Trying to lose weight? Having trouble? Women often find it harder than men to shed excess pounds. In part that's because women's bodies have a tendency to "hold on" to a certain amount of fat. But in some cases the problem can be traced directly to certain habits and lifestyle traps - including many that can easily be remedied.

Being over-weight makes you conscious about how you look and at times it hurts your self-confidence. But weight is not always about how you look. Excessive weight brings with it greater risks of cancer, heart disease, premature aging and untimely health.

These problems are not small. And that is why a lot of people make efforts to lose weight. The struggle is said to be the most beautiful part of the story. What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.

And what can be better than your struggle bearing sweet fruits? But at times women struggle a lot but their struggle brings no effects. Losing weight is an art. It has several dimensions and all of them are to be taken care of. It is one thing where hard work doesn’t pay unless accompanied with smart choices.

So if you have tried everything and still couldn’t see the desired result then lets your eyes spark with hope now. Take a look at this article to know about what you might have been doing wrong or what problems could be there and rectify it.

Here are five reasons why women might struggle to lose weight:

Wrong Eating Habits

Choosing processed food over fresh food, drinking your calories, eating things with a dearth of essential nutrients, skipping breakfasts are some major mistakes that one might make. Make sure that your plate consists of natural foods and not the processed ones.

Processed fake foods will make your body famish for essential nutrients and will give you no benefits. Develop a taste for fresh organically grown healthy fruits and vegetables. Not eating is not how you lose weight.

Eating enough and healthy is the new cool. Your breakfast should be your heaviest meal of the day. If weight loss would have been the language then breakfast would surely be the ABC’s of that language. Keep in mind that healthy breakfast is essential to enhance the metabolism.


Thyroid Trouble

Some women have trouble losing weight because of a hormonal problem. The thyroid gland, located in the neck, pumps out hormones that control body metabolism. If the gland's output isn't high enough, a condition known as hypothyroidism, the pounds can pile on - and stay on. If you think thyroid trouble might underlie your weight-loss difficulties, a doctor can test your hormone levels via a simple blood test. If you have a deficiency, effective treatment is available.

Oprah Winfery is just one of many celebrities to suffer from hypothyroidism. She wrote that the condition "slowed down my metabolism and made me want to sleep all the time. (Most people gain weight. I did! Twenty pounds!)"

Competing with Others rather than Yourself

This is the era of competition. Competition keeps you motivated, active and focussed. But the quest is to choose whom to compete with. At times you have to compete with others. But for weight loss competing with others will either give you non-existential happiness or sadness.

When it comes to weight loss, your real competition must only be you yourself. Each human is different from other. What works for one might not work for another or might work totally different from some other person.

Every time you look into the mirror, know that you love yourself. Adore the entire struggle that you’re doing now. Take pride in how far you have come and keep working harder to reach where you have to go.

You are one of a kind and very much pretty yourself. You need not look better than others. Because everyone is different and everyone is beautiful. All you need to work for is to look better than what you looked yesterday. That is how you will win the weight loss battle.

Certain Medications

Some medicines like anti-depressants, birth control pills and steroids that treat certain allergies can make you gain unwanted weight. These weight-gaining side effects of such medicines initiate within a few weeks.

If it is because of medicines that you’re gaining weight then you should probably talk to your doctors to suggest you some other alternatives. They could probably suggest you some alternatives that will help you to lose weight or at least won’t make you gain more weight.

If that is not possible then make sure you monitor your food and also the amount of exercise that you indulge in each day.

Your Medicine Is to Blame

It's true - pills can make you fat. All sorts of prescription medicines can cause weight gain, including steroids, which are commonly used to treat asthma and other inflammatory conditions, and certain antidepressants.

What to do? If you think a drug might be contributing to your weight problem, ask your doctor. If he/she can't suggest an alternative drug, you might simply have to be extra-vigilant about what you eat and how much exercise you get.

Not Understanding the Importance of Salt

It is the world known fact that many processed foods contain an immense amount of salts which is one of the reasons why they taste so good. And this is one of the reasons why people who want to lose weight, avoid processed foods.

But many people are not aware that in the case of salts, less is always more. People reduce their intake of salt thinking that it will make them lose weight but what they not know is that unnecessary curbing of salt can have negative repercussions and at times causes blood pressure and metabolic problems too. Too much salt can be dangerous but too less salt doesn’t do any good too. Make a wise choice!

Not getting Enough Sleep

Leptin and ghrelin are the hunger hormones which are affected by sleep. The dearth of proper sleep also hinders and slows down your metabolic processes and therefore it might be taking you far away from your weight loss goals.

Leptin instructs your brain to stop eating while ghrelin stimulates hunger. Improper sleep reduces leptin and increases ghrelin and thus makes you gain unwanted and undue weight.  You are also losing weight while sleeping.

While sleeping, your body is working hard to burn those calories. So for those who think that waking up is the only way to work hard, it is time to change your thoughts a bit.


Skipping Breakfast

Your metabolism is like a car. If you don't put gas in the tank, it won't run. And skipping breakfast helps ensure that your fat-burning metabolism never gets out of the driveway.

Marisa Sherry, RD, a registered dietitian in private practice in New York City, recommends eating breakfast one hour after waking up. What's on the menu she recommends to her clients? Oatmeal with berries and crushed walnuts is a great choice.

So these were some common mistakes that most of us make. Weight loss has its own intricacies that need to be understood before heading on in a direction.

You may know where you want to go and you must be working hard but if you are not aware of all the dos and don’ts then sorry to say but your journey will not make you reach your destination. So know what you’re doing and make sure you do it right. Then there is nothing that can stop you.

What are these vaginal pimples or vaginal bumps I have? Is it normal to have pimples on such a private area? If so, what causes these bumps or pimples on vaginal area? Get insight on pimples or bumps on vaginal area, including the most frequent causes such as STDs, ingrown hair, abscess, cysts, acne, skin tags, eczema, cancer, angioma, molluscum contagiosum, folliculitis, among others and their treatments.

This article covers the common causes of vaginal pimples, their treatment, and methods to prevent future occurrence.

What are Vaginal Pimples?

Vaginal pimples are similar to face pimples or pimples anywhere else on the body. But they are very painful and stinging unlike pimples on other parts of the body.

They are small, skin colored to red, rounded lesions down there. May be single or many. Pimples may or may not be filled with pus.

Is it safe to pop a vaginal pimple?

It’s best not to try to pop a vaginal pimple. For one thing, it can spread bacteria and lead to infection. For another, this sensitive area can be easily irritated. And you’re likely to end up making things much worse.

The pimple can become a boil if it fills with pus and continues to grow bigger for several days. As it grows, it can become painful.

You should never try to burst or pick at a boil near your genitals. It’s likely to rupture on its own. Instead see your doctor, who can lance the boil in a way that will prevent infection.

Vaginal Bumps During Periods

Vaginal bumps flare up during monthly periods and become very painful. This is because the area is more moist and has better grounds for the bacteria to grow there.Most women neglect them as they most often disappear after few days.

But it is recommended to get them diagnosed first. This is to rule out other similar looking conditions like herpes and other STDs. Also, an ordinary vaginal pimple may sometimes complicate to form abscess. So it is advisable to visit the doctor at the earliest.


Causes of Vaginal Pimples and Bumps

Just like facial pimples or pimples that occur on any part of the body, vaginal pimples and bumps are caused by

• Ingrown hair. Frequent shaving is the main cause of ingrown hair around the vagina. Hair pores might be injured during shaving. During healing the pore shuts, enclosing hair follicles. If this is a recurring problem, consider waxing instead.
• Excessive production of sebum in the apocrine glands. Facial sebum is produced by the sebaceous glands whereas the apocrine glands are involved in the secretion of sebum in the groin region.
• Hormonal cycles. Some women have outbreaks just before their periods.
• Build up of bacteria in the pores due to excessive sweating in the vagina.
• Bath soap or harsh laundry detergents causing irritation and rashes in the delicate vaginal region.
• Tight clothing and underwear leading to abrasion and scuffing of the sensitive genital skin. As a result, a rash develops leading to vaginal acne.

Self Care to Get Rid of Vaginal Pimples

• Wash the area with plain water twice a day. You may do it once while bathing and once before bedtime. No soaps or gels are required for washing this region. They are actually bad for the overall vaginal health and make it prone to pimple formation. Read more on washing the vagina.
• Wear cotton panties, at least at bed time, which will absorb any extra moisture.
• Let the panties be loose and breathable.
• Avoid eating too much of fried and greasy stuffs. They aid in pimple production. Instead, eat more of green leafy vegetables and fresh seasonal fruits. They are natural purifier for the skin and blood.
• Drink lots of water and fruit juices.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol. These drinks are dehydrating for the skin. Although it may seem counterintuitive, but dry genital skin is more prone to pimple formation.
• Eating fresh yogurt may aid in quicker recovery. Yogurt contains friendly bacteria, that help in maintaining an ideal pH in the genital region.
• Exercising on a daily basis is essential. Stay active; it allows your skin to breathe and let your blood flowing efficiently throughout the body. Besides exercising is the only way we move lymph in our lymphatic channels. Cleaner lymphatic channels would cause reduction in pimples on the body.

Home & Herbal Remedies for Treating Vagina Pimples

Over the counter topical acne treatments might be too harsh for the sensitive vaginal area.  The following home remedies and the Manjakani gel are effective alternatives.

Tea tree oil.  Cover the infected area for 30 minutes with a cotton pad which has been soaked in a mild tea tree oil solution. To make tea tree oil solution, add one to two drops of tea tree oil to  ½ cup of water.

Sitz bath. Fill a tub to a depth of 3 to 4 inches with water. Add in 1/2 to 1 cup of Epsom salt. This treatment soothes, cleanse and help to dry up vaginal pimples and acne. After soaking in this sitz bath for 20 minutes, rinse and pat dry the intimate area.

Tips for prevention

Once you identify the cause, avoid coming into contact with the irritant. To help prevent future irritation in the vaginal area:

• Avoid tight-fitting clothing that can cause friction.
• Choose underwear made of cotton rather than synthetic materials.
• Try not to touch pimples too much.
• Avoid very hot water when bathing or showering.
• Skip the bubble bath and scented soaps.
• Ask your doctor which menstrual products are safe to use.

Because shaving can irritate the skin and cause pimples around the vulva, you might want to ditch the razor. You can still trim your pubic hair with scissors. If you choose to shave your public hair, go with the angle of your hair, in a downward slant.If you have any unusual bumps or growths in the genital area, see your doctor for a diagnosis.

“When I pump milk at home I can pump only a little bit. What if I can’t pump enough milk when I’m back at work?”

Don’t panic if you get only a small amount of milk the first few times you pump. Many a mother has gotten out her pump to start stockpiling milk for her return to work and has managed to pump only a half-ounce (or even less). If more attempts turn out the same way and you begin to feel worried about your plans for working and breastfeeding, here are some good reasons not to worry.

• Don’t worry that your baby is not getting enough to eat.

Your body does not respond to a pump the way it responds to your sweet, lovely baby whom you love more than anything. Plus, your baby is much better at getting milk out of your breasts than the mechanical pump. (Check the signs listed under

Getting Enough Milk

if you are concerned about your baby’s intake at the breast.)

• Don’t worry that you won’t be able to pump enough milk when you’re separated from your baby.

When you squeeze pumping sessions in between nursings, there just may not be much milk in your breasts to pump. When you’re at work and it’s been two-and-a-half or three hours since you’ve fed your baby, the milk will be there, and it will come out.

• Your milk ejection reflex will eventually become conditioned to the pump.

Right now, your milk lets down after your baby sucks for a little while, or maybe in anticipation of your baby sucking. Your body will soon learn to react in a similar way to the pump and the routine that surrounds pumping. How can I pump more milk?


Constantly calculating whether you’ve left enough milk for your baby is stressful, especially if there’s not much milk in your refrigerator or freezer to beging with. If you’re having trouble staying ahead of your baby’s appetitite, try these strategies for pumping more milk.

• Pump more frequently during the work day.

Finding time for one more pumping session will help your breasts produce more milk. Pumping more often is more effective at keeping your milk supply up than pumping longer. Three 20-minute pumping sessions will produce more milk than two 30-minute sessions.

• Get up earlier and pump once in the early morning,

before you leave for work. Prolactin levels increase during the night, and most mothers have lots of milk when they wake up.

• Think about your baby while you pump.

Imagine your baby at your breast, filling his tummy with your warm, sweet milk. Call the caregiver for a report on what baby is doing before you pump so that you feel more in touch.

• Visualize fountains of milk while you pump,

or imagine yourself beside a flowing stream or on a warm beach.

• Breastfeed your baby frequently when you are together.

Make breastfeeding a priority in the evening and on weekends. Don’t give a bottle when you can nurse your baby directly.

• Pump once or twice a day even when you are with your baby full-time.

This can help build up your supply for the days when you’re relying on the pump alone for breast stimulation.

• If your baby seems to be demanding more milk at the caregiver’s than you can pump, consider whether he truly needs more nourishment or if he just needs more sucking. Breastfed babies may finish a bottle quickly, but may still need to suck for comfort. Baby will take more milk if it’s offered, but might also accept a pacifier or another kind of comforting. Consider this possibility with your caregiver.

As the average age at marriage rises in the U.S., so does the average age of new mothers. If you're an older mom, you're not alone. About 11 percent of babies born in the U.S. each year have moms over the age of 35. Recent studies, however, have shown that women who postpone childbearing do face some special risks, including: infertility and miscarriage, premature delivery and stillbirth, gestational diabetes, bleeding complications, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, C-section, chromosomal abnormalities in babies, growth retardation in babies, and delivering multiples.


So what can you do? All women should monitor their reproductive health. If you are over age 35, follow the guidelines outlined in this to help ensure the best possible condition for your pregnancy.

How does age affect fertility?

As women reach their thirties, they experience a decline in fertility. The fertility regulator HFEA says female fertility declines sharply after a woman reaches the age of 35.

Complications during pregnancy are also more common when women reach 35.

Age-related decline in fertility may be due, in part, to the following:

1. A decrease in the number and health of the eggs to be ovulated.
2. Changes in the hormones resulting in altered ovulation.
3. Fewer eggs.
4. A decrease in sperm count.
5. A decrease in the frequency of intercourse.
6. The presence of other medical and gynaecological conditions, such as endometriosis, which may interfere with conception.

Pregnancy after 35, is it safe?

While advances in medical care can help women over age 35 have safer pregnancies than in the past, infertility and pregnancy complications for this age group are higher than for younger women. If you have decided to delay having a child, you should understand the risks associated with this so you can take precautions to minimise risks and improve your chances for a healthy pregnancy and child.

Pregnancy after 35, does the risk of birth defects increase?

The risk of giving birth to a child with a birth defect does increase as the mother's age increases. This is probably due to abnormal division of the egg, called nondisjunction. This leads to unequal chromosomes at the end of division. The risk of a baby having Down's syndrome increases with the mother's age when she gives birth. The greatest risk at around one in 30 is linked to women who are 45 or over when their baby is born.


Pregnancy after 35, will the risk of miscarriage increase?

Studies show that the risk of miscarriage (loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks gestation) is 12% to 15% for women in their 20s and rises to about 25% for women at age 40. The increased incidence of chromosomal abnormalities contributes to this increased risk of miscarriage in older women.

Pregnancy after 35, what other problems can arise?

• Long-term health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, are more common in women in their 30s and 40s. Be sure to get these conditions under control before you become pregnant, since they pose risks to both you and your baby. Careful medical monitoring, commenced before conception and continued throughout your pregnancy, can reduce the risks associated with these conditions.
• High blood pressure and diabetescan develop for the first time during pregnancy, and women over the age of 30 are at increased risk. If you are pregnant and over age 35, this makes it especially important that you get early and regular antenatal care to ensure early diagnosis and correct treatment.
• Stillbirth(delivery of a baby that has died before birth) is more common in women over age 35. Older women are also more likely to have low-birth weight babies (weighing less than 5.5 pounds at birth).
• Caesarean birthis also slightly more common for women having their first child after age 35.

You don't need to panic, but you shouldn't assume these signs are 'nothing,' either. Plus three ways to lower your risk.Women's bodies are always changing. Sometimes changes that seem normal can be signs of cancer, though.

The key is to pay attention to your body so you can notice when something's different, says Robyn Andersen, PhD, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. "New symptoms indicate something has changed in your body, and you want to know what that means."

So, what should you watch for?

1. Breast changes

Most breast lumps aren't cancer, but your doctor should always check them. Let her know about these changes, too:

• Skin dimpling or puckering
• Nipples that turn inward
• Nipple discharge
• Redness or scaling of your nipple or breast skin

To look for the cause of your symptoms, your doctor will do a physical exam and ask you questions about your medical history. You may also have tests like a mammogram or a biopsy, when doctors remove a tiny piece of tissue for testing.

2. Bloating

"Women are natural bloaters," says Marleen Meyers, MD, an oncologist at NYU Langone Medical Center. "It's OK to wait a week or two to see if it goes away."

If your symptoms don't get better with time, or if they happen with weight loss or bleeding, see a doctor. Constant bloating can sometimes mean ovarian cancer. You'll have a pelvic exam as well as blood tests, and sometimes an ultrasound, to look for the cause of the problem, Andersen says.

3. Between-Period Bleeding

If you’re still getting periods, tell your doctor if you’re spotting between them. Bleeding that’s not a part of your usual monthly cycle can have many causes, but your doctor will want to rule out endometrial cancer (cancer of the lining of your uterus).

Bleeding after menopause is never normal and should be checked right away.


4: Skin Changes

A change in the size, shape, or color of a mole or other spot is a common sign of skin cancer. See your doctor for a thorough exam and perhaps a biopsy. This is one time you don't want to wait, Meyers says.

5. Blood in Your Pee or Stool

Talk to your doctor if you're bleeding from a part of your body that normally doesn't, especially if the bleeding lasts more than a day or two, Meyers says.

Bloody stool is often from hemorrhoids, but it can also be a symptom of colon cancer. Bloody urine is usually the first sign of cancer of the bladder or kidneys, says Herbert Lepor, MD, a urologist at NYU's Langone.

6. Changes in Lymph Nodes

Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped glands around the body. Most changes in them come from common infections. But some cancers, including leukemia and lymphoma, can also cause lymph nodes to swell.

It's a good idea to see your doctor if you have a lump or swelling anywhere in your body that lasts a month or more, Meyers says.

7. Trouble Swallowing

Occasional trouble swallowing is nothing to worry about. But when it happens often, especially with vomiting or weight loss, your doctor may want to check you for throat or stomach cancer.
He'll look into your symptoms with a throat exam and a barium X-ray. During a barium test, you drink a special liquid that makes your throat stand out on the X-ray.

8. Weight Loss Without Trying

Most women wish extra pounds would magically melt away. But losing 10 pounds or more without a change in your diet or exercise habits could signal a problem.

Most unintended weight loss is not cancer, Meyers says. "It's often caused by stress or your thyroid, but it can be a sign of pancreatic cancer," she says. Stomach and lung cancers are also possible.

Your doctor may ask for a lot of tests to look for a problem, including blood tests and imaging tests, like a CT scan.

9. Heartburn

Too much food, alcohol, or stress (or all three) can cause serious heartburn. Meyers suggests that you change your diet for a week or two to see if your symptoms get better.

If that doesn't help, talk to your doctor. Heartburn that doesn't go away or gets worse could mean cancer of the stomach, throat, or ovaries.

10. Mouth Changes

If you smoke, watch for white or bright-red patches inside your mouth or on your lips. Both can signal oral cancer. Ask your doctor or dentist about tests and treatment.


11. Fever

A fever that doesn’t go away and can't be explained could mean leukemia or another blood cancer. Your doctor should get the details of your medical history and give you a physical exam to check for the cause.

12. Fatigue

A lot of women are tired because they lead hectic lives. But extreme tiredness that won’t go away isn’t normal.
Talk to your doctor if your fatigue never gets better or if you have other symptoms, like blood in your stool. Your doctor will ask for your complete medical history and give you blood tests.

13. Cough

Most coughs go away on their own in 3 to 4 weeks. Don't ignore one that lasts longer than that, especially if you smoke or are short of breath. If you cough up blood, go to the doctor. A cough is the most common symptom of lung cancer.

14. Pain

Cancer doesn’t cause most aches. But ongoing pain can signal bone, brain, or other cancers. Ask your doctor about any unexplained aches that last a month or longer.

15. Belly Pain and Depression

It’s rare, but belly pain plus depression can be a sign of pancreatic cancer. Should you worry? Not unless pancreatic cancer runs in your family, Meyers says. "Then you need a prompt [exam].

16. Persistent Cough

Any persistent cough -- one that lasts more than 2 or 3 weeks and is not due to an allergy or upper respiratory infection, or one that produces blood -- needs to be checked by your doctor.

If your cough may be caused by smoking or being exposed to secondhand smoke, get it checked out. "Smoking is the number one cancer killer of women," says Karlan.

You don't have to be a smoker to be at risk. The majority of lung cancers that nonsmokers get also occur in women. Expect your doctor to order a chest X-ray and perhaps a CT scan.


17. Irregular Bleeding

Once you hit menopause (defined as 12 months without a period), any postmenopausal bleeding is a warning sign, says Runowicz. "Any bleeding, staining, little drops on your underwear, or big clots are abnormal and should be immediately investigated," she says. Such bleeding could indicate something as benign as an endometrial polyp or something more serious like endometrial or cervical cancer.

Bleeding that is unusual for you -- spotting outside of your normal menstrual cycle or heavier periods -- should be looked into, Karlan says. Around menopause, abnormal bleeding is often tied to hormonal shifts, though more serious problems could be the cause, which is why all abnormal vaginal bleeding should be checked. Expect to receive a transvaginal sonogram and perhaps a biopsy.


3 Ways to Lower Your Cancer Risk

Know thyself. Make a family health tree. "Know your family history," Karlan says. "Know what you're at risk for," so you can focus on screening tests and prevention. Also, you're just as likely to inherit your risk of breast and ovarian cancer from your father's side of the family as from your mom's, she says.

Check your BMI. Make it a habit to know your body mass index, and keep it under 25 -- the dividing line for being overweight, Karlan says. Regular exercise can lower blood estrogen levels, which helps cut your risk of breast cancer.

Schedule screening tests. "Make sure you get a colonoscopy if you're 50 or older," Runowicz says. And schedule regular Pap smears (starting 3 years after first intercourse or no later than age 21) as well as mammograms after 40, according to the American Cancer Society.
If you liked this article,please like our Facebook page
You can also follow us on Twitter


Source : webmd