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Don't Put Up With Vaginal Dryness! This is How to Treat it
Vulvar and vaginal dryness are a common, yet ‘silent’ problem because many women feel embarrassed to talk about it with their partners, friends and even doctors. It can have a really negative impact on quality of life, yet only 25% of women seek help to manage their symptoms. Shop Intimate Care Feminine Moisturizer What is a Natural Remedy for Dry Down There? We’re here to change that and that’s why we’re so excited to share news about More Than Lip Service. You moisturize the rest of your body so why not your vulva and vagina? Our moisturizer helps to treat the symptoms associated with vulvar & vaginal dryness, allowing you to embrace life again. Made with a combination of hyaluronic acid (which your body produces naturally) plus vitamin E and other beneficial ingredients, More Than Lip Service gives you fast, long-lasting & hormone-free relief from the burning, itching & pain associated with vaginal atrophy, vulvar and vaginal dryness. Unlike those other lubricants that just slip right out, ours not only immediately alleviates dryness symptoms but also lasts so long, you may not even need to use it every day. Why Am I Dry Down There All of a Sudden? Over half of women aged between 51 and 60 experience vulvar & vaginal dryness, leading to pain, irritation and burning. While it’s more common in older women, younger women aren’t immune. Around 17% of women aged 18-50 experience issues, even before menopause. The hormonal changes associated with aging—in general, a decline in estrogen levels—is the main cause, but feminine sprays and harsh soaps, swimming pool & hot tub chemicals, detergents, and some medications can also lead to vaginal dryness. It may also be problematic during sexual intercourse, resulting in pain along with intimacy issues. What Causes Vaginal Dryness? A normal, healthy vagina: Is kept supple and moist with natural lubrication produced by glands at the neck of the womb (the cervix). This moisture makes its way slowly down through the vagina, keeping it clean and removing dead cells. The moisture is slightly acidic, helping to keep the area, including the vulva and the labia healthy, preventing infections like thrush. Most women may notice a slight white vaginal discharge – this is perfectly normal. The Bartholin’s glands (two glands at the entrance of the vagina) produce extra moisture to aid sexual intercourse when a woman is aroused. However, a quarter of women aged 50-59 experience vaginal dryness problems during sex and 16% experience pain. In addition to the natural lubrication that makes its way down through the vagina, there’s also a thin layer of moisture that coats the walls of the vagina. This moisture helps sperm travel and survive in for sexual reproduction. It also helps to reduce friction during sexual intercourse. As a woman gets older, a decline in estrogen production can cause the vaginal walls to thin, resulting in fewer cells that secrete moisture. Apart from age, vulvar and/or vaginal dryness may be associated with: Breastfeeding Cigarette smoking Depression Excessive stress Immune system disorders, such as Sjögren syndrome Childbirth Rigorous exercise Some cancer treatments, such as radiation to the pelvis, hormone therapy, or chemotherapy Surgical removal of the ovaries Some medications, including douching, as well as some creams and lotions that are applied to the vaginal area. Can Dehydration Cause Dryness Down There? If you’re not drinking enough water, then your skin—anywhere on your body—is prone to dryness. Dehydration can take a on your vaginal health, leaving the skin feeling itchy and dry. It can also throw off the pH balance, possibly contributing to conditions including yeast infections. Make sure that you’re drinking enough water (most experts recommend somewhere between 6-10, 8 oz glasses a day. Tea, coffee, fruits and vegetables all count towards this and you may need more depending on your level of activity and personal needs. What are the Symptoms of Vaginal Dryness? How Long Does Vaginal Dryness Last? Vulvar & vaginal dryness cause discomfort in the vaginal and pelvic regions along including: Burning Loss of interest in sex Painful sexual intercourse Light bleeding following intercourse Soreness Urinary tract infections (UTIs) that don’t go away or that reoccur Vaginal itching or stinging Beyond painful intercourse, untreated vaginal dryness can cause sores or cracking in the vagina’s tissues. See your doctor if you experience the following: Vaginal dryness that lasts for more than a few weeks and and that isn’t fixable with over the counter solutions (see below) Vaginal dryness is affecting your daily life You experience unusual discharge or bleeding from your vagina You have bleeding after sex or in between your periods If severe vaginal bleeding occurs, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention. How Do You Get Rid of Dryness Down There? Although it can throw havoc with your day to day activities, vulvar & vaginal dryness aren’t life threatening. Thankfully, treatments are available. 1. What is the best lube for menopause? Similar to natural lubrication, lubricants provide temporary relief from dryness and discomfort. Lubricants may be used at any time and aren’t just reserved for perimenopause or menopause. They should be applied to the area around the vulva (lips) and vagina just before sexual intercourse. 2. What is good for vaginal dryness? (Hint: Moisturizers!) Longer lasting than lubricants, moisturizers like More Than Lip Service are designed to be used two to three times a week. They may be used externally or used internally and their effect lasts for days. They’re a great option for women who can’t—or don’t want to—use hormonal options. 3. Do estrogen pills help with dryness? Estrogen pills are a hormonal option available by prescription to help manage vaginal dryness. Creams, gels, patches and rings are also available to give you a range of products to choose from. Supplementing with estrogen can help to manage a range of perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms that women may encounter, including not only, vaginal dryness, but also hot flashes and brain fog. If you feel that you’d benefit from going this route, check in with your physician who’ll be able to help you navigate the choices to find one that works for you. If your main concern though, is vaginal dryness, studies have shown that vaginal moisturizers made with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E (like More Than Lip Service) are comparable in efficacy to hormonal treatments and without the risk of side effects. (1,2,3) Check with your health care provider if you aren’t sure about your options. (1) Jokar A, Davari T, Asadi N, Ahmadi F, Foruhari S. Comparison of the Hyaluronic Acid Vaginal Cream and Conjugated Estrogen Used in Treatment of Vaginal Atrophy of Menopause Women: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Int J Community Based Nurs Midwifery. 2016 Jan;4(1):69-78. PMID: 26793732; PMCID: PMC4709811. (2) Stute, Petra. Is vaginal hyaluronic acid as effective as vaginal estriol for vaginal dryness relief? Multicenter Study Arch Gynecol Obstet . 2013 Dec;288(6):1199-201. (3) Chen J, Geng L, Song X, Li H, Giordan N, Liao Q. Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of hyaluronic acid vaginal gel to ease vaginal dryness: a multicenter, randomized, controlled, open-label, parallel-group, clinical trial. J Sex Med. 2013 Jun;10(6):1575-84. doi: 10.1111/jsm.12125. Epub 2013 Apr 9. PMID: 23574713.
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Why a Vaginal Moisturizer May Be Important to Your Health
You may not be aware of it, but a vaginal moisturizer may be essential to your wellness if you’re navigating your way through perimenopause or menopause. We’ve written about vaginal dryness before – a condition that affects more than 50% of women over the age of 50. Vaginal dryness and its associated symptoms can have a significant negative impact on your quality of life. But, because it’s not talked about much, you may not even be aware of the symptoms caused by vaginal dryness. It’s still considered a hush-hush topic by many, but, we’re here to change that! Find out how to tell if a vaginal moisturizer can help you to manage your symptoms, feel better and embrace life again. Shop Intimate Care More Than Lip Service Vaginal Moisturizer is a hormone-free moisturizer that gives you fast, effective, hormone-free relief from vaginal dryness and its symptoms. Formulated by our pharmacist owner, it allows you to embrace life again! What Causes Vaginal Dryness? Vaginal dryness isn’t experienced by women in menopause only—it’s a condition that can be experienced by any women, at any point in her life. It’s usually associated with a drop in estrogen, the hormone that helps to keep vaginal and vulvar tissue healthy with lubrication, elasticity and the right acidic pH. You may experience a drop in estrogen for several reasons including: Breastfeeding Childbirth Cigarette smoking, or Menopause/perimenopause. Some medications like anti-estrogen pills, allergy and cold medicines, oral contraceptives and some anti-depressants can also cause estrogen levels to drop. Perfumed soaps and washes, douches and certain medical conditions like Sjogren’s syndrome and some immune disorders can also contribute to dryness. More Than Lip Service Vulvar and Vaginal Moisturizer offers fast, hormone-relief for when you experience dryness down there. Is Vaginal Dryness Normal? Here are the Symptoms Vaginal dryness can be quite uncomfortable, leading to soreness or itching in and around your vagina and vulva; pain or discomfort during sex; a more frequent need to pee. It can also lead to recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs). Last of all, it can have a serious impact on your desire to engage in sexual activity, which can impact your relationship. Unlike many menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, vaginal dryness isn’t something that goes away. And that’s because physical changes in the vagina make it a long-lasting condition. While many women view it as part of aging and just put up with it, help is available. Make sure you get it if you need it. How Can I Increase My Natural Lubrication? Here’s How a Vaginal Moisturizer May Help Although so many women experience vaginal dryness, it’s thought that more than 90% don’t seek help to manage their symptoms, despite there being several ways to treat the condition. Your choice of treatment depends on your personal preference and what makes most sense for you: Vaginal Lubricant. This can help to reduce the discomfort that occurs during sexual activity when the vagina is dry. It works similarly to natural lubrication and helps to decrease friction during intercourse. A vaginal lubricant is designed to be used on an as needed basis. Vaginal Moisturizer. A moisturizer like our More Than Lip Service provides longer term relief than a lubricant and should be used regularly (several times a week) to keep the vulva and/or vagina moisturized. You can use it internally or externally, depending on your symptoms and need. Studies have shown that moisturizers containing a combination of hyaluronic acid and vitamin e (as in More Than Lip Service) provide as much relief as hormonal treatments, but without the potential for side effects associated with hormone use. Hormone Therapy. If you’re interested in exploring prescription options, your doctor can guide you through the choices available. You can choose from creams, rings, patches or pills. Don’t ignore vaginal dryness, especially if it’s interfering with your quality of life. Help is available so make sure you seek it out if you need it.
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Getting Back to Active Living for 2021
We’re always excited to share information about healthy living and this post is no exception. Just last week we teamed up with Jillian Mariani, the founder and general manager of Niyama Yoga Wellness for our Active Living Giveaway. In this post, Jillian shares her take on self-care, something that we take seriously here at Apothekari. We hope that you find it as informative and inspiring as we do. Getting Back to Active Living for 2021 by Jillian Mariani Whew – how glad are you that 2020 is in the rear-view? I don’t think there was ever a year I was so happy to see the end of! It felt almost euphoric to ring in 2021, with hope and positivity and some awesome intentions for making 2021 a truly fulfilling year. But a few days in, like me, you might be feeling a little less euphoric – we are still living in a pandemic world of course, and depending where you live there are months of winter ahead. Most of us are still working from home, and again depending where you live, fitness and yoga studios may be closed making some of those new year’s intentions harder to implement. And the early enjoyment of the convenience of online exercise classes may have totally worn off and you might be feeling challenged to get some movement in each day. When you’re working up a sweat, you want to feel confident that you’re smelling sweet. Our natural deodorants are made with skin friendly and worry-free ingredients. Banish odor all day long with odor neutralizing enzymes and skin conditioning ingredients. Free from aluminum, parabens & baking soda. Smell Fresh & Feel Clean With Our Natural Deodorants! When you’re working up a sweat, you want to feel confident that you’re smelling sweet. Our natural deodorants are made with skin friendly and worry-free ingredients. Banish odor all day long with odor neutralizing enzymes and skin conditioning ingredients. Free from aluminum, parabens & baking soda. Shop All Apothekari Natural Deodorants 5 Tips For Making Movement Part of Your Self-Care But this year, perhaps more than any other year, making movement part of your self-care routine is absolutely crucial. Both physically and emotionally, daily exercise has all benefits and no drawbacks. Here are my top 5 tips for Making Movement Part of Your Self-care this winter: 1. Commit and Schedule It This is key: make it a daily habit that you commit to, and show up for yourself. Aim for at least 30 minutes of activity and schedule the time in your calendar at least 5 days out of the week and stick to it. It should be like brushing your teeth or eating meals – you do it because your wellness depends on it. If you really don’t feel up to it that day (hey, I believe in self-compassion too!) do something gentle, like taking a 15-minute brisk walk outside in nature, or taking some restorative poses and meditating. We can all fit that in our day, and if you think you don’t have time, try a day without TV or Netflix or Social Media scrolling. 2. Make it Something You Enjoy Doing something you hate just because you feel it’s good for you won’t last, unless you have superhuman levels of determination. Finding a movement practice you enjoy, whether it is a live online yoga or fitness class, a streamed recorded class, a run, a hike or time spent on an elliptical or stationary bike, will make it so much easier to stick to – you may even wake up looking forward to it. This doesn’t mean you have to do the same thing every day, mix it up if you like, variety is the spice after all, and when most days feel like groundhog day, I personally need to inject some variety into my movement. I personally like to alternate vinyasa-style yoga with barre workouts, and I’m incorporating snowshoeing this winter since the ski hills are closed in Ontario, where I live. 3. Support Your Body with the Right Nutrients, Before and After Exercise Don’t get me wrong, I love coffee. Like really love it. I do have to limit to one per day though, and I just can’t do it before I practice yoga or barre or any type of mindful movement. I am very type A and it just makes my brain run all over the map, so I can’t focus on being present and syncing my breath with movement. But I do need a bit of a motivator before a workout. Which is why I created Green Energy, a clean, plant-based, caffeine-free pre-workout that is actually good for you. Packed with superfood ingredients like spinach, beetroot, maca, acai as well as vegan-sourced amino acids to provide energy and stamina without the jitters. Plus it is vegan, paleo, keto and fasting-friendly with zero sugars or calories, and no artificials. And it’s so delicious that the thought of it actually does motivate me to get into my tights and on my mat. And for after, or as an intra-workout if it’s especially sweaty, I use Niyama’s After Practice Replenish & Repair to help replace electrolytes and support muscle and immune recovery, reducing next day soreness. In a delicious light pineapple coconut flavour, it is seriously refreshing and the l-glutamine and vitamin C help with immune function.I’m also a huge fan of plant protein smoothies, and 90% off the time that is my breakfast. I load up my blender with a scoop of Organic Plant Protein, some frozen berries, and a healthy fat source like a tablespoon of MCT oil or nut butter or ground flax seeds, or a bit of avocado, add a cup of water and blend away. 4. Make it Social If you are finding it hard to motivate yourself alone, enlist a friend or family member. Whether it is joining an online class together but apart, or exercising outdoors in a socially distanced way, making it something you do with someone else can make your workout more fulfilling, and harder to skip. Plus it brings some much needed connection into your day. 5. Take Rest Take a rest day each week – if you function better doing exercise every single day and a day off really throws you, then make one day a week really light – just a walk or some low-impact stretches and let your body rest. And ensure you are getting enough sleep – most adults need 7-9 hours of good quality sleep on a regular basis to function optimally. Don’t Beat Yourself Up And if you miss a few days or have a bit of a lapse, don’t beat yourself up. We are living through very difficult times and just showing up some days (or weeks) is really hard. But get back into it as soon as you can – don’t let days turn into weeks and weeks into months. You will 100% feel better if you get your activity in – your stress levels will be reduced, your mental and emotional health improved and you might even emerge from this with a fitter body, that you feel great living in. About Jillian Jillian Mariani is the founder and general manager of Niyama Yoga Wellness. Jillian spent her 20+ year corporate career in the Canadian Natural Health Supplements category, in sales, marketing and product development with some of Canada’s favourite brands of vitamins and supplements. Jillian holds a BA from UofT, a diploma in Nutritional Management from GBC, an MBA from Schulich School of Business, and a YTT-200H from Downward Dog Yoga Centre. She lives in Toronto with her husband and children, and teaches Vinyasa yoga part-time. In addition to yoga, she enjoys cooking, travel, good books, netflix and turmeric lattes, dark chocolate, and beach walks. About Niyama Yoga Wellness Inspired by the practice of yoga, and clean, active, plant-based living, all Niyama products are vegan, non-GMO and made in Canada. Free from gluten, soy and sugar with no artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners or preservatives.
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