Love Hormone oxytocin

Love Hormone and its Fascinating Facts – Oxytocin

If you’ve given birth before, you’ve probably heard of oxytocin – especially if you’re a breastfeeding mother. Oxytocin is the hormone that controls uterine contractions during labour, and helps with the milk ejection in breastfeeding. But this amazing neuropeptide is involved in so much more than just those two functions.

Studies show that oxytocin is calming and can improve mood – it lowers your blood pressure and blocks stress hormones. It can help relieve inflammation and stimulate metabolic functions, like digestion and growth. It is present in females and males, and is active in social interactions. It brings about feelings of relaxation, selflessness, and love. World renown obstetrician, Michel Odent, says, “Whatever the facet of love we consider, oxytocin is involved.”

And oxytocin may be the key to adapting to motherhood. Synthetic oxytocin, however, which is often used to induce or augment labour, does not act the same way in the body as naturally occurring oxytocin. Pitocin/syntocinon does not cross the blood-brain barrier; and while it does produce the same mechanical effects on the body, it does not lead to the same behavioural effects, like maternal attachment promoting behaviours.



The amazingly versatile hormone is present throughout the body during many different activities, and it serves many functions. Here are some fabulous and fascinating facts about oxytocin:



Oxytocin Fact #1:

Oxytocin is released in pulses, and the more pulses the more effects seen from the hormone. Baby’s suckling triggers these pulses, which improves milk production and release.

Oxytocin Fact #2:

A surge of oxytocin is released as a baby is being born (due to stretching of receptors in the lower vagina), and baby’s oxytocin levels are high at birth, as well.

Oxytocin Fact #3:

The highest peak of oxytocin in a woman’s lifetime is right after her baby is born, but before the placenta is delivered – we can maximise the hormone’s potential by placing baby skin to skin with mum and leaving the two undisturbed during the time.

Oxytocin Fact #4:

Skin to skin contact increases oxytocin release – whether it’s mother and baby right after birth, dad massaging his infant, or mum and dad holding hands.

Oxytocin Fact #5:

Speaking of birth, an epidural can impact the effects of oxytocin by blocking the pathways it travels. Since oxytocin increases your pain threshold, the epidural may not even be needed.

Oxytocin Fact #6:

Prolactin, the milk-making hormone, is dependent on oxytocin for its production. The levels of these two hormones are strongly correlated during breastfeeding.

Oxytocin Fact #7:

Oxytocin helps mothers interact with their babies. Oxytocin levels correlate with the amount of mother baby interaction, and both benefit from its effects.



Oxytocin Fact #8:

When a baby kneads at the breast, oxytocin is released – so let your baby hug the breast during feeding rather than tucking or swaddling those hands away.

Oxytocin Fact #9:

Oxytocin release can be hindered by a stressful environment, as fight-or-flight hormones inhibit oxytocin. But if someone feels emotionally supported, calm and warm, the environment works in favour of her hormones.

Oxytocin Fact #10:

Oxytocin helps your body use nutrients through digestion, and aids in transferring those nutrients into breast milk (and to the foetus during pregnancy).

Oxytocin Fact #11:

Oxytocin has direct effects on brain growth, especially the neocortex of the newborn.

Oxytocin Fact #12:

12. Oxytocin is released during orgasm (male and female). Orgasm has a host of physical and emotional health benefits, so don’t forget to give your partner the nudge now and again!

Oxytocin Fact #13:

Problems with the oxytocin system have been implicated in mental health issues, such as schizophrenia, drug dependency and suicide.

Oxytocin Fact #14:

Positive effects of oxytocin exposure last well past weaning – repeated ‘doses’ of this hormone over the months of breastfeeding can improve maternal health, though more research is needed in this area.

Oxytocin Fact #15:

Aside from its reproductive roles, oxytocin is released when sharing a meal with a friend, hugging someone you care about, and even when petting your dog. So if you’re feeling down, spend some quality time with a good girlfriend, get your hug on with those you care about and love (and ditch the quickie hug, give it longer than a few seconds, relax into it and see how different it feels!) or get connected with your partner… and we’ll leave the rest up to you!

cystic fibrosis and vitamins

Cystic fibrosis and vitamins

Why do people with cystic fibrosis’ need to take vitamins?

Many people with cystic fibrosis have problems when they eat food, making it hard for their intestines to soak up nutrients, especially fat. To help with this enzymes are taken with meals and snacks. Vitamins A, D, E & K   are unique because they need fat in order to be ‘soaked up’ by your body, they are called “fat –soluble” vitamins. Even someone takes enzymes they can still lose fat in their stool. If they are losing fat their stool. If they are losing fat then they are probably also losing vitamins. If you don’t take your vitamins, over time, you may develop low levels in your blood. This is known as vitamin deficiency.

You may wonder why it is important for someone with CF to take their vitamins if they don’t   have a problem when eat. To understand why, you must realize that vitamins are important to your body when yo ur healthy, but they even more important when you sick. People who have CF may find they get sick more often than people who don’t have CF. To help their bodies fight an infection they need more vitamins than someone without CF. To help their bodies fight an infection they need more vitamins than someone without CF. We ask people with CF to take a vitamin pill because it is very hard to get enough vitamins from food alone. Our focus is often the Fat soluble vitamins, but it is important to remember that all vitamins are needed for healthy body.

 

What do the different fat soluble vitamins do and what will happen if I do not get enough?

Vitamin A

Vitamin A has many important roles in the body. It helps you see at night and lets your eyes adjust when you move from a dark place to a bright place .If you have a vitamin A deficiency then   your eyes may not be able to get used to changes in light. There have been people with CF who have reported having this problem. If you think this is a problem. If you think this is a problem speak to your CF doctor.

Vitamin A also helps make skin and helps fight infection when you get sick. During childhood it helps you   grow. It is found in eggs, liver, tomatoes, milk and some fruits & vegetables. For people with CF, food sources are not enough to prevent vitamin A deficiency. Therefore a vitamin supplement is usually recommended.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D comes from two sources. It is made by the skin when it is exposed to sunlight, and it is found in the foods we eat. It helps your body absorb calcium, and helps move   calcium from your blood to your bones. Without enough vitamin D your bones can weaken and the chances of break in a bone become greater. While foods such as eggs and cereals contain vitamin D, the main source is milk. A vitamin supplement is usually recommended to make sure you get enough every day.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E has become very popular because of its role as an antioxidant. As you grow your body goes through many changes. As your body changes it produces harmful products that can destroy your healthy cells. Vitamin E helps get rid of these harmful products and this is why it is called an antioxidant. A deficiency of vitamin E can affect your body’s ability to protect itself when you get sick. For people with cystic fibrosis this may affect their lungs and their ability to breath. Foods that contain vitamin E include plant oils, margarines, and some fruits & vegetables. Diet alone cannot prevent a vitamin E deficiency in people with CF, therefore a supplement is usually recommended.

Vitamin K

Most of the vitamin K we need comes from our diet. It is found   in green vegetables, plant oils, and margarine. We also have healthy bacteria in our intestines that produce vitamin K. Even though the bacteria in your intestine is healthy, it can be destroyed by the antibiotics you may take for a lung infection .This can affect the amount of vitamin K you get on a daily basis. Vitamins K is very important because   it helps your blood clot. When you cut yourself, the time it takes for your cut to stop bleeding is affected by how much vitamin K you have in your body. The longer it takes to ‘clot’ the less   vitamin K you may have Vitamin K is also important for proper bone growth in children. To prevent a deficiency many people with CF take a supplement that contains vitamin K.

Dietary sources

Vitamin A                  Liver

                                        egg yolk

                                       dairy products green leafy or yellow vegetables

Vitamin D                  liver fish

                                       fortified milk and margarine

Vitamin E                  vegetable oils nuts eggs wheat germ

Vitamin K               Green leafy vegetables liver bacteria in the intestine also make vitamin K

Why should I take vitamins?

People with CF are at a very high risk for getting vitamin deficiencies. These deficiencies are serious and can include symptoms such as night blindness, bone fractures, back pain, and bleeding. They may also affect how quickly you recover from a lung infection. You can prevent these deficiencies just by taking your vitamins recommended by your clinic. To make sure get the most vitamin supplements it is best to take them with food and enzymes.

 

             Thyroid alert for                                              women 

   

                            Thyroid alert for women!The disorder is affecting younger women too, of late. Here's how to battle it with the right approach

It's one of the most common disorders that can affect an individual owing to the fast lives we lead. Alarming figures say it attacks close to 12 million people, annually, and yet the unfortunate part is that many don't even know they have a thyroid disorder. Have you wondered why you are gaining too much weight even when you are eating less food? Are you worried why your child scores poor marks in exams despite putting in a lot of effort?

Do you know why one of your close friends find it difficult to conceive a child or is experiencing miscarriages? It could well be due to the thyroid gland.

The culprit
The thyroid gland is located in the front of your neck with two lobes on either side of your windpipe. The gland is controlled by the pituitary gland that lies underneath your brain in your skull. The pituitary senses the level of thyroid hormones in your blood stream and secretes thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). "This hormone activates the thyroid gland to produce thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) hormones. Thyroid gland needs iodine to produce T3 and T4 hormones. Both too much and too little iodine can cause the thyroid to malfunction," explains Dr Nupur Krishnan.

What is a goitre?
This is the enlargement of the thyroid gland that takes place when essential nutrients like iodine and selenium are deficient in the diet. The gland thus grows in an effort to filter more blood to get the scarce nutrients out of the blood supply. It occurs in about 5 % of thyroid patients.

Dietary treatment
Virgin coconut oil offers hope for those suffering from hypothyroidism. It contains
medium chain fatty acids, which increase metabolic rate and promote weight loss.

- Avoid artificial sweeteners made of aspartame.
- Avoid peanuts, millet and rapeseed (canola oil)
- Avoid smoking and a high dose of nutrition supplements.

Consumption of sufficient iodine and Vitamin A helps in reversing Hypothyroidism. The recommended dietary allowances(RDA) for iodine is 150 mcg (micrograms) per day for adults.

Avoid salads of raw vegetables made with those of the cabbage family like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables. They contain a substance known as goitrogens, which affects thyroid hormones and may lead to goiter. By cooking these vegetables goitrogens can be destroyed and its adverse effects can be reduced.

Consume more seafoods, especially ocean fish, which is a good source of iodine. Even people on a low-salt diet can get plenty of iodine from green leafy vegetables, milk and milk products.

Have eggs as well as deep yellow or orange fruits and dark green vegetables which help in meeting additional vitamin A requirements.

Pregnant women need 220 mcg iodine per day and nursing mothers, 290 mcg. Iodised salt provides 2 to 6 gm of salt each day.

Although anti-thyroid medications cut down the thyroid gland's overproduction this alone may not be the best approach because hyperthyroidism may reoccur once medication is stopped. You can take some extra supplements like edible coconut oil, primrose oil, flaxseed oil or fish oil to help with the dryness and hair loss.

Affecting younger women today 
Says endocrinologist Dr Altamash Shaikh, "It's no longer affecting just the over-30 group. Thyroid is also affecting younger women today in the age bracket 15-20. It's important that youngsters keep a check on symptoms of puffiness, weight gain and fatigue and if they show these, they must get a TSH screening done. There is no need to panic. Thyroid is treatable."

Hypothyroidism & Hyperthyroidism
When thyroid produces high level of T4 and T3, it is known as Hyperthyroidism. Graves disease is the most common cause of this. This condition speeds up metabolism rate and results in unusual hunger, weight loss, muscle weakness, rapid heart beat, excessive sweat etc.

Hypothyroidism is caused due to decreased production of thyroid hormone. Dr Krishnan, who has treated several patients suffering from this disorder, adds, "Hypothyroidism happens when the thyroid gland is unable to produce enough T3 or T4. Inflammation in thyroid known as Thyroiditis also cause hypothyroidism. In any case, timely diagnosis is crucial."

Infertility and pregnancy
Having trouble getting pregnant? Thyroid could be the culprit. Both hyper and hypothyroidism can cause infertility. "In males, it leads to low sex drive and sperm reduction. In females, it affects production of ovaries and causes premature menopause. However, normal fertility can be restored. During pregnancy one must take care of hypothyroidism, as it might cause miscarriages or birth defects in a child," Dr Krishnan explains.

Symptoms
- Abnormal weight gain
- Neck enlargement
- Depression
- Frequent and heavy menstrual flow
- Thinning hair, dry hair and hair loss
- Slow heart rate
- Developing dry, coarse skin
- Difficulty in conceiving
- Feeling exhausted easily
- Mood fluctuations and poor memory
- Muscle cramps and joint pain
- Feeling cold, developing a husky voice
- Goitre