It can be difficult to come to terms with failed fertility treatments, but when it’s time to move on there are places to turn.

There are many reasons people come to the decision not to continue fertility treatment. It may happen when the consultant says there’s little or no chance of success. For others, there comes a point at which they can no longer endure the emotional roller coaster of treatments, or the financial cost is too high and they can no longer afford treatment. After several - or many - attempts that haven’t resulted in the birth of a baby, a couple may just feel it’s time to move on.

For others, there comes a point at which they can no longer endure the emotional roller coaster

At whatever point it’s decided to call it a day, it’s vital to know the decision has been made without pressure and that the time - and money - spent having treatment hasn’t been wasted. There shouldn’t be a feeling of personal failure.

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The problem with quick-fix diets

Quick-fix diets are usually short-term with a rigid set of rules. While you may lose weight, the diets are often too constraining to sustain for long. They’re also likely to be nutritionally inadequate, could lead to problems such as iron deficiency or poor bone health and don’t help you to address your real obstacles to losing weight and keeping it off. Plus, they can make you lose confidence in your ability to slim successfully.

Stay active
Being more active in daily life helps to boost your mood and self-esteem, regulate (not increase) appetite, maintain muscle and make long-term success more likely.

Be realistic
Expecting more from your weight-loss programme than is really feasible only sets you up for failure, so be realistic about how much weight you’ll lose and how quickly. Developing skills to achieve the lifestyle changes needed to reach your realistic goals is the safe and sensible approach.

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For many, the really tricky part isn’t losing the weight but keeping it off, It can be done as long as you believe in your ability to do it. Here are some tried and tested strategies used by successful slimmers.

There’s no going back
If, once you’ve reached your realistic target weight, you go back to your old eating habits and activity levels, the weight will come back on. It’s as simple as that.

This is usually the problem with quick-fix diets, they don’t help you to make changes that you can maintain in the long term.

Stay realistic
Now you’ve got there, beware of the ‘how to be even skinnier’ media messages that might lure you into feeling dissatisfied with your great achievement.

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Biting into a juicy burger or slicing a filet mignon, few people realize that beef isn’t what it used to be. Before World War II, beef cattle were raised on grass. It could take four years to fatten a steer. But then the industry switched to corn, a sort of time machine for a steer. Today calves start out on milk and grass but then, when six months old, they’re sent to a feedlot. By the time they are about 14 months old, corn-fed steers weigh enough to be slaughtered. “Corn-fed” may sound wholesome, as normal as Kansas in August and blueberry pie, but in fact corn is not healthy for cattle.

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EXERCISE: GET UP AND GET GOING!

I know, I know - the dreaded word. People would like to think that there is a way to look and feel terrific without exercising, but there truly isn’t. (Not for long, anyway!) Exercise does so much for our bodies besides improving metabolism. Some of the many benefits include: decreased risk of certain cancers, firmer muscles, improved blood circulation (this is great for the skin), strengthening of bones (especially important for women), increased energy, and improved digestion.
All of this is fantastic, surely reasons enough to make exercise a priority. But there is more… The way I see it, the true benefits are spiritual and emotional. I have no doubt that exercise improves one’s self esteem dramatically and nurtures our spirit with a sense of accomplishment. Like smiling, exercise inexplicably improves our mood. (It’s that serotonin again.) It is a must for our well-being! The days I don’t exercise I don’t have as much energy. My thoughts don’t flow as well, and my skin doesn’t glow.

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Advice on how to tell the difference between the common cold and flu, including the best ways to help your child recover as quickly as possible.

What are they?
The common cold and flu (influenza) are very common infections of the upper respiratory tract (nose, throat, ears and sinuses).

What causes them?
Colds and flu are caused by viruses. The infections are contagious, passed on by tiny droplets and hand contact.

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As many as one in three people will be dead within 24 hours of having a heart attack. But most people who survive the first month will still be alive five years later. So prompt treatment is essential, as is prevention.

What causes a heart attack?
The heart is a large muscular pump. It beats 70 times a minute to push blood around the body. Like any busy muscle, the heart tissues need a good supply of blood from their blood vessels, which are called the coronary arteries.

Diseases that narrow the coronary arteries can cause a shortage of oxygen and essential nutrients in the heart muscle.

This triggers chest pain known as angina, especially when the heart is made to work extra hard, for example during exercise. If someone has angina, the more severe the narrowing of the arteries, the less they can do before they experience pain.

If the shortage is severe and prolonged, some of the heart muscle will die, resulting in permanent damage. This is a heart attack, more technically known as a myocardial infarction or MI.

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Insomnia is the inability to sleep for a reasonable amount of time to maintain adequate restfulness. It is the most common type of sleep disorder.

Insomnia is not defined by the total number of hours slept. Most adults require seven to eight hours of sleep a night, but some only need four or five.

According to the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research, about one in three American adults experience insomnia in a given year. About one in 10 American adults experience insomnia that is chronic or severe. Insomnia is more common among women (especially after menopause) and the elderly. About half of people over age 65 have frequent sleep problems.

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Consuming three cups of coffee per day can greatly decrease the threat of you getting Alzheimer’s disease, new evidence implies.

Individuals drinking their regular caffeine treat have half the “mental decline” of those who do not go near the stuff at all it suggests.

However drinking over three cups doesn’t appear to have an increased protective impact.

Researchers believe that caffeine could start a chain reaction in the brain that stops the damage carried out by Alzheimer’s.

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Hints on Dealing With the Discomfort

What is heartburn?
Despite its name, heartburn doesn’t affect the heart. Heartburn is a burning feeling in the lower chest, along with a sour or bitter taste in the throat and mouth. It usually occurs after eating a big meal or while lying down. The feeling can last for a few minutes or a few hours.

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