Holiday Shopping: In Time for the Holidays (Attn: Procrastinators)

I must admit that I am a sucker for shoes and bags. Be it online shopping or in-store shopping, you will always find me in the shoes and bags aisle. It’s my way of accessorizing my get-up since basically I am a jeans and casual top kind of person. If I see somebody down the street, the first thing I look at is the kind of bag the person is strutting around. That’s how I judge people, basically. I judge them with their bags. Why bags? A bag can be anything it can be. The possibility is endless. Somehow I am drawn to the intricate layout, the fine workmanship, the quality of the material used, the color and texture, the size, the shape, the ease of use and the overall impact. How a bag looks defines the taste of the person wearing it. What about people who don’t wear bags? They’re both lucky and unlucky. Lucky because they don’t have to carry a weight on their shoulders. Unlucky because their life is boring. Besides their hands are always full, with no bag to put in their stuff. I know, you are raising your eyebrows now. That’s alright. This is my mantra. Life is too short not to be enjoyed. I try to enjoy my life by incorporating variety and just enjoying the little things that give me pleasure. One of them is bags and shoes. It doesn’t have to be that way for you. Just enjoy whatever little something that you can enjoy that won’t strain your budget. I used to buy pens every week. Any color, any design. It just gives me the pleasure knowing that every time I write, it’s always a different feel. Anyway, I shop online most of the time. The only other time that I am shopping somewhere else is when I’m at TJMaxx & Marshalls (I should get compensated for promoting them on this blog). I even go to Ross, sometimes. I hardly go to the mall and buy from specialty shops because it’s boring. Getting something that looks like it is mass-produced for an entire generation, just doesn’t appeal to me. I want something that is at least of limited production, that way the chance of me bumping into somebody sporting the same accessory is slim to none. So where do I go online to shop for the things I like? I go to smartbargains.com, overstock.com, zappos.com, amazon.com and lately to endless.com. I’m sure you are all familiar with these sites. But let me just tell you why I go to these sites. I like smartbargains.com because it does have a good array of high-end brands at affordable prices. The only thing that I don’t like is the standard shipping which is quite not at par with the other sites in terms of speed. I like overstock.com because it has an even bigger array of products to choose from and shipping is fast and affordable. But sometimes, price-wise they really are not the cheapest you can get online. I like zappos.com because of their wide array of apparel and fashion accessories and they carry the top name brands. Zappos.com also offers fast shipping. I like amazon.com because you basically can find anything under the sun, plus they always inform you on when you should order so it gets to you at a particular time. Amazon.com even offers a subscription to its customers so they can ship certain products for free if it’s eligible for prime shipping (two-day). This is such a good deal if you are a regular amazon.com shopper because you will really save on shipping and the product is delivered to your door faster. Lately, I got into the habit of buying my shoes and bags at endless.com. It’s a remarkable site that offers free overnight shipping. It’s always fun shopping from endless.com because you don’t wait for days for your item to arrive. You order today before cut-off time and immediately, the following day your ordered item is sitting on your doorstep. Isn’t that great? Definitely it is. Plus if you want to return a product, you simply go online and print out the return shipping label, repack the item, seal and label and drop it at the post office at no additional expense on your part and no third party to deal with. Besides the site itself is remarkable. It is for now, dedicated to bags and shoes, for men, women and even children. The site is also designed such that online shopping becomes almost as good as in-store shopping wherein you can scrutinize every aspect of the product before deciding on buying it. Endless.com does that with an advanced web interface wherein you can look at the product in different angles and zoom in to see a closer view of the material, the design, the color, and even the texture. Try it online, and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. And for all of you procrastinators out there, it may not be late yet (as of this writing) to shop for a present that will get to the recipient on time. Give a bag or a shoe from endless.com. You will not be disappointed. I have to get going. I’ll get myself another bag.

TJMaxx : A Woman's Shopping Haven

Why do women who love shopping love to go to a place called TJMaxx? Why not? There's nothing better than browsing through an endless array of stuff, and if you are a serious shopper who wants to get a good deal, it is always exciting when you find a good bargain somewhere in the stack of discounted stuff. I am not crazy about brand names, but I know that some designer stuff really matters in terms of the quality of their product. They have to take care of their name, thus, you can always count on a good product from the leading designer brands. Right? Call it crazy, but you can just drop me off a TJMaxx outlet, leave me there for a day and I am perfectly happy.

Men just don't get it. Shopping to women is like hunting to men. Call it a sport if you like. And what better way to go hunting than being in a huge maze of discounted designer goodies? There is always that thrill of finding something of good quality and paying less than half of the MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price). (I should get a TJMaxx gift C for writing this, huh?) Do you agree with me? But just don't go overboard. Remember, you are there to hunt for a good bargain and not to splurge, though if you have the money to do it, shop to your heart's content.

I hardly even go to the mall to shop. I don't get the same excitement that I experience when I shop at discount stores. I don't like discount stores in general, but a few of them make it to my list like TJMaxx, Marshalls, Home Goods. The rest of the discount stores, I could care less if they stay in business or not.

What else, aside from getting a good bargain attracts me to go shopping to TJMaxx? Simple. Most of the time, you get stuff that are one-of-a-kind. Getting a bag that doesn't look like it's been mass-produced for seventy-five million people is awesome. It gives you the feeling of exclusivity in terms of ownership, unless of course, you bump into somebody who is sporting the same apparel or accessory. So even if I love shopping, I wouldn't be as excited if I were to shop in mall outlet stores.

I know that the stuff that I get from TJMaxx will not end up an untimely demise inside my forgotten collection of unused stuff. They will of course serve a good deal of wear & tear before I pass them on to a worthy recipient.

And for as long as TJMaxx is there, my shopping days will always be exciting.

Child, Behold Thy Mother

Mother's day will be celebrated this weekend. Many businesses of course are making such a huge business out of this celebration dedicated for all mothers out there. In fact, you might notice that your mailbox is bombarded with endless e-mails on savings for mother's day gifts.

In this material world, it's so easy to forget the more valuable things in life. We somehow think that intangible things can be made tangible. How much do you love your mother? That will be precisely converted to how grand is your material gift to your mother on mother's day.

Anyways, what is it like to be a mother? How do you put into words the virtue of that woman who gave her all to breathe life into your existence?

Let me share a sad story to you that happened in the Philippines, and try to gauge the depth, and the width, and the height, if indeed, it can be measured, of what it is like to be a mother.

In a remote suburb in the Philippines, there was this poor widow with a daughter to raise. She knew that she had no material wealth that she can impart to her only child if anything should happen to her. Poor as she was, she felt that she was still rich because she had the greatest treasure in the world--her daughter. She does laundry for a living, and with the meager income that she earned she tried her best to provide for her only daughter.

The time came for her daughter to go to college. The daughter wanted to enroll in a prestigious university in Cebu. The mother wanted so bad to give what her daughter wished but she just couldn't afford it, so she begged her daughter to set aside one year before going to college so she can save enough. The daughter who was influenced by her socialite friends, cursed her mother and yelled all sorts of insults and disrespect to the woman who loved her so dearly. All the mother could do was shed her tears because she knew that even if her daughter will chop her body to pieces, she will still love her.

Then the daughter left for Cebu without her mother's knowledge. As soon as the mother found out, she begged everyone she knew to lend her some cash so she can go to Cebu and fetch her daughter.

Thankfully, she was able to collect enough money and so she went to Cebu. When she found her daughter, she tearfully asked her, on bended knees, to come home with her because she couldn't imagine the horrible life that's waiting for her daughter in the big city like Cebu without the monetary support that she needed. The daughter refused at first, but the mother with all humility and with all sorrow pleaded for her daughter to come home. Still the daughter didn't want to come home. Then the mother spoke to her daughter in tears, "You know I love you so much. You are my only treasure. You are my whole life. If I leave you here, it would break my heart to see you go through the hard life in this city knowing that I will not be able to support your needs. Just come home with me. I promise, next semester, you will be enrolling in college here in Cebu. If I have to work all night and all day, just so you can have the life that you want , I'll do it for you because I love you so much. I promise that I will work ten times as hard so I can save enough money to send you to college. Just please come home with me now."

And somehow the mother's words melted the daughter's heart. They immediately took the next boat back to their island. But little did they know, that a big storm was brewing in the horizon as they cruise the open seas.

The boat was overcome by big waves, heavy rain and strong winds. It capsized. The daughter panicked and cried hysterically, but the mother managed to grab one life jacket amidst the chaos of all passengers trying to grab a life jacket to save themselves from drowning.

As they braved the stormy seas, the mother held on to her daughter, took off her life jacket and put it on her daughter and said, "My precious daughter, wear this life jacket so you will be safe. Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. I'll see you tomorrow by the port area in our hometown. Always remember, I love you!"

The mother then planted a loving kiss on her daughter's forehead and a big crushing wave immediately swept them apart.

The daughter survived the tragedy and she held on to her mother's promise that they will see each other again by the port area. The daughter tearfully searched for her mother, begging her to keep her promise.

She searched for her mother endlessly. She wandered hopelessly hoping to find her mother in the crowd of spectators and survivors. She kept on looking for her mother. Then finally she found her. What a grand reunion it would have been if her mother wasn't one of the lifeless bodies sitting in a pile of corpses in one room by the port area. And it was tragic. Her mother didn't keep her promise. How dare she left her daughter who now realized that indeed she loved her mother so much.

It was too late. Her mother can no longer feel her daughter's longing for her. Her mother can no longer hear the sorrowful remorse of her daughter. Her mother can no longer move her lips to say "I have forgiven you", to her daughter. Her mother is gone. Did you hear me?

To all of you out there, honor and respect your mother. Your mother is the one person that you can hurt over and over again but will never stop from loving you.

This mother's day, behold your mother. Make her feel how much she is appreciated. Let her know that you love her before it's too late.

Skinny Jeans: What's So Skinny About Them?

You're going to hate me for this, but I must say that nothing about the skinny jeans appeal to me. Everywhere I go jeans shopping, I hear other women asking about skinny jeans.

Well, duh! Isn't it obvious that if you are twenty pounds overweight, no pair of skinny jeans can save you unless you work out those extra pounds away? Enough with all the optical illusion thing. The hype is just not going to work for everyone.

Sadly, some women easily fall prey into the fashion trap. Most women are easily deceived into embracing the 'IN' thing even if it makes them look ten times worse than they already do. I'm not saying that women should ignore the recent fashion trends, but I'm urging women to have a little more sense on what they wear. It's not just about what's 'IN'. It's more on what fits your physique and what's comfortable on you.

Women should realize that there's more to fashion than meets the eye. I mean if something obviously will only make you look ten times desperate would you wear it? That's exactly what I'm saying. If it fits well wear it baby. If it doesn't, set your own trend. Set your own trend with some good fashion sense. Rather than looking desperate and stupid, why not wear something chic and confident. Be yourself. Express yourself the way you want to. Just don't go overboard. It's not what you wear. It's how you wear it.

Imagine yourself looking so cocooned in a pair of skinny jeans that does nothing to hide your humongous hip area and your bow-legged structure. Can you say, you'll be comfortable enough to flaunt your constricted figure? I guess not.

I can honestly say that skinny jeans will look fine on me and I can wear it on any day, but I like the regular casual feel of the flared jeans better. Well, we have different tastes when it comes to fashion, but who are you kidding when you look for skinny jeans and you look like you could use the gym for some help?

My fashion sense does not conform to what the current media propagates. I set my own trend in consonance with how I feel I should be perceived based on what I wear.

To all women out there, try it yourself. Be free to express yourself with what you feel is right for you. If it makes you feel good go for it. If it makes you feel like you're just another fashion victim, just forget about it.

It matters when someone looks at you and can genuinely say that you're in your element. There's an aura that shows through. It's not enough to be in fashion. You also need to wear a good fashion sense. A woman that projects strength and confidence with an aura of femininity is irresistibly attractive. That you can always count on. Trust me.

Ten Ways To Bounce Back After A Bad Break-Up

How do you cope with a bad break-up? What can you do to pick-up the pieces and move on with your life? Is there ever life after a devastating heartache? 'K. Before you go on reading, assuming that you just had a really bad break-up, feel free to leave this page right now. I am not a psychologist, a healer, a doctor or a professional advisor. These are just my personal thoughts and views. Read at your own risk.

If you have decided to continue reading but you feel that you are really too heartbroken to read and understand anything from this long boring lecture click here for what I’m really trying to tell you.

1. Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk. K, you gave your all to your man--your hopes, your aspirations, your dreams and then he dumps you. So what, you are going to lie on your couch and cry all day long? Or maybe, stay incommunicado for a while? Don’t waste more time and resources for something that you’ve already wasted so much of your life on. The relationship didn’t work. It’s good that it ended earlier. At least only a few parties are involved—-no children, no in-laws, no lawyers. Rejoice! Besides, what’s done is already done. You may cry a river, but none of your past will ever get changed.
2. What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger. The emotional trauma that goes with a break-up is almost always debilitating. It cripples your judgment and your sense of self-worth. At some point it drains you of too much energy. Even worse it could make you lose sight of the beauty of things around you. It makes you want to end your life, because you think, it’s not worth living anymore. Go on kill yourself. And then, what? Is it going to make the other guy feel bad about things? Trust me, most men are insensitive beings, that’s why women are the sensitive ones. That’s just the way their hormones drive them to be. So think again. None of the things you do now will change the way things were. Not even if you end your life. So try as hard as you can to cope with the pain. Remember, no matter how painful the experience maybe, time will soothe it, every day, every minute, every second. You’ll be surprised that after some time you wouldn’t even have a memory of the pain. If you endure, you’ll come out stronger and more positive. You’ll be a newer, stronger woman.
3. Blame it on the rain. All I’m saying is don’t blame it on you. Always remember, it takes two to tango. Whatever happened in your relationship is not your fault. Whether you see it this way or another, a relationship is a common effort between two people who commit themselves to be part of that relationship. If the other one is not committed anymore there’s no point of continuing the partnership. It’s just not going to work. So, again, it’s never your fault that things ended the way they ended. There are so many contributing factors that rendered the end of the relationship. It’s not you.
4. You’re not a loser, so don’t act like one. Being dumped by your man doesn’t mean that you are not desirable, not beautiful, not smart, not sexy and not everything that every man wants in a woman. Instead, think of it the other way. You are desirable, you are beautiful, you are smart, you are sexy and you are everything that a man wants in a woman. In fact, it is your ex who doesn’t deserve every good inch of who you are. Be happy with that knowledge.
5. Tough it out. Women are always seen as the weaker sex because women cry like babies all the time. Women literally wear their emotions out on their sleeves for everyone to see. That’s fine. Cry if you want to for as long as you want to. Crying actually helps. Crying unloads bitter emotions, it clears your lungs, and it washes and cleanses your eyes, so cry away. Now put yourself in the other person’s shoe. What effect would that have on him, if you cry day in and day out? How would your weakness be seen from the other end? You get it? Learn to do it like men do it. Tough it out. Cry now, and then cry no more. Crying soothes the senses, but dragging the emotion of pain for as long as you can would not help. So end it. Right here, right now.
6. Take the good out of the bad. Learn your lessons. Life is a teacher. No matter how hard you try, life will never be easy on you. Life will never be perfect. So what do you do? Some people who are more realistic know that a perfect life is just not laid out for anyone on this planet--not even to the most beautiful, the most famous or the richest beings in this world. These people see the value of getting the best out of the daily mix of events in their lives and use it to enjoy their life. So look on the positive side. See the things that are made better because of the end of the relationship. See the good things that came out of it and use it to further your growth as a person. You have now complete freedom to dispose of your life as you please unlike before when you were still in the relationship.
7. Think complete. I’ve always said this to myself. I would never run after a man just so I can be with a man or just so I could be in a relationship with a man. I’ve gone through heartaches but I’ve always lived true to this mantra. Say it to yourself too. It’s the power of intention manifestation. Few people realize that their intentions are actually energy wavelengths that are spread across this universe. If you have an intention and you keep it, think of it, and dwell on it, eventually it will manifest itself. How soon? It will all depend on how much of your energy is devoted to that intention, but it will come. Imagine bouncing a ball up against the wall. First you can’t hit the wall such that the ball goes back to you. It takes some time of practice before you get the perfect angle. And when you do get the perfect angle the ball will come fast and strong. The same thing is true with your intentions.
8. Pick up the battle. Sun Tzu in his book, The Art of War says, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” So ask yourself, “Did I know him enough?” and if you say yes then it’s time to ask yourself, “What did I miss with me? Do I know myself enough?” So this is the time for you to really assess how much of the battle ahead can you win or lose again. If you know things that you know you didn’t do right, then correct them. If you know things about the enemy that didn’t work right, then avoid them. This way, you won’t go through an emotional war again and end up retreating in defeat.
9. Gear up. Enough of the agonizing. It’s time to pick up the pieces. Get a nice haircut, a nice hair color. Shine. Sparkle like you’ve never shone before. Emerge like a great warrior, wounded but undefeated. Enhance yourself with respect to every facet of your personality. Start an exercise regime. Join a community outreach project. Do something useful. Adapt a pet. Plant trees. Do something positive that will put your energy to good use. Before you know it, you’re on top of your game again.
10. Embrace Life. Think about all the positive things in your life. Be thankful. You are a lucky person. Think of the many other people whose lives are in great danger while you are mourning over the loss of a mere loser. Think of the many people all over the world who would never see the ray of light again. Some get raped; some get raped and tortured; some get raped, tortured and murdered; some get raped, tortured, murdered and would not even be found. Just think about that. Who do you think you are to deserve more than those people? See? That’s something that you overlooked, but it gives you reason to be alive and to live. I keep on playing Duran-Duran’s song (Ordinary World) in my head whenever I’m really down and feeling low…”Papers on the roadside tell of suffering and grief……ours is just a little sorrow, that's all!”

After reading all of the above and you still feel like none of it ever helped you in anyway, try this. Find a place of solace. Don't speak. Don't think. Just let your senses feel every bit of everything around you. Breathe. Smell. Hear. Feel. Slowly open your eyes. Isn't this a magnificent universe?

Get Back At Him & Get Back With Your Life

You just went through a tough break-up and you don't want to seek professional advise on putting your life back on track. You're as mad as hell and you believe that "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!" Then go. Do these silly things. It won't kill the other guy but it will make you feel better.

1. Change your phone number. Change your address. Change your career.
2. Start playing dart and put his photo in the bull's eye. Do five minutes of dart every day until you get good at it. Eventually, his picture will be mutilated beyond recognition and on the good side, you'll probably master this sport.
3. Paste his photograph on one wheel of your car and drive him to pieces.
4. Keep a picture of him by the toilet bowl, and then squirt some disinfectant or some deodorizer every time you go to the bathroom. This is a good way of reminding yourself how much of a junk your ex was and how much he stunk.
5. Sign your e-mails with 'glad to be single again' or the 'most sought after single on this planet'.
6. Own a domain name like Idumpedthemoron.org or superpre.cio.us. Who knows you could be rich someday by owning a part of internet real estate.
7. Start a blog on the Top Twenty Reasons of Staying Out of A Relationship. Write his name on every single one of them.
8. Start your own beauty regimen that you can do instead of spending your time sour-graping over the relationship. Who knows you can get a fortune out of it?
9. Change your ring back tone to the Pussy Cat Dolls’ “Don’t you wish your girl friend was hot like me?”
10. Enhance your culinary skill. Then host a special dinner inviting all his friends but him. Better yet, invite his mother. Before long, he'll know what he is missing.

Still can’t get enough? You’re sick. Just get some sleep. You'll forget about all this. You’ll wake up refreshed and rejuvenated.

Striking A Balance

Being a woman is no joke especially if you are a wife, a mother, a teacher, a cook, a 24-hour tech support gal, a masseuse, a driver and everything else to your family. Chances are you will be too busy taking care of other people that you end up forgetting about your own needs. I am a bit of everything that I've mentioned above, and trust me, when you aren't careful, things could get out of hand. If you are "all work and no play" you end up losing yourself amid the nitty-gritty of things. Besides no woman can be an effective mother and wife if she isn't a happy woman unless of course she is a docile person--one who seems okay with being pushed around all the time. I must admit that I always pay close attention to the signs of stress because as you go about your day to day chores it's so easy to explode anytime especially if there is much more on your plate than you can handle. So how do I go about it? Here's how:

• I make sure that I am well-rested. This would mean that even if I might have lost some sleep over something, I grab the first opportunity that comes my way to rest or take a quick nap to compensate for the few hours of sleep that I lost.
• I take time to spend some "lone moments" in a quiet corner. This allows me to enjoy a moment of peace. This could be spent reading my favorite book, playing my favorite pocket pc game, watching my favorite show, or listening to my favorite music.
• I make sure that I am well fed. Almost all the time when we get too busy, we forget to eat. To some people they might think it's a good thing. To me it isn't. I'm always in a better mood when I am not starving. And for those times when I become so irritable, the quickest fix to lighten up my mood is food.
• Every now and then when the going gets tough, I make sure that I get out of the house. I could either go to the mall, or visit my favorite places or just see some special friends, or just drive around. A change of scenery from the chaos at home and the chores is always a good thing.
• Talking really helps. Just being able to express how you feel to your loved ones is a good way to let out some steam. It could be just talking to your husband, to your children or calling some important people over the phone.
• I take time to write. Usually at the end of the day, women still have worries about a lot of things. A good way for me to clear my head from worries is to write down things. It really helps. It's a good form of mental ventilation--when you get rid of unpleasant thoughts in your head.
• I make sure that I pamper myself from time to time. Pampering one's self doesn't have to be so costly. With me, I could either go for a soothing massage, get a new haircut or hair color, have a manicure and pedicure service, or maybe dine in my favorite restaurant or splurge on something that I like.

When nothing really helps, I just take a few hours off my responsibilities, openly declare to everyone that I'm officially on leave then I sit in front of my computer, until I'm ready again to deal with the chaos.

Detecting Breast Cancer

When it comes to breast cancer, women have no power over their health. There's still no cure for it and the best thing that a woman can do is to do regular mammograms and breast exams--yet that's not prevention. However detecting it early may spell the difference between death and survival. On this page, you will find an important resource on the early signs of breast cancer.(Women's Health)

EARLY SIGNS

• A lump is detected, which is usually single, firm, and most often, painless.
• A portion of the skin on the breast or underarm swells and has an unusual appearance.
• Veins on the skin surface become more prominent on one breast.
• The breast nipple becomes inverted, develops a rash, changes in skin texture, or has a discharge other than breast milk.
• A depression is found in an area of the breast surface.

Women's breast can develop some degree of lumpiness, but only a small percentage of lumps are malignant. While a history of breast cancer in the family may lead to increased risk, most breast cancers are diagnosed in women with no family history. If you have a family history of breast cancer, this should be discussed with your doctor.

To learn more about breast cancer visit BreastCancer.org

PMS: Not All In The Mind

PMS is a condition that many women suffer from, but what it is, and what causes it, is never understood. I am not spared from this condition. I too suffer from PMS. Mine includes depression, irritability and obsession with order of things(this last one, I think is rare and weird.) Well, I am not a doctor so I will not attempt to even discuss what PMS is. In view of the importance of this topic to all women out there, I have chosen to lift an article written by Lisa Saffron from a health digest that focuses on women's health. I hope this will shed some light, and help lessen the burden of women who suffer from the same.

What is PMS? There is controversy within the medical profession about how to define and treat PMS. In the medical literature, there are reports of trials of many different drugs. Some of these show a benefit to some women and others show no benefit compared with a placebo(dummy pill). Different researchers get different results using the same drug, so it becomes impossible to draw conclusions. The reason for this confusion is that PMS is not a disease like diabetes or flu. It is a mixed bag of individual responses to an ordinary event: the menstrual cycle. The word PMS lumps together a vast collection of symptoms which have little in common besides their timing.

How are women affected? The way women experience these changes varies considerably. Some women suffer intensely and feel desperate. Some aren't aware of anything other than menstruating. Some women only experience premenstrual symptoms once they stop taking the pill or have a baby. Premenstrual symptoms can continue even after a hysterectomy. Many women find that with every cycle they experience different symptoms, or that intensity of the symptoms vary from cycle to cycle. If you suffer from PMS, you are not neurotic, a hypochondriac, or a malingerer(as some old fashioned medical text books have claimed). It is also clearly not "all in your mind."

Nutrition Tips (The value of good nutrition) Lack of certain vitamins and minerals is said to affect the level of the hormones of the menstrual cycle. Some researchers claim that women with PMS have either an imbalanced diet or existing deficiencies in their body which are not being corrected by their diet. A typical diet includes a great deal of sugar, processed foods, additives and salt, and is not a good source of vitamins and minerals. These researchers claim that a change in diet and the use of certain vitamins and minerals have been highly effective for many women. Women with chronic deficiencies may need dietary supplements but there is no single vitamin or mineral which is appropriate for all women. The exact supplement and their quantities depend on each woman's individual symptoms.

According to the Women's Nutritional Advisory Service, it is necessary to find out the exact nutritional cause of PMS in each woman and then to work out a nutritional programme to overcome her symptoms. Tip for women whose premenstrual symptoms include hunger, headaches, fatigue, and cravings for sweets and fried foods: Eat frequent (every 2,3 hours) wholesome snacks and small meals.

Dietary supplements If a wholesome diet on its own is not helping, you may find that dietary supplements have an effect. These are not a substitute for a wholesome diet and it's still best to take them only under the supervision of a qualified doctor or complementary practitioner.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) Vitamin B6 has a role in the functioning of nerves. The advice on how to try Vitamin B6 varies, and it is best to consult a sympathetic doctor about the best dose for you. It seems safest, when experimenting with Vitamin B6, to stay in the lower dose range and to give it up if you notice no improvement after several months. Some researchers suggest that a magnesium supplement enhances the absorption of vitamin B6.

Evening Primrose Oil Evening primrose oil contains an essential fatty acid called gamma linolenic acid that is needed for the synthesis of a hormone called prostaglandin. Evening primrose oil is very effective in relieving premenstrual breast pain. There are no major side effects, but occasionally women experience nausea, headaches and indigestion. Taking the capsules with or after food can lessen these effects. Another possible side effect if you have food or other allergies is that you may develop skin rashes.

Vitamin E Some women find that vitamin E supplements are helpful, particularly for premenstrual anxiety and depression.

Women and Shopping

Well, what is it with women and shopping? Everywhere I go, men would all unanimously conclude that women love shopping and men don't. This probably holds true to most every couple on earth--the woman goes to the market to buy stuff and the man stays home to watch his favorite show on tv. Personally, I do think that it is innate in a woman to be the one who gets the needed stuff, thus, "go shopping" per se because what does a man know? Most men I know wouldn't care a thing about household needs for as long as they are comfortably seated on their favorite spot in the living room in front of the boob tube, or if they are freely wandering somewhere else doing their own stuff. I don't think that it is fair for men to think that women and shopping is a bad thing. To me it calls for attention only when the woman shops like there's no tomorrow. But for women who can still find balance between shopping and reason I say, keep it up girl! I do love shopping...for hours, but not necessarily shopping to be able to buy stuff. I think, just being able to wander around the store, and take your mind off of your worries is a good way to ventilate yourself of all unpleasant thoughts or emotional burden. Besides, the fact that men don't want to go with women to the store is an added opportunity for a woman to collect herself in her moment of blissful solitude, while shopping.

Cervical Cancer Vaccine

The FDA-approved vaccine against HPV is a breakthrough in the fight against cervical cancer. But rather than giving a promise of hope, a lot of questions are left unanswered which left a lot of women in a limbo. When I first heard of this, my first question was, "What will this vaccine do to help a woman's body if that woman already has one of the hundred or so strains of this HPV virus?" This question is critical because there's no clear-cut answer really. In fact the harder part is really determining whether you have this virus or not. Different people have different lifestyles and different lifestyles also reflect different attitudes towards sex and safety. And even if you are in a monogamous relationship does that give you a guarantee that you are safer than the rest? Are you a candidate for this vaccine? Find your answers here.