exercise_yes Tag

The beauty and health ideals for women have changed significantly in recent decades. Losing weight is no longer the main priority for a woman’s fitness routine or lifestyle. We are seeing more marketing campaigns and Instagram influencers praising the muscular bodies of female athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

When we discuss menopause we often focus on the physical changes that happen to our body, but it’s important to recognize that we will go through some mental and emotional changes too. The intense hormonal and physical changes can cause negative mental health effects such as mood swings, anxiety, difficulty with memory, and even depression. In fact, the risk of depression for women actually increases after menopause.

Postpartum common situation: You’re home with your new baby and, through all the excitement of bringing life into this world, you haven’t stopped to really observe your new body - until now. You knew it was going to change through pregnancy and childbirth but you...

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.  

Ah, the vagina! One of the most celebrated parts of a woman’s body and for good reason. Vaginas are fierce and have made a comeback in pop culture as the unofficial mascot for some modern Internet feminist movements and even politicians! From Vagina Monologues to vagina Halloween costumes, it seems that every day more and more people are becoming open to seeing and talking about vaginas. But few women, and even fewer men, are open enough to talk about some of the problems that women may face with their vaginas, such as vaginal prolapse.

If you’re like most women, you’ve probably at least heard of Kegels. But did you know that they are for more than preventing bladder leaks? It’s true! In the mid-1940’s, Dr. Arnold Kegel developed an exercise to help women who were experiencing urinary continence. Many women who tried this exercise found that, in addition to having better control over their bladders, they were also experiencing better sex.