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Healthy Pregnancy Motherhood

What Do Contractions Really Feel Like? 5 Moms And A Doctor Answer

When I was nearing the end of my pregnancy, I obsessed over every twinge of pain, trying to determine if I’d had my first contraction. I wondered constantly: What do contractions feel like? What will labor be like?
I also experienced what I can only describe as pregnancy-induced rage when women would say with a knowing smile, “Oh, you’ll just know,” when I asked what real contractions feel like.
Instead, I was left to anxiously pore over pregnancy message boards reading other women’s experiences of going into labor.
The night before I had my first contraction, we’d headed to the hospital because I thought I was leaking amniotic fluid. I wasn’t, but the triage nurse told me I was probably in the initial stages of labor.
So, when I felt that first contraction, I suspected my labor had started, although I wasn’t sure, because I didn’t know exactly what to expect. And I was scared out of my maternity panties.
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All that stuff they teach you in childbirth class? Right out the window.
Until I realized, Hey, my body was made to do this. And in that moment, as my husband frantically ran around our house throwing stuff in a bag like a first-time dad on TV, I remained pretty calm. Because here’s the deal: A baby is going to come out of you one way or another.
But giving birth isn’t and shouldn’t be a scary experience! There’s no need to be nervous about giving birth. We’re going to tell you exactly what contractions feel like, how to manage your contractions through labor, and answer all your contraction questions.
Here’s everything you never knew you needed to know about what contractions feel like.
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So what are contractions, anyway?

Short answer: Contractions are your body’s way of gearing up for labor.
But what if I told you there are actually two types of contractions? In addition to those contractions—the ones that kickstart your labor—there are Braxton Hicks contractions, also known as false labor contractions.
And what do Braxton Hicks contractions feel like? Those are more of a tightening in your abdomen, but you’ll know they’re not real, we’re-about-to-have-a-baby contractions because they’re sporadic, painless, and will usually stop if you rest or drink a glass of water.
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So how the heck are you supposed to know the difference?
“Braxton Hicks are contractions as well, just not powerful enough to cause cervical change,” says Heather Bartos, an OB-GYN at Be. Women’s Health and Wellness Center near Denton, Texas. “Labor starts when there are persistent contractions and cervical change.”

What do contractions feel like?

You asked, and oh, baby, did we answer.
While contractions do usually signal the beginning of labor, how they feel can vary wildly from woman to woman.
“Imagine the worst menstrual cramp you’ve ever had,” says Bartos. ”Now imagine that all of the sudden you want to punch your partner in the face because it hurts so bad, like you’re trying to pass a huge bowel movement.  But you physically can’t get to them to punch them because it hurts too bad every three minutes or so. It almost brings you to your knees and takes your breath away.”
And that, ladies, is what contractions feel like.
Sounds great, right?
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We also spoke to real moms and asked the question What do contractions feel like?
Ali Garrett, a veteran mom who’s given birth twice, says, “With my second baby, I had textbook contractions. When my contractions began, it felt like my belly was shrinking; a tightening if you will. It didn’t hurt, but it got my attention.”
Garrett had experienced Braxton Hicks throughout her pregnancy, but these contractions were the real deal.
“These contractions would last about 30 seconds, as opposed to Braxton Hicks, which would last about 10 seconds, but didn’t increase in pain or pressure.”
New mom Dora Smith-Cook says, “For me, contractions came on suddenly. They felt like a very intense version of menstrual cramps. Lots of pressure and tightening in my lower abdomen. It was a dull but powerful pain, almost like a vibration that shook my whole lower body.”
I gave birth six months ago, and my early contractions also felt like intense period cramping. Early on, I definitely felt the ebb and flow of a contraction like doctors describe. But closer to delivery, contractions came so fast I didn’t even have time to breathe through them.

Great, now I know what contractions feel like, but when will they start?

Now, I’m not saying your friend’s sister’s niece who had zero contractions during her labor is telling a fib, but…she’s probably not telling the truth either.
“99.9 percent of women will feel contractions,” says Bartos. “And they are painful.  I don’t know who that 0.01 percent woman is but I’d like to meet her!”
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While Bartos says that most women will begin having intermittent labor contractions as early as 37 weeks, sometimes contractions aren’t felt until well into active labor.
Amanda Johnson, who gave birth to her son about four weeks before her due date, says, “My water broke first, and I didn’t even realize that I was having contractions until the nurses hooked me up to the monitor. For me, strong contractions didn’t begin until I was almost ready to push.”
When your water breaks, sometimes it will sort of feel like a hot water balloon has burst…inside you. But your bag of waters doesn’t always come out in a gush. Sometimes it’s like a trickle and can feel exactly like you’re peeing yourself (a sensation most pregnant women are already very familiar with).
Whether it comes out in a trickle or a gush, you can expect labor to begin within 12 to 24 hours if your water breaks, so get thee to the hospital pronto.

Contractions are happening! When should I head to the hospital?

Most doctors recommend following the 4-1-1 rule, which does not mean dialing information for the name of the pizza place down the street.
If your contractions are consistently four minutes apart, lasting about one minute each time, for about an hour, you should probably give your doctor a call and let them know you’re heading to the hospital.
If you want to labor at home longer, your doctor may okay it, but Bartos says it’s time to head to the hospital when the contractions feel like they are too much to bear, or if you start shivering or shaking a lot. These could be signs that you’re in transition, which means you’re dilated to around 7 centimeters.
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Of course, it would be too easy if everyone had a textbook labor and delivery.
“With my first baby, I had no warning signs I was in labor until my water broke,” says Garrett. “Then contractions came quickly and painfully, without any warning.”
For most first time moms, it can be hours before your contractions reach the 4-1-1 mark consistently, and sometimes labor can stall altogether if contractions don’t continue to build.
“[My contractions] got closer together after a few hours, and occasionally I would have two back to back,” says Smith-Cook. “The level of intensity never really increased, which may have something to do with why I ended up with a c-section. I think if I had been able to deliver vaginally, they would have progressed to a stronger level.”

I heard sometimes you’re given medication to start contractions. Why is that?

Sometimes a doctor decides to administer Pitocin, a common medication given to jumpstart labor, especially if your water has broken but contractions haven’t started yet.
Pitocin is actually a big dose of oxytocin, the same hormone your body produces naturally to stimulate contractions.
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Because it’s a much larger amount of oxytocin designed to stimulate labor, Pitocin contractions can be incredibly intense, and it may be difficult to labor through them without an epidural.
“I was given Pitocin after 24 hours with my first delivery,” says Garrett. “It was like getting struck by lightning; no peak or trough like they teach you in childbirth class, just blinding pain.”

What do contractions feel like during labor?

During labor, your contractions will get progressively more intense, until it’s hard to breathe through them.
It’s at that point that you may decide to get an epidural. “An epidural doesn’t take away the sensation of pressure,” says Bartos. “But the physical pain of contractions are significantly reduced.”
Epidurals can be especially helpful if you’re experiencing back labor, which is often felt when the baby’s head is pressing against your tailbone due to its position in the womb. Epidurals sound kind of scary, but the relief they provide can help you catch a break during labor and replenish your energy for pushing.
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Aubree Dickerson, a first-time mom who gave birth in January, says, “My contractions felt like intense period cramps. It was hard to take a deep breath through them, so I could only take short small breaths. Then I got an epidural and felt nothing. Praise God for that!”
If you want to try to manage the pain of contractions naturally, you can try a ton of different pain management techniques, like good old-fashioned breathing exercises or even hypnotism.
For natural relief of back labor pain, you can try having your partner press firmly against the small of your back each time your experience a contraction. The pressure of their hand counters the weight of the baby’s head, relieving some of the pressure and pain.
So is one pain management technique better than another?
“It depends on the woman,” says Bartos. “Some women really prepare (hypnotherapy, classwork prepping) and do well with more natural techniques, but some women fear those modalities and request anesthesia. Either is a fine choice!”

My doctor says I have plenty of time after contractions start before delivery, but I’m worried about giving birth in the car!

“Once my contractions with my [linkbuilder id=”6718″ text=”second child”] were 10 minutes apart, we went ahead to the hospital, where my water broke five hours later and active labor began,” says Garrett. “Twelve hours later, we had a baby.”
Generally, first-time moms do tend to have a longer labor. Most of the time, active labor for first-time moms lasts between eight and 12 hours.
But sometimes labor can progress quickly, even for first-time moms.
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Take my son’s birth, for example. I had intermittent contractions the night before I gave birth, and the next morning, I sent my husband off to work with the promise that I’d call if I felt anything. An hour later, I was trying to tell him to get home between contractions. About four hours later, our son was born. My contractions came hard and fast, and I felt the need to push within just a few minutes of arriving at the hospital. The nurses had to scramble to set up our room for delivery because they assumed I’d be in labor for hours!
The best thing to do? Head to the hospital whenever you feel like you need to. You’ll get checked out and sent back home if your doctor decides you’re not in active labor.
A few false alarms are totally worth avoiding an impromptu home birth.

Is it true I’ll have contractions after delivery too?

Ah, you sweet little starfish. No one told you that contractions don’t end immediately upon giving birth?
It’s true. They don’t. But, there’s a silver lining! Actually, there are two silver linings.
The first? You have your baby!
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The second? After-labor contractions are nowhere near as painful as the ones felt during labor.
Generally, you’ll feel contractions as you deliver the placenta.
“Your uterus was up by your rib cage and it rapidly shrinks down to your belly button—that requires muscle contraction … These are essential for your uterus to return to normal—if this doesn’t happen, a woman can experience significant postpartum bleeding and hemorrhage,” says Bartos.
You may also continue to feel mild contractions for several weeks, particularly when you breastfeed, as your uterus continues to shrink back to its normal size. These contractions feel like manageable period cramps.

Now that I know what contractions feel like, I don’t exactly feel better about giving birth.

So here’s the deal: Giving birth hurts like a mother.
But it really is manageable. I promise.
Now that you know what contractions feel like, you can use this information to reframe your mindset about labor pain.
“Embracing the idea that childbirth is painful (for a short period of time only, thank goodness!) can actually help your brain prepare for such an event,” says Bartos.
And you know what, mama? You’re gonna do great.

Categories
Conscious Beauty Lifestyle

How To Clean Makeup Brushes (And Why You Need To Do It More Often)

Are you getting zits in crazy places, like nestled along your hairline or in the center of your cheeks? Is your skin oilier or dryer than normal? Are you noticing patchy makeup application?
You might be quick to blame your hormones, your genetics, or stress for wreaking havoc on your face, but in reality, your dirty makeup brushes might be the culprit.
Your makeup brushes can actually harbor tons of bacteria, according to Ann Turner, a freelance makeup artist based in Jacksonville, Florida: “Natural bristle brushes are especially porous, which can cause bacteria to grow in brush fibers if they’re not cleaned regularly.”
Gross.
That’s why you should be cleaning your foundation makeup brushes and beauty blenders at least once a week, and your eyeshadow brushes at least twice a month. Plus, not only does regular makeup brush cleaning keep your face safer, it can actually extend the life of your brushes.
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Can’t remember the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes? Don’t know how to clean makeup brushes in the first place?
Lucky for your skin, it’s easy to clean makeup brushes. It’s never too late to start, either. Plus, keeping your makeup brushes clean is one of the easiest ways to keep your skin glowing and healthy.

A Few Things to Know About How to Clean Makeup Brushes

Before cleaning your makeup brushes, you’ll need to determine if your brushes are made of natural or synthetic fibers.
It should be easy to tell the difference. Natural bristle makeup brushes are made from animal hair, so they generally feel very soft. Synthetic-bristle brushes, on the other hand, are slicker and less soft. (Luckily, they both do a great job of blending your makeup—but only when they’re clean!)
Turner prefers synthetic bristles, which “harbor less bacteria, and are great for blending full-coverage foundation for a flawless finish.”
Synthetic brushes can also withstand harsher cleaning, because, well, they’re synthetic. Natural bristle brushes may wear out faster if they’re not cleaned correctly.

How to Clean Makeup Brushes: The Light Cleanse

It’s important to clean makeup brushes as often as you can, but your regular cleanse can be fairly low-effort. And before you say you barely have time for coffee, let alone spending extra time frivolously cleaning brushes, it literally only takes five minutes to lightly clean your makeup brushes, so no excuses!
You should clean makeup brushes after every use, but according to Turner “if you are the only one using your brushes on a daily basis, you can get by with lightly cleaning them once or twice a week.”
If you’ve never done it before, here’s how to clean makeup brushes to get out everyday residue:

  1. You can use an everyday cleanser to clean makeup brushes. Turner recommends IT Cosmetics Brush Bath Purifying Brush Cleanser or Jane Iredale Botanical Brush Cleaner.
  2. Gently swipe your makeup brush back and forth against a clean cloth until it starts rubbing clean. (Go ahead and splurge on a larger latte, because you don’t need to purchase fancy brush cleaning tools, says Turner. All you need is an inexpensive pack of cotton washcloths. I like these white cotton washcloths from AmazonBasics.)
  3. Leave your brush to dry. Easy as pie!

“Just make sure you gently rub your brushes into the cloth,” Turner explains. “If you are rough with your brushes, especially natural fibers, they’ll wear out faster.”

Our Makeup Brush Cleanser Picks:

How to Clean Makeup Brushes: The Deep Cleanse

Deep cleaning and disinfecting your makeup brushes should be done at least once a week (and more often if you use heavily pigmented foundation, which can gunk up brushes quickly).
Here’s how to clean makeup brushes in order to really get the junk out:

  1. All you need to deep clean your brushes is a small bowl filled with warm water (Turner likes to put a few marbles in hers for the brushes to rest on) and a couple of drops of gentle baby shampoo, like Johnson’s Natural Baby Shampoo.
  2. Mix the baby shampoo into the bowl of warm water until it’s a little bubbly, but not overflowing with suds. Think less like your post work-week wine bubble bath, and more like the little dish of water you dip your hands in for a manicure.
  3. Swirl your brushes in the water carefully so that the ferrule doesn’t get wet.

What’s a ferrule?
So glad you asked.
The ferrule is the metal part of your brush that holds the bristles to the brush handle. If the ferrule gets wet repeatedly, it can not only harbor bacteria, but compromise the integrity of your brush, causing bristles to loosen and fall out.

  1. After you swirl your brush in its little bubble bath, tap the excess water off before swirling the bristles on a cloth until the brush rubs clean, just like you do throughout the week.
  2. After washing brushes, it’s important to lay them flat to dry with the fibers laying over the edge of the counter or table so air can circulate around them easily. This also helps brushes reform their natural shape after cleaning and keeps moisture out of the base of the brush (remember ferrule, the word of the day?)

“After washing and drying my brushes, I place them in a large vase filled with marbles,” says Turner. “That way they stay upright, not touching one another until they are dry. Plus, its a great way to store your brushes. You could also get creative and use river rocks or sand in different containers to store your brushes between use.”

How to Clean Makeup Brushes: Beauty Blender Edition

So it’s not really a brush, but the beauty blender is the true workhorse of any makeup routine. But when was the last time you showed your beauty blender the attention it deserves?
If you’re not regularly cleaning your beauty blender, go ahead and apologize to your blender (and your skin). Dirty beauty blenders are extremely porous, so they can hide tons of mold and bacteria, which, like dirty makeup brushes, can cause your face to break out.
Your beauty blender needs to be cleaned every day because it can soak up a LOT of product. To clean your blender, saturate it with warm water and a couple drops of shampoo. Gently wash until the water runs clear, squeeze the excess water out of the blender, and allow it to fully air dry before the next use.
Alas, that pretty pink egg isn’t meant to last a lifetime. You should plan on replacing your beauty blender every three to four months.
Time for a replacement?

Shop Beauty Blenders:

FAQ on How to Clean Makeup Brushes

You asked; we answer.
Q: Can I clean my makeup brushes with plain old dish soap?
A: Yes! And no. You can clean synthetic makeup brushes and beauty blenders with regular dish soap because it’s harder to cut through makeup residue on these materials. But you want to use a more gentle cleaning agent on natural bristle brushes. Since they come from animals, think of cleaning your natural bristle makeup brushes the same way you clean your hair. A cleanser that’s too harsh will leave your makeup brush fibers dry and brittle.
Q: If I can use tea tree oil to clean my makeup brushes, can I use different oils, like coconut or olive oil, too?
A: You can add just a smidge (a very, very small amount) of olive oil as a moisturizing agent when deep-cleaning your brushes, but it may not be a good idea to substitute olive oil with coconut oil. Coconut oil is pretty high on the comedogenic scale, which measures an oil’s pore-clogging tendencies. If you have break-out prone skin, it’s probably best to leave the coconut oil in the kitchen.
Q: Do I need to throw out makeup brushes after I pink eye, or can I just disinfect them?
A: Sorry to tell you, but yes. You can certainly try to completely disinfect your brushes, but why would you risk getting pink eye again? If you used any of your brushes near your eye, you’re taking a big risk by using them again.
Q: Is sharing makeup brushes with friends really that bad?
A: Not necessarily. When you were sharing eyeshadow brushes and mascara with your sixth grade besties, you probably weren’t regularly washing your makeup brushes (probably because you didn’t own any makeup brushes other than disposable applicators, which do not count). Fast forward a few years and now you’re doing each other’s makeup before a night out. Sharing makeup brushes is almost always okay—as long as you clean your makeup brushes after each individual use.
Q: Is it okay to leave my makeup brushes in the bathroom? That’s where I do my makeup anyway.
A: Riddle me this: Do you know how many poo particles are floating around your bathroom at any given time? Well, it’s sort of a lot. A 2015 study found that 60 percent of toothbrushes left in bathrooms had traces of fecal matter on them. Samesies for your expensive makeup brushes.
If you don’t have the space for a full-on makeup room (hey, we’re not all Kylie Jenner), try creating a small makeup station on top of your dresser or in other non-bathroom space. Because nobody wants poo on their face.

Create Your Makeup Station:

Categories
Healthy Pregnancy Motherhood

What Pregnancy Hormones Really Do (And How To Deal)

Exhaustion. Tender breasts. Morning sickness. They’re all signs of pregnancy. But almost as important: They’re all signs that pregnancy hormones have kicked into high gear and they’re doing exactly what they need to do to keep you and your baby healthy.
Okay, okay. When you’re running to the bathroom for the third time in an hour, it may not feel like such a great thing. And the ebbs and flows of pregnancy hormones can have you tearing your hair out one minute and then marveling at how thick and lush it is the next. But hormones play a crucial role in helping the body get pregnant, stay pregnant, and prepare for the arrival of a baby.
Unlike your skin, hair, and belly, however, hormonal changes occur without us ever seeing them, making for one of the great mysteries of pregnancy.
What’s really going on at the hormonal level? When can you expect your pregnancy hormones to spike, and how do they change throughout the course of the nine months (give or take) of making a baby?
Let’s dive in!

What’s a hormone anyway?

We might not spend much time thinking about them, but hormones rule our lives. Produced by a number of glands throughout the body—from the pituitary to the thyroid—hormones are essentially chemicals that travel throughout the body, coordinating the functions of our organs and tissues.
“Hormones are for essential for life,” says nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwife Patricia A. Evans of MemorialCare Medical Group in Fountain Valley, California. “[They] contribute [to] and influence immune system functionality and can even affect behavior.”
Hormones also play a major role in puberty, dictating body changes and—in cisgender females—spurring the beginning of the body’s menstrual cycle.
Not having a period? Having periods that are too long or too frequent? All those issues come down to hormones, says Sherry Ross, MD, OB-GYN and women’s health expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. And because fertility is directly tied to the body’s menstrual cycles, doctors will typically test a woman for a hormonal imbalance if she walks in the office citing infertility concerns. Correcting that imbalance can be the key to helping solve infertility woes.
On the other hand, when all of the hormones are right in line, it’s these chemicals floating around the body, keeping everything in check, that help make conception happen.
Not making the connection? That’s okay; you’re not the only one who hasn’t been back to science class in a while.
Diana Bitner, MD, an OB-GYN at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan, broke it down for us. “A correct hormone balance is crucial to getting pregnant, and hormones are in good balance when the ovary is functioning well and the brain and the ovary are communicating well,” she explains. “If the ovary is able to make a good quality egg, then the hormones are right.”
So how does it work?
When a woman is healthy and in the reproductive phase of her life, she’s typically ovulating every 28 to 30 days (depending on a woman’s “normal” cycle). When her period is starting, a new follicle in the ovary is being stimulated by a follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
“The cells around the immature egg make estrogen in the first half of the cycle,” Bitner explains.
Ovulation, which typically occurs smack dab in the middle of your menstrual cycle, is triggered by yet another hormone: luteinizing hormone (LH for short).
When the follicle stimulated by FSH syncs up with the LH-stimulated ovulation, the follicle releases an egg, Bitner says, and the body’s cells make yet another hormone called progesterone.
“The lining of the uterus is analogous to the ‘lawn,’ and [the hormone] estrogen acts as fertilizer and the progesterone as almost weed-killer to keep it from growing out of control,” Bitner says. Together the hormones help the lining of the uterus mature and get ready for a fertilized egg to plant. If that happens, the fertilized egg will then have a home on the “lawn” to develop into a fetus, the way a seed develops into a flower in your yard.

Pregnancy Hormones: The Big 3

So hormones help you turn all that bedroom fun into an actual pregnancy. Then what? More hormones get in on the action.
After an egg is fertilized by the sperm, it heads to the uterus to implant, and hormones kick in to help the body sustain a pregnancy and help the embryo grow into a fetus. The three main pregnancy hormones are human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), progesterone, and estrogen.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)

A popular fad diet featuring human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has gotten the stink-eye from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), making the term sound a little scary for a pregnant woman. Fortunately, the hCG produced by the body during pregnancy isn’t just healthy…it’s absolutely vital.
While all three major pregnancy hormones will increase in the weeks after conception, hCG is the first, Evans says, and it’s responsible for keeping the other two at appropriate levels while the placenta grows. Once the placenta is developed enough to sustain the growing embryo—at around 10 to 12 weeks, basically the tail end of the first trimester—hCG production slows down as the placenta steps up to the plate.

Progesterone

Initially produced by the ovaries, progesterone kicks in early in the pregnancy, and you’ll start seeing physical changes because of it. A rise in progesterone levels will increase a pregnant woman’s heart rate—and her appetite. It can also lead to some of the more uncomfortable side effects of pregnancy, such as fatigue.  
Because progesterone has an impact on the smooth muscles of the body, it affects the lower esophageal sphincter, Evans says, which can cause heartburn and acid reflux, mostly later in pregnancy. Progesterone also softens the cartilage, which contributes to pelvic pain. On the other hand, it’s that softening that helps the hips to expand during childbirth!
Low progesterone levels can lead to miscarriage, warns Anita Somani, MD, an OB-GYN with OhioHealth in Columbus, Ohio, so your OB-GYN or midwife may be doing blood tests to keep track of your progesterone levels, especially if you’ve had issues in the past.
If you’re looking at the blood tests for answers, here’s a basic guideline. Progesterone levels can range from 9 to 47 ng/mL in the first trimester, with an average of 12 to 20 ng/mL in the first 5 to 6 weeks of pregnancy. But Evans is quick to say that these numbers are not to be taken alone, as each woman’s body is different. “It is not the single value that can predict a healthy pregnancy outcome,” she warns. When in doubt, ask your doctor or midwife.
Some OB-GYNs do suggest women who have had a previous miscarriage or have experienced a pre-term delivery take progesterone during their pregnancy in addition to the amount the body produces.
Studies on the efficacy of added progesterone are mixed. One 2015 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that progesterone therapy in the first trimester of pregnancy “did not result in a significantly higher rate of live births among women with a history of unexplained recurrent miscarriages.” Because of studies like these, it’s not recommended that women take progesterone on their own without a doctor signing off.
The body’s progesterone production will slow down in the end of the first trimester as the placenta takes center stage.

Estrogen

Along with progesterone, estrogen is produced in the ovaries, and it helps sustain the lining of the uterus in the first trimester, supporting the developing embryo. It’s also one of the two hormones (again, along with progesterone) most responsible for the physical changes we have come to associate with pregnancy.
The most pronounced? Those achy, throbbing breasts can be blamed on increased estrogen production in your body. If you’ve got a stuffy nose, you can blame that on estrogen too. The hormone helps increase blood flow through the body. This is good news for your growing fetus, which will depend on that increased blood, but it can result in swelling in your nostrils. (Then again, it’s all that extra blood flow that contributes to a pregnant woman’s “glow.”)
The ovaries’ estrogen production will begin to wane near the end of the first trimester.

What about the baby?

While the big three hormones begin to taper off by the time you hit your second trimester, that doesn’t mean hormones aren’t still working on your body.
As the embryo grows, so does the placenta. By about week nine of your pregnancy, the placenta takes over pumping out estrogen and progesterone and adds yet another pregnancy hormone, human placental lactogen (hPL), to the mix. One of hPL’s main jobs is to inhibit insulin, preventing glucose from absorbing into a mother’s cells. In turn, that makes your bloodstream glucose levels increase, providing more sugar to the baby so he or she can grow.
Overall, hormones produced in the placenta will work together to promote fetal growth while also helping a mother’s body become an even better place for a baby to develop. That means some will spike, decrease, then spike again, and you’re just along for the ride.

Up and Down and Back Again

All that ebbing and flowing of hormone levels may be natural, but let’s face it, it’s not easy having your hormones fluctuate. From exhaustion to wild emotions, hormones can make you feel like you’re on a roller coaster.
“Mood swings, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, breast tenderness, sensitivity to smells and odors can be overwhelming at times,” Evans admits. “The good news is that these are temporary and most decrease with time.”
In truth, there’s nothing you can do about hormone fluctuations. They’re part of pregnancy. But they also don’t have to plague you the whole nine months.
“Change is normal and moods can be affected,” Bitner explains. “The best is self-care and awareness. If a women has underlying mood issues, such as anxiety or depression, the worries of pregnancy, body changes, and relationship changes can add stress and expose coping difficulties.
“The best way to cope is to have good self-care in place with a healthy diet, adequate sleep, a support network of family and friends, and (if necessary) counseling to deal with more difficult situations,” she adds. “Women who cope are able to ask for help when needed, believe they deserve to be happy and do well, and keep a network in place. Some women do need medication for mood during pregnancy and there are safe options.”
Evans recommends her patients break down the nine months into chunks to get through.
“I like to describe the first 20 weeks of pregnancy as [wedding] planning,” she says. “[You’re] busy with anticipation, worries, excitement for the future, and ups and downs of event planning. When the wedding day arrives at around 20 weeks, you find you have more energy and sense of euphoria as the honeymoon begins and you start buying baby clothes and life is grand as the hormones settle in and calm down.”
By the last month, however, the honeymoon is over and you’re facing yet another hormone change.
“As your body prepares to give up this growing life inside, you can’t breathe, sleep, eat, find clothes that fit and your feet have outgrown every pair of shoes in your closet, and all you want is to meet your new baby, and for the pregnancy to be done so you have more energy and a sense of euphoria never before experienced—the birth of your baby,” Evans says.

After Baby Comes

Once the baby arrives, your hormones will change once again. The placenta leaving the body means it’s no longer producing hormones, and estrogen and progesterone levels fall to low levels rapidly after birth.
If you decide to breastfeed, estrogen and progesterone will help support milk production and suppress ovulation (which is why many breastfeeding moms don’t get a period for months or even years after giving birth).
These hormonal changes can be dicey for moms who are risk of anxiety or depression, Bitner warns, as the loss of estrogen is associated with less serotonin activity.
“Serotonin is the brain chemical which impacts many women in how they cope and how they feel,” she explains. “Lower effective serotonin levels can lead to marked depression and/or anxiety, especially if other risk factors exist, such as sleep deprivation and life stressors.”
Depression treatment can start during pregnancy, or you may need to be watched for postpartum depression symptoms. So if you’re worried about the way hormonal fluctuations can affect your mood during and after pregnancy, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider. There is help available.
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Categories
Health x Body Wellbeing

How To Get Rid Of Bloating When You’re Feeling Like A Balloon

If you’ve ever woken up with a stomach that feels like it’s housing an expanding balloon, you know all too well that bloating is no fun. That bloated feeling in your stomach can make you feel like crawling back in bed instead of heading out for the day.
But with recent warnings from British doctors that some women are confusing the symptoms of ovarian cancer with bloating during their menstrual cycle, a lot more of us are on edge about that full-belly feeling.
So when are you experiencing normal bloating, and when do you need to call the doctor? And if it’s just a bloated stomach, do you know how to get rid of bloating with fast home remedies that will have you getting on with life in 24 hours (or less)?
We talked to the experts to get you the answers you need.

What’s going on?

Bloating is uncomfortable, and it can send folks running for their doctors’ offices, but it’s not technically a disease. Instead, bloating is a symptom that can accompany various diseases and conditions. It can be a sign that you’ve eaten too much, had too much to drink, or even inhaled too much air.
If you were to describe what it means to feel bloated, words like bleeech and ugh would fit in nicely. But medical practitioners—not surprisingly—have a more clinical vocabulary when it comes to defining bloating.
“Bloating is a sensation of fullness in the upper abdomen,” says Alexandra Guillaume, MD, director of the Gastrointestinal Motility Center at Stony Brook Medicine and assistant professor in the Long Island, New York, university’s department of medicine.
That sounds simple enough, right? If the top of the belly feels extra full, you’re bloated.
But that’s where the simplicity ends and the confusion can begin.
That feeling of increased abdominal pressure is often accompanied by what’s called “abdominal distentions,” or a visible enlargement of the waistline. As anyone who has a pair of Thanksgiving pants knows, sometimes the two go together, sometimes they don’t. But it turns out you don’t need that distended-belly look to feel absolutely miserable…or to be bloated.
In one study published in the medical journal Gastroenterology, researchers measured abdominal girth in relation to pressure complaints, and just 48 percent of patients with bloating had measurable distention in their torsos. The other 52 percent were still bloated, but doctors couldn’t see the physical signs on the outside. And theirs wasn’t the only study to come to this conclusion.
What’s more, while some people experience bloating and gas at the same time, the two don’t have to go hand in hand.
“Bloating can be the result of having an increased or intolerable amount of gastric and/or intestinal gas, as some individuals experience the symptom of bloating with normal amounts of gas,” Guillaume says. Then again, bloating can be the result of anything from increased fluid in the abdomen to bowel wall inflammation to what Guillaume calls “malabsorbed food substrates” (parts of the food that haven’t broken down and been absorbed into the body yet).
In other words: You can be bloated without flatulence or burping, and you can have gas without being bloated.
So how do you know it’s really bloating and not, say, gas or weight gain that’s affecting your abdomen? And how do you know it’s not that virus that’s been going around your office?

Let’s start with where it hurts.

“Most people feel this sensation between the belly button and up to the middle of the rib cage,” says Boston-based dietitian Kate Scarlata, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well with IBS. Gas, on the other hand, tends to occur in the large intestine or lowest segment of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Another defining feature of bloating? There are just a handful of typical causes:

Swallowed Air or Aerophagia (Excessive Swallowing of Air)

We need air to breathe, but there really is too much of a good thing, Guillaume says. Excess swallowing can occur when you’re sucking on hard candies, chewing gum, or experiencing anxiety, which may cause you to suck in large amounts of air.
“Carbonated beverages such as soda, seltzer, and beer can also generate excess gastric and intestinal air,” Guillaume warns, adding, “This is usually brief.”
The good news? All that extra air may cause bloating, but it’s typically easily expelled, so you can get rid of bloating fast.
“Air advancing from the stomach into the upper small bowel is usually promptly cleared,” Guillaume says. “Carbon dioxide and oxygen rapidly diffuse through the intestinal wall. Nitrogen gas is poorly absorbed, but is rapidly propelled towards the colon and expelled through the anus.”
In other words, you’ll probably burp and fart it out.

Food Intolerance and Carbohydrate Malabsorption

If you’ve ever felt like your dinner just didn’t agree with you, you might be right. Food doesn’t have to be spoiled or laced with a toxin to bother our systems. Nor does it have to be unhealthy.
Eating a lot of fiber or carbohydrates such as bran, cabbage, beans, broccoli, or similar foods can all cause discomfort in your abdomen.
Bloating after a meal can also be a sign of a food intolerance or disease, Guillaume warns.
If you experience bloating after consuming lactose, your body may be lacking the enzyme lactase, which is required to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk, certain cheeses, or ice cream. People with undiagnosed celiac disease may also bloat as their body struggles to absorb wheat, barley, and rye products.
Some foods, known as FODMAPs, are also common culprits when you’re feeling bloated. Carbohydrates found in everyday—and relatively healthy—foods like apples, pears, watermelon, wheat, cauliflower, onion, garlic, to name a few, FODMAPs are rapidly fermented by gut microbes and can also pull water into the gut, Scarlata says.
“The aftermath of excess water and/or fermentation of these carbs in the gut can contribute to the sensation of bloating in those with FODMAP sensitivities,” she warns.

Underlying Constipation

If you’re feeling “backed up,” that general feeling of pressure may, well, back up, spreading from the intestines north into the abdomen. Not surprisingly, this can be tied to foods as well, as excessive amounts of fiber can cause simultaneous constipation and bloating.

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

This condition occurs when there’s an excess of normal bacteria in the small intestine. “These intestinal bacteria play a key role in bloating and flatulence through carbohydrate fermentation and gas production,” Guillaume says. “Patients with altered anatomy due to surgery, those with diabetes, or those with certain rheumatologic disease may be at an increased risk of bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.”

Hormones

No, you’re not imagining that puffy feeling in the lead-up to your period. “Feeling bloated is a real concern in the week prior to actually menstruating,” says Latasha Murphy, MD, an OB-GYN at the gynecology center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. The reason? Your hormones fluctuate. “The progesterone drops and the estrogen levels rise,” Murphy explains. “This can lead to sluggish bowel motility and water retention that leads to the bloating sensation.”
Although those are the most typical causes, Guillaume says if you’re trying to figure out if you’re feeling uncomfortable because you’re coming down with that virus that’s been floating around your office or just feeling bloated, it may be both! Because bloating is a symptom and not a disease, it can be a precursor to worse symptoms ahead.
“An acute infectious enteritis may be associated with severe bloating and distention in the early stages, even before diarrhea occurs,” Guillaume warns.
That said, if you’re feeling abdominal pain that’s accompanied by fever, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, joint pains, or an abnormal rash, it’s wise to call your doctor. Those symptoms can be a sign of trouble.

Fight the bloat.

Let’s face it: No matter what’s causing it, you want to get rid of that bloated-belly sensation as soon as possible.
How to do it—and how fast it can be done—comes down to the cause. That bloating from slurping down a soda too fast during your super short lunch break can disappear on its own in less than an hour.
If a virus is causing the bloat, you might just have to wait it out, as viral conditions typically have to run their course.
If the problem is your impending period, it’s time to get up and move, and change up what you’re eating and drinking. Exercise will promote bowel motility, Murphy says, which can help you feel less backed up, and drinking a lot of water can help, too.
Abdominal massage can help move the gas into the lower GI tract so that it is easier to pass, Scarlata advises, and there are medicines that can help get things moving, too.
“The herbal supplement Iberogast can help the intestinal move more efficiently, lessening bloating,” Scarlata notes, “Some find simethicone supplements helpful. Simethicone reduces the surface tension of gas bubbles, making the gas bubbles smaller and easier to move through the GI tract for elimination.”
If you’ve been eating any gas-inducing foods (beans, cabbage, and the like), cutting back can help you fight the bloat. But sometimes figuring out just what is making it happen can require a bit of trial and error…and hyper vigilance.
“Maintain a food journal for at least one month and list what you experience after eating a variety of foods and food groups,” Guillaume suggests. “Also, be cognizant of your bowel habits and pattern and how this affects your perception of bloating or visible abdominal distention.”

When to Call the Doctor

If you’re feeling bloated after one meal or days before you’re expecting your period, there’s likely no cause for concern. Occasional bloating happens.
It’s when you feel bloated for days on end or there are other symptoms—such as fever, diarrhea, vomiting, feeling a constant need to urinate or defecate—that you need to call your doctor.
Among the diseases that may be causing bloating along with these symptoms are celiac disease, ovarian cancer, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Although those sound scary, frequent bloating is not always a sign of serious disease. It could simply be an indicator that you have a food intolerance. Treating it could be as simple as cutting a single food out of your diet, which is why it’s important to keep a food journal and bring it with you to your doctor’s office.
“Measures to reduce bloating should be determined and implemented depending on the cause of bloating,” Scarlata notes. “It really is not a one-size-fits all approach. [You need to] work with a healthcare provider to better gauge the reason for the bloating to develop a more tailored approach to treatment.”

Bye Bye, Bloating

Let’s face it: Life is a lot easier if we just avoid bloating altogether. While that’s not always possible (see also: disease causes), there are some preventative measures that work for a number of cases.
If you regularly suffer from menstrual bloating, increasing your water intake and cutting gassy foods from your diet in the days leading up to your period can help, Murphy says, along with kicking your exercise routine into high gear.
If you don’t have a diagnosed food intolerance but know that eating a hot dog smothered in onions is going to make you gassy (and bloated), you can avoid the food entirely. Or you can indulge your cravings while trying to stave off the bloat with a dose of an over-the-counter remedy such as simethicone (aka Gas-X) or alpha-d-galactosidase, the generic of Beano.
If you’re looking to go in the opposite direction by upping the healthy quotient on your foods, dive into fibrous eats with a dose of caution. It’s good to increase bran foods and beans, but do so slowly, lest your new health kick make you feel like Violet Beauregarde from Willy Wonka.
Probiotics work for some folks as well, but Guillaume warns that the data in medical literature is mixed, and there’s no consistent evidence that shows that probiotics are effective at relieving bloating, distention, or flatulence.
One piece of advice that doctors routinely give patients when advising on general health applies when it comes to bloating, too: Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight.

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Healthy Relationships Wellbeing

The Creator Of The Five Love Languages Explains How They Can Change Your Relationship For Good

If you’ve ever been in therapy or even just a conversation about relationships, you’ve probably been asked, “Do you know your love language?” Though the concept of love languages is more than 20 years old, the idea that we all have different ways of expressing and receiving love has stuck around.

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Gary Chapman, PhD, published The Five Love Languages in 1995, and it remains one of the best-selling relationship books of all time. It’s helped millions of people relate to each other in relationships romantic and platonic alike. On the book’s website, you can take The Five Love Languages quiz to learn which of the five love languages is your primary language. Once you know your language, though, you might have a few questions like: How do I ask for what I want? What is my partner’s love language? I’m single; why should I care?
If you’re new to the concept of the five love languages, you might be wondering where exactly they came from and why they’ve become such a phenomenon.
We spoke with the languages’ creator, Chapman, to find out how his theory has changed over the years, how he interpreted the response to his original book, and how learning the five love languages might help people make positive life changes—even if they aren’t in a long-term romantic relationship.  

Here’s a basic synopsis of the five languages theory.

Chapman’s beliefs are simple: People express their love in different ways—specifically, through five “love languages.” Those languages are:

Words of Affirmation: Giving Compliments, Thanks, and Other Positive Comments With a Positive Tone

That last part is especially important, as tone can undercut a positive message. Depending on the context and tone of voice, a statement like “You’re great storyteller” might come off as a genuine compliment—or as scathing condescension.

People who speak this love language aren’t necessarily fishing for compliments; they crave positive affirmation in general, but it’s not because they’re self-centered. If you notice your S/O looking particularly good one day, let them know. If you loved the dinner they cooked for you, explain why you liked it so much. People who want to hear words of affirmation tend to appreciate hearing positive things in general, so try speaking highly about things that your partner appreciates, and make an effort to avoid unnecessary complaints and other harsh, negative speech.

If you aren’t the type to verbalize your feelings, get in some practice with a few sweet text messages or Snapchats a day. Letting your partner know you’re thinking of them and appreciate them is key.

Quality Time: Giving Full, Undivided Attention and Finding Joy in Activities Pursued With a Partner

“Quality conversation is more about listening than talking,” Chapman writes in the book, “but usually, partners want both.”

To speak this love language, block off time specifically for your partner. We know, we know—that’s easier said than done if you’re already juggling work, kids, your own personal health, and myriad other responsibilities, but your romantic relationship deserves your commitment.

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Unfortunately, spending time in front of a television set binging on Netflix probably doesn’t count as quality time to those who are attracted to and moved by quality time. Instead, consider taking up a hobby together (yoga, we’re looking at you). Go on a walk a few times a week, just you two. Get in bed early and have a conversation about your day. Make sure you think of this time as a non-negotiable. If you or your partner thrive on getting quality time, it needs to be a priority.

Gifts: Physical Tokens That Are Representative of Love

Gifts is one of the most misinterpreted of the five love languages. If your loved one is gift-oriented, it doesn’t mean they’re a gold-digger. Instead, people whose primary love language is gifts respond best to physical reminders that you’re thinking of them. If that seems difficult to you, start small. Pick up a latte for your partner or make an inspirational Spotify playlist if you know they’re having a tough day at work. If you see a pair of socks you know he’d love, pick them up. If she’s been talking about this beautiful notebook, surprise her with it.

Small tokens of affection can be just as meaningful as more expensive gifts, but if your partner responds best to gifts, be sure to give them regularly—not just on special occasions.

Acts of Service: Doing Chores and Other Actions That Ease a Partner’s Burden

Granted, both partners should help with the chores, but people who speak this love language see a direct correlation between their partner’s love and the amount of time spent serving the household or performing acts of care and kindness.

As with quality time, the trick is to dedicate some time every day to your partner’s happiness and well-being. Surprise them by tackling a home improvement project (you know you want to regrout the tile, right?) or taking the kids to the park. If they hate washing dishes or folding laundry, offer to do those while they clean or put the laundry away. Small acts can make a big difference.

Physical Touch: Holding Hands, Hugging, and Other Forms of Physical Intimacy

When we talked to Chapman, he made sure to clarify that “physical touch” isn’t all about sex (but that’s a big part of a healthy relationship!).

People who speak this language need physical touch as a reminder of your love. Make sure that the physical touch is coming from a genuine place of affection instead of being a constant precursor to foreplay. Reaching over to hold a partner’s hand while watching a movie can work wonders; a slight graze of their back in public might be enough to send shivers down their spine.

Make eye contact, smile, and exhibit positive body language; as with the words of affirmation, tone is everything.

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The Five Love Languages makes the case that every person has a primary and secondary love language (they may also “speak” the other languages to a lesser degree). If you and your partner don’t share the same primary love language, it can be hard for both of you to feel loved if you aren’t both working to love each other using your partner’s love language. Those feelings can cause the breakdown of the relationship.
In the book, Chapman discusses each of the five love languages in detail, telling stories to illustrate his points. Occasionally he also references the Bible, which is a possible point of contention, and some reviewers have noted that Chapman’s Christian faith may alienate potential readers of the book. But reviewers like Slate’s Ruth Graham have defended the book’s underlying concepts while noting they were initially resistant to its non-secular approach.

Is there any scientific basis to the five love languages?

The Five Love Languages isn’t based explicitly in science. It doesn’t reference much peer-reviewed research; instead it relies on Chapman’s anecdotes to reinforce its points.
But that doesn’t mean that it’s without academic merit. A 2006 study examined the five love languages and found that they could, indeed, reflect the behaviors that people use to successfully maintain their relationships. More recently, a 2016 study of 400 participants found support for Chapman’s theory.
For adherents of The Five Love Languages, those scientific findings aren’t a surprise. The book uses intentionally simple language and broad concepts to talk about the communication issues that can arise in any relationship, but its core arguments seem quite strong. In any case, it’s certainly worthy of serious discussion.

Talking to the Five Love Languages founder, Gary Chapman

HealthyWay: So I just finished the book. Your background is in anthropology. I was wondering if you could tell me what role that background played in the development of this approach?

Chapman: Ha ha, you know, probably not a lot—at least directly.

A thing that really surprised me—where my anthropology background kind of jumped to the front—was when the book was published. My publisher was approached by a Spanish publisher; they wanted to publish it in Spanish.

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With my anthropology background, I said to my publisher, “I don’t know, does this really work in Spanish? You know, I discovered this in middle America.”

And they said, “Well, they’ve read the book, and they want to publish it.” I said, “Well, okay, let’s just go with it.”
It became their best seller. In fact, they’ve told me the other day that they’ve sold 3 million copies in Spanish. After that, the other editions started, and now it’s been translated in 50 languages around the world.

That surprised me because of my anthropology background. But as for directly impacting the writing of the book, there’s no real connection there.

You wrote something about that in the book—the success you’ve had with different translations, and how the “dialects” of the five love languages change in different cultures. Could you talk about that for a moment? For instance, how it would relate to a Spanish audience?

I think—of course, in English, as well—each of the [five love] languages have different dialects. For example, in words, there’s words of praise, there’s words of encouragement, there are other types of words. That’s still true in other languages. But there may well be different dialects in other cultures that we wouldn’t necessarily have.

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For example, in the Spanish culture … when you greet somebody, just socially, you might kiss them on both sides of the cheek. Well, we wouldn’t do that in American culture. It’s physical touch, but it’s not a dialect that we would use in our culture.
So I think there are other dialects in all languages. And I wouldn’t even be aware of what many of them would be. But obviously, the translator and publisher would be.

What did surprise me, however, is that the five languages do seem to be fundamental to human nature. And, therefore, they make sense in all the cultures in which they’ve been translated.

I saw there was a 2006 study, which I’m sure you’re aware of, that found evidence that your five love languages “may reflect behaviors performed to enact intended, relational maintenance.”

That seems to provide some scientific credence to the languages. Would you like to see more scientific research like that, to confirm what you’ve written?

You know, I’ve always been open that. I’ve had probably three or four grad students in different places that have written me and asked about doing research on a particular aspect of the love languages. I’ve always said, “Yes, I’m happy for you to do that. And when you finish your research, please send me the results.”

Well, I don’t know if they did it or not, but I never got any results. So I don’t know. But yes, I welcome that.

What are the changes from one edition of the book to the next? How do you update the book, or when do you decide it merits a new edition?

Well, essentially we have changed some illustrations from time to time. And also, in more recent years, we’ve used a few illustrations that include social media and that kind of thing, which obviously was not there when we wrote the book.

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But there are no radical changes, really. The concept is still the same, and the five languages are still the same.

That’s interesting—I’m guessing that you notice social media affecting the ways that people communicate emotionally.

I do. Both positively and negatively.

For example, the simple thing of texting can be great for a marriage relationship. I text my wife when I’m traveling. I’ll say, “Okay, I’m at Greensboro airport, da da da,” you know. Then I tell her the next airport. We go back and forth texting, which is more convenient than calling, because sometimes I may be involved and not able to answer the phone.
So, yeah, I think social media has been helpful, but also it can be distracting from the relationship.
For example if a husband or wife spends their free time on the computer, doing whatever, the other person can feel like, “I think the computer is more important to you than I am.” So there’s a downside and a plus side.

One thing that kind of surprised me when I started looking into this, was how many non-religious people seem to appreciate your book and the approach of the five love languages. Is that something that you keep in mind while you’re writing?

Yes, very definitely. When I wrote this book, my desire was to write it in such a way that folks who are not religious would find it helpful.

I knew that religious people would know that all these languages are, for example, found in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and probably in other religious writings. But I didn’t want to write to just one particular group. I wanted to write for a general audience.

And it’s been very encouraging to me, the number of people who are not religious at all—or maybe they have a different religion—how they have found this book to be helpful in their relationship. And that’s what I had hoped would happen.

Do you have any advice for them and how they should approach this book? Should they take a different approach than a person that’s a Christian?

Whatever we read, we bring our religious beliefs, or our philosophy of life. We bring it to a book that we’re reading. We can’t divorce ourselves from our religious or philosophical beliefs about life.

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But I think that, whatever the person’s background—religious or not religious—we all want to have good relationships. And we don’t get married to be miserable. We get married hoping we’re going to have a positive, supportive relationship.

I think that is the appeal the book has to all couples.

I found that the book’s about showing love, specifically, but also more generally about emotional communication. Do you think that the love languages approach could help with other types of relationships, like friendships or workplace relationships?

Yes. As a matter of fact, I’ve written a whole series of books that spin off from this original book. The first one is the 5 Love Languages of Children, which I wrote with a psychiatrist who had had 30 years of experience working with children. It’s written to parents, and the same concept applies—that children have a love language, and you need to give heavy dosage of the primary and then sprinkle in the other four [languages]. We’d like the child to learn how to give and receive love in all five languages; that would be the healthiest child.
So I developed that book, and then parents came to me and said, “Okay, that was very helpful, but now our kids are teenagers, and this doesn’t seem to be working. What’s the deal?”

The third book in the series was the 5 Love Languages of Teenagers, written to parents, helping them learn how to [communicate] while the teenager is going through all of these physical, emotional, and intellectual changes. And that’s been well received by parents.

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So, yes, I think it applies to all human relationships. We all have the emotional need to feel loved, and most people agree that it’s our most fundamental emotional need—the need to feel loved by the significant people in our lives.
The concept [of the love languages] helps us understand how to do that, how to communicate love so that the emotional need is met.

I appreciated that the book is written in this kind of simple, general language, and I could see the theory applying in all of those different instances that you just mentioned. I saw online that there’s also a version of the book for people who have partners with Alzheimer’s, which I thought was interesting.

I wrote that one with a medical doctor whose wife had the disease, and we’re hoping that’s going to be very helpful to caregivers.

Also, we did a military edition at the request of so many military leaders. And for that one, we added the dimension: How do you speak these languages when you’re deployed, so that you can stay emotionally connected? And we got great ideas from military couples who read the original book and were applying it in their own lives.

Given that we’re living in a time where gender roles are changing rapidly, do you think people can get the same effect from your book if they’re not falling into traditional masculine and feminine roles?

You know, I think so. Because none of these languages are gender specific.

A man can have any one of these five as his primary language. A woman can have any one of the five as their primary language. Now, how we express them might be influenced by the change in culture. For example, an act of service: One man who grew up being told to open the door for a woman, he might open the door as an act of service. But maybe she doesn’t like that; she might say, “I can open my own door, thank you.”

And I say, fine. I’m not opposed to women opening doors, that’s fine, if that’s what you want to do. I’m just saying in marriage, ask your spouse what they prefer. If acts of service is their language, what acts of service would they prefer? If they don’t want you to open the door, then fine, don’t open the door—take the trash out, or do something else.

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So, yes, I think culture can affect some of the dialects of how you speak these languages, but fundamentally, the five languages do pretty much cover the bases of what makes a person feel loved.

What is a common misconception people have when they hear about your work?

Well, one common misconception of men is they will say, “Oh, I know my love language, I don’t need to read that book. My love language is physical touch.”

And they mean sex. I say to them, “Well, perhaps that is your language, but let me ask you a question: do non-sexual touches make you feel loved?” And [the guy] looks at me like a deer in the headlights. “Are there non-sexual touches?”
I say, “Well, let me ask you this: If you get out of the car with your spouse, and you start walking into a store, and she reaches over and holds your hand as you walk into the store, does that make you feel loved? Lets says she’s pouring a cup of coffee for you, and she puts her hand on [your] shoulder, does that make you feel loved?

And if he says, “Not really,” I say, “Well, then, your love language is not physical touch. You like sex, but that’s not your love language, okay?”

So that’s a common misconception. Other than that, nothing really jumps to my mind. For the most part, most folks get it. The question most people have is: What if the love language of the other person is something that really does not come natural for you?

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And I understand that, because, for example, if you grew up in a home where you never got affirming words, then affirming words will be hard for you. If you grew up where gift giving was not a part of your life, then gift giving will be difficult for you.

But the good news is that you can learn any of these five languages, even if you did not receive them as a child. Once you understand that this is what really makes the other person feel loved, then you can learn how to do it. Yes, it may be a stiff learning curve, but the more you do it, the more comfortable you become doing it.

It’s really like learning to speak another language. It takes you a while for it to begin to become kind of natural for you. But the good news is that any couple can have a meaningful, loving relationship by learning how to speak each other’s love languages.

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Nosh Nutrition x Advice

The Amazing Health Benefits Of Kombucha (And How To Make Your Own At Home)

Kombucha has been enjoying a surge in popularity over the last decade thanks to its tangy, effervescent taste and numerous purported health benefits. While kombucha’s benefits have long been appreciated by many cultures worldwide, only recently has the United States cornered the market on this delicious fermented tea. In fact, a 2016 report from market report firm MarketsandMarkets showed that North America claimed 39.4 percent of kombucha’s worldwide market share, with projections predicting a 25 percent market growth each year up to 2020.
Between claims of anti-inflammatory and gut-healing properties, kombucha’s benefits are wide-reaching and only now being studied for in order to determine the fermented tea’s true potential as a health food product.
We take a close look at the scientific and anecdotal evidence surrounding kombucha and provide instructions for easily brewing kombucha at home (no lab equipment required!).

Getting to Know Kombucha (and That Mysterious Floating Blob!)

If you’re just beginning to learn about kombucha and all its benefits, consider this a crash course in getting to know your new favorite fermented tea beverage. Kombucha tea is lightly fizzy (thanks to the wonders of fermentation) and has a subtly sweet taste that’s punctuated by a delicious tanginess. You may have seen images of a mysterious mushroom-shaped blob accompanying articles about kombucha (or at your fermentation-loving friend’s house) and wondered just what the heck that thing is.
What you’re looking at is called a SCOBY (an acronym that stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), a floating colony of helpful bacteria and yeast needed to give kombucha its carbonation and acidity. Other names for a SCOBY include kombucha mother (like the “mother” found in vinegar), kombucha mushroom, and the decidedly less-appealing kombucha fungus. Making homebrewed kombucha—or any kombucha for that matter—requires a SCOBY, which can be grown from scratch, borrowed from a fermentation-loving friend, or purchased.

Sweet Tea: Making Kombucha Magic

Besides a SCOBY, the other main ingredients in kombucha are tea and white sugar. The yeast feeds off of the sugar to create alcohol, and in turn the bacteria feeds off of the alcohol to create kombucha’s trademark tangy flavor (which is why kombucha isn’t wildly sweet despite the addition of white sugar). This process is important because it creates and maintains the correct pH level (between 2.5 and 3.5) to will prevent dangerous microorganisms from growing and ruining your batch of kombucha.
According to Kombucha Brewers International, homebrewed kombucha is generally fermented for 10 to 12 days while commercially made kombucha takes two to three times longer to ferment due to the large amounts of kombucha being made at one time. In terms of kombucha’s longevity, store bought versions will be stamped with an expiry date. As long as kobucha maintains the correct pH balance, homebrewed kombucha can be stored for up to a year although its flavor will diminish the longer it sits.

Is kombucha considered an alcoholic beverage?

Kombucha does contain a small amount of alcohol as a result of the fermentation process, but for the most part it’s a negligible amount (less than 0.5 percent), which means kombucha can be sold as a non-alcoholic beverage in the United States. According to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau sales restrictions occur when kombucha alcohol levels meet or exceed 0.5 percent at which point kombucha must be labeled alcoholic and cannot be sold to minors.

Can you drink kombucha while pregnant or breastfeeding?

Although kombucha contains an extremely low percentage of alcohol, the American Pregnancy Association still advises that “no amount of alcohol has been deemed safe during pregnancy.” Err on the side of caution and save the kombucha for after baby’s arrival.
Breastfeeding? You should be safe to consume kombucha again. According to Elizabeth Smith, patient services coordinator and breastfeeding specialist at University of Utah Health Care, “If Mom is feeling the effects of alcohol, she should avoid breastfeeding until she feels sober. But there’s no need to pump and dump as long as drinking is kept to a minimum.”
Considering kombucha’s low alcohol content and the fact that it can be sold as a nonalcoholic beverage, it won’t get you buzzed or taint your breastmilk.

A Brief History of Kombucha

People have been making kombucha all over the world for at least a thousand years. Kombucha is thought to have originated in China during the Tsin Dynasty (around 220 BCE) where it was known as “The Tea Of Immortality.” Genghis Khan himself was rumored to carry a flask filled with a sour tea-like substance, and according to legend he spread his love of kombucha via the Silk Road far across what is now known as Asia and beyond. Other stories have attributed kombucha’s creation to Korean and Japanese cultures, which is why SCOBYs are sometimes referred to as the Japanese mushroom by kombucha brewers in Russia and other parts of Europe.
Kombucha’s popularity in the United States is very new in contrast to other countries, although American enthusiasm for kombucha seems to be growing rapidly. In fact, kombucha sales in the United States are expected to reach an impressive $785 million by the end of 2018.

Are the health benefits of kombucha as miraculous as they seem to be?

Commercially made kombucha is often advertised as an all-natural elixir that promotes the health and well-being of all who partake in the tea, and fans of kombucha swear by its impressive antioxidant and probiotic content. Scientists are only just beginning to study the effects of kombucha in clinical settings, but for those who have been fermenting their own kombucha and drinking it regularly, the benefits are obvious.
Hannah Crum is a commercial kombucha consultant, the founder of Kombucha Kamp, and the coauthor of the Big Book of Kombucha. She’s also a firm believer in the healing benefits of kombucha. For her, the gains associated with drinking kombucha are widespread. “Most commonly people report more energy, better digestion, clearer skin, and a general feeling of well-being.” That said, she adds the caveat that “some people experience none of these—or even side effects of consuming living foods if they are not used to them.” She says this is uncommon but acknowledges that every body is different.
Crum has noticed many improvements in her physical health since falling in love with kombucha. She says it ultimately comes down to the fact that kombucha is a healthy food, “which means it contains nutrients that help the body thrive.” Reflecting on her journey with kombucha, she tells HealthyWay, “I noticed that it helped to alleviate digestive distress, maintain a regular system, and improve my skin’s appearance. Over time, I noticed other benefits such as regulation of my menstrual cycle as well as wound healing and skin softening.”
Eric Childs is the founder and CEO of KBBK Kombucha, a Brooklyn-based business dedicated to providing top-of-the-line kombucha-brewing supplies and tutorials. What he loves about kombucha as a health food is the multiple sources of nutrients found in a single drink. He explains that “due to its complex makeup, kombucha offers all sorts of benefits: energy, immune support, detox, antioxidant support, digestion support, and overall healthy feeling after drinking it. This is due to the complex group of acids that are formed during fermentation along with the probiotics, as well as the main ingredient, which is tea.”

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Breaking It Down: Kombucha and Probiotics

Probiotics are defined by the World Health Organization as “live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” Thanks to the fermentation process the tea undergoes, kombucha is teeming with healthy probiotics. So what does that mean for your health as a kombucha drinker? Scientists have begun exploring and publishing on kombucha’s positive effects on immunological, endocrinological, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and urogenital aspects of health, and their findings support both Crum and Childs’ observations.

In the Beginning (Before Tea Becomes Kombucha)

Given all the excitement around kombucha, fermentation, and probiotics, it can be easy to forget about the antioxidant-rich tea that is the base of all kombucha. Green tea, in particular, has been researched extensively for the effects its antioxidant levels have on human health. Polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants found in green tea, work by neutralizing harmful free radicals and the damage they can have on cells. Clinical studies have shown a strong correlation between green tea consumption and lowering LDL cholesterol. Other studies have concluded that green tea has a positive effect on several different types of cancer (including breast, ovarian, colorectal, lung, and pancreatic cancer), IBS, diabetes, and liver disease.

Kombucha and Bacteria

Preliminary studies have shown kombucha that had been allowed to ferment for 21 days possessed some antibacterial and antifungal properties against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Listeria monocytogenes, and Micrococcus luteus. While studies like these need to be replicated, kombucha definitely holds promise as a potentially powerful antibacterial and antifungal treatment.

Putting It All Together: Making Kombucha at Home

If the thought of home fermentation seems overwhelming, the following tips should help to assuage your kombucha-making fears. Childs shares three excellent pieces of advice KBBK Kombucha gives to all beginners:
First of all, it’s important to “source a clean full-spectrum SCOBY from a reliable source. There are too many at-home SCOBY growers putting out low-quality SCOBY to the market. Make sure your source is good so you start in the right place. This is true for those wanting to start from a commercial bottle of kombucha.”
Keeping with the theme of quality ingredients, his second tip is to “Use high-quality pure ingredients. The kombucha symbiosis wants pure cane sugar and camellia sinensis tea (black, green, white, pu-erh, oolong). Anything outside of this will change the genetics of your SCOBY and make you something different.”
Finally “Keep your environment as steady as possible. Temperature and other environmental items make or break your brew. Get your environment dialed in and keep it there.”
If making kombucha tea still seems stressful but you’re ready to give it a try, you can always sign up for a free e-book and DIY guide from Komucha Kamp. This in-depth tutorial will provide plenty of help and guidance for anyone curious about kombucha and the home fermentation process.

Kombucha Tea Recipe

To make kombucha tea at home, you’ll need a kombucha starter culture (also known as a SCOBY). As mentioned above, it’s important to use a SCOBY from a trusted source such as Kombucha Kamp or KBBK Kombucha.

Yield: 1 gallon of kombucha

Ingredients:

  • 1 SCOBY
  • 6 bags of green, black, or oolong tea
  • 1 cup of pure white cane sugar
  • 1 cup raw bottled kombucha

Special Equipment:

  • Kettle
  • 1-gallon heatproof jar
  • Clean cloths
  • Rubber band
  • Clean bowls
  • Antibacterial soap

Method:

  1. Boil 4 cups of chlorine-free filtered water.
  2. Add the tea bags to a 1-gallon heatproof jar. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags and steep for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove the tea bags and add the sugar, stirring to dissolve.
  4. Fill the rest of the jar up with cool chlorine-free filtered water. At this point the tea should be lukewarm (about 100°F). If the tea is still hot, cover the jar with a clean cloth and set aside until lukewarm.
  5. Wash hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap.
  6. Carefully place the SCOBY in the lukewarm tea and pour the raw kombucha on top.
  7. Cover the jar with a clean breathable cloth and secure with a rubber band, storing away from direct sunlight at warmish room temperature (about 80°F).
  8. Let the sweet tea ferment for anywhere from 7 to 21 days, tasting the tea after 5 days to see if it’s heading in the right direction.
  9. As soon as your kombucha tastes delicious, it’s time to reap the rewards of your hard work. The first thing you need to do is reserve 1 cup of the kombucha for your next batch by pouring it into a clean bowl.
  10. Remove the SCOBY (with clean hands) and place in another clean bowl. Cover it with a clean cloth (cleanliness is an important component of kombucha making!).
  11. The remaining fermented tea is the kombucha, ready for drinking (and flavoring if you’d like).
  12.  Use your SCOBY and reserved kombucha to begin the process all over again!

Love kombucha but aren’t interested in fermenting your own? Luckily there are many options when it comes to commercially made kombucha. Our favorites include Synergy Kombucha and Kombucha Wonder Drink, both of which are tasty and unpasteurized (meaning they still contain all the healthy probiotics and antioxidants).

A Happy Kombucha Conclusion

While kombucha shouldn’t be considered a magic bullet for fixing all of your health concerns, it definitely offers many benefits in terms of antioxidants and probiotics. Kombucha’s benefits are being studied extensively and the evidence seems to speak for itself. Regularly including kombucha and other fermented foods in your diet is a definite plus when it comes to feeling healthy and energized.

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Health x Body Wellbeing

Asked And Answered: Here's What You Need To Know About Breast Implants

When it comes to appearance, there’s no doubt that Americans are a bit obsessed with breasts. Breasts are a symbol of femininity, and if you’re not happy with yours it can really knock your self-confidence, no matter how much you believe you should love your body as it comes.  
Although there is no doubt that beauty comes in every shape and (cup) size, we also live in a time when women are empowered to make whatever choices about their bodies are best for them—including whether to get breast implants.
You might be curious about breast implants for a number of reasons: Maybe you were never happy with your breasts. Perhaps you lost one or both due to cancer. Transgender women often find that breast implants help their external appearance match what’s in their hearts and minds. Others opt for breast implants to balance out uneven breasts.
In short, there are a variety of reasons—from health to personal preference—that women decide to get breast implants, and ultimately, no matter the reason, there should be no shame in considering changing your body if you believe it will make you happier.
No matter the reason you’re looking into breast implants, it can be hard to find reliable information that is backed by science. Reality TV and Hollywood stereotypes paint a certain picture about women who go under the knife, but the truth is that breast augmentation is the most common form of plastic surgery: In 2016 the surgery was performed 290,000 times in America, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. That was an increase of 4 percent from the year before.
Whether you’re preparing for your upcoming breast augmentation or just beginning to consider getting breast implants, we want you armed with all the knowledge you need. HealthyWay took the most common questions about boob jobs to the doctors who perform them every day.
Here are your breast implant questions, asked and answered.

Q: What are the different types of breast implants, and how do I choose which is best for me?

A: All breast implants have an exterior made from silicone. It’s what’s inside that makes them different. Breast implants are either prefilled with a silicone gel, or they are filled with a saline solution once they are inserted.
Each has advantages and disadvantages. Saline breast implants are slightly less expensive, and since they can be filled once they’re inserted, doctors are able to insert them through a smaller incision, says Scott Newman, MD, a plastic surgeon based in New York City. However, because saline breast implants need to be filled, the implants have valves on them, “which makes the product less reliable,” he says.
Silicone breast implants, on the other hand, are prefilled. They generally require a slightly larger incision to be inserted into the breast tissue. However, because silicone gel comes in varying thicknesses, the person receiving the implant has more control over what the breasts will feel like. Which brings us to…

Q: Will my breast implants feel (and look) real?

A: There are a lot of stereotypes about what breast implants feel and look like post-surgery. Many women worry their new breasts will be too big or too hard. However, it’s entirely possible to work with your doctor to get breast implants that look and feel natural. Here are a few things to consider:

Your breasts will feel different depending on what type of breast implants you choose.

“Saline implants often feel different than natural breast tissue and that’s the main advantage to silicone implants: they feel more natural and believable,” Newman says.

Saline breast implants are also more likely to be seen or felt through the skin.

This is an effect known as rippling, says Dana Goldberg, MD, a Florida-based board-certified plastic surgeon. That said, advancements in silicone technology have made silicone breast implants less likely to experience rippling.
“Silicone implants have been modified several times since their invention,” she says. “Current implants have what is known as generation five gel, also called gummy bear gel. This gel tends to settle less over time, which can help maintain more fullness in the upper breast and minimize rippling.”

To get the results you want, do your research and talk with your doctor ahead of time.

Goldberg says most patients want natural-looking results, with breasts that are proportional to the rest of their figure. Your doctor can walk you through the sizes and shapes of breast implants to help you decide what will suit your body best.
“Most women in the U.S. choose implants with a smooth, round silicone shell … but there are also textured implants and anatomic-shaped implants,” she notes. According to a Simply Breasts resource, anatomical implants are more of a teardrop shape that mimics the fullness at the bottom of a natural breast and avoids the noticeable protrusion at the top of round implants.
Doctors may encourage women who opt for anatomical implants to choose ones with a textured surface, which promotes healing and prevents the implants from rotating in the surgical pocket.

Q: How much do breast implants cost? And will insurance cover breast implant surgery?

A: As with many medical procedures, the cost for breast implants varies widely depending on where the procedure is done and individual factors around your needs as a patient. In 2016, the average cost of breast implant surgery was $3,719, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Note that you may need to pay additional costs for hospital fees and anesthesia.
Insurance does not typically cover breast augmentation (although if you’re having reconstruction the answer may be different). It’s important to note that not only does insurance not cover the procedure, but most plans won’t cover costs due to complications from the surgery. Additionally, some plans do not cover costs associated with the treatment of breast disease—including breast cancer—in individuals with implants. Because of this, it’s important to thoroughly review your insurance plan to understand what effect breast implants may have on future coverage.
It’s also worth noting that it’s fairly expensive to get breast implants removed, and that surgery typically is not covered by insurance either. In 2016, the average cost for breast implant removal was $2,506.

Q: What is the breast implant surgery like?

A: Going under the knife isn’t for the faint of heart, which keeps many people from getting breast implants. So, what’s the surgery like? The good news is that it’s relatively easy, as surgeries go. The bad news is that any surgical procedure carries risks.
In general, breast implant surgery is done at an outpatient facility and takes between one and two hours, although it can be longer in more complex cases or for people having a reconstruction. The surgery can be done under general anesthesia or under deep sedation, so you and your doctor will work together to decide which option is best in your case.
Once you are under anesthesia, the surgery begins. An incision is made around the areola or near the fold on the underside of the breast. (Saline breast implants can even be inserted through a small incision in the belly button, Goldberg notes.) Next the implant is put in place, and finally the incision is closed up.
Of course, that’s a fairly basic overview of the breast implant surgery. “The specifics of the surgery are very individualized,” Newman says. If you are seriously considering breast implants, it’s best to talk to a surgeon who can discuss what the surgery would be like for you given your unique anatomy and medical history.

Q: How bad is the recovery?

A: The worst thing about breast implant surgery isn’t usually the actual procedure, but the recovery. However, most patients experience a fairly easy recovery from breast augmentations.  
“In typical cases where implants are placed under the chest muscle, most of my patients will return to work by the second or third day,” Newman says. “Most patients will take pain medicine for the first day. By the second day discomfort is typically present, but normal routines can be resumed.”
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Of course, it will take you a bit longer to get back to the gym, but your day-to-day routine shouldn’t be interrupted for too long.
Many patients also experience some tightness and pressure in their chests as they adjust to the implants.
“I tell women who have children that the discomfort after surgery feels a lot like engorgement from [linkbuilder id=”6085″ text=”breast milk”] coming in,” Goldberg says. “For women who haven’t had children, it feels like you did way too many pushups.”
Speaking of milk….

Q: Will I be able to breastfeed with breast implants?

A: It depends. Of course, not all women are able to breastfeed under normal circumstances anyway, but previous breast implant surgery can add a complicating factor. However, getting breast implants shouldn’t interfere too much with your ability to lactate.
“Not all women are able to breastfeed, so no surgeon can promise a patient she will be able to breastfeed after surgery,” Goldberg says. “That said, most patients will be able to breastfeed. A small implant placed through an incision in the breast fold gives the best chance of being able to breastfeed since the breast ducts to the nipple are not cut during surgery.”
If you have a strong desire to breastfeed and are not yet done having children, talk to your doctor about what surgical options will be best for you.

Q: Will I have the same level of feeling and sensation after getting breast implants?

A: For many women, breasts and nipples are important erogenous zones, so many patients want to make sure that they will not lose sensation if they get breast implants. While you might lose sensation immediately after surgery, it’s likely that normal sensation will return, the pros say.
“In my practice it’s rare for a patient to lose nipple sensation, although it’s common to see a loss (or change) in sensation temporarily,” Newman says. This is most common in patients who have the breast implant inserted through their nipple or areola.
Goldberg says that in her experience most patients regain full sensation within six to 12 months. However, if preserving sensation is a priority for you, make sure that your doctor knows that and can make plans accordingly.
“Since the main nerve to the nipple comes from the side of the rib cage, implants that are wider than the natural breast have a much higher chance of affecting sensation,” Goldberg says.  

Q: Do breast implants really need to be replaced every few years?

A: “If you only want to have one surgery in your life, then implants are not for you,” Goldberg says.
Right now, it’s recommended that most breast implants be replaced every 10 years. However, Newman says he expects this to change as technology around implants continues to improve.
“As additional data is collected I do expect that this timeframe will eventually be lengthened,” he says. “Implant companies currently offer 10-year warranties for some implants.”

Q: What’s the difference between breast implants and a breast lift?

A: Breast implants involve putting additional material into the body, while breast lifts involve reshaping the tissue that you have naturally. Adam Schaffner, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon and the director of the Plastic Surgery Institute of New York, explains:
“A breast augmentation (placing breast implants) increases the size and upper pole fullness of the breast,” he says. “A breast lift raises the position of the nipple-areolar complex and the breast tissue. They may be performed at different times or during the same operation.”
Sometimes getting breast implants can naturally lift your breasts, Newman adds.
“Breast augmentation alone does tighten the breast, so there are cases where the breast can be lifted just from inserting an implant,” Newman says. “There are times that I have been able to give a patient the lift they want just by inserting an implant, but these cases need to be determined individually.”

Q: Are breast implants linked to cancer?

A: “There has never been a link found between breast implants and breast cancer, period,” Newman says. “The question more so is whether breast implants affect breast cancer detection and they absolutely do.”
Luckily, it’s usually a positive effect.
“In fact, there is some data to suggest that breast cancers are easier to find in breast augmentation patients, and when they are found, they’re typically found at an earlier stage,” he says.

Q: What else should I consider before getting breast implants?

A: Deciding whether to permanently change your body is a big decision that shouldn’t be made with only the physical considerations in mind. It’s important to think about how you’ll feel about your breasts and body after surgery, and not to expect your breast implants to automatically fix any body image issues you might have.
“It is important that patients have realistic expectations about results,” Newman says. “A good plastic surgeon will give a patient significant time and will understand a patient’s true motivation. Implants will simply change someone’s physical appearance and, while that often does result in increased self-confidence, it will not change underlying psychological concerns.”
Want more information on breast implants? Use this search tool from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to help you find a board-certified plastic surgeon near you.

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Health x Body Wellbeing

Yeast Infection Symptoms Every Woman Should Know

If there’s one thing most of us hate to talk about, it’s probably vaginal health. Sure you can dish with your girlfriends about politics, money, and sex, but when it comes to questioning disconcerting or uncomfortable symptoms in your genitals, most women clam right up.
It’s not hard to understand why. Talking about yeast infections symptoms, such as burning, itching, or discharge, just sounds unpleasant. Add to that the fact that yeast infection symptoms can be associated with stigmatized conditions like sexually transmitted diseases, and it gives you even more reason to keep quiet.
But keeping vaginal health a taboo subject doesn’t do anyone any good. As women we need to be aware of our vaginal health—and how to know when something is amiss. One of the most common vaginal issues is yeast infections, so knowing what to look for when it comes to yeast infection symptoms is very important.
About 75 percent of women will have a yeast infection during their lives, according to the Office on Women’s Health (OWH), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. About half of women will have more than one. Because yeast infection symptoms are most common during the childbearing years—between puberty and menopause—chances are that you’re in the age group that is most affected.
Yeast infection symptoms can be tough to talk about, but knowing what to look for can help keep your entire system in optimal health. Here’s everything you need to know about yeast infection symptoms, including how to treat the infection and when it’s time to get professional medical help.

What are yeast infections?

Yeast infections occur when the body has too much of a fungus called candida, according to the OWH. This species of fungus is naturally found in the gut and genitals of most healthy people, but its growth is kept in check by bacteria and the natural acidity of the body. If either of those fall out of balance, however, candida can thrive, which leads to infection.
When we think about yeast infections, we most commonly think of vaginal yeast infections. Although these are the most common types of yeast infections, there are other types to be aware of. Men can experience yeast infections on their genitals as well. Yeast infection symptoms in men include itching in the genitals.
Infants also commonly experience yeast infection in their mouths, a condition that is known as thrush. With thrush, yeast infection symptoms manifest as small white dots and soreness in the infant’s mouth. Breastfeeding mothers can also experience thrush on their nipples, which is characterized by a burning sensation, especially when nursing.
“The pain is usually ongoing and doesn’t go away with improved positioning or attachment of the baby or in between feeds,” says Hannah Braye, a nutritional therapist and technical advisor at Protexin.
Yeast infections can also take root in the gut, on the skin, or in the mouths of adults, particularly older adults who use dentures. If you have a yeast infection in one area, you might want to keep a closer eye on other areas of your body, looking out for yeast infection symptoms.
“Oral and genital yeast infections are also a common indication that there may be yeast overgrowth in the gut,” Braye says.
Vaginal yeast infections occur when there is too much yeast in the vagina. This causes yeast infection symptoms, including an itching and burning sensation on the vulva, the exterior area around the vagina. The infection can also cause excess discharge.
Since vaginal yeast infections are most common and most concerning to many women, that’s what we’ll focus on. When we mention yeast infections, we’re referring to vaginal yeast infections from this point forward.

Why do I get yeast infections?

As we mentioned above, yeast infections are caused by an overgrowth of naturally occuring bacteria. But what allows that to happen?
Fungal growth in the body is kept in check by beneficial bacteria and environmental conditions. If either of those change, there can be a surge in fungus, like candida. One way this can happen is through use of antibiotics, which wipe out infection but also can deplete good bacteria that keep fungus like candida in check. If you’re on antibiotics, be sure to keep an eye out for yeast infection symptoms.
But antibiotics are just one of a host of reasons that your body’s natural system can be thrown out of whack.
“Levels of beneficial bacteria and the immune system can become depressed by a number of factors, including prolonged antibiotic use (the biggest risk factor), nutrient deficiencies from a poor diet, impaired liver function, decreased digestive secretions, smoking, alcohol, hidden food intolerances, oral contraceptives, and other medications and stress,” Braye says.
In short, there are many reasons that you can naturally develop a yeast infection.
However, it’s important to remember that yeast infections can also be passed through sex (although they’re not considered a sexually transmitted infection because there are other ways to get them). According to the OWH, about 15 percent of men will get a yeast infection if they have unprotected sex with a woman who has an infection. Between female partners the transmission rate is higher. If your partner has been diagnosed, be sure to keep a close lookout for yeast infection symptoms in yourself.

What are the symptoms of yeast infections?

Most often, yeast infection symptoms include burning, itching, and a cottage cheese–looking vaginal discharge, according to Mary Jane Minkin, an OB-GYN at Yale New Haven Hospital. Although the discharge is distinctive looking, it should not smell bad. Women might also experience pain while urinating or having sex and burning during intercourse.
Yeast infection symptoms can mirror the symptoms of many other conditions, so it can be tough to know whether you truly have a yeast infection, Minkin says.
“Women often think they have a yeast infection when they really have another type of vaginitis (vaginal infection),” says Minkin. “Also, women may have topical irritation from a bubble bath, soap, or laundry detergent which will present just like a yeast infection.”
If you think you have yeast infection symptoms, you can try using an over-the-counter cream to treat the infection, Minkin says. If it doesn’t improve fairly quickly, you’re probably dealing with another condition that is mirroring yeast infection symptoms.
For the fastest and most definitive answer to whether you have a yeast infection, visit your healthcare provider. In addition to looking at your vagina and vulva, a healthcare professional can take a swab of the area and examine the fungus under a microscope to determine whether it is in fact candida.

Yeast Infections During Pregnancy

Experiencing yeast infection symptoms during pregnancy can be frightening, especially as you’re navigating all the changes that pregnancy brings and worrying about the health of your unborn baby. Frustratingly, yeast infections are fairly common among pregnant women.
“Vaginal yeast infections are especially common during pregnancy because hormone changes can disrupt the pH balance of the vagina,” Braye says.
In most cases, having a yeast infection while pregnant will have no effect on your baby. However, as a precaution, it’s important to get treatment as soon as you begin seeing yeast infection symptoms, especially if you are close to delivery.
“If the infection is left untreated until the time of birth, there is an increased chance of the infant picking up the infection as it passes through the birth canal. This most commonly manifests in the infant as a yeast infection in the mouth or skin,” Braye says.
Minkin says it is perfectly okay to use an over-the-counter product like Monistat to treat yeast infection symptoms while pregnant. Vaginal creams or suppositories that contain miconazole or clotrimazole are safe during pregnancy, but you should not use the oral fluconazole tablet to treat a yeast infection during pregnancy, since it has been linked to birth defects.

What are recurring yeast infections?

If you’re experiencing yeast infection symptoms regularly, it’s time to talk to your healthcare provider to identify factors that could be the underlying cause.
“If women keep on getting yeast infections, I would encourage them to check in with their healthcare provider, because women can have recurrent yeast infections from diabetes or even HIV infections,” Minkin says. “So with recurrent infections, do check it out.”
There are a number of factors that can contribute to reoccuring yeast infections. According to the OWH, women who have diabetes, HIV or other immunocompromising diseases, or who are pregnant or taking hormonal birth control are more at risk. Taking antibiotics frequently can also increase your risk.
If you’re experiencing yeast infection symptoms regularly, work with your doctor to evaluate why that might be the case. 
“Reoccuring yeast infections typically occur when the root causes of the problem (including poor diet, bacterial imbalances, and lifestyle factors) aren’t addressed,” Braye says. “While medications can reduce levels of yeast in the short term, if the underlying causes persist, the yeast is likely to regrow, as the body’s defenses are still compromised. Addressing the underlying drivers of infections by making dietary changes, rectifying nutrient deficiencies, rebalancing the gut and genital microflora, and reducing stress levels etc. is therefore necessary for long-term resolution.”

Preventing Yeast Infections

Yeast thrives in warm, moist environments and feeds on sugar. Typically the candida fungus is kept in check because of vaginal acidity and the presence of bacteria. With these things in mind, there are certain steps you can take to prevent yeast infections and keep those unpleasant yeast infection symptoms from ruining your day, according to the OWH.
First, don’t douche. Doing so can disrupt the natural balance of your vagina, eliminating good bacteria and making the environment more alkaline instead of acidic. All of that can allow candida to flourish.
In addition, avoid using scented products around your vagina and vulva, including bubble baths, sprays, and scented tampons or pads. Reducing moisture can also help prevent yeast infections. Although the genitals are naturally moist, you should take care to change pads and tampons regularly, remove wet swimsuits quickly, and wear cotton underwear, all of which will help to increase airflow and reduce moisture.

Dietary Changes to Prevent Yeast Infections

What you eat can have an impact on how often you are seeing yeast infection symptoms. Since yeast thrives on sugar, people who eat lots of sugary foods or who have blood sugar that is not well controlled may experience yeast infection symptoms more regularly.
“Yeast love sugar, so make your yeast mad, and don’t give it to them,” Minkin says.
Yogurt, which contains healthy bacteria and other live cultures, is commonly thought to be beneficial for preventing yeast infection symptoms. Research has shown that women who regularly consume yogurt have less fungal growth in and around their vaginas. Specifically, women who eat yogurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria are up to three times less likely to experience yeast infections.

Medical Preventions and Treatments for Yeast Infections

If you have tried natural ways to prevent yeast infections but are still experiencing uncomfortable symptoms, it’s important to treat your infection. Some yeast infections will clear up on their own. But if your symptoms have stuck around for a while, you probably need to treat them, since a yeast infection can spread to other areas of the body
The most common treatment for yeast infections is over-the-counter fungal creams. These are applied topically to the affected area and help to normalize the growth of candida fungus. In addition to creams, there are also antifungal vaginal suppositories available without a prescription. Treatment with these options typically lasts about a week.
Doctors can also prescribe an oral dose of fluconazole or other antifungal medications. Generally this option is given when over-the-counter treatments do not work or when a woman is experiencing recurrent yeast infections. If you regularly experience yeast infection symptoms, your doctor may want you to take oral antifungal medications for up to six months. It’s important to remember, though, that oral antifungal medications are not generally safe to take during pregnancy.
Having a yeast infection certainly isn’t pleasant, but it’s a common experience and nothing to be embarrassed about. Most importantly, remember that it’s best to treat yeast infection symptoms as soon as you see them.

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Food Philosophies Nosh

Considering Trying An Elimination Diet? Here’s What You Should Know First

An elimination diet, broadly speaking, is a specialized eating plan that attempts to identify trigger foods for people with food sensitivities. It’s a short-term diet, not a long-term lifestyle change, and it’s useful when establishing a diagnosis for various autoimmune, neurodevelopmental, or gastrointestinal (GI) disorders.
For example, to determine whether a person has a sensitivity to gluten (a common protein), doctors may recommend a restriction diet that doesn’t include gluten, but the person may be allowed to consume dairy and other possibly problematic foods. If a person has a different food sensitivity, the diet plan might eliminate dairy, eggs, gluten, and other potential triggers, then add those foods back gradually to determine the source of the symptoms.

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We should note that there’s a significant difference between a food allergy and food intolerance (also known as a food sensitivity). When a person has a food allergy, their immune system reacts dramatically when presented with a trigger. That can cause serious or even life-threatening symptoms. Food intolerances are generally less severe and often cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating or flatulence.
Elimination diets are typically used to identify food intolerances, not food allergies, but they’re recommended for a wide variety of potential conditions, including some disorders that may seem to have nothing to do with diet. Your physician might recommend an elimination diet as a treatment for ADD/ADHD, migraines, narcolepsy, skin conditions, or even asthma.
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Recent health trends have helped the concept of elimination diets go mainstream, and some websites provide resources for people who want to attempt restricted diets on their own. That can be a dangerous idea. If you rush into a restricted eating plan without proper preparation, you could make serious mistakes that could endanger your health.
If you’re considering an elimination diet, or if a healthcare provider has recommended this type of eating plan, here’s what you need to know.

Who should consider an elimination diet?

Before making any significant changes to your diet, you should speak with a physician or dietitian. That’s especially important if you’re contemplating an eating plan with severe restrictions.
“There are steps to take with an elimination diet,” says Deborah Malkoff-Cohen, a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, and the founder of City Kids Nutrition in New York. “First, you have to meet with someone who’s qualified.”
That’s especially crucial if you already have dietary restrictions, if you’re nursing or pregnant, or if you have any health conditions that could affect nutrient absorption. One potential issue: You might not be aware of those nutritional deficiencies.
“For instance, my friend who’s nursing her baby—let’s say that she cuts out dairy,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “If she doesn’t take in enough calcium, the baby will take that from her bones, and she’s going to be at risk for osteoporosis.”

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“Depending on your diet, supplements or different food choices might be essential,” she says. “You want to make sure that you’re eliminating the right things and that you’re reintroducing foods in the right way.”
Part of the reason that medical supervision is so important is that there are a wide variety of elimination diet protocols, some of which are better suited than others for certain conditions. Your physician may want to restrict entire food groups, foods that were processed in a certain way, or foods with specific additives. That’s part of the reason that you shouldn’t try to take on an elimination diet on your own—you’ll need a highly personalized diet plan.
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“[The diet] really depends on the age group and the symptoms,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “I think a lot of people think it’s trendy to be on an elimination diet, somehow. You’re gluten free, or carb free, or dairy free. Everyone’s free of something—but that’s not necessarily healthy. You aren’t necessarily doing your body a service. And you can’t take everything out [of your diet].”  

Understanding the Phases of an Elimination Diet

A typical elimination diet consists of several phases. After meeting with a specialist, patients will usually begin with a severely restricted diet consisting of basic, easy-to-digest foods; this is known as the elimination phase.
“You can’t always take everything out,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “We’ll often do a bland diet with protein and vegetables. We’ll take out gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, and eggs. Then we’ll add [food types] in one by one over several weeks and see what comes back. Then, you can figure out the culprit.”

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That’s known as the reintroduction phase of the elimination diet. It’s extremely important to introduce a single type of food at a time.
“You have to have the patient feel better first before reintroducing foods. You have to get them back to baseline,” she says. “You have to get all of the symptoms to go away before you can have them reappear.”
Patients often make two types of mistakes: They don’t fully eliminate potential triggers or they add trigger foods into their diets too quickly.
“You have to eliminate the food from every part of your diet. You have to avoid trace amounts—you have to do it 100 percent,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “For instance, if you have something like celiac disease, when you test positive, you have to go through all of your products, including things like hair products and cosmetics.”
“As strange as it sounds, some cosmetics have gluten. It’s also used as a thickening agent in a lot of medications. It’s in hot dogs—most people wouldn’t consider that. So you have to have professional oversight. “
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Patients also have to be careful when they’re not preparing their own meals. Restaurants might use dairy when making their bread, for instance, throwing off the diet and triggering a reaction that invalidates valuable diagnostic information. If you’re on an elimination diet, you’ll need to avoid making assumptions about your food, even if they seem reasonable.
As you’re changing your diet, you’ll also need to take extra care to monitor your nutritional intake. Your dietitian may recommend specific foods or nutrient supplements to help you avoid deficiencies. Don’t assume that your diet is becoming healthier simply because you’re cutting out triggers.
“Let’s say someone decides that gluten and dairy are culprits. You have to make sure you’re getting enough calcium and that the grains you’re choosing are the healthy ones,” Malkoff-Cohen says.

“‘Gluten-free’ is not healthier, unless you have a sensitivity,” she explains. “Unless you pick the higher fiber, more nutritious gluten-free grains, you aren’t necessarily doing your body a favor.”

How long does an elimination diet last?

Depending on the goal of your diet, you may have a restricted diet for several months. The most severe phase of the diet typically lasts about three weeks. You should carefully track symptoms and keep a food log, as you won’t be able to reintroduce foods until you’ve eliminated the triggers.
“Some people may see a change in their symptoms in only a few days,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “If you’re addressing gastrointestinal issues, some symptoms might go away as soon as you take the food out [of your diet] … but you also have to heal the gut, which might take a few days to really feel a difference. But you won’t have stomach cramping and things like that.”

“With eczema, skin conditions, and non-GI diseases, the changes could take a few weeks. It’s highly personalized to the patient,” she adds.

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Keep track of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. Doctors often watch for things like mood swings or “brain fog,” a feeling of fatigue that can accompany certain food sensitivities (including gluten intolerance). As some symptoms can be severe, you’ll want to reintroduce potential trigger foods carefully.
“If you take dairy out for a few weeks, I don’t want you just eating cheesecake right afterwards,” Malkoff-Cohen explains.
Elimination diets are, by nature, highly personalized, but the reintroduction phase should always be handled carefully. If your physician believes you have a food allergy, you should only reintroduce foods under medical supervision; allergens can cause a potentially life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis, which has a rapid onset. Even a trace amount of an allergen might prompt a serious reaction, so it’s important to take the reintroduction phase seriously.

What are the benefits and limitations of elimination diets?

To be clear, elimination diets are never intended for weight loss; they’re highly specialized diets that are meant to identify triggers. They’re also limited in terms of their capabilities. To determine whether a person has celiac disease, for instance, doctors may need to perform an endoscopy and blood tests.
“If you take gluten out [of your diet] before those tests, your results might not be accurate,” Malkoff-Cohen explains.
By the same token, you don’t need to attempt an elimination diet if you have obvious evidence of a trigger.
“For instance, my friend’s son reacts to gluten,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “She was asking about elimination diets. I said, ‘Why would you need confirmation that he’s sensitive to gluten?’ If every time he eats it, he throws up, he shouldn’t be eating it. You don’t always need a confirmation. If every time you eat shrimp, you react, don’t eat shrimp.”

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If you’re regularly experiencing mild symptoms, consider keeping a food journal while eating your normal diet.

“Journaling can be very helpful,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “If, for instance, you have migraines, you can go back and check what you’d eaten before your last migraine or aura, then try taking those foods out. You don’t necessarily need the full elimination diet in every case.”

Elimination Diets for Children: What to Know

Physicians may recommend elimination diets for children, which can create quite a bit of stress for both kids and parents. Most kids already have fairly restricted diets—even if that means that they refuse to eat broccoli—and many parents are apprehensive about applying severe restrictions.   
“I see a lot of kids [with] autism, and they’ll do gluten- [or] dairy-free diets. That type of diet can sometimes help kids with autism by limiting some of the primary symptoms in terms of concentration, eye contact, and things like that,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. When you have a kid who eats five foods, you have to consider that going free from gluten or dairy could mean eliminating their whole diet.”
Elimination diets aren’t exactly fun for adult patients. But for kids, they can be downright torturous, and they’re not an option when a child already has a severely restricted diet. With that said, if your doctor has recommended an elimination diet, there are ways to make the process easier for your child.
“When you work with children, you want to replace what they’re already eating,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “If a child like waffles, you replace it with a gluten-free waffle. If they like pizza, you try a gluten-free pizza. Find analogs that the child will be more likely to accept.”

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Granted, it’s not exactly a foolproof strategy. Parents should try to understand the child’s emotional state when starting out on a highly restricted diet.

“Kids are picky, and they’re not always going to like the replacement,” she says. “A 5-year-old doesn’t understand what’s happening…and gluten-free pizza doesn’t usually taste like a normal pizza.”
Try planning all meals carefully at the outset of every week, then commit to eating the same foods as your child. Many hospitals offer online resources to make this process easier, although it’s important to follow the exact recommendations of a dietitian, even if they conflict with the information found in online resources.
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As with adults, journaling is an essential part of the process. Parents should work with kids to log both physical and emotional symptoms, along with food types, quantity, and meal times.
And while we don’t want to belabor the point, it’s imperative that parents obtain medical supervision when implementing significant changes to a child’s diet. Never attempt an elimination diet under any circumstances without help from a physician or dietitian.

That really goes for all age groups. Elimination diets are diagnostically useful, and although they can restore quality of life to patients with food sensitivities, they’re not something to take lightly.  

Categories
Health x Body Wellbeing

Tired of Sleepless Nights? Try These Natural Sleep Remedies

If you often have trouble falling asleep, you’re not alone. According to the American Sleep Association, between 50 and 70 million adults in the U.S. experience symptoms associated with sleep disorders at some point in their lives. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder among adults; 10 percent have chronic insomnia, and 30 percent of the population will experience insomnia at some point.
There are a number of different causes for sleeplessness. Chris Brantner, a certified sleep science coach at SleepZoo, says that smartphone usage is a common cause of restless nights. “Studies show that the majority of people use their phones within 30 minutes of bedtime,” Brantner says. “The light from the phones inhibits melatonin production, tricking the brain into thinking it needs to stay awake.” In case you aren’t familiar, melatonin is a natural hormone produced within our bodies to regulate our sleep patterns. Indeed, numerous studies have shown that screens affect our melatonin levels and thus our circadian rhythm, which is an “internal clock” that tells us when to sleep.
Other major causes for sleep disruption include stress, anxiety, and depression, says Brantner. “Mental health issues and sleeplessness have a symbiotic relationship. Mental health issues hurt sleep and sleep deprivation makes them worse, creating a vicious cycle,” he explains.
Jeffrey Durmer, MD, PhD, says that heightened anxiety is a common cause of sleep-onset insomnia—that is, difficulty initiating sleep. When we experience stressful events, our sleep is typically affected. Durmer, who is the co-founder and chief medical officer of FusionHealth, notes that it’s hard to get back to your regular sleep pattern once it’s been disrupted. “The perpetuation of insomnia—falling asleep, staying asleep, waking up too early, or just feeling tired after sleep—is usually related to a cognitive and/or behavioral problem that we create for ourselves,” he says.
According to Durmer, other causes for sleep-onset insomnia include pain, itchiness, excessive movement, and the presence of other sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and circadian rhythm disorders. “Discovering the root cause for the ‘symptom’ of insomnia is key to applying therapy(ies) that will resolve the problem,” he says.

What happens when you don’t get enough sleep?

If you’ve had trouble getting some shut-eye, you’ve probably noticed that your mind struggles to function the next day. Sleeplessness has dire effects on both your mind and body, according to Arielle Levitan, MD, a physician of internal medicine and co-founder of Vous Vitamin. Levitan notes that sleeplessness impairs your cognitive functions, meaning that it becomes harder for us to focus when we’re tired. We can also become more irritable and distracted. “Many chronic medical issues can get worse with less sleep—high blood pressure, diabetes, fibromyalgia, depression and more,” she says. “Bottom line is, sleep is essential for us to feel and function our best.”
If you’re struggling to regulate your sleep pattern, there’s no doubt it has an impact on your health. So how can you naturally restore your sleep cycle?

Natural Remedies That Can Be Used for Sleep

For those who don’t want to take prescription medication for sleep, there are a number of supplements that can aid sleep naturally.

Melatonin

As mentioned above, melatonin is a hormone produced by the brain to naturally induce sleep. Levitan says that it can be taken as a supplement consistently over a few weeks to “retrain” the brain and regulate the sleep cycle. It’s a very common and effective sleep remedy.
However, as Brantner notes, melatonin can have side effects. “It can leave you feeling groggy when you wake in the morning, as the supplement may override your internal biological master clock,” he says. Although it’s a naturally occurring hormone, many people might want other natural options to avoid this grogginess.

Magnesium

Levitan says that she often recommends magnesium to promote muscle relaxation.
And Brantner explains that “magnesium can help you relax as it activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Magnesium not only aids in getting to sleep but has also been shown to improve sleep quality.”

Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D

Levitan says that both vitamin B12 and vitamin D can aid in sleep restoration. “Vitamin B12 is known to help with nerve-related issues and prevent numbness [and] tingling in certain nerves that disrupts sleep,” she says. “Vitamin D helps with muscle relaxation as well and prevents muscle aches and cramps, which often disrupt sleep.”

Iron

If restless legs are causing you to toss and turn throughout the night, Levitan recommends an iron supplement. “Iron plays a role in sleep for those who have restless legs, as iron deficiency is often the underlying cause for restless legs syndrome, a common cause for lack of sleep,” she notes.

Valerian Root

“The natural herb we recommend for sleep [is] primarily valerian root. It has natural sleep-inducing properties,” Levitan says. Some studies have suggested that valerian root can be an effective remedy for sleeplessness, although further research is needed.
“However, be cautious in choosing a reputable certified (USP or GMP) brand and be aware that it often smells or tastes bad,” she adds. To tone down the taste, try mixing the valerian root into some chamomile tea.

Lavender

Levitan says that lavender has soothing properties when inhaled as an essential oil. Indeed, a 2016 study of college students showed that inhaling lavender improved their sleep hygiene and quality of sleep. Further studies have shown that it can improve sleep, perhaps because it has a relaxing effect on the body and mind. Drinking some aromatic lavender tea or diffusing some essential oils might help you sleep.

Cannabidiol Oil and Medical Marijuana

Brantner points out that cannabidiol (CBD) oil, which is derived from cannabis plants, can be used as a sleep aid. It can also help by reducing factors that contribute to insomnia, such as anxiety and chronic pain. Notably, a 2008 study shows that medical cannabis reduces the amount of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep we get. Since REM sleep is the period in which we have dreams (or nightmares), it can improve sleep for those who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)–related nightmares.

Chamomile Tea

Although published research on chamomile tea is limited, one 2013 study showed that regularly drinking chamomile tea might have positive effects. The study focused on 80 sleep-disturbed mothers struggling with postpartum depression. Researchers found that chamomile tea seemed to relieve sleeplessness and some symptoms of depression—but only in the short term.
It’s always important to be aware that many natural substances have limitations. Although it’s essential that you speak to your physician before trying these natural sleep remedies, most have few if any side effects. Durmer notes that many of these supplements—including valerian root—need to be studied further to confirm their effect on sleep.
“Cause and effect studies are lacking, but many people derive benefits with little to no side effects,” he says. “Unfortunately, there is not a single accepted production standard or testing for supplements, so it is a ‘buyer beware’ environment.”

Lifestyle Changes to Aid Sleep

In addition to natural remedies that can help you sleep, there are a number of lifestyle changes that can also be effective. As Durmer discussed earlier, our own behavior affects our sleep pattern profoundly, which means that we can improve our sleep by changing our own lifestyles. Here are a few lifestyle changes worth trying.

Exercise during the day.

A little exercise during the day can help you sleep soundly at night, according to a number of studies. One study showed that sedentary older adults found that their sleep quality improved when participating in exercise, whereas another study showed that aerobic exercise can improve sleep among older adults.
Durmer suggests participating in high-output activities such as running, cycling, swimming, or rowing during the day. “[This] increases central nervous system signals for sleep, as well as body temperature signals that not only accelerate sleep onset, but also improve the depth of sleep,” he says. (It’s important to note that this should be done at least three hours before you plan to go to bed.)

Eat mindfully.

Our eating habits affect every aspect of our lives, including our sleep. “When it comes to food/nutrition and sleep, the timing and content of your meals is important. Eating spicy, fatty, and/or high caloric food in the hours before bed can activate the nervous system in your gut, which in turn activates your arousal system,” explains Durmer. He notes that going to sleep on a full stomach can also make you struggle with sleep. In other words, you want to be sated at bedtime, but not full.
Need a midnight snack? Brantner suggests a light dairy-based snack. “A glass of warm milk or a piece of cheese would do well,” he says. “The calcium in dairy can assist with melatonin production.” Your grandma had it right—warm milk is a soothing and relaxing nighttime snack.

Avoid screens.

One of the most important lifestyle changes you can make is avoiding screens. Reduce the time you spend looking at a screen, especially in the evenings. Looking at phone, television, or computer screens can have an impact on melatonin production. For this reason, Brantner suggests avoiding screens for at least one hour before bedtime.

Consider trying cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.

If sleeplessness is a recurring issue for you and other efforts aren’t fixing the problem, consider cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, known as CBTi. “Therapists trained in CBTi can tailor a 6–8 week program for your needs or you can try one of the clinically validated online CBTi programs available through the internet,” Durmer suggests. “Both in-person and online CBTi programs are very effective at treating the root cause of insomnia and provide strategies and tactics that make it possible to avoid insomnia from occurring for years.”

Make your bedroom more conducive to sleep.

It’s imperative that your place of rest—that is, your bedroom—is conducive to sleep. You want to make it a comfy, relaxing spot where you can wind down after a long day.
Brantner suggests decluttering your room so that it feels less overwhelming when you enter it. Mess and clutter might overstimulate you, making you feel anxious and worried instead of relaxed. You can also use oil diffusers to release essential oils like lavender. Some studies suggest that white noise machines can also help people fall asleep, so it could be a worthwhile investment for your bedroom.
Try keeping your room cool. According to the National Sleep Foundation, we sleep best when the room temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees. Ensure that your bed is cozy but not too hot. Brantner suggests finding a quality mattress as well as comfortable pillows and blankets.
Lighting is also very important, as light signals to your brain that it’s daytime, which ultimately disturbs your sleep. Brantner recommends using thick curtains to block out light, which can be especially helpful if you live near bright streetlights and busy roads. If you need to use a light in your bedroom before sleep, try dimly lit warm lights.
And of course, make your room a device-free zone. It’s tempting to look at your phone when it’s next to your bed, so place it in another room instead, perhaps charging it for the next day. If you remember you have to email someone during the night and the thought nags at you, keep a pen and paper by your bedside and write it down. Use an old-fashioned, one-function alarm clock instead of your phone.

Pre-Sleep Routine

Both Durmer and Brantner recommend setting a bedtime routine to help you wind down before you sleep. Instead of scrolling through Instagram in bed, for instance, do some relaxing activities that won’t overstimulate you.
These activities could include yoga, meditation, massage, sipping relaxing tea, or some gentle stretching. Since a cool body temperature can help you sleep, Durmer recommends a warm bath or shower. When you get out of the bath or shower, your temperature will rapidly cool, which is the perfect condition for a good night’s rest.
Before you pursue these routines, decide on a time you’d like to go to sleep and a time you’d like to wake up. Brantner recommends waking up around the same time every day. “Your body and mind crave routines,” Brantner explains. “So this will help get your circadian rhythm in check.” It’s also important to ensure you have a hearty, healthy dinner, such as a Buddha bowl, before bedtime.
Different things work for different people, and not all nighttime routines will work for everyone. Gently experiment each night and record how quickly you fall asleep, the quality of your sleep, and how you feel the next day. This could help you figure out what natural sleep remedies will work best for you.
Keen to experiment with routines but not sure where to start? Here’s an example of a weekly outline. Change it according to your own needs.

Monday

  • Have a 15- to 20-minute run during the day, at least three hours before bed.
  • An hour before bedtime, switch your phone to “do not disturb” mode and put it in another room.
  • Have a warm bath with a few drops of lavender essential oil.

Tuesday

  • An hour before bedtime, switch your phone to “do not disturb” mode and put it in another room.
  • Do 15 minutes of yoga. If you need to follow a routine, use a book or print out some instructions so that you don’t have to look it up on a screen.

Wednesday

  • During the day, do some light exercise, such as swimming, cycling, or jogging.
  • An hour before bedtime, switch your phone to “do not disturb” mode and put it in another room.
  • Sip some valerian root tea before bed.

Thursday

  • Try some floor exercises today. Look for a few fun ones online and try out whatever appeals to you!
  • An hour before bedtime, switch your phone to “do not disturb” mode and put it in another room.
  • Meditate for 10 minutes.

Friday

  • Walk for 30 minutes.
  • An hour before bedtime, switch your phone to “do not disturb” mode and put it in another room.
  • Make some chamomile tea an hour before bed.
  • While the tea cools, try some deep-breathing exercises.

Saturday

  • Go on a relaxing walk today.
  • An hour before bedtime, switch your phone to “do not disturb” mode and put it in another room.
  • Try using a white noise machine. If you don’t want to invest in one yet, consider using an app, but don’t look at your screen for too long when you’re setting it up.

Sunday

  • During the day, dance—in a studio, around your room, anywhere—for at least 15 minutes. This pleasurable, fun movement can give you a workout while tiring you out for a good night’s rest.
  • An hour before bedtime, switch your phone to “do not disturb” mode and put it in another room.
  • Give yourself a hand and foot massage using a lightly fragranced lotion or oil.

Once you find a useful routine, stick with it. You can enhance the effect of these lifestyle changes by speaking to your healthcare provider about taking supplements or trying various natural remedies for sleep.
But, as Durmer says, insomnia can be related to a range of factors, and whatever treatment you try, it should directly address the causes of your sleep issues. If you’re struggling to find and deal with what’s at the root of your sleeplessness, speaking to a doctor or sleep coach could be your best bet.
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