Menstrual Cycles That Sync: A Mystery Unraveled
"I know this sounds crazy but I know when my menstrual period is going to start because when my girlfriend at the office starts her period mine will always come the next day." Sound familiar? First of all, no, you are not crazy, and without a doubt this is exactly what is happening. Second, with a little bit of knowledge about menstrual cycles you can understand exactly how this works. Just like every magic trick has a logical explanation, this common phenomenon can also be understood.
Knowledge of the Menstrual Cycle
To begin with, menstrual cycles do not have to be 28 days to be normal. In fact, in a series of classic studies by Vollman in 1977 on more than 31,000 menstrual cycles, fewer than 13% were exactly 28 days. Normal menstrual cycles are thought to fall between 24 and 38 days with greater instability being noted as a woman ages.
There are two phases of the menstrual cycle: pre-ovulation, and post-ovulation. Starting with the first day of the menstrual period, everything that happens up to ovulation (the release of the egg) is part of the pre-ovulation phase. Therefore, everything that happens after ovulation up to the beginning of the next menstrual period is part of the post-ovulation phase. The most important thing to remember is this: whereas the number of days AFTER ovulation is relatively constant (approximately 2 weeks), the number of days BEFORE ovulation is highly variable.
What does this mean? This means that if the menstrual cycle was short, then the pre-ovulation phase was short. For example, ovulation occurred 8 days after the menstrual cycle started (pre-ovulation phase = 8), the next menstrual period was 14 days later (post-ovulation phase = 14), and the total length of the cycle was 22 days (8 + 14). Likewise, if a menstrual cycle became really long, then it just took longer to ovulate. For example, pre-ovulation 26 + post-ovulation 14 = a cycle length of 40 days.
The most amazing thing about all of this is that if a woman can learn when she becomes fertile and when she ovulates (something that is easy to learn how to observe) then she can PREDICT the exact day that the next menstrual period is going to start � two weeks in advance!
What Makes Cycles Vary?
The winner is� STRESS! There are many things that can cause menstrual cycle variation such as medication, hormones, weight loss, weight gain, etc., but by far, the major influence is stress. The main effect of all of these things is that it takes longer to reach ovulation. Stress delays ovulation! The creator of the female body was a genius because if you think about it, the woman's body will naturally delay ovulation if a she has way too much stress, becomes ill, or chemically imbalanced-not a good idea to get pregnant under these circumstances!
Putting it All Together
So what do women who menstruate at the same time every month have in common? The stress pattern. In the above example, these two women both work in the same environment. As such, they have common stressors such as project deadlines, renewal of contracts, etc. The same story is frequently heard among women who live in a dorm together in a university. Once again, the stress environment is the common factor such as, quarterly exams, midterms, finals, etc. During times of stress, ovulation is delayed. When the stressors disappear, ovulation occurs and the menstrual periods begin approximately 2 weeks later.
When it comes to the menstrual cycle, there is no shortage of myths. There are so many, in fact, that writing articles such as this one could easily become a full time job!
------
David V. Picella, NP, is a PhD Student in the Department of Nursing at The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. David is a co-founder of the MyFertilityCycle gynecological charting system that can solve infertility and gynecological problems and be used as a natural means of avoiding pregnancy. To learn more about the language of a woman's body visit the number top rated internet site about fertility and health.
A Balanced Body for a Balanced Mind
The mind is a very powerful thing. However, most of us never tap into the total power that our minds have. Our minds even have control over our bodies. If we think that something is wrong with our bodies, our minds are strong enough to make that actually happen. It works the opposite way as well. We can use our minds to will illnesses and pain away, if we have developed our mind to that strength.
As strong as the mind is, however, our bodies can also affect the strength of our minds. For instance, when illness starts wearing our bodies down, our bodies start wearing our brains down as well. Our attitude and outlook on life is altered, simply because we are ill.
We have the ability to make ourselves sick, just as we have the ability to make ourselves well - all with the power of our mind. Our bodies have the ability to give us a positive outlook, or a negative outlook, simply based on how our bodies feel. The mind and the body work together. When one is �up' the other is �up,' and when one is �down' the other is also �down.'
Have you ever had a headache that kept you from concentrating on your work? That is a perfect example of the body ruling the mind. Have you ever had the blues and found that you have no energy? That is an example of the mind ruling the body. The mind and the body often fight for control, but they both work best when they are balanced.
The key is to balance the body, so that the mind will be balanced as well. The first step to balancing the body is to get rid of all of the toxins. The world we live in is toxic. No matter how clean you are, no matter how clean your home is, or how health conscious you are - you have toxins in your body, and those toxins need to be flushed out on a regular basis.
Getting rid of toxins lays the foundation to develop a balanced body and mind. You also need to cleanse your colon, and restore your pH levels to normal. This also aids in getting rid of toxins, as well as rotting fecal matter that resides in the colon. If you are overweight, you need to start reducing that weight immediately. Being overweight keeps the mind and body out of balance.
Look for a formula that takes care of all aspects of mind and body balance and includes vitamins, macro minerals, trace minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, and enzymes.
A product in liquid form promotes elimination, improves absorption, and enhances assimilation to cleanse the colon and restore pH levels. Look for something that detoxifies, promotes healing, and nourishes the body, while fortifying the body with the nutrients that are needed to fight disease and illness. It also needs to fight the ill effects of stress, improves vitality, aids in digestion, reduces cravings, improves the glandular system, promotes energy and stamina, slows the aging process, and improves the memory.
An excellent source of antioxidants contains free radical scavengers that reduce the risk of strokes, heart disease, and cancers. It also has anti-inflammatory properties to reduce inflammation and pain associated with arthritis, sports injuries, and inflammatory diseases.
Overall, Body Balancing gives you a sense of well-being because it does indeed balance the body. That sense of well-being is a sign of a well balanced mind!
------
Steven Godlewski is a self-made millionaire and is currently working with Life Force International products. He has an extensive background in nutrition as well as other health related fields. For more health-related articles and a FREE bottle of Liquid Vitamins see their website at: http://www.pillfreevitamins.com
Irritable Bowel Syndrome and bacterial overgrowth.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a condition that affects more than twenty percent of Americans and is in the top 10 most common chronic medical condition in USA. Sufferers with Irritable Bowel Syndrome have abdominal pain often eased by defaecation. In addition there is associated bloating and altered bowel habits and form. Constipation and/or diarrhoea are common.
At present no one knows the exact cause, no one treatment is effective in a large group of patients and there is no cure. In fact medical treatment has fallen well below patients' expectation.
Although no one can give you a specific cause for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, there are various suggestions. There is a higher incidence of abuse in IBS patients (Talley et al 1994: 50% of IBS patients reported abuse). In addition at least 20% of severe gastroenteritis (especially bacterial) develops Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Recently trials on a poorly absorbed antibiotic raises the possibility of another cause. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, Los Angeles studied Rifaximin and found it to be very effective in controlling symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Working on the theory that IBS is caused by bacterial overgrowth, they used Rifaximin, a non-absorbed antibiotic. This drug stays in the gut and is not absorbed into the blood stream.
Mark Pimental, MD at Cedars-Sinai linked bloating to bacterial fermentation by using Lactulose breath test to diagnose Small Intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). This test monitors levels of hydrogen and methane on the breath. These two gases are released following bacterial fermentation. Rifaximin was shown to reduce the bacterial level and significantly reduce Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms in these patients.
The Lactulose test plus the significant benefits of Rifaximin suggests that small Intestine bacterial overgrowth may be a causative factor in Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Leonard Weinstock, MD at Washington University tested 254 Irritable Bowel Syndrome sufferers that met the Rome 11 Criteria by using the Lactulose test and found Small Intestine bacterial overgrowth in 161. The patients tested positive for SIBO showed significant improvement of IBS symptoms following Rifaximin treatment.
It seems that Small Intestinal bacterial overgrowth is a possible cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and when recognised by a positive Lactulose breath test, a very effective treatment is Rifaximin.
This gives strength to the argument that Irritable Bowel Syndrome is caused by bad bacteria. More trials are needed. In addition not all patients have a positive Lactulose breath test. It is, however, an exiting and encouraging new avenue to pursue. At present Rifaximin is approved by the FDA for use in traveller's diarrhoea.
------
Dr.Phil Hariram is a retired General Practitioner. He has treated IBS patients for 27 years. He understands why hypnotherapy is an effective treatment for IBS. His ebook, �Irritable Bowel Syndrome. You take control.� gives a unique insight into how IBS is viewed by the Subconscious Mind and how it can be altered for better and lasting control of IBS. http://www.healingibs.com
Knowledge of the Menstrual Cycle
To begin with, menstrual cycles do not have to be 28 days to be normal. In fact, in a series of classic studies by Vollman in 1977 on more than 31,000 menstrual cycles, fewer than 13% were exactly 28 days. Normal menstrual cycles are thought to fall between 24 and 38 days with greater instability being noted as a woman ages.
There are two phases of the menstrual cycle: pre-ovulation, and post-ovulation. Starting with the first day of the menstrual period, everything that happens up to ovulation (the release of the egg) is part of the pre-ovulation phase. Therefore, everything that happens after ovulation up to the beginning of the next menstrual period is part of the post-ovulation phase. The most important thing to remember is this: whereas the number of days AFTER ovulation is relatively constant (approximately 2 weeks), the number of days BEFORE ovulation is highly variable.
What does this mean? This means that if the menstrual cycle was short, then the pre-ovulation phase was short. For example, ovulation occurred 8 days after the menstrual cycle started (pre-ovulation phase = 8), the next menstrual period was 14 days later (post-ovulation phase = 14), and the total length of the cycle was 22 days (8 + 14). Likewise, if a menstrual cycle became really long, then it just took longer to ovulate. For example, pre-ovulation 26 + post-ovulation 14 = a cycle length of 40 days.
The most amazing thing about all of this is that if a woman can learn when she becomes fertile and when she ovulates (something that is easy to learn how to observe) then she can PREDICT the exact day that the next menstrual period is going to start � two weeks in advance!
What Makes Cycles Vary?
The winner is� STRESS! There are many things that can cause menstrual cycle variation such as medication, hormones, weight loss, weight gain, etc., but by far, the major influence is stress. The main effect of all of these things is that it takes longer to reach ovulation. Stress delays ovulation! The creator of the female body was a genius because if you think about it, the woman's body will naturally delay ovulation if a she has way too much stress, becomes ill, or chemically imbalanced-not a good idea to get pregnant under these circumstances!
Putting it All Together
So what do women who menstruate at the same time every month have in common? The stress pattern. In the above example, these two women both work in the same environment. As such, they have common stressors such as project deadlines, renewal of contracts, etc. The same story is frequently heard among women who live in a dorm together in a university. Once again, the stress environment is the common factor such as, quarterly exams, midterms, finals, etc. During times of stress, ovulation is delayed. When the stressors disappear, ovulation occurs and the menstrual periods begin approximately 2 weeks later.
When it comes to the menstrual cycle, there is no shortage of myths. There are so many, in fact, that writing articles such as this one could easily become a full time job!
------
David V. Picella, NP, is a PhD Student in the Department of Nursing at The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. David is a co-founder of the MyFertilityCycle gynecological charting system that can solve infertility and gynecological problems and be used as a natural means of avoiding pregnancy. To learn more about the language of a woman's body visit the number top rated internet site about fertility and health.
A Balanced Body for a Balanced Mind
The mind is a very powerful thing. However, most of us never tap into the total power that our minds have. Our minds even have control over our bodies. If we think that something is wrong with our bodies, our minds are strong enough to make that actually happen. It works the opposite way as well. We can use our minds to will illnesses and pain away, if we have developed our mind to that strength.
As strong as the mind is, however, our bodies can also affect the strength of our minds. For instance, when illness starts wearing our bodies down, our bodies start wearing our brains down as well. Our attitude and outlook on life is altered, simply because we are ill.
We have the ability to make ourselves sick, just as we have the ability to make ourselves well - all with the power of our mind. Our bodies have the ability to give us a positive outlook, or a negative outlook, simply based on how our bodies feel. The mind and the body work together. When one is �up' the other is �up,' and when one is �down' the other is also �down.'
Have you ever had a headache that kept you from concentrating on your work? That is a perfect example of the body ruling the mind. Have you ever had the blues and found that you have no energy? That is an example of the mind ruling the body. The mind and the body often fight for control, but they both work best when they are balanced.
The key is to balance the body, so that the mind will be balanced as well. The first step to balancing the body is to get rid of all of the toxins. The world we live in is toxic. No matter how clean you are, no matter how clean your home is, or how health conscious you are - you have toxins in your body, and those toxins need to be flushed out on a regular basis.
Getting rid of toxins lays the foundation to develop a balanced body and mind. You also need to cleanse your colon, and restore your pH levels to normal. This also aids in getting rid of toxins, as well as rotting fecal matter that resides in the colon. If you are overweight, you need to start reducing that weight immediately. Being overweight keeps the mind and body out of balance.
Look for a formula that takes care of all aspects of mind and body balance and includes vitamins, macro minerals, trace minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, and enzymes.
A product in liquid form promotes elimination, improves absorption, and enhances assimilation to cleanse the colon and restore pH levels. Look for something that detoxifies, promotes healing, and nourishes the body, while fortifying the body with the nutrients that are needed to fight disease and illness. It also needs to fight the ill effects of stress, improves vitality, aids in digestion, reduces cravings, improves the glandular system, promotes energy and stamina, slows the aging process, and improves the memory.
An excellent source of antioxidants contains free radical scavengers that reduce the risk of strokes, heart disease, and cancers. It also has anti-inflammatory properties to reduce inflammation and pain associated with arthritis, sports injuries, and inflammatory diseases.
Overall, Body Balancing gives you a sense of well-being because it does indeed balance the body. That sense of well-being is a sign of a well balanced mind!
------
Steven Godlewski is a self-made millionaire and is currently working with Life Force International products. He has an extensive background in nutrition as well as other health related fields. For more health-related articles and a FREE bottle of Liquid Vitamins see their website at: http://www.pillfreevitamins.com
Irritable Bowel Syndrome and bacterial overgrowth.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a condition that affects more than twenty percent of Americans and is in the top 10 most common chronic medical condition in USA. Sufferers with Irritable Bowel Syndrome have abdominal pain often eased by defaecation. In addition there is associated bloating and altered bowel habits and form. Constipation and/or diarrhoea are common.
At present no one knows the exact cause, no one treatment is effective in a large group of patients and there is no cure. In fact medical treatment has fallen well below patients' expectation.
Although no one can give you a specific cause for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, there are various suggestions. There is a higher incidence of abuse in IBS patients (Talley et al 1994: 50% of IBS patients reported abuse). In addition at least 20% of severe gastroenteritis (especially bacterial) develops Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Recently trials on a poorly absorbed antibiotic raises the possibility of another cause. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, Los Angeles studied Rifaximin and found it to be very effective in controlling symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Working on the theory that IBS is caused by bacterial overgrowth, they used Rifaximin, a non-absorbed antibiotic. This drug stays in the gut and is not absorbed into the blood stream.
Mark Pimental, MD at Cedars-Sinai linked bloating to bacterial fermentation by using Lactulose breath test to diagnose Small Intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). This test monitors levels of hydrogen and methane on the breath. These two gases are released following bacterial fermentation. Rifaximin was shown to reduce the bacterial level and significantly reduce Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms in these patients.
The Lactulose test plus the significant benefits of Rifaximin suggests that small Intestine bacterial overgrowth may be a causative factor in Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Leonard Weinstock, MD at Washington University tested 254 Irritable Bowel Syndrome sufferers that met the Rome 11 Criteria by using the Lactulose test and found Small Intestine bacterial overgrowth in 161. The patients tested positive for SIBO showed significant improvement of IBS symptoms following Rifaximin treatment.
It seems that Small Intestinal bacterial overgrowth is a possible cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and when recognised by a positive Lactulose breath test, a very effective treatment is Rifaximin.
This gives strength to the argument that Irritable Bowel Syndrome is caused by bad bacteria. More trials are needed. In addition not all patients have a positive Lactulose breath test. It is, however, an exiting and encouraging new avenue to pursue. At present Rifaximin is approved by the FDA for use in traveller's diarrhoea.
------
Dr.Phil Hariram is a retired General Practitioner. He has treated IBS patients for 27 years. He understands why hypnotherapy is an effective treatment for IBS. His ebook, �Irritable Bowel Syndrome. You take control.� gives a unique insight into how IBS is viewed by the Subconscious Mind and how it can be altered for better and lasting control of IBS. http://www.healingibs.com