Dynamic Solutions For Women

It seems that the ‘Jade Goody Effect’, seen at its peak in 2008 when her death raised awareness and screening of cervical cancer, is wearing off. When Jade died, there was a huge increase in the number of women attending for routine cervical smear tests. Sadly, that effect has not lasted long and numbers of smear tests are dwindling once again, with approximately one in five women failing to attend for their routine screening tests.

This week is Cervical Cancer Prevention week and experts are trying once again to raise awareness and prompt women to get checked by having regular smear tests.

Cervical cancer is a killer if not detected early. Around a thousand women per year die from the disease out of 2,800 annual new diagnoses. It affects just as many women under 50 as over, and it is the second most common type of cancer amongst women under the age of 35.

As part of Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, charities and the NHS alike are stressing that it is a preventable cancer on the whole. NHS Cancer Screening deputy director Richard Winder said, “A woman can control her risk of developing the disease by being screened regularly. Any abnormalities that might be found can then be treated in order that they do not go on to develop into cancer. Where a cervical cancer is found through screening, it is usually at a very early stage where treatment has a greater chance of success.

“It is essential that women are aware of this when deciding whether or not to be screened. Cervical screening is estimated to save 4,500 lives a year in England alone.”

It’s also possible to prevent the most common cause of the disease by being vaccinated against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which is known to cause about 70% of cases of cervical cancer and is therefore a highly deadly STD. Vaccination is routinely offered the immunisation nationally to under-18s. A new version of the vaccine will also protect against genital warts as of later this year.

Routine smear tests are available to all women aged 25 – 65 years (every 3 years for women age 25 – 49 and every 5 years for women age 50 and over).

A representative, Gemma Byrne, from the charity called ‘The Eve Appeal’ stresses that it is important that women should educate themselves as to the early warning signs of the disease as well as getting the routine screening and vaccinations. “The earlier cervical cancer is diagnosed, the better the outcome will be, so even if women have been vaccinated and had regular screening, none of these is 100 per cent effective so women owe it to themselves to be aware of the early warning signs”

The early warning signs don’t happen in the very early stages of the disease but when they do occur they include unusual bleeding (e.g. after sexual intercourse; between periods; post-menopause), pain in or around the vaginal area during sex; discharge that smells unpleasant; pain or blood during urination; bone pain and weight-loss.

Seeing your GP at the earliest opportunity, and undergoing the screening process might save your life, so make time.

The French-made breast implants that have featured so much in the news lately have caused widespread concern amongst the 40,000 or so women who have had breast augmentation surgery using implants manufactured by PIP. Approximately 95% of women who have had the French PIP implants did so for cosmetic reasons, whilst the remaining 5% had the implants fitted for medical reasons, usually following mastectomies for cancer treatment.

Concerns were first raised in December 2011 when a French investigation into the implants was launched and the widespread nature of the problem with the implants was discovered and reported worldwide. The investigation revealed that the implants were made with industrial silicone (they are supposed to be filled with medical-grade silicone or equivalent); further, the structure and design of the implants leaves them susceptible to leakage or even rupture. There is no link to cancer from the implants.

The news alarmed many women, who were often unaware of the name or manufacturer of their breast implants and flooded their GPs with enquiries about whether they were at risk. Medical notes will reveal the make and maker of the implants, so if you think you may be affected you can easily find out from your notes if you paid privately for your implants. The NHS is writing to all women who have the PIP implants that were fitted on the NHS.

If the original implants were fitted by the NHS, the NHS will remove and replace the implants, free of charge, if you wish after talking with the consultant about your options and the risk to your health. If the implants were fitted privately, you should speak to the clinic where they were fitted to see what their policy is. Unfortunately, because the company that made the implants went bust (no pun intended), there is no way for private clinics or the NHS to claim their costs back from them, and whilst the NHS has done the right thing by offering replacements, private clinics are not all minded to do likewise. If the private clinic won’t act, you could get the implants replaced on the NHS for free, but only if it is clinically necessary.

If the private clinic that fitted your implants refuses to remove and replace them, and you cannot get them replaced on the NHS, you might have to consult a solicitor about your options.

Research into the implants has found that there isn’t normally a need to remove them earlier than they would have been removed and replaced normally (usually 10 – 15 years), but naturally women will be very anxious and concerned, and it is for this reason that the NHS is offering the removal and replacement.

If you are concerned, speak to your GP or clinic in the first instance.

If you experience a rupture, you would need urgent medical help. Ruptures can happen as the implants get older, or if they are damaged when inserted (or during manufacture) or if your breast gets injured. Signs of a rupture include:

• lumpiness in the breast
• lumpy or swollen areas around the breast (e.g. under the arms)
• redness and/or tenderness
• the breast gets smaller, looking ‘deflated’
• the breast changes shape or swells
• the breast becomes painful or sensitive.

If you experience any of those symptoms, see your GP immediately.

 Okay, so you probably weren’t terribly surprised when you stepped on the scales after Christmas and found that you’d put on a bit of weight. Or a lot. But two weeks later, are you still gaining weight? Were you gaining weight before the Christmas festivities began in earnest?

If you’re being honest with yourself about the calories your consuming and the exercise you’re undertaking then it would become clear if you were taking in more than you were burning off, and that’s the obvious explanation for why you’re getting a bit more cuddly. But what if you’re doing everything you can to lose weight, or even just eating sensibly and exercising regularly to maintain a healthy weight – and you’re still gaining? What could be going on there?

Here are some causes of weight gain that you might want to consider.

1. Stress: we feel stress in the same way that our ancestors felt it, and our ‘fight or flight’ mechanisms kick in. This can mean an increase in cortisol, our ‘stress hormone’, which can increase appetite.

2. Lack of sleep: often related to stress or over-work, biochemically a lack of sleep affects our hormones and increase hunger. If you’re really tired, you’ll often automatically reach for high-sugar, high-energy foods to keep you going. Plus, if you’re awake, you’re more likely to have the opportunity to eat.

3. Medication: some prescribed medication including antidepressants have a side-effect of weight gain. Check the leaflet in the pack for known side-effects and speak to your GP if you think it’s having an adverse effect.

4. Hypothyroidism: how many fat people have you heard bemoaning ‘it’s my thyroid’ as they tuck into a plate of pie and peas? Well, they give the rest of hypothyroidism sufferers a bad name because genuine sufferers can eat relatively little and still gain weight because a reduction of thyroid hormone from the thyroid gland slows the metabolism down. Other symptoms include feeling cold, weak and tired.

5. Age: changes in hormones during the menopause in women don’t actually affect weight, but the aging process does slow down the metabolism.

6. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS): this is a common problem suffered by women from puberty to menopause that causes lots of little cysts on the ovaries. It changes their hormones and leads to weight gain, lots more body hair, and acne.

7. Stopping smoking: nicotine is an appetite suppressant, so people who have stopped smoking sometimes find themselves hungry for the first time in years. Others just pick things up (like biscuits) and put them in their mouth in substitution of their cigarettes.

If you think that any of the above might apply to you, see your GP. But it’s a good idea to write a food diary – listing everything that passes your lips – for a couple of weeks or even a month, so that you can prove that you’re not gaining weight because of your diet. Also jot down any exercise you take. That might show the doctor that there is a problem to be investigated – or you might realise just how many treats have been creeping into your diet.

Most pregnant women take great care to eat well and be moderate in any ‘treats’ they may allow themselves during this special time. It is well-known that whatever the mother consumes (whether by eating, drinking or inhaling), the foetus will also consume and it is for this reason that most pregnant women choose to stop smoking and drinking, and cut down on their intake of other substances like caffeine.

However, it would seem that such efforts may be being thwarted by an irregularity in the amount of caffeine contained in coffee served in different cafés and coffee shops. This irregularity could be posing a health risk to pregnant women and their foetuses and scientists have called for information to be made freely available about the levels of caffeine being served.

Research published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal ‘Food and Function’ examined coffee from 20 coffee shops in Glasgow. The difference in caffeine content varied so much that one cup contained six times as much caffeine as another. The research, carried out by the University of Glasgow, suggested that drinking just one cup of espresso (which contained higher levels of caffeine in one coffee shop than another) could create caffeine toxicity in pregnant women, women taking oral contraceptives, children and people suffering from liver disease.

The advice from the Government’s Food Standards Agency currently recommends that pregnant women consume no more than 200mg of caffeine per day. Four of the 20 samples examined by the researchers contained more than 200mg in a single shot of espresso. In a Starbucks, the espresso contained 51mg of caffeine; in a coffee shop called Pattiserie Francoise their espresso contained 322mg. The shots of espresso are also used in preparing milky drinks like cappuccino.

The differences can be caused by the type of coffee used and/or by the way in which it is prepared. Lead researcher Professor Alan Crozier said, “The variations in the amount of caffeine reflect differences in the batch-to-batch bean composition, roasting procedures, grinding conditions and the many variables in the coffee-making process such as water temperature and the ratio of water to coffee.”

At the moment, there is no way for consumers to know how much caffeine is contained in their drinks served in coffee shops. Labels on caffeine-containing soft drinks like cola normally provide information about how much caffeine is contained though.

Caffeine is cleared by the body normally in about five hours, but it can take far longer for women on oral contraceptives, people with liver disease, and pregnant women to process the caffeine and clear it from their systems (up to 30 hours), and this is what makes them more prone to caffeine toxicity.

Professor Crozier added, “The data we have gathered suggests there is a real need for a definitive study of caffeine content and consumption of coffees, and for customers to be given the information they need to make an informed choice about their intake.”

If you’re struggling to conceive, or are wanting to know when your body is most likely to conceive, you might want to just check up on these basics to help you to get to know your body a bit better and understand the science behind conception.

Firstly, you should know about how your body works when it ovulates. Perhaps the only time we get to learn about our menstrual cycle is during sex education lessons in secondary school, when we’re told what to expect when we have our first period. At that time, though, we were probably more interested in knowing when our boobs would grow than what was actually happening to our womb lining.

So, the long and the short of it is: your ‘cycle’ starts on the first day of your period. That’s when your hormones kick in to start eggs growing in follicles in your ovaries. Between days 7 and 11, the hormones tell your womb lining to thicken, to prepare it for the arrival of an egg which will (your body hopes) be fertilised during sex.

Most cycles last between 26 and 35 days. You ovulate normally 10 – 16 days before day one of your next period, so once you’ve worked out when your period is due you can aim to have sex more in the 10 – 16 days before then, since that is when your egg is released and makes its way to your womb.

A good way to tell when you are ovulating is to examine yourself – if you have a slightly sticky discharge, then that is when your body is most fertile. There are online ovulation calculators available, so use those to help once you’ve got an idea of how long your cycles are.

If your periods are irregular (or even if they aren’t) you can use your temperature to measure your ovulation. Progesterone is the hormone released to make the womb lining thicker, and progesterone raises the body temperature slightly. Check your temperature each morning before you get out of bed.

There are also ovulation kits that check your hormone levels present in your urine. These are more reliable than temperature checks, which can be affected by things other than progesterone.

If your egg isn’t fertilised during the cycle, then your womb lining breaks down with the egg and you have a period.

Things that can affect your ovulation include foods (use ‘good’ fats like olive oil rather than ‘bad’ fats like in fastfood and pastries; favour a vegetarian diet over a meat-rich one, though make sure you get enough protein; eat lots of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains), and your weight. Being overweight can significantly affect your ability to fall pregnant. Being 20lbs overweight can make you 10% less likely to get pregnant.

You’re also less likely to fall pregnant the older you get. This doesn’t even mean you have to be ‘old’, either – your fertility starts to decline from the age of 30. If you do fall pregnant, from the age of about 35 your egg production can go a bit haywire, spitting out multiple eggs at a time and increasing the chances of multiple births.

Although there are many cases of older men having babies, in fact sperm count and sperm-motility decrease as the man gets older (from the age of about 45).  

If you’re concerned about the length of time it’s taking you to fall pregnant, particularly if you are age 35 plus then you should see your GP and discuss your options.

There’s that old saying that men get old and distinguished-looking whilst women just get old. There’s a good deal of pressure to conform to society’s ideals of youth and beauty, and when those crows’ feet first appear it can be quite a shock to the system. They’re the first visible sign that you’re not as young as you used to be, and psychologically that’s a bit of a downer.

There are things you can do to reduce the chances of getting wrinkles (or at least reduce the severity of them) – like wearing SPF factor 15 or above every day (rain or shine) to reduce the exposure to UVA rays that break down the elastic in the skin, or quitting smoking and reducing drinking.

But what do you do if it’s too late for all that, the wrinkles are here??

Many women are turning increasingly to cosmetic fillers, which are substances injected under the skin to plump it up and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Of course, putting on a stone or two will plump out your face just as well, and is more fun in the short-term (though perhaps more unhealthy in the long-run).

Anti-wrinkle treatments are as old as dirt, and people have been trying to convince women to buy products to make them look younger since money was invented. Most products haven’t been tested out properly and offer ridiculous, short-term promises, and may have side-effects. Injectable fillers are nothing new, but are becoming longer-lasting (even permanent in some cases) so it’s important to get them right first time or you’ll have a long time to have to get used to the results.

There are several types of cosmetic filler, with collagen being the most well-known. Here is a sample of some of the treatments available.

1. Collagen: this can be bovine (from cows) or human. Bovine collagen can cause allergic reactions, and to get the best results (assuming no allergic reaction has occurred) the treatment needs to be repeated every 3 to 6 months. Human collagen gives fewer allergic reactions, but is more expensive and has to be repeated at the same rate as bovine collagen.
2. Fat injection fillers: this takes the fat from where you don’t want it (usually thighs or bottom) and puts it where it might do some good by hiding those wrinkles. Sometimes permanent, and few allergic reactions because it’s your own tissue they’re injecting.
3. Hyaluronic acid fillers: this acid is something that occurs naturally in your body but depletes with age. This treatment adds injections of the substance under the skin to top up your body’s natural levels. The effects last longer than collagen (around 9 months or more) and don’t often cause allergic reactions.
4. Synthetic permanent dermal fillers: these generally use a substance called methylmethacrylate microspheres (methylmethacrylate is actually a sort of cement used normally to glue joints back together). It’s used in combination with bovine collagen to be delivered into the skin via several injections. Allergic reactions are possible.
5. Poly-L lactic acid fillers: this stimulates the body’s own skin cells to make their own collagen. It’s not toxic, and because it’s encouraging a natural process allergic reactions are rare. The results can last for several months or even years.

Whatever option you may choose, make sure that you choose a reputable cosmetic surgeon and spend some time discussing the risks and benefits. In particular, make sure that the surgeon you use routinely offers allergy-testing as part of the service.

Something happens to many women’s arms once they reach their thirties. Suddenly, arms cease to be arms and start to become something rather more like bones to hang flab from. ‘Bingo wings’ are the bane of many women’s lives, but the good news is that there are exercises that can tone them up and make them an asset instead of an embarrassment. And as well as looking good, toning your arms will increase your strength and avoids posture-related strains and stresses on your back and neck muscles.

If your overall fitness and fat levels are not up to scratch, then working just on your arms would be a bit pointless (like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic…), and all your lovely new muscles will be hidden under a load of fat, so make sure your overall diet and exercise levels are in line with current recommendations for your height and weight.

Key to moulding arms into things of beauty is adding resistance to your exercise (not along the lines of ‘but I don’t want to…’ – physical resistance, of course). Use weights, tins of beans, cartons of milk, special weight-bands, shopping bags, or choose exercises that use your own body weight to add resistance to your muscles. Don’t be afraid that you’re going to turn into one of those muscle-women who go orange and shiny and enter competitions: you need a lot more than a tin of beans for that.

Here are some examples of exercises that really work those arms:

1. Hold weights (like 2 or 4-litre milk cartons filled with water, or heavy tins), in both hands, with hands by your side. Pull your hands up and then push them up above your head. Do as many repetitions as you can. Aim to do a few more each time.
2. Do some push ups, but start in the ‘up’ position and allow yourself to dip down a little, bending your elbows.
3. Sit on the edge of a chair (be careful!), with your hands gripping the seat at either side of you at the front of the seat. Push your bottom off the seat and lower yourself down until your elbows are bent as far as you can, and back up. Repeat as often as you can.

These are all exercises you can do at home, and they only take a few minutes. Fit them in around your other work and you’ll soon notice a difference in your stamina, meaning that your arms are well on the way to becoming things of beauty.

Only two weeks to go until Christmas and chances are you’ll be snuffling into a tissue and coughing yourself awake most nights as one of the many, seasonal bugs makes themselves at home in your respiratory system.
If you start feeling run-down, you may benefit from taking vitamin supplements to boost your immune system in an effort to make it strong enough to battle those bugs. But there are natural foods that do the same thing, arguably more effectively. They’ll certainly help you get your five-a-day and should give you the boost you need to make you germ-free in time for the Big Day.
Mushrooms
These are a good source of selenium. Whilst it won’t prevent ‘flu, selenium will make any ‘flu you do contract less severe. Button mushrooms also have vitamin B, niacin and riboflavin, which can boost the immune system.
Elderberry
The berries themselves may not taste terribly good, but mixed with a bit of sugary syrup or allowed to ferment and they make rather nice beverages! And even better, they may help you to get over ‘flu if you do contract the virus. They are packed with antioxidants, too.
Acai Berry
This is one of those ‘super-foods’ that were doing the rounds a year or so ago along with blueberries. They are full of antioxidants, which help to maintain a healthy immune system.
Watermelon
Not terribly seasonal, but if you can get hold of it it, too, has the antioxidant glutathione in it, which helps your body fight infection.
Oysters
If you can stomach them, they’re full of zinc, an excellent mineral for boosting immunity and may even ward off viruses, though it’s not known how.
Cabbage
This also has glutathione, and may be easier to come by than watermelon. It’s not to everyone’s taste, so add it to soups or stews.
Grapefruit, Oranges etc.
Citrus fruits are good sources of vitamin C, which everyone knows is helpful for recovering from colds and ‘flu. At this time of year, get some satsumas in!
Low-fat Yoghurt
If you choose ‘live’ yoghurt, you will reduce the risk of catching a cold or ‘flu.
Broccoli
This is an ace immunity booster, full of vitamins A and C, plus the antioxidant glutathione.

This is the time of year when you most want/need to fit into a little black dress, yet have the least amount of money to achieve weight loss (all your spare money seems to go on presents, wrapping paper, turkey, crackers, the little black dress…). Many women wanting to lose a bit of weight before the Christmas party season head off to the gym or maybe even invest in gym equipment for the home (which soon become rather expensive clothes-hangers). Others may sign up to diet clubs that charge a membership fee and weekly subs.

But you don’t need to go to these costly lengths to achieve the shape you want. Here are some ideas to inspire you to work out at home to tone up and look fab this Christmas.

1. Actually Go To The Gym

We’re not being facetious here. You may already have a gym membership, which you may have not taken up for a while because you keep failing to make time for it, or can think of a million other things to do with your time.

If you are lucky enough to have a gym membership that includes use of a personal trainer then book in some sessions! If not, then book time in your diary to go! Make sure your favourite tunes are on your player to motivate you to move.

1. Buy a Workout DVD

All you really need to tone up and lose weight is thirty minutes, five times a week. Switch off Emmerdale and put on a workout DVD instead. Make sure the workout makes you puff a bit (so that conversation is hard) but not so much that you feel out of breath.

1. Try a Basic Workout at Home on Your Own

Try exercises that work on each part of your body and keep working at them. Do them for ten minutes each evening before settling down to get ready for sleep (exercise will wake you up so don’t do it when you’re wanting to go to bed). Try these:

• Sit-ups (don’t try to lift yourself all the way up – they’re much more effective if you lift slightly off the floor feeling your tummy ‘crunch’ with the effort, holding for ten seconds at a time).
• Squats (stand tall, feet apart, arms out forwards and squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground)
• Jumping jacks
• Chair exercises (sit on your hands, arms straight, lift your knees towards your chest, bending slightly – not too much! – to meet them; or hold the edge of your chair and slip your bottom off, using your arms to ‘dip’ your bottom, counting to three on the way down and one on the way up).
• Use tins, or fill empty 4 litre milk cartons with water to act as impromtu weights.
• Check out apps for your mobile that offer exercise-tracking and weight-loss targets.

Whatever you do, it is better than nothing at least! If you stick at it then you will see a difference in your body shape, and if it’s a minor adjustment to your normal routine then it will be easier to keep it up.

The symtoms of cervical cancer are not always 100% obvious, which is why it is
Always extremely important to get regular health check-ups. Especially as some of the symptoms may not appear at all until it is too late!

Screening appointments for a cervical screening test are extremely important and only take a few moments. Those that attend one will receive their test results shortly after. Appointments can be made quite easily and usually take place at your local health clinic.

Many people will receive a reminder asking them to attend such an appointment. This should never be ignored, as cervical cancer is a very important matter which Endsleigh and everybody should take seriously.

Unusual bleeding is one sign to look out for and sometimes occurs after sex. Any bleeding that occurs at any time other than your monthly menopause is considered unusual. If this does occur you should make an appointment at your local health clinic straight away.

Other symptoms may include pain when passing urine, an unpleasant smelling vaginal discharge and also pain in and around your vagina when having sexual intercourse.

If symptoms advance and the disease spreads into your cervix, a variety of other systems can be triggered at this stage.

These could include the likes of constipation, blood in your urine, bone pain, swelling of one of your legs, severe pain elsewhere, tiredness, lack of energy and a loss of appetite.

Vaginal bleeding is very common and can mean a range of other things. It is however wise to seek medical advise to check up on this.

Simply book an appointment with your GP. Explain the systems and he or she will conduct the relevant tests. This won’t take much time out of your day and will in turn give you peace of mind.

Investing in a great health care insurance is also a must and a very sensible option.