Women's Health

You only get one set, and they need to last you a life time. It's an embarrassing subject but you need to know how important it is for you to perform regular breast self exams. Many women depend on using mammograms as their only line of defense when it comes to breast cancer detection, but mammograms are only one part of a variety of detection methods and should not be used alone. So, for proper breast care, you should be performing regular breast self exams and getting breast exams from you doctor. In addition, you may also require extra screening, including a digital mammogram.

Your first mammogram is usually given at around age 40. However, it is common for women to develop breast cancer before that age and it tends to spread faster in younger women. That's why it's important for you to perform regular breast self exams and get breast exams from a medical professional.

Did you know that most breast health issues are first discovered through breast self exams, not mammograms? One reason is because they can be done more often. Also, because you get to know what your breasts are supposed to look and feel like, you can notice changes more readily and you can catch problems sooner.

You should start doing self exams around age 18 and continue performing them once a month, the week after your period. The more often you do them, the more likely you'll be to notice a problem.

The first step in a BSE is to look at your breasts in the mirror. Look for dimpling of the skin, changes in color and texture of the skin, changes in the nipple, and any secretions. Then, you should feel your breasts, looking for lumps that appear and don't disappear, or grow and change with time.

While doing a monthly breast exam will help you know your own body better, you're still not a medical professional. You should have an exam by a doctor starting around age 18 or 20 and every 2 to 3 years after that. This is a great second line of defense against breast cancer.

An easy way to take care of breast exams is with your annual pap smear. Many doctors perform breast exam when you come in for your pelvic. This is a great way to ensure you're getting checked early and often. It's also an opportune time to ask questions about self exams or general breast health.

In addition to these traditional methods, a new technology, called the digital mammogram, is now being used as another weapon in the fight against breast cancer. The methods used in taking a digital mammogram are essentially the same, except that the results can be viewed immediately instead of having to wait for film to develop. This is often used in finding the specific spot of a growth so they can take a biopsy. Faster results mean that the procedure can be done more quickly and with less pain or discomfort.

Remember, if you want to have proper protection against breast cancer, you need to do monthly self exams and have regular breast exams along with your regular mammograms. You are worth it!

Do you suffer with persistent pain throughout your body? Are you overwhelmed by fatigue? And suffering from depression? Has your doctor run tests but can't seem to find out what's wrong with you? You may be suffering from a disease called fibromyalgia. This is a chronic condition that causes pain throughout the body, along with other inconvenient and sometime debilitating symptoms.

While only a small percentage of the population has fibromyalgia, the occurrence of this disease is significantly higher in women, with the majority of cases occurring in your late 30's, all the way into your 50's.

The signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia:

The central symptom of fibromyalgia is musculoskeletal pain. It is generally widespread throughout the muscles, tendons and ligaments throughout the body. This includes areas on both sides of the body and above and below the waist. It may be more prominent in the neck, shoulders, back, and hips.

While pain can occur at any time, it is usually worse in the morning when you first wake up. Pain and other symptoms occur in episodes. An episode must last at least 3 months before you maybe diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

In addition to generalized pain, a person with fibromyalgia will also experience intense pain when certain parts of the body are pressed firmly. When a doctor examines you for fibromyalgia, they will press on 18 different points on the body. To be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you should have pain or tenderness in 11 of these pressure points.

Sleep studies show that women with fibromyalgia patients tend to have burst of activity in their brain intermittently during stage 4 sleep. This is when your body normally rests and regenerates itself physically. Even though you seem to be getting enough sleep, your body probably isn't getting the right kind of rest.

Lack of proper sleep causes fibromyalgia patients to experience moderate to severe fatigue. Fatigue can be so bad that some doctors hypothesize fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and not only related, but possibly the same disease. Lack of proper sleep can also cause other symptoms, including poor memory, lack of concentration, and anxiety.

Another common symptom of fibromyalgia is depression. This is not only due to constant stress from chronic pain, but also from lack of proper sleep. Since the symptoms of fibromyalgia and depression are so similar, your doctor should screen you for both in order to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.

Many women with fibromyalgia are also diagnosed with IBS or have some other intestinal problem. They may experience diarrhea, constipation, pain, or bloating. Watkins Peptic Pre-Meal may help with this, it's a blend of pure vegetable enzymes and herbs which eases the digestive process and offers a natural solution for occasional indigestion. Can be taken anytime from 15 minutes prior to 15 minutes after a meal…even at mealtime, for your ultimate convenience.

While these are the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia, you may experience other problems. Women with fibromyalgia also report: headaches, numbness, dizziness, and sensitivity to stimuli such as sound, touch, smell, or even the weather.

Treatments vary according to your symptoms. Some people find that using Watkins liniment helps as a treatment for their pain. This provides a safe, natural therapy for fibromyalgia which has the added benefit of being drug free.

Tell your doctor if you suspect you have fibromyalgia, they will likely run a battery of tests to rule out other disorders before they will actually provide a diagnosis. By being knowledgeable of this disease, you can recognize symptoms as they appear or worsen. Since there is no definitive test for fibromyalgia, knowing what's wrong can help you and your doctor more efficiently diagnose and treat your problem.

Are you entering menopause? If so you are probably experiencing the sudden heat, flushing, sweating, and heart palpitations associated with hot flashes. This symptom of menopause is not only uncomfortable, with episodes lasting up to thirty minutes, it's also severely distracting in your life. There are medical treatments that can help with hot flashes, but they can be extreme. You can always dress in layers, or turn the air conditioning up to high, but that's not always practical. So why not try a more natural remedy first? You don't have to live with the dreaded hot flashes, soy has been used for centuries to help relieve some or all of the symptoms associated with hot flashes.

Soy contains natural chemicals called isoflavones, which are a type of phytoestrogen a plant estrogen. These compounds are similar to and act like human estrogen in your body. Studies have shown that women who live in countries with a higher soy consumption have fewer hot flashes than women in cultures that don't eat soy. Many women who begin adding soy to their diet report fewer and less severe hot flashes. While soy does have the benefits of acting like human estrogen, it's effects are fairly weak. Women with mild to moderate hot flashes report decreases in their symptoms, but women with more severe symptoms may not experience as much relief. There are additional health benefits of soy as well, such as reducing the risk of heart disease and promoting bone health.

Soy can be found in many different forms. There are various types of soy food products and supplements. Watkins makes a great-tasting soy beverage that contains 50 mg of naturally-occurring soy isoflavones, the compounds in soy that are thought to be responsible for many of soy’s health benefits. SoyNilla also contains FiberAid®, a cutting-edge dietary fiber from arabinogalactan that promotes intestinal health and has been shown to support healthy cholesterol levels. Plus additional calcium and magnesium enhance the effects of soy in promoting strong bones; soy lecithin supports brain function, and Chromium Chelavite® supports your body’s metabolism. You get all this in a convenient high-protein, high-calcium, fat-free, cholesterol-free dry mix that can be blended with water, milk, or your favorite beverage for a smooth, creamy-tasting drink that takes only seconds to make. You'll find Watkins SoyNilla is a fast, convenient way to add soy to your daily diet.

As with any supplement or dietary changes, there may be concerns associated with soy. One is that because it acts as an estrogen in the body, it could effect the chance of breast cancer. It's always important to have regular mammograms and do self exams, even if you don't consume soy. Monitor your soy intake, consuming more than 50 grams per day may increase associated problems. Always consult your doctor or medical expert before making major dietary changes; they can help you figure out if soy is right for you.

While you can't avoid going through menopause, you can alleviate some of the symptoms. If you have problems with hot flashes and night sweats, eat right, exercise, and add some soy to your diet.