Thursday, September 6, 2007
Reproductive Justice: Informed Life-choice
By Diepiriye S. Kuku-Siemons
Depo Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPA) is one of the most widely researched and documented safe and reliable means of contraception. DMPA is 99.7% effective and lasts up to three months, making it a viable alternative to oral contraception and IUDs. Long-acting injectable contraceptives such as DMPA remove the daily tensions surrounding reproductive and sexual health, especially for those who find other methods impractical. Although proven safe and effective, the oral contraceptive pill is impractical for many and does not address the myriad of circumstances and concerns of many couples. Due to a variety of health concerns and individual needs, IUDs are clinically unsafe for many women. Expanding the basket of choices of contraceptives promotes the praxis of reproductive rights.
There are a plentitude of circumstances in which couples in the prime of their fertility may wish to delay pregnancy. For example, young, urban career-oriented couples may choose DMPA as a highly effective means of long-term fertility control. Young couples struggling to meet the needs of existing children may find DMPA a convenient and easy-to-use contraceptive method of choice. Other young couples may be eager to have their first child, yet wish to postpone further offspring. In these cases contraceptives serve as a 'spacing' method, permitting women and their spouses to concentrate on pursuing studies/training or rigorous career paths. 'Spacing' also represents a responsible and mature attitude towards fertility, cultivating better and more informed parenting.
Clinical, demographic and social science professionals alike conclude that an unmet need for contraceptives monopolizes a great deal of women's time. Time spent dealing with fertility reduces precious time for responsible and effective parenting, care-taking of elders, income generation and self-development. DMPA specifically addresses a constraint of parenthood- namely time and stress management. Poverty exacerbates these constraints where reduced access to health care services as well as education and training all work to limit life-choices.
Risky choices
A recent study in the Indian Journal of Pediatrics of pregnant women from six urban slums revealed an 80.6% prevalence of anemia. The researchers concluded that in most instances, anemia resulted from inadequate dietary intake of iron, of which 90.9% of study participants fell far short of the daily recommended allowance. DMPA may reduce menstrual bleeding and promote a slight weight gain, making it a wholly beneficial and life-enhancing alternative. Other non-contraceptive benefits of DMPA include a reduction of pain associated with endometriosis as well as the palliative treatment of certain cancers.
Lactating mothers too often struggle with post-partum health, while at the same time seeking a reliable means of contraception that does not place her child at risk. The combined oral contraceptive pill is not a viable alternative for lactating mothers who harbor concerns over the effects of the quantity or quality of their breast milk. Lactating mothers may shoulder responsibilities towards her newborn child, existing children, spouse and other kin, rendering the daily attention and inflexibility of oral contraceptives an unnecessary hassle. DMPA has no adverse effects on breast milk while providing security and reassurance unparalleled.
Rights to Resources
Reproductive rights theorizes access to treatment and care, while reproductive justice works towards ensuring quality, safety, and practical access for women in a myriad of socio-economic circumstances. Purporting contraceptive choices as a reproductive right overlooks the varying circumstances which mediate a woman's personal agency and ability to decide. To transition from reproductive rights to reproductive justice it is necessary to expand the basket of choices to address the unmet needs for contraception and birth spacing as well as their practicality.
The utility of DMPA gives credence not only to reproductive health as a right, but also to reproductive justice by broadening the element of choice to a wider array of women, particularly those living in poverty or otherwise disenfranchised. Far too little research interrogates the intersection of poverty and unmet needs for pragmatic, safe and effective contraceptives. In real terms, poverty reduces access to education/training as well as quality health care. The unmet needs for contraception across all social-economic strata indicates an urgent necessity to re-examine these linkages in the form of expanding knowledge resources and availability of choices. Enhancing the basket of contraceptive choices can drastically enhance the lives of women in particular, and families in general, especially those traditionally disenfranchised.
References
Shali T, Singh C, Goindi G. Prevalence of anemia amongst pregnant mothers and children in Delhi. Indian J Pediatr [serial online] 2004 [cited 2006 Apr 17];71:946-946.
Salt Can Help Fight Skin Infections and Dryness
Some 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates used salt liberally to heal a number of conditions and diseases – milk and salt water were combined as an early morning drink to heal diseases of the spleen, steam from salt water was inhaled to cure respiratory ailments, a mixture of salt and honey was applied topically to clean ulcers, and salt water was used externally to treat skin diseases. Although we don't hear much about spleen disease these days, and modern medicine has many treatments for respiratory ailments, skin infections are still very common, and you may want to consider adding salt to your skin care routine.
What does salt do for your skin? In addition to its antibacterial and antifungal properties that fight infection very effectively, it exfoliates, stimulates circulation, hydrates the skin, increases moisture retention, helps regenerate skin cells, detoxifies the skin, and helps to alleviate even the most severe dry skin conditions.
How do you use it? You can bathe or shower in it, soak your feet or hands in it, or use it in masques and cleansers. Salt baths have been used for thousands of years, and even today people travel to health spas that offer bathing in natural springs high in salt and other minerals. In addition to treating your skin, salt baths have the added benefit of reducing inflammation of the muscles and joints, relaxing the muscles, and relieving pain and soreness.
Natural salts such as Himalayan crystal salt are the best types to use as they contain many beneficial minerals lacking in regular table salt. Himalayan crystal salt, for example, contains 84 of the 92 required minerals, and in similar ratios to those found in a healthy body. Bleached and cleansed table salt has been reduced to only two – sodium and chloride. The extra minerals not only nourish the skin, their absorption through the skin is beneficial to the entire body.
In cases of serious skin infection or disease, you should consult a dermatologist. Find one who is in favor of natural remedies rather than chemicals, but if you do have dry skin or simply want to beautify and nourish it, try natural salts.
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Author, Gloria MacTaggart, is a freelance writer who contributes articles on skin care for Gloves In A Bottle, Inc. For more information, visit www.glovesinabottle.com.
Increasing your Magnesium Levels Can Help Prevent Allergy and Asthma Attacks
Most people are deficient in magnesium due to the refining of foods- find out how increasing your daily intake of this important mineral can make a big difference to your overall heath and also prevent allergies and asthma.
Magnesium is a trace mineral that is required for not just building strong bones but for the proper functioning of our entire bodies.
"Magnesium is not limited to improving bone health. There are some three hundred bodily enzymes that require magnesium, which suggests that magnesium is vital for most cells and tissues of the body".- excerpt from American Chiropractic.
Studies show that insufficient magnesium levels not only can cause asthma and allergies, but also muscle cramps, muscle twitching, muscle weakness as well as muscle aches, TMJ disorders, depression, insomnia, osteoporosis, attention deficit disorder, fibromyalgia, diabetes, mitral valve prolapse, migraines, attention deficit disorder, noise sensitivity and nervousness among several other conditions.
Todays refined food simply does not contain enough magnesium and foods that do contain it lose it through the cooking process. Even if you are purposefully eating raw foods daily that are rich in magnesium, consuming coffee, alcohol, soda or soft drinks and salt will result in a loss of this mineral. Foods that contain magnesium are cereals, nuts, green vegetables, and dairy products.
However, according to an article in The Lancet by Britton et al. Magnesium deficiency is surprisingly common. In one study 65% of an intensive care population and 11% of an outpatient population suffered from magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is used pharmacologically in acute myocardial infarction, (heart attack) angina, (chest pains) cardiac arrhythmias, (irregular heart beat) alcohol withdrawal, and pre-eclampsia ( high blood pressure during pregnancy). It has been used to treat acute asthma, plus magnesium may also help prevent asthma. (Britton J et al. Lancet. 1994; 344: 357-361. McLean RM. Am J Med. 1994; 96: 63-76.)
Maintaining proper levels of magnesium in the body helps by relaxing airway smooth muscle and dilating bronchioles in the lungs. It also reduces histamine release and inflammation of the airways and lungs by stabilizing mast cells and T- lymphocytes. Studies like the one in The Lancet showed that increasing magnesium intake helped to reduce and even prevent allergy and asthma symptoms.
Taking a good magnesium citrate supplement, which is easily absorbed is important. Recommended daily dosages vary from 500 mg to 1000 mg if you have a substantial deficiency, but be aware that a dose of 1000 mg of magnesium will cause a loose stool. It is best not to take it after a meal since it neutralizes stomach acids, which would interfere with digestion. It is best to consult a naturopathic doctor or nutritionist for advice and testing to determine your individual needs. Trace mineral deficiencies can be determined through a tissue mineral analysis using a stand of your hair.
Susan Millar is a former asthma and allergy sufferer. She is a researcher and the author of The Dramatic Asthma Relief Report, based on extensive research from internationally respected medical publications about a genuinely effective drug-free treatment for asthma & allergies, which helped her to eliminate her asthma and allergies. This book has helped many other sufferers worldwide to do the same.
Please visit her website for more information about asthma, allergies and the Dramatic Asthma Relief Report: http://www.dramatic-asthma-relief.com/
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