Pelvic Health Archives ⋆ The Green Vagina

Vagina Weightlifting – Yes it’s a real thing + my experience getting started!

February 2, 2019February 13, 2019

Vagina Weightlifting – Yes it’s a real thing + my experience getting started!

Repeat after me. The vagina is a muscle. The vagina is a muscle.

When people talk about vaginal tightness and issues including prolapses like cystocele & rectocele, urinary incontinence and lack of vaginal sensation there is a possibility that their vagina muscle isn’t as strong as it once was.

Our vaginas lose muscle strength for many reasons including age, hormones, a general decrease in physical condition over the whole body, pregnancy, childbirth etc and we need to be doing more to both decrease stigma around talking about our vaginal health and the use of pelvic floor exercises and therapy to help these widespread issues.

So what is Vagina Weightlifting? I’ll tell you + my experience getting started!

Has Your Anatomy Fallen & Can’t Get Back Up? Common Prolapse Types, Causes & Treatments

January 20, 2019February 13, 2019

Has Your Anatomy Fallen & Can’t Get Back Up? Common Prolapse Types, Causes & Treatments

The first time I heard of a cystocele was during my 6 week postpartum appointment. My OB commented that I had a “small cystocele” and included that we didn’t need to worry about it until I was in my 40’s and it started causing issues. As an OT I was shocked, baffled and disappointed.

Why? As part of my training and personal interests, I have taken on extra education in the treatment of incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction and am deeply disappointed with public knowledge and discussion of this important dysfunction impacting over 1/3 of women over 30!

Say it with me. The vagina is a muscle. The pelvic floor can weaken. Strengthening, maintaining and exercising our pelvic floor, vaginal canal and monitoring overall condition is something overlooked and ignored by too many health care practitioners.

Let’s get to it.

Colorful Period? Why Do Menstrual Blood Colors Mean + What’s Normal?

January 10, 2019January 10, 2019

Colorful Period? What Do Menstrual Blood Colors Mean + What’s Normal?

Menstruation can be a mystery for many. From the lack of open discussion about periods and menstruation in general to a deficit in general public knowledge and information taught at home and in classrooms…menstruators are left with many questions about the process overall.

If you menstruate, you may find that your menstrual blood colors change over time. Maybe they change month to month, have changed over the years or like many, vary throughout your cycle itself. What do menstrual blood colors mean? Here’s some info:

It’s 2019, Why Are We So Afraid to Talk About Our Vaginas?

December 30, 2018December 30, 2018

It’s 2019, Why Are We So Afraid to Talk About Our Vaginas?

I imagine where historical feminists and reproductive advocates thought we would be in 2019. I’m sure they didn’t picture us fighting for control over our reproductive health and still unable to utter the word Vagina.

Leona Chalmers patented the first menstrual cup circa 1937 (1) however these toxin-free reusable menstrual devices only picked up in popularity as of late with a major period brand, Tampax, releasing the Tampax Cup. Do you think she thought it would take this long for menstrual cups to go mainstream?

I was sitting with a good friend, in a common scenario, talking about menstrual cups. I was giving her a bit on the importance of cervix height when picking a menstrual cup and I was taken back when she said: “I don’t think I can touch my down there to measure it.”

It’s your vagina. Touch it. Look at it. Get to know your body.

How have we become a society of people who can’t talk about an important body part out loud, in regular conversation in ways that would benefit our own health and the health and well-being of others?

Why in 2019 are we so afraid to talk about our Vaginas?

The Red Pee

November 7, 2018November 7, 2018

The Red Pee

I grew up in a family that didn’t talk. We didn’t talk about most things and especially didn’t talk about bodily functions. I knew that even uttering the word vagina or period under any circumstances was absolutely not acceptable and even as a grown woman I know not to mention anything of the sort.

To me, this was not ideal and I am raising my family differently. I want my children to understand and accept body normalities like menstruation without any sort of awkwardness. However, I also wanted to avoid overexposing them to the point where they’re passing out menstrual cups to their friends at soccer matches.

I believe we have achieved balance.

What is a Green Vagina + How Green is Yours?

November 1, 2018November 12, 2018

What is a Green Vagina + How Green is Yours?

When I started this website I struggled with the name. I considered a lot of options but decided to go bold. Go big or go home right? I wanted to focus on eco-friendly and toxin-free products and habits for one of the most sensitive, sacred and vascular parts of the body – the vagina.

As I suspected, the term “Green Vagina” is confusing to some. However, I see it as an opportunity for education. When people read Green Vagina they think…infection. However, most vaginal infections are white and cloudy, not green.

Green Vagina refers to eco-friendly. As in Go Green…with your vagina. Why Green Vaginas? Disposable menstrual products are some of the most toxin-filled things we put on and in our bodies. In addition, disposable vaginal products take hundreds of years to decompose. They litter the planet and just aren’t good for us.

So, how green is your vagina? Find out!

What is Vulvodynia – When Sex Hurts

October 10, 2018February 13, 2019

What is Vulvodynia – When Sex Hurts

The Mayo Clinic defines Vulvodynia (vul-voe-DIN-e-uh) as “chronic pain or discomfort around the opening of your vagina (vulva) for which there’s no identifiable cause and which lasts at least three months.” (1) However, what this doesn’t tell you is how it impacts the lives of persons with vulvodynia and what living with this sort of intimate pain means for individuals.

Symptoms are vague and the Mayo Clinic notes that they can come and go and be fairly unpredictable. Symptoms of Vulvodynia include burning, soreness, stinging, rawness, painful intercourse, throbbing, and itching. However, each individual is different and these symptoms may present and impact your life differently than someone else with vulvodynia.

Read Bailey’s Story Below:

Natural Menstrual Pain Remedies

August 10, 2018November 26, 2018

Natural menstrual pain remedies

I think it’s safe to say that most people know they can take an ibuprofen or Tylenol for menstrual pain and cramps. However, these pharmaceutical options overlook the many natural period pain remedies that are available. While some of them may not be available at your local pharmacy, they do not contain the side effects and precautions many pills do.

Here are natural cramp and period pain remedies to consider:

10 Signs You Have Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles

August 4, 2018February 14, 2019

10 Signs You Have Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles

The pelvic floor is a complex system of muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue. This support sling closes the large opening in your pelvis and supports pelvic organs so they function properly. Having a weak pelvic floor can mean many different things: incontinence, different symptoms during the month as hormones change and even difficulty doing everyday tasks.

How do you know if you have a weak pelvic floor? There are signs to watch for:

How Your Period Will Save The World

July 3, 2018July 4, 2018

How Your Period Will Save The World

It’s a universal truth that plastic is not good for the environment. If you haven’t seen images of deceased whales washing to shore full of plastic and sea creatures caught in plastic products, microbeads in the bellies of fish and straws stuck in the nostrils of sea turtles…you are hiding under a wifi-less rock.

The truth is that menstruators will on average use over 9.1k tampons in their lifetime (1), and up to 15,000 plastic pads and/or tampons (2). This plastic will take generations to decompose and are already polluting our oceans and beaches at a devastating and growing rate. (3)

I have good news! Your Period Will Save The World! Here’s how: