That's Fit

So you say chocolate is calling your name? You're not alone! From sugary sweets to salty treats, we all deal with cravings from time to time. Divine Caroline shares four reasons you might be having a craving:

• You're pregnant. It may seem like an old wives' tale or fodder for a TV sitcom, but many pregnant women do experience cravings. Jacki recently told us that Rebecca Romijn does.
• You're premenstrual. Women can crave certain foods just before their periods.
• You have low insulin levels. When your insulin level or blood sugar is low, your body will naturally crave foods to correct the imbalance.
• You have low serotonin. When you're stressed, your body may send out signals for something to ease the pain.
  

When you understand your cravings, you can take control and make wiser and healthier decisions.

On a regular basis, I make a habit of informing both my personal training clients and lecture guests of exactly when calories count. For some reason, this topic often seems more complicated than it is, so let me lay it out for you clearly.

When Calories Count:

• They count on Friday night.
• They count on your birthday.
• They count when you are out drinking.
• They count on Thanksgiving.

Endometriosis is a condition that was discussed a lot in my house when I hit puberty and started experiencing menstrual cramping that brought me to my knees. My mother was diagnosed with it (and told she needed a hysterectomy) when she gave birth to me -- that was, of course, after more than 25 years of truly unbearable cramping during menstruation and 10 years of trying to conceive with no luck. She had seen doctors about the pain and was basically told it was in her head.

So, when I came across this post at Divine Caroline on the "Devastating Effects of Endometriosis," I took a moment to read it over, and boy am I glad I did. It turns out that endometriosis can cause a lot more than just miserable cramping.

Endometriosis "occurs when fragments of the womb lining are found in other parts of the body where they may swell, bleed, and lead to fusing and scarring." Fragments are generally found in the abdomen, but can be found in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, and bowel -- even as far away as the lungs. And, it can cause infertility -- between 30 and 40 percent of women with endometriosis are unable to conceive.

I have yet to meet a women who doesn't complain about her period. Goodness knows I have. We worry about it's arrival each month (admit it -- you've counted days on a calendar worrying about whether "it" will come during prom or your wedding or your beach vacation). But when it doesn't arrive like clockwork, that's worrisome in a whole other way. For women with irregular periods the question is usually "why?"

Researchers from four universities surveyed women and found that only 28% had perfectly regular cycles. The reasons for irregular periods vary. Here are just some of the possibilities:

• Late periods. If you're over 45 and your periods are stretching out for longer periods of time you might be perimenopausal. If you're under 45, talk to your doctor -- you may have a hormone imbalance.

Like most women I know, I schedule my annual and semi-annual exams when it works with my schedule. I know that a midday appointment at the dentist's office will always start late, so I make those appointments early in the day. And, I don't want to see the gynocologist on the morning of my anniversary, you know?

But, according to I'm Not Obsessed, there are certain times of the day (or month) that are best for certain appointments. For example:

• Mammograms should be done during your period or the week after.
  
  
• Schedule your colonoscopy first thing in the morning.
  
  
• See your dentist for a cleaning two weeks after your period.

Wondering why? Find out here.

Girls, we've all been there. 'The time of the month' is not only a nuisance, it's a pain -- literally. Hands up: how many of you have missed work or school because of severe cramps? Now, I can't see your hands, but I'm willing to bet most of you raised them--myself included. Popping a pain killer is always an option after your period has hit, but is there any way to prevent cramps?

WebMD says yes, and they've even put together this video on how to nip menstrual cramps in the bud. There are a few things you can do:

• A few days before your period starts, take a mild over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drug like Advil, aspirin or ibuprofen
  
• If you're not trying for a family, consider taking oral contraceptives. They'll help make your period lighter and less painful.
  
• Applying heat to the area will help -- use a heating pad or hot water bottle.
• As always, eating well and exercising lots will go a long way to help prevent pain.
  

Want more tips? Watch the video, and be sure to let us know if you have any 'secret weapons' against the pain of periods.

It shows up roughly every four weeks, decade upon decade, but how much do you really know about your period? Did you know, for instance, that a normal cycle can range from 25 to 35 days long? Or that calcium and vitamin D may help ward of PMS?

Gynecologists say that they frequently get questions from women who misunderstand their cycle, and they've shared the most commonly asked questions with readers.

So if you have a burning question about:

• PMS
• irregular cycles
• getting pregnant during your period
• being pregnant and still getting your period
• toxic shock syndrome

click here to have your questions answered!

Ah, PMS. Wouldn't the world be a nicer place without it? Unfortunately, it's a reality for the majority of women out there. But if you're finding that your symptoms are far worse than most of your girlfriends', you might be suffering from something more than PMS -- you might have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD.) How do you tell if it's plain old PMS or PMDD? Look for these symptoms:

• Crying and sadness
• Irritability; feeling nervous and anxious
  
• Really strong cravings for certain foods
• Problems with concentration
• Tender breasts, bloating, swelling, headaches and/or joint pain.
• Trouble sleeping

Hmmm ... aren't these the normal symptoms of PMS? Perhaps we all have PMDD? But seriously, what I think you need to pay attention to is how your PMS symptoms stack up to others'. I know I have very mild symptoms compared to some of my girlfriends.

Menstrual toxic shock syndrome is fatal for women everywhere, although the death rates from it are low compared to other conditions. But, with TSS, it may be easily preventable in many cases if a new kind of tampon makes its way to market.

On the new tampon design, a fiber layer called glycerol monolaurate (GML) was found to reduce the production of a toxin that directly leads to most cases of TSS. GML is already used in many food products.

In recent research, the new fiber coating not only did away with toxin production, but promoted vaginal health, as it created an environment in the vaginal area where there is a balance of protective bacteria.

Bad news ladies: Not only does your metabolism slow down as your age, but the loss of estrogen that comes with menopause can also lead to obesity, a study shows. This estrogen loss also contributes to your chances at getting heart disease as estrogen helps protect the heart. These findings were derived from studies involving rats that had their estrogen levels depleted by removing their ovaries. The rats who had their ovaries removed had significantly higher blood pressure and gained much more weight than control rats who had normally functioning ovaries.

So, while you're celebrating the end of tampons, don't go overboard on the sweets. And for those of us who haven't gone through the change yet, building healthy habits today will pay off when we do.

Ladies, of course you can choose to see the negatives and focus on PMS and bloating or whatever, but when your period rolls around every month why not focus on the positives instead? And the rest of the month, as things are happening and changing in your body, why not use all that to your advantage also? Although hormone fluctuations generally have a bad reputation, they can have benefits if you understand them. For example, in days 1-10 of your cycle (1 being the first day of your period) it'll be easier to quit smoking, days 11-14 are the best times to schedule a routine OB appt or to make a large corporate presentation, and days 15-28 are the most conducive to burning and losing belly fat.

Who knew? Mark your calendars!

Many women take oral contraceptives without questioning the science behind it. But as with any medication, it's a good idea to do your own research, instead of having blind faith in your doctors. So if you're on the pill, here are some surprising facts that you should know.

For example, did you know:

• That if you're overweight, the pill might not work as well for you?
• That certain drugs, such as nyquil, can interfere with the pill's effectiveness?
• That the FDA recently approved a pill that will eliminate your period while you're on it?
• That the pill may cause you to gain a couple of pounds, but not more?
• That you can safely miss one pill, but not two?

A few of these are news to me. How about you?

The trend in society has always been toward the bolder and less inhibited, from the changes in swimsuits to what's now allowed on TV -- from generation to generation we're definitely not getting any more conservative! It's a delicate subject for some, as opinions on whether it's good or bad for society as a whole vary wildly.

That being said, menopause happens to all women at some point in their lives, and it's not always a simple or easy change to go through. Of course there's a time and a place for everything, but nowadays it's getting much easier for women to find the support and understanding they need because it's more acceptable to talk about things like hot flashes and mood swings. It used to be so "hush hush" that women were stuck suffering in silence.

I'm still pretty shy when it comes to blurting out personal issues in a public setting (and I'm not going through menopause), but it's nice to know that when I do want to talk about something it's not going to be a big deal or make for some broken social rule. And for those of you who do enjoy announcing "hot flash!" loudly over dinner? More power to you!

Many women struggle with the uncomfortable symptoms otherwise known as PMS on a monthly basis, and are unable to find effective ways to deal. Of course there are numerous products you can buy at the local drug store designed to help with issues like bloating, pain, crankiness, etc, but not everybody is interested in taking medications. Many women would prefer to try natural remedies first, if possible.

And there are some natural things you can try for relieving PMS related symptoms, one for example is calcium. It has been shown to decrease bloating, depression, and pain in some women. But be careful, however, as too much calcium is not a good thing either. Always stick with the recommended daily amount of anything, unless your doctor advises you otherwise.

Click the link to get some other natural ideas, including fish oil, vitamin B6, and chasteberry.

Fibroids are non-cancerous muscle fiber growths that occur in the uterus, and 40% of women develop them during child-bearing years -- thankfully often without symptoms. But when fibroids do cause problems it's no small issue with heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic soreness, and pain being the most common symptoms that, until recently, almost always led to the same treatment. Having a hysterectomy has been the only option for women with problematic fibroids, but now there's the myomectomy -- a less invasive procedure that gives women another option.

Having a myomectomy may mean a faster surgical recovery and the continued option of childbirth, but it also means there's still a chance fibroids could return and a hysterectomy will be needed after all. But what's important here is that women now have a choice, and that's always a good thing.