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Help With Menopause - What Are Bio - Identical Hormones?

Help With Menopause - What Are Bio-Identical Hormones?

By Maya Uriodain

During pre-menopause and menopause, many women suffer from an array of symptoms and need help with menopause symptoms. In this article I will discuss the cause of most menopausal symptoms as well as what options women have to alleviate them.

Most pre-menopause and menopause symptoms are due to a poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle and exposure to environmental estrogens. And also an imbalance in a woman's hormone levels. Two hormones in particular are out of balance at menopause: estrogen and progesterone.

When at menopause, the progesterone level drops to zero, a woman's menstruation stops and she starts suffering from painful breasts, weight gain, bloating, low bone density, trouble sleeping, anxiety and stress. At the same time, estrogen also declines and brings symptoms such as breast tenderness, anxiety, allergies, decreased sex drive, weight gain particularly around the belly, foggy thinking, insomnia, irritability, etc.

If the symptoms are not too severe, one type of help with menopause a woman can try is by changing her diet to include more fruits, vegetable, lean meats, whole grain and legumes. It is also important to include the healthy fats such as the Omega 3 found in fish such as salmon, herring, tuna.

Extending this natural treatment includes staying away from all types of stress as stress can worsen symptoms and cause further hormonal imbalance.

If the symptoms are more severe, a woman then can talk to her doctor about bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. Bio-identical hormones are natural, plant -based hormones that mimic the structure of the hormones made by the body. Because they are natural. They do not have any side effects.

This is important to know because many medical practitioners still want to use synthetic hormones which are obtained from pregnant mares and are foreign to the human body. Studies have found that the regular hormone replacement therapy increase s the risk of breast cancer and stroke.

In order to be put on Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) you will have to find a physician knowledgeable about hormones to help with menopause symptoms. The doctor in turn will prescribe a special formula that is unique to your hormonal levels after some tests.

It is important that you get adequate information about bio-identical hormones because a lot of doctors still prescribe synthetic hormones as they are more readily available and supported by the pharmaceutical industry. Because the natural hormones cannot be patented by the pharmaceutical companies, there is still some controversy about their efficacy. So you will be wise to find out more information so you can make an educated decision about the best options for you when it comes to help with menopause.

To learn more about bio-identical hormones as well as help with menopause, get the free e-book at Menopause in Women.

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Understanding The Top Five Menopause Symptoms

Understanding the Top Five Menopause Symptoms

By Danny Hammond

Many women that are reaching a certain age wonder what are menopause symptoms? Well, there are many but the top five seem to be:

*Fatigue

*Weight Gain

*Hot Flashes

*Low Libido

*Hair Loss

Let's first talk about fatigue. If you are dealing with fatigue as a menopause symptom, it could be caused by many different things. If you are having trouble sleeping because of night sweats due to menopause this could cause fatigue. Once you start feeling fatigued, this increases stress and anxiety which then causes insomnia. This becomes a vicious cycle.

Fatigue can also be from a lack of progesterone. Progesterone is the hormone that keeps you energized and also accounts for your sex drive.

The second menopause symptom that we are going to talk about is weight gain. Probably one of the most complained about symptoms of menopause is weight gain. If you are gaining weight during this time of your life, don't blame yourself. This is something that happens to about 90% of women during menopause. Some will gain more than others. Most women will gain 10 to 15 pounds during their menopausal years. That is approximately 1 pound per year.

The next menopause symptom is hot flashes. Hot flashes are very common during menopause. A hot flash is a brief feeling of heat that may make the face and neck flushed, cause temporary red blotches to appear on the chest, back and arms. Sweating and chills may follow. Hot flashes vary in intensity and typically last between 30 seconds and 10 minutes.

Okay, now let's talk about low libido or low sex drive. As with all menopause symptoms a low libido or low sex drive is different with each woman. As you begin menopause you could have some hormones waning or fluctuating. Estrogen can start to diminish which can affect your sexual response.

Some changes that you might notice are:

*Less sensation in the genital area

*Painful intercourse

*Lower sex drive

*Difficulty becoming aroused

*Vaginal dryness

*More vaginal or bladder infections than usual

Again, if you have the menopause symptom of hair loss, it is usually because of fluctuating hormones. It is normal for women to have some hair loss, but if you see any of the following symptoms it could be from menopause:

*Scalp is red and itchy

*Large amounts of hair in your comb or brush

*Small bald patches

*More hair than usual falls out while washing

*Noticeable hair thinning

All of the above subjects are some of the menopause symptoms. Some women will have more and some women will have less. If any of these symptoms become too extreme you should always tell your ob/gyn or your family practitioner.

Danny Hammond is an author, who writes articles dedicated to helping couples communicate, research and cope with the devastating effects that menopause symptoms can have on relationships. These include marriage, family, friends and co-workers. He is currently working with others on a website featuring these subjects. Please visit this website for advice on strategy on dealing with menopause.

http://www.mymenopausehormones.com

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The Truth About Vitamin A and Osteoporosis

The Truth About Vitamin A and Osteoporosis

By Candice Hughes

If you are researching the connection between Vitamin A and osteoporosis, you will probably find plenty of authors telling you to avoid consuming much Vitamin A. Would it surprise you to know that people consuming their native diets ate foods that gave them about ten times more Vitamin A than is currently recommended? In fact, these people all had perfect teeth and perfect bone structure, along with very strong bones.

Osteoporosis and menopause seem to become health concerns at the same time. Osteoporosis is a serious disease that strikes many women, and you may find that you or someone you love is suffering from osteoporosis. You may know someone who fell and broke their hip, and never recovered. It is frightening to think that we may one day lose our ability to care for ourselves and have to become dependent on someone else.

In the search for solutions that could prevent osteoporosis, you will find many articles that caution you to watch your Vitamin A intake, because it has been shown to be a risk factor in osteoporosis.

But is the information accurate? Is it complete? These are two questions you should always ask when reading information about research studies on health.

Many reports of studies on Vitamin A and osteoporosis have concluded that excess Vitamin A leads to increased risk for getting the disease. Unfortunately these reports do not analyze various other factors revealed in the studies that could shed more light on the reality of vitamin and nutrient intake, and the risk for developing osteoporosis.

In this case, the discrepancy comes to light because there was a dentist, Dr. Weston Price, who traveled to different countries in the 1940's and discovered that indigenous people still eating their native diets had radiant health. These discoveries included observations of perfect bone structure and strong bones, along with the discovery that these people consumed far higher amounts of vitamin A (not carotenoids, found in plant foods, but preformed vitamin A, found in animal foods), than the amounts recommended today.

The Weston A. Price Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to getting the word out about Dr. Price's nutritional discoveries, has provided a more complete analysis on the various studies of Vitamin A and osteoporosis. In reviewing the studies from a different perspective, it becomes clear that certain relationships occur between nutrients or other substances, such as estrogen, that affect the outcomes of the studies.

For example, people who consumed more Vitamin A and less Vitamin D had a higher risk for osteoporosis. This is because Vitamins A and D are required in certain ratios to obtain optimum health. Another factor that affected outcomes for Vitamin A and osteoporosis was whether or not post-menopausal women were taking estrogen. Those that were could consume more Vitamin A relative to Vitamin D without risk. Those that were not taking estrogen had increased risk when they consumed higher amounts of Vitamin A without more Vitamin D.

In fact, the connection between Vitamin A and osteoporosis is a positive one, as long as you consume the right amount of Vitamin D to go along with your Vitamin A. This is just one way to prevent or improve osteoporosis.

Candice Hughes is the owner of Natural Approaches to Menopause.com For more information about osteoporosis and menopause, and which foods and supplements to use for Vitamin A and Osteoporosis, visit Vitamin A and Osteoporosis

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How To Thrive After A Diagnosis of Osteoporosis?

How to Thrive After A Diagnosis of Osteoporosis

By Sandi Thompson

Women are more at risk than men for osteoporosis. After receiving a diagnosis of osteoporosis or osteopenia it is important to keep moving and exercise in a safe manner. This means not putting compression on the spine, especially the thoracic area of the spine. Walking, dancing, strength training and swimming are often suggested.

Perhaps osteoporosis runs in your family. Or, you are reaching menopause and wonder how you can prevent it, since reaching menopause is one of the risk factors. In fact, several risk factors increase your chances of developing osteoporosis or having a fracture, including:

• a thin, small-boned frame


• previous fracture or family history of osteoporotic fracture


• estrogen deficiency from early menopause (before age 45) whether naturally, or from surgically removing the ovaries, or as a result of prolonged amenorrhea (abnormal absence of menstruation) in younger women (often from anorexia or extremely low body fat such as in athletes


• advanced age


• a diet low in calcium


• Caucasian or Asian ancestry (African Americans and Hispanics are at a slightly lower risk)


• cigarette smoking


• excessive use of alcohol


• prolonged use of certain medications or recreational drugs.

Women lose bone rapidly following menopause, making them more susceptible to osteoporosis especially in the first 4-8 years.

Often the first inkling that you might be at risk for osteoporosis begins with decreased blood calcium when you have blood work done. Sometimes this is accompanied by a thyroid imbalance, a Vitamin D deficiency and / or a magnesium deficiency.

Corticosteroid medications. Long-term use of corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone or cortisone is damaging to bones. These and other corticosteroid medications are common treatments for chronic conditions, such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, to name a few.

You may not be able to stop taking them to lessen your risk of osteoporosis unless you find a way to deal with the underlying cause of the chronic condition. Ask your doctor to monitor your bone density if you need to take a steroid medication for long periods. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if there are other drugs they might recommend instead of the corticosteroid medications that won't have the same impact on your bones.

Other medication associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis include aromatase inhibitors to treat breast cancer; the antidepressant medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs); another cancer treatment drug named methotrexate; some anti-seizure medications; stomach acid-blockers called proton pump inhibitors and antacids containing aluminum.

Lab tests may be performed on blood and urine. The test results can help your doctor identify conditions that might contribute to bone loss.

These are the most common blood tests:

• blood calcium levels
• blood vitamin D levels
• thyroid function
• parathyroid hormone levels
• estradiol levels to measure estrogen
• follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) test to establish menopause status
• testosterone levels (in men)
• osteocalcin levels measures bone formation

Common urine tests are:

• 24-hour urine collection to measure calcium metabolism
• tests measuring the rate at which bone is breaking down

Once you learn if there is a deficiency or imbalance of nutrients in your body, then supporting your health by increasing your levels of missing nutrients and correcting a thyroid imbalance, for example, can do wonders for increasing calcium in the blood again and therefore in the bones themselves.

Other markers that indicate a need to correct a body imbalance show up long before low blood calcium or a diagnosis of osteoporosis. Poor digestion, high stress that affects the adrenal glands, and problems with the parathyroid gland can all lead to osteoporosis.

There are several predisposing factors to osteoporosis that you can control, sometimes on your own or with the help of a healthcare professional.

- Poor diet over a long period of time

- Excessive use of alcohol and recreational drugs

- Hormone dysfunction or dysregulation

- Sedentary lifestyle

- Drugs - recreational or prescription or over the counter

- Prolonged bed rest

- Anorexia and other eating disorders

It might be a good idea to look at the cells that make up our bones, in order to better understand the process of building up and breaking down of bone in the body.

1. Osteoblasts build bone by converting cartilage to bone.

2. Osteoclasts break down bone to help buffer the pH of the blood.

3. Osteocytes maintain bone tissue. These are the primary bone cells.

Calcium plays a role in homeostasis. When the blood becomes too acidic, calcium is the buffer. Think of it as Tums for your blood.

When the pH of blood drops, which means the blood becomes more acidic, calcium is used to buffer that acid, making the blood more alkaline. Less calcium is then deposited in bone. When the blood returns to its proper pH, calcium is then stored in the bones again. Calcium can also be deposited in other tissues.

Regulating the pH of the blood and calcium in the body is the role of the small parathyroid gland, located behind the thyroid gland in the throat area. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a regulator in the exchange of calcium between bone and blood.

How does this work?

1. PTH increases the osteoclast activity within the bones to free up calcium to buffer blood pH. Remember - osteoclasts break down bone.
2. This hormone also reduces calcium excreted in urine by having a direct affect on the kidneys.
3. PTH also pulls the calcium made available from digestion into the blood.

If you eat a diet rich in calcium then lots of calcium can be available for all the different needs of the body. Some suggestions for calcium-rich foods are, in alphabetical order:

� Alfalfa sprouts, which are easy to make at home

� Almonds, almond butter and almond meal or flour

� Avocados which contain healthy fat too

� Coconut

� Dairy foods: particularly raw milk hard cheeses, goat's milk

� Gelatin

� Greens, including kale, turnip, beet tops, cabbage and romaine lettuce

� Seaweed and sea vegetables: agar, dulse, kelp and nori

� Sesame seeds

In addition to calcium, all the foods listed above are high in additional nutrients. That's important because simply taking more and more calcium supplements will not necessarily translate into absorption and then utilization of this nutrient. Calcium needs co-factors to be available for its many roles in the body, including its use in bones.

After you have determined calcium rich foods, then assess if you are actually digesting and utilizing your foods. If you have the classic signs of indigestion: gas, bloating, excessive fullness after a meal, cramping and general discomfort in the abdomen shortly after eating, then you may need give some attention to your digestion.

Since calcium is absorbed in an acid environment, you may need hydrochloric acid supplementation with your meals to acidify the stomach. This may seem counter-intuitive, especially if you suffer from heartburn or acid reflux. However, as we age our hydrochloric acid levels decline. We can actually suffer more from lack of acid in our stomach than from too much, despite what you might hear on the TV.

As mentioned, calcium needs co-factors to be effectively utilized. That means other minerals need to be present, along with Vitamin D and healthy fats. Eating a variety of foods, real whole foods helps to ensure that most of these co-factors are present.

EFAs, essential fatty acids, are needed for transporting nutrients across the cell's membrane:

- flax seed oil, black currant seed oil, fish oils (EPA & DHA), mixed fatty acids from walnut, hazelnut, sesame, apricot kernel

- all these healthy fats help increase calcium tissue levels

Don't forget hormonal support may be needed, so check for any thyroid, estrogens, testosterone or parathyroid dysfunction (PTH).

Other co-factors that support the bones are Vitamin D which works with PTH to increase calcium in blood and increases absorption in the GI tract. Vitamin A, from bright orange and yellow fruits or vegetables, and iodine are needed because iodine supports thyroid function. The seaweeds and sea vegetables mentioned earlier are rich sources of iodine.

Kidney function is important and directly connected to blood calcium levels. One of the best things that you can do is support good hydration by drinking adequate amounts of pure, filtered water. Cutting out soda is also a good idea. It has detrimental affects on digestion.

Other minerals that are important as co-factors to calcium utilization are potassium, manganese, boron, copper and zinc. Zinc is particularly important for good digestion.

Steps for the steady support of healthy bones and the possible, slow reversal of osteoporosis:

1. Improve digestion
2. Take good bone mineralizing supplements or make and utilize bone broths from organic chicken bones.
3. Increase essential fatty acids (EFAs).
4. Add vitamins A, D, E, and K (unless on blood thinners, avoid K).
5. Eat good high quality proteins.
6. Eliminate processed foods, artificial foods, sodas, and caffeinated food and drink.
7. Weight bearing exercise is imperative.

Now that you know the risk factors, take the steps to help your bones stay healthy before a diagnosis of osteoporosis or osteopenia. You also have the seven steps to possibly put the brakes on the further deterioration of your bones once you receive a diagnosis. It may even be possible start rebuilding bone and lose that diagnosis as your overall health improves.

Find more free health tips at http://www.solutionthroughnutrition.com

Sandi Thompson, NTP, Certified Wellness Coach, Expert in Weight Management for Women

Sandi Thompson at Solutions Through Nutrition specializes in weight management and lifestyle changes for better, lasting health. Eliminate the barriers to eating healthy in a toxic world. Discover your individual nutritional needs and learn the steps to keep moving forward along the path to exceptional wellness.

The vision of Solutions Through Nutrition is, "Improving the way America eats, one dining room table at a time."

Sandi Thompson works primarily with women 50+ who are motivated to succeed and achieve their weight loss goals, using real whole foods. In addition, she works with couples and families to build lasting change through mutual support to reach a common goal of better health.

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Hormonal Weigh Gain - 5 Keys To Controlling Hormones And Weight Gain

Hormonal Weight Gain - 5 Keys To Controlling Hormones and Weight Gain

By Annie D'Angelo

Ladies, did you know that hormonal weight gain often ranging somewhere from 10 to 15 pounds on average is a very common side effect and symptom of menopause?

No doubt those women who have already begun to experience the beginning or early stages of menopause will agree with the reality of this slow shift in body weight as they watch (often in horror and frustration) their waistlines slowly thicken and increase in circumference without what seems any probable cause!

In fact both past and recent research studies that were carried out on the changes in the endocrine system and women's hormones during peri-menopause and menopause; in particular hormonal weight gain, estimates that at least 80% or more women will inevitably gain some excess poundage throughout their menopause years regardless of whether they change their calorie intake or not.

Does this sound familiar to you in any way? Have you found yourself confused and frustrated with watching your waist circumference slowly increase in spite of not making any changes to your daily diet plan?

Just to be clear, this isn't a sudden change that just happens overnight, but rather a slow, progressive change in the distribution of your body weight and where body fat tends to plant itself.

Unfortunately, it seems that the stomach, the hips and the waistline tend to be the most favoured areas for extra body fat to be stored for most women, much to our dismay.

Calories taken in are not the culprits here either, so reducing your calorie intake has little effect in maintaining your hourglass figure of yesterday.

In fact, fad diets that endorse a near starvation calorie intake of less than 1,200 calories daily can actually exacerbate the problem and be dangerous to your health!

Rather, hormonal weight gain is a direct cause and the thickening effect that follows as a result of fluctuations and shifts in a woman's hormone levels - in essence, your hormones are to blame for that excess belly fat.

There's no question that hormones and weight gain are very intricately linked and there are actually four key hormones at play here, each having its own unique role in how and where your body stores body fat.

Diet and exercise are the first two main factors that can influence the state of your hormones.

Stress, sleep and nutritional supplementation are three important factors too and also play an important role in influencing the state of your hormones and maintaining a healthy body weight as well.

Knowing what NOT to do can be helpful too.

For example, cutting back or avoiding excessive caffeine, alcohol and other stimulants is also important.

The good news for women is that many of these factors can be manipulated and changed in order to help you achieve optimal hormonal balance and avoid hormonal weight gain.

To learn more about your hormones and weight gain and how you can best put these 5 key factors into practice visit http://www.Belly-Fat-Blues.com

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Womens Safety Outside The Home

Womens Safety Outside The Home

By Mark Etinger

Despite the dangers in this world, we all have to step outside of our homes at some point in time, unless you want to live a fearful life with no social interaction. Bad things do happen, but the chances are not astronomically high and as long as you use common sense, you can avoid risky situations. As long as you think clearly, remain alert, and follow basic womens safety advice you can protect yourself from danger.

First it's important to use the "sixth sense." If you ever feel that something just doesn't seem normal or for whatever reason you feel uncomfortable on your normal route, leave, go home a different way. Even if it ends up to be nothing, it's always better to be safe than sorry. Always look confident and never be distracted by cellphones. Predators are looking for the easy target who is either not paying attention or who looks easily intimidated -someone who won't be willing to fight back.

If taking public transportation, wait for the vehicle in a public area. There is always safety in numbers. Hang out in a coffee shop until your taxi arrives. It's best to choose the aisle seat in case you need to make a quick exit. Window seats are fun to look out but that also means you're blocked in. When traveling during non-peak hours by train, choose the compartments with the most passengers sitting in them. For taxis, double check the identification of the driver. If possible, avoid flagging down a taxi on the street. Call for a taxi so it can be traced.

Danger doesn't only happen when taking public transportation. There are plenty of opportunities for something to go wrong in your very own car. When out and about, always park as close to the store/building as possible. Is a dent in your car really worth the risk? When returning to your vehicle, have your keys already in your hand and check your car before entering. Even if you're just leaving your car for a moment to run into a store, always lock your doors and roll up your windows.

For women who walk or jog around the neighborhood, regularly change your routine. In your mind mark out "safe houses" of people you either know or public shops you can run into in case of an emergency. In isolated areas it's best to put away that iPod for a while so you can hear what's going on around you. Look into personal protection products and consider taking self defense courses. The courses should demonstrate attacks that are likely to occur -so don't bother with the mixed martial arts class. You want real life scenarios.

TomPatire.com is a great resource to learn about child safety programs, as well as advice for women, seniors, and families. Find personal protection products and helpful tips. Remember safety first, because you may not get a second chance.

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What is The Most Effective Self Defense Item?

What Is The Most Effective Self Defense Item?

By Dave Artman

As the economy worsens and lots of folks are out of work, more ordinary citizens are turning to petty crime as a way to support their families. Robberies and home invasions top the list of crimes on the increase. Assaults, rape and even murder are on the rise too. And it seems as though it is getting worse every day.

Self-defense, especially female self-defense, as well as personal security and personal safety top the list of priorities for more citizens today than ever before. Enrollment in self-defense classes are up and the sales of self-defense items are booming.

Of all the self-defense items on the market today such as stun guns, pepper sprays, personal alarms and batons one stands out above the others as the most effective self-defense item. All these products work and have varying levels of effectiveness all the way up to 90% for stun guns and pepper sprays. But tasers have an effectiveness rating of close to 100% making them the most effective self-defense item in the world.

Think about this if you will. Why is it that over 12,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States and countless agencies in eight other countries carry tasers? The answer is easy. They provide the premier nonlethal self-defense item alternative to deadly force. There is none better than the taser.

Taser International has a lot of different models in their product line. Most of them are for law enforcement agencies. But several are available for civilian use. The M26C is modeled after the police model. The X26 C model uses a digital power magazine which not only powers the taser but offers other features as well.

The most popular taser for civilians by far is the C-2, which was introduced several years ago and is designed specifically for women with several color options including yellow, pink, silver, blue, red and black.

It does everything that the more expensive civilian models do but without some of the bells and whistles. It produces the same results as the police models with more stopping power than a popular hand gun.

The popular pink Taser C2 comes with two live cartridges, a holster, a practice target and then something brand-new, a training cartridge so you can practice. It is the most popular item for female self-defense

Tasers are often confused with a regular stun gun. What makes the taser unique is that it shoots out two electrified barbs that can travel up to 15 feet. The barbs are connected to the gun with wires that are electrified with 50,000 volts. Most regular stun guns are in the 1,000,000 volt category to give you an example.

The taser uses low-voltage and high wattage to disable an assailant. When it comes to nonlethal self-defense items the taser stands out as the most effective.

Check out all our Self-Defense Items to see if one isn't perfect for your needs.

The Home Security Superstore is one of the oldest and largest independent distributors of high quality home security, surveillance, spy, self-defense, survival and safety products. We carry a wide range of self-defense products including tasers, stun guns, pepper sprays and other non-lethal weapons that can save your life in the event of an attack.

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How to Prepare For Your First Practical Self Defense Class?

How to Prepare For Your First Practical Self Defense Class

By Mark Etinger

If you are thinking of taking the steps to learn self defense for your personal safety, then first you should be congratulating for looking to take on such a great task. Self defense training is important for everyone, but so many people fail to take classes or even acknowledge that it is something they need, until it is too late. The great thing about a self defense class is it can be a doorway into the world of martial arts. You may find that if you enjoy your class so much, you'll want to pursue more detailed and difficult martial arts, like tae kwon do or kung-fu. But first, you need to prepare yourself for your first class before you get too far ahead of yourself.

The first thing you should do is a little research. Find out what places around you have classes to learn self defense and get details about what they actually entail. Is it just a basic, one time self defense class or an ongoing meet up? If you are a woman, you may want to focus on classes that are specific for self defense for women, which may be more in your comfort zone. Find out how many classes happen a month and what the regular intervals are, as well as if there is a minimum for how many you must take. Don't be afraid to ask questions, you want to find a class that will really suit you well.

If you don't have the time to head to an in person class, you can check out ways to learn self defense online. There are plenty of programs that you can sign up for that will provide you with just as in depth training as in person, but at your own pace. You can easily come home from work and get to training by following step by step videos. You can order the props you need to work with as well through those sites and submit your own videos to have your technique reviewed.

When you get ready for your first self defense class, find out what is best for you to wear, whether training online or not. Most classes ask that you wear casual, every day clothes but some may want you to wear something tighter like exercise clothes. The reason for every day clothes is that you need to learn how to protect yourself and be comfortable in the kind of dress that you wear every day, as attackers can grab t-shirts and other clothing items, so you want to learn what to do in these particular situations.

MartialOps.com offers an easy way to learn self defense from the comfort of your home, online. You can get top of the line training in self defense techniques that will help you in any situation.

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Ninety Percent of Physical Attacks Are Against Women

Ninety Percent of Physical Attacks Are Against Women

By Rocco W Sarracino

Since the beginning of time women have often found themselves the victims of abuse, merely because they carry the stigma of being the weaker sex. During the time of kings and pharaohs, women were considered as second class citizens, and this reigns true, even up to the mid-19th century.

This mentality has just recently receded but is still practiced in some areas of the world and is even embraced by some faith extremists. This type of thinking is usually the leading cause of why women are physically, sexually and verbally abused more often than males.

The sad truth about physical attacks on women is that they are usually perpetrated by people they are close to, like their husbands, boyfriends, male friends and even some family members. It is actually less common for a woman to be a victim of an attacker who is unknown to her than it is for her to be in a relationship with the person. In modern and in some third world countries laws have been made to address this problem, but as many criminals demonstrate there is often little respect for laws. Attacks still continue and women need to protect themselves from those who have the capacity to perform such horrendous acts.

In order to deter assailants from participating in abusive behavior it is recommended that women must have protective devices available on-hand at all times, like pepper sprays, Tasers or stun guns. Disguised stun guns and pepper sprays must be utilized to achieve its purpose and surprise the attacker, leaving him incapable of harm. Stun guns and pepper sprays are capable of rendering an assailant helpless for minutes at time allowing the victim to call for help or run to safety.

Stun guns have the capacity to deliver up to 5 million volts of electricity, leaving the prospective assailant immobile for an extended period of time.

Women simply have to aim a taser in the direction of the perpetrator and shoot, the taser will do the rest. Pepper spray will make an offender have a terrible cough and become temporarily blinded. Pepper sprays are highly irritable to mucus membranes and can render a person helpless, thus making escape possible for a female victim.

As these devices are disguised they may look like a cell phone, flashlight or other common everyday items that women carry in their purses or pockets. With these types of features surprise, will be at the side of the women giving them the advantage against their attacker. Preventing an assault will be more probable once women have these devices in their possession and understand how to efficiently use them.

Women need not be fearful for being the "weaker sex", as men may believe this all they want, women know otherwise. These devices will stop them in their tracks and prevent them from doing harm against the people that they consider weak and helpless. Such weapons if applied correctly by women will give these men second thoughts about whom the weaker sex actually is.

Rocco Sarracino has devoted over 30 years of his life to studying and teaching practical, effective methods of self defense to individuals and organizations. He is the founder and owner of AMERICAN SAFETY 2000; http://ams-2000.com, an online store specializing in self-defense and spy products.

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Three Self Defense Strategies for Women

Three Self Defense Strategies for Women

By Cori Baker

Women can do lots of things that men usually do but we have to admit that there are aspects wherein women still need improvements. They are not physically strong as men, so this is one thing to work on to, to be able to defend themselves in case of troubles.

Women or people in general, can meet troubles just about anywhere - on your way to your workplace, in your neighborhood, in bars, shopping malls and anywhere. These troubles include burglary, gang fight, rape and others. Therefore, in these cases, women need to stand out to defend themselves. How are you going to do that aside from screaming? Well, worry no more because this article will teach you some effective self-defense strategies that you can use in times of troubles.

Here are three examples of these self-defense strategies based on different case scenarios:

1. When the attacker is holding a weapon - What you can do is walk straight up to the attacker and then you should throw a solid front kick against the chin. When you do this correctly, it could break his jaw and his teeth and will never be able to fight back. One effective tip to learn how to do this correctly is to attend some kickboxing training. This martial art technique teaches the practitioner to execute such move with great speed, before the attacker can react.

2. When the attacker is about to launch a punch or aim a knife at you - It is best to step sideways to dodge the attack so you are in line with the attacker's arm. You should then strike the attacker's punch, and immediately attack his belly, lower back or lower side with your other fist. This will be a very difficult scenario for him to fight back. Then you should try to push and kick his thigh muscles. For sure, the aggressor will realize that you are not a weak woman to victimize. To be able to learn this move, you can try to learn karate. This type of martial arts will teach you how to launch kicks and punches to defend yourself effectively.

3. When the attacker throws a front kick - To defend yourself against this move, you should sidestep his kick, trap the leg and launch your own kick against his standing feet, breaking it backward. Then you should whip him around his raised leg so he will fall down to the ground. This kind of move is easily learned through Jiu-Jitsu. This type of martial arts will teach you elements of grappling, choke holds, eye gouging, biting, joint locks and hard striking.

You can start learning and practicing these moves to be able to defend yourself in case someone tries to do you harm. You should also learn some information about stun gun and taser for additional self-defense strategies. Knowing that you know how to defend yourself in case of emergency is a very comforting thought every time you go out of your house.

Cori Baker enjoys writing for Beststungun.com which offers taser gun and stun gun as well as a host of additional products.

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About Me

Hello, My name is Daisy Chua and thank you for visiting my blog. I am a single mother with 2 grown up daughters. My oldest daughter is married and has one son who is 15 years old now and is also my grandson.

After I retired in the retail industry, I decided to venture into the internet market and do some articles writing and sharing some tips on the topic which I am interested.