Overactive Bladder? You're NOT Alone

Insight | Information | Inspiration TM

My Menopauseo magazine N 20 Blend, Estrogen Baby, and Breast Blend! Cancer A story of a Timing woman in determines bloom safety

How To Tame Your Busy Mind 7Ways to Make Your Next Conversation Back pain? Tight hamstrings Easier might be the cause Marilu New Menopause Henner +App Now Available Closing the sexual Speaks Out On pleasure gap with a Incontinence hands-free approach Feature Story My MenopauseTM magazine Overactive Bladder? You’re NOT Alone One in three women have a sensitive bladder, but most are too embarrassed to get help. Actress, author and patient advocate Marilu Henner says it’s time for that to change.

or most women, urinary loss or incontinence is so embarrassing that the aver- age woman waits 3 to 5 years to even F talk about it with her doctor. To share some thoughts about incontinence is someone who is well known to you, Mari- lu Henner. Marilu has played some fabulous roles as Elaine O’Connor Nardo in the TV hit Taxi and she’s also played Ava Evans Newton in Evening Shade.

Today she is the author of numerous books on health and is a health advocate. I interviewed her on the topic of incontinence.

Marilu Henner: Thank you so much. I’m not afraid to talk about anything. During one of my radio shows (www.Marilushow.com), I found out that 1 in 3 women, sometimes as much as 40% of the women in this country have some kind of sensitive bladder issue and it keeps most of them from exercising or going to a comedy show, or even making love at times. Feature Story My MenopauseTM magazine

This was such a shock to me. It’s not might have had this issue. I had no my issue, but I said, “Someone has to idea that this is going on. Why not talk about this and I don’t mind being get help. I think that’s why the Al- the voice.” So I paired up with the Al- ways Discreet people have created a ways Discreet people because they hashtag, #PeeHappens. have this amazing, amazing campaign called “Like A Girl.” And it was so im- So, it’s like, let’s stop! Women have pactful, I said, “I’m going to get out to stop hating their body, we have to there and talk about how you’re sup- stop shaming one another. I think it’s posed to dance like a woman.” We so important for women to say, “Hey! shouldn’t let anything hold us back I’ve had a baby,” or “I haven’t done from living our lives. Women are just my Kegel exercises” whatever it is, embarrassed and they don’t realize or they’ve had a little issue here and that they’re not alone. there. I think it’s important for women to know they’re not alone. Talk about Dr. Seibel: Women are embarrassed. it. I’m going out on The View and When should a woman talk about this talking about it. It’s not a big deal; we with their healthcare provider? have to stop hiding and keeping ourselves from our own life. Marilu: It depends on the issue. If you’re coming in late for an appoint- Dr. Seibel: You’re very right. Do you ment and you feel like, “Uh-oh, I’d bet- have any suggestions in addition that ter make it to a bathroom,” or you’re are lifestyle things that you tell wom- at your kid’s soccer game and you feel en to do when you talk to women’s like, “Uh-oh, where’s the bathroom, I groups? got to pay attention because I don’t want to have any kind of a leak.” It de- Marilu: I’m always talking about the pends on how much you can tolerate. fact that they should stay hydrated. Our body is close to 70% water. Dr. Seibel: So, if you’re bothered by And women aren’t rehydrating them- bladder symptoms, don’t keep it a selves. They keep themselves from secret -tell somebody so they can try drinking water because they’re afraid. to help you. Suggestions for those with a Marilu: Right! When I speak to sensitive bladder groups of women. I look around the • stay hydrated room and I think that 1 in 3 women • drink fluids early in the day Feature Story My MenopauseTM magazine

• eat food with a high water content, es, you take your dog for a walk, you such as salad get a hamster wheel for your hamster, • don’t overdo with protein you are this beautiful human animal • avoid spicy, acidic foods and you have to move.”

Dr. Seibel: Getting dehydrated isn’t Dr. Seibel: So, all the things that healthy. women are afraid of because they have a sensitive bladder, such as movement, Marilu: They hydration, eating can get urinary foods that have tract infections. a lot of moisture 1 in 3 women have – all the things Dr. Seibel: Do bladder issues. that women are you tell them to avoiding, you’re drink earlier in the Why not get help? saying, ‘Stop it day so they’re and start eating not up at night and drinking the going to the bathroom? right things.” Are there are any foods that you recommend women avoid so Marilu: Yeah, absolutely! The body they don’t irritate their bladders? starts to adjust to less water. People say, “Oh, I’m not even thirsty.” You Marilu: I would say don’t overdo it don’t even realize how thirsty you are. with the protein because animal pro- So this is a big issue. I always say tein can create a lot of inflammation. have wet food at every meal. I’m not saying that you have to go completely vegan, I’m just saying Dr. Seibel: Such as…? have more of a plant-based lifestyle so that you do have more plants, Marilu: Food with a high water con- more wet foods, for example. We dis- tent. Have a salad before or after din- cover the beauty of beans and things ner. I’m sure that women who are like that. Don’t eat foods that are dry- afraid to drink because of a sensitive ing you out from the inside out. bladder issue, are having their joints get dry and the inflamed because their Dr. Seibel: And also, you want to body is not well-hydrated. And there’s avoid spicy foods, peppers, coffee, nothing more important than move- caffeinated drinks, sodas and soft ment. I always say, “Your cat stretch- drinks. They are very acidic foods. Feature Story My MenopauseTM magazine

Marilu: I think diet soda is just ridicu- in December – because that was our lous. My parents died very young. My family business. She went to bed with father died at 52 of a heart attack, I the flu in January, went in to the hospi- was 17 at the time. I ate my feelings, I tal in February, had her leg amputated ballooned up to 54 pounds more than in April and died in May. I weigh right now and I was not hap- py. Then my mother died with arthritis Dr. Seibel: Oh my, this is a terrible a couple of years later at 58 because sequence of events for your mom, for of all the stress that my father’s death your family and for you. caused her. She was teaching dance Marilu: Absolutely. When I saw my mother suffering in the hospital, I made a vow to God. I said, “If she gets out Women aren’t of here, I’m going to learn everything I rehydrating themselves can about the human body and save her life; and if she passes away, I’m because they’re afraid going to do everything to save my life of leakage and my two kid’s life.” Feature Story My MenopauseTM magazine

So, when she died at 58 years old of complications from rheumatoid arthritis, I went to doctors and med- icine libraries and health food stores. I took human anatomy classes at UCLA, and I learned everything I could about the human body. And because I have an un- usual memory, I was able to cross-connect a lot of information in a very short time, so I started experimenting on myself and I realized so many things. This is why I You’re supposed to be out there mov- write books. It’s so important for us to ing, laughing, having a good time with have our health because you can look your family, going to your kids’ things, around you, America - you know some- dancing with your husband, doing thing is wrong, we are not taking care whatever you do, even if you don’t of ourselves as we should. And when have children or you don’t have a hus- I found out that women were holding band, it doesn’t matter. You have to themselves back from living their life, it’s live your life. The thing is that if some- a subject that I feel so passionate about thing like sensitive bladder is holding that I said I have to be involved. you back, there is help on the way. Just check out AlwaysDiscreet.com Dr. Seibel: I’m glad that you did be- because they have answers for ques- cause you’re certainly someone that tions you didn’t even know you had, women look up to and you’re talking and you won’t feel alone. about a topic that most women are afraid to even mention, even though Marilu Henner is a five-time Golden it’s embarrassing the heck out of Globe Nominee and a New York Times them and altering their entire life. Best Selling author of nine books on health, parenting, memory, and lifestyle improvement, including the recent best- Marilu: Don’t be afraid to be who you seller Total Memory Makeover. Find out are. Don’t be afraid to live your life. more at www.Marilushow.com. Subscribe to My MenopauseTM magazine for less than a coffee a month

What You Get Every What women are saying Month about this magazine:

 Insight, Inspiration and Health  Wonderful info from Information a source you can trust

 Edited by the Media Award  Love this recipient of the North magazine. Great content from American Menopause Society beginning to end!

 Articles, videos and audio  Great Menopause resource with important  Answers to your questions emphasis on body, mind and spirit!  Subscribe and Save 50% off single issue price  Finally! A magazine with answers to all the questions  Get the first issue FREE at women have when entering into MyMenopauseMagazine.com menopause. Get Started. Click The Subscription Button Now