April 2008 Vol 1, Issue 4
Sistah in Orange Sweater Masthead
Greetings!
 
GiftSometimes taking care of yourself means squarely facing things that are difficult and even embarrassing. The desire to move quickly past the barrage of challenges we encounter each day is a natural response, a powerful coping mechanism. 
 
It might be expedient to react this way in the short term. But by doing so, we hold negative energy inside. As a result, the pain, stress, sadness and even trauma have a very destructive impact on health.
 
Self-care is an attitude. It means being kind to yourself. Having compassion for yourself. Accepting yourself. Nurturing yourself. Reaching into your soul and doing what it takes to neutralize the toxic forces you encounter everyday. This internally-generated positive energy emits medicinal properties that are specially tailored to soothe your spirit, mind, and body.
 
So this month, give yourself the gift of you. Your attention, your patience, your love. Open this precious gift. Use it. This is where your healing resides. You can do it! And we're here to help.
 
This is what it means to be WHOLE.
In This Issue
Pelvic Floor Disorders: No Laughing Matter
WHOLE Self-Care Principle #4: Release
Enjoy the Freshness of Spring!
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Pelvic Floor Disorders: No Laughing Matter

 
Gail* laughed out loud at the silliness of the joke her Sistahfriend was sharing, but what she felt was no laughing matter. She was leaking urine, something that was beginning to happen so frequently that she was in the habit of wearing a mini pad to prevent soiling her clothes. Sound familiar? She's not alone.
 
Paniced WomanAccording to a recent study by Kaiser Permanente, one-third of women have an overactive bladder, incontinence, or other pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) at some point in their life. It is embarrassing to talk about, and can have a dramatic impact on your quality of life.
 
Many of us assume that Urinary Incontinence (UI) is something that happens to older women. But in fact, it can happen to women of all ages. The rigors of childbirth--hours of intense pushing, episiotomies, vaginal tears, forceps deliveries, and C-sections can all weaken pelvic muscles. Other pelvic surgeries such as myomectomy for fibroids or hysterectomy may also contribute to pelvic weakness. Sexual trauma, being overweight or obese, heavy lifting, or prolonged coughing from smoking or asthma are also sources of pelvic strain.
 
What is the Pelvic Floor?
 
Visualize a band of muscles and ligaments running from your pubic bone, up past your anus to your tailbone. This forms an interwoven sling of sorts that holds all your pelvic organs in place--the uterus, bladder, and rectum. It is easy to see how the stresses mentioned above can weaken this "sling," causing you to lose control of bladder and/or bowel function.
 
Besides leakage, you may experience a feeling of heaviness in your pelvis, or even a sensation that your pelvic organs might fall out. Sexual intercourse may be painful, and even standing can become uncomfortable as well.
 
Without adequate support provided from the pelvic floor, your precious uterus, bladder, or rectum may indeed slip out of place causing PFDs. There is a different name for this occurrence with each organ:
  • A cystocele is when the bladder moves down into the front wall of the vaginal vault
  • A rectocele is when the rectum shifts into the back wall of the vaginal vault
  • A uterine prolapse is when the uterus moves down into the vagina

There is No Need to Suffer in Silence

It is understandable that you might be embarrassed and not feel comfortable talking with your doctor about UI. But please do! There are effective non-surgical options available that can return you to normal bladder function.
 
On your own, you can do pelvic floor strengthening exercises called Kegels. Named for the doctor who devised them, Kegels are the systematic tightening and release of pelvic floor muscles (PFM). To locate your PFM, think of the muscles you use to hold your urine in if you have a full bladder. Simply squeeze these muscles and hold them for five seconds to start. Don't hold your breath. You should be able to breathe normally while you are doing this. Try it now. ready? S-Q-U-E-E-Z-E for a count of 5-4-3-2-1, and relax. And again S-Q-U-E-E-Z-E, 5-4-3-2-1 and relax. Great!
 
Do the Squeeze a couple of times a day--you can do it anywhere, except while you are driving! Increase how often you Kegel and how long you hold it to maintain your tone, as you get more proficient. This is a wonderful, free, natural, easy thing you can do to get in shape, prevent prolapse of pelvic organs, prevent urine leakage, and enhance sexual pleasure for you and your partner.
 
For more advanced PFDs, a specialized physical therapy treatment is a viable option. With a women's health physical therapist, you may engage in bladder retraining therapy including bio-feedback, deep tissue massage, and working with vaginal weights. Once again, this intervention is especially desirable because it is natural and non-surgical.To locate a women's health physical therapist, visit the Section on Women's Health of the American Physical Therapy Association.
 
When Surgery is Required
 
Sometimes surgery might be required to correct UI. As you begin to explore this option with your doctor, take the time to educate yourself about the options. A recent article by the National Institutes of Health entitled, "Combined Surgery Reduces Incontinence in Women with Pelvic Organ Prolapse" is well worth reading.
 
Other educational resources include:
 
*Not her real name

WHOLE Self-Care Principle #4: Release

 
ReleaseAs a sistah, you are the quintessential fixer. It is wired into your DNA to take care of everything and everyone--except yourself. You get so used to carrying the weight of your world, that you don't even realize the impact it is having on your health.
 
So many of us are "walking wounded"--too stressed, too busy, and pulled in too many directions to attend to your own needs. As a result your health suffers. Somehow you must find a way to flip-the-script and put your health first. You'll do a better job at your other responsibilities if you do. But how?
 
You Release.
 
Release is simply letting go of anything that no longer serve your healing purpose. But there is nothing simple about Release. Of all the 12 Self-Care Principles, Release might be the most difficult to adopt, because it requires you to honestly examine ingrained thinking, old habits, situations, and relationships that may be in need of pruning from your life. Just like weeding your garden, weeding your life can be overwhelming.
 
In Release, you begin to say "Yes" to yourself. To embrace whatever you need to be WHOLE. Release is self-affirming, opening you up to new possibilities, ideas, and experiences. It gives you a fresh start so you can script, direct, and produce the life movie of your choosing. And when challenges appear, Release allows you to off-load the stress and worry, and undertake the most productive remedy.
 
The powerful adage "Let go and let God!" sums up the attitude of Release. It means abandoning the "What if," "But," "I should," and "I always used to" that trap you in old thinking.
 
Release is confidence that when you let go, the right things will appear. They might not arrive on your schedule or in the form that you expect. But without a doubt, they will come in the right way and at the right time. By centering your life in this way, you have empowered yourself to live in a totally different way. Release is the ultimate experience of faith.
 

Enjoy the Freshness of Spring!

Spring is the season of fresh, new beginnings for every aspect of your life--even your food! Every color of the rainbow emerges in a wide variety of fruits and veggies that makes its debut in Spring. And a colorful palate is not just pleasing to the eye, but nourishing to your body as well.
 
When making your food selections, try to make each meal as colorful as possible. This is Mother Nature's way of ensuring that our bodies receive the wholesome, balanced nutrition that we need. Adopting the rhythm and wisdom of Mother Nature is an important axiom in every aspect of living--especially in selecting the foods we eat. 
 
Healthy Eating Tip #3: Eat foods in their season
 
To eat foods at their peak ripeness ensures a natural, nutrient-rich diet. This time of year, asparagus, spinach, fava beans, artichokes, broccoli, zucchini, and many lettuces are all at their tender best. Another benefit of seasonal eating appears in your wallet. Eating foods in their proper season is much cheaper too!
 
Did you miss the first two Healthy Eating Tips? Visit our WHOLE E-Newsletter Archive and check out our prior issues.
 
Sugar Snaps!
 
Sugar Snap Peas with GingerSugar snap peas taste as good as their name implies. They're sweet, crisp, bright green and delicious! They are the perfect snack eaten raw, a crunchy alternative to chips! They're also nutritional powerhouses, containing generous amounts of protein, calcium, vitamin C, iron, and vitamin K1--important for maintaining bone health.
 
This flash-fry recipe blasts their wonderful flavor and aroma into the atmosphere, while retaining most of their nutritional goodness. We've added garlic, a known cancer-fighting food, and a touch of fresh ginger for a peppery kick. Enjoy!
 
 
Ingredients:
 
1 lb sugar snap peas
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1 tablespoon peanut or olive oil
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken stock (you may substitute vegetable broth or water)
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Cooking Instructions:
 
Trim the stems from the sugar snap peas, wash and set aside.
 
In a large skillet or wok, heat oil to high, just shy of smoking. Toss in the sugar snap peas, garlic and ginger, stirring constantly to coat in the hot oil. Add chicken stock, reduce heat to medium and simmer for a minute or two, stirring frequently. Remove the tender-crisp sugar snap peas to a serving bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper to taste.
 
 
 
 
B&W WSL logoWHOLE is a project of WeSpeakLoudly. Our goal is to inspire optimal health practices in African American women and girls. We are here to serve you, so tell us what you need. We'll do our best to bring you all the information you need to be WHOLE!
 
Every woman deserves to be WHOLE. Share this sistah self-care newsletter with your family and friends!
 
 
Yours in health,
 
Jacci Thompson-Dodd
WeSpeakLoudly
 
 
WHOLE is brought to you in part by the generous support of Juice Plus+