Stroke is a significant health concern for women, particularly as they reach their 40s and beyond and one of the key causes of death for women. The risk factors associated with this condition often increase with age, being further heightened from perimenopause onwards.
This is due to several physiological changes that the female body undergoes during this period, including fluctuations in hormone levels and
Is motherhood the most demanding job in the world? Probably.
But does that give mums an excuse to not look after their bodies and wellbeing? Short answer: No. It just means they need to be a bit more creative about it and re-adjust both their habits and their expectations.
We are seeing much more research on the topic of mental health and specifically on the benefits of physical exercise on our mental well-being. For people with mental illness, there have been studies showing a significant improvement after just eight weeks of regular structured exercise.
But what about those of us who don’t, to our knowledge, have a mental illness, but go through periods when our mental health is challenged? It could be because we’re feeling low and depressed or highly strung and anxious? It could be due to a sad event in our lives, a tense relationship, the inevitability of a third El Niño summer, isolation and uncertainty due to a worldwide pandemic, low body image or lack of confidence and self-esteem.
Perimenopause and menopause are a defining period for women’s health as this is the time when major illnesses . . . like Osteoporosis . . . take hold in due to the massive drop in estrogen production in the body. Estrogen is fundamental for bone repair and rejuvenation, and without this, our bones can become brittle and more susceptible to degeneration and fractures.
I'm seeing alot more women in their 40s and 50s who have already been diagnosed with osteopenea, and
Hands up if you’ve ever had, or regularly have an “Oops” moment when you’re exerting yourself, either in a daily activity like laughing (I hope laughing is a daily thing for you 😂) or when doing exercise or a high impact activity. You know, that feeling of momentarily losing control of your pelvic floor. Leakage and/or pelvic floor discomfort is far more common than you would think. Most women will heal well after pregnancy, provided that they don’t rush into exercise faster than their body allows them too. Thankfully . . .
This has happened to me a few times now at social gatherings. When I’ve mentioned to people that I am a Pilates instructor, some of them share their story of how they tried it once or twice, and they were either so sore that they never went back, or they just felt too uncomfortable trying to the exercises.
I must admit, there was a time when I would have shrugged off such comments, just assuming that it was not their ‘thing’ …. until I too had a bad Pilates experience.
