As we get ready to celebrate International Women's Day and stand in solidarity with women around the world, it’s essential to shine a light on issues that directly impact women’s well-being. Among these concerns is urogynecological health, an often overlooked aspect of women’s healthcare. This International Women’s Day, let's focus not only on understanding pelvic problems but also on simple ways to keep our pelvic region healthy.
One of the key messages of International Women’s Day is empowerment, and empowering women to prioritize their urogynecological health is crucial. This involves breaking down the stigma surrounding pelvic floor disorders and encouraging open conversations about symptoms and treatment options.
Pelvic health is about keeping the muscles and organs in your pelvic area strong and working well. When things go wrong, it can cause problems like leaking urine, organs moving out of place, or trouble controlling your bowel movements.
But there are easy things you can do to take care of your pelvic health:
- Exercise Your Pelvic Muscles: Doing simple exercises, like Kegels, can strengthen the muscles in your pelvic floor. This can help prevent problems like leaking urine and organs moving where they shouldn't.
- Keep a Healthy Weight: Being overweight can strain your pelvic muscles and make pelvic problems worse. Eating healthy and staying active can help you keep a good weight and support your pelvic health.
- Drink Enough Water: Drinking plenty of water is good for your bladder and urinary tract. Try to drink about eight glasses of water a day to keep your bladder healthy and working well.
- Watch Your Posture: Sitting, standing, and walking with good posture can take pressure off your pelvic area. It's important to sit up straight and avoid slouching to keep your pelvic muscles happy.
- Be Careful with Heavy Lifting: Lifting heavy things the wrong way can hurt your pelvic muscles and make problems like organ prolapse more likely. When you lift heavy stuff, bend your knees and use your legs, not your back.
- Keep Your Bowels Healthy: Eating foods with lots of fiber, staying active, and going to the bathroom regularly can help keep your bowels healthy. This can prevent problems like constipation, which can strain your pelvic muscles.
By following these simple tips, you can take charge of your pelvic health and avoid problems down the road. On this International Women’s Day, let’s commit to raising awareness about urogynecological health and advocating for better access to care for all women. By prioritizing this often-overlooked aspect of women’s health, we can work towards a future where every woman feels empowered to prioritize her well-being and live life to the fullest. Let us continue to break down barriers, challenge stigmas, and support one another not only for optimal health but also to realize every woman’s potential to lead, innovate, and inspire.
Want to know more about your pelvic floor health?
Check out YourPelvicFloor.org for more information! This dedicated website brings together a wealth of health topics, publications, patient leaflets, patient stories, events, and other resources, all available for free in over 25+ languages. Both patients and practitioners have checked the information provided to ensure it is accurate and easy to understand.