Many women suffer changing emotions after giving birth.  One minute they can feel happy and excited and the next they can feel upset or depressed.  Some women experience sleeping problems and can lose their appetites.  These symptoms can be put down to the hormones present after giving birth and usually disappear within a few days but for some unfortunate women they don’t go away and it is necessary to get medical help.  Many women feel ashamed to admit to having postpartum depression so they will delay seeking medical help. The symptoms of postpartum depression can last for months if left untreated thus harming relationships between mother and child or mother and partner.

Postpartum depression can occur from between one month to one year after the child is born.    Symptoms of postpartum depression include, difficulties sleeping, tearfulness, loss of libido, sadness, guilt, depression and weight loss or gain.  In the worst cases though, the woman can suffer with feelings of paranoia, or wanting to hurt the baby or themselves.  They can find it difficult to bond with the baby and may require hospitalization.

Causes of postpartum depression can include, stress, extreme changes in hormone levels, fatigue, or responsibility involved in the care of the new child.  Postpartum can be treated with antidepressants or with counseling.

Postpartum Depression

The heart is a pump that is designed to force blood through the body and as with any type of pump, it works by generating pressure. In the body, the blood is pumped through the arteries to all major organs, but if there is too much pressure it can put a strain on the heart itself or the arteries, causing all sorts of problems.

Blood pressure is dependent on two things. The first is the force with which the heart pumps the blood around the body, and the second is the narrowness of the arteries. Hypertension happens when the blood is forced with increased pressure through the arteries.

When blood pressure is measured, it is done so using two numbers, an example being 120 over eighty. The first number listed is the systolic blood pressure which is the maximum pressure exerted on the arteries when the heart beats, and the second number listed is the diastolic blood pressure, or the minimum amount of pressure on the arteries when the heart is relaxed. The example above is of a normal blood pressure reading.

Blood pressure can be considered high when the systolic blood pressure reading is constantly above 160, and/or the diastolic blood pressure reading is above 100. One of the biggest problems with high blood pressure though, is the fact that it doesn’t always cause any symptoms meaning it may go unnoticed until a later complication such as a heart attack or stroke.

Other complications arising from high blood pressure can be an aneurysm, heart failure, eye damage, kidney failure or atherosclerosis, which is the narrowing of the arteries. Some factors that could contribute to high blood pressure include hereditary reasons, obesity, kidney disease, diabetes, excessive salt intake, lack of exercise and high intake of alcohol.

High Blood Pressure

Eczema can be described as a generalized term for various inflamed skin complaints, and one of the most common forms is atopic eczema. Although eczema varies in appearance from person to person, it can usually be characterized by red, very itchy blotches on the skin. People often refer to the condition as the “itch that rashes” because when an itch is scratched, a rash appears.

Eczema can occur almost anywhere on the body, and typically on the face, neck, insides of elbows and knees and the ankles. It affects people in different ways, with some reporting oozing blisters, and others scaly, dry and red skin. In time the skin becomes leathery in texture and thickens due to chronic scratching.

A lot of substances have been found to act as “triggers” in individuals suffering from eczema and these triggers are not the same for everybody. Some of these triggers include coarse material in contact with skin, causing an itch; feeling hot and sweaty; soaps detergents and disinfectants; dust mites, juices; animal saliva; respiratory infections; and stress.

Eczema can occur in both adults and children but usually appears at infancy. Even though there is no obvious cause for the condition, it does seem to affect individuals with a family history of different allergies. Outbreaks can frequently be avoided by following some simple precautions: moisturizing frequently, avoiding sudden temperature fluctuations, try to avoid sweating, reducing stress and avoiding “scratchy” materials, avoiding harsh detergents.

Eczema