Hopefully Helpful | Jasmine Mayfair | Reviews

Exercises for Women Getting Pregnant Over 40

Getting pregnant over 40 requires optimum health conditions. The would-be mothers would need to coordinate closely with their doctors to ensure that both mother and baby are safe and healthy. Exercise is vital and beneficial for older pregnant women because health, body strength and overall vitality generally decreases with age.

An exercise regime reduces the aches and pains associated with pregnancy, it boosts mood and morale, and improves sleeping habits. More importantly, exercise helps the body prepare for childbirth through stronger muscles and greater endurance. If a pregnant woman exercises religiously, she is also preparing the body to get back to its old shape and condition after childbirth.

It is always prudent to consult a doctor before embarking on a regular exercise regimen for women getting pregnant over 40. The recommended exercises are generally safe but they may not be advisable to do in the last trimester of pregnancy.

Most women getting pregnant at the age of 40 are career women. They keep to very tight schedules and so most doctors will recommend low-impact aerobics in the gym. There are regular daily classes at predetermined times, which makes it easier for would be mothers to incorporate exercise in their daily routines. An aerobics class for pregnant women will allow women to interact with other pregnant women and to gain insights on how to care for themselves and the babies they’re carrying.

Both doctors and fitness experts agree that swimming is a sound exercise option for women getting pregnant over 40. Swimming tones the arms and legs, while offering cardiovascular benefits. It also gives pregnant women the feeling of weightlessness despite the added weight.

The easiest form of exercise is walking. This is also the best physical activity for the older pregnant woman. Walking keeps a pregnant women fit without unnecessarily straining the knees and ankles. It can be done anytime, anywhere without any equipment other than a good pair of walking shoes. In addition, it is safe to be done all throughout the pregnancy.

All form of physical activity as long as its done moderately can be beneficial. If you are a party animal, you might want to go dancing at home to your favorite tunes just to be able to move around. You have to avoid routines that require twirls, jumps and leaps, though. Through all these possible exercise routines and regimens, it is wise not to push your body beyond limits. Getting pregnant over 40 may not be a walk in the park but there’s no reason why it can’t be fun and fulfilling.

Fertile at Forty! Tips on getting pregnant over 40

Getting pregnant over 40 has a lot of rewards. A woman in her 40s is more likely to be emotionally mature and financially stable. She is at the prime of her life. She is prepared to take on the responsibilities and enjoy the rewards of motherhood.

Women in their 40s are more likely to be in stable, loving relationships. They have overcome the emotional turmoil of their adolescence and early adulthood. They are more capable of nurturing a child in a warm and caring environment.

Women in their 40s have usually delayed pregnancy to seek career goals and enjoy financial stability. These women hold stable jobs, ensuring a future which is financially secure for their child.

However, there are trade-offs. Getting pregnant over 40 is not so easy to do. Several studies done on populations which do not practice contraception showed that there is a sharp decline in pregnancy rates once you reach the age of 35. Although age is just a number, this is not true when we are talking about reproductive function.

What about all those celebrities who have successfully conceived in their 40s? Fertility doctors are cautioning us to look beyond the glitter of these celebrity mothers. Some of these women have undergone assisted reproduction. Fertility doctors wish that women who underwent such technology be more forthcoming about it to debunk the myth that women can delay getting pregnant till they are over 40 without any significant risks.

For mothers-to-be, here are some tips for getting pregnant over 40:

1. Keep your body healthy. A healthy body ensures that your hormone levels are at normal. Maintaining the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone at optimum levels at each stage of your menstrual cycle ensures ovulation.

2. As a caveat to tip number 1, maintain your ideal body weight. Body weight per height, or body mass index, of 22 to 25 is optimal to getting pregnant. Being over- or undernourished wreaks havoc on your hormones. Some women who are too fat or too thin have irregular monthly cycles. Some stopped having menses entirely, a condition called amenorrhea. Irregular or absent menstrual periods are presumptive signs that you are not ovulating. This is definitely not a good sign.

3. Supplement with vitamins and minerals. If you are planning to get pregnant, stack up on folic acid at least 3 months prior to getting pregnant. You then continue taking this micronutrient for the first 3 months of your pregnancy. Taking at least 400 micrograms of folic acid daily before and during pregnancy reduces the risks for neural tube defects.

4. Stop smoking. Cigarette smoke damages your tubes, preventing fertilization. Smoking also has a detrimental effect on your ovaries, accelerating ovarian reserve loss. You need to take care of your remaining reserves, not lose them.

5. Stop drinking coffee and alcoholic beverages. Data are conflicting on how much of these drinks constitute too much. Some say 2 cups of coffee causes damage, others would say 6 cups. The same goes for alcohol. Some studies show that even a glass of wine weekly can adversely affect fertility. To be safe, abstain from these drinks totally, if you can.

6. Time your intercourse. There is no accurate way of predicting when ovulation occurs. However, you may use a combination of these methods to increase your chances of being right: monitoring of basal body temperature, checking your cervical mucus, and counting days based on the length of your menstrual period.

An increase in basal body temperature suggests ovulation. The presence of clear, sticky mucus similar to egg white is also suggestive of ovulation. Counting day 14 from the onset of menses in women with a 28-day cycle is also suggestive of ovulation. Combining these 3 methods increases your chances of accurately predicting ovulation.

You may try all these advice to optimize your chances of getting pregnant over 40.

Getting Pregnant Over 40: The All-Natural Route

With the speed at which we do things nowadays, getting pregnant over 40 is another area where women want to do things quickly, as time is clearly not on their side. So women discover that the shortest route to getting pregnant is assisted reproduction. These same women realize that fertility treatments oftentimes lead to heartbreak, and other medical interventions that they weren’t prepared to go through, and that no woman really should go through.

Now more and more women are discovering the benefits of employing natural methods of conceiving. What probably is the most attractive feature of the all-natural route is the fact that it is not costly and it can be carried out in the privacy of their own homes. A positive attitude towards natural conception is a good place to start.

Experience has taught us that our bodies respond to the dictates of our minds. There is some stock in all the new age meditation and visualization concept of realizing our goals, and there is no reason why this should not work for women who would like to conceive at a much later age. From the belief that it can be done, women should start visualizing the idea getting pregnant over 40, carrying a child to full term and giving birth.

But that does not end there. If we are able to meditate and visualize the desire to get pregnant, it would be so much easier to do things that support this belief and this vision. The route to getting pregnant over 40 starts to look promising. We become more receptive to the idea of keeping a more healthy outlook in life.

The FDA seeks to outlaw pyridoxamine (vitamin B6)

Your first thought might be, "How could it matter?" Lots of companies trademark names of ingredients. Heck, I've done it with some of my formulations. But in those cases, you're just talking about marketing differentiation. But with Polyphenon E, you have a whole different ballgame.

First, think about the status of green tea in the world. It's only known side effect is that it might make it more difficult for you to sleep if you took too much of it too close to bedtime. In exchange for this minor effect, you get all of the benefits cited above (cancer, heart disease, longevity, etc.), all demonstrated in study after study after study. In point of fact, you would be hard pressed to find a single drug in the world that has so few side effects and so many benefits and so many studies to back it up. Even the so-called miracle drug, aspirin, is not as clean. Remember, the smallest dosage of aspirin causes internal bleeding.

And yet, given green tea's remarkable safety record and proven benefits, not a word of these benefits can be mentioned in connection with any product being sold that contains green tea -- not in the US, not in Europe, not anywhere. And yet, Polyphenon E is being pitched as a potential cancer cure all over the internet and in medical literature. It even has a featured position on the Prostate Cancer Foundation website. How can this be?

Perhaps we can find the answer by looking at the curious case of pyridoxamine – the only form of B6 that can be taken without fear of peripheral neuropathy, and the only form, according to some experts, that should ever be used in supplements. And yet, given all this, pharmaceutical interests have filed a petition with the FDA seeking to ban the use of pyridoxamine in supplements. And the FDA is seriously considering it.

Why? Because pyridoxamine has shown promise in protecting against diabetic complications! According to the FDA, if low cost pyridoxamine was available in supplements, there would be no incentive for the pharmaceutical industry to invest the money necessary to get it classified as a prescription drug! In other words, if there is enough money involved, the FDA is quite willing to reclassify everyday supplements as pharmaceutical drugs.

For a more detailed look at this issue, check out William Faloon's article in the most recent issue of Life Extension Magazine. But for now, let's cut to the heart of the matter....

Read the rest at the source

The Polyphenon E curve ball

So what is this miracle antioxidant Polyphenon E found in green tea and used in the study? Well, according to the National Cancer Institute, Polyphenon E "is a substance being studied in the prevention of cancer. It is made from decaffeinated green tea, and contains chemicals called catechins, which are antioxidants." And according to its manufacturer, Mitsui Norin Co., Ltd., Polyphenon is a highly purified tea catechin extract, and is going to be the first pharmaceutical grade green tea catechin in the world.

That sounds pretty amazing…and pretty unique. The reality, however, is a tad less dramatic. The Polyphenon E used in the prostate study came in a 416.7 mg capsule with a breakdown as follows: 200 mg EGCG, 48.5 mg EGC, 34.2 mg EC, 20 mg ECG, and other tea catechins, 28.8 mg pregelatinized starch, 2.25 mg colloidal silicon dioxide, and 2.25 mg magnesium stearate. In other words, there's nothing particularly special about Polyphenon E. It's a fairly standard mix of green tea catechins. And as far as being "pharmaceutical grade," green tea extracts now come standardized to 95-98 percent polyphenol content. That's about as pharmaceutical grade as you're going to get.

So, does it matter that tests were being conducted using a standardized green tea extract with a registered trademark for a name and that the National Cancer Institute is singling out for special attention?

And the answer in this case is, "Yes, big time!"

Now let's turn to the study in the news that triggered this Green Tea Report.

The headlines started making the media rounds a couple of weeks ago, "Green tea slows prostate cancer." In summary, according to the results of a study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, men with prostate cancer who consumed the active compounds in a green tea extract demonstrated a significant reduction in serum markers predictive of prostate cancer progression.

"The investigational agent used in the trial, Polyphenon E (provided by Polyphenon Pharma), may have the potential to lower the incidence and slow the progression of prostate cancer," said James A. Cardelli, Ph.D., professor and director of basic and translational research in the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport.

The study included 26 men, aged 41 to 72 years, diagnosed with prostate cancer and scheduled for radical prostatectomy. Patients consumed four capsules containing Polyphenon E until the day before surgery – four capsules are equivalent to about 12 cups of normally brewed concentrated green tea, according to Cardelli. The time of study for 25 of the 26 patients ranged from 12 days to 73 days, with a median time of 34.5 days.

Findings showed a significant reduction in serum levels of HGF, VEGF and PSA after treatment (HGF and VEGF are good prognostic indicators of metastatic disease), with some patients demonstrating reductions in levels of greater than 30 percent, according to the researchers.

Cardelli and his colleagues found that other biomarkers were also positively affected. There were only a few reported side effects associated with this study, and liver function remained normal. Said Cardelli, "There is reasonably good evidence that many cancers are preventable, and our studies using plant-derived substances support the idea that plant compounds found in a healthy diet can play a role in preventing cancer development and progression."

Green tea is one of the best known supplements in the world.

It has been touted for everything from weight loss to cancer prevention to longevity. It's used by serious herbalists (who actually understand it), and it's used in some of the most basic formulas in the world such as One A Day WeightSmart, albeit at meaningless pixie dust levels. But more to the point, it's back in the news with the release of a new study that shows it may actually help slow the progression of prostate cancer. But this newsletter isn't about the virtues of green tea, although we will explore them. Instead, it's about some of the shenanigans going on behind the scenes concerning not just green tea, but all supplements, and even some basic vitamins – specifically B6.

But first, let's talk about some of the virtues of green tea as demonstrated in clinical studies.

The biochemicals of health in green tea

Green tea antioxidants are of the same family as grape seed and pine bark extracts. They are polyphenols, chief of which are the flavonoids called proanthocyanidins. In green tea, the main proanthocyanidins are the catechins, and the most powerful of the catechins is Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), found in the high concentrations in green tea. Why don't other teas have similar properties – particularly since many of them come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis? Quite simply, what sets green tea apart is the way it is processed.

Green tea leaves are lightly fermented and steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from heavily fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

I should probably mention its lesser known sibling, white tea.

The main difference between white and green tea is that white tea leaves are harvested at a younger age than the green tea leaves. It should be noted that white tea actually trumps green tea in several ways. First, whereas green tea is lightly fermented, white tea is totally unfermented leaving even more of the EGCG intact. Second, studies have shown that the young, white tea leaves retain antioxidants in higher concentrations than does green tea. In fact, the concentration of antioxidants in white tea is approximately three times higher than in green tea. Bottom line: anything we say about the health benefits of green tea also apply to white tea, but even more so.



1, 2, 3). Although the studies are conflicting, it's probably best to err on the side of caution. The studies are far less conflicted when it comes to milk reducing the antioxidant potential found in dark chocolate. The mechanism is simple. The caseins in the dairy interact with the polyphenols in the tea or chocolate and decrease their effectiveness. Then again, if you use a concentrated, full-spectrum green tea extract, you avoid the problem altogether.

Green tea health benefits

As I mentioned earlier, the reported benefits of green tea are multitudinous…and well studied. For example, green tea inhibits tumor growth in a variety of cancers, including: breast, lung, and prostate cancers. Specifically, the EGCG in green tea works to suppress angiogenesis, the growth of blood vessels that tumors need to survive. And if that's not enough -- stopping the growth of cancer at the front end -- green tea polyphenols have been shown to inhibit metastasis, the spread of cancer at the back end. And finally, EGCG is the first known natural telomerase inhibitor. That is to say, it eliminates the "immortality" of cancer cells which is their trademark and which makes them so deadly. The bottom line is that green tea is particularly effective in destroying the causes of leukemia, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and seems to provide the best protection known in terms of preventing lung cancer. And green tea seems to be able to almost totally prevent cancer causing DNA damage in smokers -- a possible explanation as to why the Japanese, who are among the world's heaviest smokers, have such a low incidence of lung cancer.

And the benefits of green tea don't stop there. It has also been shown to be effective in regulating blood sugar, reducing cholesterol and triglycerides, and in reversing the ravages of heart disease. (Incidentally, the Japanese, who drink large amounts of green tea, have some of the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease in the world.)

And finally, green tea has great benefits for the brain as well. It serves as an effective MAO inhibitor. It also protects against brain-cell death from glucose oxidase, over-production of nitric oxide, and it lowers the amount of free iron reaching the brain (a bad thing). The net result is that there are strong indications that green tea extract may play a major role in protecting against both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Nothing's Faster Than Raw Food

For health-conscious eaters, a question arises when processed foods are to be avoided and cooking three full meals a day takes too much time. Raw foods may be the answer. Naturally, a piece of fruit is always a better snack than a bag of chips. But there are numerous health and environmental benefits to eating raw foods on a consistent basis, as well.

Raw food consumption is considered to have a “cleansing” or “detox” effect on the body; adherents to raw diets note increased energy and overall health, as well as weight loss. Many claim that food loses most of its nutritional value when cooked over 120oF, and it is known that cooking certain substances at high temperatures can increase the growth of potential cancer-causing components. Furthermore, eating raw can help you avoid the massive energy consumption and waste of food processing.

Eating raw does not mean committing to a vegetarian or vegan diet, nor does it mean swearing off cooking altogether. What’s important is consumption of appropriate levels of fruit, vegetables and even fish products that are best and easiest when raw. You can start by eating a salad of raw greens and vegetables each day, looking for a raw-foods restaurant in your area, or learning some sashimi preparations. Or, try a whole day of raw eating—a balance of fruits, vegetables and legumes can cover all major nutrients with little to no prep time.

Nothing's Faster Than Raw Food
What?
Save time - and improve your health - by incorporating raw food into your diet.

How?
Try to consume more fruit, veggies, nuts and salads every day. As a result, you'll eat healthier, and spend less time cooking.

Why?
Processed food takes more fossil fuel energy to manufacture and oftentimes more human energy to prepare.

Did You Know?
You can soak legumes and beans in water overnight to soften them without cooking.

Okay, But How Hard Is It?
As easy as rinsing and eating!

It all really started at the start of 2009.

I have so many interests and groups and most important to me. And we all have experience in so many of life's quests, and answers to questions that often get asked when those around us start of something unfamiliar.

I had to start putting something into a place that I could easily share.

Before I used to have files, books and boxes of Hopefully helpful information filling the bedroom, now everything I want to use, refer to or share can be found in one place.

I have had my fair share of ups and downs and seem to have an answer just around the corner if need be. Hopefully Helpful is just sharing thoughts ideas, my reviews, and of course my ownlife experiences in Health, Work and Play.

I hope you find what your looking for.

Jaz

The nursery is the perfect room to begin turning any house into a green home.

The occasion of bringing a new baby into the world is an opportunity to apply green principles to a universe of new products, from cribs to diapers and toys to baby sleepers—and it’s the ideal time to learn about new green versions of familiar home improvement ma­terials, such as paints and flooring. These recommendations for decorating, stock­ing, and maintaining a nursery are also practical and important to consider for other rooms of the house. In fact, if you plan to keep your newborn in the master bedroom with you—that room just became the nursery! Therefore, the information in this article about decorating green is applicable to any room in your home.

why Babies Are So Vulnerable

In 1993, in a congressionally mandated study, the National Academy of Sciences listed the primary factors that contribute to children’s unique vulnerability to the harmful effects of chemicals:

Pound for pound, a developing child’s chemical exposures are greater than those of adults.

• An immature, porous blood-brain barrier allows greater chemical exposures to the developing brain.

• Children have lower levels of some chemical-binding proteins, allowing more of a chemical to reach “target organs.”

• A baby’s organs and systems are rapidly developing and thus are often more vulnerable to damage from chemical exposure.

• Systems that detoxify and excrete industrial chemicals are not fully developed.

• The longer future life span of a child compared to an adult allows more time for adverse effects to arise.