women'shealth: BEING HAPPY

women'shealth: BEING HAPPY: Everyone wants to be happy.The desire to be happy is implicit in all that we do.Being happy can be defined as a state of feeling pleasure ...

BEING HAPPY

Everyone wants to be happy.The desire to be happy is implicit in all that we do.Being happy can be defined as a state of feeling pleasure or being contented.
It  is important to know the real sources of happiness and how to attain it.One of the ways to achieve happiness is when our desires are fulfilled. For example, when we are hungry and find something to eat especially if it is something we like, we are bound to fill happy .Also, if we love someone we will desire to be with that person and  when we finally do, we feel happy.

women'shealth: SMOKING

women'shealth: SMOKING: Smoking can be described as an act where tobacco is burned up and the smoke is inhaled into the lungs

SMOKING

Smoking can be described as an act where tobacco is burned up and the smoke is inhaled into the lungs. Smoking is the act of inhaling or exhaling the smoke of tobacco.
Apart  from  cigarette smoking, there are other forms of smoking that are as damaging. They are;
1.  Hand rolled tobacco - this can be very dangerous because they do not comply with any standards.

women'shealth: ALCOHOL

women'shealth: ALCOHOL: Alcohol is a chemical, a drug, a fuel,  a poison, a preservative and a solvent. When taken, most of the  alcohol is quickly taken into the...

ALCOHOL

Alcohol is a chemical, a drug, a fuel,  a poison, a preservative and a solvent. When taken, most of the  alcohol is quickly taken into the blood stream. It then has to be burned up by the liver or disposed of through sweat or urine. Alcohol has different effects on people. It makes some people  very chatty and lively at first but being a depressant, it  slows down certain brain functions,  blunts your judgement and self control so that simple things like  speech  and co-ordination becomes difficult.

DRUG ADDICTION

In the course of our life, almost all of us use drugs of some sort or another. A drug can be defined  as a substance  used in the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of a disease or as a component of a medication. A drug can also be defined as  a substance that alters the chemistry of our body and consequently affects the natural balance of our mind and emotions. Drugs that can be prescribed  by a doctor include substances such as penicillin which are intended to cure infections, sleeping pills, tranquilizers and anti-depressants which are intended to help a person to relax.
Drug  addiction however can be  described as an overpowering desire  or need to continue taking a drug and to obtain it by any means.Drug addiction is a condition in which  the user has a tendency to increase the dose.In drug addiction, the user has a psychological and usually physical dependence on the effects of the drug.
Drug addiction is associated with '' abstinence syndrome'' with symptoms of acute distress when the drug is withdrawn, When a person is psychologically or physically addicted to a drug, he will experience ''withdrawal symptoms'' when he stops taking the drug. Withdrawal symptoms for drug addicts may include yawning,runny nose, tears, sweating, loss of appetite, trembling, goose flesh, abdominal cramps, insomania, restlessness, vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss.The drug  actually becomes a part of the cell structure of the body. The addict comes to depend on the drug in order to function normally. The other factor is psychological dependence which may be more difficult for a drug addict withdrawing from a drug.

WHY PEOPLE TAKE DRUGS
1. As an escape- drugs  help some people  forget that they are lonely, depressed, unhappy, unemployed or poor. Some people claim that they offer an alternative when reality has become too threatening.
2. Because of peer pressure- If your friends take drugs, it can be very difficult for you to resist.People are afraid to be different.
3. Some people want to be different- Some think drug taking makes them different from every one else. It can be a way of asserting independence from parents, perhaps a way of hitting back at them.
4. Because they want to, despite the dangers.
5. Because they are addicted- they are unable to stop taking the drug.
DANGERS OF TAKING DRUGS
1. Having an accident while under the influence of drugs.
2. Some drugs may depress or stop breathing.
3.Accidental overdose may lead to unconsciousness or even death.
4. They can bring on confusion or frightening hallucinations.
5. They can cause unbalanced emotions or more serious mental disorders.
6. A first time user can become violently sick.
7. A person that uses drugs regularly may become constipated and women may cease menstruating.
8. There may be serious mental and physical effects later.
9. If a drug user starts to inject his or herself, infections leading to sore, abscesses,jaundice, blood poisoning and even hiv may follow.
Although people may use drugs to try to escape from their problems, it is not really helpful. The best way to really solve problems rather than escape from them  is to confront them head on and if necessary get help.

BENEFITS OF AEROBIC EXERCISES TO HEALTH

Living a sedentary lifestyle that is devoid of any physical activity or one that is characterized  by irregular physical activity such as seating down either reading or watching television, working with a computer or just sitting down doing nothing leads to diabetes, hypertension. arthritis, obesity etc. Regular exercises keep the muscles  in tone,  gives strength to the heart and gives you  a  vibrant and disease free life, a state of wellness.
The recommended exercises for maintaining a healthy life is called aerobic exercises. Brisk walking for 30 minutes each day, 3 to 4  days a week, cycling, swimming and jogging are all forms of aerobic exercises. Below are some of he benefits of aerobic exercises to our health;
1.Reversal of acidity  ; exercises make the body to shake leading to movements within and  without the cells. This movement causes a faster circulation of blood, increases  flow of blood in the blood vessels and of water in and out of the cells which in turn ensures that the wastes from the cells get eliminated faster.These acidic wastes no longer accumulate in and around the cells and the tissues become alkaline.
2. Increases the rate of breathing and with the increased blood circulation,  more oxygen gets to the cells and carbondioxide is eliminated from the body faster.
3. Reduction of blood pressure; exercise helps to build up the muscles of the heart, making the heart to pump more blood with less effort and efficiently. Capillaries that  were shut down because of dehydration open up and with the formation of new capillaries as one  exercises, more nutrients and oxygen are supplied to the growing muscle bulk.
4. Helps stabilize blood sugar level in diabetics; as the muscles do more work, they will require more glucose for the production of more energy. As the demand for glucose rises, less glucose becomes available in the blood for insulin to move into the cells for storage.There is improved  sensitivity to insulin, working effectively to move glucose from the blood into the cells whenever the need arises.
5. Exercises increases sweating; There are millions of sweat glands in the skin and by sweating the body gets rid of certain toxic wastes. This  is one of the ways that the body is detoxified and rendered alkaline.
5. Increases lymphatic flow ; The lymphatic system is made up of very tiny vessels which run side by side with the small arteries  and veins. In these vessels is the lymphatic fluid that empties into the lymph  nodes regionally located to serve corresponding parts of the body. The lymphatic system unlike the circulatory system has no pump to drive its fluid. It therefore depends on the contraction and relaxation of the muscles to move the fluid along the lymphatic vessels.With exercise, there is increased contraction of   the muscles and this in turn ensures increased performance of the lymphatic system.

INFERTILITY

    







A  couple is considered to be infertile if after a year of  regular intercourse ,a pregnancy  does not occur. In the past, infertility was always blamed on the woman but today, it is a known fact that in many cases  of infertility, the reason could also lie with the man.

women'shealth: UNHEALTHY LIFE STYLES

women'shealth: UNHEALTHY LIFE STYLES: Certain habits are considered unhealthy if someone desires  to live a healthy and robust life.Below are some of these habits as we...

UNHEALTHY LIFE STYLES

Certain habits are considered unhealthy if someone desires  to live a healthy and robust life.Below are some of these habits as well as their  consequences;

BREAST CANCER

Cancer can be defined as a disease whereby there is an uncontrolled division of abnormal  cells in a particular part of the body and these cells are able to invade other  tissues.There are different types of cancers but breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women.

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES

Sexually transmitted diseases  are  diseases that are exclusively or predominantly transmitted during sexual intercourse. It is said that although more men than women are infected with STDs women tend to suffer from more adverse effects of the disease particularly in the area of infertility.

FIBROIDS

Fibroids are non- cancerous tumours of the muscle fibres which make up the uterus. For some unknown reasons, one or more of the muscle fibres  which make up the uterus start developing and quite soon a few small pea-sized tumours appears deep in the muscle walls of the uterus. At this stage no one can detect them, but as the months or years pass, the tumours become the size of a golf ball, a tennis ball or a grape fruit

CAESAREAN SECTIONS

The word caesarean is a latin word which means to cut.The caesarean section often abbreviated to CS is a surgical procedure in which an incission or incissions is made in the lower part of the abdominal wall and through the lower part of the uterus. The baby is removed through the incission and then the incission is carefully repaired with stiches.

women'shealth: ECTOPIC PREGNANCY

women'shealth: ECTOPIC PREGNANCY: This  means that the fertilized egg has burrowed into the lining of the fallopian tube rather than reaching and implanting into the l...

ECTOPIC PREGNANCY

This  means that the fertilized egg has burrowed into the lining of the fallopian tube rather than reaching and implanting into the lining of the uterus.
Ectopic pregnancy can be described as a complication in pregnancy where the embryo implants itself outside the uterus.

PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME

 Premenstrual syndrome is a collection of  mood changes and physical symptoms that occur during the two weeks preceding the menstruation. In majority of women these changes are minor but in some women the changes are serious enough to affect  their well- being. as well as affect their inter-personal relations

LABOUR

The process of  child birth is called labour. It is labour because it is a time of work when the expectant mother  exacts a lot of energy in order to bring forth her baby.
Labour is the period from when a pregnant woman starts having contractions to  the time she finally delivers the baby.
Labour can also be defined as  the period of time from when the uterus begins to contract to the time the woman delivers.

MISCARRIAGE

A  miscarriage is the spontaneous  expulsion of the fetus  from the womb before it is fully  matured enough to live outside the womb.
A  miscarriage is when the  fetus is lost in the  first 20 weeks of pregnancy. 80%  of miscarriages  happen  before the 20th week of pregnancy. If a woman miscarries  after   the pregnancy has passed 20 weeks is called late miscarriage. Most  cases of miscarriages are due to the fact that the fetus has not formed  properly and nature is getting rid of it. Miscarriages could also follow  after a severe  or viral infection or because of some abnormality of the uterus particularly a cervix which is incompetent.

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

A fruit is defined as  the sweet and fleshy part of a plant that surrounds the seed while  a vegetable is  the other edible parts of the plant. In other words, a fruit is any fleshy part of a plant that covers the seed or seeds. A vegetable on the other hand  is the edible stems, leaves, and roots  of the  plant.
Fruits and vegetables are very essential  in our daily diet because they are fibre foods  which are very essential for  good health. Examples of  fruits and vegetables include  apples, banana, corn, beans, nuts, carrots, green beans, peaches, potatoes, strawberries,

SLEEP DISORDERS.

Sleep disorders or sleeplessness also known as insomania is a condition where the sufferer  finds it difficult to sleep. It  is a  condition that affects how much and how well you sleep.
The reason for this could be emotional  problems, poor habits that keep you awake or it could be  for medical reasons.
From time to time, we may experience inability to sleep. This is normal and a temporary situation which may have been triggered off  by  stress,excessive intake of coffee etc. But a situation where inability to sleep  becomes a regular occurrence that interferes with our  everyday life, it is a sleep disorder.
The importance of sleep to the human body cannot be over emphasized. .This  is because;

THE ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS.

Hormonal contraceptive pills is a form of  birth control measure used to prevent pregnancy.The  two female hormones; estrogen and progesterone's  laboratory made substitudes are used  to make it. These hormones give a woman her feminine features, prepares her uterus each month to receive a fertilized egg and helps  the egg to develop into a baby.

THE ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS

URINARY TRACT INFECTION

The urinary tract starts at the kidney, continues as a tube[the ureter] between the kidney and the bladder, expands as the bladder and then goes on as a tube between the bladder and the out side.
Infection  of the urinary tract is usually  due to the spread of bacteria from the outside up along the uretha to infect the bladder and then in most cases  , up along the urether to affect the kidney.
A woman has a shorter urethra than a man and therefore is more likely to develop infection of the bladder.

OBESITY.

Obesity is a condition where one ingests  more energy than what one expends. It is also a situation where your body mass index is 30 or more. There is no ideal body weight. There is a preferred  body weight range. It is  called the preferred body weight because if your weight  lies in this range, you are less likely to develop high blood pressure, diabetes and some other illnesses. The body mass index is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. If  your body mass index lies in the range of between 19-24.9, you  are in the preferred range for health and appearance.But if  your body mass index is between 25-29.9, you are overweight and need to  exercise and change your diet. A  BMI  of 30 or more is known as  obesity.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

Domestic violence is when one partner exercises power and control over the other partner in the relationship in an abusive manner. Domestic violence occurs in all social classes, but it seems  to be more common among the less educated, the unemployed and those who live in poor social conditions. In some cases of domestic violence, the abuse is mild physical abuse such as pushing or slapping.

HYGIENE TIPS IN PREGNANCY.

ALCOHOL; Pregnant women should avoid alcohol intake during pregnancy. This is  because a woman who  drinks  excessively during pregnancy may end up having babies that are too small in size, mentally retarded or have characteristic features.
ANAEMIA ;   A  pregnant woman may become anaemic. This is because of an increase in the total volume of blood which occurs in pregnancy. The answer to this  is for the expectant mother  to take iron tablets daily,  eat a good diet and take an anemia preventing vitamin called folic  acid.

HEALTH IN PREGNANCY.

In recent times, much attention is devoted to the care of pregnant mothers during the 40 weeks of pregnancy than ever before. This emphasis on antenatal care has resulted in a very considerable reduction in maternal deaths during childbirth and a very considerable salvage of babies who might otherwise have died. For antenatal care to be effective, the pregnant woman must go to her doctor as early as possible in pregnancy and be seen at regular intervals during pregnancy.

BREAST FEEDING

Breastfeeding is when a baby is feed by sucking on the mother's breast instead of using infant formulars. Below are some of the  benefits associated with breastfeeding;

1. Breast milk is sterile, balanced and appropriate for the human body.
2. Breast feeding enables the mother and baby to interact more fully than bottle feeding.
3. Breast  milk supplies substances which protect the baby against infections especially gastro-intestinal infections, respiratory infections and viral infections

ARTHRITIS

This is a condition that affects  the muscular skeletal system especially the joints.  From  age 55, it is the main cause disability among people in the industrialized areas of the world.
There are different types of arthritis. These are  the common ones ;
1. Osleoarthritis ;this is a condition  where the the cartilage loses its elasticity. The stiffness of the cartilage causes it to become damaged. When this happens, the tendons and ligaments become stretched
which in turn causes pain. In the long run , the bones may rub against each other which causes severe pain.
Rheumatiod Arthritis; This  condition is more common in women than in men and occurs between the age of 40-60 years.

DIABETES IN PREGNANCY

Diabetes is a situation or condition where by the glucose or sugar in the blood is too high. This  sugar comes about through the  digestion of starchy foods such as bread and rice . A  hormone in the body  known as insulin helps the body use sugar for energy.
There are 3 types of diabetes  that can affect people Type 1 and Type 2 are long term conditions.  Gestational  diabetes only occurs in pregnancy and goes away after delivery.

Type1 Diabetes; This is a  condition where the body produces  little or no insulin at all. This makes the body unable to use blood sugar for energy. It requires daily intake of insulin to control the condition.
Type 2 Diabetes; This is when the body  produces too little insulin or cant make use of the insulin it makes to use blood sugar for energy. This  condition can be controlled  by eating a proper diet and exercise. Some  people  take diabetes pills, insulin or both of them.

Gestational Diabetes
This type of diabetes  is the type of diabetes that is seen in a woman that did not have diabetes before she became pregnant. It  can be controlled through a good diet and regular exercises. Sometimes, the woman requires insulin.
The test for gestational diabetes is to measure the glucose level in a woman's blood during her  first antenatal visit and again  at the 28th week of pregnancy. When a woman is expecting a baby, her body has to make extra insulin especially from mid pregnancy. Her body needs extra insulin because hormones from the placenta  make the body less  responsive to it. If  her body cannot  meet this demand, her blood sugar level will rise and she may develop gestational diabetes.

SYMPTOMS OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES
1. Tiredness
2.Dryness in the mouth
3.Excessive thirst
4. Excessive urination
5.Getting reccuriing  infections eg thrush
6. Blurred vission
Gestational diabetes  may lead to birth complications. Labour may need to be induced or a caeserian section may be carried out  at  the 38th or at 40 weeks. The baby may have a low blood sugar  when born and also jaundice The baby's blood sugar will need to be mornitored  for a while after birth.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

As a woman grows older, her blood pressure tends to rise because her artries are getting stiffer and less elastic. By the age of 70, one woman in three will have high blood pressure.To diagnose high blood pressure, your doctor will put a cuff around your arm and raise the pressure in the cuff until the blood flow below the cuff is stopped. The doctor will then release the pressure in the cuff slowly until the blood starts to flow again and the pulse can be detected by listening through a stethoscope. This gives the height of your blood pressure when your heart is breathing. The doctor continues to release the air in the cuff as he listens to your pulse until the beats cease. This measures your blood pressure when your heart is relaxed. The two measurements are recorded. If the reading exceeds 160/95 and this level or higher is found on three occassions at least three weeks apart,  you have high blood pressure.
One of the most dangerous aspects of  high blood pressure is that the person may not know he or she has it until the person goes for a  check up. Regular checkups is very important especially if  you have relatives who have it.
High blood pressure may present with the following symptoms;
1. Severe Headache
2. Chest Pain
3. Dizziness
4.Pounding feeling in the head or chest
5. Lightheadedness
CAUSES OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
1. Stress
2. Smoking
3. Use of oral contraceptive in women
4. Diet high in saturated fat
5. A diet high in sait
6.Excessive alcohol intake
7.Overweight or obesity
8. Physical inactiveness
9. Diabetes
10. Pregnancy

High blood pressure can be treated by changing your life style to a more relaxed one and losing weight if you are obessed. Doctors also prescribe diuretic drugs which reduce the blood pressure  and increase your need to pass urine.                                                                                                                                                                                      

TIPS FOR STAYING HEALTHY

Being healthy means having a sense of well being, being able to function during everyday life and being able to meet the challenges of everyday life when they arise. These steps if  followed  will keep you  feeling healthy.

1. Make sure the people around you are people who make you feel good about yourself and not those who encourage you to smoke, eat or drink too much.
2. Choose role models that are strong healthy and real.

THE MENSTRUATION

Menstruation is the periodic discharge of blood and mucuse tissues from the uterus and vagina.
Menstruation is the uterus weeping because pregnancy did not occur.It is the monthly shedding of a female's uteral lining It lasts from three days to one week and contains blood and tissue that leaves her body through the cervix and vagina.

FACTS ABOUT MENSTRUATION;
Few days before menstruation starts, many women  feel off colour. She  may feel  bloated, tired, irritable or have a headache.All  these may disappears  after menstruation sets in .
Menstrual cramps are common when a woman is experiencing her menstruation. Doctors think  that cramps are caused Prostagladin, a chemical that causes the muscles of the uterus to contract.
Some women crave certain foods while some develop acne.

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH  MENSTRUATION
There are some problems women encounter in relation with menstruation. This include pain, heavy bleeding and irregular periods.
Some women have painful periods. This is called DYSSMENORRHOEA. This can be relieved with over the counter painkillers.
A woman's period may become excessively heavy. This  problem may be aggravated by clots being expelled too which leaves the woman exhausted. If this remains unchanged for a long time, the woman should consult a doctor who will examine her to find out if she has become anaemic, has high blood pressure, has fibroid or a tumour in her ovary.
Irregular periods may be as a result  of emotional upset, pregnancy, excessive exercise or by strict dieting. It could also be as a result of  a tumour of the pituitary gland or because she stopped taking birth control pills. The woman should see a doctor for examination and if necessary a specialist so that they can find out  why she is not menstruating. 

THE START OF WOMANHOOD

S

Soon after a child is born, parents behave differently towards the child depending on its sex. The way parents  behave towards a child because of its sex as well as their expectations from that child has an impart on the pattern of behaviour of a child. This impart makes the child to behave in a feminine or a masculine way. Once the child's behaviour is conditioned in such a way, it is very difficult to change.
A child's masculine or feminine behaviour, depending on its sex has two components.  The first is the way a person behaves to others to demonstrate he or she is a male or female. The second is the person's own awareness that he or she is a male or female.

THE MENSTRUAL CIRCLE

This is the various changes that occurs in the uterus and ovary for the purpose of sexual reproduction. The menstrual circle is essential for the production of eggs and for the preparation of the uterus for pregnancy.It only occurs in fertile female humans and other female primates.
The length of a menstrual circle varies among women ranging from 21 to 35 days with 28 days being the average.
The menstrual circle can be divided into 3 phases. A circle is counted from the first day of one period to the first day of the next period. The way and manner the hormones rise and falls during the month controls the menstrual circle.
In the first phase of the menstrual circle, the level of the female hormone called the estrogen rises. Estrogen also makes the lining of the womb grow and thicken.
The second  stage is called the ovulation. This is when an egg is released from the ovary into the fallopian tubes.  A woman can get pregnant at this time  if sperm fertilizes the egg. A woman with a 28 days circle will ovulate on the  fourteenth day of her circle
The last phase  is the phase after ovulation. Hormones are further released  to thicken the lining of the uterus in preparation for a fertilized egg. If  a woman becomes pregnant, the fertilized egg attaches itself to the lining of the uterus, but if she doesn't get pregnant,  the lining is shed off and this comes out as  the menstruation and another circle begins.