Friday, November 14, 2008

Woman reaches US army's top rank


An American woman has been promoted to four-star general - the first female to reach the US army's highest rank.

In her acceptance speech, Ann E Dunwoody said she had never expected to rise so high in the ranks in her 33-year career.

She said no one was more surprised than she and her husband. "Behind every successful woman there's an astonished man," she added.

There are 21 female generals, most of them one-star, in the US army.

Women make up 14% of the army's active-service strength of more than 500,000 soldiers.

'Open doors'

Gen Dunwoody comes from a long line of soldiers.

"A Dunwoody has fought in every American war since the Revolution," said army chief of staff Gen George Casey.

Gen Dunwoody is married to retired air force officer Craig Brotchie.

"There is no one more surprised than I, except of course, my husband," she told an auditorium packed with the military's top brass.

"And you know what they say, behind every successful woman there's an astonished man."

Defence Secretary Robert Gates said: "History will no doubt take note of [Dunwoody's] achievement in breaking through this final 'brass ceiling' to pin on this fourth star."

"But she would rather be known and remembered first and foremost as a US army soldier."

She is now head of the Army Materiel Command, in charge of weapons, equipment and uniforms for the army.

Women are barred from combat roles but have been allowed in the last two decades to serve in a wide variety of other positions.

"It's been my experience in my 33 years in the military that the doors have continued to open and the opportunities have continued to expand," she said.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

The Answer To Breast Cancer - Prevent With Healthy Living

Generally speaking, breast cancer can be explained as an abnormal growth or a mass of cells, also known as a tumor, anywhere within the breast or immediate surrounding area. Breast Cancer is the most common form of cancer in women and accounts for one-third of all malignancies. One of eight women now living in the modern society will get this disease

In 2005 502,000 people died worldwide as a result of this cancer. Worldwide, more people are diagnosed with breast cancer than any other cancer except for lung cancer and it is the fifth most common cancer overall. While these statistics are alarming, there are ways to keep yourself as safe as possible from this terrible disease.

A lump in the breast is often the first sign of this disease. The lump generally feels different from the surrounding breast tissue. You should immediately see your physician if you discover a lump. Your physician will follow up with appropriate tests and examinations, such as a mammogram, to determine the nature of the lump.

Other symptoms might include changes in the size or shape of the breast, a dimpling of the skin on the breast, an inverted nipple, or nipple discharge. Breast pain should also be checked by a doctor because even though it doesn't usually mean breast cancer, it might be symptomatic of another problem.

Discovering these symptoms should not be cause for immediate alarm. Most of the time, the cause of the symptoms is not cancer. But the risk of cancer is very real, the consequences of cancer are severe, and the disease is progressive, so one should never delay scheduling an appointment with their health care professional.

As with most cancers, the exact cause of breast cancer has not been pinpointed. However, there are many risk factors applied to many women. There are many arguments that breast cancer is hereditary, so if there is a history of the cancer in a woman’s family, she should see a doctor regularly for preventative measures. While heredity may play a role, life choices do as well. For instance, women who smoke cigarettes and consume alcohol regularly are at a higher risk for breast cancer than those who do not. Additionally, obese women that do not engage in regular physical activity are at an elevated risk for breast cancer.

It has been found, however, that altering the levels of hormones in the body can lead to different forms of cancer, breast cancer included. Many women take drugs and supplements that have estrogen as a main ingredient. These medications are used to increase sexual drive, assist in lactation, or deal with menopause. There are studies currently underway to help determine the influence of increased levels of estrogen on the development of breast cancer.

Despite the exact causes of breast cancer being unknown, there are many resources explaining and suggesting how a woman might prevent it.

According to recent research conducted by the American Cancer Society, on an average an eighth of all females are bound to suffer from breast cancer.

By: Corwin Brown

Monday, November 10, 2008

How Body Image Can Effect Your Health

Numerous factors weight on a person’s body image, factors such as mass media, including magazines, television, film, peer groups, and family opinions etc. There is no such thing as the perfect body as different cultures have their own standards for judging what is attractive. It can be very interesting to explore the differing norms that can exist even within a particular culture as societal standard can shift periodically.

For example, in the US, the thin stereotype has been the most popular since the 1960’s when a particular clothes model named Twiggy captured the attention of the public. The average fashion model these days is almost 6 feet tall and weights about 130 pounds while the average American woman is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weights 140 pounds. The disparity can lead to a mountain of self esteem problems when a woman does not meet the expectations of the cultural ideal.

Mainstream media portray the thin model stereotype as equating to happiness and success, and cases of weight discrimination have even been tried in court.

Even though many health organizations emphasize health rather than weight some people feel more pressure than ever to mold themselves to the ideal due to body image distortion. Most objective sources see this “you’re OK, I’m OK” theory as silly and unhelpful. With obesity statistics increasing at an alarming rate, medical cost estimates for the future due to the condition run in the tens of billions of dollars. Some see this as an unacceptable monetary burden put on society due to the simple refusal of people to learn an effective way to control their weight. Japan has even started a program that may be the future in many countries, penalizing it’s citizens for failing to conform to certain weight guidelines.

There are predictable stages in life when an individual is more susceptible to body image distortion. Puberty is the most significant time in a person’s life when rapid changes take place in the body. At this time adolescent males will gain muscle mass, height and facial hair as well as a deeper voice and will often shed any residual “baby fat”. They may see there bodies as smaller than they actually are. Just the opposite, females will gain fat in the buttocks, hips, breasts and legs and will often see their bodies as fat when they compare them to those of the fashion models in the mass media.

Body distortion is closely related to the development of eating disorders. The jury is still out in some circles as to which abnormality begets which, but most in the medical field agree that this development involves many facets of the individual’s makeup including family heredity, peer group, and psychological factors that create body distortion. One percent of teenage girls in the United States develop anorexia nervosa which can be deadly if not taken care of. These disorders occur only in developed countries where food is plentiful and the occurrences increase with wealth.

Females with anorexia and bulimia can see themselves as fat no matter how thin they may already be. Much more controversial is the idea that males develop what some in the medical field call “muscle dysmorphia ”. This is an imaginary disease in which males supposedly see themselves as skinny and underweight. This disorder can be magnified, they say, when the individual is a bodybuilder and will see himself as skinny no matter how enlarged his musculature.

A bodybuilder may want to pack on all the muscle possible for their specific body type but scoff and laugh hysterically at the notion of “muscle dismorphia”. Bodybuilding contests have changed over the years to require larger and larger muscles simply to compete in the contest and this is usually the reason that the
bodybuilder will continuously try to pack on more size. One only has to look in on bodybuilders that have reached the pinnacle of bodybuilding achievement, Mr. Olympia, and have retired from competition, to see that this is true. After the competition years the individual will drop up to 80 pounds of pure muscle or more because it is no longer needed to compete.

Treatments for eating disorders created by body image distortion range from behavioral therapy to smart diet programs for the mild cases. It is remarkable that a woman will put herself through measures such as bingeing and purging when an effective diet and exercise program is so much easier and infinitely more life changing. More on this subject in future articles.

By: Adam Eisenhart

Friday, November 7, 2008

Female Hair Loss Treatment

Female Hair Loss Treatment: Hats are For Fashion Not to Cover-Up Your Bald Spots!Nothing can be more devastating for a women than to realize that her hair is coming out far more extensively and rapidly than is normal. (Normal is 100-150 strands a day). Each hair grows for a period of 2-6 years, goes through a short dormant period and then falls out as the follicle pushes through a new hair. When new hairs do not replace the old or when hair is coming out in clumps or sections, there is definite cause for concern.Female hair loss comes from a variety of causes – some temporary, some permanent.

Temporary causes include pregnancy, anxiety and stress, too many strong treatments (coloring, bleaching), too much manipulation, illness, disease, and infections of the scalp. Fortunately, regrowth occurs naturally when as these causes dissipate. Permanent hair loss occurs as a result of heredity and hormonal changes and unfortunately is not reversed naturally. Women usually see hair loss begin at areas of parts, where parts become wider. Female pattern baldness occurs primarily in the frontal areas; then, there is general overall hair loss, resulting in a continual thinning of the entire head with the scalp becoming more and more visible.

Treatments for female hair loss include a number of things:

1. Diet plays some role in hair loss, so it is important to commit to a healthy well-balanced diet at all times.

2. Exercise increases blood circulation to all areas of the body, the scalp included. Some studies have shown that increased blood circulation to the scalp can assist in the stimulation of follicles to begin to produce hair again.

3. There are a number of natural herbal and oil remedies, most of which are topical, that is, they involve applying solutions directly onto the scalp with the effect of opening up closed follicles and enhancing the chance of hair production. These have varying degrees of success, dependent upon the individual.

4. Wigs and hair extensions can provide non-permanent relief for sufferers and, fortunately, these are considered acceptable fashion accessories today.

5. A number of medical products have also been developed specifically for females. It is important to state here that women must be certain that products they use are specifically designed for them. Male hair products often have ingredients which can be harmful to women, particularly those of child-bearing age. Medical products are available through prescription and over-the-counter. It would be wise to consult with a physician first, before using any of these, to be certain that they are not contra-indicated with any other medication currently being used and to be certain that the hair loss is not the result of some other medical condition. Provillus has products designed specifically for women, and is FDA approved. Research studies on the effectiveness of these and other products, in terms of both reducing loss and promoting regrowth, is readily available on the Internet, through a “Google” search. Some offer money-back guarantees, and most have testimonies from satisfied users. Success varies by individual, and success or lack of success from one customer does not necessarily relate to your body’s response.

6. There are also a number of surgical procedures available for women, including transplants and grafts. These are expensive and should be explored carefully before committing to the cost.The distress over hair loss is an individual matter. If yours bothers you on a daily basis and you are beginning to avoid normal social activities due to embarrassment, you owe it to yourself to take action. Life is to be enjoyed!

For more information visit: Provillus

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Breast Self Exam

Healthy Changes Through Life: Doing a monthly breast self exam is the best way to stay familiar with the cyclical changes in your breasts. You will get to know the territory better than your health care team, and will spot changes easily. Having an annual clinical exam helps document your breast health, so keep a regular appointment set up for that! Between puberty and menopause, your breasts will go through many changes, which are affected by hormones, diet, and exercise. Most of these changes are natural and healthy!

Teen Years (Puberty): In the teen years, with the start of your monthly cycle, your body enters the maturing process, and you gain curves and may notice skin changes (such as acne) and even hair may change color or texture. Breast tissue is developing during this time too, and may be dense and firm to begin with, especially if you are small-breasted.Family Resemblance: At this stage, it’s not too early to know your family health history, so ask your female relatives (mother, aunts, grandmother) if they had any fibrocystic problems with their breasts, or any regular cysts. If so, it’s likely that you may experience those too. Not to worry – cysts are benign – but you want to know where they are, and if they come and go, so they can be distinguished from other features in your breasts.'

More Curves and Kids (Childbearing Years): After your body is prepared for motherhood, if you conceive and bear children, and also if you breastfeed the children, that will bring on more changes in your breasts, as well as in the rest of your body. Breasts may become larger and more tender during pregnancy, and may need more support. Don’t neglect your BSE during this time, stay familiar with the changes. Remember that pregnancy and breastfeeding will help combine to lower your risk of breast cancer.

Maturity (Menopause): Menopause also brings changes in your breasts, as your estrogen and progesterone levels drop, your breast tissue may become less firm and may drape differently than during your teen and child-bearing years. Keep up with your breast self exams in these years too, so that the normal changes are familiar to you. Less dense breast tissue will seem to have more lumps and bumps, but remember that 90% of breast lumps are benign.

For more information visit: Breastactives

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Herbal Breast Supplements Increase A Woman’s Self-confidence

Nature has provided every female body, a breast enhancement mechanism, which is experienced by them at the puberty stage itself. The hormonal changes occur during this stage along with the female menstrual cycle. The female hormones produced during this period, results in the breast enlargement, naturally. With the increase in female libido, breasts also get enhanced and enlarged naturally during this time.

However, this does not always happen throughout the life of a woman. During the days of pregnancy, a woman feels the rush of these hormones again, so naturally develops larger and fuller breasts. This continues until the lactation by the woman is over and she stops breast-feeding her child. Nevertheless, such large breasts due to lactation, do not remain permanently. The female breasts start shrinking immediately after the breast-feeding period is over.

Therefore, various therapies need to be explored for keeping the firmness and size of breasts in place. Currently, the surgical treatment for this is available. However, operations like breast implants and other surgeries to enlarge breasts are costly. Hence, most of the women all over the world cannot afford it. Most women do not want to go through the pain and risk having an unnatural look to their breasts.

A natural way to breast enhancement and breast enlargement is herbal treatment, which guarantees fuller and larger breasts, that are well shaped and firm. Therefore, many physicians worldwide have recognized this treatment to be best, next only to the natural breast enlargement experienced during puberty or pregnancy. Although, an exercise regime is also followed by some women to attain firmer breasts, not all women see results from breast-firming exercises. A woman needs perseverance to carry on with such a strict program over a period of time. Some women choose massage therapy, but this too is time consuming and hard to continue.

Breast enhancement pills used under the herbal therapeutic treatment give the desired results, sooner. These pills ensure that the supply of hormones like estrogen to the body’s system is large enough to result in breasts becoming fuller, larger and firmer. These herbal pills act the same way to supplement estrogen, as is being done naturally during female puberty or pregnancy.

No doubt, these pills have been a part of any woman’s diet, who wants to have much firmer and larger breasts. These supplements help to increase a woman’s self-confidence in her body and appearance.

By: Jenifer Moon
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Jenifer is working on women's & men’s health issues, doing reserch and sourcing for better options for sexual, beauty and health products since 2005

Herbal Skin Care - Rediscover A World Of Natural Beauty

Have you ever wondered why it is that the best new things look a lot like the best old things? Take herbal skin care for instance. Before the development of modern cosmetics, our grandmothers relied on natural beauty treatments for keeping their skin soft, smooth and healthy. In those days, a herbal treatment for the skin was the best way to achieve and maintain a natural beauty...the likes of which we haven't seen in quite a long time.

Women today are wising up to the fact that our grandmothers knew a thing or two about beauty. This is directly reflected in the increasing demand for herbal skin care. Not only do women, and men, want their skin to look good, but they want it to be healthy as well. They are turning away from facial treatments and skin cremes that have been made with slew of synthetic chemicals and asking for a herbal treatment for the skin that they know is natural, safe and effective.

Think about it. Using herbal skin care means putting something on your skin that is safe enough to eat. Would you eat petroleum-based glycerine? But that is essentially what you do every time you use a skin care treatment that contains this, and other synthetic substances. When you rub these chemicals into you skin they eventually reach your bloodstream just as if you had eaten them.

When you use a herbal treatment for the skin, made of natural, plant-based moisturizers, vitamins, enzymes and proteins, you are "feeding" and nourishing your skin. Well-nourished skin cells are able to go to work to repair, protect and enhance the health and appearance of the skin. This is the basis of true natural beauty.

My grandmother used to tell me amazing stories about her mother's herbal treatment for the skin. She would cleanse her face with a mixture of rolled oats, dried lavender, corn meal and dried rose petals. My great-grandmother also pulverized egg shells in order to create a natural face powder. She lived on a farm and had access to eggs of various shades of brown, so it was easy for her to create a powder that matched her complexion. My grandmother told me that her mother's skin remained beautiful well into her later years.

Make no mistake about it. A herbal treatment for skin is one of those best new things that looks a lot like a best old thing. Our grandmothers were very smart women. If we follow their example by using herbal skin care, then we're sure to rediscover a world of natural beauty.

By: Therese Higgins
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Article written by Therese Higgins - "There are many reasons why you must be careful when choosing the best herbal skin care, but there's one which as to rank as the most important of all." Visit www.positively-radiant.com to find out what it is.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Superfoods For Pregnant Women

Pregnancy is a wonderful time in your life. It can also be very taxing and exhausting for your body, mind and spirit at times. But by nourishing your body with these great superfoods, you'll be energized, strong, and sharp, and ready to welcome your pending bundle of joy healthy and happy.

Beans and legumes are good sources of protein, fiber, calcium, iron, thiamine, and niacin. Make a big batch of beans when you have time and freeze them in small containers. Be careful with canned varieties, as they're usually higher in sodium and their nutritional value is a bit lower since they're processed using high temperatures. Soybeans provide more protein than any other bean or legume, making them a staple either the vegan or non-vegan. Soybeans are rich in many nutrients, including calcium and iron.

Include plenty of whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, millet, and oats as they're a great source of fiber, minerals, protein and B complex vitamins. Buy the least processed grain types you can find, since many of the commercially prepared grains have had the nutritional and beneficial germ and bran removed.

Dark green leafy vegetables like kale, collard greens, watercress, and spinach are especially important while pregnant or lactating because they supply so many vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron. Dark leafy green vegetables also are rich in phytochemicals like beta carotene and lutein which protect against many forms of cancer. Vegetables from the cabbage family such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage are wonderful sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium. They are also rich in phytochemicals that have anticancer properties. Dark green leafy vegetables and cabbage family vegetables provide important nutrients that help to promote a plentiful milk supply for your baby.

Nuts and seeds are good sources of fiber, protein, minerals, and essential fatty acids. Be sure to eat flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds and walnuts to get omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for baby's brain and nervous system development as well as your own health. Nuts and seeds can be eaten raw or toasted, and work great in a salad made of dark leafy green vegetables.

Lastly, it's important to drink plenty of water, and make sure you're getting plenty of rest during this time. A well-hydrated, well-rested body recovers more quickly, and ready to take on the challenges that life with a newborn baby brings with it.

By: Julia Sullivan
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Visit Pregnancy Facts to learn about teenage pregnancy statistics and tips for getting pregnant