I DID NOT THINK I WOULD GO THIN THIS WAY!

A colleague of mine, a mother of six children and a poised Muslimah has been fasting the during the month of Ramadan. Last few days she kept complaining of pain in her lower abdomen and further down below. It was unexplained one and hence she was trying to find the reason and a solution to this subtle but constant suffering. I explained her that since its Ramadan, her water intake being little could have triggered her urinary system. I assured her to mindfully increase intake of water, and the symptoms may go away. She is in her mid-forties, and she has been fasting since her pre-teen age. She has faced harsher summer Ramadans compared to pleasant ones like now in Mid-March. So, she knew that this was not her usual fasting discomfort. Desperate to find answers, she jumped onto social media. Sad, but true. That is what people do these days. “Toktik” and “graminsta” are their go-to platforms for (un)authentic information and validation. The next day, she came to me with a worried expression and sat next to me. She asked me- “could it be this?” and showing a video which took the internet by the storm last month.

A lady gynecologist was confirming that the labia minora will disappear after the reproductive age and the entire world was shocked. How is this huge information never been made available to us? Another friend shared a reel the same evening and asked if it was true? I explained, it was. She questioned herself “did I miss so many biology classes?” I ensured her not to blame herself for it because there is a high possibility that even her biology teacher may have not been aware of the same and she too had missed that information in her own classroom.

Ironically, studies show that almost 40% medical schools do not incorporate menopause education into the mandatory curriculum. That means more than half your healthcare providers have limited knowledge to deal with it unless they intentionally try to gain knowledge. But the good thing is that the current generation of menopausal women are much more vocal about their issues and are looking for solutions.

It would be a suitable time for us to take a little dive into what are the possible Genito- urinary symptoms that may be associated with Menopause. Estrogen, which is in simpler terms- the “Juice hormone,” keeps declining during menopause. It is responsible for maintaining the moisture, elasticity, and pH of the Genito-urinary tract. Inadequacy of this hormone gradually makes the tissue thinner, drier, and less elastic leading to following symptoms.

• Frequent urination or urgency with constant discomfort due to reduced elasticity of bladder and unfinished sensation due to pelvic weakness

• Recurrent UTI’s – thinning tissue become more prone to infections.

• Dryness of vagina due to reduced natural moisture

• Reduced libido and discomfort during the act

Though hydration, wellness practices, and medical support can help curb these symptoms, there are a few natural and traditional remedies, that I would recommend.

• Hydration with barley water support bladder health and reduce irritation.

• Cranberry or pomegranate juice have antimicrobial properties.

• Turmeric (curcumin) has natural anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce various symptoms and improves wellbeing.

• Coconut oil, olive oil and aloe vera gel are natural moisturizers and provide protection for mucosal tissue.

• Probiotics and yogurt for healthy urinary and vaginal microbiome

• Black cohosh helps hormonal imbalance during menopause.

• Red Clover which rich in phytoestrogens, mimics the natural estrogenic effect.

• Good quality collagen provides elasticity and reduces dryness of vaginal wall.

In totality, hydration, balanced meals, and little bit of natural support goes long way.

Remember, this discussion happened as my tribe (my colleague and my friend) initiated a conversation around it. In Hindi we say “Baat karne se- baat banti hai” (a conversation helps to find a resolve).

So, shall we talk over a few coconut water martinis?

About the blogger: 

Dr. Tabassum Inamdar is a dynamic Homeopath, a passionate artist, and an adventurer in life. She writes a series of blogs related to health and wellness. A sketch artist since childhood, she loves authoring stories and poetry. She continues life’s adventure by trekking, Sky diving, or Marshalling at Formula 1 tracks. You may stalk her @doctabu (IG) or say hello @tabu.inamdar (FB)