Laverne

Bodybuilding can be defined as the pursuit of lean muscle mass. The importance of a proper diet to accomplish this goal cannot be understated. In fact, many experts argue that diet can account for up to 90% of a person's success at building their body. Fortunately, there is an easy-to-follow meal plan that works like magic to burn fat and gain muscle.

In this day and age of fad diets and trendy diets and so on, it is important to note that bodybuilding involves a lifestyle. Regular, intense and goal-oriented training sessions combined with an intelligent approach to eating will promote the development of a muscular physique that most trainees desire. What is required is discipline, patience, persistence and consistency. All of these attributes are favourable and can lead one to success in not only physique goals, but also in personal and professional pursuits.

When an individual adopts bodybuilding as a lifestyle, the physique improvements can be maintained over the long term. A steady, consistent and daily approach will prevent the agony of short-term weight loss followed by a quick regain of weight and the accompanying depression and feeling of hopelessness. Training and eating like a bodybuilder works, becomes habit-forming and eventually gives one a real sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

We like to adhere to the KISS (keep it simple, smart guy) principle when it comes to meal plans. So lets not going to get too technical. Were just going to lay it out for you. First of all, you should eat smaller meals, 5-6 times per day, 2 -3 hours apart. This will keep your metabolism going and provide your muscles (stimulated by short, intense workouts) fed with nutrients required for growth. These meals will consist of protein, carbohydrates and fats.

Proper protein intake will vary according to age, gender, goals and so on. Generally speaking, each meal should contain between 25-50 grams of protein. A rule of thumb is that a healthy male trying to promote lean muscle mass should ingest 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Therefore, if your body weight is 200 pounds, a daily intake of 300 grams of protein (6 meals with 50 grams of protein each) would be required. The key is that if you are training hard, you need protein.

Sources for protein include lean meats, fish, egg whites, low fat cottage cheese and whey protein. Avoid fatty meats and try to grill your meats and do not fry them in fat. Remember to include a protein selection at each meal.

When discussing carbohydrates, it is vital to distinguish between the different types of carbs. For this discussion we will identify 3 different types of carbs: complex carbs include potatoes, yams, bread, cereals, grains, pasta and rice; simple carbs include most fruit and veggie carbs which include most vegetables and leafy greens.

Fats are also a necessity but should come from the following sources: extra virgin olive oil, flax seed oil, nuts (almonds are best) and fish oil. The diet is very simple. For every meal, choose a portion from the protein group, the complex carb group and the veggie carb group. A good rule of thumb is that a serving size for your protein and carbs should be about the size of your fist. Have a serving of fats at 2-3 meals per day and only have simple carbs first thing in the morning at breakfast and immediately following your workout. Actually, it's critical to have a post workout shake with whey protein and a simple carb like a banana. Bring it to the gym with you and have it while the sweat is still on your body.

Now to fine tune this diet you can do this: if you are trying to increase muscle mass and not worried too much about losing fat, eat as above. However, if you wish to accelerate fat burning, do not eat complex carbs at your last 2-3 meals of the day. Lean protein (chicken breast or fish) and salads or chunky veggies (broccoli and asparagus are excellent choices) will do the trick.

Let's take this one step further. Here is a magic formula for extreme lean muscle mass and fat burning. For three days in a row, come hell or high water, only eat complex carbs first thing in the morning (a serving of oatmeal will do it) and immediately after your workout. On the fourth day, eat a ton of carbs. Actually cheat on this day. Eat whatever you want, but ensure that you eat sufficient protein and lots of complex carbs. This is the time to eat pizza, pasta, cake and so on.

This three day off, one day on carbs has produced fantastic results in many bodybuilders. We like it because any cravings we can put off until our "carb" day (which isn't really that far off in the future) and then indulge at that time. The secret is to remain strict on the low carb days. This takes planning, preparation and discipline. You can do it. Once you start to see the results you get from this carbohydrate manipulation, you will find it much easier to stick to it.

This meal plan should produce such dramatic results so quickly that your friends will be asking you what you are "on". The real secret is daily discipline. Take it one day at a time. Eat right according to the principles outlined above, manipulate your cab intake and train with intensity focusing on basic, heavy movements. This is the bodybuilding lifestyle. Engage in it and change your life, long-term and for the better.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Body Building

This is a great idea I saw a few years ago. It worked well then and works great now, with the new plastic gutters that are available.

Way back then gutters where wood or steel. The guys I saw used wood and oiled it so the concrete did not stick. They still had some problems removing the curbs but it worked!

What you do is get a couple of 10' lengths of plastic gutter.

Make some braces to stop it from stretching open when you fill it. These can be made with 1" x 6" boards placed along each side and braced with stakes driven into the ground. You will also need to cut a couple of pieces to cover each end. These can be screwed on to the brace boards.

Oil the inside of the gutter and fill with concrete!

In a couple of days remove your 1 x 6 boards and you will be able to take out your new curb. They come out easy because you can stretch the plastic a bit to help with removal.

Don't try to drag the curb around for at least a week, cover it with plastic and keep it wet for 7 days. It should be cured enough to use buy then if your temperature is in the 60 - 70 degree range. If it is colder you should wait longer, or until late Spring or Summer!!

It is also a good plan to add a length of 1/2" rebar to the curb when it is about 1/2 poured. This will make it far stronger and less likely to break when you are maneuvering it around.

These are VERY heavy so try to make them as close as you can to where the will be living. I always try to do them so all I have to do is roll them over and they are in place.

A good aggregate type mix is best for this.

copyright 2005 Del Germyn

Author - Del Germyn Web site http://www.delsmolds.com My web site is setup to help you and I learn more about molds and casting in general. YOU WILL FIND.. Articles on how to mix your concrete, hypertufa, etc for different uses. Free information on how to make your own molds. Tips and hints on their use and care. Free information on making and using various types of molds to cast concrete, plaster, cement, ceramics, and molding with hypertufa. Suggestions for projects that you can do in a couple of hours that will make your yard / garden look great. All the information on the site is free to use and share. http://www.delsmolds.com go to my site now.

I am hoping that when you see what I have (or have not) set out you will send in your tips and stories.

By sharing we can all learn from each other. We can also help newcomers to the hobby / business.

Cryosurgery, also known as Cryotherapy or Neuroablation, is a minimally invasive FDA approved procedure done in the office for pain relief and nerve problems of the foot. Dr. Katz notes that treatments have provided longstanding relief for heel pain, plantar fasciitis, Morton's neuroma and neuropathy and many other painful conditions.

The procedure is performed under local anesthesia using a tiny incision that does not require stitches. A probe is used to freeze tissue in a 15 minute office procedure. Extreme freezing temperatures produce an anesthetic effect beyond the temporary relief produced by simple cooling. This procedure may be used as a primary treatment but is more commonly used after other conservative treatments have failed.

Cryoanalgesia has been known to decrease pain and inflammation for centuries. Physicians, physical therapists and sports trainers have used ice for many conditions and injuries. Cool temperatures result in vasoconstriction of blood vessels, thus reducing inflammation, but also create an anesthetic effect by altering nerve function.

Historically, researchers performing cryosurgery observed that extreme freezing had an anesthetic effect beyond the temporary relief produced by simple cooling. Over the last thirty years, many treatments have been introduced to address chronic pain by neurologists, surgeons, pain management specialists, and neurosurgeons. These techniques have had a common goal of producing prolonged nerve blocks to relieve intractable pain. Within the last ten years, cryosurgery has been utilized to relieve trigeminal nerve pain, lumbosacral pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Advantages to Foot Cryosurgery

* Painless - use of local anesthetic
* Minimally invasive
* In-office physician performed procedure
* Walking the day of the procedure
* Minimal to no down time from work or activity
* Decreased use of pain medications that can cause complications
* May permit patient to return to fashion shoes, sandals and heels
* May permit patient to walk barefoot

Success rates have been high and patients find that they get significant relief while being able to return to normal activities quickly. This is truly a breakthrough technology for foot pain said Dr. Marc Katz of Tampa.

Dr Marc Katz is a Board-certified Tampa Podiatrist that provides innovative cutting edge techniques for relief of foot pain including Cryosurgery or Cryotherapy of the foot. Dr. Katz prides himself on compassion and concern for all patients. Dr. Katz is the first Cryostar certified Cryosurgeon in the Tampa Bay Area for relief of heel pain, Morton's neuroma, plantar fasciitis and neuropathy.

For more information visit: http://www.TampaCryosurgery.com

Flash animations are protruding because of their myriad characteristics in this coeval age. Flash is splashing all around and the timeless saying A picture is worth a thousand words aptly describes how large amount of data can be absorbed quickly, imbibe our mind.

Flash animation is created using Adobe flash animation software and is distributed in .swf (Shockwave Flash) format, other formats are .as (ActionScript), .flv (Flash Video). Flash animations have nowadays become best way to showcase overview of an enterprise. Web flash animations are often created in series and well known by different names; bitmaps, raster-based art, vector based drawings, videos can be easily incorporated with these flash animations for more clear graphics. You can find numerous flash generator, image manipulator, menu creator on the web. You tube,

We find Macromedia Flash is a pioneering vector technology for designing high-end-high-impact, low-bandwidth websites that for enticing and retention of visitors; providing a richer, more compelling web experience. You dont need to install or download player, just drag the file to your browser and it runs, these flash animations are very attractive and interactive and help a lot in website brand campaigning.

Adobe Flex, is the latest upsurging flash animation; it is an IDE and SDK that supports development and deployment of cross platform for technologies based on proprietary Macromedia Flash platform. Flex Data Services 2 provides Enterprise-oriented services through data synchronization, data push, publish-subscribe and automated testing. Adobe Flex 3 is the beta version that supports Adobe Application Runtime and includes Creative Suite products and Flex Builder IDE.

There is good news for SEO executives working over flash websites!! Previously it was almost impossible to get flash websites indexed in the search engines, but now as adobe as incorporated Adobe SDK capable of converting .swf to html making the site fully search engine friendly, it is helping SEOs to gain rankings for the same with much more ease. Presently google has also deployed a new fix over its algorithm via which its crawler (googlebot) is capable of indexing partly content of flash driven websites.

Icreon offers Multimedia presentation India Interactive multimedia, flash website design and development.

Rakhi, is a experienced SEO content writer at Icreon Communications Pvt. Ltd.

Diet and Testosterone....

Are you searching for ways to boost your testosterone levels naturally? Have you looked at your diet?

The following is a collection of tips from doctors, scientists and fitness experts about a healthy diet for optimum testosterone production, including lots of foods and even fruits that increase testosterone production.

Testosterone is produced by the body and is not found in the food we eat; however, certain foods lead to testosterone production and better blood circulation, which carries the testosterone to the appropriate organ, while other foods should be avoided.

So foods that encourage testosterone production may be called -- for lack of a better term -- testosterone food sources.

Testosterone Food Sources

Include:

Zinc: The best source of dietary zinc is meat. The best meat choice is the white meat of chicken. The best fish choice is salmon. For vegetarians, choose peanuts or beans. No fruits that increase testosterone in this category, because plant sources of zinc are harder for the body to use and are not good testosterone food sources.

Vitamin A: essential for the normal function of the reproductive organs. Lots of fruits that increase testosterone in this category: apples, blueberries, cantaloupe, pineapple and citrus fruits, just to name a few. Other food sources of Vitamin A include fish (salmon, again), leafy greens (spinach) and brightly colored vegetables like tomatoes, red peppers and yellow squash.

Hope you like salmon, because other than being an excellent source of Vitamin A and zinc, as well as protein, fish oil is said to keep SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) levels lower. When testosterone runs into SHBG in the blood stream, it becomes attached to it, and then cant interact with any of the bodys cells.

The net effect of testosterone that is attached to SHBG is the same as a lack of testosterone since it is prevented from having any impact on the body. Salmon might be your number one testosterone food source followed closely by oysters which are naturally rich in zinc.

Diet and Testosterone

Avoid:

The following foods are not testosterone friendly food and drink sources: fried foods, sugar and caffeine over stimulate the adrenals, which produce some testosterone. Over stimulating the adrenals leads to adrenal exhaustion, means they are not going to produce testosterone or anything else.

So a breakfast of hash browns, toast with jelly and coffee with cream and sugar would have pretty much everything in it that you want to AVOID if you are looking for testosterone food sources.

In conclusion, a healthy diet and testosterone production go hand in hand.

It is not possible to include here all of the good testosterone food sources or even all of the fruits that increase testosterone.

Consult a nutritionist or dietician for a personal plan that addresses your individual needs.

In the meantime, for breakfast tomorrow have an egg omelet (egg yolk contains cholesterol which testosterone is made from) with tomatoes and red peppers (sources of Vitamin A) and orange juice to drink. Follow that up with some alfalfa-sprout toast (alfalfa is said to be a sexual stimulant) and some fresh apples, pineapples or other fruits that increase testosterone and you are sure to have a good start to your day.

Learn more about diet and testosterone and discover natural herbs to increase testosterone at http://www.testosterone-booster-guide.com

In spite of all the advertising touting "home-like" birthing rooms in hospitals, for most women, a hospital birth will be nothing like a home birth. Interventions are routine in the hospitals in my state. Every laboring woman will be hooked up for some period of time to an electronic fetal monitor, given vaginal exams, and be told where and in what position she must give birth. If her membranes are ruptured, she will be required to deliver her baby within a certain time period. If her labor is moving too slowly, she will be given pitocin to augment it or have her water artificially ruptured. She will be told how many companions she may have with her. If she has other children she may or may not include them at the birth. How long she is kept in the hospital will vary depending on her physician and the particular hospital. How soon her baby will be released also will depend on the baby's pediatrician and hospital policy. Some of the more common interventions that take place during hospital births are discussed below.

AMNIOTOMY

Artificially breaking the amniotic sac is done routinely at many hospitals to speed labor up, get labor going, to test the fluid or to get it out of the way so that an internal monitor can be screwed into the baby's head. It was believed that breaking the water would speed up labor by 30 to 60 minutes but the only randomized control trial done disproved this. This procedure causes cord prolapse, a serious complication for the baby and increases the chances of an infection. With less amniotic fluid in the uterus during labor, the baby has a greater risk of cord compression problems leading to fetal distress and malpositions of the head. 1, 2

DRUGS & EPIDURALS

Nearly every woman giving birth in a hospital will receive a drug at some point during her stay. Pitocin is frequently used to induce or augment labor. Because it causes abnormally strong contractions, many women receive a pain-relieving drug such as a narcotic. Unfortunately, narcotics also are received by the baby and can affect the condition of the baby at birth and for years after. Some of these side effects are respiratory problems, impaired muscular, visual and neural development in the first week of life and in the following years, lower reading and spelling scores, difficulty in solving problems or performing tasks when they pose a challenge.

The new drug of choice at many hospitals is the epidural. It must be administered by an anesthesiologist and requires the mother to remain in bed afterward. She must be flushed with an IV fluid prior to getting it to keep her blood pressure up. A needle is inserted into the woman's back and small catheter is left in place where the medication is injected. It numbs the woman's body from the ribs to the toes. Many women ask for this drug because they do not want to deal with the pain of childbirth and believe it is safe for themselves and their babies because the physician who administered it, their obstetrician and the labor and delivery nurses all encourage the use of it and give no information regarding side effects.

The known complications are many ranging from requiring EFM, IV, immobility, urinary catheterization. An epidural also may allow no sensation of labor or the pushing urge, lower blood pressure, abnormally relax the pelvic muscles which may encourage the baby to adopt malpositions of the head, may decrease the production of oxytocin at critical times, and increase the need for forceps and cesarean section. Epidurals cause some serious complications such as heart attack, spinal damage, and spinal headache. After the birth, chronic backache is a common complaint as well as backache. The baby may be exposed to narcotic drugs given to enhance the effect of the epidural and which if given alone can compromise the baby's respiratory efforts as well as require the newborn to metabolize the drugs. We do not know the short or long term effects of the epidural or other drugs on the baby. Some claim that the baby is unaffected unless the mother becomes hypotensive. Some non-interventionist birth attendants recognize that occasionally epidurals may be useful for certain situations. Some examples when an epidural may permit a normal birth are for maternal exhaustion, severe back labor, certain malpresentations or psychological dystocia. Although the FDA approves drugs as safe or unsafe, they have no definition of safe and do not guarantee safety of drugs. Many who work with brain damaged children, wonder if the disability is due to obstetric drug use. They also question if women would make the drug choice if they were given complete information about side effects. The American Academy of Pediatricians discourages the routine use of obstetric drugs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

ENEMAS

This procedure is still done routinely at many hospitals, although no research proves any benefits for the mother or baby. Home birth and natural birth advocates recognize that for the vast majority of women, the process of labor will empty the bowels. 8, 9

EPISIOTOMY

Although many believe that an ep[isiotomy is necessary to have a baby to prevent damage to the baby's head, prevent trauma to the mother's perineum and the cut will heal faster and prevent 3rd and 4th degree tears, no research supports these myths. Shiela Kitzinger writes that 9 out of 10 American women will have an episiotomy with her first baby although in Holland, only 2 or 3 out of 10 will. The facts are that episiotomy is a cultural phenomena. Research shows that episiotomy is done because the doctor was trained to do it, not because it was a necessary procedure. It can be avoided by using more physiologic positions to give birth (not lithotomy), pushing only when mom feels need to, giving birth gently, slowly to the head, preparing for the birth by doing perineal massage and Kegel exercise, avoiding forceps delivery. 10

FORCEPS & VACUUM EXTRACTOR

Forceps are obstetrical tools which are shaped like large spoons have been in use since the 1500's. Years ago, forceps were used for many problems which are now handled by cesarean section. Today, most forceps deliveries are low forceps, which means they are applied when the babies head is low in the pelvis and birth is imminent. According to Henci Goer, "There is no research to support the elective use of forceps."

The risks to the mother are perineal trauma, extensive episiotomy, possible extension tearing from episiotomy, hematoma and nerve damage. Lasting effects of forceps or vacuum extraction to the mother may be anal incontinence in spite of a repaired third degree tear. The baby may have damage to the head, eyes, the nerves that lead to the face and neck and arms. However, an article written by a physician which appeared in Parents magazine claims, "Medical studies comparing outlet forceps deliveries with spontaneous (no forceps) deliveries have shown that there is no difference in risk to the baby." (Emphasis mine)

Vacuum extraction is a newer technology that sometimes takes the place of forceps. As with low forceps, the baby's head must be very low in the pelvis before the suction cup can be attached. It has the benefit of not requiring an episiotomy and maternal perineal trauma is less than with forceps, but the baby still has the possibility of trauma to the head and face. Chiropractors also recognize that pulling a baby out by the head changes the spinal alignment, although this is not recognized in any medical texts. 6, 11, 12

IMMOBILITY

Along with the lithotomy position comes immobility. It is impossible to move around when you are flat on your back. It's even more difficult if you have internal and external fetal monitors attached to your body, an IV running into your arm and after a narcotic drug was given to "take the edge off." It goes without saying, that if you had an epidural, you would not be going anywhere at all as your legs would have no feeling.

Some hospitals encourage walking and moving around. Others do not like you to be out of your room, which may be quite small and loaded with equipment, making any real walking about nearly impossible. Studies have shown that moving about and being upright can shorten labor as well as changing positions. 13

INDUCTION

According statistics from the health department in Wisconsin, one-third of all births in that state are the result of induction, the artificial starting of labor. Most inductions are accomplished using pitocin in an intravenous solution or artificially rupturing the amniotic sac. The reasons for doing this are many. One of the most common for healthy full-term women, is fear of going too far past the "due date" and having a baby with postmature syndrome or meconium staining. Another reason is fear of having a big baby.

Benefits of inducing would seem to be avoiding postmature syndrome, attempting to deliver a baby that had grown too big for the mother and bypassing meconium staining. However, studies fail to confirm this line of thought. The actual amount of time needed for a baby to grow to term varies and figuring an exact due date for each baby has not yet been done. Ultrasounds have at best a 10 day window of error if done in the first trimester. The phenomenon of postdates, is poorly understood. Macrosomia occurs prior to postdates as does"postmature syndrome." (p. 181) The entity of postmature syndrome is based on a single physicians "subjective evaluation of 37 babies." Research seems to indicate that watchful waiting is the more prudent course of action for healthy women. 14

IV

At a great many U.S. institutions, one of the first items of care to be rendered to the obstetric patient will be her IV, "just in case." Just in case she needs drugs or surgery or her veins collapse making insertion of an IV impossible. Nancy Wainer Cohen and Lois Estner interviewed many labor and delivery nurses to find out how frequently a laboring woman's veins collapsed. They learned that this does not happen. This is not the way birth happens in other nations, where a laboring woman is permitted to eat and drink lightly. This cultural warping began in the 1940's when anesthesia was being given to nearly all birthing women by mask and vomiting and food aspiration were risks associated with this. Eliminating food and drink, they felt would eliminate this risk. Today, however, anesthesia methods have improved and this is no longer the problem it once way. Improved intubation techniques make this problem virtually a thing of the past. Doris Haire, a maternity care writer, in looking at 20 years of medical literature on aspiration during surgery found that the cause was not eating or drinking prior to the surgery, but caused by incompetence of the anesthesiologist.

General anesthesia is given to approximately 4% of those who undergo cesarean section. Approximately 0.3% cesarean surgeries will require intubation that will be difficult to do yet not all women who require intubation will aspirate. This translates into denying all laboring women food and drink because 1 cesarean sectioned woman out of 10,000 may aspirate.

Although IV's are supposed to keep the stomach empty, a glucose IV actually works to slow down the emptying of the stomach. It also may encourage tissues to swell so that it makes it more difficult to intubate, if that becomes necessary. IV fluid accumulates in the bladder and that may slow down labor. Some women may have sensitivities to the IV and have a reaction from one. It restricts the woman's mobility. The needle in the arm is painful and inhibits free movement. The baby also may suffer from the mother's IV, as studies are being done to determine if the excessive sugar administered through a glucose IV may harm the baby. 14, 15, 16

LITHOTOMY

This used to be the position of choice for physicians doing hospital births. The mother lies flat on her back with her knees in the air. It is a most unphysiologic position for mom and baby, but it does give the physician a good view of the mother's perineum. While in this position, the mother must push the baby out uphill. It is known to cause fetal distress due to the baby lying on the mother's arteries and veins. Most women will not choose this position if given alternatives.

Dr. Roberto Caldeyro-Barcia is considered an expert on this position for labor and delivery. He and his researchers found that this lithotomy or supine position is the worst one for laboring women because it adversely affects every facet of birth: makes labor more painful, reduces uterine activity, and can dangerously lower blood pressure. He says, "Except for being hanged by the feet, the supine position is the worst conceivable position for labor and delivery." 17, 18

MONITORING

Electronic fetal monitoring is required at nearly every hospital for at least a short time. When it was first available, it was used only for the most high risk situations. However, it is now used for everyone regardless of risk status. A large reason why EFM is used so extensively is that staff is in short supply and this technology allows for fewer care-givers.

There are two kinds of monitors: external and internal. The external monitors are attached to a heavy elastic band that is strapped across the mother's abdomen. She must lie quietly so the monitors do not slip. The baby's heart beat is recorded on a machine that documents the moment to moment heart rate on graph paper along with the mother's contractions. The internal monitor does the same things, but it is attached directly into the baby's head by a metal screw. The uterine contractions are monitored by a probe that is inserted into the uterus. Some feel that this is a more accurate reading. During most labors and deliveries, no other method of monitoring the baby's heart rate will be used. However, EFM does not reduce infant deaths, improve outcomes or give information that permits potentially bad situations to be corrected or avoided. The strips are frequently mis-read. One study found that 71-95 % of babies diagnosed by EFM as distressed were not. Additionally, studies have shown that most causes of brain damage are not related to actual distress during the birth process but rather due to distress prior to labor. In spite of near universal use of EFM, little evidence exists that any change has taken place in the numbers of brain damaged babies being born.

Auscultation with a fetascope, stethoscope, pinard horn and other low-tech devices for listening to the baby have been found to be as effective for monitoring most laboring women.

The risks of using EFM are well known: higher intervention rate of all kinds due to misinterpretation of strips leading to a misdiagnosis of fetal distress. The use of EFM may increase the risk of cerebral palsy by increasing the risk of infection. More babies have abnormal fetal heart rate patterns when monitored by EFM than by auscultation, and it may be that this finding is caused by EFM rather than simply being detected by it. Mothers may report not remembering parts of their labors due to anxiety that was created by using the monitors.

One of the greatest risks to the baby who receives an internal monitorying electrode is that of infection at the insertion site. The woman with a history of herpes may be wise to forego internal monitoring our of concern of passing this disease on to her baby via the scalp electrode.

191. Cohen & Estner, Silent Knife, page 168.
2. Korte & Scaer, A Good Birth, A Safe Birth, pages 108-109.
3. Korte & Scaer, pages 119-124.
4. Birth Gazette, "On Epidurals: Pros and Cons", Vol. 9, No. 1, Winter 1992, pages 19, 21.
5. Davis-Floyd, Robbie, Birth as an American Rite of Passage, 1992, pages 113-116.
6. Hillard, Paula Adams, "As they Grow Pregnancy and Birth, Forceps Delivery," Parents magazine, July 1990, pages 94, 97.
7. Gross & Ito, "All about Anesthesia," Parents, Vol. 65, April 1990, pages 213, 218, 221.
8. Cohen & Estner, page 162.
9. Korte & Scaer, page 108.
10. Korte & Scaer, pages 127-128.
11. Korte & Scaer, page 129.
12. Sultan, A.H., "Third degree obstetric and sphincter tears: risk factors and outcome of primary repair," as abstracted in the Journal of the AMA, May 25, 1994, Vol. 217, page 15520.
13. Korte & Scaer, pages 105-106.
14. Goer, Henci, Obstetric Myths versus Research Realities, page 179-202.
15. Cohen & Estner, pages 162-168.
16. Korte & Scaer, pages 106-107.
17. Goer, page 109.
18. Cohen & Estner, pages 158-159.
19. Goer, pages 131-153.
20. Korte & Scaer, pages 1, 38-39, 64, 77, 83, 90, 109-113, 134, 150, 156, 164, 187, 199-200.

Yvonne Cryns has degrees in nursing and law. She is the co-founder of Nursing Programs Online.com - http://www.nursingprogramsonline.com,and Midwives.net - http://www.midwives.net Yvonne also produced a video about midwives: http://www.compleatmother.com/video2.htm Yvonne is a nationally-credentialed CPM, a professional homebirth midwife.