Break - Through   An Important Web Site  Celle : When it comes to making major life decisions, there is no time like the present. And when it comes to something as important as collecting potentially life-saving stem cells found naturally in menstrual blood, the ideal time is NOW. Thanks to C'elle's patented technology, and easy-to-use collection kit, you have the reassurance and peace of mind you need, when it comes to collecting, isolating and preserving menstrual blood. Welcome to C'elle – where every month holds a miracle.     A University of Michigan Health Minute update on important health issues. An end to periods? Many women opt to stop their menstrual cycles; there are risks, gynecologist says, but also benefits to suppressing menses ANN ARBOR, MI – When birth control pills first hit the market in the 1960s, women generally took three weeks of active contraceptive pills followed by one week of placebos or no pills. Video    Watch related video clip. For faster downloading, choose the lo-res option. (Windows Media Player required) “The thinking was that women would find this more acceptable, that they would feel like they were having their normal menses,” says Susan Ernst, M.D., chief of gynecology services for the University Health Service at the University of Michigan and clinical instructor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the U-M Health System. Now, many gynecologists believe that the week without contraception – during which a woman experiences a “withdrawal bleed” that mimics the normal menstrual cycle – isn’t necessary. And while some debate surrounds the issue, numerous women are opting to take hormonal contraceptive products continually as a way of stopping the cycle entirely or for several months at a time. Some women use products such as Seasonale or Seasonique, birth control pills that result in four periods a year; others take birth control pills that have been around for years, but without the week of placebos or no pills. An implantable device was approved during the summer for use in the United States, and injections, patches and vaginal rings are other methods of suppressing menses. Ernst points out that suppressing one’s menstrual cycle is not very different from taking the three-weeks-on, one-week-off cycle of birth control pills, which women have been doing for decades. “When a woman chooses to use hormonal contraceptives, she’s giving her body estrogen and progesterone, and that suppresses her own hormonal fluctuations,” Ernst says. “So she’s already controlling her cycle by taking those hormonal contraceptives and can further control her cycle by eliminating the pill-free interval or placebo pills.” She notes that the practice of physicians prescribing contraceptives to stop women’s menstrual cycles is not new. “Gynecologists have been doing this for years,” she says, “using hormonal contraception for treating women with painful, heavy or irregular periods, or painful premenstrual symptoms.” Menstrual suppression also has been used among women with endometriosis, a painful condition in which tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of the uterus; patients with disabilities who cannot maintain menstrual hygiene; and women athletes who have a difficult time with their period when competing in games and meets. One downside experienced by some women is “breakthrough bleeding,” or the unplanned days of spotting or bleeding that can occur when they are not having monthly menses. Shedding menses three to four months after beginning menstrual suppression can help to stop or prevent breakthrough bleeding, Ernst says. “If you shed the lining of the uterus at an every three- to four-month interval, there tends to be less breakthrough bleeding than if you try to go completely menses-free for a year,” she says. Ernst also notes that there are risks related to hormonal contraception, including blood clots, hypertension, stroke and heart attack, especially among women who smoke. Additionally, long-term use of progesterone injections can lead to a decrease in bone density, and even osteoporosis. “A woman has to take those risks into account when thinking about using hormonal contraception for menstrual suppression,” Ernst says. Women should discuss the risks and benefits with their doctors before deciding to suppress their menstrual cycles, she says. Facts about menstrual suppression One of the main benefits of menstrual suppression is the elimination or reduction of periods among women who experience painful periods due to endometriosis, heavy bleeding or cramping. Many women also say the ability to suppress their menstrual cycles adds a level of convenience to their lives. Critics contend that too much remains unknown about the effects of menstrual suppression. Some say it prevents women from ridding their bodies of excess iron; that it is unnatural to suppress one’s cycle; and that more needs to be known about the effects on women’s bone health, heart health and cancer risks. A recent survey by the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals found that 71 percent of women surveyed do not enjoy getting their period each month, and that just 36 percent of clinicians surveyed think the monthly period is something that women have to deal with. A 2003 Gallup Organization survey, conducted for The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, found that 69 percent of women obstetrician-gynecologists believe long-term menstrual suppression is safe, and 30 percent who say it is safe if used occasionally. One percent said it is unsafe. For more information, visit these Web sites Association of Reproductive Health Professionals: Menstruation and Menstrual Suppression Society for Menstrual Cycle Research: Position Statement National Women’s Health Information Center: Information about menstrual cycles Written by Katie Gazella   H1N1 (Swine Flu) Womyn: During the cultural transformation of women during America's epoch of social revolutions of the 1`970's [ as I was there participating ] major feminist leaders sought a more representational define terms of what they were accomplishing and word which represented the outcome.  Thusly, both the words woman, and women, though continually denoted, a new word appeared on the horizon representing  their future  soical, cultural, political, economic, spiritual expectations, Womyn. [ Join this Forum ] Statement. Blogs: Student / Campus related web sites. It is suggested, only, that students groups at the following campuses undertake a funding project which benefits those medical groups and agencies published on this site.  Moreover, this should done primarily on the initiative of the campus male student leaderships. MD / TV News: Another great resource for medical information. Ithaca College . Cornell University. Buffalo State College . Cortland University University of Buffalo University of Binghamton.

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Blogs:	Menopause: This feature is primarily for education of males.... Press Releases The North American Menopause Society periodically issues press releases, typically on BusinessWire and through the mail. The most current releases are posted here, starting with the most recent. You need Acrobat Reader software to view these press releases. For help downloading Acrobat Reader, click here . TABLE OF CONTENTS 01/25/07 New Position Statement from The North American Menopause Society Addresses Use of Hormone Therapy for Peri- and Postmenopausal Women 01/19/07 Contents of the January/February 2007 Issue of Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society 01/15/07 The Scientific Facts About Bioidentical Hormones 11/09/06 The Role of Calcium in Peri- and Postmenopausal Women: New Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society 11/09/06 Contents of the November/December 2006 Issue of Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society	U-M Medical School | Hospitals and Health Centers | U-M   NurseTips Blog Birth Control Pills May Impair a Woman's Mate Selection

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State public health director encourages healthy swimming practices and warns of water illness May 21-27, 2007 National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week SPRINGFIELD – As swimming pools, water parks and beaches prepare to open for the season during the Memorial Day weekend, Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director, is encouraging healthy swimming behaviors to prevent water illnesses during National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week. “Summer is just around the corner and many of us are looking forward to jumping in the pool, hitting a water park or going to the beach.  But you can get sick from the water if you are not careful,” said Dr. Whitaker.  “Now is the perfect time to learn what precautions to take to make sure you don’t contaminate the water and learn how to possibly identify problems with the water.” Outbreaks of recreational water illnesses continue to occur in the United States each year.  Sixty-two percent of these outbreaks are related to the chlorine-resistant pathogen, Cryptosporidium, (“Crypto”) which is introduced into the pool by swimmers who are ill with diarrhea and spread to other swimmers when they swallow the contaminated water according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  These outbreaks underscore the continuing need to educate people about recreational water illness prevention to ensure a healthy swimming experience. Awareness of recreational water illnesses (RWIs) and healthy swimming behaviors play an important role in stopping transmission of RWIs.  Germs on and in swimmers’ bodies end up in the water and can make other people sick.  Even healthy swimmers can get sick from RWIs, but the young, elderly, pregnant women and immunosuppressed persons are especially at risk.  Specific actions you can take to promote healthy swimming include: • Do not swim when you have diarrhea or have had it in the past 2 weeks. • Do not swallow pool water or get pool water in your mouth. • Shower before swimming (children too!) • Wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. • Take children on bathroom breaks or change diapers often. • Change children’s diapers in a bathroom, not at poolside. There are also things you can look at to prevent recreational water illness.  You should notice: • Clean and clear pool water; you should be able to clearly see any painted stripes and the bottom of the pool. • Smooth pool sides; tiles should not be sticky or slippery. • No odor; a well-chlorinated pool has little odor.  A strong chemical smell indicates a maintenance problem. • Pool equipment working; pool pumps and filtration systems make noise and you should hear them running. In order to minimize these risks, the Illinois Department of Public Health requires the state's 3,500 licensed swimming facilities to meet water quality and safety standards, including engineering design standards that apply to pools, spas, beaches,  water supplies, bather preparation areas, and water treatment systems.  The Department enforces these rules and regulations through plan approvals and inspections.  For more information about recreational water illness prevention visit http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/swimmingpools.htm or http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming. Blog / Article Hosts

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Article: Old but UseFul - RMC Yale Nursing Researcher Explores Alternative Therapies For Menopausal Discomfort Menopausal women who fear the ill effects of prescription estrogen are presented with myriad alternative therapies to manage their symptoms, but there is little objective information available about the efficacy and even the safety of these therapies. Yale researcher Susan Cohen, director of the Yale School of Nursing's Adult Nurse Practitioner Program, is undertaking studies to explore two alternative therapies - acupuncture and the herb black cohosh. Cohen's research has been guided not by a particular interest in alternative medicine, but by her interest in women's health. "Women have been told, 'Take your estrogen,' but they are clearly not comfortable doing that," said Cohen. While estrogen can prevent osteoporosis and help relieve hot flashes and other discomforts associated with menopause, there is also a suspected relationship between the hormone in its prescription form and breast cancer. While most physicians will prescribe estrogen for menopausal women, less than half these women will fill their prescriptions, said Cohen. Within a year, some studies show, only 20 percent of the women for whom estrogen was prescribed will be taking the hormone.     Continue ... [ see this  ]

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