Friday, October 30, 2009

List Building Tips

"List building is everything!", or "the money is the list", your fortune is in the follow-up". You have heard it all before but do you really understand exactly what list building is and why is important to your future?

What is List Building?
In its simplest form, list building a two step process: the one step is the act of "capturing" a potential customer's name and email address and the second step is to use that information to create a relationship with that person. Notice I said "create a relationship" not to sell. I'll get back to that in a minute.

You want to use your list building process to collect the names and email addresses of as many people who have shown an interest in you and your business as possible or visit to www.build-own-list.com Basically you want to put a list building link (subscription form or something like it) in front of as many visitors as you possibly can. Put subscription forms or a link to a subscription page on every page on your website.

List Building and Relationships
Old time sales guys love the saying, "Nobody likes being sold, but most everyone likes to buy." And this is true for the most part. People have become very immune to hard sells and fast ball pitches. They don't like being pressured and will put up a lot of resistance to the idea of being "sold" something.

Now on the other hand, almost everyone loves to buy things, myself included. If you look at the national consumer debt figures, spending money is not most people's problem. They want to buy things that remove pain, increase pleasure or make their lives a little bit better and they want to enjoy themselves while doing it! That's why shopping with friends is so much fun!

That is what you want to happen with your list. You should think of your list as a community of like minded people looking to "buy" things to solve their problems or make their lives more pleasant (like a virtual shopping center). And they want to buy those things with the input of their trusted friend and advisor, "YOU".

List Building for the Long Term
List building should be renamed relationship building. People like to buy things from people they know, like and trust. You want to create an environment of trust for your list members. Trust is the cornerstone of all business interactions or go to www.autoresponder-money.com. No one is buying anything if they feel they are going to lose money or be tricked. So creating trust is vital to the welling being for long term list building.

So how do you create trust? Just like in face-to-face interactions; be honest and be yourself. Being honest is simple; don't lie to people to get them to do something. They will find out, get angry and they will go away...and bad mouth you in every email and forum they can find. They may even start up a "YourNameHereSucks.com" website. Seen it happen. Be real, be yourself. Let folks know who you are and what your business stands for.

List building is one of the most important elements of any online business and now that you understand why it so vital, you should be ready to start work on list building on your own.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Are You Considering Reversing Tubal Ligation?

Women who make the decision to have a tubal ligation reversal do it for a number of reasons. Some women complain of discomfort or pain after a tubal ligation and believe a reversal would ease this, others might believe they acted hastily when making the decision in the first place, for some women, a decision made while in an unhappy relationship, or thought they would not want any more children. Other women just want to feel ‘whole’ again.

Above all these reasons, the foremost motive that makes a woman choose to reverse a tubal ligation is simply because she wants to conceive again. Reasons vary for this, she may have lost a child, or remarried and her new partner either doesn’t have any of his own children or they want to have a child together. Tubal ligation reversal is a highly successful treatment for women who want to have children after they have had their fallopian tubes tied.

Tubal ligation is a procedure that blocks the fallopian tubes to prevent you from getting pregnant. This tying of the tubes is generally seen as unreversable. However, as it is quite normal for people to make decisions they later regret, there are procedures where, in most cases, it is possible to unblock these tubes for those women who want more children. The tube that has been tied is removed and the two parts will then be re-attached.

There is more than one method to perform tubal ligation or tubal occlusion. A common method is to loop a surgical ligature around the fallopian tube; this is the section that is then removed thus separating the two parts of the fallopian tube. Another method quite similar is when a surgeon uses two ligatures to seal a section of the tube; the part in-between is then cut out. Other methods use different burning techniques to seal the tubes, or clips and rings to close the tubes up.

Tubal ligation reversal is a relatively straight-forward operation and able to be performed on an outpatient basis, this enables the treatment to be more cost effective and makes it possible for you to go home the same day. The operation should only take about one hour; the procedure can be carried out in a hospital or outpatient clinic. Some women prefer to go to a specialized clinic as the staff can be more experienced and skilled in tubal reversal surgery. After the reversal it can take your body between 5 – 10 days to recover and you are able to start trying for a baby 3 - 4 weeks after the surgery.

The advantages of choosing tubal reversal surgery compared to IVF treatment are that the procedure is less expensive, and has a higher success rate.

If you are concerned about the tubal ligation reversal cost, then check out your insurance as some companies may cover part of the cost of tubal ligation reversal. Feel free to ask your surgeon any questions and always check out the clinics and surgeons experience and credentials. A surgeon who works at a tubal reversal clinic will be doing this every day and have gained a lot of experience. What you also could ask is as to their success rates following tubal reversal surgery. From the answers, you will have to take in consideration factors such as age group and the type of tubal ligation.

Finally, but important is to check the type of aftercare a clinic will give if you go ahead with the reversal. There should always be help on hand after tubal ligation surgery and a number where you can turn to if there are any complications. They should also check your progress over the coming weeks/months. Look online for further information regarding tubal reversal surgery.
Information about the Author:
Michiel Van Kets provides article services for Dr. Gary Berger, who is widely known as the tubal reversal doctor with the most experience reversing tied tubes and tubal ligation and works in the Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center. For any information on reversing tubal ligation, tubal occlusion or tubal reanastomosis, visit the website.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Good Advice On Planning A Baby Shower

Every woman's pregnancy deserves to be rewarded with a baby shower. After months of nausea, back pains, hundreds of trips to the bathroom, and craving for the craziest combinations of food imaginable the expecting mother has a right to celebrate. And the father and the future grandparents should have an opportunity to show all the love inside them just waiting to be poured upon the new life soon to arrive. What better way to show how much this happy coming event means than to shower the unborn child with gifts.

There are people who specialize in planning baby showers and if it fits the budget hire them. However, it's hardly necessary to take that path. With a little planning anyone can do what they do and probably better. Here are some suggestions to follow to help make ones own baby shower a grand memory.

All major celebrations and events that turn out successful have one important thing in common. They have a theme which is incorporated throughout the entire affair. Choosing a theme for ones baby shower doesn't have to be complicated. One of the first things to do is decide on who you wish to invite to the party. Is it going to be for the ladies only or is it going to be a mixed gathering.

Regardless of who is coming keep it simple. For example, if it's going to be a girl you can make it a "Think Pink" theme. If the new family member is a boy then choose perhaps a masculine theme like "Gun's and Roses". Now we're just kidding of course. You get the drift. It could be something simple like," Toys for Baby Day". Anything you want the theme to be is ok. Then be sure to include the theme on the baby shower invitations. This will let your friends and family members have a chance to add their creative talents too.

One way to keep the baby shower from being a flop is to plan some games. It's supposed to be a time of rejoicing. And it's easy to come up with great ideas for baby shower games. For example, you can have diaper changing races or stretch a string around mommy's tummy and try to guess the length. Stay away from guessing mommy's weight. Perhaps you can have a betting pool on what day, what time, and how much the baby will weigh.

Don't forget to take pictures and shoot videos so one day you can show the new child how happy their being born was to everyone. The bottom line is it might be a baby shower but it's grown ups that'll be playing.

Before having the baby shower make sure you considered the obvious things every party requires. Make sure that you have enough beverages and snacks. Be sure to plan on the unexpected guest showing up too.

If there's going to be alcoholic beverages arrange to have designated drivers to aid folk's home. Choose the music ahead of time to help set the mood.

Planning a good baby shower takes work. However, if you take the time and exert the effort to make it a success you'll find when it's over and done the only regrets you'll have will be waiting for the next one.
Information about the Author:
Mr.Rodgers is an independent Freelance article writer. Specializing in SEO web content. He is also the owner and webmaster of www.I-Like-Writing.com

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Are You Using The Best Pregnancy Diet?

Now that you have a new baby in your house, you probably have another less welcome problem too. You might still be carrying some excess weight left over from the birth of your baby. Now is the time for it to go. The best pregnancy diet will show you how to get rid of it by changing your lifestyle. There are three main ways to lose that post-baby weight. By eating a healthier diet, getting plenty of exercise and choosing to breastfeed your baby, you are using the best pregnancy diet plan. These three methods are the most successful techniques used to lose baby weight. They are simple, flexible and relatively cheap. And they will work for you too.

To begin, when you got pregnant, prenatal advice was to gain weight. After your delivery, you found that there was something left over. The best pregnancy diets tell you how to get rid of it. You must eat fewer calories every day. The object is to change what you have been eating for the last nine months. Postnatal advice is to eat a high fiber, high protein diet loaded with vegetables and fruits. Protein can be found in lean meats, skinless chicken and fish, among many other choices. Pick those with fewer calories. Salads are good, but avoid the dressings. Go with vinegar and oil. Low fat dairy products like yogurt contribute protein and vitamin D. But your best overall advice from the best pregnancy diet is to drink lots and lots of water. It gives you a full feeling and it flushes your system of toxins while rehydrating you.

Women used to believe that they had to wait for six to eight weeks before doing any exercise. But these days are different.The best pregnancy diet requires that you burn more calories than you eat. Doctors say that if you had a normal vaginal birth, then there's no reason to wait. You can get going with an exercise program any time you like. What most new mothers do is start by pushing a baby stroller around for a few minutes every day. They are exercising their arms, legs and abdominals when they do. After a short time, they get a fair idea of their physical condition. Then they can add exercise as they see fit. The best pregnancy diets offer options for determined mothers. Some new moms join a health club for their special programs. They usually offer day care for the baby while mom works out. Afterward, she gets the advantage of a hot tub to help relax after her workout.

It's welcome knowledge when the new mom learns that she is losing weight just by breastfeeding. That's why it's included in the best pregnancy diets. Breastfeeding is Nature's way of effortless weight loss. When the new mom begins during her postpartum phase, her body starts a hormonal change that breaks down her body fat into nutrients used for her baby's milk. That will result in a 500 calorie loss every day. Combine that impressive loss with diet and exercise, and you can expect to lose a pound or more every week. Now that's the best pregnancy diet.

To wrap things up, the best pregnancy diet will include eating a healthier diet, getting enough strenuous exercise and breastfeeding to achieve the best results. It must be said here, that if you are breastfeeding, you must eat a minimum of 1500 to 1800 calories each day to insure that your baby gets all necessary nutrition. But that's not much, and there's lots of room for improvisation. These three techniques will work for you as they have for countless others. You can do this.
Information about the Author:
Of course this is just a few tips on the best pregnancy diet. Many people ask us how they can lose that baby belly and we help many by sharing what worked for us. More questions? losing-baby-weight.com

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Think about of Home Cooking for Your Dog

With the recent recall of many brands of pet food, pet owners are thinking twice about feeding their pets commercial pet foods.
Not only do we have to worry about what we are feeding our families; we now have the added worry about our cat or dog’s diet.
What is a pet owner to do?
The first thing you don’t do is “jump right in and start cooking.”
Why. You ask?
Simply because there are many things to take into consideration. Feeding your pet means providing the proper nutrition in order to keep him/her healthy and fit.
The first suggestion is read a book or two on a proper diet for your pet be it cat or dog for the help www.bread-bakers-assistant.com. I have listed a few titles at the end of this article that I feel will be beneficial to read.
Secondly, you need to find more than one recipe to feed your pet as variety is not only the spice of life, but necessary in order to get the right combination of nutrients into the pet’s body.
Thirdly, you have to decide if you have the time and energy to devote to the task of cooking for one or two more members of your family.
What are the benefits?
The benefits are many, it has been proven that a homemade diet has helped many dogs with various conditions regain their health. Many pet foods are of poor quality, over processed, filled with artificial ingredients and many other chemicals, just read the labels. Carbohydrates are often more than 50 percent of the main ingredient in most pet foods. For dogs, carbohydrates are harder to digest and can cause inflammation to the body. For cats, carbohydrates are not an essential ingredient for their diets, proteins are. Thus a home cooked diet can provide less carbohydrates and more protein making the food easier to digest and keeps the body’s immune system from becoming over reactive. Feeding your pet, fresh or lightly cooked foods helps to supply nutrients in their natural form, which over processed pet foods does not.
There are several types of homemade diets, which include, raw and cooked foods, diets that contain little or no grains; diets mixed with commercial food, and diets that either include raw or cooked bones for the help www.tailgating-recipe.com. There are many choices and variety is the important ingredient.
Dogs are known to eat most anything, whether it is good for them or not.
There is no “one” diet that is good for all dogs or cats.
Every pet is an individual and the diet is dependent on physical condition, size, activity level and age. What is perfect for one pet may not be good for another.
That is why variety is stressed so much. Constant feeding of one recipe may not supply all the necessary nutrients, but changing food groups and content can easily fulfill your entire pet’s needs.
It is not known exactly what nutrients are needed in a dog’s diet; the USDA Nutrient Database uses figures to determine only average nutritional values. Nutritional studies are going on all the time and there are still gaps in their determinations of proper nutritional values.
Even if you were to follow a diet determined by your vet or a pet nutritionist they would advise adding a vitamin/mineral supplement, as no one really knows exactly what your particular pet needs.
A homemade diet should provide the following: variety, balance over time, and calcium.
The variety can come from feeding such foods as chicken, turkey, beef, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, and some pork. Some vegetables, fruit (no grapes or raisins) and some grains can be added. Organ meats such as liver, kidneys or heart should be added at different times.
Raw meaty bones are very good for teeth and gums and provide calcium. When considering bones do not feed cooked chicken bones. Raw chicken backs and leg quarters are considered acceptable, those bones will not splinter, along with lamb necks and breast and pork riblets and necks.
Chicken necks and turkey necks are considered okay also, but large dogs tend to choke on the turkey necks and little dogs on the chicken necks, so I would be very careful offering those items unless you were close by.
You can cook bones and grind them, if feeding raw bones makes you feel uncomfortable. Large meaty beef bones are good too,
If bacteria from raw foods scare you, don’t be, a dog’s insides were meant to handle bacteria. Unless your dog is stressed or ill, bacteria from raw meat or chicken will have little if any effect on your dog. The same goes for raw eggs, though you can lightly scramble or soft boil them if it makes you feel better.
There is no danger in feeding your puppy or older dog a high protein diet, as protein is beneficial to the immune system, the central nervous system and helps the your dog have healthy skin and coat. Dogs that are fed a high protein diet seem calmer and less hyper than those fed a high carbohydrate diet.
If you do not have the time or desire to prepare completely homemade meals for your dog there is no problem in adding fresh food to your dog’s dry or canned food. However, the percentage of fresh versus commercial should be kept down to about 25 percent in order not to upset the nutritional balance.
When adding food to your pet’s commercial diet try to stay with more protein than carbohydrates as the commercial food is already high in grains, Best bets are eggs, meat, fish (canned with bones like salmon, sardines or mackerel), yogurt, cottage cheese and small amounts of vegetables.
There are companies that sell a pre-mixed dry food that
is ready for you to add fresh food to complete a balanced meal for your dog. Some companies such as www.thehonestkitchen.com and www.solidgoldhealth.com offer great products you can add to your pet’s food or feed directly.
The following books are some available as recommended reading:
• Barker’s Grub by Rudy Edalati
• Real Food for Dogs by Arden Moore
• Feeding Your Dog for Life by Diane Morgan
• The Whole Pet Diet by Andi Brown
Should you decide in the light of the current pet food situation to start home cooking for your pet, please do yourself a favor and your pet, read and learn before you make the attempt.
If you do not feed your pet the correct amount of nutrients it needs for survival you are only not only defeating your purpose for doing it, but you are affecting your pet’s health and your pocketbook with extra vet bills.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Pregnancy and Various kinds of Ovarian Cysts

One woman described how she'd had two miscarriages already. The first one was at 21 weeks, the second was at eight weeks. And she found out during her second pregnancy that she had a dermoid cyst on her right ovary. And she writes in that we consulted a doctor that said it wasnt the cause of my miscarriage, and can I still try getting pregnant? It was almost a year passed since I had my second miscarriage, and I'm trying to get pregnant, but what I just observed with myself now is I can't get pregnant as easily now like before, any advice?

First of all, the first advice is she had two miscarriages, miscarriages are extremely common. Twenty percent of all pregnancies miscarry before 12 weeks, it's nature's way of ridding vaginetic products.

The miscarriage at 21 weeks was rather unusual. I'm assuming that this was something that was looked into, and probably was not a cause of anything that would repeat itself. The dermoid cyst on her right ovary, well if she knows she had a dermoid cyst on the right ovary, that must have been removed.

We were probably given part of the information because no doctor's going to leave a dermoid cyst. As far as her so-called - her concerns about infertility since that dermoid cyst, pregnancy is not as easy as one thinks.

Pregnancy - the average couple who have intercourse the average number of times, which is 2.5 times per week will conceive 90 percent of the time in one year, in two years 95 percent. But you still have ten percent that are not going to conceive in one year. So one year of lack of conception is not an infertility concern in my mind. So my advice is just continue trying, dont worry about the cyst, and hopefully pregnancy number three will be absolutely normal.

Let's see, there was something else here. Oh, there is an increasing number of women - since we mentioned some drugs, we should mention Tamoxifen. Tamoxifen is an anti-breast cancer drug, the most commonly used. Women are often on it five years, very effective. The good news is Tamoxifen works, being an anti-estrogen effect on the breast, it stops the estrogen receptors.

Because breast tumors many times have - they like estrogen. So this particular anti-cancer drug works by blocking estrogen. But it has some good news too, it has a positive estrogen effect on bone and on the heart. And we know that estrogen can be good for bone growth, that's why many women are given estrogens after menopause. And it can be good on bone growth and prevent heart disease. The one problem with women on this particular drug though is that it causes in some cases a slight increase in uterus cancers, because it has the positive estrogen effect on the uterus.

And it can in some cases increase any cysts that are there. But to my knowledge there is no evidence that it can cause ovary cancers. So we have some effects from this powerful anti-breast cancer drug that are positive, no ovary bad effects except it can cause an increased size in the cysts. And these would be managed like any other cysts.

I think one thing here is - one woman writes in and she says is surgery a must for a cyst measuring 20 centimeters? 20 centimeters is huge. Greater than 10 centimeters is huge. The answer is unequivocally 20-centimeter cyst is in risk of torsion, it should be operated upon, no questions asked. And we dont know the age of this woman, but the odds are most likely in her favor because it's a cyst. And the other one here is -

I have one question I think is very good. Is a hysterectomy the best option for an ovary cyst on a 68-year-old woman, any other options? I'm going to answer that because I'm from the school of thought that says if you're going in for a hysterectomy in the menopausal years, I believe those ovaries should come out. Now this is Doctor Christopher Frevilles philosophy, many colleagues agree with me, some do not. But the ovary has very little function after menopause. At menopause it doesnt have any except it can serve as a place for bad tumors and bad cysts to grow.

So if for some reason one has to have a hysterectomy at the menopausal time in life, my strong recommendation would be discussed with your doctor should the ovaries come out. Because unfortunately, ovary cancers, which are not really the topic of this discussion, often dont show up and have symptoms until they're somewhat progressed. That's something I wanted to throw in there.
Information about the Author:
Hillary Templeton gives advice to women of all types of ovarian cysts on her website. Click here for more information on ruptured ovarian cysts www.ovariancystshelp.com

Thursday, October 15, 2009

5 Reasons to Lose the Pregnancy Weight !

5 Reasons to Lose the Pregnancy Weight !

This is the right moment to lose your pregnancy weight. This is the moment to stop rationalizing why you should put it off. Need one good reason to get started? How about 5 good reasons to lose the pregnancy weight?

Life is what you make it. So if you are miserable with your current situation, why not make the necessary changes to wellness? This does not mean banking on the false promises of quick-fix diet pills and diets that are out there. And it doesn't mean joining your local gym in hopes of spending hours on the treadmill to trim your tummy. It does mean that you have to realize that this task requires a change in lifestyle and that change to wellness begins with you.

1. The Power lies within you.

You are the captain of your "ship" (body) and therefore, the ability to trim your tummy and get lean and fit will be up to you. You are responsible for what and when you eat. Choosing a lifestyle program, as your means to lose the baby weight, is a smart choice because it takes into account the psychological obstacles, appropriate exercises, nutritional knowledge, skills and tools that are needed to achieve success. Weight loss is not only about losing body fat but also of achieving wellness.

2. Respect yourself.

As any busy Mom would agree, days seem to fly by and before you know it, you are overweight Mom with low self-esteem. It's easy to get lost in translation between your pre-baby and post-baby existence. You can learn how to have a balance in your life with a lifestyle program. All work and no play will make for an unhappy-can't-lose-the-weight Mom. A Mom who feels good about herself inside and out results in a happy family.

3. Lose Inches off your Body

Moms are not as fashion savvy as they would like to be out of practicality of dealing with children but mostly out of embarrassment of being overweight. You can burn the baby fat and become your own goddess by doing strength training. Resistance training re-builds your muscle into toned muscles and it doesn't require a lot of your time.

4. Eliminate Fatigue

When you exercise and eat right, your body will have more energy. Also, just psychologically knowing that you are looking and feeling better, can contribute to increasing your energy and putting you in a better frame of mind. A proper diet and healthy approach to life will keep you energized to maintain a balanced life and keep the weight off.

5. Reduce Stress.

The unpredictability of life makes stress inevitable. You can reduce stress in your life when you life a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating right, getting enough rest and exercise and spending quality time with your loved ones and yourself. Also learning skills to cope with certain stresses can help to make life more manageable. As we all know, reducing stress will contribute to your wellness and that of your family's.

Losing pregnancy weight will require that you commit to the task and to do so for the long run by changing to a healthier lifestyle. The right lifestyle program can guide you in losing the baby fat and becoming the healthier for it. You can have everything only if you let it happen He sums up all the reasons for you to re-claim a healthy lifestyle and live your life.

Losing pregnancy weight can be daunting but there is no time like today to start now. Be sure to check out www.coupons4save.com for more products and more information on losing the baby fat and getting healthy again.
Information about the Author:
www.coupons4save.com.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Tired Of No Results? Try The Best Pregnancy Diet

The best pregnancy diet offers answers and solutions to your weight loss problems. The best pregnancy diet is one that is practical and usable by anyone with a weight loss after baby delivery problem. The best pregnancy diet is the one that offers the three most successful ways of losing weight for new mothers. When you eat a healthier diet, get plenty of vigorous exercise and choose to breastfeed your baby, you are using the best pregnancy diet. These three techniques are responsible for most of the weight loss achieved by new mothers. They will work for you too.

The best pregnancy diet is one that lets you choose what foods you want to eat as long as they meet the criteria of a healthy diet. The object here is to eat fewer calories. When you got pregnant, you gained weight. After delivery, you found that you need to get rid of what weight there was left over. The best pregnancy diet recommends the same foods you were advised to eat with your postnatal advice. A high fiber, high protein diet rich with fruits and vegetables is called for. Lean meats, fish and skinless chicken supply needed protein. Low fat dairy products like yogurt lend protein and vitamin D. But any wholesome foods may be eaten as long as they fit into your plan for healthier food and fewer calories. The best single piece of advice is to drink plenty of plain water. It gives you a nice full feeling and it flushes out your system while rehydrating you.

There are still stories out there about waiting for six to eight weeks before doing any exercise. Unless you had some complication or perhaps a C-section during the birth, it's recommended that you begin exercise as soon as you feel you can.The best pregnancy diet means burning calories by increasing your metabolism. That calls for exercise. It's probably best to wait for a day or two, then begin. Most new mothers begin by pushing a stroller around for a few minutes every day. This simple act exercises your arms, legs and abdominal muscles. After a while, you get to know your physical condition and can add exercise as you see fit. If you are one of the lucky ones, you can join one of the health clubs that have special programs for new mothers. They usually offer free day care for the baby while mom works out. Then later, she can relax and unwind again in the hot tub.

The best pregnancy diets call for the new mother to breastfeed her baby. When she does so during her postpartum phase, her body begins a hormonal change that starts breaking down her body fat. That process makes the nutrients for her baby's milk. It's responsible for a 500 calorie loss every day. The best pregnancy diet recommends combining breastfeeding with diet and exercise to achieve a weight loss of at least a pound every week. The combination of all three techniques will result in a healthier lifestyle that is beneficial to the new mother. It should be said that when she breastfeeds, she should consume at least 1500 to 1800 calories every day. That will guarantee her baby an adequate supply of nutrition.

In conclusion, the best pregnancy diet combines eating a healthier group of foods, getting adequate exercise and breastfeeding to offer the most successful method of losing that unwanted baby weight. It has worked for untold numbers of mothers throughout history, and it will work for you too.
Information about the Author:
Of course this is just a few tips on the best pregnancy diet. Many people ask us how they can lose that baby belly and we help many by sharing what worked for us. More questions? losing-baby-weight.com

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Lose Weight After Baby-How Do I Get Started?

You just had a baby. Great! Now you are a real family! Just one problem. You need to lose some serious weight to get your health and your figure back. The baby comes first! But then you need to think of yourself coming in a close second. After all, the little guy (or girl) is counting on you to give him a good start at life.

There are some things you can do for him and for you. Losing weight after baby requires a good plan and the ability to stick with it. Consider these three most often used ways to begin your goal of losing weight after baby.

First, Breastfeeding is Nature's way of beginning to lose weight after your baby. The new Mother's body undergoes some major changes after the birth of her child. Her body is changing with a flood of hormones. One effect is the production of breast milk. When the new Mother begins to breastfeed, she can lose at least 500 calories each day.

That will begin the weight loss program Nature blessed you with. Those hormones begin the breakdown of body fat into the nutrients that your baby needs to grow. This is a smart beginning for the Mother determined to lose weight after baby.

Most Doctors advise newly pregnant women to gain 15 or more pounds to insure that the developing baby will receive the necessary nutrition in the Mother's body. After giving birth, Most Mothers lose 10 to 12 pounds counting the amniotic fluids and blood loss. After all that, most Doctors say the new Mother should begin to lose some weight after baby. She should begin a healthy diet and lifestyle change.

Her diet should include a lot of fiber and liquids. Fruits and veggies are a good source. She needs a high protein, low fat source, such as lean meats, skinless chicken and fish. Include dairy products, as long as they are low fat things like yogurt and skim milk. Water and fruit juices are also very important to replace all of the fluid lost with breastfeeding.

Losing weight after baby is hard work! That means the new Mother will have to look for ways to exercise that fit into her busy schedule. The old way of thinking was to wait six to eight weeks after the birth to begin any serious exercise. That is still true for Mothers who have had complications with the birth, or if they had a Caesarean Section.

Rest is necessary for recovery. But if the new Mom had a normal vaginal birth with no complications, there is no reason why she shouldn't start a careful exercise plan as soon as she feels up to it. For some, they start right away, but most wait a few days and then begin walking or pushing a stroller. They start slowly and cautiously, to see what general condition they are in.

After a couple of days, they start to gain confidence in their plan if everything goes well. The new Mother should look to exercise her arms, legs and abdominal muscles first. Walking is almost as good as running, but without all the impact. And pushing a stroller does exercise those areas. The exercise will increase her metabolism and help her to lose weight after baby.

To sum up, the new Mom must make choices that will help both her and the new child in her life. Losing weight after baby is the right choice to make to help her regain a healthy lifestyle. Breastfeeding, a healthy diet and regular physical exercise are the three most common and successful choices a new Mother can make.
Information about the Author:
Of course this is just a few tips on losing baby weight. Many people ask us how they can lose that baby weight fast and we'll answer how long you can expect it to take in another article. More questions? losing-baby-weight.com

Rib Pain During Pregnancy

Rib pain during pregnancy can be a persistent problem, especially during the third trimester. Your rib cage may feel mildly sore or extremely tender and bruised. You may have discomfort on either side, or both sides, though it is commonly worse on the right side of the ribs.

Pain occurs in and under the ribs as your uterus grows. Later in pregnancy, your abdomen becomes stretched, and your uterus stretches upward as well as outward. Your pelvis and abdomen are becoming full, and your baby is beginning to press up under your ribs and chest. This upward pressure from your baby may also make you feel short of breath.

This pressure on your ribs and diaphragm may also result in shoulder pain, because there are nerves in the diaphragm which can refer pain into the shoulders. This pain can be very sharp! It may also result in indigestion or acid reflux as your baby puts the squeeze on your stomach.

Additionally, as your breast become larger, they also place pressure on your ribs. During pregnancy, your breasts may increase by one full cup size or more. The extra weight pulls your shoulders forward and down, and places strain on the upper back, neck, and often results in pain around the rib cage.

As your body prepares for the delivery of your baby, your hormones are hard at work loosening your muscles and ligaments. This loosening can allow your ribs to shift and move in ways that were not natural before, causing discomfort. Your ribcage is not only loosening, but expanding as well, not only to make room for your baby, but also to help increase your breathing and lung capacity. Even though you may be feeling short of breath, your body is taking in about forty percent more air than it did before you became pregnant.

Rib pain during pregnancy can cause the greatest discomfort when you are in a sitting position. Practicing good posture is especially important. Try to make sure that you sit up straight with your shoulders back. Slouching will compress your abdomen and result in more pain.

Try to wear loose clothing so that you do not add any extra pressure to your belly. Try getting a new bra. It is especially important to have a supportive bra that is not too tight. Under wire bras may put too much extra pressure on your ribs. Now may be a good time to invest in a good nursing bra. They usually offer nice support without being too tight and will be useful once your baby is born.

Holding your arms up over your head can take some pressure off and provide temporary relief from rib pain by lifting the ribs away from the uterus.

Practicing doorway chest stretches can also be helpful because they, too, will help rotate the shoulders up and back, which can also help lift the ribs away from the uterus.

Stretching and prenatal yoga are great for keeping your body long and loose. The less compressed you are, the less your rib cage will hurt. Breathing and relaxation exercises may also be effective. There are a variety of hands on techniques that can help to gently stretch and lift your ribs away from the uterus. Applying these techniques to your breasts, chest and abdomen, can really relieve a lot of pain and pressure from your body, though you will need a friend or partner to help you.

Scheduling a visit to your massage therapist, chiropractor, or acupuncturist, may also help provide relief from rib pain during pregnancy.

If you are having rib and flank pain that goes through to your back, and or burning or pain with urination, you should contact your health care provider. This could be an indication of a urinary tract infection.
Information about the Author:
Orit Cox is a Holistic Health Practitioner and massage therapist in San Diego, CA and content writer for www.pregnancymomandbaby.com, an information resource for pregnancy and mothers. Orit is also the author of The Pregnancy Pain Guide, featured at www.PregnancyPainRelief.com, where you can discover easy-to-implement techniques to relieve pregnancy pain.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Impact Of Aging On Male Fertility

Any debate on advancing age and its effects on fertility has always been linked to women as if men do not get impacted at all. This understanding or the lack of it has been exposed thoroughly and research indicates that men too experience significant changes related to fertility in terms of decreasing sperm count and motility as they grow older.

This is a result of the physiological changes that are inevitable and one of them takes place in the form of the reduction of the testicular mass. Simultaneously, there is also a decrease in the testosterone level, the seminal tubes lose their resilience and with the epididymis and the prostate glands shedding cells; the pace of sperm production definitely takes a hit.

To compound the above problems, one out of two men suffer from a benign prostate condition which may not be dangerous to life but seriously inhibits the motility of sperms leading to lesser probability of the egg getting fertilized. Advancing age also weakens the muscles accountable for ejaculation; with the result the sperms ejaculated do not have the legs in them to reach the egg. It is a paradox that despite these problems, semen characteristics continue to remain very much within the standard norms and do not reflect major changes.

Another significant development that has been noticed is the DNA duplication process running into errors and that is the primary reason that semen donation has been restricted till the age of 40, as it has been discovered that the sperm cells of a man in his late forties would undergo far greater divisions as compared to an individual in his twenties.
Certain other complications like the Marfan syndrome, which is a genetic disorder associated with the connective tissue, causing abnormally long limbs and Apert Syndrome, which leads to deformities in the skull, face are known to occur in the offspring fathered by males over 45.

It is an accepted fact that aging by itself does not impact the sexual performance or thwarts a person from becoming a father. It is not the physical aspect that gets affected due to age but problems that are caused due to medication or mental factors that may precipitate a decline in the fertility levels. A case in point is impotence which may be due to some medications being taken for hypertension or diabetes; affecting the sexual performance of an otherwise healthy person. Such individuals need to consult their physician for an alternative mode of treatment.

Low libido due to reduction in testosterone levels, impotence and lack of understanding among the partners invariably causes a lower sex drive which in turn impacts fertility and need to be addressed accordingly. Research has revealed that the ability to have a satisfactory sexual life in the middle years of an individual often determines his sexual performance in his later years, influencing his capability to father children at that age.

Decreasing testosterone levels seriously affects fertility and manifests itself in the form of abnormal weight gain, insomnia, lack of self confidence, anxiety, problems with memory and even loss of hair. The problem needs to be tackled from different perspectives and only then can a practical solution emerge.

It would be incorrect to ascribe loss of fertility to male menopause, as various other reasons like stress, medication in addition to aging also play their part in negatively impacting male fertility. The key to maintain a top physical and physiological state is to indulge in regular exercise, minimize stress and seek timely medical advice. While the subject of male fertility demands far greater attention and research, current information borne out of extensive study shows that men can and do have the capability to father children even in their later years.
Information about the Author:
Steve Taylor is the webmaster of popular Male Fertility Information website. visit us online at www.malefertilitysupplements.com

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Decorating for a Terrific Baby Shower

If you are planning a baby shower, you want to make a great impression, not only on the expectant close friend or family member, but also on your guests. It isn't always easy to come up with fresh, fun, and simple ideas to entertain everyone. Where do you even start? This article should help with some great ideas to get your baby shower started and inspire you to greatness.

Theme

If you want your party to appear organized and planned out, then a theme can be very helpful. A good theme can make your party more fun, while making decorating decisions easier on you. The simplest baby shower theme is the "baby" theme, with storks, bottles, rattles, bonnets, and diapers. If you prefer a more unconventional theme, try a seasonal theme. You could do a winter theme with snowmen, snowflakes, sleighs, and icicles.

Or try a Valentine's Day theme with red hearts, cherubs, and roses. Your theme could relate to Christmas, New Year's, the Fourth of July, or Easter. If you don't want either the "baby" theme or a seasonal theme, try a beach party with beach balls, blankets, buckets, or a sand castle (if you have sand and want to put the effort into building one.) Once you have chosen a theme, the task of decorating will be much easier.

Color

If you already know the gender of the baby, then you could always go with the traditional blue for boy, pink for girl. If the parents are keeping the gender a secret, or don't want to know, then you can still use a certain color scheme as the basis for your party decoration. You could go with the mother's favorite color, or a light, cute color like light green, pale purple, or bright yellow.

You aren't required to use just blue or pink, especially if you aren't sure if it is a boy or a girl. Just keep the colors fun and upbeat for a baby shower (no black decorations, please.)

Decorations

Although there are many, many options for decorations, don't be overwhelmed. Choose a theme and stick with it. Balloons make excellent decorations. You could go with blue or pink, or if you a using a Valentine's Day theme, you could get balloons that say, "I love you, baby!" If your theme is the Fourth of July, then go with red, white, and blue balloons.

You could even throw in a few pink ones if you don't know the baby's gender. Try using baby food jars as weights to hold the balloons in place. Add some streamers that match your color choice. Another great decoration idea is something to symbolize motherhood. For a gift table centerpiece, get a big lioness and some smaller cubs. You could also use a large teddy bear and some smaller baby bears. You can add a tiny diaper to the baby bear if you so choose. Stuffed animals in mother and baby sizes make great centerpieces!

You could even customize them to match your theme by adding a scarf for a winter theme, or a star-spangled hat for the mother bear for the Fourth of July. If your theme is Valentine's Day, then you should be able to easily find teddy bears that fit right in to your theme. If the mother-to-be has a favorite animal, then try using a stuffed version of that for the mother and baby centerpiece, like a stuffed cat and some kittens.

Favors

While there is no rule that says you have to provide party favors for a baby shower, they will be appreciated. In addition to being thoughtful, party favors can also be used as prizes for shower games. They also make great decorations. For instance, you could have cute napkins with babies painted on them that could be decorative and serve as a take-home party favor.

You could also give away the mother and babies stuffed animal centerpiece mentioned above as a party favor or prize. Small stuffed animals are affordable, make cute baby animals, and are easy to find, whether you are talking about a teddy bear, stuffed lioness, plush cat, or other animal. Other traditional favors include photo frames, candles, crystal booties, and candy tins. There are many great party favors, so don't forget them!

The best baby showers require a lot of planning and effort, but the above suggestions should give you a great place to start and help stimulate some ideas. Just come up with a theme and a color scheme, then get decorative items to match them. Next, pick out some party favors and plan some activities. Soon the party will start to take shape.

Although baby showers require planning, they don't have to be a huge pain! Make sure that your baby shower is loads of fun for all your guests and a party to remember.
Information about the Author:
Have your baby shower decorated in no time with great stuffed lions, cute teddy bears and many more fantastic stuffed animals from www.KCPlush.com

Friday, October 2, 2009

The Natural Treatment of Infertility

Infertility is the inability for a couple to conceive a child despite having regular unprotected sex. After 1 - 2 years of attempting to naturally conceive, approximately 85 percent of couples will find themselves pregnant. Although one in seven couples have difficulty conceiving, the number of couples who are actually infertile is relatively low. There are two types of infertility; primary infertility and secondary infertility. Primary infertility is if you have never naturally conceived a child, and secondary infertility is if you have had one or more babies in the past, but are having difficulty conceiving again.

There are many reasons for infertility. It is often commonly regarded as a problem specific to women but within 80 percent of cases with couples who are diagnosed as infertile, half of these are partially also due to male factors. Signs of male infertility can include a condition called azoospermia; a lack of sperm production or oligospermia, whereby he produces too few sperm required to fertilise the female egg. Symptoms of infertility which occur in females are most commonly a related to ovulation disorders. If a female fails to ovulate, this prevents egg fertilisation. Symptoms of ovulation problems include irregular menstrual periods or a lack of periods altogether, also referred to as amenorrhea. Hormonal imbalances can also contribute to ovulation problems. If the fallopian tubes are blocked at one or both ends, this will also be problematic as the egg is then unable to travel through the tubes into the uterus.

Although there is no specific time frame to say when a couple is infertile, your GP will only advise you seek medical attention if you have failed to conceive after one year of actively trying. In order to then diagnose the condition, a medical evaluation may determine what factors are causing a couple's infertility. If a medical and sexual history fails to establish the problem such as a low sperm count or absence of ovulation, specific tests will then be carried out. For the female, the first step in testing is to determine if she is ovulating each month. This can be done by monitoring changes in morning body temperature by using an FDA-approved home ovulation test kit which is available over the counter. Ovulation tests can also be carried out by your GP via blood tests for hormone levels or ultrasound tests of the ovaries. If the woman is ovulating, further testing will then be advised.

It is important to be aware before attempting to conceive, that simple lifestyle factors including stress or diet can largely affect a woman's hormonal balance and therefore the ability to conceive. Similarly, lifestyle issues can influence the number and quality of a man's sperm. Regular alcohol consumption and the use of substances such as marijuana, nicotine, and certain medications, can significantly reduce sperm quality and sometimes quantity. Stress is also a huge factor as it can trigger hormone imbalances. Ultimately, infertility in both males and females can largely be due to naturally controllable factors such as a poor diet, lack of exercise and stress. Conceiving is also highly dependent on when intercourse should occur in relation the female menstrual cycle and establishing which key days within the cycle are when fertilisation is most likely to take place can help significantly. Addressing a natural approach to combat infertility can have miraculous results and avoid processes such as IVF (in vitro fertilization) which can be both expensive and there is no 100 percent guarantee that it will be successful.
Information about the Author:
Laura Yates is a holistic health writer for Megavista Health. For more information on the natural treatment of infertility, please go to "http://www.megavista-health.com/infertility"