Top 3 Benefits of Pregnancy Massage - by Fran Kehoe

Think of all the joy you will have when your baby finally arrives after those nine long months that seemed as if they would never end. Yet, you probably never thought of all of the bodily changes that would take place during this very special time either. There is something that you could benefit from and perhaps have never thought of and that is the benefits of pregnancy massage.


Studies have been performed that indicate that this type of massage when performed during your pregnancy is able to reduce anxiety, relieve depression symptoms, soothe those bothersome joint pains and muscle aches and even improve the outcome of your labor and benefit the health of your new little bundle of joy.

Swedish massage, as the technique is often called, is able to relax built-up muscle tension but this form of massage can also improve the lymphatic system as well as blood circulation. These results are accomplished by applying mild pressure to the body’s various muscle groups. Swedish massage is recommended during the prenatal part of your pregnancy because it can assuage many of the common discomforts that are known to take place in the skeletal and circulatory systems that are triggered by hormonal shifts that take place during your pregnancy. Here are just a few benefits of pregnancy massage

Regulation of Hormones

Over the past decade, studies have been conducted indicating that hormone levels linked with stress and relaxation are changed significantly. These hormones have a distinct effect on mood relaxation, and there has been varying degrees of improvement upon cardiovascular health when Swedish massage was done during the prenatal care of women. For some women who experienced only five weeks of bi-weekly massages, there was a reduction of cortisol and norepinephrine, which are commonly known as the “stress hormones”. There was also an increase of serotonin and dopamine levels, which, when these levels get low, depression may rear its ugly head. When there was a change in these hormonal levels, fewer complications were seen during the baby’s birth. Newborn complications, like low birth weight, were shown to decrease. When Swedish massage was integrated into the prenatal care regimen, there seemed to be benefits to both mother and baby.

Reduced Swelling

Swelling, which is called edema in medical terminology, can be a very bothersome symptom during your pregnancy. Do your legs look like balloons and have your ankles all but disappeared? This is due to a reduction in your circulation, and an increase of pressure is being exerted on all of your major blood vessels due to your expanding uterus. Swedish massage will help stimulate the soft tissues so that the collection of fluids found in your swollen joints may be reduced. There will also be an improvement in tissue waste removal, which is carried by the lymphatic system of your body.

Nerve Pain Improvement

Many women experience pain in the sciatic nerve during pregnancy. The uterus exerts pressure on your upper and lower leg muscles. This causes swelling in your legs and increased pressure is put on nerves nearby. Massage therapy can help to relieve this problem. This is just one of the many benefits of pregnancy massage.

Hopefully, you now understand the benefits of pregnancy message and may be willing to give it a try the next time you are expecting your little bundle of joy.
 
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Pregnancy Nutrition and Whole Foods

Looking for the ultimate pregnancy nutrition nowadays demands sound nutrition facts from a medical practitioner as well as additional sources, including the Internet. Although medical practitioners impart critical nutrition facts, pregnant women help themselves greatly when they learn more about including a sufficient quantity of whole foods in a blueprint for proper pregnancy nutrition.

Whether expecting children or not, the necessity for a balanced diet that includes vitamins and minerals from whole foods is one of the most basic nutrition facts. This is doubly serious when pregnancy nutrition is concerned. Adhering to a healthy diet that includes loads of whole foods is a brilliant way to help the baby develop to its full potential.

In view of the fact that weight gain is invariably a significant factor in pregnancy nutrition, women are concerned about every pound they gain throughout the baby's development. It's a worthy idea to grasp ahead of time how much weight gain can be natural. A medical doctor will be aware of the expected amount for specific situations. One way to sidestep any absence of healthy pregnancy nutrition is to eat plenty of the healthiest foods accessible. Procure all the nutrition facts you can and choose the best whole foods that will not bring about excessive weight gain.

The mother-to-be will need to balance her expanding needs for calories with choosing the suitable sources for those calories. Just because the recommended caloric intake goes up does not mean that these should be empty calories. Gaining weight while following some vital nutrition facts can ultimately benefit both the mother and the baby. This means that instead of simply consuming more calories, the appropriate pregnancy nutrition plan will include an adequate amount of whole foods.

Taking in fresh fruits and vegetables is the healthiest way to attain superior pregnancy nutrition that is so crucial. However, many expectant mothers will also benefit from natural whole foods in the form of concentrates and supplements. For example, a pregnant woman possibly will need supplementary calcium for the baby's teeth and bones. Well-documented nutrition facts demonstrate that supplements made with whole foods are assimilated by the body more efficiently than those formulated from isolated vitamins and minerals.

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The Centuriate Assembly in Ancient Rome - Stefano Sandano

The categories established at regular intervals in the census were the basis of all assemblies. The Centuriate assembly (comitia centuriata), which only an official with imperium could summon, was organized like the army with the presiding official acting as a commander and the voters as soldiers. For this reason, it met only outside the sacred limits or pomerium of the city, since commanders could not issue binding orders to their soldiers within Rome. Voting was oral, and each citizen, when summoned to vote, signified his acceptance or rejection of any candidate or proposal by word of mouth. This voting was organized and tallied by centuries, which voted in turn. Each century possessed one vote, which was itself determined by the votes of a majority of the century's members who were present. Victory in a straight majority of centuries determined the outcome. In general, the Centuriate assembly elected new consuls, praetors, and censors, and voted on matters of war and peace. 

Procedures in this assembly favored any presiding official, and also the wealthiest citizens. In elections, the former was entitled to accept or reject the names of would be candidates, although it is unclear how freely this right was exercised in similar passage in Dionysius of Halicarnassus' Roman Antiquities (4.16.1–18.3), this is the most complete surviving account of the classes that made up the census. There remain problems with both accounts in particular, elements of speculative reconstruction are detectible and the link between a census class and its members' military equipment was almost certainly not as rigid as portrayed here. In any event, Livy's census certainly fits third century conditions better than those of the sixth, where both he and Dionysius place their descriptions.Note that juniores were male citizens between seventeen and forty five years of age, while seniores were older.Later, during the second century, the distribution of centuriae may have been changed in a way that reduced the influence of the first class.
  

Servius Tullius then began by far the greatest work of peace. Just as Numa was the author of religious laws, so Servius shone among posterity as the founder of all dis-tinctions within the city and of the orders that mark out the grades of fortune and dignity. For he began the census, a most useful measure for so great a future empire, since it distributed the burdens of war and peace, not individually as before, but according to level of wealth. From the census, for use in war or peace, he then defined classes and centuries and the following gradations.

From those who had a census of 100,000 asses [a monetary unit] or more, he formed eighty centuriae, forty each of seniores and juniores; all were called the first class. The seniores were to be ready to guard the city, the juniores to wage war abroad. For armor, they were to provide helmet, round shield, greaves, and breastplate, all of bronze, as protection for their bodies; as weapons, they were to have a spear and a sword. Two centuriae of carpenters and smiths, who served without weapons, were added to these; they had the duty of making siege machines in war. The second class was instituted from those who had a census of between 75,000 and 100,000 asses; from these, both seniores and juniores, twenty centuriae were enrolled. They were to use a long rectangular shield instead of a round one; except for the breastplate, their remaining arms were the same as for the first class. Servius Tullius wished the census of the third class to be 50,000 asses. Here, he made the same number of centuriae as in the second class, with the same distinctions of age. There was no difference in their equipment, except that the greaves were omitted. In the fourth class, the census was 25,000 asses. The same number of centuriae were formed, but their equipment was different, because they had to provide only a spear and a javelin. The fifth class was larger, and thirty centuriae were formed for it; these men carried slings and stones for missiles. With them were hornblowers and trumpeters divided into two centuriae. The census of this fifth class was 11,000 asses. Those whose census was less than this, the remainder of the population, formed a single centuria and were exempt from military service.

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American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins - Miller Mathew

There is history in absolutely everything that surrounds us from an old passed down t-shirt in your closet, the statue of the town founder in city hall, all the way to national landmarks such as the statue of liberty.  One area that is flooded with history yet everyone seems to over look is the coin industry, which has been pumping history into the monetary system for decades with the craftsmanship of each coin depicting scenes from history.  To get a piece of valuable history (in monetary value as well as historical value), they are perfect for mementoes with their artful craftsmanship and historical imagery.  The coins portray an image of a family of eagles, symbolizing family tradition and values. The gold is of the highest quality and is the entire weight of the coin (which differs on what size coin you get), making these coins highly valuable which makes for a terrific collectors item for you or your loved ones.

If gold isn't your taste platinum American coins are stunning qualities that are easily the equal to the gold coins (or better depending on your preference).  The platinum industry is on the rise as this coin is even worth more than the gold coin around two thousand, with the statue of liberty on one side with liberty written across the top and soaring eagle during sunrise on the other side with United states of America written across the top. Coin's depicting historical sightings isn't just an American commodity but a worldwide phenomenon with even Chinese coins showing off their native pandas.  One great international coin is the silver Canadian maple leaf, which was first minted in 1988 it is now one of the most popular members in the Canadian bullion family.  This coin is the purest minted silver coin produced by a government within any nation.  The coin collecting and selling industry is not just one of lucrative profits but also one that spreads history throughout the world. U.S. gold coins from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries feature some of the most beautiful designs ever minted onto American coinage. Designs include the famous Saint-Gaudens Eagle and Double Eagle denominations ($10 and $20 gold pieces), plus other designs featuring the Native American "Indian", Lady Liberty, and various depictions of the American Eagle.Many of the U.S. gold coins issued from the 1850's onward are suprisingly affordable, selling for little more than the gold bullion value, because these coins were minted in large numbers as a result of the great influx of gold being mined in California and elsewhere in the West. Prices given in this Gallery are dealer asking prices for the exact specimen pictured, and not necessarily meant to reflect the average value for a coin of that date and mint in that condition.

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What is Insomnia? What is the principal cause of Insomnia? - Lelliot Peters

Understanding why we need sleep and knowing the root cause of insomnia is the first step in coming to terms with and treating it.

How do we define insomnia?

Insomnia is the term used to describe a lack of quality sleep; either taking ages to get to sleep, difficulty in staying asleep or waking up too early and being unable to get back to sleep.

What are the effects of insomnia?

People who suffer from poor quality sleep tend to be irritable, inattentive, lacking energy and accident prone.They are more likely to suffer from depression, heart disease and strokes.Continued sleep deprivation brings about changes in the activity and timing of important hormones such as melatonin, cortisol, leptin, thyroid hormones and prolactin. It has been shown in studies that this pattern of hormonal changes has also been witnessed in sufferers of depression and in age-related chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension.

This is just a taste of the negative effects of insomnia and that's without mentioning the adverse effect it has on our immune systems or the incredible impact from daytime fatigue on the occurrence of "accidents"; remember Chernobyl or Exxon Valdez.

What is sleep for anyway?

Nobody really knows exactly how sleep works. For centuries it was believed that sleep was just a neutral state of mind and body but modern science is beginning to identify the many positive affects a natural, good night's sleep has.

Moods

The brain's metabolic rate and temperature is reduced allowing the mending of certain brain cells which would otherwise have difficulty in regenerating.In our deepest sleeping, during the rapid eye movement (REM) phase we do most of our dreaming. It's at this stage when the receptors of the essential drugs serotonin, histamine and norepinephrine take a rest, restoring them to the appropriate level of sensitivity. This restorative measure is believed to be important in regulating our moods during the waking hours.

Sleep and weight loss

If you're trying to lose weight and believe that sleep loss won't adversely affect weight loss, think again. In childhood, human growth hormones (HGH) are responsible for tissue production, but as we grow into adults HGH becomes responsible for, amongst other things, weight regulation. HGH is only released when we sleep.

Sleep to learn

Many studies have been conducted and they have shown that whatever we take in and learn during the waking hours needs to be processed and consolidated before it is put to memory and reflected in our abilities. The process of sleep enhances this in an inestimable way.

So what is the main cause of insomnia?

There may be many reasons why we don't sleep well but the main cause of insomnia is simply stress.

Our lives, like that of any other organism, are kept for the most part at an optimum state of balance. Our hormonal secretions, fluid levels, temperature and so on are kept in balance so that the mind and body can perform at its peak.

The "flight or fight" response when being confronted by a predator is the most common example of a stress response but it can also be triggered by much less profound events such as crowding, noise or darkness. But even less obvious is that a stress response can happen to events such as fear, anger and even extreme pleasure.Sometimes we can live in a permanent state of stress response and prolonged states of stress can leave the body in a constant state of alarm and imbalance. The process of sleep runs contrary to the effects of stress response. Falling to sleep involves the gradual shutting down of systems, a decrease in metabolism and the cessation of the readiness for action. Going to sleep makes us less alert and decreases arousal. The stress response increases arousal and makes us more alert. 

Stress is the main cause of insomnia
The hormones secreted as a result of stress responses excite the body's systems. When stress is chronic we are hyperaroused.When we are hyperaroused we can't sleep. If you are susceptible to the stresses brought about by daily life which impact on your night time sleep there are sleeping techniques using the senses that can maximize the quality of sleep, bringing enrichment to your waking days.

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The History of Mother's Day - Steven Brown

Many of us celebrate the auspicious Mother's day. However, not many of us realize that the celebrations have been prevalent since antiquity. Though this holiday has been commercialized, the day has centuries old antecedents. Many cultures commemorate their mother goddesses as a giver to life and as a representative that nurture's life.

One of the most common gifts on this occasion is to Send Mothers Day Flowers as an acknowledgement of their love, and care. The day is about mothers. This is day to celebrate their importance in the lives of their children and families. Some of us buy dinner and others buy small gifts that would simply convey to them their significance in our lives. The Egyptians dedicated a day to the mother goddess Isis. Greeks commemorated their goddess Rhea, who was the mother of all major gods including Zeus. Rome celebrated Cybele as the symbol of motherhood in 2250 BC. The Romans also dedicated a Spring Festival to Hilaria, the mother goddess. The Taoism culture commemorated the end of May as the "mother of the world day." This day recognizes the goddess as the origin of all things. The day is marked with meditation to attain divine harmony.

In the Middle Ages, people celebrated this day by attending the "mother church" for a special service. England marked the day as the Mothering Day that allowed people to go and visit their mothers. The day fell on the fourth Sunday of Lent. The very first Mother's day was actually called for peace. Julia Ward Howe, a social activist, asked mothers to stop their sons from killing other mother's sons. She requested for an International Mother's Day of Peace.

The current trend of Mother's Day began in 1908. Anna Jarvis, a West Virginian, held the first Mother's Friendship Day to honor her mother and to bring families together who have been separated due to the Civil War. She gave her mother's favorite flower to all the mothers present in the ceremony. Since then, gifting flowers to honor the love of mothers has prevailed. The white carnation flower honored deceased mother, while the pink and red ones paid tribute to those who are still alive. In 1914, the second Sunday of May was declared as Mother's Day by Woodrow Wilson. 

Different cultures celebrate this day differently. In Mexico, a band or her family heralds the mothers of the family, while in Japan, the children submits the drawings of their mothers to a contest that commemorates mothers and peace. Mothers of United Kingdom receive sweets and flowers like violets on this day. It is also customary to present a Simnel cake, which is a glazed fruitcake. The cake is inspired from the folk tale of a married couple, Simon and Nell. Other than this, in Australia it is also customary to gift chocolates, tea bags, perfume and jewelry. Canada celebrates motherhood by helping them to do the daily chores. The Swedish Mother's Day is celebrated on the last Sunday of May. It is has strong charitable overtones. The Red Cross sells small baskets, whose aid is given to poor mothers and children.

Many of us celebrate the auspicious Mother's day. However, not many of us realize that the celebrations have been prevalent since antiquity. Though this holiday has been commercialized, the day has centuries old antecedents. Many cultures commemorate their mother goddesses as a giver to life and as a representative that nurture's life.

One of the most common gifts on this occasion is to Send Mothers Day Flowers as an acknowledgement of their love, and care. The day is about mothers. This is day to celebrate their importance in the lives of their children and families. Some of us buy dinner and others buy small gifts that would simply convey to them their significance in our lives. The Egyptians dedicated a day to the mother goddess Isis. Greeks commemorated their goddess Rhea, who was the mother of all major gods including Zeus. Rome celebrated Cybele as the symbol of motherhood in 2250 BC. The Romans also dedicated a Spring Festival to Hilaria, the mother goddess. The Taoism culture commemorated the end of May as the "mother of the world day." This day recognizes the goddess as the origin of all things. The day is marked with meditation to attain divine harmony.

In the Middle Ages, people celebrated this day by attending the "mother church" for a special service. England marked the day as the Mothering Day that allowed people to go and visit their mothers. The day fell on the fourth Sunday of Lent. The very first Mother's day was actually called for peace. Julia Ward Howe, a social activist, asked mothers to stop their sons from killing other mother's sons. She requested for an International Mother's Day of Peace.

The current trend of Mother's Day began in 1908. Anna Jarvis, a West Virginian, held the first Mother's Friendship Day to honor her mother and to bring families together who have been separated due to the Civil War. She gave her mother's favorite flower to all the mothers present in the ceremony. Since then, gifting flowers to honor the love of mothers has prevailed. The white carnation flower honored deceased mother, while the pink and red ones paid tribute to those who are still alive. In 1914, the second Sunday of May was declared as Mother's Day by Woodrow Wilson. 

Different cultures celebrate this day differently. In Mexico, a band or her family heralds the mothers of the family, while in Japan, the children submits the drawings of their mothers to a contest that commemorates mothers and peace. Mothers of United Kingdom receive sweets and flowers like violets on this day. It is also customary to present a Simnel cake, which is a glazed fruitcake. The cake is inspired from the folk tale of a married couple, Simon and Nell. Other than this, in Australia it is also customary to gift chocolates, tea bags, perfume and jewelry. Canada celebrates motherhood by helping them to do the daily chores. The Swedish Mother's Day is celebrated on the last Sunday of May. It is has strong charitable overtones. The Red Cross sells small baskets, whose aid is given to poor mothers and children.

Whatever be the kind and culture, all celebrations commemorate motherhood. It is day wherein children appreciate what their mothers do and acknowledge their presence. Giving gifts is part of the process. However, it is also important to be gratified of their existence. It is important to personalize the gifts to ensure that it is creative and yet bears the message of love.

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