Women’s Wellness – Self-Care is Not Just Physical – it Starts From Within

A woman’s health is just not limited to her physical condition. It encompasses her entire being. It’s not about how well she is living. It’s about how she feels about her life. That includes the effects of her relationships, work, self-fulfilment and more.

Health and wellness are two parts of the same coin. You can’t be physically fit without being mentally healthy. And you can’t have either without giving some time to yourself every day.

How many females do you know who put their needs first? Who takes a couple of minutes or an hour out of the whole day for themselves? 

Women’s health issues begin when they don’t give time to themselves.

Does it have to be so challenging to take out time for themselves?

Women are natural multi-taskers. They effortlessly juggle family, work, and the ensuing responsibilities simultaneously. And keep putting off what is essential to their health and wellness.

Like maybe go to the spa once in a while. Or sleep in and take it easy for a day.

How about taking six months off work when you have a baby? Yeah right!

Most women tend to put themselves last. It’s just that when you’re done with all your workday and family chores, even soaking in a hot tub feels like too much work. 

No matter how busy you are or how tired you feel, taking a couple of minutes out of the day to let yourself breathe, think, rest, or just let yourself be. It is essential to a women’s mental health and well-being. 

The same goes for your physical well-being. Eating well, taking your vitamins, and getting in some exercise should be a priority, not an afterthought.

Why is self-care so important for women?

Women have always been the caretakers or nurturers in families. For a long time now, they’ve also had the additional title of providers along with their existing responsibilities. 

Your day becomes a wild race to get things done, from getting the kids to school to getting to work on time. It is crucial to your physical and mental health to take care of yourself. It will give you the peace and quality of life you deserve. To achieve that you must:

Identify your physical, emotional, and social needs.

And learning how to meet them.

We should learn to maintain a balance between caring for ourselves and everyone else. That will allow you to take care of your health and cater to your emotional needs. 

Good health is the foundation you build your life on. Read on to find out some ways to practice a little self-love in your life.

THE NINE RULES TO TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF

There is no manual for self-care that clues you up about what to do or not do. It’s about doing things that make you feel happy or at peace. Things that give you pleasure or feel good for you. It’s not about what people think of fulfilling material needs. 

And it all begins with finding out what you want. NOT what others want from you.

You can start by:

  1. Give yourself some quality me-time every day

Take some time out for yourself during the day. It can be 5 minutes, or it can be an hour. But it should be solely devoted to you. That means uninterrupted ‘me time’ without children knocking on your door or getting phone calls from work or demanding family.

Just sit and relax and give yourself a reprieve from the constant demands and obligations. Clear your mind. Enjoy a cup of tea or take a short nap. Read a couple of pages from your favourite book. 

Do anything that gives you a few moments of well-deserved peace. It will also have a positive impact on your health.

The little things you do everyday do matter. Much of feeling better in your life involves making good choices and long-term gratification rather than feeling good short-term. There’s a compound effect of doing good things over time and really pay off.

2. Let go of the feelings of guilt

Women are usually made to feel guilty if they put their needs before everyone else. You need to understand that doing things for yourself doesn’t make you a selfish person. Let go of the guilt that your needs matter. You matter. If you are tired and stressed out all the time, it will harm you, both physically and mentally.

And that will leave you in no condition to fulfil your obligations or enjoy your life.

So throw away the feelings of guilt and make self-care a priority because if you don’t take care of yourself, no one will.

3. Stay active and healthy with regular exercise

Physical health and fitness is an essential component of being healthy and happy. If your body is in good shape, it will boost your confidence and self-esteem. 

And don’t forget the health benefits that come with working out or going to the gym. Exercise releases the endorphins in your blood and makes you feel happy. Furthermore, an active lifestyle boosts your immunity and protects you from diseases. If we can’t find the motivation to do it alone, we should join a women’s health clinic or support group where you meet like-minded women who can support each other. If you’re unable to get out and about, there are online alternatives available.

Forget everything else, including the inflated expectations of others on your appearance. Workout because it will keep you healthy and make you feel good about yourself.

4. Pick an activity that gives you joy

What do you like to do? Read, sculpt, whittle, walk, gaze at the stars, meditate, play the guitar – anything. Choose activities that make you feel happy or centred. Having a hobby you love helps ground you. It roots out feelings of negativity and makes you feel content.

Practice mindfulness by meditating or doing yoga in the morning or before you go to sleep at night. Such activities take away the feelings of stress and anxiety and replace them with peace and calmness.

And when you feel centred, your priorities are easier to align, and the decision making doesn’t feel so difficult.

5. Make time for loved ones and friends

The weight of responsibilities and obligations can feel like an obstruction in your windpipe that won’t let you breathe. It can take out the fun and lightness from your life and leave only doom and gloom.

At that point, you need friends who understand you. Don’t shut out people to who you can pour your heart out. Difficult times will end, but friends are forever. Lean on them and go out with them, even if it’s just for morning coffee or a train ride to work.

6. Kick out the toxicity from your life

We all have toxic people around us whose sole purpose in life is to bring you down. It’s in your best interests to kick such people out of your life and put earphones in when they’re around.

Toxic people breed feelings of guilt, shame, and failure. Don’t let them prey on your fears and create a negative environment around you.

7. Bring out the bucket list

Don’t keep waiting for the perfect opportunity or moment to do things. Take out your bucket list and make a resolution to do at least one every couple of months. Take life by the reigns, gather your courage and start living it little by little for yourself, not only for others.

8. Don’t be scared of asking for help

Women are more likely to experience depression than men. If you feel sad, agitated, and depressed often, then seek out the help you need. You can’t be strong all the time. Recognise the signs of depression and how they affect your health. Find a women’s mental health clinic with qualified therapists to get things back in perspective again.                                                                                                                                                                                     

Having an unbiased and unobjective perspective helps clear the fog of negativity and depression. Regain your focus and feel motivated again.

9. Set limits

Where does it all end? When can you say, “That’s enough!” and “I can’t take it anymore.” Constant stress and negativity take a toll on your health.

To maintain control over your life, you must set boundaries. You need to draw lines that define your limits. It ensures that no one tramples on you or takes advantage of you.

It also helps you reel yourself in when you realise that you’re going down a path that is detrimental to your well-being. People who care about you will never ask you to cross boundaries that you’re not comfortable with. Hence, it makes the distinctions between well-wishers and toxic people easier. 

Focus on your health

Physical health has a considerable impact on how you live your life. Poor health or recurring medical ailments wear you down. You must recover and find the will to live a healthy and fulfilled life.

And that’s something that can’t be done alone. Whether you are in recovery following an accident or an older injury, finding support is essential. Look for a ‘women’s health physio near me’ to feel independent again. Fight your way back by never giving up, no matter how difficult the road ahead is.

As mentioned above, women usually take on more caring roles than men. Women’s health UK statistics state that out of 6.5 million unpaid carers, 3.34 million (58%) are women. Another disturbing fact is that globally, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women, not men. 

Don’t become one of the millions of women in the stats above. It is time to become a woman who is healthy, both physically and mentally. Find support groups, search for a women’s health clinic near me, and lean on people who care for you. Become the woman you’re meant to be – the best posible version of yourself. It’s a lifelong journey of self-improvement.

4D HIFU Treatment Provides A Non-Surgical Facelift

4D HIFU provides non-surgical facelift

As women, “turkey neck” is one of the signs of ageing we dread the most. 4D HIFU is the best non surgical procedure available for addressing this issue. The treatment is pain free, non invasive and requires no downtime. In the majority of cases only one treatment is required for visible results and the next best thing to surgery. High intensity focused ultrasound utilises thermal energy to target the muscle layer (SMAS layer) beneath the skin. The platysma muscle, which runs from the jawline down to the décolletage is tightened and lifted as a result of the procedure. For more information and to book your treatment drop us a message.

Skin Needling – Get The Glow!

Following successful completion of EMF Hair, Beauty & Nail Training Academy’s Skin Needling course, we are now able to offer this amazing treatment. Skin Needling is the one stop anti-ageing skin treatment, suitable for men and women, on the face, neck or body. In my opinion this treatment is far superior to dermaplaning and has so many more benefits, which include:

  • Reduced acne scarring
  • Reduced appearance of fine lines
  • Reduced pigmentations
  • Reduced appearance of scars and stretch marks
  • Brighter, more radiant skin
When combined with mesotherapy, which forces hyaluronic acid into the needled skin, you create the ultimate cocktail for healthier, more hydrated and rejuvenated, radiant skin! Enquire about our range of skin needling, mesotherapy and mask with LED light – contact us today!

Skin needling

What Is Cupping Therapy?

What Are The Uses Of Cupping Therapy?

Cupping therapy is a form of alternative medicine which involves a therapist places special cups made out of either silicone, earthenware, bamboo or glass. Cupping therapy dates back to the mid 16th century so it isn’t a new type of therapy and it’s certainly very popular. Cupping is an excellent form of non invasive treatment, which can really benefit tired aching muscles, especially in athletes. The reverse pressure exerted during cupping works to pull the tissue from bone, allowing better blood flow to the area.

What Are The Benefits Of Cupping Therapy?

Cupping helps to:

  • Reduce stress levels
  • Reduce inflammation
  • Heal
  • Break down scar tissue
  • Ease chronic pain

Images Of Cupping Therapy Treatment

Cupping is popular with athletes who are using it in recovery. US swimmer Michael Phelps is a fan of this Ancient Chinese therapy as can be seen in this What is Cupping Therapy? Men’s Health article – as you can see he can be seen with large red/purple circles on him from cupping therapy.

The following is a image of Cryotherapy Barnsley staff treating a client using cupping therapy.

Cupping therapy

Where Can I Find Cupping Therapy Near Me?

Look no further than Cryotherapy Barnsley. We offer cupping therapy. Contact us to enquire about this treatment.

Cryotherapy Barnsley Become Ambassadors Of Tropics

We’re really pleased to announce that we will now be ambassadors for the amazing brand that is Tropics. All of the products are vegan, cruelty free and environmentally conscious. You will be able to order products either in clinic, via our Facebook page or via my online store at: Tropics – Joanne Ingram’s online store

Tropics
Tropics

How To Stop Urinary Incontinence?

What Is Bladder Weakness? 

Urinary incontinence or bladder weakness (resulting in the loss of bladder control) is a common problem that is defined as leakage of urine due to weak bladder control. It results in a woman urinating when she does not want to – I.e. involuntary urination. It can be an embarrassing condition but don’t worry, help is available. It doesn’t have to be an inevitable part of aging. If urinary incontinence is affecting your quality of life and day to day activities, keep reading! 

Female urinary incontinence

“It doesn’t have to be an inevitable part of aging”

What Causes Urinary Incontinence? 

Bladder weakness usually begins to happen in women following pregnancy and childbirth, which causes changes in muscles and support structures of the pelvic floor. But it can also be caused by an infection, diabetes or a neurological disorder. 

How Many Women In The UK Are Affected By Bladder Weakness? 

Around 3 to 6 million women in the UK suffer from urinary incontinence to some degree. 

What Are The Symptoms Of Bladder Weakness? 

There can be many instances when women who suffer from this condition urinate without wanting to, including: 

  • When laughing 
  • Coughing 
  • Sneezing 
  • Exercising 
  • Heavy lifting 
  • If someone or something takes you by surprise 
  • Getting up from a seated position 
  • A sudden urge to urinate and you can’t make it to the toilet in time
  • Frequent urge to urination throughout the night.

“Getting up from a seated position can make you urinate without warning”

What Are The Different Types Of Urinary Incontinence? 

So we’ve covered a few of the different symptoms are might show that you’re experiencing urinary incontinence. Here are the main categories of urinary incontinence: 

Stress incontinence – this is not incontinence when you are feeling stress but when there are different physical stressors which exert pressure on your bladder e.g. sneezing, coughing, laughing, heavy lifting, exercise 

Urge incontinence – this is when you have a sudden urge to urinate, followed by loss of bladder control causing involuntary urination. If you wake up during the night quite frequently with the urge to urinate, you may be experiencing symptoms to urge incontinence. This type of incontinence usually results in the need to urinate more frequently. 

Mixed incontinence – this is typically a combination of stress and urge incontinence. 

Overflow incontinence – this is when your bladder doesn’t empty completely when you pass urine, causing you to wet yourself or dribble frequently or even constantly. This can be due to a weak bladder muscle or blockage. The person may not feel the urge to urinate. 

Functional incontinence – this type of incontinence is usually due to another type of physical or mental disability which makes it difficult to make it to the toilet in time. For example: 

  • An arthritis sufferer who cannot unbutton their clothing in time 
  • A physical disability which makes it difficult to access to public toilet due to lack of accessibility facilities 
  • Women who can’t recognise the need to go to the toilet.

How Can I Stop Bladder Weakness? 

A temporary solution would be to wear pads until a you can seek treatment. Depending on the underlying cause, 4D HIFU is the most powerful non-invasive, non-surgical treatment which can help to restore your confidence and reduce or eliminate urinary incontinence problems. This is a lifting and tightening procedure so also has many other benefits in addition to improved bladder control, including: 

  • Increased vaginal moisture 
  • Improved tone and elasticity of the vagina and improvement of vaginal muscle strength and reduction of vaginal looseness 
  • Increased sensation and vaginal sensitivity during sexual intercourse 
  • Improvement of the health and vitality of the vagina 

HIFU stands for high intensity focused ultrasound, and works by gentle heating which promotes the production of collagen (improving vaginal elasticity) which reaches deeper than laser can, deep into the SMAS skin layer. This makes 4D HIFU the most effective solution on the market, using the latest revolutionary technology.  

Is HIFU Vaginal Tightening Treatment Safe And Long Lasting – How Soon Should I See Results? 

With over 50 years of proven usage in the field of medicine, HIFU is considered safe to use and provide treatment with. After just a few short sessions, many of our clients have reported improved bladder control within a day or so following treatment.

Treatment is pain-free and results last around for 1-2 years. Treatment time is 30 minutes, 1-3 treatments may be necessary depending on the severity of issue, at 12 weekly intervals. Improvement can be felt within days and develop over the weeks that follow. Maximum benefit is usually noticed at around 5-6 weeks, but can improve for up to 6 months. Each client is different so a treatment plan will be tailored to you. 

vaginal rejuvenation 5 reasons cryotherapy barnsley

Here’s some of our recent happy customer testimonials: 

“Just done my first 10k run post treatment. Wow! Totally dry. Thanks so much x” 

Louise from Kexborough

“I can hold myself better. Sex is a little better.” 

Stacey from Staincross 

“Hi Jo, all I can say is wow! Noticed a difference last week and it’s just got better and better. No trickles and no sneezing leakage. Really happy, really pleased”. 

Sheena from Goldthorpe
Vaginal rejuvenation

How Do I Book My Treatment? 

Visit our Female Rejuvenation page and send us your details and we’ll be in touch ASAP to book your first appointment.

How Does Physical Pain Affect Mental Health?

How does pain affect your mental health?  

Many studies have shown that there’s a positive correlation between physical pain and mental health issues. A little bit of discomfort from cutting your finger is unlikely to cause any significant psychological symptoms. In contrast, chronic pain will almost certainly result in mental health problems and affect other aspects of your life.  

Physical pain can positively affect mental health, and people with mental health issues may also show signs of physical pain. For example, depression can be challenging to diagnose since patients may not experience physical symptoms.  

Emotional pain can cause physical pain symptoms because it uses the same brain regions as physical pain. Mental health is how well your mind processes and understands information and experiences. Whereas emotional health is about a person’s ability to express and manage emotions that come from experience and things they’ve learned. People who suffer from mental illnesses such as depression often notice they experience emotional pain such as sadness and feelings of impending doom. There is help out there for anyone who is suffering from symptoms that are worrying them.  

What qualifies as chronic pain?  

Chronic pain is pain that is constant, ongoing, and generally lasts at least six months. Many factors can cause chronic pain, and it can persist even after the original ailment has been cured, healed, or after successful treatment. Often a change of lifestyle and treatment can relieve symptoms of chronic pain or eliminate it entirely. For example, correcting poor posture, lifting correctly, minimising the risk of further injury by resting, and so on. Sometimes the source of chronic pain can be unknown, and tests and investigative procedures can fail to uncover the root of the issue. 

According to Sheng et al. (2017), “Chronic pain, as a stress state, is one of the critical factors for determining depression, and their coexistence tends to further aggravate the severity of both disorders.”  

Can physical pain cause mental illness?  

If a person experiences ongoing pain, they could start to suffer from mental health issues such as:  

  • Depression  
  • Anxiety  
  • Low mood
  • Fatigue  
  • Guilt  

Seeking treatment of conditions when symptoms first appear, can go a long way to prevent the compound effect of multiple conditions forming and exacerbating each other.  

How does chronic pain cause mental illness?  

Living with chronic pain can be exhausting and impact all areas of your life. Ongoing pain symptoms can cause a strain on mental health. You must seek help and advice on ways to reduce pain. Unfortunately, mental health issues and physical pain can go hand in hand, meaning that one will often cause the other and make the other worse. Many people who suffer from long-term pain will have issues with getting to sleep and staying asleep (Insomnia), and stress levels are raised, making the pain feel stronger. Having very little or no sleep often makes the pain feel much worse, and the effects more noticeable.  

Why does mental pain cause physical pain?  

Depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues often result in the sufferer experiencing physical pain. It’s essential to manage and find coping strategies to deal with psychological pain and emotional pain, as these types of pain can cause physical pain symptoms. Have you ever experienced stress and anxiety, noticing that your muscles and nerves are constricting? Cortisol, the stress hormone, can be many adverse physical effects on your body. Quickly reducing tension and stress can lower cortisol levels and is beneficial for the body. There are many coping strategies available. In a study carried out by Rymaszewska et al. (2008), a study group showed improvement (compared to the control group) to depressive and anxiety disorders following three weeks of cryotherapy treatment.  

Cryotherapy can help relieve physical pain and improve your mood by increasing circulation and improving energy levels and boosting your metabolic rate. Collagen production increases, which makes your skin tighter and healthier. Making you look younger. As they say – healthy body, healthy mind!  

Which coping strategies can help mental health issues?  

  • Treatment of underlying physical pain causes  
  • Education – reduces fear of the unknown  
  • Meditation  
  • Diet and exercise  
  • Counselling  
  • Practice mindfulness  
  • Avoid self-mediation  

Can cryotherapy help to relieve physical pain?  

Cryotherapy treatment can relieve, stop, and prevent physical pain and swelling by treating the underlying cause of the issue or by helping to reduce or eliminate pain. Cryotherapy means “cold therapy”. Have you ever placed a bag of frozen peas on an injury such as a swollen ankle? Then you’ve applied a very basic form of cryotherapy! Treatment by cryotherapy is the “I” part of RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation). The benefits of using cryotherapy treatment to reduce pain include reduction of nerve activity, pain and swelling reduction, and lower skin temperature. But why does decreasing skin temperature work? It depends if it’s applied in a highly targeted way or to trigger your whole body to react in a certain way. For example, skin conditions can be very painful, itchy, and embarrassing, so localised (or partial body) cryotherapy treatment can be used. Application of liquid nitrogen (or argon gas) to affected areas of the skin, results in scabs forming, containing dead skin cells. This type of treatment can treat warts and other benign skin problems.  

Whole-body Cryotherapy (WBCT) can be used to treat conditions such as muscle pain, and some join and muscle conditions. This type of treatment causes the release of endorphins in the body and induces the body’s natural pain relief system. Cryotherapy also has a positive effect on sleep, the immune system, and serotonin production (serotonin improves mood, sleep, and emotional wellbeing). Whole-body cryotherapy involves sitting or standing in a Cryochamber for two to five minutes, while extremely cold air is applied, which is popular with athletes and celebrities. According to Swenson et al. (1996), “The use of cryotherapy, i.e. the application of cold for the treatment of injury or disease, is widespread in sports medicine today.” Cryotherapy can be beneficial for athletes, helping them and anyone who enjoys spending time in the gym, to recover more quickly between training sessions and events. Google “cryotherapy celebrities,” and you’ll see a list of celebrities who advocate its use, including Will Smith, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Aniston, Daniel Craig, Hugh Jackman, and Jessica Alba.  

Cryotherapy can also be effective following an operation. According to Swenson et al. (1996), “Cryotherapy has also been shown to reduce pain effectively in the post‐operative period after reconstructive surgery of the joints.”  

Cryotherapy Barnsley

“Cryotherapy can also be effective following an operation”

What kind of pain relief or general treatment can cryotherapy help with?  

  • Lower back pain  
  • Pain and swelling after a knee or hip replacement, or under a splint or cast  
  • Tendonitis  
  • Runner’s knee  
  • Tennis elbow  
  • Chronically painful conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis  
  • Muscle soreness – athletes, bodybuilders, and anyone who takes regular intensive exercise who’d like to help them recover more quickly between training sessions and improve their performance. Cryotherapy helps to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).  
  • Low mood, anxiety, depression  
  • Weight loss  
  • Many types of injury or discomfort  
  • Various types of cancer  

Can cancer be treated with Cryosurgery?  

Cryosurgery involves using extremely cold temperatures to apply the surgical treatment. In contrast, cryotherapy helps relieve swelling, muscle pain, and sprains, following soft tissue damage (or surgery). Cryosurgery can treat various forms of cancer. 

References  

Sheng, J., Liu, S., Wang, Y., Cui, R. and Zhang, X. (2017). The Link between Depression and Chronic Pain: Neural Mechanisms in the Brain. Neural plasticity, [online] 2017, p.9724371. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28706741.  

‌Swenson, C., Swärd, L., and Karlsson, J. (2007). Cryotherapy in sports medicine. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 6(4), pp.193–200.  

‌Rymaszewska, J., Ramsey, D., and Chładzińska-Kiejna, S. (2008). Whole-body cryotherapy as adjunct treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders. Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis, [online] 56(1), pp.63–68. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2734249/.