Recipe of the Week

Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.

I remember many years ago a couple of elderly relatives visited us for Christmas every year and spent most of the visit telling the rest of the family when their next hospital appointment was and what it was for! Now that we have reached a similar time of our lives the members of my walking groups find themselves doing exactly the same and many a cafe gathering, when we pause half-way for a coffee, is spent discussing hearing aids, eye tests and future doctor’s appointments!  

If we were to dwell on all the things that can go wrong with the human body, particularly as we get older, we could become pretty depressed, but the feed back we have had from our readers has told us that you appreciate learning more about what happens to our body as we age.  

For instance, a few weeks’ ago one of our readers asked us to discuss the subject of prolapse, and I was surprised to learn how many had at some point suffered from this, so I was interested to find out more. The word 'prolapse' literally means to slip forward or down, or out of place. In physical terms this refers to the ‘falling down’ or ‘slipping’ of a body part from its usual position and can occur in various organs or tissues in the body:

Pelvic Organ Prolapse
In women this occurs when the muscles and tissues supporting the pelvic organs (such as the bladder, uterus or rectum) weaken, causing one or more of these organs to drop into the vaginal area. This is often related to childbirth, getting older or increased pressure on the abdomen.

Rectal Prolapse
This happens when part of the rectum slips through the anus. This is associated with constipation and a weak pelvic floor.

Vaginal Vault Prolapse
After a hysterectomy the top of the vagina can sometimes drop towards the vaginal opening.  

Uterine Prolapse
This is when the uterus drops down into or out of the vagina due to weak pelvic floor muscles.


Symptoms of any Pelvic Organ Prolapse:

• A heavy dragging feeling in the vagina or lower back
• A lump in the vagina or outside
• Urinary problems such as a slow stream or incomplete emptying
• Bowel problems

The causes are often associated with pregnancy but also going through the menopause may be a factor. Being very overweight or having a persistent cough, lifting heavy items or chronic constipation may also lead to a prolapse. So, let's look at how it may be managed and it will not surprise you to know that making some good lifestyle choices maybe all the steps you need to take. A prolapse is rarely life threatening and simply being aware of the risks and looking after yourself well is all that is needed.

• Strengthen your pelvic floor!
  This ideally needs to be our first priority and is our best non-surgical approach to avoiding it happening in the first place and treating mild cases. As I sit here writing about it, I automatically start doing my Kegel Exercises but for those of you who have suffered a prolapse in the past I would hope you practise them daily. They are explained on our website and the beauty of doing them is that they are very discreet and no-one would know we are doing them.
   
• Be a Healthy Weight
  Excess weight puts pressure on the pelvic floor and therefore increases the likelihood of having a prolapse. Having a good reason to lose weight may be all you need to find the motivation to actually make it happen. Eat well and eat less - so stick to healthy meals and watch the size of your portions.
   
• Avoid Heavy Lifting
  Leave the heavy lifting to others, but if we have no choice then make sure you use the best technique – bend the knees, keep your back straight, and keep the object close to you as you lift.
   
• Select Low-Impact Exercises
  If you have symptoms, you need to avoid running and jumping which can increase pressure on the pelvic floor. Swimming, walking and cycling are good non-impact aerobic options. With strength training, using weights may not be a good option, so choose exercises that use your own body weight such as press ups and squats. Abdominal curls are not advised, but we can do the plank as a way of keeping our 'core' strong.
   
• Maintain Hormonal Balance
  Oestrogen levels drop after the menopause and can play a part in weakening the pelvic floor. Doing the Kegel Exercises are a must at this time of a woman's life but it may be that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) could be a good choice.
   
• Manage Chronic Cough and Constipation
  A persistent cough creates a lot of pressure, as does being regularly constipated. Knowing the cause of the cough and getting the appropriate treatment is key, and adding lots more fibre to our diet will solve the problem with our bowels.

1. Do plenty of exercise 'snacks' this week and include the Kegel Exercises for your pelvic floor.
    
2. On your daily 30+minute walks try doing a 'pull in' of your abdominals and hold for a few seconds. It is a real posture corrector.
    
3. Do the Back Workout 3 times this week

Did you know... 

Kegel exercises, designed to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, were first published by American gynaecologist Arnold Kegel in 1948.

The word gynaecology comes from the Greek word γυνή (gyne) meaning 'woman', and -logia meaning 'study'. While that is a word in fairly common usage, did you know that its counterpart is andrology, which deals with medical issues specific to the male reproductive system?

In searching for a suitable image we might use to illustrate this week's Did You Know? it occurred to us how easy it is to look up pretty much any subject we can think of, now that we have the internet at our fingertips.

Not like the days when we had to visit a library and thumb through a copy of Encyclopedia Britannica in the vague hope of finding something relevant...