By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Ladies, ever had this experience?

You’re walking down the street, dressed in a nice pair of slacks or shorts and you suddenly have to sneeze. And, well it’s allergy season, so maybe you sneeze two or three times. Next thing you know, you’re wet down there–and there’s a big spot on your pants. Frustrating? Embarrassing?

Or how about you go meet your friends for coffee, stop at the store on the way home and you are running inside and barely make it to the bathroom before you ‘spill’ over. Then there is that great group fitness class that everyone has been raving about. You sign up and show up for class full of energy and enthusiasm—until you all have to start doing ‘jumping jacks’. You turn and head for the door. Because you’ve sprung a leak!

Yep, those ‘oops’ leaks are what we call “urinary incontinence”. And you are definitely NOT alone.

Some people with this real medical condition have frequent or sudden urges to urinate. Or you just can’t hold it in when you have to sneeze, laugh, jump, lift any weight, etc.

While this problem can happen to men or women, women experience this about twice as often. Up to 45-50% of women—especially over the age of 40—experience this problem to some degree. And unfortunately, it can worsen with age.

Why do women get this more often? A big reason is pregnancy and childbirth. Especially if you happen to have had childbirth that necessitated forceps or an episiotomy. Often the stress and strain, along with possibly injury to nerves in the pelvic area due to childbirth can contribute to urinary incontinence.

Other health issues can also contribute to this problem. Diseases like diabetes, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis (MS) can cause weakness or damage the nerves that control your bladder. Some urinary tract infections can make this especially difficult, along with kidney problems, tumors, medications, and cancer treatments.

Other factors that can have an effect on UI’s are:

• Gender–Women definitely get this more often than men. Pregnancy, childbirth, hormonal changes with menopause, and our unique female anatomy account for this. But men are not immune from this–prostate gland problems also bring an increased risk.
• Age–As we age, the muscles in the bladder and urethra tend to lose some of their strength. These muscles are sphincters which can squeeze and control the urine.
• Weight–Extra weight increases pressure on your bladder and surrounding muscles, which weakens them and allows urine to leak out when you cough, sneeze or jump.
• Smoking–Tobacco use increases your risk of urinary incontinence.
• Other diseases–Neurological diseases or even diabetes may increase your risk of incontinence.

Certain foods and drinks can also overstimulate the bladder, or work as diuretics, and cause transient UI. Caffeine and alcohol are often the biggest culprits. Other foods and drinks that can cause problems include:

• Carbonated drinks and sparkling water
• Artificial sweeteners
• Chocolate
• Chili peppers
• Foods that are high in spice, sugar or acid, especially citrus fruits
• Heart and blood pressure medications, sedatives, and muscle relaxants
• Large doses of vitamin C

What can you do about stopping or slowing Urinary Incontinence?

There are several things you can do to help control UI and hopefully not have to resort to wearing a pad or a diaper. Making some lifestyle changes, including dietary changes can help.

Avoid eating or drinking the ‘trigger’ foods and drinks and lose weight if necessary. Tracking your bathroom trips and retraining your bladder to hold increasingly more fluid can sometimes help. And there’s Kegal exercises. The problem is most people don’t stick to a plan long enough to see much in the way of positive results.

For serious UI issues, there are medical treatments, but some of them can be downright risky and painful! Not to mention have some pretty unpleasant side effects. Some of the medical treatments include:

• Anticholinergic drugs which have unpleasant side effects like dry mouth, bad breath, constipation, blurred vision, increased blood pressure and even dementia.
• Botox is sometimes used on the bladder. The doctor goes up through the urethra and into the bladder. Botox is then injected straight into the wall of the bladder, slowing down the contractions. This uncomfortable procedure will have to be repeated every 6-9 months when the Botox wears off.
• Vaginal inserts
• Injections of certain substances can actually thicken your urethra wall so it seals more tightly to stop urine from leaking.
• Nerve stimulation therapy is where a small device – about the size of a stopwatch – is implanted under the skin of your hip. It sends mild electric impulses to the nerve that controls your bladder muscles.
• A female sling is one of the more common surgical treatments. A strip of mesh is placed under the urethra to support the area. Slings have had mixed success and often have to be redone.
• Physical therapy can actually help to retrain, strengthen or even relax certain pelvic muscles that have to do with bladder control.

While all these solutions seem not only complicated, risky, or downright painful, there is a better solution.

Speaking of urinary incontinence…

Stretch THIS muscle to stop embarrassing “pee leaks” (women only)

It may be uncomfortable for some, but this issue affects over 15 million women in the U.S. alone…

Incontinence.

And one of our good friends and health contributors has experienced this in a deeply personal way.

Health and Fitness Expert, Alex Miller, was devastated the day her mother nearly died.

But she never could have guessed that battling this traumatic experience would cause her mom to suffer from humiliating “pee leaks” for years.

Her mom felt like she wasn’t in control of her body anymore.

She was ashamed.

Frustrated.

And embarrassed to be a woman.

Alex’s strong confident mother was now struggling to even want to leave the house.

And Alex was heartbroken.

That’s when she decided something had to change…

And she dedicated her life to finding a solution.

But she never would have guessed that this search to help her mom would lead her to discover the shocking secret that is causing most women to suffer from involuntary leakage…

And a strange upper body stretch that would not only help her mom, but thousands of women around the world to stop peeing their pants.

=> CLICK HERE TO LEARN THE STRANGE UPPER BODY STRETCH THAT STOPS BLADDER LEAKAGE

References
https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/urinary-incontinence
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urinary-incontinence/symptoms-causes/syc-20352808
https://www.aurorahealthcare.org/patients-visitors/blog/8-causes-of-urinary-leaks-and-8-ways-to-stop-them

The post The Embarrassing Secret Most Women Over Forty Deal With… appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Today’s informational blog is republished from our friends at PaleoHacks.

Are your tight hips putting a cramp in your lifestyle? Tight hips can lead to back pain and sciatica, and prevent you from doing activities that you enjoy. Try these 13 feel-good hip openers to loosen those muscles today.

Whether it’s an occasional twinge or a full-blown injury, having tight hips is a literal pain in the butt.

Here I’ll share easy hip openers that you can do at home to increase mobility in your hip joint, which can help reduce aches and pains in your pelvis, low back and legs.

Can you guess the major causes of tight hips? Try these on for size:

– Weak core strength
– Weak legs (particularly glutes and hamstrings)
– Weak hip flexors and instability at the hip joint
– Imbalanced muscle development
– Old injuries
– Incorrect seated posture
– Daily lifestyle habits, including sitting or being stationary for too long and not taking the time to stretch each day

The Correlation Between Hip and Low Back Pain

As a Pilates trainer, I see many clients who want to free themselves from low back pain. But instead of heading straight to the spine, I’ll often start them on a lower body program that strengthens their legs and hips and releases the muscles that surround the pelvis. The hip and lumbopelvic region are so close that pain in the back is often caused by an issue (weakness, tightness or injury) in the hips.

In particular, studies have shown a direct correlation (1) between having tight hip flexors, weak gluteal muscles, and lumbopelvic pain. Chronic tightness in the hips can also drag other muscles and joints out of alignment, including the low back and the knees.

The Bottom Line: Your hips need to be strong, stable, and have appropriate mobility to support your body above them and your limbs below them.

Hip Function in a Nutshell

1.The hip joint has two main functions: it provides mobility for the lower body and stability for the pelvis. It’s also a major weight-bearing joint.
2.Chronically tight hips can lead to pain and injury, but being too loosey-goosey in those muscles isn’t good either. The hips need to be strong enough to support the pelvis, spine and knees during movement
3.A wide range of motion in the hip joint allows the legs to move freely in all directions. Doing the same limited movements every day (exercise or lifestyle habits) will decrease hip mobility over time.
4.Tight hips flexors aren’t strong hip flexors. Sitting for extended periods of time at work, during your commute, and at home keeps the psoas muscle in constant (passive) contraction. This passive position shortens the muscles without strengthening them.

The Bottom Line: Ideally, you’ll find a happy balance between pelvic stability and mobility. To do so you need to incorporate exercises that strengthen the hips and gluteal muscles, do targeted stretching, and move your body frequently throughout the day.

13 Hip Openers to Ease Pelvic Pain

Keep in mind that the key to success is making this a daily practice. Choose one or two of the following hip openers to do each day this week, or try them all from start to finish as a 20-minute hip-opening routine. This sequence starts with basic hip openers and finishes with the more advanced; it stretches the front, sides and back of the hip.

Windshield Wipers | Repeat 30 Seconds

Start seated on your backside with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor, wider than hip distance. Place the hands behind the hips to support yourself. Gently drop the knees from side-to-side, keeping the hips as still as possible. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Seated Criss-Cross | Hold 3 Breaths Per Side

Start seated with the legs crossed and the right shin in front. Drape your body over your legs and stretch your arms forward along the floor. Walk both hands to the left side, breathing into your right-side hip; stay for 3 breaths. Walk hands to the right side, breathing into your left-side hip; stay for 3 breaths. Roll the spine up, switch to the left shin in front and repeat.

Shin Hugs | Hold 6 Breaths, 3x Per Side

This position stretches the piriformis muscle. Keeping this muscle flexible reduces your risk of developing piriformis syndrome (a type of sciatica). Start lying on your back with your legs extended. Hug your right knee to your chest, slightly across to your left chest and shoulder. Hold for 6 breaths. Release the stretch and repeat for 3 rounds before switching sides.

Reclining Pigeon | Hold 30 Seconds

This modified version of Pigeon is more suitable if you have tightness in the knees or low back. Start lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross the right ankle over the left thigh, squeezing the right knee away from your chest. Hold 30 seconds.

To advance: hold the back of the left thigh and pull the whole thigh in towards your body, keeping the back of the pelvis heavy and relaxed into the floor.

Runner’s Lunge | Hold 5 Breaths Per Side

Stand with the feet under the hips. Step the right foot back as you bend the left knee to 90º, and place both fingertips on the floor. Keeping your spine straight, inhale and exhale for 5 full rounds of breath. Step the back foot up and switch sides.

Twisted Lunge | Hold 5 Breaths Per Side

Start in your lunge position, with the right foot back. Place the left hand flat to the floor and lift the right arm to the ceiling, rotating the spine so that the chest faces the inner thigh. Hold for 5 full breaths before releasing and switching legs.

Seated Figure Four | Hold 30 Seconds Per Side

Start seated on your backside with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip distance apart. Cross the right ankle over the left thigh, flexing the right foot to protect the knee. Lean your spine forward, bringing your chest closer to your legs. Hold for 30 seconds before switching sides.

Down Dog | Hold 5 Breaths, 3X

Start in a pyramid position, with the hands and feet on the floor and the hips towards the ceiling. Draw your navel to your spine and gently press the heels closer to the floor. Hold for 5 breaths before resting on hands and knees. Repeat three total rounds.

Three-Legged Dog | Hold 5 Breaths Per Side

Start in Downward Facing Dog. Lift the right leg to the ceiling and then bend the right knee, bringing the heel to the left bum-cheek. The right knee is pointed up to the ceiling, and you’ll feel the stretch at the front of the right hip and thigh. Hold for 5 breaths before resting and switching sides.

Natural Flat-Footed Squat (Modified) | Hold 60 Seconds

The squat position is a natural resting place for the human body. It puts the hip into deep flexion. From standing, squat down until your backside rests near your heels. Stay for 60 seconds and then stand back up. Option to repeat for a second minute.

To modify: place a prop under your heels if they can’t stay flat (see photo); hold a pole or stable object to help you lower your hips to the floor.

Pigeon | Hold 30 Seconds Per Side

Start on the floor with your front knee bent between 45º and 90º. The back knee can be as bent or extended as is comfortable for you. Rotate the back hip forward, so that the pelvis is square and the back knee points down to the ground. Keep the chest up tall, and only bear as much weight as you can comfortably maintain. Hold for 30 seconds before releasing and changing sides.

Camel Pose | Hold 5 Breaths

Start kneeling with the toes tucked under and the spine upright. Place the hands on the low back and gently extend the spine, pressing the pelvis forward and stretching the front of the thighs. Hold for 5 breaths before resting.

To advance: place the hands on the heels. Repeat three total rounds.

Frog | Hold 60 Seconds

This stretch is quite intense, so only participate if it feels right for your body. Start on hands and knees, bringing your knees as far apart as is comfortable. Keep the inner edge of your feet on the ground, with toes pointed outward. Slowly lower to your forearms, and move your body weight forward and back a couple of times. Finish by gently sitting the hips back into the stretch and holding for up to 60 seconds.

Our friends at Earth Echo Foods want to share this weight loss secret with you…

This Costa Rican chocolate known to melt extra LBs

Most Americans think eating sweets for breakfast is unhealthy…

But according to Stanford researchers, there’s one delicious “dessert” food Costa Ricans eat each morning that…

✅ Keeps them lean past 80…
✅ Slows blood sugar spikes…
✅ Even helps them live 7x longer than Japanese people…

So what’s the #1 “dessert” food that helps Costa Ricans live past 100?

Is it:

Click on your guess…

Or click below to discover Costa Rica’s Blue Zone secret:

>>> Eat this “dessert” for breakfast

Here’s the crazy part – while Costa Ricans are living longer with this morning ritual, Americans trying it are losing 7lbs as a “side effect.” Not a bad bonus, right?

>>> Click here to see this breakfast secret

(Original source article can be found here.)

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