Posts Tagged insulin resistance
PCOS in Women – The Symptoms and Natural Treatments
Posted by in Pregnancy on December 10th, 2009
Today, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) is found in large number of women. It is a disorder and according to the studies, around 5% of women are suffering from it around the globe.
According to the medical practitioners, at present, the causes behind this syndrome are not known, but they relate these factors with this disorder found in women – obesity, diabetes and insulin resistance. PCOS is a very common hormonal disorder that affects the reproduction system of women. And, this syndrome is also co-related with pregnancy.
Symptoms of PCOS
The symptoms of the syndrome vary from one woman to another. However, some of the common symptoms are listed below –
•Irregularity in menstrual periods, which may cause Oligomenorrhea or Amenorrhoea
•Weight gain or Obesity, it is important to note that one out of two women with this syndrome are obese
•Oily skin, which lead to acne or seborrhea
•Infertility is another very common symptom of this syndrome, and is mainly because of chronic anovulation. Anovulation (lack of ovulation) can also results in irregular menstruation
•Another common symptom is increased and excessive body hair also called as Hirsutism. Hair loss can also be the symptom of PCOS
•Increase in the voice intensity
•Depression
Pregnancy with PCOS – Natural PCOS remedies
As mentioned earlier, polycystic ovarian syndrome and pregnancy are deeply correlated with each other. And if you are having difficulty conceiving because of this syndrome, then you can either take conventional treatments such as IVF or you can opt for the natural PCOS treatments.
Some of the most effective natural solutions are –
•There is a very popular Chinese herb named as Siberian Ginseng whose botanical name is Eleutherococcus Senticosis. It is commonly used by many different naturopaths for balancing the body hormones. This is the best natural solution for treating polycystic ovarian syndrome.
•You are also advised to take proper acupuncture treatments to clean your energy ports.
•Along with this, increasing the intake of folic acid will also help you.
•Some other natural treatment methods like taking proper diet, hypnosis, and some particular sex positions, can also help you to cure infertility and get pregnant quickly.
Natural solutions are better options as they are not expensive as IVF and also these solutions don’t involve any surgery or other harmful drugs. This is why these treatments are safer than the conventional methods as they don’t have any side effects on the patient’s body.
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Article Source: PCOS in Women – The Symptoms and Natural Treatments
Fertility Treatments for Women Over 40
Posted by in Pregnancy on November 30th, 2009
A common method to treat infertility in women over 40 is with the use of fertility drugs. Couples who wish to get pregnant but need help will come across several drug treatments that their doctors will prescribe. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health lists six of the most common fertility drugs used to help women get pregnant.
The following is a simple, brief overview on what each of these common fertility drugs do. To see if it is right for you, you should first seek the advice of a medical professional.
1. Clomiphene citrate (Clomid) causes ovulation by interacting with the pituitary gland. If you have polycystic ovarian syndrome or any other ovulation problem, you are very likely going to hear about this drug.
2. Another drug the HHS list is the human menopausal gonadotropin or hMG (Repronex, Pergonal). The HHS states that this medicine “is often used for women who don’t ovulate due to problems with their pituitary gland.” However, this drug is different from clomiphene in that hMG is injected and it interacts directly on the ovaries to stimulate ovulation.
3. Follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH (Gonal-F, Follistim) works in a similar way to hMG. It is also injected and it interacts with the ovaries to stimulate ovulation. Infertility conditions such as PCOS typically have low levels of FSH.
4. Women who have irregular ovulation cycles will often be treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) analog. The HHS also cite that this is used for women who ovulate before the egg is ready. Gn-RH analogs are often injected but are also given with a nasal spray.
5. If you are a woman who has insulin resistance and/or PCOS, your doctor may recommend you take metformin (Glucophage). What it does is help lower the high levels of male hormones in women if you have these conditions. Doing so helps your body ovulate. You may be asked to take this drug in combination with clomiphene or FSH which is a common practice.
6. Prolactin is a hormone that causes milk production and if there is a high level of prolactin in the body, ovulation problems may occur. If this is your condition, Bromocriptine (parlodel) will most likely be prescribed.
The Office on Women’s Health lists these six fertility drugs as common treatments for the common causes of infertility in women. they also cite that using fertility drugs increase a woman’s chances of having twins, triples, or more. Obviously, carrying multiple fetuses come with even more risks for you and the fetuses. The benefits and risks must be discussed and careful consideration must be given if you need help getting pregnant. This is especially true if you are over the age of 35.
Getting pregnant is possible and many women have successfully brought a baby into this world. Keep an open mind and keep yourself as healthy as possible. Visit pregnancyover40.tumblr.com for more information.
Article Source: Fertility Treatments for Women Over 40
Three Secret Nutrition Tips to Help You Get Pregnant Fast
Posted by in Pregnancy on October 25th, 2009
If you are trying to get pregnant, you will want to optimize your opportunites to conceive. This means watching what you eat before you become pregnant. The more you can do to enhance your ovulation, the easier and faster you will be able to get pregnant.
1. Take your vitamins and eat an iron-rich diet. Ensure that you eat a diverse variety of low-glycemic fruits and vegetables, and get plenty of iron from different sources (not just red meat). Likewise, get a high quality prenatal vitamin with folic acid. Reports show that plenty of folic acid and iron can increase your chances of getting pregnant. Women who eat a rich diet of fruits and vegetables and take their multivitamins get pregnant faster and have fewer risks of miscarriage.
2. Watch your insulin levels. Watching your intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates will reduce your insulin levels and facilitate your ovulation. Women who have insulin resistance or are diabetic also tend to ovulate on unpredictable schedules, which makes it harder to get pregnant. If you need to get pregnant rapidly, keeping your insulin will help you ovulate on a predictable schedule. This will make it easier to predict your fertile days and help you have a baby fast.
3. Be careful of your intake of Trans-Fats. Scientists believe that eating trans-fats can interrupt your hormone production and ovulation. Trans-fats are in prepackaged foods, so be sure to look at labels and cut down your intake as much as you can. Adhering to natural foods will easily reduce your trans-fat consumption and satisify the other two nutrition requirements as well.
If you want to get pregnant fast, it may seem like the odds are stacked against you. Learning as much as you can about ovulation and following these simple nutrition tips can help you turn the odds in your favor. To read more tips and information about fertility and getting pregnant, visit http://howtogetpregnanttoday.com
Article Source: Three Secret Nutrition Tips to Help You Get Pregnant Fast
Is it Safe to Use Artificial Sweetener when Pregnant?
Posted by in Pregnancy on September 21st, 2009
Pregnancy is a time when it is especially important to be conscious of what you put into your body. There is a lot of information out there about what you should and shouldn’t consume, and it can be confusing, especially if you have a condition that mandates some dietary restrictions. One area of concern is whether or not it’s all right to include artificial sweetener when pregnant. This is of extra concern to women who have conditions like gestational diabetes and need to curb their intake of sugars of various kinds.
If you are wondering if it’s safe to use artificial sweetener when pregnant, there are some things you should know about them in general. There are two categories of sweeteners: nutritive, and non-nutritive. Nutritive means that they include calories, while the non-nutritive types are calorie-free. Nutritive sweeteners, like regular table sugar, contain empty calories, and should be consumed in moderation since they can contribute to weight gain. They are however, considered quite safe for pregnant women to consume. Other nutritive sweeteners include sucrose, honey, dextrose, corn sugar and fructose.
Non-nutritive sweeteners are added to all kinds of food and beverages in small amounts. Since many women choose to cut back on sugar either for weight control purposes, or because they have gestational diabetes or insulin resistance, they need to know if it’s safe to include artificial sweetener in their diet while pregnant. Fortunately, there are a number that most medical professionals agree are safe for pregnant women to consume.
If you need to use an artificial sweetener when pregnant, here are some good choices for you to consider. One common artificial sweetener is Aspartame, which is found in Equal and NutraSweet. It can be found in soft drinks, gelatin, desserts, dairy products and breakfast cereal, among other things. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said that Aspartame is safe for pregnant and lactating women, but should be consumed in moderation.
If you wish to include artificial sweetener in your diet, another one that the FDA considers to be safe is Sucralose, also known as Splenda. Splenda is made from sugar and is used in wide variety of foods and beverages. It can also be used for baking, or as a substitute for table sugar. It has no calories and does not impact blood sugar in any way.
If you want to use an artificial sweetener when pregnant, you need to be aware that some are not considered safe for consumption. Saccharine, also found in Sweet ‘n Low, is not recommended for pregnant women, since studies have shown it can cross the placenta barrier and remains in fetal tissue.
Another one to avoid is Stevia, since it has not been approved for use as a sweetener by the FDA, and its effects on pregnant women are unknown.
If your diet is going to include artificial sweetener, there are several that are safe for you to use in moderation. As usual, if you are wondering if, in your case, it is safe to use artificial sweetener when pregnant, be sure to talk to your doctor.
You can find helpful information about include artificial sweetener and everything you need to know about artificial sweetener when pregnant at Aha! Baby.
Article Source: Is it Safe to Use Artificial Sweetener when Pregnant?
Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy
Posted by in Pregnancy on September 19th, 2009
Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that affects pregnant women only. In these specific women, their blood glucose levels are higher than they should normally be. There are a number of reasons why some women develop this disease. Therefore gestational diabetes in pregnancy has to be a concern, if you fall into some of the ranges of risk. Care for gestational diabetes, conversations between you and your physician will be necessary if you fall in line with one or more of the risks. Obesity is a risk factor in a number of conditions, but especially gestational diabetes.
Race is connected to gestational diabetes in pregnancy. Women, who are of a certain race, and are obese fall under more risk. At the top of the list of races, susceptible to this form of diabetes, are African Americans. Other races who are at risk are Native Americans, as well as, Hispanics. There are other risk factors that relate to gestational diabetes in pregnancy. These are important bits of information, all used in determining this disease.
Family history is an important consideration related to gestational diabetes in pregnancy. If there are people in your family, who now have diabetes, they will be factored into this determination process. Pregnant women, who have experienced still born births in the past, also see a connection. Gestational diabetes in pregnancy can result.
Risks do not only have to do with gestational diabetes in pregnancy. They follow the mother and child well after delivery. In most cases, pregnant women who develop gestational diabetes, continue to be susceptible even after pregnancy. These women have been known to go on to develop Type 2 diabetes mellitus. This disease is generally referred to as Type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a disorder characterized by high levels of blood glucose, just like gestational diabetes. This form of diabetes is related to an insulin resistance in the person. Type 2 diabetes is initially combated through dietary changes, and exercise. Often though, it has to be handled with medications, as the disease progresses.
The risks to a baby born to a mother with gestational diabetes can be serious. Most of these risks will occur later in this baby’s childhood, or later in life. First of all, these babies tend to be much larger than they should be for their gestational age. This largeness often produces complications when it’s time to deliver the baby.
Some of these babies will go on to experience low blood sugar, themselves. They may even appear jaundice. When the children, born to mothers with gestational diabetes, grow up, they usually have to battle obesity. Many children born to these mothers will have problems with weight throughout their entire lives.
Many of these children will go on to develop Type 2 diabetes themselves. This typically occurs later on in life, though. Just because these risks exist, it doesn’t mean that preventive measures cannot be put in place. With proper management of both exercise and diet, these children do not have to develop diabetes, at all.
You can find helpful information about care for gestational diabetes and everything you need to know about gestational diabetes in pregnancy at Aha! Baby.
Article Source: Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy
Diabetes Screening
Posted by in Pregnancy on September 19th, 2009
Gestational diabetes mellitus is actually a disorder characterized by high blood glucose, which is related to insulin resistance. It can be discovered at any point during pregnancy. This is specifically because there are no known causes for this disease, and many women do not exhibit symptoms. Gestational diabetes mellitus is found only in pregnant women. There is a similarity between gestational diabetes mellitus and Type 2 diabetes.
Because not all pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus experience symptoms, diagnosis can be difficult. This is one reason why screening for gestational diabetes when pregnant is so important. There are a number of tests involved with screening gestational diabetes when pregnant. These may all be performed on the pregnant woman, or simply a few.
Women, with gestational diabetes mellitus, who do experience symptoms can see a variety. One of the symptoms is experiencing increased thirst. This is often accompanied by increased urination. Another symptom of gestational diabetes mellitus is nausea and vomiting. Some women even contract infections. The most common is yeast and bladder infections.
The primary purpose for the screening process is to detect if there is a high level of glucose in the expectant mother’s blood. So, samples are drawn in a very specific way. The method, of screening, doctors do to determine if gestational diabetes exists, is very thorough. Some of the testing process is less than fun for the pregnant women. But having the knowledge of her own condition is completely worthwhile.
The screen process is not only important to define the status of the mother, but how it may affect her unborn child. There are three non-challenge blood glucose tests in the screening. Each has its own individual importance and reading. Testing this way allows doctors to see the difference between a blood glucose reading at different times in a woman’s day. Tests focus on her status when she’s eaten, and when the pregnant woman has not eaten.
One of the non-challenge blood glucose tests is the fasting glucose test. This one is as its name implies. It is done on the pregnant woman when she has not eaten any food. Doctors typically give their patients instructions about how this test will be done. They will also instruct them on what hours, to eat and what hours, they should not.
Another test done to determine gestational diabetes is the 2-hour postprandial test. The postprandial test is done after the pregnant woman has eaten a meal. These results are very specific and have an important meaning. Doctors understand what range a woman’s glucose should be after a meal. If the numbers are too high, at this specific time, the woman is at risk for this disease.
The random glucose test is another test done in the screen process. Just as the other tests this one is time sensitive as well. Blood is drawn and tested for glucose levels. Again, the blood should be within a certain range to receive a normal rating. If the woman’s glucose level is above 126mg after fasting, no further tests are needed. She would be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
You can find helpful information about screening for gestational diabetes when pregnant and everything you need to know about gestational diabetes mellitus at Aha! Baby.
Article Source: Diabetes Screening
