"The Versatile Antioxidant Vitamin"

Slice an apple into half, and it turns brown. A copper penny suddenly becomes green, or an iron nail when left outside, will rust. What do all these events have in common? These are examples of a process called oxidation. If the sliced apple is dipped in a lemon juice, however, the rate at which the apple turns brown is slowed. It is because the Vitamin C in the lemon juice slows the rate of oxidative damage.

Since its discovery 65 years ago, vitamin C has come to be known as a “wonder worker.” Because of its role in collagen formation and other life-sustaining functions, Vitamin C serves as a key immune system nutrient and a potent free-radical fighter. This double-duty nutrient has been shown to prevent many illnesses, from everyday ailments such as the common cold to devastating diseases such as cancer.

The water-soluble vitamin C is known in the scientific world as ascorbic acid, a term that actually means “without scurvy.” We depend on ascorbic acid for many aspects of our biochemical functioning; yet human beings are among only a handful of animal species that cannot produce their own supply of vitamin C. Like these other animals, including primates and guinea pigs, we have no choice but to obtain this nutrient through food or our daily diet.

Vitamin C can enhance the body's resistance from different diseases, including infections and certain types of cancer. It strengthens and protects the immune system by stimulating the activity of antibodies and immune system cells such as phagocytes and neutrophils.

Vitamin C, as an antioxidant, helps reduce the activity of free radicals. Free radicals are by-products of normal metabolism which can damage cells and set the stage for aging, degeneration, and cancer. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that vitamin C is being used for cancer treatment. In large doses, Vitamin C is sometimes administered intravenously as part of cancer treatment.



Vitamin C prevents free radical damage in the lungs and may even help to protect the central nervous system from such damage. Free radicals are molecules with an unpaired electron. In this state, they're highly reactive and destructive to everything that gets in their way. Although free radicals have been implicated in many diseases, they are actually a part of the body chemistry.

As an antioxidant, vitamin C's primary role is to neutralize free radicals. Since ascorbic acid is water soluble, it can work both inside and outside the cells to combat free radical damage. Vitamin C is an excellent source of electrons; therefore, it “can donate electrons to free radicals such as hydroxyl and superoxide radicals and quench their reactivity.”


The versatile vitamin C also works along with glutathione peroxidase (a major free radical-fighting enzyme) to revitalize vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant. In addition to its work as a direct scavenger of free radicals in fluids, then, vitamin C also contributes to the antioxidant activity in the lipids.

Optimal health, however, requires a balance between free radical generation and antioxidant protection. One of the functions of Vitamin C is to get and quench these free radicals before they create too much damage.

However, there is research to show that vitamin C may act as a pro-oxidant. In other words, vitamin C, under certain conditions anyway, may act in a manner that is opposite to its intended purpose. This has raised concern among thousands of people who supplement their diets with vitamin C...but that's another story.

"The Social Killer"

Scared to go out to a meeting to speak to a client?  Need to deliver a speech but feel like fainting at the thought of going in front of the class to present?  Scared to attend a social gathering for no apparent reason?  You might be suffering from social anxiety disorder.

    Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is a kind of mental disorder where the sufferer experiences a severe or unreasonable fear of social gatherings where there is a possibility that one may get embarrassed or ridiculed.   Most of the time, these anxieties arise from an intense fear of being closely watched or scrutinized - from the simple things like the way they dress, talk or act; to important job functions like performing in front of a crowd, giving a presentation, or finishing an interview for a job application.  This kind of phobia gives sufferers a feeling of being trapped or shut away from the world.

    They say social anxiety disorder is closely related to shyness.  However social phobia differs in the sense that this disrupts normal socializing functions.  It is true that everyone goes through a stage of shyness in their life, overcoming it is a different thing.  When it becomes too much that it interrupts your daily life and relationships to the point where you are sick with worry, it is time to seek counsel.  It is good to know the signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder to be able to determine and treat this said condition before it worsens.

    People with social phobia manifest 2 basic kinds of symptoms: emotional and physical.  The emotional symptoms include: an intense fear of being in situations in which you don't know people, fear of situations in which you may be judged, worrying about embarrassing or humiliating yourself, fear that others will notice that you look anxious, anxiety that disrupts your daily routine, work, school or other activities, avoiding doing things or speaking to people out of fear of embarrassment, avoiding situations where you might be the center of attention.  The physical symptoms include: Blushing, profuse sweating, trembling or shaking, nausea, stomach upset, difficulty talking, shaky voice, muscle tension, confusion, palpitations, diarrhea, cold and clammy hands, and difficulty making eye contact.

    Basically, this phobia manifests a symptom of being overly anxious around other people.  Sufferers think that other people are more confident that they are, that other people are better them.  They feel uncomfortable being around people that it makes it difficult for them to eat, drink, work, asking questions, asking for dates, even going to the toilet, when other people are around.

    The good news is that there is a cure for this condition.  For the past 20 years, a combination of talk therapy and medications has proven most helpful to limit the effects, if not cure, this mental condition.  Certain anti-depressants (Paroxetine, Sertraline and Venlafaxine), anti-anxiety medications, and beta blockers are used to help Socio-phobic people to balance certain chemicals in the brain and minimize panic attacks during periods of heightened anxiety.  Talk therapy teaches people with social anxiety disorder to react differently to situations that trigger their anxiety.  The therapist helps the patient confront the negative feelings about social situations and the fear about being judged by others. Patients learn how their thinking patterns add to the symptoms of social anxiety disorder and how to change their thinking so the symptoms begin to lessen.
    To be shy is quite normal, everybody has gone through a similar phase.  Getting past that stage is the difficult part.  Ultimately, it ends up to building your confidence to a certain level for you to be comfortable enough to move normally.  In case you’ve been diagnosed as a socio-phobic, it is nothing to be ashamed of.  With a little bit of therapy, proper medication, and enough support from people who believe in you, you’ll slowly be able to do socialize and function normally within a group without being too anxious.

"The Ever Growing World of Organic Skin Care Products"

We all know that eating food products that contain synthetic additives is not good for our health, especially to our skin. It has been said that if you want to take good care of your well-being, then what you put on your skin can be just as important as what you eat or drink.  According to reports, the chemicals we apply to our skin are absorbed directly into our bodies. It is estimated that an average woman absorbs as much as two kilograms a year per person from cosmetics and toiletries alone. Cosmetics are also becomingly madly high-tech, with NASA scientists developing creams and beauty labs dedicated to researching complex ingredients. These are all lovely for youth-seekers, but sometimes one longs for the simple life, and it's high time to look for alternatives. And that's probably the reason why there are a lot of people that are shifting to organic skin care products.

Organic skin care is an area of the organic movement which has made real progress in recent times, and where previously, there were few options. But now, there is a fairly wide range of grooming products available out there. Organic skin care products are becoming increasingly popular due to concerns about chemicals used in many products. Studies have found that up to 60 percent of creams or make-up applied can penetrate the skin and get into the blood stream. Whether or not this causes health issues, it has alarmed some people and unsurprisingly, the organic health and beauty market is growing rapidly, with sales increasing around 20 percent every year.

In the last few, years organic beauty products have seen a tremendous growth in popularity and demand, since organic skin care products are the ideal option for people who cannot apply chemically enhanced products.
One can find several standards of the word 'organic' as related to skin care and health products. There are accredited certifying organizations trying to set regulations for what constitutes a 100% organic product. How does the consumer know what organic really means? Because we buy organic-labeled skin care and health products, we automatically expects these goods to be 100% free of synthetic and artificial ingredients. But the tremendous growth witnessed by the organic sector in the recent years has also given enough chances to some traders to promote and sell non-organic products as organic. So, products marketed as “organic” can still consist of potentially hazardous artificial ingredients.

Products labeled as 100% organic should not include synthetic ingredients at all nor entail the use of artificial products during the manufacturing process.  product. Thus, the amount of natural ingredients in cosmetics, and other organic skin care products should still be scrutinized.

So, before shopping for organic skin care products, do a bit of research work about the brand. Always go for brands that are committed to provide guaranteed and efficient skincare products so that your skin gets only the best. If we were shocked to discover the dangers of many substances used in our every day make-up, shampoos and bath and shower products, why shouldn't we give ourselves and our Mother Earth a favor, let's go organic!

"Getting Around The Weight Loss Plateau"

The typical human form is capable of achieving a number of incredible feats that seem to suspend or defy the way science tells us things work. Athletes, through sheer willpower, can end up lifting something that their bodies should not be able to without suffering anything worse than muscle spasms. People can adapt to extreme physical trauma caused by a car accident and defy predictions that they'll never walk again. While, in general, these amazing feats are useful in a number of situations, there are physical reactions that some people look upon with quite a bit of disfavor. Among these “disfavored reactions” is something known as a “weight loss plateau.”

Essentially, the “plateau” is a term used to describe a situation where the body has become incapable of losing any further weight, usually due to developing a tolerance for the weight loss pills and methods being used. Essentially, the plateau is hit when the body develops tolerance for the regimen's limitations and practices, thus allowing the metabolic rate of the body to adjust to whatever weight loss pills or techniques were being used. Most diet books decidedly ignore the existence of the plateau, primarily because it can be seen as negating the purpose of the diet and is, therefore, bad for marketing. There are, however, ways to counteract the human body building a tolerance for training regimens and weight loss pills.

The human metabolism, when presented with a pattern, will eventually adapt to that pattern. It is this natural adaptability of the human body that can cause the weight loss plateau, particularly if the person's diet and eating habits have been altered for weight loss. As such, changing the pattern will, once a sufficient amount of time has passed, allow your diet plan or weight loss pills to become effective again. This trick essentially involves confusing the human metabolism, and is often taken as a rather drastic way to get the body back in “diet mode.” There are, of course, several ways to effectively alter that pattern without causing the body permanent harm.

Adding strength and weight training and modifying one's exercise program can also help someone get past the plateau, in most cases. The body will still burn through nutrients during physical activity, though the digestive system's metabolic rate can adapt such that more weight is retained rather than burned during exercise. Increasing the difficulty of the exercises, or changing the movements to target less-developed muscle areas, can effectively force the body to re-adapt. While the body is busy adapting to the changes, it can also start losing weight again. This method is best used with alterations to the person's diet, however, to maximize the effectiveness.

Another trick used to circumvent the problem of the plateau is to make changes to the time frame between meals. The internal clock that the human body's digestive system operates on can be altered to suit one's purposes, provided one executes the proper alterations to one's diet and eating habits. A simple action like altering the schedule of the meals, such as adding more meals but reducing the bulk of each, can have an appreciable effect on altering the metabolic rate. The key concept of this method is to fool the body into burning the food faster, thus getting one's weight loss program and diet back on track.

When considering the options, it is helpful to keep in mind that what works for one person may not work for another person. Some slower metabolisms may require combination of diet program and exercise regimen modifications, while others can get by with merely shortening the break between meals. The critical point is to find a method that works and is effective for a specific metabolism, which can be a time-consuming process.

"Different Types of Anxiety Disorders"

Anxiety is a common occurrence when a person faces potentially problematic or dangerous situations. It is also felt when a person perceives an external threat. However, chronic and irrational anxiety can lead to a form of anxiety disorder. There are different types of anxiety disorder depending on their causes or triggers. 

Common forms of anxiety disorders

Generalized anxiety disorder

A person who has this type of anxiety disorder usually experience prolonged anxiety that is often without basis. More accurately, people with generalized anxiety disorders cannot articulate the reason behind their anxiety. This type of anxiety usually last for six months and often affect women.  Due to the persistence of the anxiety, people affected with generalized anxiety disorder constantly fret and worry. This results to heart palpitations, insomnia, headaches, and dizzy spells. 

Specific phobia

Unlike someone with generalized anxiety disorder, a person who has a specific phobia experiences  extreme and often irrational fear of a certain situation or object. When exposed to the object or situation they fear, people with specific phobias exhibit signs of intense fear like shaking, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and nausea. Common specific phobias include fear of heights, enclosed spaces, blood, and animals. The fear a person with phobia feels can be so extreme that he or she may disregard safety just to escape the situation. 

Panic disorder

Also known as Agoraphobia, panic disorders are characterized by recurring panic attacks which are often unexpected. Symptoms are usually shaking, chest pains, dizziness, fear of losing control, and reluctance of being alone. People with panic disorder are aware that their panic is usually unfounded  and illogical. This is why they avoid public situations and being alone. A panic attack can be so severe that people may lose control and hurt themselves. 

Social phobia

Alternatively called social anxiety, a person with social phobia may exhibit similar symptoms like those of panic disorder especially in social situations. Shaking, dizziness, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations may ensue when a person with social phobia finds his or herself at the center of attention or in the company of many people, regardless whether they are strangers or not. 

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder experience anxiety caused by a persistent obsession or idea. They tend to avoid experiencing anxiety by resorting to repetitive actions or behaviors that prevent anxiety. For example, a person who is obsessed about cleanliness may experience anxiety at the mere sight of a vase placed slightly off-center. To prevent anxiety, he or she will clean and organize everything compulsively or without reason. 

PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder may occur after a person experienced a severely traumatic event. He or she may relive the experience in his or her mind which causes stress and anxiety. If a person with PTSD comes into contact with stimuli (any object, person, or situation) that he or she associates with the traumatic event, he or she may literally re-experience the event by crying uncontrollably, panicking, or losing control. Subtler symptoms include insomnia and avoidant behavior. PTSD may manifest itself immediately after the traumatic event or even years after. 

Determining the type of anxiety disorder a person has is crucial to seeking treatment and recovery.  Techniques and methods that are used to help a person cope with a certain anxiety usually target not only the management of symptoms but coping mechanisms when exposed to triggers. Only after thorough diagnosis can treatment and recovery for anxiety disorders really commence.

“Cool” or “Uncool”

Health experts believe that every year 2.5 million people around the world including 400,000 from America die because of smoking. And probably millions more suffer from smoke-related illness. According to studies, additional 3,000 deaths occur in America because of lung cancer due to inhaling second hand smoke. 

Smoking is linked to lung cancer which is the leading cause of cancer death. Studies show that smoking harms almost every organ of the body causing smokers to have poor health. Common diseases that may occur because of smoking are bronchitis, emphysema, and heart attacks. Smoking is also responsible for the rapid aging of skin, stained fingers and teeth because of exposure to nicotine.    


    But why do people smoke?  People smoke for various reasons. Some smoke because they think it’s cool. Others think that it will make them lose appetite and therefore lose some weight in the process. Many believe that nicotine intake calms the mind.

    Majority of smokers know the adverse effects of smoking but they just cannot or do not stop. Cigarettes contain nicotine which is a very addictive substance. Nicotine according to studies when taken in small amounts acts as a stimulant. In effect it may enhance brain activity which will be helpful in the cognitive process and also enhances one’s memory. Increase in heart rate and blood pressure are some of its harmful effects. That is probably the reason why smokers breathe faster compared to non-smokers. Large amounts of nicotine are used as pesticides.

   
People who don’t smoke are fitter and healthier compared to their smoking counterparts because their lungs and other organs are healthier. Also non-smokers tend to live longer than those who smoke.
    Smokers should try to quit smoking for it may lessen the possibility of having smoking-related illnesses such as lung cancer and emphysema. Making someone to quit smoking is always easier said than done for it needs discipline, commitment, and sometimes medication.
    Scores of “quit-smoking” products are available in the market. They come in different varieties and forms—patches, pills, and sprays. Unfortunately they are also pretty expensive.


Zyban is a drug that would help an individual quit smoking. And it is cheaper compared to its counter parts. Zyban’s side effects are generally tolerable. Dry mouth, increased sweating, headache, nausea, fatigue, and blurred vision may are some of the effects one may encounter while taking this drug.
Zyban is taken orally. Each pill should be swallowed in full. It should not be crushed or chewed otherwise the effectiveness of Zyban will be spoiled and the chances of side-effect occurrences might increase.

If Zyban overdose occurs, contact the nearest local poison control center or hospital. Symptoms of overdose may include blurred vision, confusion, nausea, and seizures.

    Though there are several “quit-smoking” products out in the market. One ought to realize that quitting smoking and being successful in that task is within. It will depend on the commitment and sincerity of the one trying to overcome this adversity. There is no magical “quit-smoking” product.    

 Pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to consult their physician before trying Zyban. Bupropion is the generic name of Zyban.

"Car Accidents: The Expressway to The Next Life"

According to a recent study, car accidents ranked ninth out of the top ten causes of death world wide.  It also ranked first among the top ten accident-caused deaths.  Over 40,000 Americans die in car crashes every year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, someone is involved in a car accident every ten seconds. It is estimated that every 12 minutes, a person dies in a car crash. Car accidents are the leading cause of death for Americans 35 years old and younger.  In 2002 alone, there has been a reported 43,005 deaths caused by car accidents.

What are the leading causes of car accidents?

    Car accidents can often be attributed to driver recklessness or negligence, the vehicles involved in an accident, and road and weather conditions at the time of the accident. 

Driver Negligence.

        Driver negligence may manifest in many forms.  It may be because of rubbernecking, driving under the influence of alcohol, the driver’s lack of experience, or an aggressive driving behavior. 

        Under driver negligence, rubbernecking had been reported as the top cause of car accidents.  This happens when motorists stop to look at other accidents they pass by and lose concentration on the road ahead.  This distraction ends up in a chain of accidents that     could have been avoided.  Driving under the influence of alcohol is strictly prohibited in the US. This is considered as a criminal offense and is not taken lightly.  A reported forty percent of all traffic-related deaths have been attributed to driving while intoxicated. Inexperienced drivers who aren’t accompanied by an adult with a valid driving license also contribute to car accidents.  One quarter of reported car accidents involved teenage     drivers. Aggressive driving behaviour like challenging other drivers to a street race in the     middle of the road, forcing to cut into a lane, not giving way to other cars also contribute to the growing statistics of car accidents. 



Vehicles.
   
    Defective auto parts, vehicle design, and/or car maintenance are also major causes of car accidents. Defective door latches, seat belts, airbags, seat backs, roofs, ignition systems, and fuel systems are all contributing factors in the damage caused in vehicular accidents.  The overall faulty design of a car makes accidents and damages more likely. SUV designs make a car less stable on the road and four times more likely to rollover in an accident as compared to passenger cars.

Road and weather conditions.

    It is understandable that this cause isn’t really something man can have any control of.  However choosing to come out on the road without first taking into consideration the weather and road condition may also be considered negligence on the part of the driver.

How can I avoid car accidents?

     Responsible driving is the key to avoid getting yourself involved in a car accident.  For teenage drivers, don’t go out driving unsupervised.  Avoid ingesting too much alcohol when you’re driving, not only will you be able to see the road clearer, your concentration will be better, too.  Concentrate on the road, disregard any distractions while driving.  If it is really necessary that you take a moment to acknowledge any distractions, park your car on a safe area and then attend to what ever needs your immediate attention.  Drive defensively instead of being aggressive on the road.   Always keep yourself abreast to weather conditions before going out.  Make sure and check your vehicle for any problems even before you hit the road.  It is better to be prepared and safe than getting into an accident on the road.

"Breaking Point: The Factors Behind Insanity"

What can drive someone to insanity? Certainly, insanity is something that is commonly understood (or misunderstood) and usually carries some sort of stigma in the popular consciousness. If you believe in modern psychology and psychiatry, there are literally thousands of forms of insanity that a person can end up developing over a lifetime. Some of them, like depression, are temporary, while others, like social anxiety, require more work for a person to get through. However, there appears to be some commonality as to what actually brings about most of the forms of insanity that people go through. Which brings the question to bear: is there a common, underlying trigger that compromises the stability of a person's mental health?

Things like stress and anxiety are often cited, as most of the common (and several uncommon) mental health issues are triggered by one of the two. Continued exposure to stress can eventually push someone beyond their “breaking point,” with the form of insanity afterwards being affected by external factors. This is often a long, strenuous process because most people have some level of resistance to such things, allowing them to at least survive the stressful period with their sanity intact. Additionally, the process may not even really result in insanity, with most of the population serving as proof of this theory. Prolonged stress can affect a person's behavior and outlook, but it is also known that several other factors can increase or reduce the impact of this. In some cases, stress and anxiety can merely even have the opposite effect, depending on the person's personal outlook.

Emotions are also said to play a critical role in driving or pushing people into insanity, with feelings being so closely tied to mental health. A person's emotional state can often be a reflection of a person's relative state of mental stability, but may also become an effect of fractured sanity. There is no doubting that emotions can disrupt and affect a person's thought processes and make them do things that they normally would not do. It has also been noted that extremely emotional situations and heavy emotional trauma can permanently affect a person's mind, often resulting in a condition that requires therapy to eventually overcome. However, it is rather arguable that emotions are merely augmenting the effects of stress and pressure, not a factor in itself.

Trauma is also frequently cited as having drastic effects on a person's sanity, particularly if it occurs during the formative years. The extreme psychological and emotional impact that trauma victims have to endure can often force some past the breaking point, having permanent effects on their mental health. However, it should be noted that trauma tends to be little more than a combination of stressful and emotional factors, usually mixed in with extreme circumstances. The vulnerability of the person's psyche plays a larger role here than in other potential causes of insanity, which explains why trauma encountered later on in life does not have the same general effect as similar events encountered during childhood.

Ultimately, insanity is something that, like sanity, must be defined on an individual basis. What is sane for one person in a given society may not be considered such by a different person within the same society. Insanity is a matter of context in this case, which is the assumption that some psychological texts make.

"A Better You" Your 7 days program to self-improvement

I seem to lost count on how many times I've read and heard of celebrity marriages failing almost left and right. Not that I care (and personally I don't), it seems strange that we often see movie and TV stars as flawless people, living the fairytale life of riches and glamour. I suppose we all have to stop sticking our heads in the clouds and face reality.

There are many ways to lose your sense of self-esteem despite of how trivial it could get. But whatever happens, we should all try not to lose our own sense of self.

So what does it take to be a cut above the rest? Here are some of the things you can think and improve on that should be enough for a week.

1. Know your purpose
Are you wandering through life with little direction - hoping that you'll find happiness, health and prosperity? Identify your life purpose or mission statement and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to your truth north every time.

This may seem tricky at first when you see yourself to be in a tight or even dead end. But there's always that little loophole to turn things around and you can make a big difference to yourself.

2. Know your values
What do you value most? Make a list of your top 5 values. Some examples are security, freedom, family, spiritual development, learning. As you set your goals for 2005 - check your goals against your values. If the goal doesn't align with any of your top five values - you may want to reconsider it or revise it.

The number shouldn't discourage you, instead it should motivate you to do more than you can ever dreamed of.

3. Know your needs
Unmet needs can keep you from living authentically. Take care of yourself. Do you have a need to be acknowledged, to be right, to be in control, to be loved? There are so many people who lived their lives without realizing their dreams and most of them end up being stressed or even depressed for that matter. List your top four needs and get them met before it's too late!

4. Know your passions
You know who you are and what you truly enjoy in life. Obstacles like doubt and lack of enthusiasm will only hinder you, but will not derail your chance to become the person you ought to be. Express yourself and honor the people who has inspired you to become the very person you wanted to be.

5. Live from the inside out
Increase your awareness of your inner wisdom by regularly reflecting in silence. Commune with nature. Breathe deeply to quiet your distracted mind. For most of us city slickers it's hard to even find the peace and quiet we want even in our own home. In my case I often just sit in a dimly lit room and play some classical music. There's sound, yes, but music does soothe the savage beast.

6. Honor your strengths
What are your positive traits? What special talents do you have? List three - if you get stuck, ask those closest to you to help identify these. Are you imaginative, witty, good with your hands? Find ways to express your authentic self through your strengths. You can increase your self-confidence when you can share what you know to others.

7. Serve others
When you live authentically, you may find that you develop an interconnected sense of being. When you are true to who you are, living your purpose and giving of your talents to the world around you, you give back in service what you came to share with others -your spirit - your essence. The rewards for sharing your gift with those close to you is indeed rewarding, much more if it were to be the eyes of a stranger who can appreciate what you have done to them.

Self-improvement is indeed one type of work that is worth it. It shouldn't always be within the confines of an office building, or maybe in the four corners of your own room. The difference lies within ourselves and how much we want to change for the better.

Preparing For Pregnancy

Almost every woman is blessed with the capacity to bear a child at least once in her lifetime. It is considered to be one of the greatest gifts that a woman can give her husband. Bearing a child would make the couple more closer together, and at this certain point in their lives they can actually call themselves a family. Upon learning that the woman is pregnant, most couples enthusiastically start planning for her pregnancy and eventual childbirth.

       
    When talking about pregnancy, it is important to know about preconception issues regarding on giving birth. A check up with the physician or midwife would be advisable for the woman in order to face facts on childbirth. Physical preparation is needed for giving birth, since this could really change the normal function of the woman's body. A caregiver would be helpful in preparing the woman's body in conceiving, and also impart information concerning potential problems in pregnancy. Anxiety is felt at this point, since the woman would really have to follow certain precautions in order to conceive a healthy baby. By seeking advice regarding on preconception, safety, lifestyle changes, prenatal vitamins, and the importance of folic acid, the woman could really prepare for giving birth.
   
    In preparing for pregnancy, a change in the woman's lifestyle is needed. Smoking cigarettes is a definite no-no, and also the consumption of alcohol. These addictions can affect the health of both the woman and her unborn baby. A woman might need to lose or gain weight, according to her present weight relative to her height and build. Being too fat or too thin might bring complications for both the woman and the baby. A good start in preparing for childbirth would be to establish a fitness regime for the period of the pregnancy. Asking the physician about nutrition and working out would be recommended for possible questions regarding exercise and food intake.

    Learning more about the woman's body while on the early stages of giving birth is essential for proper knowledge of the situation. Various parts of a woman's body have specific roles when it comes to pregnancy. Certain disorders from both prospective parents should be discussed with the physician for  additional health background information. Anxiety and stress is also felt by the couple since this is a very critical stage for the woman. Preconception stress is normal in women about to give birth, considering factors such as scheduling, sexuality, and self esteem, among many others.

        When preparing for pregnancy, the couple should be confident enough to know how to handle a child. Knowledge of early pregnancy symptoms are also important since these are signs that giving birth would happen in due time. When the couple feels that they are ready, then a visit to the Obstetrician/Gynecologist (OBGYN) would help in gleaning more information on pregnancy. At this point, the couple can make use of a pregnancy calendar in order to follow the due course of giving birth.
        Anxiety is often felt by women when they know that they are pregnant. Feelings of worry and tension are usual signs that shows her being anxious about giving birth. But by spending time with your husband, regular visits to the OBGYN, finding time to relax and unwind, with good exercise, anxiety should not be a problem at all. All you have to worry about is what to name the baby?