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The Benefits of Pelvic Floor Exercises

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Happy Monday Ladies!

I am slowly returning back to creative writing for the blog. And to say the least, I would like to dedicate the first 2022 blog post to be about Pelvic Floor Exercises in women's health and for postpartum recovery. 

To be quite honest, pelvic floor exercises should be taught right around the same time as menstruation health because this will be a vital window for young girls and women to know how to heal, support, and exercise the pelvic region as well as become familiar with the organs and muscles involved in the reproductive system. 

Yet, our health education system lacks to share this knowledge with women which can increase delay in care and/or have certain symptoms worsen if not address early on. The reason I bring this up is because during my postpartum recovery I wished the OB/GYN and/or Nurse would have informed me to engage in pelvic floor exercises for healing after giving birth to my son. I knew after giving birth things would heal slowly from the cervix, uterus, and vaginal area, but I was not expecting for certain things to pop up and cause further discomfort and pain.  I thought to myself it was part of the healing process while I was placing my son's care first, but eventually I realized I needed further follow up after the 6 weeks postpartum appointment. 

May I also say, it's also unrealistic to get one postpartum follow up with the OB/GYN after giving birth, it should be at least a minimal 3 postpartum visits  to check on the mother's recovery physically and mentally.  I might want to look into this policy further because it's a crucial time for women to have follow ups available for prosper recovery. Okay, now that I vented a little, let's get to the main point of this blog post. Today, I like to share why women can benefit from pelvic floor exercises early on. 

Pelvic floor muscle exercises can help with the following:

  • improve bladder and bowel control
  • reduce the risk of prolapse (especially after giving birth!!) 
  • in women, this may feel like a bulge in the vagina or feeling of heaviness, discomfort, pulling, dragging, or dropping (make sure you f/u up with a OB/GYN right away to find out if you do have a prolapse and what organ is involved as well as the level of prolapse you are experiencing.)
  • Improve recovery from childbirth and gynaecological surgery 
  • Improve sexual sensation or orgasm potential (who wouldn't want this!!) 
  • Help strengthen pelvic floor muscles to reduce pain 
  • (I also believe it can help with pelvic trauma healing because you are using your own body movement and breath work to release the pain your holding emotionally) 
  • It can also be practice during menstruation cycle and paying attention to your relaxation phase during a kegel exercise can be a great way to help reduce pain and tension during your period. 
Now that you know a little bit about the benefits, it's important to know as women we have different levels of pain tolerance during birth and/or surgery recovery as well as everyone experiences their period differently and should choose what feels right for you during this time. Remember if you pain lingers or you feel any type of symptom that is prolonging or worsening in the pelvic region make sure to follow up with your provider such as OB/GYN, Midwives, Nurse Practitioners they can always further evaluate and make recommendations. 

Below are a few examples of some pelvic floor exercises, but if you need assistance with these exercises or don't how to engage the muscles or  technique a physical therapist can help assist you in these areas to help engage those pelvic floor muscles and get you on your way to strengthening your muscles while at the same time supporting your recovery. Remember not all exercises can be applied to everyone, so if you need some support in this area have a conversation with your medical provider to get a referral for a pelvic floor therapist. 

  
Also like to share this great resource below: 


Covered by most insurances









Medela

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 Happy Sunday Ladies! I am coming back with a new perspective in life as I am getting ready to become a mother this November 2021. Yes, you read that right !? I am thankful to becoming across companies and brands that are supporting women in this new transition of parenthood by creating products that support new mothers with breastfeeding and breast pumping experiences. 


If you are going to be a busy mom like myself and multitasking many roles throughout the day, you my friend are the backbone to taking care of business and your new family. Each one of us working woman represents a teacher, student, young profesional, medical worker, administrative coordinator, health care director and on... And when we finally are blessed to be a mother we are left wondering how we are going to accomplish this new role of being a Working Mother. 


Luckily for us ladies, we have companies and brands like Medela who have maintained a space with connecting and creating products to support new mothers in this new journey. That is why Medela has recently launched  New Moms Healthy Returns  to support working mothers in their transition back into the workforce after they give birth. Whether at home or at the office, running errand or enjoying family time, you deserve a breast pump that works as hard as you do. Which is why I worked closely with my  Insurance Breast Pump company to select the right Medela breast pump machine that will support hardworking moms like myself. 






Once you place the order for your breast pump, the insurance company will keep you up to date with your order. Aside from that, I also look forward to trying out the following products by Medela: 

  • Comfy Camisole Two in one solution for nursing confidence 
  • Purelan Lanolin Cream  an advance edical grade lanolin that offers fast relief and protection for breastfeeding mothers. Purelan is dermatologically tested, hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive skin, providing a highly effective and safe solution for mom and baby!
  • Newborn Pacifier The Medila company announced their expansion of breast care products to support both mothers and babies! MedelaBaby is a baby care category line featuring pacifiers for infants through 36 months. The collection includes four distinct styled pacifiers.


  • Breast Milk Bottle Set Medela breast milk bottles are made without BPA.  Safe plastic designed to retain breast milk's benefits.
  • Breast Milk Storage Bags  store, transport and warm breast milk in these convenient, ready-to-use breast milk storage bags. Constructed from a durable, double layer material and built-in double zipper seal to keep your breast milk safely stored in the fridge or freezer. For added convenience, the bags are self-standing and come with a large write-on area so you can track the date and other important information. A BONUS resealable transport pouch is included to help keep the bags clean and organized
  • Quick Clean Micro Steam Bags Disinfect your breast pump breast shields, accessories, breast milk bottles, nipples, pacifiers and more in about 3 minutes.






 Don't forget to also check out the The Moms’ Room: Medela's free online member centers offers breastfeeding education and personalize support for moms and moms-to-be. Some of the topics covered include benefits of breast milk, guidance for getting an insurance covered breast pump, and tips for transitioning back to work after baby.  Sign up  to receive exclusive perks and expert access to help build confidence and meet breast milk feeding goals. 




Have you been feeling more than tired lately?!

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Before March comes to an end, I wanted to to address a Women's Health Topic having to do with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This came into my though process as I was helping a patient out as she kept describing to me doctors didn't know what was wrong with her because she simply didn't have the energy for anything lately. Although I was seeing her for something else, I kept thinking about her frustration. So I did a little reading with books and research, I was curious to know why her symptoms were being dismissed. And then I came across what some people say some women have he " Raggedy Ann Syndrome" known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.







 CFS is characterized by continual tiredness, achy muscles, fever, drowsiness, and the you know occasional "blah" moments that lost for not weeks months........ sometime for some women even years. I read that the typical patient are of course most likely woman between 20 and 50 years of age who are highly successful, educated and busy AF... Could this be you?! I mean at some point I even started asking myself could this be me! Well the answer to that was no because occasionally I do experience tiredness, but nothing that last for months, but it definitely made me curious to know what women should know....

 So, ladies, did you know that the typical patient will have a hard time finding someone to take her symptoms seriously which can at times be confused for depression or maybe doctors don't know even how to screen for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and there is a criteria to fit into this diagnoses. However at the same time CFS can mimic symptoms such as infectious diseases, hormonal disorders such as thyroid disease, drug abuse and exposure to toxins. For a women to be diagnose with CFS she must have persisting symptoms lasting more than six months or longer, but as well as have at lease 8 of the 11 symptoms below: 

 *Chills and mild fever 
*Sore throat 
*Painful or swollen lymph glands 
*Unexplained general muscle weakness
*Muscle Discomfort
*Fatigue for a least 24 hours after previously tolerated exercise
 *Health unlike any previous pain 
*Joint paint without joint swelling and redness
 *Forgetfulness, excessive irritability, confusion, inability to concentrate 
*Disturbed sleep 
*Quick onset of symptoms within a few hours or days 


 Some of these symptoms are similar to COVID-19 SARS 2 and it could possibly be that during the pandemic that some women's fatigue started abruptly following an infection of COVID-19 or after the flu too. Also, Symptoms usually start during a stressful time and when unusual demands are being made of the person such as family, work etc.







 CFS can show up in laboratory results with high white blood cell count, slight abnormality of the liver and antibody levels can increase or decrease. Of course this will be on a case by case basis. One thing to keep in mind ladies is to always to talk to your provider and follow up to see how your health keeps progressing. Now I know, I am no Medical Doctor, but I do know one thing you can do to ease the symptoms and you hear me say it all the time in my IG stories..

 *Eat right
*Exercise 
*Prioritize your activities...
*If you need to take a break...It's okay.... 
*Continue living, but do monitor your symptoms 
*Maintain a positive Attitude 


 There are several treatment to CFS diagnosis, but you will have to first get seen by a medical provider. Only tip of advice will be to look for a CFS specialist affiliated with a teaching hospital or university (Good examples are like USC or UCLA, UCSD etc.) You can also ask for a local support group that can help recommend a doctor. In other words ladies don't just sit around waiting for the answer to come to your lap, be proactive and take charge of your health. 










Love and Self-Care

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We are in the month of February which usually signifies that LOVE is in the air for everyone! Yes... including yourself! This is great time to schedule some loving self-care practices that will help you implement some sturdy routines that can bring harmonious energy for your overall wellbeing. 

This is the month to do an extreme Self -Care Challenge with your Mind and Body. It's time to listen to what needs have been overdue. This next couple of weeks, I want you to practice tuning into your body by noticing how you feel.  Are you feeling fatigued? Does your back feel tight? Are you emotional? Are you wanting to connect with your Womb? To help you stay focused, I want make a list of 5 things you can accomplished this month and make a plan of action to achieve those items listed.

Post your Love and Self-Care plan in a place where you will see it and remind yourself to schedule and begin practice and/or make appointments necessary.  


Self-Care Resources



Next Upcoming Event

Have you been wanting to connect with your WOMB? Join the next WOMB LOVE Mediation on March 6th,2021 at 6pm pacific time on Zoom. When you purchase a ticket, you will receive a MY WOMB, MY HEALING meditation crystal set.






SANA HARMONY

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 Happy Wednesday! Can you believe we are already in the month of February! My goodness 2021 is already showing how quickly days are coming and going. Nevertheless it's time to drop a new podcast episode this week as we talk about with an Sanja an Herbalist from San Diego County. Sanja created a holistic business after studying herbalism and has produce items that are eco-friendly, healthy, and nurturing for women's health.

"Sana Harmony is woman owned, small batch herbal apothecary that offers support to women from all walks of life. Every product is handmade and formulated to be effective using only high quality whole plant medicines. Never any artificial ingredients or fillers. Herbal plants work in synergy and are included for a therapeutic reason and every product reflects love and knowledge of healing power of botanicals."~ Sanja .         



About the Owner: After years of studying herbalism, Sanja combined her love of plants and medicine making the healing powers of bodywork. Sanja is a graduate of Self Heal School of Herbal Studies and Healing, International Professional School of Bodywork and holds a Bachelors in English Language and Literature and has a Masters in European Business Law. 

Tune into this week's episode as Sanja share her passion and creates awareness sorrounding herbal apothecary.



About the Owner: After years of studying herbalism, Sanja combined her love of plants and medicine making the healing powers of bodywork. Sanja is a graduate of Self Heal School of Herbal Studies and Healing, International Professional School of Bodywork and holds a Bachelors in English Language and Literature and has a Masters in European Business Law. 



Where to find Sanja Pejin:

Instagram: SANA HARMONY (@sanaharmony) • Instagram photos and videos

Website: www.sanaharmony.com 

Email: hello@sanaharmony.com 






Cervical Cancer Awaraness

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Cancer occurs when cells in an area of the body grow abnormally. Cervical cancer is a cancer that begins in the cervix, the part of the uterus or womb that opens into the vagina. It is the part of the uterus that dilates and opens fully to allow a baby to pass into the birth canal. The normal cervix has two main types of cells: squamous (or flat) cells, which protect the outside of the cervix, and glandular cells which are mostly inside the cervix, and produce the fluid and mucus commonly seen during ovulation. Cervical cancer is caused by abnormal changes in either of these cell types in the cervix, and is the only gynecologic cancer that can be prevented by regular screening and preventive vaccination.



Cervical precancers usually have no symptoms. That is why it is important to have a Pap test. A woman usually does not have any symptoms until the cells turn into cancer and invade the deepest parts of the cervix or other pelvic organs. 

These symptoms include:

 • Vaginal discharge

 • Abnormal vaginal bleeding

 • Vaginal odor

 • Pain 


These symptoms may be caused by cancer or by other health problems. It is important for a woman to see her doctor if she is having any of these symptoms.


When a woman experiences concerning symptoms, a pelvic exam, including a rectovaginal exam, and a general physical should be performed. If the exam is abnormal, the woman might be advised to undergo an HPV test, a colposcopy (observing the cervix through a magnifying scope), and a biopsy, depending on the results of the colposcopy. If cervical cancer is suspected or diagnosed, it is important to seek care first from a gynecologic oncologist (Cervical Cancer: Your Guide | 5) 



When cervical cancer is diagnosed, it is vital to determine if the cancer has spread. Your treatment team may do more tests to determine this. Additionally, specific procedures during surgery may be performed to determine the extent of disease. This process is called staging. Staging helps to determine the exact extent of your cancer and what treatment plan is best for you (8 | Foundation for Women’s Cancer).  

References: Cervical Cancer – Foundation for Women's Cancer 





Emotional Wellbeing

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Reclaim your power with an empowerment coach such as Sarita Buer. She is helping women find worthiness by creating emotional wellbeing services that can help guide women to look at their lifestyle and helping coach them through phases of deconstruction and construction to find equilibrium. 

Her vision is to guide women to reclaim their power, so everyone can live an authentic life. Her intention is to help break down the dialogue with you by  declaring what you need for your emotional wellbeing and as part of self care.  

Tune into Season 3 Episode 2 as we talk about the emotional wellbeing and self care



Where to find Sarita:

Instagram: Sarita-Empowerment Coach
Website: Sarita Wellness
 Manifestacion Movement





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