b-wom Tag

Let’s be honest, people are complicated beings! Most people would admit to some sort of sex hang up. But is negative thinking affecting your ability to have a healthy, thriving sex life? Hypnotherapy can be a great resource for sexual healing. It may sound weird, but is backed by science. For some, hypnosis may seem like an unlikely avenue to pursue for help with psychological or physical difficulties, but its clinical applications are becoming more and more apparent. A number of studies have helped add weight to the notion that alternative therapies, such as hypnosis, can be used as an effective replacement for traditional or pharmacological approaches (1).

Menstruation is a symbol of feminine nature and health. Therefore, your period and your menstrual cycle are indicators of your overall health! When you get your period, the only message you might read is that you’re not pregnant. However, it can give you much more information about your health: weight problems, stress, hormonal imbalances… Pay attention to your cycle, it may be trying to tell you something! Get the keys to understanding your menstrual flow in this blog post.

Unfortunately as women, we are all at some risk for developing breast cancer. Recent studies show that approximately 12.4% of women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their life (1). Don’t panic, this doesn’t mean your are going to have it, it just means that it is something to be aware of. The good news is that we have in our hands a tool to protect ourselves: breast self-examination.

In yoga, the pelvic floor is known as the root chakra. In sex research, the pelvic floor is known as the root of female orgasm! Many of us learn to tone the pelvic floor with the Kegel exercise, named after Dr. Arnold Kegel who also studied how the pelvic floor contributes to our sexual health. The pelvic floor is made up of the muscles and tissues that line the pelvis. During penetration, the pelvic floor is stretched and widened. During orgasm, the pelvic floor contracts. And a toned pelvic floor that can contract and release its muscles more deeply, helps us to experience orgasm more deeply.

With our busy and often stressful lives it is important to our health and our happiness that we try our best to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is our ability to be fully present and aware of what is happening around us without becoming overwhelmed and anxious (1). This is something that we all do naturally, but sometimes life gets too hectic and we become less aware of our surroundings or we let our surroundings overwhelm us. Studies show that when you practice mindfulness and you train your brain to focus directly on what you’re experiencing and feeling, you are actually physically restructuring your brain! (1)

We may not think of it, but water can have a large impact on our overall and day-to-day health. As I’m sure you may know, it is important to hydrate regularly in order to preserve adequate mental and physical functions. Many of us do not pay attention to how much water we are drinking and how this can be affecting how we feel and what is happening inside of our bodies. In fact, very few epidemiological studies have even been done on fluid and water intake (1).

Post by Parsley Health  Research and anecdotal evidence has shown that stress is the greatest threat to pregnancy, but also the prenatal period, the postpartum period, menarche and menopause.  It’s much more prevalent than the Zika virus or fetal alcohol syndrome. More importantly, stress is ubiquitous. No one is entirely free of it. And, like any toxin, it’s potency is directly related to the dose.  

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Zosia Mamet, one of the stars of HBO’s Girls, got real at the AOL’s Makers Conference in LA in February. Her revelation? Her six-year struggle with pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), a common pelvic condition.

“For six years it felt like I had the worst UTI of my life,” Mamet told the crowd. Despite suffering from symptoms including intense pain during sex and urinary incontinence for six years, doctors wouldn’t take her seriously.

Many women believe that urinary incontinence is a problem for older women. Friend, this is a true myth, a misconception that causes many women that experience urine leaks when coughing, sneezing or running feel embarrassed and prevents them from talking about it. And there you have it! That’s how a very common health problem, which we can all prevent and improve, becomes a taboo that causes insecurities in many women. Yes, even though urine leakage isn't a common topic of conversation over dinner with friends, it is something that many many women have. One study reports that half of women in the USA develop some kind of urinary incontinence in their lifetime.

Stress affects everyone and, while small amounts of stress are a normal part of life, chronic stress is not. But being stressed all the time can do a lot of damage to your emotional wellbeing and, for women, your pelvic floor. Ok, so your pelvic floor might be the last thing you think about when you’ve got a million other things to take care of. We understand but, real talk, your pelvic floor should be something you’re concerned with. A strong, healthy pelvic floor can help you stay in shape, give you confidence, and keep your entire reproductive system operating at it’s best. So how does stress affect your pelvic floor? Read on!