Running Guide for Beginners

Thanks to all who are reading this post cos that’s a sure proof of their interest in running. It helps strengthen the heart and cardiovascular systems and also reduces excess body fat; however, starting a new running habit can be overwhelming for beginners. It is therefore always advised not to start a running habit blindly rather learn some basic information about the same.

Starting a running program is not as difficult as it seems; however, as a beginner, one needs a great deal of motivation, encouragement and determination to run on the track. If one starts running properly then he or she will soon be able to discover the mental and physical benefits of the same. People all across the globe are suffering from many common ailments such as High Blood Pressure (HBP), diabetes, and obesity to name but only a few.

One should not scrimp on price too much; as a beginner, it is not essential to buy a very expensive pair of shoes. Running shoes differ from walking shoes in terms of design and fitness, it is therefore, crucial to choose the right shoe for running, never compromise on quality because low-quality shoes might cause injury to the feet. In addition to running shoes, the other most essential thing is a water bottle – while running, the body loses excess of water in the form of sweats and this may cause dehydration and therefore, taking a few sips of water while running is essential.

When a person plans to run, one aspect that he or she should consider is safety during the running session.  For instance, run circular routes to avoid retracing steps, stick to well-populated roads or paths while running in the dark, try to be with friends or in a group, resist the urge to wearing headphones, and never explore unknown places, besides others.

Five Smart Beauty Tips by Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez – the most beautiful, glamorous, and charming lady says that beauty comes from inside; when you feel happy and confident, you are more beautiful. She does not talk about the glamorous way of looking good rather she talks about the practical approach through which one can look more beautiful.

Get some time for yourself: When you feel good, you appear good and this does not require you to spend the whole day at a spa. When Jennifer gets some quality time, she breathes and clears her mind. So, like Jennifer, at times, we also need to breathe.

Make your own style statement: Never copy others style because what suits others might not suit you in the same way. So, the best way is to create your own style – wear clothes, style your hair the way you feel comfortable from within.

Mingle with people: When you are surrounded by your closest friends, and family members, you feel happy, you laugh and the happiness comes from inside. You do not need to force yourself to show your happiness, it comes from inside. Jennifer loves meeting people and likes to be surrounded by people whom she is very close to.

Sleep on time: Jennifer loves sleeping, she says that when you sleep on time, and get up early the next day, you feel more energetic, and happy, but most often we do not stick to a routine. Just take a break – give it a shot, sleep early and wake up early and see the difference.

Balance your life: Jennifer says that she learnt the art of balancing her life and that is what reflects on her face. There must be a balance between your personal as well as professional life. It’s an art and one learns with time only.

What is In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)?

In vitro fertilization (IVF) today seems like a household word. But a few years ago, it was considered as an inexplicable procedure for infertility that produced test-tube babies. Unlike artificial insemination, IVF is a procedure where and an egg and sperm is fertilized in a laboratory and thereafter, the embryo is placed inside the uterus.

What is the rationale for Infertility?

When it comes to infertility, IVF is considered as a boon for couples.

· Endometriosis

· Blockage in the fallopian tube

· Low sperm count

· Ovulation Problem

· Antibody harming sperm or eggs

· The inability of the sperm to survive in the cervical mucus

Doctors never consider IVF as the first resort to infertility rather it is reserved for cases in which other methods such as artificial insemination, fertility drugs, and surgery have not worked. If a couple thinks that IVF could be the right option then first check out some of the fundamental questions associated with IVF such as the pregnancy ratio per embryo transfer, rate of twins or multiple births, and procedure cost, besides others.

What could you anticipate from IVF?

The very first procedure involved with IVF is injecting hormones to produce multiple eggs instead of a single egg each month. Thereafter a test is done in order to make sure that she is ready for egg retrieval. If everything is fine then an additional injection is given to develop the developing eggs. Some blood testing may be done to ensure that eggs are at the right stage of development. Special instructions are given by the IVF facility that needs to be followed the night before and the day of the procedure.

During the practice, an ultrasound machine is used to put follicles in the ovary and take away from the ovary using a hollow needle. Patient is given local anesthesia while performing this procedure. The complete process takes about half an hour, but it may take more than half an hour. Once the egg is taken out safely from the ovary, it is fertilized with a sperm in the lab. Once this process is successfully done, couples can return home.

The fertilized egg is kept under observation to make sure optimal growth. It takes about 4-5 days for the embryo to develop into its advanced blastocyst stage. Once the embryo is ready, couples are asked to visit the clinic again so that the doctor can transfer the embryo into the woman’s uterus. A tube, called catheter is entered into the vaginal passage and cervix and the embryo is positioned inside the uterus. In order to increase the chance of fertility, many experts deposit more than 2 embryos into the uterus and that is why it sometimes increases the chance of multiple pregnancies. Once the procedure is completed, she is allowed to stay in bed for several hours and then discharged later. Once the embryo is successfully transferred, it is monitored by the doctor for about two to three weeks.

There are several factors that determine the success rate of In vitro fertilization such as the sperm count, and age, besides others. However, age is one of the major factors among all other factors. For example a 35 yrs old woman undergoing IVF has a chance of 39.6 percent as compared to a 40 years old woman undergoing IVF (11.5 percent).

How to tackle with PCOS?

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) as the name suggests is a problem where cysts are formed inside the ovaries leading to irregular menstrual cycle; it has been estimated that one out of fifteen women suffer from PCOS. Hormonal imbalance may lead to infertility. Early detection of PCOS is crucial because if left untreated for a long time, it may cause problems such as diabetes and heart disease.

Androgen is a male hormone which is also produced by ovaries in women, but only in a very small amount; however, in PCOS, more androgens are produced and the negative effect of the same is seen in the form of acne and irregular menstrual period, and in some women, extra facial hair is grown. Ovaries produce many tiny cysts and that is why this disease is called polycystic ovary syndrome.

Treatment for PCOS

PCOS can be controlled by making some lifestyle changes such as performing regular exercise, sticking to healthy foods, and maintaining body weight. Women with PCOS are susceptible to gaining extra weight and it is therefore crucial to maintain body weight. This can be achieved by doing regular exercise for at least 30 minutes. Doctors often perform physical examination and tests in order to identify cysts and the blood sugar level. Doctors may prescribe medicines to regulate the menstrual cycle.

Pregnancy During 30s

Late marriages are very common in the urban society. Unlike rural or semi rural society, women in the urban world choose to marry in their 30’s. In medical terms, late marriage is not a good decision because it may cause several complications while trying to get pregnant or during pregnancy such as infertility, gestational diabetes, birth defects, etc. However, most urban women think that late marriage is a good decision because they get enough time to build a strong financial backup for their family and kids.

Financial stability is a must, but one cannot ignore the fact that late marriages are not good in terms of health and well being. Infertility is one of the major causes among women who try to get pregnant after 35 years of age. However, my personal opinion is that if you are happy in life and able to balance both the worlds systematically then no complications will occur. So, the moral of the story is that keep yourself happy and the rest will follow accordingly.

Different Pregnancy Tests

There are a number of pregnancy tests done in order to spot some specific hormones in the urine and blood so as to confirm pregnancy. These pregnancy hormones are also called human chronic gonadotropins or HCGs. Body produces these hormones only when the egg gets fertilized with the sperm and implanted in the uterus – this typically happens six days after the egg is fertilized.

Two different tests are performed – first test is done to identify HCG in the blood and the second test is done to identify HCG in the urine. Urine test can be performed at home, which is popularly known as home pregnancy test (HPT). HPTs today are becoming more popular, as they can be performed at home and they are inexpensive as well.

Use Ovulation Calculator to Know the Most Fertile Days

Women, who know their ovulation date, conceive more easily than others. They can even tell the exact date of their conception. Either way, conception is a wonderful gift for any couple anywhere across the world. Well, if you are also curious about knowing about conception then it is important that you should have some fundamental knowledge about the same.

A woman conceives only when the egg fertilizes with the sperm inside the body. It is important to note that the average life of an egg is just 24 hours, while the average life of a sperm is about 24 to 48 hours. When ovulation takes place, the matured egg releases itself from the fallopian tube in order to fertilize with the sperm. Many studies have suggested that coition before ovulation is crucial to get pregnant.

If you want to know your most fertile date or ovulation date then you can access a number of free ovulation calculators online. Ovulation calculator can tell you the most probable date of your ovulation. Here I am using a simple calculator as an example. In this example, I have chosen the first day of your last menstrual as January 6, 2012, and your cycle length as 28 days.

In the following picture, you can see the exact date of ovulation, which is also considered as the most fertile date.

Use any online calculator to find your ovulation day. It is absolutely free on the web.