Welcome

Featured | By on December 23, 2011

Welcome! This website is inspired by the book written by Catherine Redfern and Kristin Aune published by Zed Books in June 2010. We’re a fan site, not an official site, however we have some of the original content archived for your enjoyment as we didn’t want to let it disappear!

On top of the book related content, in our blog section we’ll be posting about subjects that are of interest to us, so please have a read through and let us know what you think.

Many thanks for taking the time to visit us. We hope you enjoy the site and, more importantly, get hold of a copy of the book and enjoy it as much as we do! Have a great day.

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This entry is filed under Blog General.

Why We Should Grow Old Disgracefully

By on April 30, 2012

We all get old sometime, but that doesn’t mean we have to like it!

The stereotypical image of an old person these days is someone frail, with white hair (or blue rinse), sitting around drinking tea, with nothing better to do all day than watching TV, playing bingo or simply falling asleep in a chair. Why does it need to be that way? Why can’t we go on making the most of every day, every hour that we’re given right up until our time is up?

It’s party a state of mind thing of course, but there are simple lifestyle and cosmetic steps that we can all take to make ourselves feel younger.

Resveratrol can be beneficial. There have been promising studies done on this compound. Resveratrol can provide some of the same benefits. It’s found commonly in nuts and grapes. You can also find it within the roots of a plant called the Japanese Knotweed, this is commonly used in supplements. Resveratol is also found within Senna quinquangulata roots as well.

Exercising regularly helps you stay younger, longer. There is evidence that supports the idea that workouts will help you reduce the signs of aging. Regular exercise will keep your muscles toned, give you more stamina and better circulation, and help your skin stay healthy.

Fiber-rich foods can help you minimize the signs of aging. The fiber you eat will prevent toxins from building up in your digestive tract. It can also lower your cholesterol levels and regulate digestive processes, which then stabilizes blood glucose levels. Fiber is the key to great digestion.

Ask your doctor about supplements that can slow down the effects of aging. You should mix a good combination of vitamins, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant supplements. Consuming these will help your body feel and perform as though it were younger. Include these as an essential part of your plan everyday.

Many people gain weight as they age. Having a healthy weight can help you avoid health problems such as strokes, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, and certain cancers. Maintain a healthy weight by making beneficial food choices and participating in a daily exercise program.

Aging sometimes means we have to look at the option of some form of assisted living. Caring for yourself might no longer be possible at some point in life. This is the time to consider moving into a long term care facility or nursing home. Assisted living or nursing home living may not be your ideal situation, but it may be the best possible option. There are a variety of different licensed care facilities and professionals who will help assist people who are unable to care for themselves.

Gradually increase the time and effort you dedicate to your exercise regimen. As your body ages, it needs more activity to keep itself strong and malleable. You should at least take 5 days out of every week to go on a thirty minute walk. Mix it up with some strength exercises twice per week. This combination of walking and strength exercises will help you maintain a strong healthy body and keep you feeling young.

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Columbian Girl Gives Birth at Age 10

By on April 11, 2012

It has been reported that on April 9th 2012, a 10 year old girl from Columbia gave birth to a healthy baby girl. This makes her one of the youngest mothers in recorded history.

The mother, remaining unnamed, is from Manaure, a town in the Columbian Department of La Guajira. She arrived at the hospital in horrible pain due to contractions. Reportedly, she delivered a 5 pound baby girl via caesarean section.

Experts say that a c-section for such a young mother is common. Young girls do not have a large enough pelvis to warrant delivering a baby by traditional methods. Also, extremely young mothers are at a higher risk for things such as high-blood pressure (pre-eclampsia), and their babies are also at risk due to growth restrictions.

All said, 10 year old bodies are not made for pregnancy. The body is not yet mature for such an event. The fact they some 10 year old girls are able to get pregnant is a different story. One that defies many peoples’ morals.

The mother is of a tribe of the Wayuu people, indigenous to northern Columbia. The age and specifics of the father are unknown. Police cannot press charges for rape due to the tribe’s jurisdiction over the matter.

The director of the hospital where the girl gave birth says that she has seen pregnancies from this tribe in young girls, but that this one was especially young. She described it as “shocking”.

Pregnancy can occur at any time a girl starts ovulating, or has her period. Some girls begin this phase earlier than others, but this is a time when the girls are so young that they should be playing with dolls or playing dress-up, the director says. The average girl doesn’t begin menstruating until 12 and a half, but that age is reducing over the years. Given the statistics, the chances of sexual encounter at that age are slim and even slimmer with a pregnancy.

The results of this case are startling. Even more startling, is that girls can get pregnant before their first period because ovulation precedes menstruation. Menstruation usually happens last in the puberty cycle for girls, after hair growth, breast developments and growth spurts. Women should be aware that if these things are happening to their daughters, they may be able to get pregnant.

There is now speculation amongst people as to whether or not the birth of this girl’s child is immoral. Just because the tribe has its own laws, does not mean that girls should be giving birth at 10, some say. Others are saying that to judge the mother is wrong. The tribe has its right to function however it sees fit. This is still an eye-opening situation.

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Making Money by Donating Eggs

By on March 27, 2012

Looking for a way to make money? If you are a woman between the ages of 21 and 35, and in good physical shape without any medical conditions, you may be eligible to donate eggs. Though many donation centers prefer women who have already given birth or donated before, this does not mean that you will not be eligible for the program.

Women must research donating eggs before jumping head-first into the procedure. A lot is involved with donating eggs. You will be subjected to a battery of tests including: a psychological exam, gynecological exam, a standard physical and blood and urine analyses. Be sure to know your family history, as questions of their medical past will be asked as well.

Be aware that the processes used to increase fertility may cause unpleasant symptoms, such as hot flashes, sleep problems, fatigue and breast tenderness. OHSS, or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, is also a possibility and cause for discomfort. It involves swelling and fluid retention in the ovaries, making abdominal pain prevalent. Carefully review all of the adverse effects of being a donor before you decide to become one.

Once you are approved as a candidate for egg donation, ask yourself who you want to donate the eggs to. There are medical facilities that treat infertility. There a brokers who work for others to procure eggs and then there are facilities looking for specific qualities in a person before they collect eggs.

After you have selected an avenue to donate your eggs, you will be given a series of hormones to stimulate egg production. During this time, you will be under medical scrutiny, to ensure everything goes according to plan. The eggs are then harvested through a small surgical procedure.

Your eggs will be given to women who battle infertility, to those who fear genetic disorders, or to those who simply want a child, but do not have a partner. All of these are good reasons to donate eggs.

Payment can be anywhere from the thousands to numerous thousands of dollars for egg donation. It depends on the facility and who the recipient of the eggs will be. Compensation is high due to the length of time it takes to donate and the procedures involved. Payment may also vary depending on age, ethnicity, and genetic make-up. Egg donation is actually a very quick way to make a lot of cash and can be done several times.

If you have upwards of a month to provide eggs, the outcome may be very satisfying. Not only do you receive compensation, but also piece of mind that you may be helping someone create a family, who wouldn’t have been able to without your help.

Resource:

 Have You Considered Becoming an Egg Donor?, attainivf.com, retrieved March 19, 2012

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This entry is filed under Health.

Helpful Tips For Successful Parenting

By on March 19, 2012


Whatever the personal choices involved in choosing to become a parent, the reasons are valid on many levels. With the choice comes wonderful uplifting moments and difficult down times. No matter what their age, your kids are unique individuals, and they won’t hesitate to remind you that they have their own minds. The below article provides a lot of parenting advice for dealing with all the things that parenting presents.

Take a break once in a while. Find a friend or relative who can care for your children for an hour or two. Parents that do not get personal or adult time away from children have higher levels of stress that magnify throughout the home.

Parents should focus on positive reinforcement when they need to deal with a child’s difficult or negative behaviors. Older children are just learning how to deal with new emotions and physical changes. Showing them how to express themselves properly is the best way to help them.

If you want your child to learn a new behavior, track his progress using a chart. Make a chart with many empty squares. Every time the child does his chores, he receives one sticker. When your child’s chart is full, give a reward. Using such a chart lets the child see his progress and accomplishments, which will motivate him to keep working towards his next reward.

When traveling with children, it is advisable to stop often to allow them time to expend some of their pent-up energy. Although it might seem like getting to your destination quickly is the best decision, taking things slow and recognizing the needs of everyone in the vehicle can really salvage the trip. Stopping to eat, or at a park to let the kids play will make the journey a little better.

Parenting is both a tough and rewarding job. Whether you are the parent of a newborn or already have several older children, there is an unending stream of questions and challenges when it comes to parenting. You can draw on the information and advice in this article, whether you’re in the middle of a parenting crisis or just looking forward to enjoying some family time.

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This entry is filed under Blog General.

How To Be Successful

By on March 3, 2012

There are many Americans who wish to better themselves. Some people are looking for improvement in their personal lives, while others have their focus on the professional aspect of their life. The piece that follows includes several useful ideas for those wishing to pursue greater personal development.

Do you consume too much alcohol? Are there other such vices harming your body such as smoking or recreational drug use? Mistreating your body will lead to illness, premature aging and an early death. Eliminating bad habits is important if you wish to improve your life. Analyze your life and habits, and make a point to cut out any habits that are not good for you or your body.

Therapy might be the solution for people who have serious issues. Sometimes it takes a professional, outside perspective to identify the real source of a problem and this cannot be found in self-help books. There are many times when talking with another person about a stressful situation is the most effective route to relaxation. Reading even the best self-help book cannot start up a back-and-forth dialog, the way a therapy session can.

Sometimes a little risk could equal great happiness for you. Many do not want to risk feeling like a failure, or feeling rejected, so they are often stuck in comfort zone that leaves them feeling unfulfilled. Taking risks can lead you to the things you want out of life, which will bring you the most happiness.

Get together with others that share your point of view. This will help to boost your self-esteem as well as give you a bit of a break from the kind of people that spend their time badmouthing your dreams and goals every chance that they get.

An excellent tip for personal development is to treat your body well. Listen to your body’s cues. If it tells you that it needs food, water or rest, LISTEN. Your body will be healthier and happier if you listen and follow these guidelines. Ignore what your body tells you at your own peril. If you let it down over and over again, it may get its revenge by letting you down.

Pinpoint your personal values when you are crafting a personal development plan. It wouldn’t make sense to work on areas in your life that contradict your values. Spend your energy and time on those areas that you want to better and that mesh well with your values. Take a Ladbrokes free bet and instead of using it on a horse, have a bet on yourself. Your own life is the only thing that you can ultimately have full control of, so back yourself to succeed whatever the odds you face. Positive changes that you make in your life are more likely to stay with you if they coincide with your value system.

Instead of boasting about trophies, awards, and medals, try asking others about their achievements. This gives you an opportunity to find out the talents and achievements of the people around you, and it might help you gain more respect for others as you learn more about their character.

Even when you’re unhappy with your life, it can be hard to find the motivation to change. There are good insights in this article that can assist you in getting started, but do keep in mind that your dedicated effort is still required. You’ll discover ways to keep your motivation and drive from waning by referring back to these suggestions periodically.

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Don’t rebrand feminism: reclaim it

By on March 3, 2012


Kristin has an article in The Scavenger:

Declared dead, irrelevant, unfashionable, yet simultaneously responsible for a host of social ills, feminism has a bad rep.In fact, feminism’s image in the mainstream media has been pretty awful over the last decade or so.

To give just a few British examples: ‘Bra-burning feminism has reached burn-out’, cried The Times in 2003, while the left-wing New Statesman bewailed ‘Where have all the feminists gone?’ (2006). This September, The Daily Mail declared: ‘It’s feminism we have to thank for the spread of fast-food chains and an epidemic of childhood obesity’.

These accusations affect how people see feminism. Research by Christina Scharff, Lecturer in Culture, Media and Creative Industries at King’s College London, seems to bear this out.

Based on interviews with 40 German and British women, Scharff investigated women’s perceptions of feminism. Three quarters didn’t see themselves as feminists, and the language they used to distance themselves from the F word revealed how media stereotypes have become ingrained in the vernacular.

The non-feminist women explained that they thought of feminists as: 1) unfeminine; 2) man-haters; and 3) lesbians. Stereotypes of dungarees, rugby shirts, hairy legs, short hair, a so-called ‘ugly’ appearance and, predictably, bra-burning (a long-held allusion to an event which never actually happened) accompanied their explanations.

And yet when asked to give examples of feminists they knew who fitted this description, no one could.

 

Read more here

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Skin Care Advice

By on March 3, 2012

If you have naturally healthy skin, you will look younger, and there will be no need to cake on the makeup. If you want your skin to look great, you must take proper care of it. These tips will help you learn what you need to know to properly care for your skin.

Be very careful when you are shaving. A razor’s blades are very sharp, causing irritation or damage when you don’t use it properly. Also, add a layer of protection and lubrication with shaving cream, lotion or gel. Keep your blades clean and oiled for the closest shave. As you shave, go with the lay of the hair, instead of against it.

Don’t put on socks or gloves that are damp or wet. If you wear wet gloves or socks, they can make your skin irritated which can cause itching, cracking and even sometimes, eczema.

If you wear prescription glasses daily, it is important to clean them regularly. It is common for the nose bridge to get clogged due to glasses. Simply cleaning the bridge of your glasses with soap and water will eliminate the dirty buildup.

Before going to bed, moisturize your face with a cool lotion containing humectants. Your body temperature rises as you sleep, which causes you to sweat. This is a cause of dry skin, which humectant moisturizers can help remedy.

Smoking and good skin care do not mix. You will accelerate the aging process considerably if you smoke, gaining untimely wrinkles and looking much older than you are. Your skin can’t get oxygen as well when you smoke. Smoking does damage to the collagen and elastin. Smoking also promotes the formation of wrinkles around the eyes and mouth.

People with oily skin should only use products that are formulated for their skin type. You can also eliminate oils by using a toner or astringent. Use a moisturizer for oily skin to keep your skin oil-free.

Be sure to clean your skin twice a day. This will keep off any dirt or other impurities that may make their way onto your face. After you clean your skin, apply a moisturizer.

Excessive sun exposure causes wrinkles and spotted skin, as well as cancer and other serious skin ailments. You should make sure to wear sunscreen any time you are exposed to the sun.

Always wear sunscreen of at least 15 SPF when you get out, no matter how cool it is outside. Wear sunscreen to prevent sunburn, peeling skin, and most importantly, wrinkles. Daily use of sunscreen slows the aging process, giving you younger, healthier-looking skin.

To help with acne and get great looking skin, make sure to maximize the amount of time you spend outdoors and in the sun. You can do this by going to the park at lunchtime or finding other ways to get outdoors, as part of your everyday routine. When you are outside under the sun, your body produces vitamin D, an essential ingredient for great skin.

A good skin care regime will enhance your overall appearance and give you confidence. Properly caring for your skin takes only a few minutes a day, and the benefits are well worth your time. Remember these tips; they will get you on the path to learning about proper skin care. Tell your friends when they ask how you maintain such a youthful appearance.

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