Medical News

There has been a 500% increase in Type 2 Diabetes in the last generation with the cause being Insulin Resistance in over 90% of these cases. In the United States we are experiencing an Epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes. In 2004 the Center for Disease Control (CDC) made a forecast that children in the US, born after 2000, would have a 30% likelihood of developing Diabetes during their lifetime.The likelihood of becoming diabetic increases to 50% in children that happened to be Black, Hispanic or Native American. This trend will cause a catastrophic affect on our nation’s health and on our healthcare system. To illustrate this point one has to take into consideration the effects on an individual’s health as a result of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes is the Leading Cause of:

• Adult blindness
• Amputations
• Kidney Failure
• Neuropathy – nerve damage in the extremities
• Cardiovascular disease
• Premature death

Is prevention or even reversal of Diabetes possible?

People who develop diabetes have a 90% chance of developing type 2 diabetes or adult-onset diabetes mellitus. This does not happen overnight, in fact it takes decades for this condition to develop. Due to poor lifestyle choices: improper eating habits, lack of aerobic exercise and poor nutrition, we become less and less sensitive to our own insulin. Next we develop Insulin Resistance which in turn develops into Diabetes and if left uncontrolled will develop into Type 2 Diabetes. In fact, 90% of the individuals that develop Type 2 Diabetes did so because they had a lifestyle that caused them to become Insulin Resistant. The effects of this progression is devastating to our health and will hasten several degenerative diseases, destroy our quality of life and will result in premature death. That’s the BAD NEWS, now for the GOOD NEWS.

It is important to note that Type 2 Diabetes is also the most preventable of any type of diabetes. Not only is it preventable but it can be naturally controlled and even reversed. More Good News is that the lifestyle choices that caused this condition to occur, can be reversed and the body will respond naturally to your new lifestyle changes. More of the Good News is that this devastating process is reversible at just about any stage in this process, even if the individual is already diabetic.

Dr. Ray Strand author of Healthy for Life, calls these lifestyle changes the Triad of Healthy Lifestyle:

1. Heathy eating (diet) – not a starvation diet but health eating choices,

2. Modest and consistent aerobic exercise,

3. Nutritional Supplements – what is referred to as Cellular Nutrition,

Note: The Triad of Healthy Lifestyle will be covered in detail in a future article or you could purchase and read Dr. Strand’s book, Healthy for Life.

Dr. Strand along with many other medical professional and nutritional advisors have all experienced the same results when these lifestyle changes as they are put into practice by their patients and clients. Over a period of 18 to 24 months there is a huge improvement in the quality of life and health. Everybody experienced an improvement in the conditions and effects of their diabetes. Many individuals were even able to reverse the insulin resistance, thereby reversing their diabetes.
Understanding Insulin Resistance

It is critical that you have a clear understanding about Insulin Resistance: what causes it, the results from developing it, how it is linked to Diabetes and can it be reversed. There is much to understand about this subject and it needs to be addressed in another article to do it justice. I will be submitting an article titled: Does Insulin Resistance Cause Diabetes. The Good News is yes, it can be reversed.

Summary:

Well, that’s the Bad News and the Good News when it comes to Insulin Resistance and Diabetes. It is my goal to increase your understanding on this critical healthcare issue. I urge you to continue your research and increase your knowledge on these subjects. Then with your new found knowledge I hope you will make lifestyle choices that will have a positive impact on your health and well-being.

Remember that this article was an overview on this subject. I will be submitting a followup to this article titled: Does Insulin Resistance Cause Diabetes. This article will go into more detail on understanding Insulin Resistance and how it is linked to Diabetes. I also will be writing more articles in the near future that will go into more detail on each one of these important healthcare issues.

I have been researching and increasing my knowledge on healthy lifestyle issues over the past 20 years and I continue to learn more all the time. I hope that through sharing this knowledge in these articles, that it will make a real difference in the lives of many individuals.

Do you want to stop smoking and avoid the following?

• A gradually deteriorating personal appearance due to the combined effect of heat and smoke on your body. These are a loss of elasticity of the skin leading to wrinkles on the face with especially deep vertical lines on the upper lip in time. The skin around the mouth can also suffer yellowish discolouration from cigarettes heat over time, as does the skin of the fingers and the finger nails.
• An unattractive smile due to a combination of staining of the teeth which becomes more stubborn as time passes, and a stale odour on the breath.
• An increased risk of developing serious heath problems, shortening your life span and being debilitated during the last years of your life. Smoking causes irritation of the lining of the throat and lungs. It can cause mouth, throat or lung cancer to develop over time. If not causing cancer of the lung there is a high risk of emphysema and bronchitis which can be extremely debilitating due to reduction in lung capacity and function. It leads to increasing difficulty with breathing and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases.
• An increased risk of macular degeneration, one of the most common causes of blindness in older people, and,

If you are a woman, the extra sex-related risks associated with smoking and birth control pills.

No matter how old you are or how long you have smoked, quitting can help you live longer and be healthier. People who stop smoking before the age of 50 cut their risk of dying in the next 15 years by half compared to those who carry on smoking. Ex-smokers enjoy a higher quality of life with fewer illnesses from cold and flu viruses, and less prevalence of bronchitis and pneumonia.

So what do you think? Do you want to stop smoking now? Do you want to know what happens when a smoker quits?

20 minutes later your heart rate and blood pressure drop.

3 months later your circulation has improved along with your lung function…

Between 1 and 9 months later your coughing and shortness of breath are decreasing. The little hair-like structures called cilia along the lining of the airways and lungs regain their function which is to move mucus away from the lungs, removing contaminants.

1 year later. The excess risk of coronary heart disease is reduced to half that of a smokers.

5 years after quitting : Now your stroke risk is reduced to less than half that of a smoker.

15 years after quitting : The risk now of coronary heart disease is pretty much the same as that for a non-smoker.

The prospect of better health is a major reason to give up smoking but there are others.

Smoking is expensive and a regular smoker can easily rack up a cost of more than $1000 per year! That would be in excess of ten thousand pounds over ten years – enough to buy a new car. This of course doesn’t take into account the cost of treating illness that can occur as a result of smoking or the increased life insurance premiums required from a smoker.

Let’s face it. Smoking is much less socially acceptable today than it used to be. Passive smoke inhalation is a known risk making smokers less than popular. Almost all workplaces have some kind of smoking restrictions or rules. Studies show that smokers tend to get sick more often and employers are aware of this.

So, if you want to keep your job, be socially successful, and live a long and healthy life , you might want to consider giving up smoking.

Low blood sugar is medically termed as Hypoglycemia, and is considered a high-risk condition that needs medical attention right away. Although the extremes of age are most commonly affected by hypoglycemia, it can affect anyone at any age or health status.

The normal serum glucose level, or simply the sugar level in the blood, is 70 mg/dl. Anything significantly below that is considered hypoglycemia. When the sugar level goes down up to 50 mg/dl, a person is already considered to be in critical state.

Hypoglycemia occurs in the body because of several factors. The more common ones that do not require immediate medical attention are missed meals, alcohol use, and lack of rest and sleep. Hypoglycemia in these cases is usually resolved by sugar or glucose intake (by simply eating, of course), detoxifying, and getting more rest. This is because the glucose is needed by the body to function, so lack of proper nutrition and sleep could deplete sugar levels, which can easily be raised by eating.

The more serious factors that cause Hypoglycemia are medical in nature, such as overmedication with insulin, or the body’s auto-production of insulin, which is the hormone that breaks down sugar. Too much insulin starves the body of its needed glucose for proper functioning. Cancer, certain medications, kidney and liver failure, and congenital conditions affected insulin production are all serious and require regular medical supervision.

The first warning sign of low blood sugar is extreme hunger. This sign should not be ignored, and the hunger must be given attention right away. A hypoglycemic person’s heart rate will be rapid, and they may break out into a cold sweat, with skin turning a pale, grayish color. Headache, irritability are other signs. The most drastic signs that could mean grave danger are drowsiness, weakness, inability to walk, blurred vision, seizures and loss of consciousness. These symptoms mean that the brain has already been affected by the lack of glucose in the body.

Hypoglycemia is best treated by an endocrinologist, the same medical professional who treats diabetes, which is quite the opposite of low blood sugar.

Diseases Simulating Appendicitis Appendix is a tubular organ of narrow caliber; found attached to the first part of colon. Its structure is similar to that of intestine. Inflammation of it is termed as appendicitis. Its lumen may get obstructed to initiate infection. Infection can occur as such without an obstruction. The classical symptoms include

Pain, starting from around the umbilicus and settling in the right lower abdomen.
Vomiting, two to three times or till the stomach contents are expelled out.
Fever, typically around 100 degree Fahrenheit.
The symptoms vary considerably to confuse with other diseases giving rise to similar symptoms.

A Mackel’s diverticulitis causes similar symptoms, but here pain is more toward the flanks and positions a little upwards. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the two; necessitating a surgical exploration.
Diverticulosis or diverticulitis of right side of colon is often associated with that of left side, as diverticulum occur at multiple places throughout colon. Pain on pressure can be felt as well in the left side. It may be associated with blood and/or mucus in the stool. Usually, middle aged male suffer from it.
Amoebic colitis of right side may give rise to similar symptoms, but usually associated with that of left side. Here, an identical pain on pressure spot on left side can be found. Besides this, a history of mucus motion in the recent past will help in diagnosis. A stool examination may be a corroborative finding.
Right ureteric colic can be differentiated by the fact that, the patient is never comfortable in any one position and tries to change position frequently in search of relief from pain. Change of position hurts a patient suffering from appendicitis. A history of urinary tract infection and accompanying blood in urine may be helpful.
Orchitis or epidydimo-orchitis of testis can be differentiated by the swollen and painful testis in that side. A history of filarial infection or mumps will aid the diagnosis.
Mesenteric adenitis usually found in children can be differentiated by the shifting nature of pain with change of position of patient. A preceding history of upper respiratory infection will be supplementary to diagnosis.
A perforated duodenum or stomach causes more problem in diagnosis. Here, there is card board like rigidity of abdomen, patient looks very sick, Symptoms and signs of shock may be present. Free gas under the diaphragm; seen in a plain x-ray, points towards perforation of hallow viscous.
Inflammation of gall bladder; cholecystitis gives rise to Murphy’s sign. It is, catching of breath while pressure is applied over the gall bladder in the height of respiration. Besides, a gall bladder may be palpable along with jaundice.
Pancreatitis; inflammation of pancreas is a much more serious condition, usually associated with severe pain in the upper abdomen and features of shock. Here patient prefers to sit and lean forward to get relief from pain. History of gall bladder disease and alcoholism may be there.
Salpingitis or parametratis of right side in ladies may confuse, but a history of discharge per vagina and a pelvic examination will exclude it.
Ruptured ectopic tubal pregnancy can be differentiated by a history of stoppage of menstruation for two to three preceding months, profound anemia and features of shock.
A twisted ovarian cyst simulates it; a per vaginal examination by an experienced gynaecologist always helps.
Mid-cycle pain, Mittleschmerz is innocent condition which can be differentiated by history taking and observing the patient for some time.
Endometriosis is a condition where sometimes bleeding occurs into the peritoneum from an ectopic inner layer of uterus. It is invariably associated with the timing of menstruation.
There can be a few more conditions and rare diseases which may come as differential diagnosis of appendicitis, which I have not mentioned here. An ultrasonogram by an experienced sinologist will invariably distinguish other disease and confirm appendicitis. A CT scanning may not be more informative than ultrasonogram. A plain x-rays is also helpful along with a simple urine analysis. Sometimes a diagnostic laparoscopy may help to diagnose the disease correctly, plan a surgery or a conservative approach. In spite of all these investigations, sometimes the correct diagnosis is not possible. An appendicectomy, if inadvertently performed causes no harm if no other disease if found. Lastly, the diagnosis of appendicitis is largely based on clinical finding; investigations increase the accuracy to a certain extent and more often supplement it. So, appendicitis is very easy as well as very difficult to diagnose even in these days

Neurologists who compared the brain scans of Tibetan monks with other people found that the monks were able to stay more relaxed in anxiety-provoked situations. How do the monks do it? Can we learn from them? Here are a few suggestions to help you get through the stress-filled holidays.
Listen to the bells. Tibetan monks use bells in their ceremonies believing that the vibration made when the bells chime clears the mind. In fact, research shows that hearing the vibration of bells helps synchronize the left and right parts of the brain–producing a state of relaxation. The National Institutes of Health conducted a study which revealed that sound vibrations can slash anxiety and pain by 60%! So, be sure and listen to Christmas carols with bells in them.
Try to focus on a single object. Tibetan monks practice a form of meditation whereby they simply observe something around them. This helps to induce relaxation, improve focus, as well as lower depression. Apparently when you are focused on just one thing, it’s impossible to worry about anything else. So, if you’re out in the mall and feeling a little stressed, sit down and try to focus on one particular object for a few minutes and see if that won’t reduce your stress.
Think about what you need, not what you want. Monks make do with only what is absolutely necessary, i.e. basic clothing, tools and simple foods. There are some studies that show that having few material possessions leaves you much happier and fulfilled than having all the possessions you could possibly ask for.
Do only one thing at a time. Tibetan monks focus completely on what they are doing in the moment. This habit switches off the body’s stress response. So, try not to multitask as much and you might find that your stress level has been reduced.
Laugh out loud. For over 5,000 years, Tibetan monks have made it a practice to laugh out loud immediately after waking up. They believe that the act of laughing helps them to focus during the day.

So, in this stress-filled holiday season, try to take a few lessons from the Tibetan monks and learn how to not take yourself too seriously, spend some quality time with your family and enjoy the holidays!

We all hate the feeling of our skin itching and burning, the embarrassment of red spots on our skin all from a reaction that we are having to something. Skin rashes are more of an embarrassment then they are anything serious. There are several ways that these reactions can occur, the most common of these is dry flaky skin that peels off.

Now this I know does not sound like it is very appealing to listen to let alone have to go through when you are having a reaction. The truth is simply that you want relief and you really don’t care how and where you get said relief.

Now there are several creams out there that will give you temporary relief from your symptoms as well as give you a way to keep this from repeating itself in the near future. There are several things that will lead to a person experiencing an allergic reaction to a certain item. The most common of these triggers is makeup or laundry detergent that a person may have recently switched to in their daily life.

Usually if the reaction is caused by an item that is not related to these items the symptoms will not go away and will continue to get worse as time goes on. If the reaction is in fact being caused by detergent or makeup then just discontinuing use of it will cure the issue.

Your doctor will be able to tell you is the rash you are experiencing is being caused by items that you are using in your life or if in fact you are suffering an allergy to an item that is related to a food that you are eating instead. The doctor will be able to test to see if there is a reaction to something by doing a skin test. This will involve either a on top of the skin or beneath the skin test that will give him and indication as to the exact cause of your reaction.

These are the basic facts that you need to keep in mind when it comes to skin reactions and make sure that you talk to your doctor and tell him anything that you are using in your daily life that might be causing the reaction that you are experiencing.

While skin reactions are not life threatening there is a sense of embarrassment that is experienced buy people who suffer from this on a regular basis. Treatment is usually easy and will not involve that much in trying to get rid of this condition.

There are several tests that can be done to help to determine if a person is allergic to a certain item or food. Many of these test are easy to perform and can help in detecting a problem long before there is a serious problem with a person.

There are usually three different test that can be done to determine if a person is allergic to a particular item. These test usually involve a person having a little of the item placed on the skin or slightly underneath the skin to tell if a reaction occurs.

The first of these test is called a Skin Prick Test. This test is performed by the doctor placing a drop of a possible allergen on the skin, The doctor will then perform a series of scratches or needle pricks in an effort to allow the possible allergen to enter the skin and see if a reaction occurs. If a red spot does in fact develop then this is a sign of a positive reaction.

The next test is called a Intramural test. This test is performed when the doctor injects a small amount of the allergen under the skin. This type of test is more effective when a skin prick test comes back with a negative reaction and the allergen is still suspected. One drawback to this test is that there are usually positive results in a person who has shown no previous symptoms of an allergy.

The last test that can be performed on the skin is called a skin patch test during this test a allergen is placed on a patch which is placed on the skin for 72 hours. This will be a positive result if the area that was in contact with the allergen is red after the 72 hours.

There is another way to test a person to see if they have an allergy and that is is a blood test. This kind of test involves your doctor drawing a sample of your blood and then testing it to see if it contains certain characteristics that would indicate a allergy.

Testing for a food allergy as well as an allergy to certain other environmental issues is a quick and easy procedure that your doctor can easily perform to help you determine if you are suffering from a reaction that is due to a certain food or other environmental issue.

Both men and women suffer from daily discomfort and distressing remembrance of acne usually sustained during teenage years. Medical treatment such as topical ointments, vitamins and oral medications are abound in the market today. Although some potent oral medications and topical ointments prove to alleviate small and recent wounds due to acne, the search for a more effective means to remove old scars is more challenging.

Some go for laser treatment such as diode laser or blue light therapy. Laser and light-based therapies reach the deeper layers of skin, helping improve the skin’s texture and lessening the appearance of scars. Laser therapies were concerned effective to some, the damage it brings to the skin’s sebaceous glands resulting for drier skin and ultimately results to premature wrinkles. Moreover, laser therapy can be very costly and is thus unattainable for many acne sufferers.

Microdermabrasion is now becoming a very popular and effective method of treating acne scars. It is alot less expensive than laser treatments and delivers successful non-invasive treatment for scars due to acne. Microdermabrasion, with the use of a wand which blows microscopic crystals or even diamonds to exfoliate the outer layer of the skin and evens the skin surface. After the gentle abrasion, all the dead skin cells and dirt which clogged the pores and one of the major causes of acne will be vacuumed with the use of a suction. To achieve more supple. smoother and renewed skin, vitamin enriched emulsions is used. Skin lightening and diminishing dark pigmentation is also achieved in microdermabrasion treatment.

Depending on the microdermabrasion machine used by the dermatologist or licensed aesthetician, the process and combination of treatment can vary. Most acne scars are treated 3-4 sessions for optimal results. Although there are home microdermabrasion machines in the market today, a commercial duty microdermabrasion machine used in clinics will deliver more powerful dermabrasion and suction. Some of clinical microdermabrasion machines are equipped with multi-function uses like ultrasound and skin scrubber.

Among the two technologies, Diamond Microdermabrasion machine has become the more prevalent and preferred treatment. The crystal type leaves a crystal residue that can become irritating, and can even get in the clients eyes, nose and mouth. Used as a main treatment for facials which results to a much younger, smoother and healthier look, microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasion not only alleviates wrinkles and scars, it also removes dirt, dark pigmentation, dead skin cells and it also improves circulation of the blood and strengthens skin tissue metabolism.
Microdermabrasion has become a very popular treatment for treating acne scars and a variety of skin problems. Diamond microdermabrasion seems to be superior in many ways to other microdermabrasion systems.

Whiplash is referred to injuries to the muscles of the neck that are caused by a sudden movement of the head, backward, forward, or sideways during an accident. Whether these result from a car accident, sports, or an accident at work, whiplash or other neck injuries demand a thorough chiropractic check-up. The worst danger with whiplash injuries is that the symptoms can take years to develop. The basic whiplash symptoms include neck pain and/or stiffness, blurred vision, difficulty in swallowing, irritability, headache, fatigue, pain between shoulder blades, dizziness, nausea and many more. If one experiences any of these symptoms, he/she must get a chiropractic check up.

Chiropractic provides all the aspects of the mechanisms of neck sprain and hence is a good choice to cure whiplash. The aim of chiropractic care in curing whiplash injuries is to optimize motion in the spine, treat the spinal discs, reduce muscle spasm and improve muscular strength.

Since each individual case of whiplash is different, it is not possible to generalize about the chiropractic whiplash treatment. The suitable chiropractic treatment is unique to each whiplash injury and is directed at the primary dysfunctions detected during the chiropractic exam.

However, chiropractic doctors commonly employ different chiropractic treatments for whiplash, often including:

1. Chiropractic Manipulation for Whiplash: The basic whiplash treatment for joint dysfunction, chiropractic adjustment or spinal manipulation involves the gentle movement or a short thrust of the injured joint into the direction in which it is restricted, done by a chiropractic doctor.

2. Muscle Relaxation or Stimulation as Whiplash Treatments: This chiropractic treatment technique involves gentle stretches to the muscle which has excessive tension or repeated contractions of the muscle that is inhibited. Vigorous stretches may be applied if the muscle is very tight by the chiropractic doctor.
3. Various exercises for Whiplash:

Different types of exercises, like McKenzie exercises and Stabilization/Sensorimotor exercises are employed as part of chiropractic care for treatment of whiplash injuries.

McKenzie exercises are purposely designed to reduce disc derangement related to a whiplash injury. This involves simple movements which are thought initially by the chiropractic doctors but can be easily done as self-care at home.

Stabilization and sensorimotor exercise techniques are intended to correct flawed movement patterns in routine activities and everyday life. This form of chiropractic treatment trains the nervous system to better coordinate and control movement patterns, and improves the ability of the neck muscles to retain stability of the neck.

Ergonomic and lifestyle changes: These whiplash treatment ideas stress improvements for performing daily activities with negligible strain to the body. The chiropractic advice talks about factors in everyday work, home or recreational activities that bring about the dysfunctions which result from the whiplash accident. Moreover, chiropractic professionals teach the patient about the better “use of self” and, if necessary, stress reduction methods to help chiropractic problems.

Whiplash treatment by chiropractic for each specific problem may include any of this approach or may involve some others as well. The chiropractic doctor might also give a referral to other health professional, if required.

How does your mental well-being during pregnancy affect delivery, recovery, and your newborn? A growing tide of prenatal-care practitioners are including well-beingness advice and counseling as part of their preventive care for pregnant women in an effort to stem postpartum complications, including depression. Not only does this help keep post-delivery healthcare costs down, but pre-delivery planning and realistic expectations help new moms cope with the joys and challenges of parenthood.

In the past decade, we’ve increasingly heard the term “Postpartum Depression” as a condition affecting some new mothers, and many medical professionals, including the American Medical Association (AMA), recognize this phenomenon as a valid condition warranting therapy often in the form of psychotropic medications. Is this really the safest route for new mothers to take?

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (February 12, 2002), approximately 1 out of 10 new mothers feels depressed, some seriously, and some have related symptoms within 6 months of childbirth, including sadness, tearfulness, irritability, or mood swings, known as “baby blues”. When these symptoms become more severe, such as emotional numbness or apathy, withdrawal from family or friends, intense worry or concern about the baby or lack thereof, fears of harming oneself or baby, it’s time to be proactive for the safety and welfare of both mother and baby.

“The jury’s still out on the safety of postpartum anti-depressant medications and I wouldn’t risk my baby on it”,

concedes Kay Krueger, founder of Peaceful Arrivals, an organization established to offer aid and counseling to pregnant women and new mothers.

“In fact, a growing number of health care professionals are turning to a more pragmatic approach in treating new mothers with postpartum depression.”

Kay agrees that the condition is real, but offers safe and practical solutions rather than a strict regime of antidepressant medication to combat the problems associated with postpartum depression. According to the Centers for Disease Control at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 70% of new moms choose to breast feed their newborns, raising a valid argument against passing these anti-depressant medications to their babies via breast milk, especially when long-term effects are unknown.

Kay suggests,

“Above all, you want to keep the environment peaceful and secure for the newborn; and much of this begins with the prenatal environment. An agitated mom often means an agitated baby, and thus, the cycle continues. The irritations feed off of each other.”

Indeed, developing data suggests that the mother’s positive mental outlook during pregnancy can contribute greatly to her success in delivery, her postpartum wellness, and to the contentedness of her baby, which is why extra care and precaution should always be given to pregnant women in order to prevent injury or mental duress to her or her baby.

Many mothers also find themselves unprepared for the demands of a newborn, even if she already has children. “The more help you can solicit for at least the first few months, the better”, advises Kay. “I remind women over and over again that it will become easier, you will get a good night’s sleep again.” In the meantime, Kay recommends budgeting for and utilizing meal service professionals, grocery delivery, cleaning and laundry services, carpools and after-school activities for school-age children, and if affordable, at-home chiropractic or massage services for the over-stressed mother. “Showering and dressing every day are vital to a new mother’s self esteem and should be encouraged and supported”, adds Kay.

“Also, don’t hesitate to accept help from friends or relatives, even if it’s to allow the mother to take a much needed nap. Just as tired or sleepy children can begin to ‘swirl’, so can the mother of a newborn, leaving her feeling a bit overwhelmed.”

Sleep and nutrition are a huge factor in a new mother’s wellness. A recent study authored by Signe Karen Dørheim, MD, PhD, a psychiatrist at Stavanger University Hospital in Stavanger, Norway, concluded that poor sleep is linked to postpartum depression independently of other risk factors including poor partner relationship, history of depression, depression during pregnancy, and stressful life events. The aspects of sleep most strongly associated with depression were sleep disturbances and subjective sleep quality. These finding come as no surprise to Kay; she and her staff report the number one complaint of postpartum women is tiredness and confusion due to lack of sleep.

“We all seem to forget how important the basic needs are,” reminds Kay. “This is especially true for new mothers learning to balance the demands of their infants with their own personal needs. New mothers are especially vulnerable to sleep and nutritional deficiencies on top of their already erratic hormonal adjustments. I remind new mothers to eat adequate amounts of high quality foods, continue taking their pre-natal supplements, especially the B complex vitamins (with their doctor’s approval, of course), and cope as best they can with the sleep interruptions until their babies begin to sleep for longer stretches.”

In fact, for many women, just knowing that their negative feelings are temporary and often part of the postpartum transition makes dealing with their emotions much more manageable. Many new mothers mistakenly assume that this is what the rest of their lives will be about. Fortunately, that’s rarely the case, and reassurances that these symptoms will improve over time go a long way in helping a new mom see that sleep and normalcy will return to her life. More tips from Kay: Keep your attention out, that is, avoid introversion. Meet with friends once a week for a little “grown-up” time. Go for a walk with the stroller being sure to look out as far as you can see and notice something new; or a take a drive in the car – babies love both of these activities, too. Getting some fresh air and expanding your space can do wonders when your world starts feeling too small.

“And, for goodness sakes, don’t try to compete with other mothers or live up to an arbitrary expectation! This is a special time for you and your baby – do everything you can to enjoy it!”