Femme Power

Archive for the ‘Health & Beauty’ Category

Ladies, we usually take care of everyone else in the family but ourselves.   It wouldn’t hurt to have some “Me Time” and start looking after ourselves too, especially when it comes to our health.  I usually put off going to the doctor for some much-needed tests and I know a lot of other women are guilty of the same.  So just to serve as a reminder (if not a wake-up call), I compiled this list of medical tests that could be crucial to saving women’s lives.  Have you taken these tests lately?

1. Pap Smear - Recommended for early detection and prevention of cervical cancer.   Who needs this test? Women ages 21 years old and older who are sexually active. As written by Lambeth Hochwald at realsimple.com, “Beginning at least by age 21, If you’ve had several normal Paps in a row and a negative human-papillomavirus (HPV) test, get tested every other year. If you’re a smoker, have multiple sexual partners, began having intercourse at a young age, are HIV-positive, or have a sexually transmitted disease, have a Pap annually. If you are 30 or older, ask your doctor to test for HPV.”

2. Mammogram - Necessary for early detection of breast cancer. Breast cancer is known to be the most common cancer in women.  Who needs this test? Women ages 40 and older need to have a mammogram every 1-2 years. Regular breast self-examination and physician examination are also advisable for women starting at 21 years old.

3. Bone Density Test -  Detects osteoporosis which is common among older women.  Who needs this test? Postmenopausal women under 65 and older.

4. Colonoscopy - For early detection of colorectal cancer (also known as colon cancer or large bowel cancer)  Wikipedia quoted an American Cancer Society study that “Women who smoked were more than 40% more likely to die from colorectal cancer than women who never had smoked.”

5. Mole screening - To detect skin cancer the earliest time possible.  According to American Cancer Society, melanoma (the most serious form of skin cancer) is the second most common cancer among women in their 30’s. Advisable age to take this test: By age 30.

It is best to see our doctors for more information on these tests. We don’t need to feel any symptoms first before we go rushing to the doctor. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. These tests may take a certain chunk off our family budget but what the heck, the reward is priceless - our own lives.

I’m a self-confessed penny-pinching momma who incessantly look for every possible way to get the best deals in shopping so I could stash some savings into my bank account.   Although occasionally I’m guilty of buying bags and shoes that are more than necessary, I make it a point that I buy them at the best possible price (if it’s any consolation, lol).

I normally wait for sale events before I buy clothes, home accessories, appliances, and the likes.  But other than that, I love collecting and using coupons for items that I truly need. I don’t use every coupon that comes my way but I only choose the coupons that I truly need. Otherwise, I couldn’t call it smart spending. Other than using them for shopping, I also use coupons in dining out, or even in skincare clinics.

And just when I thought I could never save on vitamins and medication, I was glad to find a helpful list of drugstore.com coupons that offer either discounts, free shipping, or freebies with purchase.   Since news on AH1N1 broke out, I’ve been looking for ways to boost the family’s immune system.   Apart from healthy diet and equally healthy lifestyle, I believe food supplements would truly help us put up a fight against the flu or almost any illness.    And if I could actually save on these, why wouldn’t I?

If you sum up all your accumulated savings out of different coupons in a year, it’s surprisingly huge.

Do you self-diagnose and self-medicate when you’re ill?  I’m guilty too, sometimes.   We may have the same reasons too - when it’s just minor ailments like some body aches, fever, cough or cold I just don’t find it practical enough to seek doctor’s advice. Cures for Ailments, I suppose, can easily be obtained from the backyard or over the counter.

But lately I’m having a different stance.   When my 3-year-old niece, Ayessa, had a fever last month, my brother thought it was ordinary and that it would go away after a while with any paracetamol.   It was almost too late when they rushed her to the hospital and found out it was Dengue attacking her.   Her platelets dropped to less than 60 and got us all scared and sleepless.   I don’t think I will ever be lenient again when it comes to ailments, even as common as a fever.    I don’t mean to be paranoid but I’d say I better be on guard especially when symptoms persist, like a recurring headache or some memory lapses.  What if there’s something nasty behind them?

Get the right cures for ailments from Dr Daniel Amen, the father of the Amen Clinics. Check out Dr. Amen’s profile here.

“Wow! We ate three times tonight! What a birthday,” my daughter giggled as we headed home last night.  We celebrated our daughter’s 8th birthday yesterday by pigging out, hopping from one resto to another.   But that’s not the “different kind” of birthday treat I am referring to in the title.

Instead of us giving our daughter a birthday present, it was her who gave us something amazing. Her teacher congratulated us yesterday when she announced that our daughter landed top of her class this school year.  What a surprise, the announcement fell perfectly on her birthday.  She turned to me and said, “Mom, I told you so, I could do it!”

Despite her one week of absence due to German Measles, she still managed to finish with the highest honors. Way to go, Bianca! We’re so proud of you.

Just got back from the doc.   We’ve confirmed that it’s German Measles that’s affecting my 7-year-old.   I finally completed the prescribed meds after asking the pedia to change the hard-to-find Hydroxyzine to anything equally effective against itching.  She came up with Diphenhydramine.

However, I worry about my daughter’s swollen eyelids.  It makes her face look a little puffy this morning.   Unfortunately, I didn’t get much answer from her pedia about it earlier (she seemed confused too) so I decided to search the internet for some useful information about German Measles.   I’m glad to have found a site that offers valuable information for parents about kids’ diseases and German Measles is of course there.

It somehow gave me a breath of fresh air to learn that German Measles is a mild illness in kids and that it “resolves on its own.”   I also found out that the puffiness around her eyes is one of the symptoms of German Measles (the doctor earlier feared possible complications that may have caused my daughter’s puffy eyes and it gave me the creeps when she mentioned kidneys!).  But the doctor said she’s not raising the alarm since my daughter’s fever has subsided, her blood pressure is normal so it could mean her suspicion is incorrect.

My research helped me understand that my daughter’s swollen eyelids and pink eyes could be mild conjuctivitis which could have been affected by some allergies or infections (like bacteria or viruses) which are also brought about by German Measles.   I also learned that the rashes typically last three days but the swollen lymph nodes may take about a week to cure.

Doctor’s advice is to continue monitoring my child’s temperature and give her the prescribed medication on schedule.   I am less tense now that I know more about German Measles.   I was getting quite paranoid when I was totally in the dark about this illness.

I’d like to give credit to the people behind the website kidshealth.org.  They have loads of useful information about children’s health that every parent must know.  I decided to keep them handy by including them in my Hall of Fame links.

Many Filipino women fall into the lure of having a fair complexion.   As portrayed by media here in the Philippines, rosy white skin is synonymous to beautiful and is more preferred by many.

But is brown really unattractive?

Not at all especially when you have a perfect tan that accentuates you.  Tan is actually stunning!

Basking in the sun could give us that naturally tanned skin but it could also give us sun burns among others when not done in moderation.

Is it possible to achieve that luscious bronze even when you refuse to stay outdoors?

Fortunately yes.   There are a few options now to get a safe tan minus the sun (but that’s not saying that we need to fear sunlight at all unless we’re vampires).   I’ve heard of tanning beds, tanning pills, tanning lotion and spray that are out in the market.   I’m not really sure about the first two but if I am to get myself tanned (at least more auburn than I already am now), I will be more comfortable with the lotion and spray.

And if I am to get that gorgeous brunette look with those, I’d rather look for some discount tanning lotion that would be best for me without jeopardizing quality.

Bottom line is, brown is beautiful.

You’re exhausted from a day’s work.   Your head hurts, your back aches.   You could take a pill…OR a soothing massage.

In a world so rich with wellness options brought about by modern science, natural therapy refuses to take a back seat.  In fact, natural therapy continues to be an “in” thing today.

That’s evident as spa facilities continue to mushroom in every city and more hotels and resorts now offer spa services to keep abreast with the market demands.

Some people have resorted to yoga, a healing system of theory and practice.   It’s so popular it has become a billion-dollar business in America alone.   Yoga is said to treat certain diseases, improve resistance to psychological stress, and promote well-being.

While there’s no arguing that modern medical developments are a priceless gift to mankind and that it is imperative not to self-diagnose and self-medicate like our doctors always advise us, natural therapy still lingers on as an alternative to wellness.

One great place to check out when referring to self help ideas for mental health and self improvement is Chris Butler the Jagad Guru.

Also, for more ideas on finding your life purpose Jagad Guru can be found here.