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Infertility is defined as the “inability to naturally conceive a child or to carry a pregnancy to full term.” The majority of medical experts will not classify a person and/or a couple as infertile until they have been trying for at least a year to get pregnant without any success. Women who find themselves able to become pregnant but then have repeat miscarriages are often classified as being infertile. There are numerous reasons why a couple may find themselves unable to conceive a child and may find it necessary to seek medical assistance in order to do so.

The International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination (INCIID) deems a couple to be infertile if after one year of unprotected intercourse they have not conceived. This drops to six months if the woman is 35 years of age or older. The reason for this is that a woman’s fertility takes a drastic drop at the age of 35 and it continues to drop even further after that age. Being able to sustain a pregnancy and carry it to term is important as well so if a woman is unable to do that then she is classified as infertile.

Approximately 10 percent of all individuals of reproductive age are infertile which works out to be 15 percent of couples. On average 40 percent of the time the infertility has to do with the man while 40 percent of the time it has to do with the woman. The rest of the time it can be as a result of both of the sexes. Most healthy couples in their twenties who are having sex on a regular basis have a one in four chance of conceiving a child in any given month of the calendar year. This is what the medical community refers to as “fecundity.”

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine estimates that 6.1 million individuals residing in the United States are infertile. As stated above, one third of the time it is due to a male factor, the other third of the time it is a female factor, the problem co-existing between the man and the woman accounts for the problem 15 percent of the time while there are still other instances where the cases of infertility is mysterious and unexplained. This is known as primary infertility.

There is also such a thing as secondary infertility and this is when a woman has a difficult time conceiving a child after she has already had a child in the past or previous children with little if any complications at all. Sometimes this is attributed to a medical condition such as a hormonal problem but it could also be a problem that is connected with age or else as the result of mental stress and strain to make sure that the first child has a brother or sister. If the woman has changed partners and is now having a problem getting pregnant this is not attributed to secondary infertility.

There are also instances where a woman’s ovaries have not matured to a point where they can release eggs every month as they are supposed to. When this happens, injections of synthetic FSH can be administered in order to stimulate the eggs to properly mature in the ovaries.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Fertility.

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Tags: american society for reproductive medicine, Fertility, infertility

Before medicine is prescribed for female infertility, a doctor will perform a complete physical exam on the patient. He will ask questions about the patient’s present state of health (both physical and mental), medical history and sexual patterns. Some doctors will choose to talk to both partners while others will deal with the woman alone.

There are some common medicines that are used to treat infertility in women. These medicines include clomiphene citrate, human menopausal gonadotropin (or hMG), follicle-stimulating hormone (or FSH), gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog, metformin and bromocriptine. We’ll take a brief look at each one of these medicines.

Clomiphene citrate, which is sold under the brand name Clomid, is a type of medication that makes ovulation take place by working on the pituitary gland in the brain. This medicine, which is taken orally, is commonly prescribed for women who have a variety of problems with ovulation including those who suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Similar to Clomid, human menopausal gonadotropin (or hMG) is sold under the names Pergonal and Repronex and this medication is geared for women who do not ovulate every month due to a problem or problems that exist with the pituitary gland. This injected form of medicine works specifically on the ovaries to stimulate ovulation to take place.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (or FSH) is sold under the names Follistim and Gonal-F and this drug works a great deal like hMG. What it does is it stimulates the ovaries to cause ovulation to kick into gear. This form of infertility medicine is most often injected.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog, often abbreviated to Gn-RH is meant for females who do not ovulate on a consistent basis every month. Women who have a tendency to ovulate before the egg is ready are advised to be prescribed this kind of infertility medicine. The Gn-RH analogs work on the pituitary gland of the brain to modify when the body goes about the process of ovulation. Most of the time the Gn-RH analog medications are injected or sometimes they are administered in the form of a nasal spray.

Metformin is sold under the brand name Glucophage. Physicians prescribe this medication for female patients who either suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or else who have insulin resistance. The action of this drug lowers the high levels of male hormones that exist in women who suffer from these conditions. Metformin allows the body to facilitate the ovulation process. This medication is taken by mouth. It is sometimes combined with either clomiphene citrate or FSH.

The last commonly-prescribed medication for infertility is bromocriptine, which is sold as Parlodel. Women who have problems with ovulation that is related to high levels of prolactin can be helped by way of this kind of medicine. Prolactin is a hormone in the body that stimulates the production of milk.

It is important to be aware that many medicines that are used to treat infertility can greatly increase a woman’s chances having twins, triplets or quadruplets. Multiple fetuses tend to cause pregnant women more complications and they are considered high risk because there is the worry that they will be born prematurely.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Fertility.

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Tags: Fertility, human menopausal gonadotropin, infertility

One of the most emotionally-charged medical issues that couples deal with today is infertility. This problem can drain a couple emotionally; it has been known to be the cause of many marital breakups. For those couples who love each other enough to make it through this issue, it can eat away at their finances as they try expensive fertility treatments, only some of which will wind up working. Thousands can be spent in the hopes of conceiving a baby and too often it is all for nothing. Now some couples are trying acupuncture to see if maybe that might provide a solution to their problem.

There are some limits to acupuncture when it comes to fertility treatments. An ethical and caring acupuncturist will tell their patients up front that acupuncture cannot cure all infertility problems. For example, if there is physical damage, then acupuncture is unable to help. Such problems are better handled by another kind of medical professional. But if the fertility specialist has told their patient that there appears to be nothing physically wrong, that they should be able to conceive, and the couple is still not successful in getting pregnant, it’s difficult to know where to turn. For these couples, acupuncture may be able to help them to conceive.

If the health care provider or fertility specialist tells you that there is damage to one or the other of your reproductive organs, listen to them. They may still have methods by which they can help a couple conceive, but acupuncture will be of no direct help. But there are methods of acupuncture that can be done, and have shown positive results when structural damage is not the issue.

In addition to the well-known needle treatments, the acupuncturist may also suggest the use of some herbal teas. The treatments for fertility, though obviously somewhat different in nature and extent, can be used for both men and women.

The treatments usually involve the placement needles in the earlobes, eyebrows, ears and fingertips. Once the needles have been inserted carefully in the correct points the patient will relax for around a half an hour. Some acupuncturists tell their patients it takes only a few treatments to make a difference while others say it could take a few months.

This method of treating female infertility is said to work because it rebalances the hormonal levels in the body. The acupuncture treatments are often in combination with the use of some herbs to reduce other hormone levels and help to regulate ovulation and so assist a woman to conceive.

The acupuncture treatments relieve stress. Often, when a couple is trying to conceive and do not have immediate success, the couple can come under a great deal of emotional pressure. This pressure can make it difficult conceive. In these cases, acupuncture alleviates stress and increases blood flow which can also help to retain the pregnancy if conception is successful.

Some people say that acupuncture is a desperate move by people desperate to have a baby. Yet it seems that all fertility treatment is exactly that and if something can help that is less financially and emotionally demanding then why not try it? It is safe, noninvasive and much less costly than most fertility treatments.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Fertility.

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Tags: acupuncture, Fertility, infertility

It is an accepted fact that all living beings on the earth are able to reproduce. In fact the urge and desire to reproduce and keep the line going is central to all beings. Infertility not only disturbs the lives of the couple, but also affects their near and dear ones, who love them and want to see them happy. Here we are going to discuss a few questions, frequently asked by people.

What is Infertility?

Due to certain disease or inadequacies, natural conception does not take place, it is called infertility. This infertility could be in the male, or in female, or in rare cases in both. Infertility is established only when pregnancy does not take place despite repeated efforts over a period of time, perhaps a year or so. Also, in cases of those women who end up having miscarriages are also termed infertile.

Frequency of infertility in the USA

Nearly 1 in 10 couples in the US are unable to reproduce. Infertility is due to the male in 33% of the cases and the same percentage is due to the female. Nearly 15% are caused by problems with both, the male and the female, and the remaining balance percentage is made of various other causes.

How to check infertility in men?

The physical and mental state of the patient is checked, a record of past diseases and accidents and other significant occurrences is noted. This is followed by pathological tests of blood and so on to trace any past or existing disease, and hormone imbalance. If nothing abnormal is discovered, semen samples are then taken for tests. The quantity of semen, the sperm count, and its mobility are checked. A physical check up of the genitals is done to ensure that there is no tenderness, or cyst in and around the testis.

How to check infertility in women?

In the case of women, again past medical record and complete physical health check up is done. This is followed by a more detailed examinations and tests. Tests are done to find hormonal imbalance, the state of the lining of the uterus, and the functioning of the thyroid. A laparoscopic examination of the organs is done and a detailed check carried out of progesterone is made to establish that there is proper ovulation, which will lead to pregnancy, is taking place or not.

What causes male infertility the most?

Male infertility may occur due to two main reasons; (i) when zero sperm cells are produced, which is also known as Azoospermia, and (ii) when only a minimum number of sperm cells are produced, which is known as Oligospermia. Other than the above discussed two problems, sometimes its due to improper production of sperm cells, they die even before fertilization. In rare cases, there are some genetic concerns like, cystic fibrosis or some abnormality in chromosomes may lead to the problem.

What are the most common causes for female infertility?

There may be various causes for female infertility. The female reproduction system is complicated, even a small imbalance can affect the normal reproduction process. Generally, blocked fallopian tubes or improper ovulation are the reasons for the concern. Frequent miscarriages also may lead to the problem. Apart from these, age is also an important factor. A woman’s ability to conceive is affected after the age of 35, due to less production of eggs after that age.

What is ART?

ART (assisted reproductive technologies) is a term given to explain the various methods which may help infertile couples to have a child. The process of ART is not a simple one. It includes surgically taking out of eggs from a female’s ovaries, fertilize them with sperm in a laboratory, and once this step is done, implanting the fertilized egg back into the female’s uterus.

When can in vitro fertilization be taken?

IVF (in vitro fertilization) can be undertaken, when the fallopian tubes of a woman are blocked or one of them is missing. This method can also be tried out in case of low sperm count in a male. IVF method has been proved to be very effective and has given positive results to millions of couples. In this method, a woman’s egg is taken out and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory. Then it is put back into her uterus again.

Are there some medicines to treat infertility in females?

There are a few medicines like, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), metformin and bromocriptin, clomiphen citrate, etc., prescribed to cure infertility in females.

Where can we find information about infertility?

Following are where more information regarding infertility problems can be obtained;

National Women’s Health Information Center (NWHIC)
The American College of Obstetrician and Gynecology (ACOG) Resource Center
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The National Infertility Association
The International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination, Inc.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Fertility.

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Tags: Fertility, infertility, infertility in men, infertility in women

PCOS, or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, is estimated to affect over 10% of women around the world. It is essentially a hormone imbalance which causes women to undergo a series of symptoms. These include:

1. Hair growth in a masculine pattern on the face and elsewhere on the body.
   Infertility
2. Irregular, reduced or a total lack of menstruation. When menstruation does occur, it can be much more heavier than in a ‘normal’ period
3. Insulin resistance, which can result in diabetes
4. Weight gain—many women with PCOS become obese, which exacerbates other symptoms (such as insulin resistance). It can be much more difficult for women with PCOS to lose weight, as compared to women without the syndrome.

The root causes of PCOS are unknown, although several theories abound. A clear sign of PCOS is the production of many follicles on the ovary, none or few of which result in the production of a mature ovum which can be fertilized (hence the problems with infertility in many women with PCOS).

A theory which is gaining currency is that the underlying cause is the failure of the pituitary to secrete enough FSH, or Follicle Stimulating Hormone. This hormone starts the entire cascade of other hormones which leads to a proper fertility cycle. Without enough FSH, the follicles of the ovary are unable to mature effectively, which may lead to the proliferation of immature follicles on the ovarian surface.

The typical ovarian cyst in a woman with PCOS is typically enlarged 5 to 7 times greater than a normally-maturing ovarian cyst. Its larger-than-normal size and the number of immature cysts result in an excess of hormone production. The cysts generally produce androgens (male hormones, like testosterone) and insulin, both of which cause some additional symptoms seen in this syndrome.

Among PCOS’ most serious effects is on the production of insulin and subsequent insulin resistance. Insulin is primarily produced by the pancreas, but also by the follicles on the ovary. Since the follicles are much more numerous, and produce much more insulin, they contribute to an overproduction of insulin in the body.

All cells in the body rely on insulin to take in the right amount of glucose. The liver relies on insulin levels to tell it when to produce more glucose, while the cells (muscles, brain, all cells) rely on insulin to tell them how much glucose to use. In a smoothly-functioning insulin-glucose system, the pancreas secretes insulin in response to the body’s needs—after eating, during exercise, or during rest periods, for example. As you can imagine, the amount of insulin produced over a day can vary a good deal. The system is normally self-regulating. That is, the liver produces more glucose, the cells use more glucose, and insulin production goes down.

In a woman with PCOS, the ovaries become the main insulin producers of the body, overpowering the pancreas and the normal insulin-glucose cycle. Rather than responding to the body’s true needs for insulin, the ovaries continue to secrete larger-than-normal amounts of the hormone, continually assaulting the liver and other cells of the body. Over time, the liver becomes a chronic overproducer of glucose, while the cells become increasingly resistant to the insulin signals. The result is insulin resistance—and a resultant case of diabetes.

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John Lonergan is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on PCOS & Insulin Resistance.

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Tags: Fertility, infertility, insulin resistance, PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Studies show that couples who are conscious of their health and their nutrition have better success when undergoing fertility treatments, either IVF and IUI treatments.

While it’s true that making healthy lifestyle decisions cannot alone guarantee a successful outcome, these decisions can help to insure that the couple will feel better physically and mentally when they are giving their bodies what their bodies are craving for - proper nutrition.

If you are a couple trying to conceive, here are some suggestions that may help you to achieve your goal:

Couples should however refrain from going on any fad diets or strenuous exercising programs while they are approaching fertility treatment time.

• It is important that the couple both be at their ideal body weight based on a height/weight ratio prior to starting their fertility treatment.
• As soon as a woman has decided to conceive she should immediately start taking a prenatal vitamin daily. This will ensure that she is doing all she can to give her body the vitamins and minerals it needs to be in the best shape possible for conception. Important vitamins for women to take are: Vitamins A, E, Calcium, Essential fatty acids, Folic Acid, Iron and Zinc. For men it is important to take Vitamins C and D. The best way to get vitamins and minerals is through the healthy food choices you make each day.
• There are foods that you should stay away from when trying to conceive because of their potential to cause infections. These foods are: deli meats and all per-packaged sandwich meats, meats that are undercooked, especially raw poultry and fish. You should also avoid unpasteurized dairy products and juices, especially soft cheeses.
• Your fertility doctor will probably give you a list of other foods and substances to avoid while undergoing fertility treatment. Your doctor or other medical staff member can answer your questions regarding why they feel it necessary to avoid these items.
• Some of these items may include:
  Ale
  Alcohol
  Aspirin
  Antihistamines
  Artificial sweeteners
  Caffeine
  Contaminated drinking water (especially important if traveling internationally)
  Ginger Ale
  Cigarettes or other tobacco products
• Over-exertion while exercising can lead to an increased chance of problems with implantation or of achieving a successful pregnancy. Over-exertion has also been shown in research a connection to hyper stimulation of follicles during treatment.

Being aware of all the lifestyle changes such as fitness, wellness and nutrition gives you a sense of control in an otherwise out of control situation. Many patients report that when they feel that they have something to do that may contribute to a positive outcome; they feel less stressed and have a better mental and emotional outlook.

Your medical team will help you to make lifestyle decisions regarding environmental, work related and personal habits that may have an influence on a successful outcome to your treatment. Any list you receive during your initial visit should be viewed as a guideline. The ultimate decision regarding your lifestyle and any changes you are willing to make to ensure a successful outcome to your IVF or IUI is in your control.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Fertility.

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Tags: essential fatty acids, Fertility, healthy lifestyle, vitamins and minerals

Infertility is an issue that 11% of all couples will experience during their reproductive part of their lives. Understanding what some of the causes of female fertility might be for them may help them to deal with their situation.

A fertility specialist should be consulted when females aged 35 or over have been not achieved pregnancy after 6 months. Younger women who have not achieved pregnancy after one year of trying should seek a professional.

In the female there are many causes for infertility, listed are some of them:

Cervical disorders
Endometriosis
Hormonal disorders
Ovulation Failure
Tubal disease or destruction
Uterine disorders

The following is a brief discussion of each cause:

Cervical disorder

This mainly concerns insufficient cervical mucous (CM). The mucous is a necessary part of conception because the sperm are nourished by the CM and also transported by the CM. Another problem that can be determined by examining the CM is when the female is allergic to the male’s sperm and has an allergic reaction to them that actually causes antibodies to be produced that destroy the sperm.

Endometriosis

This is a disease that can cause damage throughout the female body. It is a major cause of infertility because it can attach to the ovaries and to the fallopian tubes. Once attached it grows and can obstruct the ovaries or the tubes.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is a hormonal disorder that can affect a woman’s ability to conceive. Women who have PCOS produce an excess amount of a male hormone called “androgens” such as “testosterone” in their ovaries. They often have many small cysts, which are fluid filled on their ovaries. PCOS causes their endometrial lining to become thicker than normal because of the irregular menstrual cycles. Menstruation is when the lining is shed. Without menstruation the lining becomes thicker and thicker with each additional cycle that passes without menstruation.

These women may experience irregular menstrual cycles, acne, suffer infertility and usually struggle with obesity. Women who have PCOS are at a higher risk for type-2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Ovulation Failure

Women who do not release ova (egg) each cycle may have hormonal imbalances of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (mouthful isn’t it?). Other causes can be with the thyroid gland, the female having excess body weight, stress, or tumors/cysts. Other contributing factors to ovarian failure can be attributed to eating disorders, alcohol abuse or excessive exercising.

Tubal Disease or Destruction

Sexually transmitted diseases can cause damage to the tubes. Such diseases are: Chlamydia and gonorrhea. The tubes may have also been damaged during previous surgeries such as when an ectopic requires surgery and the tube cannot be saved or is damaged by the ectopic pregnancy. Endometriosis can also damage the tubes.

Uterine disorders

The uterus is the home of the developing baby. The baby needs a nurturing environment that is big enough to allow for the normal growth expected. Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that can happen inside the uterus. Adhesions, which are scar tissue, can develop following multiple cesarean sections. The uterus could also be shaped abnormally or be positioned improperly. Many of the disorders of the uterus can be surgically treated.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Fertility.

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Tags: endometriosis, female fertility, Fertility, infertility, PCOS

PCOS has been until recent years a mysterious scourge of over 10% of women worldwide. PCOS stands for “Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.” Break the term down into its constituent parts, and you understand its meaning:

1. Polycystic means the production of more than one cyst on a woman’s ovaries. In general, these cysts are immature, not resulting in the production of an egg, or ovum, which can be fertilized. There are usually many such cysts at one time.
2. Ovarian means that the syndrome is associated with the ovaries. A conclusive diagnosis can be made by laparoscopic examination of the surface of the ovaries. The physician usually finds cysts that are 5 to 7 times larger than a normal ovarian cyst, generally with a white cap over them.
3. Syndrome means that there are several symptoms which combine to help diagnose PCOS. These symptoms range widely, but can include male-pattern hairiness on the face and the rest of the body, infertility, insulin resistance, overweight or obesity, depression and deepening of the voice.

Many women have gone undiagnosed with PCOS for years because of the multiplicity of symptoms. Some symptoms are congruent with obesity, for example, like insulin resistance and release of testosterone, the male hormone. Others have to do with other forms of infertility—many women are discovered to suffer from PCOS when they and their husbands visit infertility clinics.

The underlying causes of PCOS are not yet proven. This is what makes it so difficult, in some cases, to diagnose PCOS without a definitive laparoscopy. One theory is that women who have PCOS have an underproduction of FSH, or Follicle Stimulating Hormone, from their pituitary gland. A low production of FSH can be tied to a lack of maturity of the ovarian cysts, which in turn lead to reduction or elimination of periods, and the production of many cysts at one time.

If true, the underproduction of FSH by the pituitary may be associated with other pituitary abnormalities, again resulting in a number of symptoms which make diagnosis difficult or confusing.

Just as there are several symptoms and explanations for PCOS, there are also several treatments. The exact treatment protocol depends on the woman, the degree to which the syndrome has advanced, and the subsequent damage that has been done to the woman’s body over a period of time.

In some cases, women will take drugs which stimulate the pituitary to produce more FSH. This provides a direct stimulation to the ovarian follicles to mature, which also reduces the number of them and brings a woman back into normal estrus.

In more severe cases, laparoscopic surgery is recommended in order to manually reduce the number of immature follicles on the surface of the ovaries. This reduction will reduce the overproduction of insulin and testosterone, and reverse the processes of insulin resistance and masculinization that accompany this hormone production.

If the woman’s PCOS has been in place for a number of years, additional drugs may be needed to counteract the effects of heavy insulin production, including glucophage and, in some cases, additional insulin.

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John Lonergan is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on PCOS & Insulin Resistance.

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Tags: Depression, diabetes, Fertility, infertility, insulin resistance, obesity

Stress related back pain is one of the most common health related complaints today. But what if anything can be done about it? If you can find an effective way of relieving your stress, often the symptoms will disappear as well. For this purpose, we are going to look at managing back pain caused by stress.

Stress is a silent killer. In fact, stress is so commonplace in our society today, that associated behaviors such as road rage are becoming an acceptable part of everyday life. Research has shown that high stress levels not only increase negative hormone levels, the ones responsible for inhibiting sickness and disease, but it also suppresses the immune system. But in such a fast paced society, how do we relieve stress? I guess I should make the point that you can’t necessarily get rid of stress. You can, on the other hand manage it quite effectively before it gets out of control.

Complimentary therapies such as reflexology have shown very positive results in relieving the stress associated with back pain. By stimulating nerves on specific areas of the feet and hands, reflexology enhances blood flow and eliminates toxin buildup in the corresponding organs and systems of the body. And, not only is this form of self-help therapy one of the most relaxing therapies available and provides immediate relief in many cases; it is free of charge and extremely convenient if you learn to do it yourself.

Outside of using it for stress relieving purposes, reflexology is also a beneficial tool for improving circulation, relieving pain, and as an immune and nervous system stimulator. In fact, many people with illnesses such as allergies; chronic sinus problems; acid reflux; migraines; PMS; menopause; insomnia; fertility problems, fibromyalgia; depression and even arthritis report significantly improved conditions as a result of the treatment.

Reflexology is fairly simple to perform and even simpler to incorporate into your daily routine, which is important since stress is a part of everyday life. It is recommended that you use it both on yourself and with members of your family. Making it a family affair can be very beneficial. If everyone feels less stress, there will be more harmony in the family. There are many online guides and diagrams that you can study and practice with. Or, if you prefer to have the information at your fingertips, there are many great books you can even get at your local library that will walk you through the process of reflexology treatment. I would also recommend going to a reflexologist at least once to get a professional treatment. This way you will feel the techniques first hand. It tends to make learning easier.

In the fast paced society that we live in today, I highly recommend that you take some time out of each day for yourself. We always seem to be on the go and cut ourselves short of the time we need to recoup. Set aside a specific time early in the morning or before you go to bed and practice deep breathing and reflexology techniques. Before long you will notice a big difference in how you see life and that you are able to manage the stress of your day so much better.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Reflexology.

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Tags: Depression, Fertility, fibromyalgia, immune system, Menopause, Reflexology, stress, toxins

Many people have become more health conscious and for many of them good health begins in the bowels. Unfortunately, many colon cleansers contain herbs that were grown in China or India. While the bottle touts the effect the natural cleanser on your body, there is no mention of the conditions under which the herbs were grown.

It is likely that the label will not list organic ingredients, instead glossing over this lack of verbiage with the many advantages that natural ingredients are said to offer.

Recently, China has come under fire for being a leading cause of many recalls that are plaguing the toy industry. Lead paint is the culprit and even though it has been reported that proper paints have been provided to the manufacturing plants in that part of the world, for reasons unknown the paint was not used and instead substituted with the dangerous lead-containing pigment instead. While this in no way implies that all goods manufactured in China - or any of the other foreign countries to which the production of goods has been farmed out - are substandard, it does cause concern to those who purchase ingestible supplements, such as colon cleansers, that are either made in China or contain plant materials grown there.

Unfortunately, the colon cleanser you may be ingesting in an effort to rid your body of toxins may actually be shock full of pesticides, herbicides, heavy metal containing fertilizers, and pollutants from nearby highways or factories.

In addition to the a fore mentioned, the process of extracting beneficial oils and other plant matter that is indicated for the use in a colon cleanser is also questionable. While organic methods do exist, to save money it is becoming common practice to use harsh chemicals which will strip the plant materials of the oils and essentials thus introducing toxins into the otherwise beneficial herbs. Another danger not often considered is the possibility that instead of only including the fruit of one plant, the root of a second, or the stalk and leaves of the third, the entire plant is ground up and included. This provides a large amount of filler that is medicinally useless but for which consumers nonetheless pay top dollar.

In order to protect yourself, purchase natural colon cleansers only if they contain certified organic ingredients and are manufactured under organic conditions. Similarly, you will want to have a guaranteed analysis of the ingredients contained in the supplement; in other words, the makers of the colon cleanse need to be able to inform you about the minimum and maximum of any substance included. Thus, let the buyer beware before investing hard earned money into questionable colon cleansers.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more informaton on Colon Cleansing.

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Tags: acupuncture, Colon Cleansing, Fertility, Reflexology, stress, toxins