Double Mastectomy: Cancer Survivor Shuts Down Internet Trolls

26-year-old Meghan has shared her story on Instagram and was forced to respond to hurtful comments

Meghan Franz has been sharing her brave struggle with breast cancer on social media and sadly was forced to defend herself against internet trolls.
You would think that with such a positive message, that life carries on and that women are still beautiful after surgery, that people wouldn't bring negativity.
Sadly, there doesn't seem to be a social media platform without cruel trolls.
After undergoing the life-saving procedure she posted a picture of her double mastectomy with a moving and inspiration message.

She wrote: "First pic and finally ready to show the world my mastectomy "cuts"! Its so crazy how simply because my nipples are gone Im so comfortable showing them off! "I feel like in a way the nipples make them sort of "holy" And that intimacy makes them something our society has learned to hide. Mine are gone, so all hail the nipple-less booby! "My expanders are filled to 310cc, one more fill to go!!! Truth is, this is cancer... Cancer can be beautiful!! I hope my story can help other women like me to stand up to cancer and always sparkle on."
Unfortunately some people commented on the picture with some deeply hurtful things. Meghan then posted a screengrab of some of them, with a perfect clap back.

She wrote: "So these are just SOME of the many disgusting, hateful, and ignorant comments posted on my photo of my double mastectomies.

"My sister deleted a ton more before I could see them. For someone to describe me as "gross" or call me a "'freak' is exactly the people that I was hoping my picture would reach.

"To all you TROLLS out there... It is you that makes this world we live in the violent and disturbing society we are surrounded today. This is why we have young children taking their precious lives because of people like YOU!

"Perhaps I should be more censored with my posts as evident by my expander fill pic being taken down by @instagram even though community guidelines state that mastectomy photos "are welcome to spread awareness". To all you women and men out there battling, surviving, and defeated by any illness... No matter what people say about you, continue to sparkle on

"And to all you haters, I wish I could fart in your face and suffocate you in all my sparkle... Because NEWSFLASH, I'm fabulous and beautiful!

So watch out world... Because Meghan Franz Koziel is here to stay, tittys out, nipples gone, and i'm ready to spread my sparkle to all those that will listen! Xo"

So much love for Meghan.

5 Ways Swimming Improves Your Life

What Is Swimming? 
Swimming is the self-propulsion of oneself through water or another liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs, the body, or both.

Do You Want To Swim More? 
Of course you do; Just 30 minutes of swimming is the equivalent to an hour’s land-based exercise.

But why should you be swimming for fitness? 
What does the pool have that pilates or the gym can’t give you?
Read on for five well-being benefits you’ll get by taking the plunge.

It’s good for your heart

While all strenuous exercises that raise your heart rate can claim the same, swimming has an edge over your morning jog; your infrequent breaths during lengths teach your body to use oxygen more efficiently, as there’s less of it being pumped round the body. A healthier heart and lungs mean a longer life, confirmed by University of South Carolina researchers who studied swimmers over the course of 30 years. Published in the journal Human Kinetics, the researchers concluded that swimmers were 50% more likely to live longer lives than runners, walkers and those who did no exercise at all.

It tones muscle and burns fat

Swimming is tough on your heart, but your cardio isn’t the only reason to dive in. Water is 800% denser than air,  so swimming acts as resistance training, developing and toning underworked muscles like your deltoids and arms while your tensed core keeps you horizontal. Add the endurance training aspect of frequent lengths, and it’s easy to see why swimming is among the best full-body workouts around.

It helps you recover

Whether you’re easing yourself back into training with sore muscles or you’ve got a bum joint and fear losing your edge, swimming is one of the best ways to stay on top of your game. Despite weight training being the undisputed queen of boosting bone strength, swimming ups bone density with no impact on the joint at all, according to the American Physiological Society. It’ll also get you back to training even fitter than before; the International Journal of Sports Medicine shows swimming boosts performance in race events after being used for active recovery.

It improves the rest of your cardio

If you want to improve your running technique, logic dictates you put on your trainers, but that’s no reason not to supplement the pavement with the pool. As well as constant kicking toning your glutes, quads and hamstrings, by only taking a few breaths per length you’re drastically increasing your body’s endurance capacity. You can isolate muscle groups with the help of training aids: kickboards to take your upper body out of the equation, relying solely on your legs, or pull-buoys to increase the drag, providing an upper-body workout. It all adds up to an improved workout elsewhere; the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sport study showed that running economy increases by 6% after just 12 sessions of swimming. Essential if you find yourself short of breath after 5k.

It’s a mood-booster

All exercise contributes to the release of endorphins which are a guaranteed spirit-lifter, but swimming is especially cathartic. Whether it’s due to the regulated breathing or a change in environment, swimming is such a stellar stress-beater that the People’s Journal of Scientific Research claimed it was comparable to yoga in reduction of anxiety over 12 weeks.

Pregnancy Through Anal Sex - Dr. Steixner

Urologist Dr Brian Steixner revealed that he treated a patient who conceived after having sex with her partner through her rectum. The patient according to Dr. Steixner had a rare condition called 'cloacal malformation' which affects one in 50,000 people. This condition happens when the rectum, vagina and urethra fail to separate into three tubes and bodily fluids drain into one channel.


The woman had an operation when she was younger to fix the problem, but it didn't go according to plan and left a tiny hole connecting her womb to the rectum.
After the surgical disaster, she gave up hope of ever getting pregnant but was left shocked after she found out she was pregnant and admitted her anal escapades to Dr Steixner. She got pregnant because of the hole connecting her womb to her rectum after the surgery.

Dr. Steixner performed X-rays on his patient which confirmed she had gotten pregnant through anal sex. He said:

"We knew about her condition, and we had followed her for a decade. "After doing a whole bunch of X-rays, we determined that she got pregnant from having anal sex.

Source

Woman Who Endured Five Years Of Slavery Starvation And Chains Freed At Last

Zunduri says it all started when she ran away with her boyfriend at age 17. The relationship quickly fizzled and she found herself homeless in Mexico City. Instead of returning home, she found food and shelter with a lady who owned a dry cleaning shop in the Mexican capital's south side. 

It was a family business. The mother owned the cleaners and was helped by the father. Two daughters occasionally helped. There was also a sister of the owner's with two children.

At the beginning, Zunduri says, the dry cleaner's owner treated her so nicely she started calling her "mom."

But little by little, the amount of work she was asked to do increased.

First, it was doing domestic chores around the house, but not the cleaners. Then it increased to ironing clothes a few hours a day, which eventually turned into 16-hour shifts. Occasionally she would iron clothes for as long as 20 hours a day, she said.

As the workload increased, the amount of food she was allowed to eat decreased.

She says one time she went five days without eating anything and was so hungry she would chew on the plastic bags she used for laundered shirts. She survived on the little water she could take out of the iron, she said. By then she was already sleeping on the floor.

The heavy workload was followed by beatings.

"The first time she started kicking me. Then she said, 'You have no right to talk back because I'm like a mother for you. If you call me 'mother,' you have to understand that mothers discipline their children,'" Zunduri said.

Zunduri said, in addition to being physically abused, she was also brainwashed. The message was always the same: "You're worthless."

"She always tried to put things in my head like, 'Your mom doesn't love you. If she loved you, she would be here with you. If she loved you, she would've taken you back. The guy you left with didn't love you either. He couldn't stand you because you're worthless as a woman,'" Zunduri said.

Finally, when she felt she could no longer take more beatings or humiliation, she says things got much worse. Her captor put her in chains.

"She told me, 'This is how animals like you should be treated' and she grabbed me and put the chain around my neck. I could only say 'No, this is unnecessary. Don't treat me like this. Don't do it,'" Zunduri said.

The chain then moved to her waist, so that she would still be able to iron clothes, Zunduri says, estimating that she spent six months in chains.

Zunduri is now celebrating her first year of freedom. After five long years in captivity, she was finally able to escape in April 2015 when the woman who enslaved her left the chains a little loose.

Human rights attorney Maria Teresa Paredes, one of the first people to see Zunduri after she escaped, said she was horrified when she saw the victim's injuries.

"There was not a single part of her body without a scar or wound. She also had scratches and bruises. She had also lost a lot of hair," Paredes said.

Actress and human rights activist Karla de la Cuesta, who is now a close friend of the victim's, says Zunduri was also tortured. Her captors would frequently use the iron to burn different parts of her body.

"She tells me that her captors would peel off the scabs from her skin. When she was healing from her burns and scabs would appear, they would yank them off so that they would bleed again.

"They would scratch her neck with their fingernails. Her head was badly injured as well. They used the iron to burn her in the head," de la Cuesta said.

After Zunduri escaped and her case came to the attention of authorities, police raided the house where she had been held captive.

Seven people were detained, including two minors.

They were all members of the same family.

The two minors were later freed, but the five remaining adults remain behind bars and face charges of human trafficking and exploitation, punishable by at least 40 years in prison.

She told her story to Mayor Bill de Blasio in New York. She traveled to The Vatican last July to meet with Pope Francis.

She has also traveled to other countries, such as Argentina, where she openly talks about her story of slavery.

Her dream is going to culinary school to become a pastry chef. She wants to open her own bakery someday.

Zunduri is a victim, a survivor. But when you see her friendly smile you realize that in spite of everything she went through, her spirit remains undaunted.

1 In 3 Adults Suffer From High Blood Pressure? Check Why!

What is Hypertension?
Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated.
 
Today, Tuesday 17th May is World Hypertension Day. This event is hosted by the World Hypertension League in partnership with the International Society of Hypertension and is celebrated globally.

Hypertension is the number 1 cause for Stroke and Heart Failure. Globally, increased blood pressure is the leading cause of deaths and disability. An estimated 18% of deaths (9.4 million) were attributed to high blood pressure in 2010.

This killer disease can be controlled with the right lifestyle choices such as:

       • Choosing & eating healthy foods
       • Reduced salt intake in food
       • Drinking more water ( at least 8 200ml glasses per day)
       • Exercising
       • Drinking responsibly
       • Quitting smoking and avoiding second hand smoke
       • Regular check-ups and Blood Pressure screening. Visit your GP and pharmacist as often as needed

Screening for high blood pressure is quick and simple. It usually takes about 10 minutes. It is non-intrusive and may save your life.

Make the time to pop into any HealthPlus Pharmacy to have your blood pressure checked today. Our seasoned healthcare professionals are on hand to offer you quality service and products to combat and defeat this silent killer disease.Source

Five Reasons: Your Workout Is Not Working

We all know how amazing working out is for your health. However what happens when the workouts that you are performing are not delivering the results that you want? Well this is very common as some workout programs are a lot better than others and numerous important factors also come into the equation when training hard. Everyone is different and the reality is that people need individualized training programs for them to be effective and to get the results that they desire. However, maybe your workout is not getting the end results because of the
You are expecting too much too soon
If you have just started working out with the hope of looking like a fitness model within a short space of time then you are setting yourself up to fail. Realistically you are not going to see the results immediately and getting the physique that you want does take time and a huge amount of dedication. Granted that you will start to feel better and healthier after a few days but getting those chiselled abs and sexy glutes does take more time to achieve.
Setting unrealistic goals is a major part of expecting too much too soon and this poor planning can lead to continuous disappointment. This will make everything a lot harder for you. A good strategy is to set realistic goals that are achievable and to celebrate your achievements along the way. This should keep you motivated and on track with your physique goals.
On the flip side don’t expect miracles and don’t be upset with yourself if you don’t see the results after a short period of time. Try not to feel disillusioned and disheartened by the whole process because once you start to see the fruits of your labour, you will feel on top of the world. A key point to consider is that you need to keep going and your efforts will soon start to pay dividends.
You keep doing the same workouts
When you started performing your work outs it may have produced some results. However over time your results have slowed down considerably, the training has become too easy and your motivation is starting to dip. If you are at this point then it is time to mix up your training routine and to get your physique goals back on track.
When perform the same routine over and over again the body adapts to it very quickly and at the beginning you will start to see the results but this soon tapers off. Therefore by confusing the body and mixing up your routine will stop the body from adapting to your work outs. This will produce a consistent flow of results in terms of your performance and physique goals. By keeping the work outs fresh will ensure that the body can’t adapt to what it does not know is coming!
You are eating a poor diet
A dream physique is made in the kitchen and a poor diet is a major barrier to you achieving your training goals. Working out regularly will only produce the results if it is accompanied by a clean nutrition plan. It is not a good strategy to spend hours sweating in the gym and then to go home and eat lots of high calorie junk foods. Eating more calories than you have burnt at the gym is a sure way of gaining fat and not losing it.
The old saying of “I have worked out hard so I deserve it’ is a sure road to failure in terms of you getting the results that you want. This is to blame for many people’s inability to see the results from their workouts. For example, if you are working very hard at the gym and then coming home and eating a big slice of cake as a reward, then you are undoing all of your hard work. If you don’t clean up your nutrition plan and eating habit then you will never see the results from all that hardwork at the gym.
Not consistent with schedule
A busy schedule can get in the way of training because finding the time can sometimes be difficult. However, if you are continuously taking time out of your workout schedule, then it will undoubtedly take more time to see the results. It is not as simple as trying to make up time from previous weeks or training sessions that have been missed, as doing the extra training sessions will not really work. You need to be consistent with your training and build time into your schedule to see the results and playing catch up should not be on your agenda.
You are focusing on how you look
If you spend too much time in the mirror worrying about how you look when exercising then you are not training hard enough. You need to put 110% effort into every work out and if you still look good at the end of the work out, then frankly you have not worked hard enough. Whilst exercising you will sweat, pull some funny faces and make some weird sounding noises. Therefore it is virtually impossible to look good during a workout and the only person who is bothered what you look like- is you! So stop worrying about what you look like and what other people think; just go for it and you will start to results a lot quicker.
Source

Workout:A Typical Way To “shed the fat”.(Circuit Training)

Circuit training is a great way to work out; it combines muscle toning exercises with an unbeatable cardio effect and also burns lots and lots of calories. By using time frames rather than specified rep counts, you are also free to work as hard or as easy as you want. Simply do as many reps as you can in the allotted time. Make sure you work as hard as possible BUT do not sacrifice more reps for proper exercise technique. It’s better to do ten good reps than 15 reps with bad exercise form. Not only will you get better results; you’ll reduce your chances of suffering an otherwise avoidable injury.
The workout:
Do each of the following exercises for 60-seconds. Once you finish the fifth exercise, rest for one to two minutes and then repeat the entire five exercise list one more time. Try to do the same number or even more reps during your second lap.

1. 180-degree squat jump turns
2. T-press ups
3. Toes to heels crunches
4. Supine hip lift
5. High knee running

Exercise descriptions
180-degree squat jump turns – stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms bent in a “ready” position. Squat down and then jump up into the air. Turn in mid-air through 180-degrees and, on landing, squat and jump again but turn in the reverse direction. Try to land softly on your toes to reduce impact.

T-press ups – resting on your hands and your toes, bend your arms and lower your chest to within an inch of the floor. Push up and then shift your weight over onto your left hand. Turn your upper body, raise your right arm, and point at the ceiling. Put your hand back on the floor and then do another rep but raising the opposite arm. Alternate arms for the duration of your set. Bend your legs and lower your knees to the floor to make this exercise easier.
Toes to heels crunches – lie on the floor with your legs bent and feet flat. Place your hands on the floor by your sides. Raise your head and shoulders off the floor and reach down to touch your heels with your fingertips. Lie back and then repeat. Exhale as you lift your shoulders and inhale as you lie back down.
Supine hip lift – lie on the floor with your legs bent and feet flat. Place your hands on the floor by your sides. Push down into the floor with your feet and lift your hips up so that your weight is supported on your feet and shoulders only and your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line. Lower your butt back to the floor and repeat.

High knee running – tuck your elbows into your sides and bend your arms to 90-degrees so your forearms are parallel to the floor. Run on the spot lifting your knees up to your extended hands. Keep your torso upright – bring your knees up to your hands and not your hands down to your knees!

Breastfeeding Gone Wrong (Woman Believes Is A Cure for Eczema)

 

Naturopath Marilyn Bodner.

The baby must have gone through a whole lot, due to a nurse's careless prescription...

A mother, who was placed on a raw food and water-only diet that almost caused her breastfeeding baby boy to starve to death, will plead guilty to failing to provide for her child.

The 33-year-old woman, who cannot be identified, sought advice from Leppington naturopath Marilyn Bodnar about her baby's eczema and was

eventually convinced to go on a restricted raw food diet.

A police statement tendered in court states that Ms Bodnar, 59, told the mother, during a massage appointment in February 2015 that there was a cure for her son's condition and she could treat it.

 The mother thought the diet was "too strict" and didn't pay too much attention to what Ms Bodnar, who ran her Health and Vitality Centre business from home, was saying.

 Over the next two months, police allege Ms Bodnar convinced the mother she could cure her baby's eczema and made her feel guilty for using steroid creams for her son's condition.

Ms Bodnar, a former nurse and midwife, convinced the mother it was best to use nothing to allow the baby's skin to breathe.

She also advised her to go on a "raw only diet" to alkaline her milk to her breast-feeding baby, which would "help heal him faster by eliminating the toxins out of his body", police allege.

The mother cancelled a follow-up appointment with a dermatologist and followed the 100 per cent raw diet of fruits, vegetables and seeds.

She was told that cooking the food would kill the enzymes.

The baby's skin became dry after his mother stopped using the steroid creams but Ms Bodnar told her again not to use anything except aloe vera plant juice.

Ms Bodnar allegdly attempted to pin the blame on the mother for her son's eczema because of all the "rubbish" she ate during her pregnancy and for having antibiotics during labour.

"Are you 100 per cent raw? You have to be 100 per cent raw if you want to see your son heal," Ms Bodnar allegedly told the mother.

The baby boy came down with a fever in May 2015, and Ms Bodnar told the mother to go on a water only diet, police allege.

"You're not allowed to eat anything if you want to see him better," she allegedly advised the mother.

Police say that the mother was feeling pressure and could not just drink water, so she ate only watermelon for three days.

She felt guilty as she thought she was poisoning her child but felt constantly tired.

When both mother and baby started losing weight, Ms Bodnar assured them it was normal and the baby was fat and needed to lose some weight.

At this point, the baby was six months old and his mother noticed he wasn't developing any more nor moving around as much.

Ms Bodnar allegedly made the mother feel guilty that she didn't care about his health and was giving up too easily by wanting to give him solid food.

When the baby started vomiting, Ms Bodnar told the mother to stay on a water-only diet and "increased temperature means increased vitality".

The mother took the baby to hospital after going to a doctor in May 2015.

By this point, the baby had sunken eyes, infected eczema, dehydration and severe failure to thrive.

The baby would have died in a few days had he not been taken to hospital, police said.

Police alleged that, as a result of Ms Bodnar's treatment, the baby nearly died and might have long-term developmental problems.

Campbelltown Local Court heard on Friday the mother would plead guilty to failing to provide for her child and causing danger of death.

A charge of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm charge would be withdrawn and her case was adjourned to July.

Ms Bodnar, supported by her husband, also appeared in Campbelltown Local Court, but in a separate case, on Friday.

She has pleaded not guilty to recklessly causing the boy grievous bodily ham and failing to provide for the child and causing danger of death.

Her case was adjourned to May 26.

SMH.com

Hymen: Classes of Hymen

Hymen: a thin membrane that surrounds the opening to the vagina. Hymens can come in different shapes. The most common hymen in young girls is shaped like a half moon. This shape allows menstrual blood to flow out of a girl’s vagina.

Types of Hymen 
 
Imperforate hymen: An imperforate hymen can be diagnosed at birth. More often, the diagnosis is made during the teen years. An imperforate hymen is a thin membrane that completely covers the opening to the vagina. Menstrual blood cannot flow out of the vagina. This usually causes the blood to back up into the vagina which often develops into an abdominal mass and abdominal and/or back pain. Some teens may also have pain with bowel movements and difficulty passing urine.
The treatment for an imperforate hymen is minor surgery to remove the extra hymenal tissue and create a normal sized vaginal opening so that menstrual blood can flow out of the vagina.

2. Microperforate hymen: A microperforate hymen is a thin membrane that almost completely covers the opening to a young women’s vagina. Menstrual blood is usually able to flow out of the vagina but the opening is very small. A teen with a microperforate hymen usually will not be able to insert a tampon into her vagina and may not realize that she has a very tiny opening. If she is able to place a tampon into her vagina, she may not be able to remove it when it becomes filled with blood. The treatment is minor surgery to remove the extra hymenal tissue making a normal sized opening for menstrual blood to flow out.

3. Septate hymen: A septate hymen is when the thin hymenal membrane has a band of extra tissue in the middle that causes two small vaginal openings instead of one. Teens with a septate hymen may have trouble getting a tampon in or trouble getting a tampon out. The treatment for a septate hymen is minor surgery to remove the extra band of tissue and create a normal sized vaginal opening.


Credit

Could This Be The Possible Way Of Stopping Miscarriages?

What is Miscarriage? 
Miscarriage, also known as spontaneous abortion and pregnancy loss, is the natural death of an embryo or fetus before it is able to survive independently.
 
Miscarriage is not what any woman look forward to. It’s painful and highly disturbing.The process of conception, and sustaining a pregnancy, up to the time of delivery are all very complex, requiring an abundance of nutrients and proper balance within the hormonal framework in the body.

A miscarriage is the loss of a fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy.About 15-25% of recognized pregnancies have been noted to end up in a miscarriage.
Is there a natural fertility remedy to overcoming a miscarriage especially in those who have had it more than once?
Is there a correlation between hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, and the risk of having a miscarriage?

 Let me quickly introduce you to a woman who has a story to tell from the standpoint of how she leveraged on an information made available to her by a friend and thereafter had a bouncing baby boy after suffering three different episodes of painful miscarriages.

A miscarriage is not a palatable experience and efforts should be put in place right now to fight it using this non-invasive and  Natural Approach.
SOURCE