Avocado - Secret Of Healthy Living

Do you know that Avocado is not a Vegetable but a Fruit? This Pear shaped and lumpy textured fruit has delicious creamy taste with various health benefits.

Avocado is considered as Nutrition Powerhouse as it includes necessary minerals like potassium, calcium, variety vitamins, folic acid, copper, sodium and dietary fibers. It is a good source of Monounsaturated Fat which is very essential for heart. Avocado is a Fruit to Enjoy with many health benefits.

Healthy Heart
According to American Heart Association, our diet should include low to Moderate fat and the fat should be mainly Mono-unsaturated fats. It can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Avocado is the only fruit which has Mono-unsaturated fat.
Monounsaturated fats are also typically high in vitamin E, an antioxidant vitamin.

Healthy Eyes
Avocado is a good source of Vitamin A, E and C which are very essential for healthy eyes. Also it contains 81 mgs of the carotenoid lutein which helps to maintain healthy eyes.

Protects against Cancer
Avocado is used both in prevention and treatment of prostate and breast cancers. Scientists have proved that a toxin in avocado kills the cancer cells. This toxin has a great effect on the tissues, particularly heart muscle tissues.

Anti aging and healthy skin
Vitamin E helps to slow the aging process and protects against heart disease and various forms of cancer. Also, Vitamin E is useful to prevent and treat Skin Disorder. Avocado Oil is used in various cosmetics due to its capacity to nourish and glow the skin. Raw Avocado and avocado oil is used to treat skin diseases like Eczema.

Blood Pressure
By lowering sodium food and increasing potassium-rich food in your diet helps you to lower and control the High Blood Pressure. Avocado contains good amount of potassium which helps to reduce and control High Blood Pressure. Avocado is low in sodium, which helps to maintain normal blood pressure.

Boost Fertility
Avocado is a good source of Vitamin E which has shown boost fertility in men by protecting sperm cell layers from free radical and increase sperm motility. Because of this reason avocado is used to treat erectile dysfunction.

Arthritis
As a great source of Calcium, Avocado is good for bones. That is why elderly and younger people should include Avocado in their diet for protection of older bones, growth and development of younger bones. Also, Avocado Oil is largely used to treat Arthritis and Osteoarthritis.

Stomach health
Avocado is a Good source of dietary fiber. Soluble and Insoluble fiber make stools soft and easy to pass. Adequate intake of fibers also prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticular disorders.

Perfect Baby Food
Avocado has very smooth, creamy texture and subtle taste which truly is perfect for babies. It is a time saving Baby Food, as Avocado can be served raw. Also, it provides more vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber, Magnesium, Potassium than other veggies and fruits, which are very essential for growth of babies. Read the rest of this entry »

COCONUT OIL

A lot of manufacturers now are producing organic coconut oil. Virgin coconut oil is one an example of organic coconut oil. Virgin coconut oil is made from fresh coconuts. It is free from chemicals, unrefined and manufactured with just a small amount of heat( approx 60 degrees C) Virgin coconut oil has many uses, you can eat it, apply it on your skin and one of the safest oils to cook with. A lot of people now are aware of the benefits they could get from organic coconut oils. Some athletes and body builders take this oil because of its “energy fat” qualities. It is absolutely low in calories compared to other oils. Some take ample amount of this oil to give them stronger appetite in eating. Some use it on their scalp and hair to smoothen and to have a stronger hair. This type of organic coconut oil are now sold in drugstores and beauty shops, and best of all, it is now being prescribed by doctors around the world. Read the rest of this entry »

EFFECT JUNK FOOD ON HEALTHY

No matter what age you are junk food is not good for your health. Most junk food is high in sodium, sugar, and fat. Over the long term junk food increases your chances of developing health problems. Teenagers are known to eat junk food in excess. They love hamburgers, fries, shakes, soda, potato chips, candy, ice cream and other snack foods. Most junk food contributes no nutritional value to the body. When eaten in moderation junk food can be included in your diet. What are some of the long term side effects of eating too much junk food on health?
* A lack of energy because junk food does not give you the nutrients you need to function properly. You may feel tired or lack the energy needed to finish a task at work or home. You may crave sugar feeling very hungry and weak due to the imbalance the junk food will create in your body.
*Another side effect is poor concentration because you feel tired due to the accumulations of fat in your body. There is lack of vital oxygen that can affect your brain cells due to lack of healthy food in your system.
*Heart disease may develop because of the accumulations of plaque in the arteries. Junk food causes your heart to have to put extra effort into pumping the blood. So it suffers damage receiving oxygen and fatigues from the extra effort to pump blood through clogged veins.
*High cholesterol results at times damaging your liver and hurting your heart. Not only that you often put on weight due to the fat and high carbohydrates in junk food. Many children develop weight problems from eating too much junk food. So too much is not good for your health
*Some people that eat junk food develop diabetes which is not good because most snack food have too much sugar. Some people develop high blood pressure because of the high sodium content in junk food.
*Other problems it causes with kids are mood swings, lack of interest in physical exercise, constipation, weight gain, and other illnesses.
It is found that in rural American junk food diets are very common. That is because many poor consumers cannot afford the high prices of fresh fruit and vegetables. Some areas do not have that many supermarkets to shop at. Many rural consumers live only near convenience stores that do not carry a good selection of healthy foods. Poverty is another barrier to healthy eating and reason junk food diets continue.
Overall eating too much junk food has negative effects on children and adults l health. It is a habit that should be controlled by cutting back on the amounts we eat. It is appealing because it is easy to eat and tastes good. But the food tastes good because of high fat, high salt and high sugar all bad in excess for your health. So too much junk food is not good for your health learn to enjoy junk food in moderation. Read the rest of this entry »

Wheat Grass

Wheatgrass juice is a specific food which can assist in fighting a whole range of chronic ailments - from simple anemia to leukemia; from a simple skin rash to skin cancer, from worms to ulcers. It may not be to everyone’s taste but including it in a juice is an easy way to receive its benefits. The chlorophyll content (chlorophyll is the pigment that gives plants their green color) in wheatgrass is extremely beneficial. It has been reported that Chlorophyll has regenerative properties and studies have supported its power as an immune booster, free radical fighter, energizer and promoter of healthy circulation.
Green plant cells are the only ones capable of absorbing energy directly from the sun and storing it as the chemical chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the pigment plants use to turn sunlight, water, carbon dioxide into glucose.
Wheatgrass contains all amino acids, is full of essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, vitamins A, C and Bs, is high in iron and vitamin K. And we mustn’t forget about the enzymes wheatgrass juice delivers. Enzymes are complex protein compounds produced by living cells that speed up biochemical reactions required for proper and normal functioning of every organ system and have also been found to aid digestion! Grow your own wheatgrass or buy it at the local farmers market

Read the rest of this entry »

ACCUPUNCTURE THERAPY

Medicine of china, which includes herbal medicine, exercise, massage and diet. Acupuncture Therapy has been practised for over 3.000 years and has developed a complex and detailed understanding of the workings of the body.
Chinese medicine regard disease as a result of an imbalace in the flow of the body's vital energy. The treatment aims to restore the flow of this energy so correcting the problem which undelies the specific symptoms.
A wide variety of conditions can be helped, form acute physical injury to chronic pain, emotional prolems to addictions, chronic diseases to non specific feelings of unwellness
Accupunture each a diagnosis , the acupuncturist question the person about their symptoms and current situation, and will also ask about family history, lifestyle and past medical history. they will feel the pulse and cunduct a physical examination if appropiate. having reached a diagnosis the treatment can begin.
The practitioner will insert very fine needles at specific points to restore the flow of prounanced chee energy. the practitioner may also advise the person on lifesytle, diet or exercise to assist the healing process
Treatment are generally weekly at first, gradually reducing as the condition imprves. the number of treatment required depends on the nature of the illness, its duration, and how the person respond to acupuncture . the practitioner can advise on this at the first consultation. Read the rest of this entry »

Lemonade Diet

Many people want to know how to lose weight on The Lemonade Diet, and if it is even possible or if the diet is just a fad.
The diet has also gained popularity as stories of celebrities using it to lose weight have circulated on the Internet and in magazines.

The Lemonade Diet is more accurately a fast, because you aren’t really eating anything when you are on the diet. It is meant to help cleanse the body of toxins, and allow the user to lose weight at the same time.

The diet involves drinking a sort of lemonade made with lemons, purified water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. The drink is consumed throughout the day, and laxative tea is taken in the evenings.

Most people follow the Lemonade Diet for about 10 days, though some use the diet for as many as 40 days.

When the diets is followed strictly, there’s really no question as to how to lose weight on the lemonade diet. You simply won’t be getting enough calories to not lose weight if you stay on this diet for several days.

This diet is tough on the digestive system and you will see a big increase in bowel movements during the cleanse, which is really what this “diet” was intended to be. It’s not really meant to be used as a diet, and any weight loss that happens while on it will probably be erased quickly thereafter.

The Lemonade Diet is not a long-term solution for weight loss. While it can help you to lose a few pounds temporarily, as any diet that involves not eating would, it’s not a permanent solution.

It’s a much better idea to think about the Lemonade Diet under its other name, Master Cleanse Diet, because the real idea behind the diet is cleaning impurities from the body, not losing weight.

If you are trying to figure out how to lose weight on the Lemonade Diet and you aren’t really interested in the detoxification effects, you might want to consider if a different diet plan is better for you, since losing weight on this kind of plan is difficult and usually not long-lasting. If you want to lose a lot of weight and keep it off permanently, this diet is probably not the best choice for you. Read the rest of this entry »

13 Ways still Young

There is nothing we can do about our chronological age. However, doctors and scientists are continuously discovering actions we can take to turn back the clock by focusing on our biological and psychological age. Your psychological age is your subjective experience of how old you feel. In turn, your biological age can be determined by measuring several factors, such as the following (Source: Grow Younger, Live Longer: Ten Steps to Reverse Aging):

* Blood pressure
* Amount of body fat
* Auditory and visual thresholds
* Hormonal levels
* Bone density
* Skin thickness
* Cholesterol level
* Aerobic capacity

You can begin by determining your “real age”, or the biological age of your body, by taking the test here. Then proceed to apply the fourteen tips below and begin to turn back the clock.
1. Let go of the myth of inevitable decay.

Scientists are discovering that the more you buy into the notion that getting older means losing your mental acuity, the more likely you are to succumb to it. Yale University psychologist Becca Levy, Ph.D., explores psychosocial influences on aging, particularly, how older individuals’ perceptions of aging affects cognition and health.

Through her research she has found that older people shown negative words about aging, such as senile, before taking memory tests did significantly worse on the tests than those shown positive words about aging, such as wisdom. In fact, people who saw positive words improved their scores. Levy has also shown that in cultures with a more positive view of aging than the culture in the United States and other western countries, older people perform better on memory tests.

In addition, her research has shown that older individuals with more positive self-perceptions of aging lived 7.5 years longer than those with less positive self-perceptions of aging. Even hearing decline can be predicted by a person’s stereotypes of the elderly.
2. Floss regularly.

Research has shown a distinct connection between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. Consider this: a study found that men under age fifty with advanced periodontal disease were 2.6 times more likely to die prematurely and 3 times more likely to die of heart disease compared to men with healthy teeth and gums. The most common cause of periodontitis is poor oral hygiene, and daily brushing and flossing and regular professional cleanings can greatly reduce your chances of developing this condition.
In addition, flossing and clogged arteries also may be related. Research has revealed that the same bacteria in tooth plaque are also found in the deadly fat deposits that obstruct arteries. Researchers speculate that bacteria from the mouth may enter the bloodstream and contribute to inflammation and artery clogging.
3. Exercise
Explains that if you look at all the risk factors for dying, the one that is most predictive is fitness level. In addition, an older person with high cardiovascular fitness is healthier than a younger person who is physically inactive. By increasing your fitness level, you can actually roll back your biological clock.
4. Stress management.

Studies have shown that between 60 and 90 percent of all physician visits are for stress-related complaints. Stress has been linked to everything from the common flu to cancer. In addition, cardiac disorders, hypertension, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, sexual and fertility problems, and diabetes all are exacerbated by stress. In order to increase your life expectancy you need to decrease the probability that you’ll get sick, which means you need to lower your stress level. These posts will show you how to lower your levels of stress:
5. Meditate.
That long-term meditators can have a biological age between 5 and 12 years younger than their chronological age. Levels of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline are often found to be lower in long term meditators, and their coping mechanisms tend to be stronger than average. For those of you that have trouble meditating, I recommend The Silva Life System.
6. Keep healthy-looking skin.

This tip won’t help you live longer, but as long as you’re working toward lengthening your life span, you might as well look good while doing it. Amy Wechsler, dermatologist, psychiatrist, and author of The Mind-Beauty Connection: 9 Days to Reverse Stress Aging and Reveal More Youthful, Beautiful Skin, explains that retinoids are wrinkle reducers. There are certain beauty creams that contain retinoids, but they can also be found in food, such as carrots. Eating carrots helps balance the pH of the skin’s surface, making it slightly acidic. That’s good news, because slightly acidic skin fends off bacterial invaders. In addition, dark chocolate improves skin’s texture, thickness, hydration, and blood flow.

7. Eat plenty of foods rich in anti-oxidants.
All foods with dark colors in them have some of these really protecting antioxidant chemicals in them.” Other good anti-aging foods include broccoli, tomatoes.

8. Eat plenty of fiber.
This takes about 25 grams of fiber a day. Fiber works by keeping all the nutrients you eat in your intestines and releasing them as needed. It can be found in fruits, vegetables and foods rich in whole grains. Try the following:

* Wrap sandwiches in whole wheat tortillas instead of white.
* Choose whole-grain cereal for breakfasts and snacks.
* Try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.
* Have steel-cut oatmeal for breakfast.

9. Get enough sleep.
Researchers concluded that chronic sleep loss may not only hasten the onset but could also increase the severity of age-related ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and memory loss.
10. Keep the mind engaged.
An enormous amount of data uncovered in the last two decades confirms that the brain retains its plasticity–that is, its ability to grow new neurons and the connections between them–throughout life. In addition, brain ailments commonly associated with getting older can also be diminished by keeping the brain stimulated.
11. Stop smoking.
If you smooking you are cutting off seven years of your life. In addition to accelerating the aging process, smoking wrinkles skin and makes you look old beyond your years.
12. Drink wine, in moderation.
Have you heard that red wine in moderation can be good for your health? explains that part of the reason is the alcohol and part is resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant that comes from the skins of grapes. Vintners add the grape skins back to make red wine, but they don’t do the same process for white wine—so white wine has no resveratrol benefit.
13. Get lots of love and nurturing.
She was conducting research with young rats to determine whether enriched conditions accelerated the growth of dendrites. An enriched environment is one in which 12 rats are put together in a large cage filled with a variety of play objects. In contrast, an impoverished environment houses one rat with no objects to play with. The enriched rats ran maze tests faster than the impoverished ones, showing a greater ability to solve problems. Read the rest of this entry »

DIET VS LIFESYLE

The word " diet " implies at some point the diet will be over,resulting in weight gain if old habits are taken up again. Instead of looking at " dieting" consider healthy changes in your eating to be " lifestyle changes". these " lifestyle changes and new attitudes should not be too restrictive. When combined with a new attitude,exercise,behavior modification,social support and a maintenance plan,these changes produce a life plan of sensible eating that allows for periodic indulgences. these indulgences should not be considered large binges,which offset all the healthy changes one is accomplishing. over time, these guidelines can become a natural part of a new permanent eating pattern and total lifestyle.
Think safety first.
Take a close look at your present eating habits. How safe are you? are you eating sensibly? are your goals sensible?
1. Does it provide balance and variety to ensure adequate nutrient intake ( all of the food groups with the recommended number of servings)?
2. Does it provide a safe level of calories ( not less than 1200 calories/day, target weight loss of no more than two pounds/week)?
3. Does it include common foods that are readily available,rather than special and often expensive pills and formulas?
4. does it incorporate regular exercise and activity?
any change requires effort and motivation. Enlist the support of others. There are many exciting food product on the market today and plenty of activities from which to select. " chews" a plan that works for you, is safe and can become a life-long habit. Read the rest of this entry »

Is Potato Bad For Health

In Recent years, potato has gotten a bad reputation. Anyone who wants to announce to the world that s/he is on a diet, potato is the first one to get of the plate. Potatoes have gotten a bad reputation because the carbohydrates and a high glycemic index (can cause your blood sugar to spike compared to other veggies). But, all these factors have been marketed a bit too much. In fact, potatoes are good for you as long as you prepare them in a healthy manner.

Potatoes are low in calories (161 for a medium baked potato, with 4 g of filling fiber). It is one of the richest sources of potassium and magnesium. Potato is very low in sodium. They are a good source of iron and copper, too. The peel is rich in minerals and Vitamin C.

Potatoes are nutrient-dense, meaning you receive many nutrients for calories they have. The fiber is half soluble, half insoluble, so it helps digestion and helps to lower cholesterol. One baked potato offers about 20 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin B6, which is heart friendly. A potato a day is good for your heart, promoting normal blood-pressure levels.

Potatoes eaten with their skin may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke, according to the American Dietetic Association. In addition, potatoes have a high "satiety factor," meaning that they can keep you feeling full longer and may help with weight loss.
A recent roundup of 160 studies found that potatoes contain a nutrient called resistant starch, a fibrous substance that can help you lose weight. Cooking and cooling potatoes increases the resistant starch.

Potatoes become problematic only when they are prepared in unhealthy ways and eaten in excess. Deep fry them and you've loaded up on calories, cholesterol, and fat. The devil is in the oil and the salt, not in the potato. Read the rest of this entry »

TOXOPLASMA

What is toxoplasmosis?
Toxoplasmosis is an infection that can threaten the health of an unborn child. It is caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite multiplies in the intestine of cats and is shed in cat feces, mainly into litter boxes and garden soil. You can get the parasite by handling cat litter or soil where there is cat feces. You can also get the parasite from eating undercooked meat (such as rare beef) from animals infected with the parasite.

What happens if I have it?
Healthy adults usually do not suffer ill effects from toxoplasmosis and many times do not have enough symptoms to suggest infection. Symptoms are rare, but can resemble the flu. However, if you become infected while pregnant, your unborn child may also become infected. Infected babies may not develop any disease, or they may become very ill, with serious damage to the brain and eyes.

If you have been infected previously (at least 6 to 9 months before your pregnancy) with toxoplasma, you will develop immunity to it. The infection will not be active when you become pregnant, and so there is rarely a risk to your baby.


How do I know if I have it?
Blood testing for detecting past or recent exposure to this parasite is available, but is not routinely done. If you are not tested and you don't know if you're immune or not, or if testing does not show immunity from previous infection, you can still take steps to protect yourself and your unborn child.


How can I avoid toxoplasma during pregnancy?
Here are some tips to help you avoid exposure to toxoplasma during your pregnancy:

* Do not allow your cat to go outside your home where it may come into contact with toxoplasma. If possible, have someone else take care of your cat while you are pregnant.
* Have another family member change the cat litter box and then disinfect it with boiling water for 5 minutes.
* If you must handle the chore of changing the litter box, wear rubber gloves to avoid contact with the litter and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
* Use work gloves when gardening and wash your hands afterwards. Cover children's sandboxes when not in use (cats like to use them as litter boxes).
* Control flies and cockroaches as much as possible. They can spread contaminated soil or cat feces onto food.
* Avoid eating raw or undercooked meat (or poultry) and unwashed fruits and vegetables.
* Wash your hands thoroughly before you eat and after handling raw meat, soil, sand or cats.
* Avoid rubbing your eyes or face when preparing food, and wipe the counter clean afterwards.
* Avoid eating raw eggs and drinking unpasteurized milk. Read the rest of this entry »

NATURAL SUPPLEMENT

Natural Supplements was formed to bring consumers safe, reliable alternatives for achieving and maintaining an improved state of health and quality of life. Hippocrates, whom we often call “the father of medicine”, used more than 200 herbs and other natural supplements for treating different diseases. Natural supplements are recommended for the prevention of atherosclerosis, diabetes and prostate problems. There are a number of single ingredient and more comprehensive multi-ingredient natural supplements that can keep your body healthy and strong, functioning at optimal levels at all times. Natural Supplements can be the difference between good health and chronic diseases.

In this country, where natural supplements are virtually ignored by medical schools and poorly regulated by the government, there is no nationwide established repository of consumer information or support system. Since the government does not regulate the potency of natural supplements, you have no guarantee that a product you buy has substantial pharmacological activity. However, all natural supplements containing herbal and organic ingredients, are a healthy and nutritious way to provide relief from common afflictions. Using home made natural remedies recipe formulas, natural supplements, natural products and natural treatment are the right way to care your body and achieve anti aging.

I'm here to give simple answers and show exactly how to use anti aging natural supplements to clean and pamper your body. When you see the results, your mind will be blown away through your roof. If you are serious about Anti Aging, interested in Anti Aging Natural Supplements, regaining some of your youth, or defeating a disease, then you have come to the right place!

Enjoy our wonderful and extensive natural supplement resources that comprise this site. You will find many articles in the realm of antioxidant supplements, immune system supplements, herbal nutrition, herbal treatments, migraine relief, and many more! We have even included lots of natural supplements information for instruction, boosting the immune system, and probiotic supplements.

Please visit this natural supplements site often as we will be continually adding articles and resources. Read the rest of this entry »

HEALTHY VS UNHEALTHY FOODS

There is a large different between healthy food and unhealthy food, although both can taste delicious. fruits and vegetables are two of the few examples of healthy cuisine that taste good. most other healthy foods, however, don't taste very good at all.
A healthy food is one that provides nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fat and water.
an healthy food is just the opposite of healthy food. these foods are acceptable to consume in moderation,but should generally be avoided,as they provide our bodies with fat and sugars. frequently eating junk food like cakes, pies, ice cream and candy will make a person gain weight,have high cholesterol, have a better chance of getting hearth disease and have cavities.
All healthy vittles can become unhealthy if eaten in large portions or with sugars and fat added.it is better eaten plain, with milk and a fruits. similarly, shredded wheat and corn flakes cereal loses some of its healthiness once it becomes frosted or honey nut. ice cream and better are rich in calcium. a major ingredient in chocolate is milk, and nuts are source of protein. however if any of these foods is eaten habitually it becomes unhealthy.
This same principle may easily be reserved. if an unhealthy food is eaten in small portions, with some of its fats and sugars removed, it will actually benefit the body. for example: ice cream is unhealthy if eaten habitually, but if some of the milk fat is removed and it consumed only once week, the ice cream will become to healthy.
Both healthy and unhealthy foods may be palatable, enjoyable to eat, and easy to prepare. While unhealthy foods are usually better tasting than their opposites, fruits and vegetables are two examples of scrumptious edibles. It is quite fortunate that each of us may enjoy both types of food, and allow one to complement the other. Read the rest of this entry »

Pap Smear

What is a Pap smear?
A Pap smear is a test your doctor does to check for signs of cancer of the cervix. The cervix is part of your uterus (womb). During a Pap smear, your doctor takes a sample of cells from your cervix to be tested and examined.

To take the sample, your doctor will put a special instrument called a speculum into your vagina. This helps open your vagina so the sample can be taken. Your doctor will gently clean your cervix with a cotton swab and then collect a sample of cells with a small brush, a tiny spatula or a cotton swab. This sample is put on a glass slide and sent to a lab to be checked under a microscope.
The sample checked for the cells on the slide are checked for signs that they're changing from normal to abnormal. Cells go through a series of changes before they turn into cancer. A Pap smear can show if your cells are going through these changes long before you actually have cancer. If caught and treated early, cervical cancer is not life-threatening. This is why getting regular Pap smears is so important.

What do the results mean?
A normal Pap smear means that all the cells in your cervix are normal and healthy.

An abnormal Pap smear can be a sign of a number of changes in the cells on your cervix:

* Inflammation (irritation). This can be caused by an infection of the cervix, including a yeast infection, infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) the herpes virus or many other infections.
* Abnormal cells. These changes are called cervical dysplasia. The cells are not cancer cells, but may be precancerous (which means they could eventually turn into cancer).
* More serious signs of cancer. These changes affect the top layers of the cervix but don't go beyond the cervix.
* More advanced cancer.

You should have your first Pap smear when you start having sex or by age 18.

Continue having a Pap smear once a year until you've had at least 3 normal ones. After this, you should have a Pap smear at least every 3 years, unless your doctor thinks you need them more often. Keep having Pap smears throughout your life, even after you've gone through menopause.

Certain things put you at higher risk of cervical cancer. Your doctor will consider these when recommending how often you should have a Pap smear.

If you're older than 65, talk with your doctor about how often you need a Pap smear. If you've been having Pap smears regularly and they've been normal, you may not need to keep having them.
s there anything I can do to avoid getting cervical cancer?
You may be able to reduce your risk of cervical cancer if you:

* Delay sexual intercourse until you're 18 years of age or older.
* Make sure both you and your partner are tested for STIs.
* Limit your number of sex partners.
* Always use latex condoms to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). (Remember condoms aren't 100% effective.)
* Avoid smoking. Read the rest of this entry »