spinal Stenosis

Years of wear and tear on the spine of older people cause spinal stenosis. The degenerative changes that occur during this process include bulging discs, bone spurs, thickened ligaments and hypertrophy or enlargement of the facet joint. The combined effects of bulging discs, bone spurs and thickened ligaments present potential risks of the spinal cord being squeezed inside the spinal canal.

Younger people who are born with abnormally narrow spinal canal are also at risk of the symptoms of spinal stenosis. Too narrow spinal canal will make your spinal nerves prone to stress from even minor crowding inside the spinal canal.

Symptoms

Two general symptoms of spinal stenosis depend on the areas in your spine affected by the pressure. Radiculopathy or pinched nerve in your neck usually causes symptoms only in your arms and neck. Pressure on an irritated nerve root may cause pins and needles sensation in the area associated with the nerve root.  Myelopathy or pressure on your spinal cord can cause symptoms in your arms and leg. Feeling of numbness and weakness are normally experienced with this symptom.

Treatment of Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is a progressive back problem that can be treated with various therapy options for the relief of the pain. Depending on the seriousness of the condition, there are several treatment options available. Here are the common therapies in treating spinal stenosis:

• Analgesics – An example is acetaminophen to relieve pain.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) – A doctor may prescribe aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen or indomethacin to relive pain and reduce inflammation. NSAID may induce side effects to the patient, such as stomach problems, high blood pressure, skin rashes, heart, liver or kidney problems especially after prolonged use.
• Corticosteroid injections – These are administered to the patient into the outermost membranes that cover the spinal cord and nerve roots. The injections aim to reduce inflammation and relieve pain radiating to the hips or down the leg.
• Anesthetic injections – Known as nerve blocks, these are directed to the affected nerve for temporary pain relief.
• Restricted activity – Depending on the severity and location of your stenosis, activities that make your symptoms worse are controlled. These activities could be standing for a long period of time or walking downhill.
• Prescribed exercises – The aims of the exercises prescribed are to maintain motion of the spine, build endurance and strengthen back and abdominal muscles to ultimately help stabilize the spine.
• Reduction of extra weight – Losing weight can relieve your symptoms and can slow the progression of the stenosis.
• Lumbar brace – This is sometimes recommended for patients with weak muscles of the abdomen and the elderly with degeneration at different levels of the spine.
• Physical therapy – The overall goal of the treatment is to make you as comfortable as soon as possible and to support for your self-care.
• Chiropractic care – This treatment may be beneficial when symptoms are not relieved with simple measures and medication. A chiropractic adjustment gets the joints moving normally, balances out the nervous system, and leads to a reduction in the symptoms. A typical chiropractic care plan will also incorporate flexion-based exercise program to go with the chiropractic adjustment.
• Surgery – Although most cases do not need this treatment, it is employed in the worst case, such as when you experience increased weakness in your arms and legs, cannot walk, or use your arms without considerable pain or the condition has caused control problem with your bowels or bladder.

The source and the condition of the spinal stenosis dictates the treatment option to take. Patients can work with a health care provider to reduce the symptoms and help improve their quality of life.

Chiropractic Treatment for Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is a condition where the spinal canal is compromised as its volume decreases due to several factors mostly attributed to aging.  The onset of spinal stenosis is gradual and the deterioration of its symptoms worsens with movement.

The narrowing of the spinal canal is often caused by abnormalities in the aging spine. These abnormalities from the degeneration changes in the spine include thickened ligaments, bulging disc and bone spurs. Other factors that can cause stenosis are infection, abscess, congenital anomaly, vertebral dislocations or fractures or a spinal cord tumor.

Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis

Patients who suffer from spinal stenosis usually have a long history of pain and injuries to the spine. The symptoms typically begin in the legs and worsen with movements such as walking and exercising. Neurogenic claudication is the leg pain experienced while walking. Vascular claudication, on the other hand, is when there is poor blood supply to the legs, resulting in inability to support the leg tissues and muscles.

Diagnosis

A comprehensive examination and medical history check is important in the diagnosis and differentiation of spinal stenosis. For example, in a case of a neurogenic claudication, bending the spine forward will stop the pain. This differs from vascular claudication wherein the symptoms will be relieved upon stopping movement.

Computed tomography (CT), CT myelography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used to look at the canal space and confirm the medical diagnosis. If denervation or loss of nerve supply is suspected, electromyography may be utilized. Spine degeneration and evidence of subluxation are noticeable on an X-ray check.

Treatment Options for Spinal Stenosis

The selection of the most appropriate treatment option for spinal stenosis will depend on the seriousness of the condition. There are basic approaches to spinal stenosis treatment: conservative medical approaches, conservative chiropractic approach and surgery. Conservative medical approach involves bed rest, medications and local heat. Medications include the use of analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), corticosteroid injections and anesthetic injections.

Most cases of spinal stenosis do not require surgery treatment, only the most serious ones. Surgery is recommended by medical doctors in spinal stenosis conditions where there is increase in the weakness in your arms and legs, when the pain is unbearable, when you cannot effectively walk and use your arms and when the stenosis has caused control problems with your bladder or bowel movement.

Chiropractic Care for Spinal Stenosis

More physicians are recommending chiropractic care as an alternative treatment before surgery.  Chiropractors focus and work on correcting subluxations of the spine, which when present, do not allow for the optimum functioning of certain body organs. With these subluxations, the bones and surrounding tissue structures in the vertebrae put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.

Chiropractic adjustments help bring the nervous system back to its proper state, getting the joints moving normally again and bringing the spine and bones back to their healthy state. These improvements will lead to a reduction in the spinal stenosis symptoms. Along with the adjustments, the chiropractor usually utilizes flexion-based exercise programs. The alleviation of the spinal stenosis will depend on several factors. If the spinal condition has been there for years, it may take time and several manipulation sessions for the body to heal. Other health issues aside from stenosis that the person may have may also lead to less than satisfactory outcomes. The severity of the narrowing of the spinal canal is obviously one of the  primary considerations when gauging the results of chiropractic care.

In several studies of spinal stenosis cases where treatment involving spiral manipulations and flexion-distraction manipulations were used, it was concluded that chiropractic care is potentially beneficial in the treatment of patients. Still, other researches have so far shown that chiropractic treatment is about as effective as nonoperative conventional treatments for acute back pain, specifically lumbar spinal stenosis.

Stenosis is a chronic condition that cannot totally be “cured” but can be often improved, and the improvement can be sustained long-term. Patient and health care provider, such as a chiropractic doctor, can work hand in hand in alleviating the symptoms and in  improving the quality of life of the patient.

Keeping the Bones Healthy and Strong

Bones are the support structures of our body. They also protect our organs, anchor muscles and store calcium for our body’s requirements.

The bones in your body are continuously changing. New ones are developed while the old bones break down. When you are young, the rate at which new bones are made is higher than the rate of break down of old bones, and bone mass increases. Most people will have their peak bone mass at age 30, after which the process will continue but bone density will diminish as you age.

You have great control over some factors affecting your bone health but have little or no control over the other factors.

Factors Affecting Bone Health

• The amount of calcium in diet. Low calcium diet can contribute to lower bone density, early bone loss and risk of fractures, consequently.
• Gender, age and size. Women have higher risk of osteoporosis because the have less bone tissues compared to men. Extremely thin (having a body mass index of 19 or less) or small people are at risk because their body will have less bone mass to draw from as they age.
• Race and genetics. Whites and those of Asian descent as well as those whose parents or siblings have osteoporosis are more likely to have that condition.
• Physical activity. The more physically active you are, the lesser the chances of having osteoporosis compared to the physically inactive.
• Hormone levels. Very high thyroid hormone, decreasing estrogen level (in women at menopause) and low testosterone in men increase the risk of osteoporosis.
• Smoking and drinking. Tobacco and alcohol contribute to weak bones possibly due to their interference with the body’s ability to absorb calcium.
• Eating disorders. People with anorexia or bulimia are at risk of bone loss.

You can initiate actions now to prevent osteoporosis and improve overall bone health.

How to Keep the Bones Healthy

1. Take plenty of calcium in your diet. Calcium is essential for the proper development of bones and teeth. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for calcium is 1,000 mg for adults ages 19 to 50 and men ages 51 to 70, and 1.200 mg for women after age 50 and for men after age 70. Dairy products, broccoli, almonds, canned salmons, sardines and soy products are good sources of Calcium.
2. Increase Vitamin D consumption. Vitamin D and calcium work together to help the body absorb the bone-boosting nutrient. Shrimps,cereals, orange juice, sardines, eggs and tuna are good sources of Vitamin D. Exposure to sunlight for 10 to 15 minutes three times a week is also a source of Vitamin D for the body.
3. Take potassium. Potassium tends to neutralize acids that remove calcium from the body. Foods like potatoes, yogurt and bananas are potassium-rich.
4. Take Vitamin K. Aside from helping out with blood clotting, Vitamin K helps in making proteins for healthy bones.
5. Do regular physical exercise. Weight-bearing exercises like walking, jogging, running, and jumping rope have positive effect on bone density and keep bones strongest. Minimize caffeine. Caffeine interferes with the body’s calcium-absorbing ability.
6. Drink moderately. Heavy alcohol consumption can lead to bone loss. It interferes with the proper function of Vitamin D in the body.
7. Stop smoking. Studies show that smoking prevents the body from absorbing calcium, and decreasing bone mass, as a result.
8. Engage in chiropractic care. Getting regular chiropractic sessions will not only strengthen the bones, but keep the whole body healthy, as well. It reinforces the muscles, encourages good posture, keeps the body aligned, and promotes overall wellness.

It is imperative that we keep our bones healthy and strong to let us keep up with the physical challenges of our daily grind and add years to our active lifestyle.

Common Causes of Neck Pain

The neck connects the head to the upper torso and to the rest of our body. It is flexible, and is very vulnerable to conditions that can cause injuries and pain and restrict motion. Below are the major reasons why one gets neck pain, stiffness, and/or injury.

Muscle Strain

This the most common cause of neck pain. Any activity that will hold your head in a forward or odd position for prolonged periods of time can harm your neck and cause pain. Just about any activity may cause this, such as the following:

• Working, reading especially in bed, talking on the phone or watching TV
• Sleeping on a flat pillow which does not allow enough support on your neck, or using a pillow too high that bends your neck too much
• Lying on your stomach, the worst sleeping position. When you do this, you are forced to twist or bend your neck, as it is not possible to sleep with your face down.
• Work using the arms and upper body, e.g., fixing or painting a ceiling.
• Being hunched for a long period of time over your computer, smartphone or even the car’s steering wheel.

Being stressed and intense on a particular activity can also bring tension in the muscles connecting the head, shoulders, and neck.

Injuries

These include minor injuries, such as those from simple falls or tripping, and severe injuries that may arise from whiplash, vehicle accident (wherein in a rear-end collision, the head is jerked strongly backward and then forward, straining the soft tissues in the neck), falls from elevated places, direct blows or strong impacts involving the head, or accidents from sports.

Deterioration or Abnormalities in the Bones or Joints

Your neck joints, like any other joints in your body tend to deteriorate with age. With the onset of osteoarthritis, the cartilages between your vertebrae wear down. Bone spurs are then formed by your body affecting the motion of the joints and causing pain.

Nerve Compression

Bone spurs found in the vertebrae of the neck or herniated discs can irritate the nerves along the spiral cord and can trigger pain in the neck.

Diseases

Neck pain may be one of the effects of certain ailments, such as meningitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and flu.

Other Causes of Neck Pain

Chronic conditions, including fibromyalgia, tumor or infection in the neck area, trauma, and referred pain, which occurs when one part of the body causes pain to another part can cause neck pain, too.

Medical conditions/degenerative conditions related to aging, such as arthritis of the neck and narrowing of the spinal canal are also culprits. Finally, some medicine can have neck pain as side effect.

Save for some illnesses and conditions, many of the causes of neck pain, particularly muscle strain, which is the most common, and even injuries, are preventable and are within your control. To prevent the severity of neck pain and related problems, engaging in chiropractic care should be considered.

The neck is one of the most important parts of our body that we should protect and take care of, to be able to prevent neck pain and better enjoy life and its pleasures.