A recent study revealed that the average handbag and its contents are worth a whopping 900 dollars! That's 120 billion dollars women are carrying around in handbags nationwide. And can you blame us, really, when there's such an abundance of variety in the handbag market?It could well be argued that handbags have overtaken shoes as the luxury collectable accessory of choice for celebrities and ordinary women alike.But in fact handbags may have as long and controversial a history as the ubiquitous high heel, and according to handbag historians they were used in a similar way - to show the status of the wearer.In the fourteenth century, the richer and more powerful the person the more jewels and embroidery festooned the handbag. Not much has changed in the handbag world, then.Over the centuries handbags have gone through many adaptations and fashions, but the word 'handbag' was only coined in the 1900's. That decade also heralded the type of handbag we would recognise today - with bags getting increasingly smaller and the introduction of handbag fasteners, inner compartments and locks.But that's enough history: clearly the most important time period in terms of handbags was the fifties, which saw the rise of the ultimate handbag designer houses; including Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Hermes.Like Chanel's Number 5 perfume, some of these handbags have become instantly recognisable fashion icons; signifiers of the rich and the famous. Sadly, though, this means that showing off your new Louis Vuitton at the office party, or having a stash of Gucci handbags in the wardrobe, is out of the price range of almost everybody.We should be grateful for the Internet, for perhaps giving us mortals a chance to own a genuine Gucci handbag without having to win the lottery or shoplift. The web is so full of second hand designer handbag dealers that auction giant Ebay have branched out with their own dedicated handbag site, e bags.Even better, high street shops are increasingly living up the ideals set by the designer houses, and its never been more likely that you can buy a handbag for 8 dollars and pass it off as a unique one-off! Truly his decade ought to be the decade of the handbag: and specifically the stylish and affordable handbag. Handbag fans rejoice!

Menopause Hormones

The main problem with menopause is that there is a drastic reduction in production of the female hormones. This is what causes all the physical discomfort and hot flushes in menopause. The popular line of treatment is to take menopause hormones externally. Substitution of menopause hormones can be in the form of oral medication or it can be local application in the form of topical ointments.It is important to take these menopause hormones strictly under a doctors guidance. A doctor studies the patients symptoms and entire family history and then recommends the correct dose and combination of menopause hormones. This ensures that the patient is not at risk and is taking the right menopause hormone.Women can take either one or both menopause hormones depending on their physical condition and age. Women who have undergone a hysterectomy must take both estrogen and progesterone. Such women have a greater risk of heart disease, blood clots and breast cancer. Women taking estrogen alone have a chance of suffering a stroke.Menopause hormones give good relief from hot flushes and vaginal dryness. There is no proof that they prevent heart disease or improve ones general health. The benefits of menopause hormones vary with age. Women with early menopause greatly benefit from a short course of menopause hormones. Older women who take menopause hormones have a greater risk of developing breast cancer or tumors.Younger women do reduce their chance of heart disease by taking menopause hormones. A comprehensive study to determine the benefits and risks of menopause hormones in younger women is underway. The results of this study can provide vital clues for improving the health and quality of life of menopausal women in the years to come.There is a need to regulate the duration of menopause hormones. One must take estrogen daily and progesterone about twice a week. The exact dosage varies with the patients symptoms and medical condition. However, it is worth taking menopause hormones for a short time and not on a continuous basis.A woman must regularly review the dosage of menopause hormones with her doctor. If the hot flushes have ceased, she must stop taking menopause hormones gradually. She can also shift to other localized medication like creams and patches. Menopause hormones are not a cure for age related problems like osteoporosis and heart disease. They are the last step in therapy when other medications have failed for these medical conditions.Thus, a doctor must prescribe menopause hormones only after a detailed study of the patients medical record. Menopause hormones are not a magic cure for the symptoms of menopause, but they do gradually lessen some of its symptoms like hot flushes.

Herbal Remedies To Prevent Miscarriages

Miscarriages could happen due to a plethora of reasons. Some of the most common causes are -- Multiple pregnancies- Increasing age. With increasing age the percentage of miscarriages also increase. As per statistics, for women who are less than 35 years miscarriages happen at a rate of 6.4%, between 35-40 it is 14.7% and over 40 it is 23.1%.- Uncontrolled diabetes- Affected by a soft tissue disease known as Scleroderma- Fever over 100 degree F- Smoking increases the risk by nearly 30-50%- Earlier use of contraceptive pills could also be a reason.- Women who conceive with IVF treatment, as in case of hormonal imbalance- Abnormalities of the uterusPreventive MeasuresSome home remedies suggested to prevent miscarriages areDrink raspberry leaf tea with a little Composition Powder. This helps to alleviate after pains of childbirth, uterine hemorrhage, and miscarriage.True Unicorn Root is a very important tonic for women. It is very useful in healing female reproductive organs. It works pretty well for women who have a history of miscarriages due to chronic weakness. It can be used for the entire period of pregnancy as it has simulative properties. It is valuable for treating sterility and impotency problems.You can drink one cup of false unicorn every half hour to prevent miscarriage.You can have Squaw Tea, which prevents miscarriages and strengthens the uterus.Boil 2 oz. wild yam and 1 oz. coltsfoot in 1 1/2 quarts of water for 20 minutes. Take 1 tsp for 1 every cup and have it 3-4 times a day.Another recipe is take 1 part Black haw, 3 parts false Unicorn root and 1 part Lobelia. Boil 3 oz herb in 1 1/2 quarts of water for 20 minutes. Drink 1 tablespoon with water at least 3-4 times daily.False unicorn and Lobelia helps in the nurturing the reproductive system by supplying hormone building nutrients that helps in holding the pregnancy.Avoid these herbs as they can poisonous and can induce abortion or miscarriages. Black cohosh, Blue cohosh, Celery root, Pennyroyal, Slippery elm douche, Tansy, Western red cedar, Yarrow, Rue, Lovage, Ginger, Cotton root bark, Sweet flag, Mistletoe, Ginseng, Golden seal, Juniper berries, Oil of sassafras, Myrrh, Southernwood, Motherwort, Angelica, Marigold, Bracken fern, Golden ragwort and Mugwort.Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Rape, and Sexual Abuse

The estimated risk for rape survivors developing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is 49%. The risk for those beaten or experiencing physical assault is 31.9%, whilst the risk for others who experienced sexual assault is 23.7%. Given these figures, it is no wonder women are more likely to develop PTSD than men, as they are statistically significantly more likely to experience sexual assault.Post traumatic stress disorder is characterized by intense fear, a sense of helplessness, or horror. It can affect all areas of a person's life, their emotions, mental wellbeing, and physical health. And symptoms are generally worse in situations, like rape and abuse, where the trauma was deliberately initiated against those involved.A person with "post traumatic stress disorder" may re-live the traumatic events, having flashbacks or other reminders and images that intrude on their waking hours, or in dreams and nightmares. These reminders may also trigger physical symptoms, such as heart palpitations or chills. Or emotional problems, like anxiety, depression, and dread.People with post traumatic stress disorder may avoid any reminders of the trauma, whether that is people associated with the experience, or places, or even thoughts of the trauma. They can distance themselves from family and friends, and withdraw from everyday activities and things they used to enjoy.Relationship problems are common for survivors of rape and sexual abuse. Some survivors avoid intimacy, others avoid sex, and some avoid both, and create patterns in their lives where those coping mechanisms are maintained. But sufferers of PTSD who did not experience any sexual abuse can also have problems in their relationships, or in social situations.Another characteristic of post traumatic stress disorder is being on guard all the time, and suddenly feeling anger or irritability. There can be problems with sleeping and concentrating, and sufferers may be startled easily. Self destructive behaviours, such as gambling, risky sex, drug use, alcohol abuse, or other problems like dangerous driving, may be present. Depression, disassociation, or other mental health problems can develop. Not all of these characteristics may be present in PTSD, and the degree to which one experiences them may vary also. And PTSD may not develop until months or years after the trauma. Particularly in relation to abuse in childhood, symptoms of PTSD can pass, then reappear later in life. This can make it difficult to recognize when PTSD is occurring, as survivors may not associate their current feeling and behaviours with pas events. Each time symptoms appear, however, they provide an opportunity for healing. Post traumatic stress disorder can be treated, using a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Whilst medications were not thought to help in the treatment of PTSD in the past, they have been found to be beneficial now, probably due to newer ones being available. The SSRI's (selective serotonin uptake inhibitors) zoloft and paxil are both approved by the FDA for treating PTSD. And newer antidepressants like effexor and serzone are also beneficial, and tend to be used when the patient does not tolerate paxil and zoloft, or those medications aren't effective.There are 3 types of psychotherapy that can be used to treat PTSD. These are exposure management, cognitive therapy, and anxiety management. A combination of all 3 may be used, or one individually. Each person is different in what they will respond to. In exposure therapy, patients confront, in a safe therapeutic environment, the situations, people, and memories associated with the trauma. People with PTSD usually avoid this very thing, but by working through the trauma in this way, exposure therapy is actually very effective at healing PTSD.Cognitive therapy helps in the process of understanding how our thoughts affect our feelings, and provides ways of shifting negative thinking. Negative thinking can perpetuate a mental prison where joy and interconnectedness is no longer felt. Changing those dynamics can provide a new framework with which to process the trauma, and allow healing to occur.In anxiety management, skills are learnt that help one cope better with the symptoms and triggers of post traumatic stress disorder. They can help reduce the intensity of the symptoms, though they need to be practised to be effective. Anxiety management techniques can be very helpful in controlling anxiety whilst doing exposure therapy. Some techniques used include relaxation, breathing techniques, assertiveness training, and positive thinking and self talk.References:1. ptsdalliance.org/about_what.html2. ptsd.factsforhealth.org/whatmeds.html3. nimh.nih.gov/publicat/anxiety.cfm