The pelvic floor rehabilitation program that I teach, (PFP) Pelvic Floor Pilates, designed by Nevada urogynecologist Dr Bruce Crawford, was created to provide an effective alternative to the traditional recommendation of “do your Kegels.” Pelvic floor health is a fitness issue! Pelvic floor disorders are, for the most part, neuromuscular disorders and are well suited to neuromuscular solutions. With regular and high-quality conditioning, surgery for pelvic floor disorders can often be avoided, excluding when cancer is the diagnosis.
The scientifically researched exercises were studied over a 2 year period, and over 200 exercises were tried using EMG (electromyography) recordings to determine which were the most effective in recruiting the pelvic floor muscles, consisting of transversus abdominis (TVA), adductors (inner thigh muscles), gluteals (min, max, and med) and external hip rotators. These muscles all work in concert to provide support for the pelvic organs, and to restore and maintain pelvic health in both females and males.
I am specifically addressing the relevance of pelvic rehabilitation on urinary incontinence in men in relation to prostatitis, interstitial cystitis and prostatectomy. There are many serious issues for men that can benefit from pelvic floor rehabilitation, including aging, obesity, chronic lung disease, chronic constipation, chronic corticosteroid use, genetics, previous pelvic surgery, sexual dysfunction, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and Crohn’s disease to name several. Men are most likely to have pelvic floor disorders due to post-surgical complications, prostatitis or interstitial cystitis.
The job of the pelvic floor is to support the bladder, urine tube, prostate, and rectum, as well as provide sphincter control for the bladder and bowel. It also provides support from intra-abdominal pressure created from straining, heavy lifting, chronic coughs, or just from laughing. The weakening of pelvic floor muscles (atrophy) can be due to hormonal changes, including decreased testosterone. Pelvic organ prolapse can result in loss of control of the bowels. Night time voiding may be a sign of an overactive bladder (OAB), referred to as urgency incontinence, which is a condition common in both men and women. So, there are a lot of conditions we don’t always associate with our pelvic floor, but it is actually our “core,” or our centre of strength.
In order to be functional, pelvic floor muscles (PFM) need strength, endurance and co-ordination. Kegel exercises have commonly been taught as the method of strengthening these muscles. Using research with electromyography (EMG), however, it has been found that the PFM do not work in isolation and need to work in conjunction with the regional muscles of the inner thigh, buttocks and the deepest layer of abdominals – the transversus abdominis (TVA). Proper conditioning of these muscles not only requires a sustained contraction, but equal release. More effective and functional than Kegel exercises is the plyometric activation of the muscles, requiring a pulsing type of movement originally used for athletes that need quick bursts of energy.
The Pilates exercises that I incorporate into my program include three different types of contractions to stimulate all the functions of the pelvic floor:
1) movement – repetitions
2) endurance – a holding phase during peak engagement of the muscles
3) pulsing – a phase where the muscles are contracted and then released rapidly with equal force to provide the plyometric type of conditioning
This is what makes these exercises so effective with urinary incontinence. They strengthen the muscles, train the muscles for endurance, and strengthen the urinary and anal sphincters.
Other techniques I incorporate into my therapy include breath work, posture and Therapeutic Yoga techniques. The Yoga Therapy for the urinary system is structured to increase blood flow to the kidneys and strengthen the muscles that control the bladder. These techniques are taught to be performed in a very specific manner, hand in hand with the breath and strengthening through holding for a set period of time.
Yoga Therapy is proving to be very effective in conjunction with other forms of therapy. Some conditions where symptoms are often improved in both women and men include pelvic inflammatory disease, sterility or infertility, enlarged prostate, prostatitis, fibroid cysts, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and post-operative cancer, including post mastectomy and post prostatectomy.
In conclusion, more and more studies and randomized trials are being conducted in the fields of pelvic floor exercises and Therapeutic Yoga techniques, with positive results. The Cochrane Institute has supported pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) for several years now as the first line of defense and support for urinary incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction.
I hope this is helpful in explaining my approach to various pelvic floor issues and how pelvic floor rehabilitation can be a viable and effective choice. And finally, if there is anything that we can do to support you at Alongside You, don’t hesitate to reach out or call604-283-7827 ext. 709.
If you can take good care of your body, you will be in a much better state to deal with any mental health issues. As a kid, my family always told me what kind of food I should eat to keep healthy. Mental health is obviously highly linked to your brain health, so it only makes sense that eating good, nourishing, nutritious food is good for your overall mental health.
You might often hear from fitness professionals that the secret of getting into shape is actually 70% diet and 30% exercise. Similarly (but not statistically), eating mindfully and having a balanced, nutritious diet does wonders for your mental health. These healthy practices not only benefit your physical health and body, they help your brain! Now, we can’t expect any kind of diet or eating specific kinds of food will miraculously cure mental illnesses. It won’t. But perhaps we can help our brain along with its recovery process by giving it the nutrients it needs.
There are a number of chemicals that affect your mood and brain health. Let us take a look!
Dopamine
Dopamine plays a big role in the reward-motivated behaviours of human beings. It gives us the feel-good factor to spur us on so that we can achieve bigger and better things in our lives. Eggs and Spirulina both contain tyrosine, which synthesizes dopamine. Fish contains Omega-3, which is often linked to the production of dopamine.
Endorphines
Endorphines are essentially a painkiller. They minimize the perception of pain in our mind. This is what keeps us going during a grueling, painful workout, or a late night of study and work. This will be music to the ears for those who are chocolate lovers: cocoa contains phenethylamine. It is believed that phenethylamine boosts endorphines. However, moderation is key – I’m a chocoholic with the best of them, but this isn’t a license to eat as much chocolate as we want!
Serotonin
Serotonin creates the feeling of pride and loyalty, amongst other things. This chemical creates a sense of belonging with others. A lack of serotonin is also linked to depression, anxiety, and other mood related issues. One of the food options that may help is eggs, which contain tryptophan. Tryptophan synthesizes serotonin and may encourage your brain to produce more of it!
Oxytocin
Oxytocin in the brain creates the sense of trust, intimacy, and the feeling that someone will protect and take care of you. It promotes the feeling of safety. In fact, sometimes oxytocin is called the “love hormone.” Basically, eating any food may stimulate the release of oxytocin, which can be a double edged sword! Eating promotes oxytocin, but sometimes we might eat too much when chasing the feeling – again, moderation is key!
Glutamate
Glutamate acts as a neurotransmitter and encourages many brain activities. However, too much glutamate may lead to anxiety. Both plant and animal proteins contain glutamic acid. Our bodies are also capable of creating glutamic acid, so you don’t have to worry too much about choosing food that contains glutamate specifically.
gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)
GABA inhibits brain activities. A balance of GABA and Glutamate must be maintained for optimal brain health. Fermented foods, such as Kimchi, contain plenty of GABA. The popular Chinese tea, Pu-Erh, also contains bioactive GABA.
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine is the chemical responsible for the fight or flight mechanism in human beings. Too much of this chemical can make you feel sleepy and tired. Too little norepinephrine can lead to symptoms of anxiety. Foods rich in protein stimulate the production of this chemical and may help keep a healthy balance.
By Andrew Neufeld, BA, MC, RCC, Birkman Consultant
If you would like to learn more about the connection between food and mental health, please contact your registered dietitian. Your counsellor and dietitian can also work together as your team of family health advisors – they can come alongside you to create the most optimal health plan for you and your family. If you have any questions, please call 604-283-7827 and reach Andrew Neufeld at extension 701 or Annie Tsang at extension 712.
DELTA, British Columbia,May 2, 2017— OnApril 8th, 2017, the Rare Finds YVR: Feast for the Senses event took place.$111,000was raised in support of the Rare Disease Foundation in its mission to help Canadians living with rare diseases.Andrew and Meg Neufeld, co-owners of the award-winning health agency,Alongside You, were in attendance.
“Life is full of challenges. Help me understand mine.” – Max
As Andrew and Meg stared at this quote during the gala, it made them ponder the question: How well do we, as Canadians, understand the needs of this crowd that has often been overlooked by the public?
Meg grew up with an identical twin sister with a rare form of dwarfism and profound hearing loss. From an early age, they knew they were rare: 1 of 7 in the world at the time. Through their journey as a family, their father co-founded the Rare Disease Foundation with friends and colleagues and set out to change the course of research and treatment for rare diseases
Throughout their professional lives, Meg and Andrew have been intimately involved in supporting families, many of whom struggle with health conditions, including rare diseases. As pleased as they are to be able to provide support to individuals and families through the health disciplines at Alongside You, they know that the work of the Rare Disease Foundation has the potential to change health outcomes for individuals with rare diseases, and greatly relieve stresses on their families by identifying rare conditions and developing treatments — a chance to impact the individuals and families much earlier on in life and be proactive against many of the stresses these families face.
This is why supporting the Rare Disease Foundation is so important to them — because their awareness of the impact isn’t just professional, it’s family.
In order to participate in the mission of furthering Rare Disease awareness, Alongside You was involved with the Rare Finds Gala in several profound ways. They have donated gift baskets of art supplies and classes at their studio — a safe and comfortable environment for anyone of any age, diagnosis, or ability to experiment with different art mediums. They have also donated a BirkmanAssessment and coaching session package through Immerse Consulting, a subsidiary of Alongside You.
But that is only the tip of the iceberg. Alongside You is also a proud provider of a$3,500Microgrant to the Rare Disease Foundation. The microgrant program provides a small amount of funding($3,500)that must accomplish a specific research goal and directly improve patient care.
“The grant will go to researchers eager to solve problems for today’s patients in just 4 weeks’ time,” according to the Rare Disease Foundation.
This is why Alongside You, as a local business, believes that any small- to medium-sized businesses can make an immediate impact on finding cures for rare diseases. They sincerely hope that their story would encourage fellow small business owners to take action, and provide microgrants to support the wonderful things the Rare Disease Foundation is doing for millions of Canadians affected by rare disorders.
About Rare Disease Foundation
Founded in 2008, the Rare Disease Foundation is a registered charitable organization supporting rare disease research internationally, with a majority of that research taking place inCanada.
Their Vision and Mission is to revolutionize rare disease care through the creation of communities of patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, researchers and supporters working together to transform the lives of those living with rare disease.
About Alongside You
Alongside You is an award-winning, integrated health agency in the heart ofLadner, BC, and they serve a wide range of clientele inLadner,Delta,Vancouver,Richmond,Surrey,Langleyand surrounding areas. They provide accessible health care to anyone in their communities, because people matter.
If you would like more information about what Alongside You is doing in the community, please contactAndrew Neufeldat 604.283.7827 ext. 701,Meg Neufeldat ext. 703, or email them atinfo@alongsideyou.ca.
