Archive for the 'The Gender Issues Hub' Category

Five Good Reasons Why Every Woman Should Exercise Her Pelvic Floor Muscles

Sunday, July 6th, 2008

1. They are the best way of beating stress incontinence

One in three women who have ever had a baby experience stress incontinence at some point in their lives, when ordinary activities such as laughing, sneezing or jumping cause them to lose small amounts of urine. Sometimes the symptoms appear immediately after delivery, but for many women, years pass before they notice they have a problem.

Fortunately, it isn’t necessary to wear pads for ever. Over two-thirds of women who try pelvic floor exercises - and do them properly - are cured of their stress incontinence, without the need for drugs or surgery.

2. They improve sexual response

The pelvic floor muscles are directly responsible for the amount of sensation a woman feels during intercourse, and for the amount of grip felt by her partner.

Exercise improves muscle tone, which means that the muscle is tighter, so is stretched more during intercourse. Strong, firm muscles have more nerve endings, and more nerve endings mean more sensations.

Rhythmic contractions of the pelvic floor contribute to arousal the ability to achieve orgasm. Many women report they are able to reach orgasm more easily, and that their orgasms are more powerful, after a pelvic floor exercise program.

3. They contribute to an easier labour and better recovery after childbirth

Over half of pregnant woman experience stress incontinence, with symptoms commonly persisting for a year after the birth. Even twelve months later, one woman in five still has symptoms that will worsen over the years.

Pelvic floor strengthening exercises, either before or during early pregnancy, can significantly reduce the risk of stress incontinence later. Research shows that the strength of the pelvic floor at twenty weeks of pregnancy is an excellent indicator of the likelihood of stress incontinence later.

And the best news of all for pregnant women is that a pelvic floor exercise program during pregnancy has been shown to have a positive effect on labour.

4. They are an excellent defence against urge incontinence, common amongst women in their later years

Urge incontinence is the most common form of incontinence in women over 70, leading to major unwanted changes in lifestyle for many women, and even to nursing home admission.

Urge incontinence is a complex problem, with many contributing factors, but a strong pelvic floor increases the chances of successful treatment if it does occur. So commitment to a program of effective pelvic floor exercises in earlier decades can be a woman’s best defence against incontinence in old age.

5. They are a vital factor in total fitness

The pelvic floor muscles are hidden from view and can be a significant weakness in an otherwise healthy toned body. Many women who pride themselves on high levels of aerobic fitness are shocked to find that their pelvic floor can let them down in their middle years. Ironically female athletes need to pay particular attention to their pelvic floor muscles as their sporting activities place even more stress on the pelvic floor than day-to-day activities. Yet many fitness trainers neglect the pelvic floor.

Fortunately women can take control of this area of their body for themselves. Pelvic floor fitness needs personal commitment, and access to quality information. But, given these factors, most women can achieve it through a program of exercise, supported when necessary by the use of well-chosen products.

Linda McClelland is the director of Australia’s only one-stop pelvic floor exercise business, providing resources, products, and links to research and practitioners. She is an information specialist, and has worked in women’s health services for over 16 years.

Female Health & Sleep Patterns

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008

According to recent surveys, around 35% of the female population is suffering from insomnia and disturbed sleep. Night sweating, headaches, fatigue, tiredness are slowly becoming a daily feature of a woman’s life. Are you one of them, who have started loosing their sound sleep and is lying awake even longer than before? If this type of sleeping disorder persists, then it’s time you should consult your doctor.

Your body needs around 6 to 7 hors of sleep daily. But some people can do without it too! Some woman sleep for just 4 to 5 hours and stay healthy, while some may take 10 hours daily to counter the same level of stress. Well, the actual amount of sleep is an individual matter. A sleep deficit of only a few hours can result in irritability, fatigue, trouble with concentration, and our ability to stay alert. Additionally, insomnia is usually a symptom of an underlying problem, such as a psychological or physiological reason, diet, or it may be due to a sedentary lifestyle.
Here are some key points that a woman must take to ensure proper sleep patterns:

    1. Avoid going to bed either too hungry or too full.

    2. Stop smoking, caffeine, alcohol and other similar drugs.

    3. Keep regular patterns of sleep and rest during day as well as night, so it does not disturbs your biological clock.

    4. Make arrangements for a good comfortable pillow and mattresses. Keep the environment of your room neat & clean.

    5. Make exercise a part of your daily routine. Being fit helps make you resistant to stresses that can work to keep you awake at night and research shows that when people are active, they tend to rest better.

Incomplete sleep patterns can be very frustrating for women at times leading to depression of moods and depreciation of health. What makes this all so bad is that many forms of depression are natural, normal and temporary.. Likewise they can be relieved through safe, gradual methods using your body’s natural mechanisms.
As with other symptoms of imbalance, depression is your body’s way of sending you a signal that something is awry. Some advice to take antidepressants in this case, but it is not that advisable. Because they don’t address the underlying problem; they drown it. Therefore the best solution to all these insomnia problems is maintaining a good diet and a healthy routine.

Adam Parore is an associated editor to the website www.affordable-prescriptions.md. AP, an Online Prescriptions Portal is committed to provide visitors with complete information on weight loss, men’s health, and sexual health. Your feedback & comments will be highly appreciated at adam.parore@gmail.com

The Corset - A Symbol Of Powerful Female Expression

Friday, June 6th, 2008

Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker, Beyonce and a score of other celebrities in current pop culture have repeatedly brought the corset “out from under” and into the limelight over the past couple of decades. Whether a leather corset for an erotic spectacle on stage, a beaded one for the Red Carpet or lacy and casual for lunch with friends, the image harkens back, ever so subtly, to one of the first powerful ladies to don a corset, Queen Elizabeth I of England. That’s not to imply of course that Queen Elizabeth’s corsets were such blatant fashion statements as these women’s, but underneath it all, was there more being said than meets the eye? And it may not have been any of these celebrities’ intention to associate herself with powerful women of eras past necessarily, but it’s not a far stretch to say that this fashion statement speaks volumes and brings with it to its wearers a powerful history of female expression that spans centuries.

For a simple item of clothing, corsets have stirred many opinions as to their function and the role they play in the female wardrobe. In eras past, as a required fashion staple, corsets were sometimes considered to be the epitome of conservative male oppression of women with their restrictive binding. In current times however, fashion designers are less likely to consider corsets as a figment of male domination and instead covet them as a timeless fascination with shaping the female body and today’s wearers can surely be considered to be clearly exhibiting the ultimate form of confidence and feminine expression. Still, others who couldn’t care less about a corset’s cultural implications or their ability to shape a body consider them to be ideal under-garments supporting the back in a comfortable waya very practical fashion in this sense. Of course, no fashion would be worth its weight without a little controversy and on this point, corsets have delivered.

Corsets basically evolved into the modern bra. But there clearly remains a fashionable allure for the earlier predecessor. Described today as gorgeous, ultra-glamorous, and sexy, corsets are available in a variety of styles and colors, fabricated from all types of materials. They’re often boned as were early patterns. But now, three things make modern corsets distinctly different from 16th and 17th century patterns. Today they range in size from small to 3X and above. Corsets are worn as outerwear, with jeans in casual settings and glamorized for evening wear. They are often used as lingerie, and unlike their predecessors, they’re designed to be comfortable and easy to get in and out of quickly.

In recent corset news, confirming the fascination with these garments, celebrities have custom designed embellished leather corsets and those made from other unusual and creative materials that have been auctioned for upwards of $1000 and beyond, to benefit charity. Not only are corsets sexy fashion, but they have become a very profitable endeavor!

On the lingerie front, leather corsets or those made from classic lace or racier PVC are popular today and available in a variety of styles and sizes as well. Just like their outerwear counterparts, a myriad of designs are created to accentuate the curves of the female physique and they are consciously designed to flatter the wearer. Many lingerie corsets now have optional G-strings and detachable garters. Other options include front zippers, lace up backs, hook and eye front closure, and adjustable shoulder straps. Sometimes lycra is added for more comfort and many patterns are lined in silk or satin.

It’s unlikely that the “powerful women of eras past” would have considered one of these garments as a staple in their wardrobe. But as for the women of today, current day corsets, from the simplest to the most elaborate, are one way of exuding powerful feminine expression on the outside and underneath.

Mike Mansfield is well versed in the history of the corset as the owner of Leather Obsession , the leading online source for affordable high-quality leather corsets and other leather clothing.