Women's Health Blog

Women & Food Choices

About half a century back many women preferred a non-vegetarian diet over vegetarian diet, which resulted in increased cardio-vascular diseases. With the evidences available regarding cardiovascular risks associated with non-vegetarian diets, most women have now switched over to vegetarian diet comprising of green vegetables, legumes and fruits.

There are some women who Milk & Vegetables and no Egg in their diets. Some add Eggs to their Vegetables and Milk regimen a few women still prefer fish & Chicken along with milk and vegetables routine.

There can be a number of reasons making a woman become vegetarian , mostly on religious grounds or following a medical advice. The thought of Cruelty associated with killing of animals, you becoming a party to it, pricks the mind and some women hate non-vegetarian food on this count. Many cultures profess to be vegetarian. Recently the promotion of better health and longer disease free living many women have become vegetarian converts.

The Advantages of Vegetarian Food:

Vegetarian food has very low contents of fat and negligible cholesterol as compared to non-vegetarian diet. Thus vegetarian diet reduces considerably risk of cardio-vascular disease. The studies conducted and reported indicate that consuming adequate quantity of fruits, green vegetables, and whole grain preparations help in lowering the risk to become obese, hypertension, diabetes, stomach cancer, pancreas cancer, cancer of the bladder, and cancer of lungs. Food consisting of broccoli, sprouts, and vegetables related to cabbage provide significant protection in respect of breast and colon cancer. Few studies advocate dark leafy green vegetables prevent macular degeneration, which is a common reason of going blind in post 60’s age group.

Planned Healthy Vegetarian Food:

For an adult woman having good health some planning of food choices have to be exercised to ensure the health does not deteriorate by making wrong choices of food considering tastes only ignoring nutritious food value. Growing young girls have varying nutritional needs and it is important to adequate care should be attended to by the parent. A pregnant woman or lactating mothers have increased nutritional needs, which must be taken care to maintain good health. Female children need a well balanced food of vegetarian meals made from green vegetables like legumes accompanied by milk both in the morning and evening and if the customs permit half boiled two eggs per day shall make available sufficient calories and nutrients to meet the growing needs.

Suggested Food Choices:

• The meal should include any of Bread, cereal preparation, rice boiled, with good pasta six servings in a day.

• Green Leafy Vegetables four servings in a day.

• Ripe Fruit or fruit juices 2 to 3 varieties in a day to provide sufficient quantity of anti-oxidants.

• Roasted Beans, nuts, seeds with boiled eggs or a mutton preparation if customs permit two times a day.

• Fresh boiled milk or Skimmed Milk if fat restrictions are necessary, yogurt, cheese preparation twice a day

Role of Food Supplements:

An exclusive vegetarian meal falls short to provide requirements of energy ensuring expected growth. In such cases food supplements need to taken to make available minimum daily requirements of Protein and micro nutrients like vitamins and minerals.

An account of Nutrients required Daily:

Calcium: It is very essential for sturdy bones, teeth and synthesis of enzymes and efficiently run the blood clotting mechanism in situations of an injury. Good sources are milk, dairy products, dark green vegetables orange juice etc.

Vitamin D: It helps in absorption of calcium. Sources are milk, egg yolk. Having sun bath in the morning, helps in Vitamin-D synthesis by the body.

Vitamin B-12: It is very essential for excellent performance of nervous system and blood cells. Sources are Dairy products, fermented cereals, and yeast cells.

Iron: It is required for healthy red blood cells formation. Sources of Iron are Dry fruits, fresh fruit juices, raisins, legumes whole grain preparations, soybeans, molasses. To enhance absorption of Iron the food should include vitamin C. It is advised to cook food in Raw Iron vessels instead of aluminum or stainless steel.

Zinc: It is mineral necessary for good tissues formation and used in synthesis of Insulin and hormone. Excellent source is wheat germ, cheeses, all kinds of nuts, and legumes.

The Need of Oral Contraceptive:

The Nineteenth Century and period before witnessed population explosion in the world, which if continued, our planet cannot sustain such an explosive invasion by the mankind by providing food, roofing, clothing such a massive apes population. This explosion took a serious dimension in developing countries and governments had to fight by taking stiff measures like vasectomies forces or willful putting in danger the existence of the Government itself on such a sensitive and logical issue.

Oral contraceptives came on the scene promising safe sex at the cost of acquiring dangerous disease like cancer.

Oral Contraceptives:

Commonly known as Birth control pills is widely accepted measure of birth control. About one third of the women world population use oral contraceptives. If administered properly it is 99 percent effective in suppressing ovulation and hence a birth control measure. By taking oral contraceptives the period duration is shorter, regular and scanty bleeding hence there is in built health care of a woman. Moreover Menstrual cramps get reduced.

Oral Contraceptives lower risks of uterus and ovary cancer, pelvic inflammation present in women. Taking Oral Contraceptive also helps bones to become strong and there is prevention of hot flushes, night sweating, mood swings and some other symptoms associated with onset of menopause.

Mode of Action of Oral Contraceptives:

Oral Contraceptives are synthetic estrogen and progesterone combination. A continuous low concentration of estrogen suspends ovulation and low progesterone blood level stops the growth of endometrium, which does not implant fertilized egg in the uterus. There is thickening of the mucus around cervix preventing sperm entry into the uterus.

Another Oral contraceptive is available comprising of progesterone only.  Its efficacy is only 95 % not very commonly taken. It is better alternative for women who do not tolerate the combination pill because of associated side effects.

Taking an Oral Contraceptive:

Before starting oral contraceptive you need to be examined by a Gynecologist and if it is safe for you to take pill she shall prescribe you with the guidelines. The doctors advice is to be followed and regular examination after intervals to determine the safety of the oral contraceptive you are taking.

How do I take the Pill?

The Oral contraceptive combination pill is available in packs of 21 or 28. Certain brands advise taking the pill in a particular order it releases varying amount of hormone on each day based on the normal pattern of cycle to ensure safe contraception.

The only Progesterone Contraceptive is available in a pack of 28 tablets and one tablet is to be taken daily at the same time of the day without a missing. If there is a gap between scheduled time and the time you are taking the tablet, you should take two tablets and you need to play safe for the next two days.

In case there is vomiting or diarrhea the possible is that the pill has not been absorbed properly and you need to take an extra precaution use an additional method of birth control. Few antibiotics or other drugs interfere with the oral contraceptive it is better to tell the doctor you are taking an oral contraceptive.

Forgetting the Pill:

In case of a missed pill take the moment you remember, you can safely take two pills in a day one pill you missed and the second pill which is due to be taken on schedule only effect can be a feeling of nausea which shall be relieved.  In case you missed two or more pills in continuation take the last pill you have missed and discontinue. Start it at the next cycle. In the mean time use another safe contraceptive method for next seven days. There can be blood spots or normal bleeding. If there is missing of period consult your doctor for advice for a pregnancy test.

Stress Related Diseases:

Middle Aged Women are the Stress Banks. There are a lot of stress related diseases. You name any valid or invalid reason they have a stress present. They become very lazy in their activities, easily gain weight with no desire to lose weight. The stress makes them to eat more, with no physical activity; they gain weight and lose efficiency.

Life is full of struggles associated tensions, which either can stop a person moving ahead or the person has to learn to cope with the tensions and move ahead in the path of progress. A state of uncertainties exists, when appearing for an interview till the interview is over there is a state of tension.

The over excited nerves make one stammer and tremble make unexpected expressions on the face over even simple matters of dating. This is the stress related talking and feeling. At the same time there is joy when you get the job or a successful dating. Let us make a trip to the Stress City.

Stress in the Making:

A sudden change far from daily routines in one’s life, which can be a positive or negative environment there is an element of stress in any new situation. A break from the routine the brain gives alarming signal and stress combating hormones namely adrenaline and cortisol are released. Such hormones put into action the responses because by their nature they are very potent chemicals and produce their response all over the body, including triggering of heart beats and increase in respiration rate. This combined effect makes the muscles ready for action. These hormones effect reducing digestive activity and immune system is also slowed. In real danger the objective shifts to new priorities forgetting digestion or fighting the bacteria.

Stress & Hormones:

A very minute quantity of stress hormones can provide energy needed to achieve tight schedule performance or delivering a speech to the audience. The larger dose of stress hormones can help saving the life in true danger like a sudden fall, in emergency situation. In a situation if a person approaches running from behind in the dark the adrenaline is secreted in large quantity to make you prepared to defend or counterattack even if the person approaching is just a jogger. This is a state of unexpected tension. Some times the person starts imagining about an eventuality, whose chance of happening is very bleak.

When the person feels rest assured that every thing is alright, the production of hormone ceases. Many people live in the world of imaginary threats and the stress hormones always bountiful causing them to overact and always feel annoyed about something that has not happened and shall not happen also in reality. They cannot perform well in their job and financially get battered because of poor performance.

Over Secretion of Stress Hormone:

Over secretion of stress hormones on a regular basis can ultimately threaten the health of an otherwise normal person and lives with ulcers, insecurity. The due promotions and increments go missing another real thing to worry about, besides dozens of imaginary harms. When there is a real emergency the stress hormones fail to do the desired job adding miseries in the list.

Following are the dangers of living a stressful life:

Heart disease:

In simple events like preparing to defend or fight back if due to temporary stress the heart over beats it is good, but if you make your heart beat continuously over imaginary dangers of job, marriage relations, the heart shall suffer resulting in a heart attack or stroke, which can be avoided. Continued Stressed situation increase blood pressure, make the blood thicker causing unbearable strain on heart clogging the arteries with a clot.

Researchers have come to the conclusion that Stress doubles the risk of heart attack.

Weakness of Immune System:

It is observed during in over stressed conditions there is increased incidence of skin infections and the immune system concentrates it’s activity on the skin, whereas at the same time if there is a situation requiring immune system active it fails at that moment causing failure of the immune system, when it should have been in an active mode. A stressed person becomes more disease prone to simple diseases like colds, influenza and other infections like HIV & AIDS.

Effect if Stress on Gastrointestinal System:

The more stress one is facing the Gastro Intestine system shall falter in it’s responses, Gastro Intestinal tract is highly innervated with nerves, if the brain is too busy with the imaginary stresses it lacks it’s normal communication with the GI Tract. Person can have diarrhea, irritation of bowel, constipated feeling, ulcers of the stomach. The symptom becomes flared up further with tension making life miserable.

Depression States:

A stressful brain changes the priorities of its actions. The person is never happy or satisfied with what is happenings and fails to respond in the right manner. Useless incidences of no significance get precipitated to produce stress. Stressed stricken persons do not have any desire or energy to do any thing, which in the past were doing joyfully. Now there is state of depression at its height.

Insufficient Memory:

A stressed person proves blank in memory and hence efficiency is greatly reduced. In an over stressed person the part of the brain responsible for storing memory suffers shrinkage. They become more prone to Alzheimer’s disease.

Stress Pain Relation:

Stress exerts more tension on muscles. The constant tensioned muscles produce back ache and headache and pain itself increases the tension. This is a vicious circle no end in sight.

Patients suffering from arthritis experience more painful bones and joints because stress increases pain. Changes in the activities like walking, swimming and regular exercise relieve the stress dramatically. One should keep the stress away for a happy life.

NORMAL SLEEP A NECESSITY

Sleep & Women:

A Normal Sleep is of great importance in women’s, because they are overworked handling Professional, Domestic and Family responsibilities. Professional Responsibilities require 8 to 10 hour routine including transportation time, Domestic Kitchen about 4 hours, caring for the children and husband another 4 hours and about 2 hours for personal care. If during the 4 hours left if they do not sleep they shall go mad soon.

Difference in Sleep Patterns:

There are differences between man’s sleep and woman’s sleep. The women because of sleep deprivation fall to sleep easily anywhere and everywhere, when they get a moment to sleep. Woman’s sleep can be disturbed and get up with no refreshing effect after sleep.

Women report their sleep difficulties describing them as too tired, without rest and forget the time they sleep during day time. This indicates they are physically as well as mentally tired. Women after getting up from sleep feel general lack of energy and vitality.

There are other factors displaying complexity affecting how woman gets sleep. There is a change in these factors in relation to the age of woman. An excess sleep during day time is very common in 20 to 30 years age group as compared to older women, who adapt well to duration of sleep deficiency.

Woman & Her Obligations:

This disparity is due to a number of obligations, which compete, with each other in young woman’s time. In case of working mothers they have to adjust requirement of their job, family, and for self health needs. In case of working mothers day time sleep does not carry any risks.

The usual factors affecting woman’s sleep are as given below:

• Life Activities.

• Occasional Depression

• Any Sickness

• Wrong sleep habits

• Use of any medicine disturbing sleep.

• Hormones related Physical effects.

Tips to Promote Sleep:

The following tips related to Sleep helping women get the most out of their sleep:

• The bedroom should be a calm and quiet protected place. Cut off noisy sounds and maintain temperature neither very cold nor hot.

• Put light bed sheets and wear comfortable garments.

• Occupy bed when feeling sleepy do not just lye and wait for sleep to come.

• Take a refreshing bath use some pleasant scent do relaxation exercises to get a good sleep.

• Make it a habit to go to bed and get up all the days at the same time including holidays and weekends.

• In case you want to sleep during day take a brief nap just after lunch.

• Take a caffeinated drink in the morning. Avoid alcohol and cigarettes late in the evening.

• Do not eat fatty and spicy meals which may upset digestion and acidity.

• Attend to your worries and resolve them before end of day do not think of them, when you are going to sleep.

• Take generous amount of vitamin E through fruits and vegetables or use vitamin E supplement.

• Hormone replacement therapy if needed should be initiated in consultation with your doctor. They help in sleep improvement side by side relieving hot flashes encountered in menopause.

• The use of sleeping pills should be strictly under advice and guidance of your doctor.

If sleep problem still continues, consult your doctor for necessary advice and follow up the treatment and precautions suggested.

Food Values v/s Aging Process:

There are scriptures of ancient times mentioning age of person 10000 of years, which they were having by taking natural food, living in pollution free environment and extensive Physical hard work they were doing on daily basis and consistently, because modern day conveniences were non existent.

Human body has a number of automatic functions, which can be covered by an automobile. An automobile has been man made, where the manufacturers after lot of study of performance data arrived at operators manual, which describes about the quality of fuel and lubricants can be used, which can be obtained in pure form without presence of adulterants and it is a punishable offence to do the adulteration. The automobiles are fitted with very efficient filters to filter air contaminants.

Unlike the automobile there is no standard method of food production and the human beings take the food according to taste or its convenience factors ignoring unfortunately of the nutrition values of food. More over instead of inhaling pollution free air man is day and night are polluting the environment unlike the automobile, which gets filtered air.

As a not maintained automobile suffers break downs, you cannot expect some thing different in the case of human beings.

From the above discussion it is clear to live a better trouble free and long life we have to take care of the food, water we take and the air we breathe and the physical work we do.

It is high time we should stop using pesticides and insecticides. There are insects, which eat insects for food they can be deployed instead of Synthetic Insecticides.

Organic manure should be used instead of synthetic fertilizers, which is lacking natural minerals necessary for synthesis of better enzymes and hormones promoting healthy life and long life.

Anti Aging a Revolution:

In the past it was difficult to believe that attempts can be made to increase the life of a person in the light of our limited knowledge about and vague theories believed and practiced about life and death.

The fact that the standard of health has declined with degenerative diseases of the cardiovascular system, endocrine system are spreading in all age groups and genders alike.

Food is grown without any regard or regulatory measures, like mandatory test reports for the food being sold in the market, served in the hotels and restaurants which exist for all other fields.

The so called organic food produced without the use of insecticides, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers has high standards of nutrition and absence of toxins and help in reversing the aging process as well as increase the healthy life span of a person.

Looking young, which was science fiction has become a reality. There practical results supporting the claims.

Women are taking great interest on this topic and have found by little more care of simple measures skin and beauty prospects improve significantly and can be maintained for a longer period of time.

The cellular nutrition can keep the woman young and beautiful by truly practicing following guidelines:

1. A Life Style in Introspection:

Stop abusing your body by quitting of Tobacco smoking and alcohol intake. By improving high nourishment eating or avoiding overeating of unhealthy foods, restrict skin exposure to direct sunlight.

2. Good women’s health starts by eating healthy food from fresh green vegetables and fresh fruit. A balanced meal is a mix of higher quantity and variety of green vegetables and variety of fruits. Food should contain high protein from nuts or eggs helping the bones and joints remain healthy.

3. Losing Weight by eating Healthy food of utmost importance in women’s health promoting skin beauty. The natural functioning of anti-aging principles is restored by natural source minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants found protecting cell damage and making them ready for optimum performance.

4. Drink Plenty of Water

Human body does not signal water need, rather in absence it shall start conserving by affecting kidney filtration and suck out all water present in the bowels affecting badly the excretion affecting health. Therefore plenty of pure water should be taken regularly. It increases hydration processes helping in excretion of toxins from body. The benefits of good water drinking results in optimum functioning of various organs:

• All Organs work optimally.

• Skin is highly moisture rich, and the complexion reflects a live glow.

• Activates all skin surface cells producing anti aging signs.

• It is a nature’s cool sense producing agent and cellular wear and tear gets minimized.

• Water a natural gift although most abundantly present, it needs to be de-ionized before drinking.

• Drink plenty of water in place of aerated drinks.

5. Attain Your Desired Shape:

Regular exercise is to be assigned in daily schedule, the duration and type of exercise can be adjusted according to your suitability. It is a must for fitness and shape. It side by side keeps bones and joints in perfect working order for a longer life you are aiming at.

6. Anti-aging Supplementation:

The advances in scientific knowledge many anti-aging organic manure produced food supplementation is present in the market to increase cellular nutrition and activation of cell functions helping in slow down effect on natural aging factors and repair of damage effected cells. Such anti-aging supplements are available in tablet form or local application creams prepared from plants containing high concentration of anti-oxidants.

Physical Activity involving Women:

There is great crisis in women’s Physical Activity in daily life causing increase in health problems. It needs working out a strategy keeping in view the general health improvements can be brought about in women. This should involve both physical exercises and sport becoming a part of daily life in organizations involving women employment in their services.

More than 80 percent women do not involve them selves in physical exercise. Majority of the young girls lay stress on remaining thin rather be healthy. After school life the sport and physical exercise are forgotten by girls being getting involved in other activities.

Creating a Nation of Active Women:

It is the foremost strategy for bringing about changes at the national and regional levels

So that the importance of Sport and physical exercise are disseminated through the media available for it’s wide reach.

It is a very vital area describing the visions, approaches, recommendations and over and above fixing targets at regional levels so that there is uniformity in implementation.

Physical Activity Planning Considering Women Population:

More than half of the population is comprised of women so equal stress has to be given to the avenues of sports in women so that they can compete successfully.

Practically for many women, physical activity is not to be viewed as winning proposition. Women’s motivational factors are in great contrast to men hence expecting norms are also linked to the motivation. Main criteria should be linked to the health standards improvement, which shall succeed in the long run.

Provision of Utility Services for Sports Women:

Women have need of high class utilities services associated with the sporting programs i.e. cleaner swimming pools, showers which are kept functionally operative, hair straightening devices in Change room.

The information sign posts regarding the services shall encourage women to experience and continue the sport and achieve higher levels.

School Age Girls are the entry points in the sports and form a Practical Target Category for introducing all the variety of sport facilities available and some new additions in the field of Dance and Yoga is included for their better motivation and participation.

Creating an Active and Attractive Society:

Girls expect different objectives growing and grooming in different styles as compared to boys of their age group. It is actually the society which sets the different standards of comparison. Girls are expected to be attractive to measure to the expectations of just matrimonial requirements.

For the women to excel in sport activities higher strength of women staff is needed at higher levels in the decision making machinery, particularly in the field of sports

For increasing the number of women participants and achieving targeted results in terms of more women coming forward to associate with the sports activities needs the following considerations:.

• Better knowing the women’s mind and keep them motivated to act as role models for attracting others.

• After achieving the increase in numbers it is necessary that follow up is ensured so that the numbers reached stick with the program and induce others to coming in.

• Women require to be better informed regarding beneficial aspects of remaining active. The factors should be modified with easy to understand and acted upon by majority of the women.

• The marketing campaigns in relation to Public investment in sport and fitness needs to be analyzed and corrected ensuring women are enjoying its benefits. Funding promotion of women’s sport is a very critical and necessary part of effective steps for the success of the project.

• Women’s sport should receive higher share of commercial earnings. It shall be investment in future, and not just expenditure.

It is a collective job of the Government and the agency handling this project. Any agency, howsoever dynamic shall not bear satisfactory results unless other associated organizations do not do their homework.

Involving the Consumer research, Industry discussion the strategy is clear cut functioning multiple departments of Government, local authorities, sports councils, Hospitality sector corporate entities formulate their programs and plans keeping in mind the Women Sport.

Cancer of Breasts & Mastectomy:

Mastectomy is a surgical procedure to remove partial or complete removal of breast in cases of advanced breast cancer patients.

Mastectomy is divided into 4 categories depending on the degree of cancer present and procedure adopted:

1. Subcutaneous mastectomy: The entire breast is excised except Nipple and areola, pigmented circle around the nipple.

2. Total Mastectomy: Excision of Total breast except lymph nodes or axillary nodes present in the arm
pit.

3. Modified Radical Mastectomy: Excision of Total Breast along with most of lymph nodes under the arm.

4. Radical mastectomy: Excision of the chest wall muscles also (pectorals) along with breast and axillary lymph nodes.

Operative Procedure:

This operation is conducted under General Anesthesia. The incision is made in the breast. Breast tissue is separated from the skin covering it. Glandular organ is removed. In cases requiring axillary dissection it is through same incision. Affected Lymph nodes are located and removed.

While stitching the wound one or two small plastic drains are left in the wound to drain blood and exudates present and prevent accumulation of fluids on the site of operation.

After observing the fluid collected the plastic drains are removed when there is decrease in fluid ozzing to the accepted level in the operated area usually within 2-3 days.

Many women are dischared with their drains intact and the same are removed on their follow up visit.
Considering the symmetric look the excised breast can be restructured by artificial implants or any other area self tissue before closing of the wound or at a later date.

Reconstruction of Breast is a decision between the doctor and patients and it’s timing is decided how the operation progresses.

Indications of Mastectomy:

It is usually the Breast Cancer present prompts the patient for Mastectomy. Mastectomy is an alternative to breast conservation surgery. The type of Mastectomy to be performed is based on the views of the surgeon and how the operation progresses and the involvement of only Mammary Gland or the Lymph nodes also, Size of the tumor viz a viz breast size.

Mastectomy is performed, when there is all over the breast ductal carcinoma. It is a stage when the cancer is in its initial stages and can result in to invasive cancer if not operated upon.

Prophylactic Mastectomy: as the name suggests it involves excision of one or both breasts in patients having a family history of Breast cancer. Prophylactic mastectomy should be performed genetic testing and psychiatric evaluation.

Subcutaneous or total mastectomy should be performed I highly susceptible patients to breast cancer. Such a surgery reduces the can be done. This surgery significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer in women having high genetic risk of breast cancer affliction or in women who have a positive family history of breast cancer.

Associated Risks:

Mastectomy is a safe surgery, most patients achieve recovery with no reported complications.

In common with all surgeries, there are risks. Like bleeding, infection, possible injury to nearby tissues.

Post-operative pain, soreness, presence of scar etc. in actual practice complications in mastectomy are very rare.

There is general anesthesia risk in patients having breathing and heart problems.

Detection of breast cancer in early stages initiation of appropriate treatment increases the life span of the patient.

What is a hysterectomy?

Hysterectomy is a surgical procedure for removal of uterus. Almost in 33 % percent women have their uterus removed before they reach age of 60 years.

After cesarean operation, hysterectomy is also performed in many cases in the interest of ruling out the growth of a cancer of uterus or cervix.

Hysterectomies are performed on a large scale in cases of fibroids of uterus with symptoms excess menstrual bleeding causing great discomfort all though other non-invasive alternatives are available.

Uterus is a dispensable organ after the child bearing age of the woman. Now a days the medical opinion is to save the uterus because of its role in hormones regulation.

Criticism of Hysterectomy:

There has been lot of criticism about unnecessarily removal of uterus, in conditions, where other alternatives available could have been considered instead of a hysterectomy. Hysterectomy has been resorted to achieve the objective of birth control even without consent of the patients whereas other very safe and effective measures are available.

The most significant drawback of hysterectomy is the loss of fertility of a woman. Some women lose the sexual desire. Women who have been forced to get hysterectomy done have a negative feeling about it.

Indications for Hysterectomy:

With the presence of advanced stage of cancer of uterus, cervix or ovaries, hysterectomy is a life saving measure to prevent metastasis or spread of cancer to other organs of body. Presence of large uterus fibroids is also an indication for performing hysterectomy. Besides in conditions advanced pelvic inflammation, severe complications associated with pregnancy.

A second opinion may be taken, regarding other effective and safe treatments available, before undergoing hysterectomy.

Alternatives to hysterectomy:

During initial stages of cancer of the cervix, ovaries, or uterus, alternative measures can be considered and hysterectomy may be performed, when other measures have failed. Fibroids of uterus also can be first treated with medicines in case of no response hysterectomy is performed as a last resort.

Preoperative Preparation:

Hysterectomy is performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia depending on the choice of the doctor considering the health and age of the patient. General anesthesia requires patient to be empty stomach overnight and rectal enema in the morning to avoid vomiting on the operation table.

Post Operative Care:

The patient is kept in the hospital for few days changing the dressing and administration of antibiotics and anti inflammatory agents and analgesics to ensure healthy healing of wound. During the stay in the hospital patient is maintained on IV fluids and urination with the help of a catheter. Patients stool are also managed with a bed pan. Patient is advised bed till the wound has completely healed.

During the recovery period lasting a month patient is advised not to lift heavy objects and abstain from sexual intercourse.

Side Effects of a Hysterectomy:

There is possibility of decrease in libido in few patients. Because of uterus contractions are associated with orgasm; it may be missing in some patients after hysterectomy.

Because nerves to the bladder are located near the uterus a nerve damage is possible during hysterectomy and such women develop stress incontinence i.e. urine getting passed out on sneezing, coughing or abdominal pressure. Pelvic muscular exercises help in improving situation.

Women & Incidence of Malignancy:

Women are more prone to suffer cancer of the reproductive organs, which includes the breast also. It is necessary that breast should be regularly self examined and if any irregularly observed it should be brought to the notice of the doctor for further investigation to rule out malignancy of the breasts and if confirmed the treatment my be started immediately with regular follow ups.

Self Examination of breasts:

Most probably malignancy of breasts are associated with presence of hard tissue. Tumors may not be exactly as described, there may be variations in description. Any variance felt by you, requires examination and investigation by a doctor. Although a normal mammogram is reported, if there is tissue hardness it needs to be further evaluated, to completely rule out a cancer possibility.

• Standing facing the mirror with arms at sides. Observe any change of size, breast contours, or color of skin of breasts, or any differentiating surface appearance. Look for any discharge taking place. A blood like discharge requires further investigation by the doctor immediately.

• Hold your hands firmly behind your head and observe the changes in the mirror in respect of size, shape of breasts. Now keep your hands on the hips and bend forward and observe any change in the breast structure.

• Lye down on your back on the bed, which provides an easy approach to examine undersides of breasts and the breasts are spread naturally support less now abnormalities can be felt more precisely with comfort.

• Keeping your left hand behind head, by using the three middle fingers of right hand experience presence of hard mass beneath skin of left breast. Make little circular movements and now begin below left collarbone, put pressure of fingers in a small area comprising a quarter of the area of breast and feel the underlying structures for any hard stuff superficially or deeper inside breast tissues to look for something differing in general consistency of the breast in any manner. Similar checks can be made in the rest of breast also

Presence of Hard Tissue in Breasts:

It is quite normal for breasts having some hard tissue in breasts, or for one to be slightly larger or lower than the other.

Make an appointment with your doctor if you do come across something that seems atypical. If what you’ve noticed is indeed suspect. A pathologist doctor shall help the lady by removing a small suspected tissue and have it analysed to rule out presence of cancer. There should be no delay and good news is that more than 80 % chances are there is no cancer involvement, it can be a harmless benign tumour. The surgeon can safely remove it by a small operation.

After the age of 40 women should have their breasts mammography investigations done every year. Women are having a high risk of breast cancer. Besides annual mammography, women likely to have a risk of breast cancer should get magnetic resonance imaging.