STORY TO BE TOLD

Iron

What is iron and why is it important?

Iron is a mineral that helps build red blood cells. Most importantly, iron helps your blood cells carry the oxygen that is needed for energy. Getting the right amount of iron can improve your performance in sports and in school.

Iron is an important nutrient for teens, especially for those who have started menstruating. Vegetarians also need to pay extra attention to make sure they get enough iron.

What is anemia?

Anemia is a condition that occurs when you don't have enough healthy red blood cells. This is a problem, because without the right amount of healthy red blood cells, enough oxygen doesn't get into your body. This causes people with anemia to look pale, and often feel weak and tired. The most common causes are not getting enough iron or losing too much iron from heavy menstrual periods. Your health care provider may recommend a multivitamin with iron if it seems like you are not getting enough iron from foods. If you are already anemic, your health care provider will probably suggest an iron supplement.

How much iron do I need?

Iron is measured in milligrams. The amount you need depends on your age, gender, body size, and lifestyle. In general, though, you can use these guidelines to determine how much iron you need.

• Girls age 9-13: 8 mg/day
• Girls age 14-18: 15 mg/day

What foods are rich in iron?

Good sources of iron include red meat, eggs, poultry, fish, legumes (or beans), and fortified cereals. It is important to know that your body absorbs iron from animal sources (known as “heme” iron) more easily than it absorbs iron from plant sources (known as “non-heme” iron). The following table lists some foods that are good sources of iron.

Food	Serving Size	Iron (mg)
Beans and Peas
Baked beans, without pork	½ cup	1.5
Chick peas	½ cup	2.4
Lentils	½ cup	3.3
Red beans	½ cup	2.6
White beans	½ cup	2.5
Cereals
Cheerios®	1 cup	10.3
Cinnamon Life®	¾ cup	7.4
Frosted Miniwheats®	1 cup	15.4
Rice Krispies®	1¼ cup	11.4
Whole Grain Total®	¾ cup	22.4
Dried Fruit
Peaches	¼ cup	1.6
Apricots	4 large halves	0.4
Raisins	¼ cup	.07
Meat, Poultry and Fish
Beef liver, cooked*	3 ounces	5.8
Egg, large	1	0.6
Pork, cooked*	3 ounces	0.9
Salmon, canned*	3 ounces	0.7
Sirloin, cooked*	3 ounces	2.9
Turkey, light meat, roasted*	3 ounces	1.6
Veal, cooked*	3 ounces	0.9
Other
Almonds, whole, unblanched	½ cup	3.1
Prune juice	½ cup	1.5
Spinach, boiled	½ cup	3.2
* Source of heme iron

Nutrition Tips:

• Foods high in vitamin C help your body absorb non-heme iron. Try eating iron-rich foods along with foods that are high in vitamin c, such as citrus fruits and juices, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, and dark green vegetables. For example, top your cereal with strawberries, add tomato slices to a turkey sandwich, or have an orange with a peanut butter sandwich.
• Choose breads, cereals, and pastas that say “enriched” or “iron-fortified” on the label. These foods have extra iron that can really boost your intake.

Remember: Try to include iron-rich foods in your day to keep your body healthy and prevent anemia.

Written by the CYWH Staff at Children's Hospital Boston

source taken from: http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/

What if I have big clots of blood during my period?

Dark, chunky clots of blood can be perfectly normal. Many women get them during their period when they have days of heavy cramping and heavy bleeding. Your body usually makes things called "anti-coagulants," that keep your blood from clotting as it moves to your vagina and out of your body. But during days of heavy bleeding and cramping, your body is pushing blood so quickly out of you that your body does not have time to release these anti-coagulants. Your blood then clots. If you have clots that are bigger than a quarter, it is a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider.

What if I get spots of blood on my underwear between my periods?

Bleeding in the middle of your cycle could mean different things. Some women bleed a little bit during the middle of their cycle, when they ovulate (when a mature egg is released from your ovaries). This is nothing to worry about. Other times, "spotting" occurs because of an infection such as a sexually transmitted disease (if you are having sexual intercourse). Very rarely, "spotting" can be because of a polyp (a tumor that may need to be removed surgically), but this is not very common. You should talk to your healthcare provider if you have bleeding when you don't have your period.

Written by the CYWH Staff at Children's Hospital Boston

source taken from: http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/

What if I haven't had my period yet?

It's normal to get your period as early as 9 years old or as late as 15 years old. This is a big time range and it's hard to be one of the first or one of the last. Girls who are active in sports or are very thin may not get their period until a later age. Losing weight while you are in your growth spurt can also delay your periods. Talk to your parent or your healthcare provider about your worries and concerns. If you haven't gotten your period by the time you are 15 OR if you started your breast development more than three years ago and haven't gotten your period, get a check-up with your healthcare provider just to make sure everything is okay. Your healthcare provider sees many girls who develop late, so don't be embarrassed to ask. Your healthcare provider may do a genital exam and check to see if your hymen (a thin piece of tissue that partially blocks the entrance to your vagina) is open. Some girls are born with an "imperforate hymen," which means that your hymen doesn't have an opening, and blood cannot leave the vagina. Some girls are also born without a vagina and/or uterus (MRKH), so they don't get their period for this reason. It's a good idea to get regular check-ups during puberty just to make sure that everything is okay.

How often should I get my period?

You should get your period once every month. Your menstrual cycle should be about 28 days. This means that there should be about 28 days from the first day of your period to the first day of your next period. 28 days is an average number, but anywhere between 21 and 35 days is normal. Your period will usually last between 3 and 7 days. The amount of blood flow you have will probably be different each day. You will usually have the most blood in the beginning of your period and the least towards the end. When you are first getting your period, you may have a very heavy period one cycle and very light one the next.

What if my periods don't come regularly?

You may be one of those young women whose periods may be affected by changes in body weight or diet, increased stress, eating disorders, exercise, illness, or going away to college. Remember that if you are having sexual intercourse, an irregular period could be a sign of pregnancy. Your period may last 1 day or it may last 7 or 8. All of your cycles may not be the same number of days, and the length of your cycle may change over time. It is common for a girl just starting her period to have irregular periods for a year or two.

Periods too far apart. You may only get your period 3-4 times a year, instead of once a month. If you are having your periods only a few times a year, this may be because of stress, intense exercise, weight loss, or diet. Too few periods could also be caused by a mild hormone imbalance called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is especially likely to cause irregular periods if you also have acne, excess hair growth, or weight problems. You should check with your healthcare provider if there are more than 35 days between your periods.

Periods too close together. You may get your period every two or three weeks. This can be because of stress, some types of exercise, or other changes in your life. If your periods are less than 21 days apart, or if your period seems to be too heavy, your provider may want to check your blood count to see if you are anemic. If you are anemic, you may have too few red blood cells, or too little hemoglobin (oxygen-carrying protein in your red blood cells). People who are anemic need to eat foods that have iron and take an iron supplement.

Why should I track of my period?

Keeping track of when your period starts and stops is a good way to see if there is a pattern to your menstrual cycle. It is also important to write down how many days you have your period and the amount of flow you have. Bring your Period Trackers with you when you see your health care provider so that he or she can evaluate your cycle.

My Monthly Period & Symptom Tracker

My Monthly Period & Symptom Tracker is an easy way to keep track of your menstrual flow, and it’s also a way to keep track of cramps, and/or PMS and period symptoms (if you have them) each month.

• Review the sample Monthly Period & Symptom Tracker.
• Print out copies of My Monthly Period & Symptom Tracker.
• Simply make a check mark in the appropriate box (or boxes) for each day of the month. If you don't have any flow or any symptoms on any given day, leave the box empty. Refer to the Blood Flow Key at the bottom for "Flow" definitions.
• The dates at the top are the same as the dates in one month. Some months have 28 days, others have 30 or 31.
• Remember to bring My Monthly Period & Symptom Tracker with you to your medical appointments.

Written by the CYWH Staff at Children's Hospital Boston

source taken from: http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/

Too little sleep may make you fat
Too little sleep may increases the chance of becoming obese, a study suggests

People burn fewer calories asleep, so it might seem to be counterintuitive that more sleep prevents weight gain.

But it was found people who slept four hours or less per night were 73% more likely to be obese, possibly because of effects on appetite hormones.

The Columbia University study was presented to the North American Association for the Study of Obesity annual meeting in Las Vegas.

Sleep deprivation

A team from the Mailman School of Public Health and the Obesity Research Center at Columbia analysed data on 18,000 people aged between 32 and 59 who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during the 1980s.

They found that, even after factors such as depression, physical activity, alcohol consumption, ethnicity, level of education, age and gender had been taken into account, people were more likely to be obese the less sleep they had.

While those who had less than four hours sleep were most at risk, people who got only five hours of sleep were 50% more likely to be obese than those who were getting a full night's rest.

Those who got six hours of sleep were 23% more likely to be substantially overweight.

Dr James Gangwisch, who led the research team, admitted: "The results are somewhat counterintuitive, since people who sleep less are naturally burning more calories."

"But we think it has more to do with what happens to your body when you deprive it of sleep as opposed to the amount of physical activity that you get."

And Dr Stephen Heymsfield, who also worked on the study, said it was not as simple as saying that if people were awake for longer, they were likely to eat more.

"There's growing scientific evidence that there's a link between sleep and the various neural pathways that regulate food intake."

Prehistoric cause?

He said previous research had shown sleep deprivation was linked to a decrease in levels of the hormone leptin, which regulates appetite and weight and tells the brain how much energy is available in the body.

However, levels of the hormone grehlin, which makes people want to eat, have also been seen to increase in people who are sleep-deprived.

Dr Gangwisch suggested the reason for this effect could hark back to prehistoric times.

"The metabolic regulatory system may have evolved to motivate humans to store fat during summer months when the nights are shorter and food is plentiful, which was a survival mechanism for the body to prepare for the dark winter months when food would not be as plentiful.

"As a result, sleeping less could serve as a trigger to the body to increase food intake and store fat."

Dr David Haslam, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, said: "This is counterintuitive. But I think the key to it is that, if you're not sleeping, you're quite likely to be snacking in front of the computer or the TV.

"Being stressed, which can affect sleep patterns, is also known to affect hormone levels."

But Dr Haslam said: "This is very interesting because it flies in the face of what you would expect."

source taken from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

What Is The Baby Food Diet?
Weight Loss Through Controlled Portion Diet Meal Plans - Crash Diets

Feb 12, 2008 Kim DeLeary

Baby Sized Portions for Diet Meals

Diet and nutrition can come in small packages, even too small. Similar to portion controlled diets, the baby food diet meal plans involve jars of nutritious baby food as a healthy alternative to snacks and sometimes a meal. The jars of baby food are in controlled sizes that are convenient to use and inexpensive compared to other diet foods such as healthy snacks and diet meals.

As a diet fad, the baby food diet comes and goes. For many people, eating baby sized diet meals instead of regular sized snacks and occasional meals has its advantages. Instead of having a regular sized portion, baby food dieters will dine on a bit of pureed nutrition which is easily digested. Baby food is the right size for a small nutritious snack or diet meal that only needs warming in some cases. Baby food is also eaten right out of the jar at room temperature.

The small sized baby food portions consist of liquidized or pureed versions of the food that we enjoy chewing daily. Generally, baby food has fewer preservatives and additives than regular processed foods. The baby food should be high quality and organic baby food that is not over processed, highly nutritious and low sodium.

The Baby Food Crash Diet Can Leave You Feeling Weak

Crash diets remain popular despite the unhealthy effects that crash diets can produce. On the baby food diet, dieters will have a jar of baby food as a snack or sometimes one meal a day when they want to lose weight. The baby food diet is considered one of the crash diet plans if you eat one or two baby-sized meal a day because this represents a significant drop in calories. Any crash diet can leave you feeling weak and tired and you should consider slow and steady weight loss instead. Baby food portions will not satisfy the hunger for a meal.

Baby Food Is Not For Everyone

As a diet food, the baby food diet meals and snacks have their disadvantages. Some people can't stand the idea of eating baby food that has been processed so that all that is left is mush. For texture, add unsweetened granola or bran. With this addition, some baby food dieters will replace the morning meal and morning snack with baby-sized portions.

source taken from: http://diet-trends.suite101.com/