What Are The Causes Of Yeast Infection In Women?

Filed under: Web Of Gender Issues — admin at 8:33 pm on Monday, June 30, 2008

Some yeast can be found harmlessly inside our bodies but when they grow and multiply, they become a yeast infection. It is necessary to know the causes of yeast infection and how it affects you so that predominately preventive measures can be taken. There are mainly three things that can make you susceptible to yeast infections.

First, during pregnancy, your increased estrogen level causes your vagina to produce more glycogen, making it easy for yeast to grow there. Yeast infections are very common in pregnant women, especially during the second trimester. This type of yeast infection is hard to prevent, as the causes of yeast infection in pregnancy is natural. However, you can help by wearing loose fitting, cotton underwear, avoid taking baths and limit your intake of sugary food as yeast needs sugar to grow.

Second is by taking antibiotics. As stated earlier, there are many yeast organisms present in our bodies, which are not harmful. Bacteria also live inside our bodies, which is essential to our health and is usually harmless. The presence of yeast and bacteria inside our bodies should be maintained in balance with one another. Taking antibiotics might kill the bacteria, which allows the yeast to grow rapidly, thereby causing yeast infection. It is important to maintain the balance of yeast and good bacteria in our body so that we can prevent the growth of infections. Therefore, it is advisable to only take antibiotics when it is strictly necessary.

The third common cause is sexual intercourse. Semen is more alkaline than vaginal fluids. Which causes the production and growth of yeast. During sexual intercourse, some internal tissues can become irritated and inflamed, leaving them susceptible to infection. Some birth control devices that contain spermicide can also cause irritation. The use of prophylactics during intercourse can also increase irritation as they are usually coated in spermicide.

There are other factors that might affect your vaginal balance. Stress can be a contributing factor. If a person is stressed your immune system becomes compromised, which invites the growth of yeast. Staying clean is an important factor to fight the production of yeast inside our body. If someone has a high carbohydrate intake like alcohol and refined sugars, this creates the perfect environment for yeast growth. A diet high in sugary foods can lead to Diabetes, which in turn is another cause of yeast infection. Clothing is another source of irritation and can encourage forms of fungal growth. Non-ventilating clothing increases warmth and moisture, the ideal breeding ground for yeast to reproduce rapidly.

Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in Yeast Infection. To access more articles on Yeast Infections or for additional information visit this Yeast Infection related website

Ovarian Cyst Symptoms

Filed under: Web Of Gender Issues — admin at 1:02 pm on Sunday, June 1, 2008

Ovarian Cyst Symptoms are varied and can vary from woman to woman. Quite often a woman can have Ovarian Cysts without having any symptoms at all. Ovarian Cysts can cause the following problems:

  • pressure, bloating or abdominal pain,
  • dull ache in thighs and lower back,
  • problems with passing urine,
  • sexual intercourse can be painful,
  • weight gain,
  • abnormal bleeding or painful menstrual periods,
  • vomiting or nausea,
  • tender breasts.

    These are the more common symptoms that can be associated with Ovarian Cysts and should be checked out by your doctor to determine the cause.

    If you experience any of the following symptoms you should seek medical advice immediately:

  • pain with fever and vomiting,
  • sudden, severe abdominal pain,
  • faintness, dizziness or weakness,
  • rapid breathing.

    Generally speaking if you do have Ovarian Cysts they will be found during a routine pelvic examination. An ultrasound may then be carried out to determine shape, size, location and whether the cyst is fluid filled, solid or a mixture of both.

    A blood test will be carried out to find out if the Ovarian Cyst is cancerous. This test is recommended for women over the age of 35 and whose cyst has been found to be partially solid. Under 35’s are less likely to have ovarian cancer.

    It is wise to remember that Ovarian Cysts can not be prevented and the treatment generally involves waiting for around 1-3 menstrual periods to occur and then a re-examination of the cyst to determine if anything has changed.

    My advice would always be to not put off that pelvic exam as wonderful as they are as your health should be one of your top priorities.

    Wishing you Good Health!

    Lorna Mclaren has an information and advice website http://www.123-nutrition.com where you can find out more about womens issues and buy supplements designed with women in mind!

  • Transitioning - Relaxed to Natural

    Filed under: Web Of Gender Issues — admin at 1:12 pm on Tuesday, May 13, 2008

    TRANSITIONING:

    Going from relaxed hair to natural hair is a process that
    involves patience, love and dedication. This is the time you
    decide you no longer want to relax your hair. At this point, you
    are “transitioning”.

    During this period, proper care must be taken to care for your
    hair. It may be frustrating sometimes dealing with the two
    textures - that’s why some opt for “the big chop”. This is the
    point where the relaxed hair is completely removed. Depending on
    how much natural growth you have, this may mean shaving your
    head or if you have an inch or two of new growth, you can cut
    the hair to the point of the new growth. This is known as a TWA
    (teeny weeny afro) - which looks great on most women!

    If “the big chop” or TWA are not options you’re willing to
    forgo, try to embrace your hair during the transition period by
    practicing the following tips:

    Take the time and energy to care for your hair with the right
    styling options. In order to hide the two textures, you may opt
    for styles that require very little or no daily grooming like
    cornrows, braids, extensions, straw-sets or twist-outs. But, you
    must remember that during this transitioning period - LOVE YOUR
    HAIR!

    One of the most important things to do is condition, condition,
    condition! Also, trim your hair gradually to get rid of the
    straight ends. This also aids in helping the hair avoid
    breakage. Another way to avoid breakage is to use a wide tooth
    comb, conditioning the hair regularly, and by giving your hair a
    hot-oil deep conditioning treatment. This is essential to
    restore moisture and balance.

    Many women have sworn by this method and have said they have
    experienced very little breakage or no breakage at all.

    Remember when your hairdresser told you to make sure you don’t
    wait too long for your next relaxer? (6-8 weeks was the
    recommended time frame). Well, the reason she/he said this was
    because when you relax the hair, the structure of the hair is
    now modified. And depending on how straight your relaxed hair is
    this meant that the hair structure was altered that much more.

    When you transition, the point where the two textures meet is
    known as the “line of demarcation”. This is the weakest point.
    The curly/coily hair meets the relaxed or straight hair. At this
    point the structure of the hair is completely different due to
    the two different textures. This is the point where the hair is
    susceptible to breakage.

    While transitioning, if you are conditioning your hair, comb the
    hair carefully with the wide tooth comb while the conditioner is
    still in the hair. Leave the conditioner in the hair for 10
    minutes and then rinse out. A great after wash and conditioner
    is Infusium Leave-In Conditioner. Add to the hair after washing
    and conditioning with the creamy conditioner. Infusium Leave-In
    Conditioner is a great product to use after every wash because
    it rids the hair of tangles.

    Try to consult with a professional stylist to help you through
    your transitioning period. A visit to the stylist for a
    professional deep conditioning will also be very beneficial and
    helpful during the transition period. It’s best to go to a
    stylist that embraces natural hair. The last thing you need is a
    stylist who makes you feel like you’ve lost your mind because
    you’ve decided to go the natural route. You need to surround
    yourself with people who support your decision. It’s amazing how
    many stylists frown upon natural hair.

    Your stylist will also be able to recommend the best products
    and methods to use for your hair. Another key point to having
    good hair (whether transitioning or not), is a healthy diet. So,
    get healthy! Try to eat right so that your hair will grow
    quickly and grow thick and healthy. Green leafy vegetables like
    spinach and broccoli are great at growing long healthy locks.

    Transitioning Tip: Try to avoid slicking your hair back because
    the tension may cause breakage. Your hair is more susceptible to
    breakage because of the two different textures.

    Male Impotence

    Filed under: Web Of Gender Issues — admin at 10:35 am on Friday, April 18, 2008

    Male impotence, or erectile dysfunction, is the inability to maintain an erection for a long enough time to have sex. A man who suffers from impotence may be unable to have an erection altogether, be unable to maintain it for more than a short period, or may be able to have an erection sometimes and not at other times. Approximately 10 to 15 million American men suffer from some form of impotence. The good news is that it is easy to understand and can be treated in all age groups.

    To understand impotence, it helps to have a basic understanding of how an erection happens. The penis has a large amount of spongy tissue, through which blood vessels run, and some muscle. When a man is sexually stimulated through touch or mentally, nerve signals trigger a flow of blood from arteries into the spongy tissue in the penis. This tissue becomes engorged, making the penis erect. When an erection subsides, muscles in the penis contract, effectively squeezing the blood of the spongy tissue through veins. If there is any interference with the nerve signals or blood flow that cause an erection, impotence may result.

    In the majority of cases, male impotence has an underlying cause. Diseases like diabetes, alcoholism, and kidney disease may affect both nerve signals and blood flow. Surgery or injuries to the bladder, prostate, and male urethra may cause nerve damage. Cardiovascular disease or other diseases of the blood vessels may interfere with blood flow. Nerve signals may be altered due to psychological reasons including anxiety and stress.

    How does one deal with impotence? Going to a doctor is the first step, because this may help identify an underlying medical condition that should be treated. Exercise may reduce impotence in older men. Other lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and losing weight may also help.

    Impotence provides detailed information about impotence, impotence causes and more. Impotence is affiliated with Herpes Simplex.