Here's a Fun Fact Friday that might rock your world. Did you know that the position in which most women deliver in Western hospitals (lithotomy: on your back, legs elevated and spread) puts you at the most risk of a grade III or IV tear - which means tearing down to the anal sphincter - and this is especially seen in women who have had multiple deliveries? (Elvander et al 2015, n>113,000). The theory [...]
Let's wrap up the week with a Fun Fact Friday, shall we? Is it a tulip? Is it a wishbone? No! It's a CLITORIS! Did you know the clitoris is WAY LARGER than just that little nub at the top of the ladyparts? It's part of a larger system of erectile tissue: there are two shafts (crura) that are about 10cm (4in) long that are under the labia (inner and outer lips of the [...]
Did you know that tight pelvic floor muscles can mimic the symptoms of a UTI? That frequent and urgent need to pee, that stinging discomfort -- sound familiar? When we're in pain "down there," it's not uncommon for muscles to tighten up reflexively. But you need a culture (test for bacteria) to show that you actually have an infection -- otherwise, you're just taking antibiotics unnecessarily. And antibiotics can upset the vaginal environment, so [...]
Pomegranates Support Estrogen Balance and Fertility For centuries, pomegranates have been used to support estrogen balance and fertility. Why? Pomegranate is a selective estrogen receptor modulator. According to studies (Sreeja, et al., 2012, Sreekumar, et al., 2014), it can contribute to the prevention of estrogen-dependent breast cancers, and there is evidence it also provides some protection against endometrial, ovarian, and cervical cancers. It also supports bone health by reducing your osteoporosis risk and is [...]