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Menopause can be a physical, psychological and emotionally challenging time for many women. They will spend half of their adult lives in menopause, according to statistics which show the average life expectancy of women at 79.5 years nowadays.

By 2050 women will probably live to be at least 95 years old. A new generation of health-conscious women today is looking forward to a new phase of life with physical, spiritual and personal growth.

Most women think of menopause as the point when they cease to menstruate. They do not link irritability, anxiety, memory lapses, or mood swings to hormonal imbalance caused by this process of biological change. About 75% of all women experience some temporary symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, increase in level of cholesterol, decreased libido which may last for years; long term ones may include vaginal dryness and urinary problems. To know more about menopause, you can visit http://www.1menopause.com

Fortunately, these unpleasant complaints or symptoms can be prevented, reduced and relieved by making some changes to daily lifestyles with the right diet, nutrition supplements, regular exercise and adopting some complementary therapies such as yoga, tai chi, spa therapy or holistic aromatherapy, which all help to achieve a healthy, balanced lifestyle with natural medicine. They also offer a safer alternative compared to Hormone Replacement therapy. They also to reduce the risk of future age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes.

For a list of detailed menopause symptoms please visit http://www.1menopause.com

aromatherapy, which has been well used for over 2000 years, is the practice of using distilled essences obtained from the leaf, stem, flower, fruit peel, bark or root of a tree. As the aromatic molecules from essential oils disperse in the air, they:

• carry pleasant fragrances to your nose
• come in contact with the olfactory receptor cells in the nasal cavity
• transmit the information to the olfactory bulb which is a structure just above the nose.
• cause a response in the limbic system of the brain which works in conjunction with the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus region to regulate the hormonal activities.
• trigger the production of hormones that govern appetite, body temperature, insulin production, overall metabolism, stress levels, sex drive and conscious thought and reactions.

Essential Oils can have a positive effect on all these functions through the sense of smell which happens to be the most complex and sensitive of all the five senses. The sense of smell is over 10,000 times more sensitive than your sense of taste and researchers have shown how aroma causes a brain reaction by activating the hypothalamus gland, the pituitary gland and the bodys hormones as well as stimulating the emotion and memory.

aromatherapy is particularly effective for stress, anxiety and psychosomatic induced problems, muscular and rheumatic pains, digestive disorders and womens problems such as PMS, menopausal problems and postnatal depression. It is a natural and non-invasive therapy designed to help a person enhance the body's natural ability to balance, regulate, heal and maintain oneself.

Essential Oils are very concentrated and their properties potent as they contain molecules small enough to enter your skin; except for essential oils of lavender and tea tree, the oils need to be diluted with a carrier oil, usually with a vegetable oil such as sweet almond or jojoba, to avoid skin irritation. The oils can be used in a vaporizer, sprays, bath, hot or cold compress, perfume or for topical body application or massage. Some recommended essential oils for menopausal women:

• Bergamot uplifts mood and reduces anxiety and depression.
• Clary Sage eases hot flashes and night sweats and PMS.
• Roman Chamomile has calming effect, ease tension, anxiety and headaches.
• Frankincense helps psychosomatic problems and anxiety.
• Geranium is a hormone balancer and reduces stress.
• Jasmine is euphoric and eases tension and anxiety.
• Juniper Berry regulates period and relieves water retention.
• Lavender is sedative and aids sleep.
• Rose is a womb tonic and provides relief from pre menopause to post menopause.
• Sandalwood stimulates the development of sex hormones and promotes vaginal secretions.
• Ylang Ylang is aphrodisiac and relaxes the nervous system.

Copyright 2005

Elena Leong is a certified aromatherapist by International Federation of aromatherapy (IFA) and the founder of http://www.1menopause.com - a website on menopause information and its associated symptoms and problems which can be prevented or reduced by some natural Chinese herbal supplement, complementary therapy and other natural treatment options to ease and enjoy the menopause transition.

So you love food? The thought of losing weight by eating less probably traumatises you! But take heart. Use these hints to make it all less painful.

We all know we need to have a well balanced diet. But this doesn't mean your diet has to be boring, just well planned. Sit down with your low fat recipe books and plan your week's meals before you go grocery shopping. Do not shop while you're hungry as you'll buy more. Only buy what's on the list. See how good it feels to have your shopping trolley full of mostly fruit and vegetables!

Change your attitude to eating by using smaller plates. You can still eat adequate proportions of the right food, but you will feel like you're eating more. Don't laugh, try this: it really works! Another little trick is to eat your nightly meal several hours before going to bed, then brush your teeth immediately. This seems to deter those late night cravings!

It's easy to remember this formula of your daily food requirements: 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit. I find that starting the day with some fruit on my cereal takes care of one of the fruit serves and then I only have to munch on an apple some time during the day to fulfil that requirement. eating a carrot for morning tea works for me because it takes a long time to chew (and therefore feels like I'm eating more!) plus it takes care of my first vegetable serve.

Eat slowly and savour every mouthful. Think about the texture and flavour of the food as you chew. Enjoy the eating experience more. Drink water with your meals as a habit as it will help fill you up. Chop up your favourite fruit and leave it in a container in the fridge. It's amazing how we're all more inclined to eat fruit when it's already bite sized. It's amazing at a kid's party when you bring out plates of chopped up fruit how the kids won't generally complain and will polish off every last morsel!

Have you noticed how most of our social events with family and friends are built around eating? Why not be the one to change all this by suggesting a walk together instead of a dinner party, a ball game in the park instead of an All-You-Can-Eat restaurant, a card game instead of a coffee shop? The company will still be great, and you won't feel tempted to mindlessly eat lots of food.

When heading out to social or sporting events, be kind to your body and your budget by packing healthy foods before you go. most venues stock fast foods which are high in fat. In addition, you often waste previous time as a family by queuing up. If you worry that your kids will be missing out, you could buy them a treat after they've filled up on sandwiches and fruit. By then the smell of hot fries and chips will not seem as irresistable!

The truth is that none of us manage to eat everything we should on every single day of our lives. In our busy modern lives there's bound to be days the 5 vegetables 2 fruit rule is not observed. That's where health supplements come in. You'll experience great peace of mind as you and your family consume your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals in the form of a shake or capsules. It's a safeguard so that you know your body is getting what it needs. It's even more useful after exercise as whey protein shakes help repair and tone muscle. Many people also have a protein shake prior to bed to ensure that their metabolism doesn't slow down. Literally helping to lose weight while they snooze!

It's not as hard as you think to lose weight by eating well. It's not about fad diets, because these never result in sustained weight loss, and it's not about starving yourself, because you'll feel like you're missing out on pleasure. It's about organisation and retraining yourself by employing a few tricks which are tried and true.

Author Colin Johnson highly recommends whey protein shakes for overall health and as a hunger suppressant. Some of these shakes, such as Sleek and Slender, are specifically designed for the female body in mind. More information can be found at http://www.protein4health.com Colin has been a health educator, drug educator, elite sports coach and father of five all in one lifetime! He lives with his wife and family on the shores of beautiful Lake Macquarie, Newcastle.

An MP4 player works like an MP3 player as a container of digital data for entertainment purposes. The device is designed to record and play videos in a compact and portable way, providing hours of easily transportable and accessible entertainment. Inevitably, the storage is important for the video output of the device. It needs to be able to contain the information, provide enough playing time, and at a high quality.

There are two types of MP4 player; the hard disc storage and the solid state memory type. The solid state is named as such because it does not contain any moving parts such as discs. Each have their pros and cons, so it important that you understand the differences before making your purchase.

Both types of MP4 player provide the same level of performance with regards to other general features. Both will store photographs, videos and music files which can either be downloaded from the internet or recorded directly. Both devices will have colour screens and both work best when the stored information is kept uncluttered. This means having clear files and storing only the required information on the device, keeping it reserved on the home computer until required. However, there are also some subtle differences that may affect your choice.

An important feature of the MP4 player is the storage capacity. The hard disc has the larger storage capacity of the two types. The hard disc can store up to 250 films, and so this is a major attraction. However, to achieve this it needs the addition of several components built in. These extra components make the hard disc device bulkier in terms of appearance and so this gives it the disadvantage of being less portable.

The solid state MP4 player stores less film, but the minimum amount is still around the hundred range. What it loses in terms of capacity, the solid state device makes up for in terms of portability. The solid state mp4 player is sleek and incredibly light in comparison to its hard disc counterpart.

cost is also a consideration when choosing an MP4 player. The solid state version is less expensive as it does not have as much storage capacity. The quality of the images and sound on the solid state device is not as good quality as that provided by the hard disc player.

In some scenarios, the solid mp4 player does not have the capacity to play some films from the internet; in other scenarios they are played but with poorer quality. If they are not compatible, this will be stated on the website. alternative versions can usually be found so this is not as disadvantageous as it may initially seem. Again this difference in output is down to the memory capacity and the graphics and so the higher price tag of the hard disc player reflects the product performance.

The battery life is usually slightly longer with the hard disc MP4 player though not by much. The average battery time for the hard disc device averages 16 hours in total. The hard disc device battery can take up to double the time to recharge than the solid state version, which does not seem compatible with its minimal increased battery life. Neither version has any real advantage here. Both versions of the music/video player are excellent entertainment devices, and whichever chosen is bound to please the owner.

The purchaser simply needs to decide their budget, and whether the MP4 player of their choice needs to have a huge array of films stored or be more compact and portable, needs higher quality graphics or whether standard quality is sufficient.

Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for http://www.polomercantil.com.br