WOMEN'S HEALTH
Hormones perform many essential functions and have a huge effect on women’s health. The best-known hormones are estrogen and progesterone.
Hormones influence woman’s reproductive health, including menstruation, pregnancy, menopause and more. Estrogen also affects the brain, cardiovascular system, hair, skin and musculoskeletal system. Progesterone prepares the lining of the uterus for a fertilized egg, supports pregnancy, suppresses estrogen production after ovulation.
Hormones involving the reproductive cycle play a critical role in women’s lives, beginning with menstruation.
PREGNANCY
Pregnancy is a period in a woman’s life when she is carrying a baby and is preparing to give birth. Pregnancy usually lasts for 40 weeks. During the nine-month pregnancy, many changes happen within a woman’s body. Some of the physical changes are visible, like gaining weight or an increasing belly. Other changes like the expansion of the uterus, morning sickness and backaches are not seen, but are felt intensively by pregnant women.
Sometimes pregnancy brings issues such as constipation; anaemia; stretch marks; and changes in the skin. Each of these conditions is due to the changing biochemistry of the body.
SKIN AGEING
Skin ageing is a process when the skin loses its elasticity and wrinkling starts to appear. This is an inevitable process that results in thin, dry skin and wrinkles. However, premature skin ageing may also take place due to high sun exposure, air pollution, smoking and poor nutrition.
Some actions for preventing premature skin ageing include a healthy diet, reducing stress, and reducing alcohol consumption. It is also important to keep the skin moist, to consider stopping or reducing smoking, to sleep more and to drink more water. Your skin may also react beneficially from periodic consumption of probiotics and collagen.
MENOPAUSE
Menopause is defined as the period in woman’s life when the woman stops having periods and is no longer able to get pregnant naturally. It is caused by the natural process that occurs as the ovaries age and produce fewer reproductive hormones.
Menopause is a natural part of ageing and is related with the decline of woman’s oestrogen levels. It usually begins between the ages of 45 – 55, but can develop before or after this age range. The median age for menopause is 51 but approximately 1% of women begin menopause before the age of 40.
Menopause usually consists of three stages: Perimenopause, wich occurs before menopause and is a time when woman’s hormones begin to change; Menopause, which starts when a woman experiences a lack of menstruation for one year; and post-menopause, which is the period starting after menopause has occurred.
URINARY INFECTIONS
A urinary tract infection is an infection in a urinary system either kidneys, ureters, bladder. Most infections involve the bladder and the urethra.
Some of the symptoms include a strong, persistent need to urinate; a burning sensation when urinating, usually frequently and in small amounts; urine that appears red or pink; pain in the pelvic area.
Consuming more liquids, especially water, and drinking cranberry juice might prevent urinary tract infections.
VAGINAL INFECTIONS
Vaginal infections usually are caused by bacteria, fungi, parasites, or viruses. They usually appear due to an imbalance of yeast and bacteria that normally live in the vagina. This disbalance may cause discomfort like itchiness or soreness in and around the vagina; pain during intimate intercourse; or an unusual smell. Sometimes chemicals in soaps, sprays, or even clothing may irritate this area’s delicate skin and tissues.
To avoid vaginal infections, it is crucial to keep yourself clean and dry but not to overuse vaginal sprays or perfumed soaps. It is also important to avoid clothes that hold heat and moisture.
VAGINAL DRYNESS
Some women experience problems with vaginal dryness during intimate intercourse. Though this problem is more common to women facing menopause, younger women may experience vaginal dryness too. Pre-menopausal women or breastfeeding mothers may experience vaginal dryness because of the low levels of estrogen.
The reasons for vaginal dryness before menopause are linked to hygiene products such as feminine sprays, swimming pools, or hot tub chemicals. Drug treatments such as allergy and cold medications may also be a reason for vaginal dryness, for they dry out mucous membranes.
Vaginal dryness may cause pain during sexual intercourse. In some cases, it can make it uncomfortable to sit or exercise.
DETOXIFICATION
Detoxification sometimes called as detox, is a process of following a specific diet or using products that help to clean your body from toxins. It may help to improve health and promote weight loss.
Sometimes, the liver, kidneys, lungs, gut, and skin, get out of balance. That’s when the body shows us signs that it is overloaded. The first signs include fatigue; infrequent bowel movements; inability to lose weight; or skin issues like rashes or acne.
Certain foods have antioxidants that help protect our body from free radicals and their damage. Free radicals are unstable molecules that body produces as a reaction to environmental and other pressures like cigarette smoking or air pollutants. The following vegetables and fruits have a detoxifying effect: beets, artichokes, carrots, avocado, kale, broccoli, grapes, currants, berries.