Natural Womens Care

'OK in Health' Women`s Page - Natural Care for Women

Woman's Natural Health Articles

See our Main Article page, for articles such as: 

• Hidden Dangers Lurking In Your Personal Care Products
• Glossary Of Chemicals & Synthetics To Avoid In Personal Care Products
• Cosmetics To Die For?
• PCOS - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
• Housework Workout!
• What is Endometriosis?
• Osteoporosis- A Lifestyle Decision?
• Calcium Confusion Unveiled
• The Power of Whey!
• Laughter - the best stress reliever
• What is Classical Homeopathy?
• Are You a Worrier?
• Top Ten Excercise Tips
• Lose weight Plus a healthier digestion with more Fibre intake!
• Water, Water, Everywhere?
• Cholesterol Concerns?
• Top Ten Successful Healthy Weight Loss Tips
• Premenstrual Tension or Premenstrual Syndrome
• For more articles - see our Article page

Woman's Wellness Workshops and Events

See our OK In Health's Main Calendar page for workshops in your area such as: woman's retreats, wise woman weekend, the WOW event, woman's health senimars and more.

Woman's Support Group

Synergy Breakfast for Women meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month. Synergy Breakfast offers the opportunity for ladies in Kelowna to meet others. We share positive ideas and experiences, we build relationships and friendships, we make business connections and we share and support each other. Please attend Synergy Breakfast to open your opportunities! Contact: Lisa Jaffary (250) 861-5166

The Wise Women's Circle meets weekly and is a support group for women who are 50 years and older and who have been, or might still be, in an abusive relationship. At the South Okanagan Women in Need Society, we define abuse as emotional, psychological, sexual, neglect, financial and physical. For most women who have been abused, physical abuse is usually a small part of an abusive relationship. We also know that abuse can come from people other than intimate relationships, including adult children and caregivers.
To learn more about this Penticton-based weekly support group, call Brigid Kemp, the Older Women's Liaison at 493-4366.

Health and Wellness Tips

The Ok In Health recommend you check out any health tips with your Naturopath or Doctor and we are not responsible for any information provided on this page or any Ok In Health web site page. See the Healthy Tips page for many more Health Tips.

Breakfast
Dieticians recommend eating something for breakfast each day. If you normally skip this meal, consider trying to eat breakfast at least 3 days next week. Quick and healthy choices include dry whole grain cereal, dried or fresh fruit, whole wheat toast lightly spread with peanut butter, low fat yogurt, soy milk, a small piece of cheese, or oatmeal. It is not necessary to eat a lot of volume or a lot of fat, but eating something for breakfast can help maintain better energy during the morning hours.

Fat Free Cookies
Don't be fooled by the term "fat free" on a food label. While there are a myriad of fat free products on the market today, many of them are loaded with calories and concentrated sugars. Many fat free versions of foods contain only a few less calories per serving than their fatty counterparts. Five fat free cookies at 50 calories each still adds up to a significant caloric intake. Be a smart shopper. Compare calorie and fat contents when choosing products and practice moderation when eating high sugar or high fat foods.

Five Blocks to Better Health
There are 336 30-minute blocks of time in one week. The American Heart Association recommends that you commit five or more "blocks" to exercise. In the time it takes you to watch five sit-coms you could be on your way to better health!

To Lighten Up the Sandwich
Looking for ways to lighten up your sandwiches? There are two easy approaches: cut unnecessary calories; and opt for healthy or at least healthier fats. Here are some examples. If you love mayo, ask for light; you can save 50 calories and 6 grams of fat per Tbsp. Better yet, use a little liquid oil & vinegar dressing. Cheese? Use reduced fat cheese to save 50 calories and 5 grams of saturated. To remove even more saturated fat, drop the cheese entirely.

Exercise Cool Down
Fitness experts recommend cooling down after a moderate to high intensity exercise session. This prevents sudden pooling of blood in the muscles. Slowly cooling down also prevents sudden drops in blood pressure that can lead to dizziness and falls. During the last 3-5 minutes of your workout, gradually decrease the exercise intensity. Gently approach your resting state before coming to a complete stop.

Get Those Fluids
People are mostly made of water, and adults generally need about 10-12 cups (8 oz. each) of fluids each day. Most fluids, even chicken soup and orange juice, count as part of your 10-12 cups. If a glass of water sounds boring, spruce it up. Garnish your glass with a mint sprig and a slice of lime, lemon, orange, pineapple, kiwi, starfruit or even a few fresh berries.

Danger! Over-hydration
Exercise-related over-hydration may occur during prolonged exercise or sports when fluid intake, including water and soda, exceeds fluid loss. If too much water dilutes the body's salts, it can cause brain cells to swell and push against the skull. For this reason, sports drinks often contain salt to balance the fluids. Over-hydrating can cause nausea, severe fatigue, disorientation, and vomiting. In the most severe cases it can also cause seizures, coma and even death. All endurance athletes who drink too much fluid, to quickly are at risk for over-hydration. Seek medical assistance if symptoms occur.

Flax
If you are interested in adding flax to your diet, nutrition experts recommend using flax seeds rather than flax oil. This allows the seeds to contribute additional benefits from the fiber and healthy chemicals they contain. Flax seeds must be ground in order to release these healthful chemicals. Look for flax seeds in your local supermarket or area health food store. You can grind them just prior to a meal and sprinkle on top of salads, pasta dishes, or cereals.

Caffeine
Besides making it hard to fall asleep, too much caffeine can cause stomach upset, muscle tension and nervousness. To find out how much caffeine you are getting, try keeping a journal. Moderate caffeine intake is about 3 cups of coffee (roughly 300 mg of caffeine) per day or a like amount from other drinks and foods. If you think you may be drinking too much caffeine, cut back by half a cup per day, not all at once. This usually avoids severe caffeine withdrawal headaches.

Teens Tippling Soda
Moving from childhood to their teens, girls often decrease the amount of calcium rich milk they drink and increase the amount of soda. This can be unfortunate. The teen years are a critical period for using calcium to accumulate peak bone mass, perhaps limiting their risk for future osteoporosis. So ladies, go easy on the sodas. Consume plenty of calcium rich low-fat/non-fat milk and dairy products.

Pap Smear
Since the Pap smear became widely available, death rates from cervical cancer have dropped by about 70%. The majority of women now diagnosed with cervical cancer have not had a recent pap smear. See your Naturopath or Doctor for more information.

Information on Household Products
What's under your kitchen sink, in your garage, in your bathroom, and on the shelves in your laundry room? Learn more about what's in these products, about potential health effects, and about safety and handling. Information in the Household Products Database is taken from a variety of publicly available sources, including brand-specific labels and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) prepared by manufacturers. http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/products.htm

Exercising for a Better Mood
If you're feeling down; consider adding exercise to your to-do list. Research shows that exercise has the ability to improve mood and reduce depression. Even if you are seriously depressed, exercise can still be one of several interventions recommended by your physician or mental health professional. Exercise is not a cure all, but it releases endorphins, often creates a sense of accomplishment, and thus improves well-being.

Go Veggie...
Many nutrition experts recommend eating some vegetarian meals to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol. A great way to 'go veggie' now and then is to try a variety of ethnic options.
For Chinese, try vegetable & tofu stir-fry.
Greek - vegetable stuffed eggplant.
Middle East - falafel, hummus or tabouli.
Indian - dhokla or vegetable curry & lentil dishes.
Mexican - vegetarian bean burritos.

Fast Food Desserts 
Fast food fruit pie has about as much fat and calories as a regular serving of French fries. A single serving soft-serve cone often provides a leaner option with 25% fewer calories and 64% less fat. Do you still prefer the pie? Try cutting back in other areas or increasing your activity level.

Diet Myths
Does eating lots of grapefruit, celery, or hot peppers melt away body fat? According to our registered dietitian, there are no foods that burn away body fat. The healthiest way to decrease body fat is to eat a balanced diet and expend more calories through exercise. Magic bullets and quick fixes typically lead to disappointment. They thin your wallet rather than your waistline.

Shorter Walks, Same Results
If an hour of exercise seems daunting, break it up. By taking 10-15 minute walks several times each day, many people can accumulate the hour. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, these shorter bouts of activity also burn calories and improve aerobic conditioning.

Improving Health from the Inside Out
Are you moderately overweight or mildly obese? Have you started a new exercise program, but not dropped pounds like you thought you would? Rest assured that your health is still improving. While weight loss might take a little longer, even three months of regular aerobic activity is likely to improve your cholesterol profile and cardiovascular fitness.

Diagnosing a Stroke - 3 FAST Questions
F = Face -- Ask the person to SMILE;
A = Arm and Leg -- Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS;
S = Speech -- Ask them to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE;
T = Time -- Call 911. If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 911 immediately. Describe their symptoms to the dispatcher. Mention the possibility of stroke. FAST is a good test for stroke, but it cannot catch them all. If there is any doubt, don't wait; CALL 911.

Raw vs. Cooked
Did you know that moderate cooking or chopping of some vegetables might be necessary to release the nutrients they contain? But avoid overcooking which can destroy nutrients. For example, the lycopene (an antioxidant) in tomatoes is more available to your body if the tomato is cooked. The carotenoids (the orange color) in raw carrots become 4-5 times more available if they are cooked and mashed.

For More Tips see OKinHealth`s Health and Wellness Tip Page.

Book Reviews

See main book review page for books such as:

• Intuitive Listening 6-CD: How Intuition Talks Through Your Body by: Christiane Northrup, Mona Lisa Schulz
• Awakening Intuition: Using Your Mind-Body Network for Insight and Healing by: Mona Lisa Md Phd Schulz
• The New Feminine Brain: How Women Can Develop Their Inner Strengths, Genius, and Intuition by: Mona Lisa Schulz
• Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by: Christiane Northrup
• The Wisdom of Menopause by: Christiane Northrup
• Mother-Daughter Wisdom: Creating a Legacy of Physical and Emotional Health by: Christiane Northrup