Depression in women

Women are about twice as likely as men to develop major depression and have higher rates of seasonal affective disorder, depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder, and dysthymia (chronic depression).

More than mere sadness, depression can make someone feel as though work, school, relationships, and other aspects of life have been derailed or indefinitely put on hold. It can sap the joy out of once-pleasurable activities and leave someone feeling continuously burdened. This mood disorder may also cause physical symptoms, such as fatigue, pain, and gastrointestinal problems.

It remains unclear why a gender gap exists in depression. Some experts believe that both genders are affected by depression in equal numbers, but women are more likely to be diagnosed with this disorder, in part because men are less likely to talk about feelings and seek help for mood problems. It also may be that depression shows up in different ways in men — for example, as substance abuse or violent behaviour.

Furthermore, the hormonal changes that accompany menstruation each month can bring on mood changes similar to those that occur in depression. And some women are vulnerable to developing depression after giving birth (prenatal and postpartum depression) or during the long transition to menopause — two other stages in a woman’s life where hormone levels fluctuate wildly.

Researchers have long suspected that the fluctuations in female hormones such as estrogen may underlie women’s greater vulnerability to depression.

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How to stay healthy with decreasing sunlight

The existence of almost all kinds of life on Earth is possible through the presence and contact with sunlight. For human beings it’s not an exception. The scientist and photobiologist John N. Ott claims that humans are not exception to the need of the sunbeams, that are essential for mental and physical health, muscle strength, civilized behaviour, energy and learning.

It’s a major impact in our lives if we have sun deprivation. Staying out of the sun can wreck our health in the north hemisphere especially during autumn and winter.

The sun supplies us with heat and light and with a healthy living.

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Migraine

Migraine is a debilitating disorder and may profoundly affect the daily lives of people who suffer from it. It’s a chronic neurological disorder characterised by recurrent acute and severe headaches, occurring when there is an exposure to a trigger that facilitates the flare up of a crisis. Migraine is a name that derives from Greek name hemikrania and means “pain on one side of the head”.

A crisis of migraine consists typically of a pain on one side of the head, often a throbbing pain which can last 2 to 7 hours. It is characterised by headaches that can be mild or intense and comes associated with a multiple types of symptoms related to the autonomic nervous system. These associated symptoms are nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light (photophobia), and an increased sensitivity to sound (phonophobia). Pains may be aggravated by physical activity. So people who suffer from migraine tend to withdraw and collect in a dark room without wishing to have direct contact with people who usually are around them.

Most people develop symptoms of aura, which can consist of a disturbance of vision, modification of the language, sensory or motor disturbances. The aura symptoms are a warning that a crisis of migrane is to occur. Sometimes the aura symptoms are simply not followed by the headache.

There is an estimate that 10% of the world’s population suffers from migraine at some point in their life.

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Molluscum contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum (MC), also called Molluscum epitheliae, Epithelioma molluscum, and sometimes called water warts (“waterwratjes” in Dutch) is a member of the poxvirus family and is responsible for a common contagious viral disease that has a very high incidence in children, sexually active adults and in immunodeficient individuals.

How it presents

It is a viral infection of the skin or occasionally of the mucous membranes that causes raised, pearl-like nodules or papules/pimples on the skin or mucous membranes. Pimples are spherical, 3-10 mm in size, skin colored or white, sometimes somewhat shiny. The surface is flattened. It takes 6-12 weeks until they reach their maximum size.

They occur mainly in the trunk, in the neck and around the armpits. They can also occur in the face, for example on the eyelids. Around the water warts there may also be eczema, meaning that this can occur in children that have atopic eczema.

In adults, water warts mostly appear in the genitals and around the anus. A condom does not prevent contamination during a sexual encounter because the virus is generally not on the sexual organs but on the skin around it.

Molluscum contagiosum can be presented in childhood and spread by skin-to-skin contact. It also can be presented in adulthood, also spread by skin-to-skin contact during sexual and intimate contact.

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Perimenopause

A woman’s life has many phases: menstruation, ovulation, pregnancy, childbirth, and perimenopausal. These periods can be intense internal physical and psychological experiences that compel women to focus on their internal body awareness. Many of the transformations a woman experiences in her life are natural and accepted by her body in a normal way, and follow a normal progression with balance. When these transformations become erratic and are accompanied by symptoms and overall overwhelming stress with lowering of quality of life, they should receive proper attention. At this point homeopathic treatment can be justified in order to regain and maintain optimal health.

Perimenopause

Perimenopause is defined as the natural transition period preceding menopause that is often symptomatic of hormonal imbalance and fluctuations. Due to hormonal fluctuation, in many ways Perimenopause is the flip side of puberty, often starting during the mid to late 40’s, leading to menopause at an average age of 51.

In this period also occur many changes in the body. While the production of the hormone oestrogen diminishes and is traduced by flushes of heat, night sweats, which are accompanied by increase of emotional sensitivity and feeling of restlessness, symptoms can be so extreme, severe or erratic and affect women’s quality of life and their ability to enjoy life.

As with most health issues, Homeopathy have a great deal to offer women suffering from perimenopause and menopause related symptoms. Homeopathy is able to bring balance back to a woman’s life, helping to reduce the flushes of heat and night sweats and giving support to a better sleep.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and homeopathic treatment

A condition called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) produces symptoms in approximately 5% to 10% of women of reproductive age (12–45 years old). PCOS includes a heterogeneous collection of signs and symptoms with varying degree of mildness and severity in affecting the reproductive, endocrine and metabolic functions. The classic triad of the disorder includes infertility, hirsutism, acne, menstrual disorders, and obesity.

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During pregnancy

Pregnancy can give rise to many problems that affect the mother such as fatigue, extreme changes of moods as well as nausea and backaches. There are some lucky mothers that will not experience these maladies, but those are the exceptions rather than the rule. Most women will experience a normal as well as uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery.

Living and being healthy during pregnancy is the biggest gift she can give to her baby. More and more women are seeking a homeopathic treatment to ensure a healthy pregnancy as well as to prevent problems that may arise during the birth. Pregnancy is an important moment for the woman start a homeopathic treatment even in the absence of physical complaints.

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Trigeminal neuralgia

Trigeminal Neuralgia, also known as Tic Douloureux, is a nerve disorder that causes a very intense and abrupt pain that reaches the face, in an area covered by the nerve called trigeminal, most commonly involving the lower jaw and lower area of the face. The pain symptoms may also appear near the ears, nose, lips or eyes.

The pain features of electric shock or aches and has short duration, and may last only a few seconds. Considering one of the most unbearable pain humans can experience, crises occur several times a day, and can lead to serious consequences such as depression or even to suicide.

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Hay Fever and the use of Homeopathy

If you have symptoms of Hay Fever and are interested in using homeopathy, you should know what is important to observe and inform your homeopathic practitioner.

Hay Fever is medically known as “seasonal allergic rhinitis” and consists of an inflammation and irritation in the delicate linings of the nasal passage, throat and eyes. Hay fever commonly appears around the ages 11 to 12; the symptoms usually peak in the 20s and early 30s and then gradually disappear. However, more and more people are beginning to experience hay fever for the first time in their 30s. Although we still use the term “Hay Fever,” a fever is not a symptom of the disease nor is it due to hay. [Read more…]

Speech at the 58th World Health Assembly

The Prince of Wales on integrated healthcare at the World Health Assembly, Geneva, Switzerland on 22nd May

On 22 May 2006 His Royal Highness Prince Charles delivered a speech at the 58th World Health Assembly, Geneva, Switzerland. The World Health Assembly is the supreme decision-making body for World Health Organization. It meets once a year and is attended by delegations from all of WHO’s 192 Member States. Its main function is to determine the policies of the Organization. Some interesting quotes from the speech:

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