Weight loss and diet plan for a healthy lifestyle.

•    The way that your labour is handled greatly depends on the obstetrician at your local hospital. There is no evidence that hospital is a safer place to have a baby (unless you are at high risk for some reason)-a home birth can be just as safe or even safer. Make a birth plan and discuss it with your obstetrician early on in pregnancy. If you want to avoid having an episiotomy, an epidural, and so on, say so and put it all in writing to the hospital. Surgical and other interventions can save babies’ lives but can produce problems too. The best way of ensuring that you have as trouble-free a birth as possible is to go to ante-natal classes to learn about birth and to prepare you for what is to come.

During the labour keep upright and walking around as long as possible and then give birth standing, squatting, kneeling or indeed in any position that keeps your body upright. This provably helps improve the blood supply to the baby, and makes labour shorter and less painful. Most women who give birth in this position are very loath or even refuse to deliver on their backs in subsequent labours. Because labour is quicker the baby is less likely to suffer from a shortage of oxygen. All of these factors contribute to a greater chance of having a normal, healthy baby.

Asphyxia (a shortage of oxygen) is the commonest cause of preventable death or handicap occurring at the time of delivery, but much of the danger can be avoided by giving birth in an upright position and by having trained staff with oxygen available in case a baby is born with asphyxia. Permanent brain damage can occur after a remarkably short period of time with an insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain.

•    After low birth weight, congenital malformations are the next most common cause of infant death. In the UK 18 per cent of first-week deaths and 20 per cent of perinatal deaths are caused by congenital malformations. Some of these can be prevented by taking proper care before conception and during pregnancy.

•    Treating neonatal jaundice is a way of preventing cerebral palsy (a diffuse group of neurological conditions that produce a ‘spastic’). There are six spastic babies born every day in the UK-over 2,000 a year. In some cases the recognition of a failing placenta, followed by appropriate action, is another way of preventing this heartrending handicap: babies who are suffering from poor placental blood supply can be delivered with the minimum of trauma and have their asphyxia (if any) treated so as to be born healthy and normal. The prevention of premature babies and their care in intensive nursing facilities can dramatically reduce the numbers of spastic babies born from this cause.

*204/72/5*

Many women with endometriosis have heard of the benefits of treating the disease with vitamins and minerals and certainly members of the Endometriosis Association (Victoria) have talked about success with vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil in eliminating pain and treating lethargy and depression.

Most vitamins and minerals discussed in this section below can be bought off the shelf at your local health food shop.

Vitamin Â

Vitamins can help in alleviating pain; in particular, vitamin B6 has been reported as being beneficial in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome and associated problems.

Although it is not certain why vitamin B6 helps, many PMS sufferers vow it has been instrumental in alleviating their symptoms of depression, lethargy, mood swings, irritability and pain.

Vitamin Ñ

The merits of vitamin Ñ have long been acknowledged. Alternative therapists say it helps not only with heavy bleeding (because it strengthens the blood vessel walls and helps the body to absorb iron) but also helps promote healing.

Vitamin E

Another healing vitamin, it is often recommended for the prevention of thick scar tissue and to promote healthy skin; this would explain why it helps alleviate pain as it acts on adhesions and scar tissue left by endometriosis implants.

Zinc

Many practitioners believe zinc helps with PMS symptoms and also improves fertility.

Evening primrose oil

Many PMS sufferers cannot do without their evening primrose oil (EPO) as they say it helps alleviate symptoms and keeps the condition under control.

Endometriosis sufferers on hormonal drug therapy also report that it has helped them cope with the side effects often associated with these drug treatments.

Evening primrose oil is expensive (currently about $20 for a month’s supply) so you have to weigh up the benefits with the cost. EPO is a good source of gammalinolenic acid (GLA) – one of the essential fatty acids which produce prostaglandin.

Barbara’s story

At the age of 27, I was eventually diagnosed as having mild endometriosis after many months of pain, discomfort and one miscarriage. I then tried a variety of treatments – Duphaston, Danazol and laparoscopic surgery – and had some positive short-term results but no full-term pregnancies.

I very much wanted children so I decided to try alternative therapies. After consulting a naturopath I tackled my food allergies and eliminated wheat, rye, barley and milk products from my diet. This was a major undertaking as I was very restricted in the foods that I could eat. While I was on this diet I lost weight and my headaches and stomach bloating disappeared.

Shortly afterwards, I saw another naturopath who gave me a series of acupuncture treatments for the pain and to improve uterine health. I found that these treatments left me feeling quite euphoric and the pain lessened, but only for a short time. I also had massages which left me feeling physically and mentally relaxed.

During these treatments I was also taking a herbal preparation made up especially for me by the naturopath. Much to my delight I eventually became pregnant during this time and this pregnancy resulted in the birth of my first child.

I now have four children under five years (one set of twins) and while I have some endometriosis pain, it has not affected my fertility.

*74/41/5*

Reproductive and sexual behaviour

These both influence the incidence of certain cancers, and change with westernization. Early first childbirth and having large numbers of children both reduce the incidence of breast cancer. In the West we delay the birth of the first child and women have few children. Both of these things have produced substantially higher levels of breast cancer in the West. Cancer of the ovary is also seen more in populations with reduced fertility. Cancer of the cervix, in contrast, increases in incidence with greater fertility. This relationship may be related to the proven link between early promiscuous sexual activity and cervical cancer. No one knows why this should be but the current theories are that smegma (the white matter that can collect under an uncircumcised man’s foreskin) or even semen itself might be carcinogenic. A more recent suggestion is that cancer of the cervix is caused by a venereally transmitted virus such as herpes. Genital hygiene and the use of a condom (sheath) reduce these risks.

Occupational exposure to chemicals

This is an unfortunate side-effect of moving off the land and into factories. It has led to increasing numbers, of men especially, being exposed to carcinogenic chemicals, for much of their working lives in certain industries. It has definitely caused an increase in tumours of the bladder and the skin. A particular type of lung tumour is seen commonly in those who work with asbestos dust. No one knows how great a problem industrial exposure to carcinogens is and today many known hazards have been reduced or totally removed, but westernized peoples are still exposed to food additives, washing-up liquid residues, air pollutants, water pollution from industry and agriculture and frank chemical hazards at work in varying amounts. The harm done by some of these agents is well known and provable, yet we continue to bombard ourselves, often quite unnecessarily, with chemicals of a dubious nature.

Improved hygiene

Better sanitary conditions are a reason for falling levels of certain sorts of cancer as populations become westernized. Cancer of the liver is the best example here. There is increasing evidence that hepatitis  is an important factor in the production of liver cancer and this infection falls with improved personal and community hygiene. Greater personal hygiene in the West has also led to a reduced number of cancers of the penis.

*65/72/5*

Guided exercise programme Most patients are placed on this under the direction of the unit’s physiotherapist.

Dietary education Where appropriate, this is given by a unit dietitian. Together with the occupational therapy and behaviourial programme, this may take the form of weight-reduction diets or weight-increasing diets where necessary.

Supervised use of medication This is available where appropriate. This may be necessary to combat some associated depression or to modify specific physical problems such as muscle spasms.

If necessary, where drug abuse is a problem, the clinical director will supervise programmed withdrawals from narcotics and analgesics. The unit will also be involved in such situations.

Physical treatments The treatments available to the patients in the pain unit, include acupuncture, laser acupuncture, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and magnetic field therapy. The physiotherapist supervises these therapies and provides other physiotherapy treatments where indicated.

*190\37\8*

1. If you’re now receiving treatment, imagine your treatment coming into your body in a way that you will understand. Your radiation treatment picture can be visualized as a beam of thousands of bullets of energy, hitting any cells in its path. The normal cells are able to repair any damage done. But, the cancerous cells cannot because they’re too weak.

If you’re having chemotherapy, visualise the drug coming into your body and entering your bloodstream. Picture it acting like a poison, selectively acting on the weaker cancer cells.

The normal cells are intelligent and strong and don’t take up the poison so readily. The cancer cell absorbs the poison, dies, and is flushed out of your body.

2. Imagine your body’s white blood cells coming into the area where the cancer is, recognising the abnormal cells and destroying them. You have a vast army of white blood cells which are very strong, aggressive, and very smart. There’s no contest between them and the cancer cells. They will always win.

3. See the cancer shrinking. See the dead cells being carried away by the white blood cells and being flushed from your body through the liver and’ kidneys and eliminated in the urine and stools.

This is what you expect to happen. Continue to see the cancer shrinking until it’s all gone. See yourself having more energy and a better appetite and being able to feel more comfortable and loved in your family as the cancer shrinks and finally disappears.

4. If you’re experiencing pain anywhere in your body, picture the army of white blood cells flowing into that area, carrying potent pain-killers with them, which can soothe the pain.

Whatever the problem, give your body the command to heal itself. Visualise your body becoming well.

5. Imagine yourself well, free of disease and full of energy.

6. Picture yourself positively reaching your goals in life. Remember that having strong reasons for being well will definitely help you get well. So, focus clearly on your priorities in life.

7. Give yourself a mental pat on the back for participating in your recovery.

8. Then let the muscles in your eyelids prepare to allow your eyes to open. Open your eyes and look around you.

*164\37\8*

Keep your eyes closed. By letting your thoughts go along with these instructions, you can make your mind and body feel very relaxed. (Slowly read the following.) Picture yourself on a beautiful, warm summer day lying in the sun on a beach of an ocean or lake. Feel yourself lying on the soft, soft sand — or on a beach towel that’s soft and comfortable. . . Let yourself feel the sun pleasantly warm . . . Feel the gentle breeze touching your neck and face.

Picture the beautiful clear, blue sky with fluffy little white clouds drifting lazily by. . . Let yourself feel the soothing, penetrating warmth of the sun. . .

Tell yourself that your mind and body feel completely relaxed and perfectly at ease. You feel peaceful, relaxed, comfortable, calm, so at ease, at peace with the universe, so relaxed……You are feeling relaxed, peaceful, lazy, tranquil, calm and comfortable. Your mind and body are completely relaxed…..You are completely relaxed, calm, peaceful, tranquil, flowing with the universe. Now, as you open your eyes, let yourself continue to feel relaxed and yet perfectly alert, peaceful and normal again. Open your eyes.

*138\37\8*

The major advantage of this treatment is its simplicity. The patient need not even undress, and the treatment is usually performed with the patient seated or in a lying position.

The disadvantage is that the patient may have to return for treatment either on a twice-weekly or daily basis for a minimum of ten to fifteen treatments before any results are obtained.

The magnetic field machines are available from several medical practitioners and from some physiotherapists in all states of Australia. Several chiropractors have also installed the devices in their rooms, recognising the safety and convenience of the treatment.

When performed by medical practitioners, magnetic field therapy is usually classified as either a ‘physical treatment’ in which case there is no medical rebate or refund, or as a ‘consultation’ providing that the doctor spends some time with the patient during each treatment.

In these circumstances, the treatment cost ranges from approximately $10 to $15 for each session with a medical rebate of approximately $10 for each treatment.

Portable magnetic field devices incorporated into blankets are now available in Australia at a cost of between $300 and $600 or can be rented for about $30 per month.

Relaxation training and biofeedback

These psychological therapies are available from trained practitioners, usually medical practitioners or clinical psychologists.

*113\37\8*

Some doctors believe that true, IgE-mediated allergy can produce mental symptoms as well as physical ones, but others would dispute this. Certainly, some studies have shown that those with serious allergic disorders, such as asthma, tend to have more emotional and social problems. The difficulty lies in separating cause and effect. The disabling symptoms of the allergy, and the restrictions incurred by having to avoid certain allergens, is bound to cause mental suffering. Indeed, studies that have compared asthmatic children with children suffering from other physical handicaps find little difference in the level of psychological problems.

One study showed that some children had high IgE levels for foods that caused behavioural problems, so it seems that this could sometimes be a true allergic symptom. However this is a controversial area, and conventional allergists do not seem eager to welcome behavioural disorders such as hyperactivity into their domain.However, there are innumerable reports of children with allergic disorders such as asthma or perennial rhinitis (runny or congested nose) who also show a cluster of symptoms that includes an inability to keep still, excitability, clumsiness, poor memory and short attention span. These symptoms, often known collectively as hyperactivity or the hyperkinetic syndrome are dealt with more fully in Chapter Eleven. Some of these children show an interesting reaction when the allergenic foods are removed from the diet and other allergens avoided: their mental and behavioural symptoms clear up at the same time as their physical ones. Reintroducing those foods brings the bad behaviour back along with the wheezing or runny nose. Although the mental symptoms could be a result of the physical ones, this seems unlikely.

*185\180\8*

When it comes to how men regard the effects that aging has on their sexuality, I’ve seen three distinct groups of opinions: in one, a man believes the popular myth that his sexuality peaked years ago, when he was 18, so since then life’s been all downhill. A man in the second group tends to deny that aging has any effect at all, even though his physiological signs tell him otherwise.

And then there’s the group in between: At first, a man may rebel a little at the changes in his sexuality—which may be anything from needing more time to become fully erect to wanting to have sex less often—but he eventually accepts the changes and may even learn to use them as a way to make sexuality more exciting and challenging.

From the time a man is in his teens all the way to his 80s and 90s, his reproductive system ages slowly from one year to the next. For most men, sexuality continues to be a very important aspect of life throughout their lives. Sexual desire continues indefinitely, despite the popular image of an uninterested, grumpy old man. One problem an 80- or 90-year-old man may have is that he is ashamed of his sexuality, because he—along with a lot of other people of all ages—has bought into the myth that older people are not and should not be sexual. This myth about sexuality is particularly a problem if he is living in a nursing home or at home with his children, because if the people around him believe the myth, chances are he will, too.

Throughout life, illness and medication can have a significant impact on your sexuality; even acetaminophen and allergies can dampen a man’s sexual desire. Though men do not experience a formal cessation of their reproductive ability such as women do when they enter menopause, the production both of sperm and testosterone decreases as a man ages. However, this usually has no bearing on his ability to father children; even 90-year-old men have become fathers.

*468\167\8*

The main course of treatment for hemorrhoids is getting off your butt—both literally and figuratively. You should start exercising, and don’t sit for more than an hour at a time if you can help it. You should also eat a diet that is high in digestible fiber such as cereals and bran but low in nondigestible fiber such as nuts and popcorn. You can also use a stool softener such as Colace two or three times a day, especially if the stool is hard, and use premoistened Tucks pads after a bowel movement to help soothe the area. Preparation H or Anusol in cream form or suppositoties will help shrink the hemorrhoids. Your doctor may also give you a prescription for a suppository containing cortisone, which will help reduce the swelling.

If your hemorrhoids tend to recur, your doctor may want to remove them surgically with a laser or by rubber banding them, a procedure in which a band is placed around the hemorrhoid, cutting off its blood supply so that it falls off. Or he may opt for traditional surgery.

*414\167\8*