A menstrual cup or period cup is a flexible cup made of medical grade silicone that is worn inside the vagina rather than a tampon during your period. There are a number of advantages of using a cup: Menstrual Cup Advantages Longer lasting; your cup can be left for up to 8 hours.  Insert your cup in the morning, work, run or swim – whatever you do your cup will remain undisturbed. Before you go to bed remove your cup, wash it and then reinsert it ready for a full nights sleep – with no interruptions. Money saving; If you look after your menstrual cup it could last up to 10 years – just t ..read more

Do you find laughing or coughing too much can cause a bit of a leak? Or maybe when you’re running you can’t hold your bladder as well as you used to?  Well if this is you, now is the time to take action and find remedies for your weak bladder! As a Pilates teacher, I see many menopausal women who are struggling to control their pelvic floor and finding themselves feeling embarrassed about it. Pelvic Floor Muscles A weak bladder is due to a weak pelvic floor muscle. The pelvic floor muscle is a bit like a sling and it sits underneath the bladder, womb and bowel, holding everything in place ..read more

Hot flushes (or flashes) are the most well known symptom of the menopause. According to Women’s Health Concern, the patient arm of the British Menopause Society, hot flushes occur in three in every four menopausal women. As with most things, hot flushes affect women in differing ways. Not all women experience them and for those that do, the frequency is varied.  Some women experience them several times a day or night whilst others may only have the occasional one. For some, a hot flush may last for just a few seconds, while for others it may be several minutes.  When experiencing one ..read more

Are you suffering from any of the following? Lack of sleep Constantly feeling fatigued Headaches Muscle aches and pains Menstrual cramps Low Mood If so, then you could be magnesium deficient. Why is magnesium so important during menopause? Magnesium is sometimes called ‘the spark of life’, as it helps with 600 reactions in our bodies. It helps with all of the following: sleep, stress, energy levels, hormone balance, menstrual headaches, and muscle function. No wonder everyone keeps going on about taking a magnesium supplement. During the menopause magnesium is needed more than ever, not only ..read more

Painful sex, known as dyspareunia, will happen to three quarters of women at some point in their lives and not just during the menopause. It can cause problems in a couples relationship, not just the physical aspect but also emotionally as well. Causes of sexual pain is predominantly pain in the pelvic area.  Some of the most common causes can be: – Limited muscle movement and control – Menopause – Endometriosis – Infections – Childbirth – Postural problems – Adenomyosis – Allergies or irritations If you experience pain during or after sex, you should always seek advice from your GP or a ..read more

Pilates is all about breathing, deep breath in and long breath out.  This in itself helps release tension and stress. Here are 6 simple exercises that we recommend if you are feeling stressed or anxious that will help release tension and also help your core stability in the process!  Follow the below for a quick 10 minute Stress Release. Roll Up. – lying on your back on the floor with your legs straight. Bring your arms in an arc overhead until they are flat on the floor behind you. If you struggle with this, reduce your range of movement and keep your arms hovering a ..read more

Starting your periods can be an exciting time, as it means you are growing up, but it is also a time when you may feel scared! This is due to you venturing into the unknown. All of a sudden you have to start dealing with changes to your body and knowing that every month you will have to be prepared for your period. How do I know my period is coming? Some people will get signs that their period is coming.  These pains vary for each person but the most common is a dull stomach-ache.   Other pains you may experience are lower back pain and sore breasts – these are called period pai ..read more

Whether you’re shopping for your sister, mum, aunt or friend it can become quite stressful trying to find something special that they don’t already have, or that you haven’t given them before. Our 2020 Christmas Gift Guide has all the women in your life covered. There’s something for all ages, and it caters for all budgets too. A number of our best Christmas gifts are unique, high quality yet affordable at the same time.  The list covers women of ‘a certain age’, women who may be sleep deprived or those who simply deserve a gift that is as unique and special as they are. Our top six uniqu ..read more

Skin Changes during Menopause Did you know that since experiencing symptoms of the menopause, 47% of women suffered from an increase in dry skin, 45% noticed an increase in lines and wrinkles and 27% felt their complexion had become dull. Why does the menopause effect our skin? As a woman gets older and starts her menopause journey, oestrogen levels start to decline.  This has an impact on our bodies and a detrimental effect on our skin.  To maintain skin health oestrogen is required to help produce collagen.  Collagen, hyaluronic acid and elastin are all needed to help our skin ..read more

It can sometimes be tough to find time for yourself, let alone for you and your partner to have some down time.  However, in every relationship this one to one time is so important to keep a healthy bond. There may be several reasons why you and your partner don’t get the quality time together – work, children, elderly parents and so the list goes on.  Some couples swear by a monthly date night.  Where they go out for a meal, no kids, no other couples and just have time to focus on one another.  However, at the moment, with COVID, this isn’t as easy to do.  So, we thou ..read more