#MondayMotivation with Derval O'Rourke: Exercise can revolutionise our pelvic health

Plus - a recipe for quick and tasty loaded corn on the cob

Aoife Ní Eochaidh, a physiotherapist specialising in pelvic health

One of the best parts of my work life is meeting and chatting to people who are really passionate about what they do. I met Aoife Ní Eochaidh, a physiotherapist specialising in pelvic health, a few months ago. I was blown away by the work she is doing and asked her to write about it in this column. The response to Aoife’s column has been incredible and this week I’m doing a follow-up with her. Here’s what Aoife has to say about our pelvic health:

“We all know the dreadful feeling of needing the bathroom suddenly to empty the bladder while having coffee with friends or while out shopping and how humiliating and embarrassing it is to be caught short and leak urine. Imagine the awful feeling of an overwhelming urge to empty your bladder or needing to cough or sneeze and not making it to the bathroom in time and leaking urine.

“Worse still, is the fear of not being able to control stool or gas. New mothers (and some not-so-new mothers) up and down the country are dealing with these awful problems. Men too can be affected. As well as bladder and bowel issues, the pelvic organs can come down, this is called prolapse. Men and women can also have sexual or erectile dysfunction too. Help is available to give yourself back your freedom without fear of bladder and bowel leaks, pelvic organ prolapse, and sexual dysfunction.

“Two-thirds of women with any type of incontinence who have pelvic floor muscle training see improvements or cure with 75% of women reporting resolution of symptoms such as episodes of incontinence. This is also reflected in women and men for pelvic organ prolapse and sexual and erectile dysfunction.

“Pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause are leading causes of incontinence for women, prostate issues (including cancer and benign conditions), as well as ageing, are causes for men. It is a big problem with as many as one in three women and one in eight men affected. Many hide the problem and are too embarrassed to deal with the issues, they sadly suffer in silence. Women and men wear incontinence pads, and reduce their sexual activity, their exercise levels, and their social life too.

“It is important to know where the pelvic floor muscles are in the body. Firstly, think of the area of your body between your waist and the top of your legs. This is where your pelvis is located, think of it as a basin-shaped region. Your tummy area is where your core muscles are located. The pelvic-floor muscles form the base of the pelvic basin and are really the underneath part of your core.”

• You can check out Aoife’s courses on  courses.homepelvicroutines.com for more information.

Loaded Corn on the Cob

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

The perfect recipe for when you fire up the BBQ.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Side

Ingredients

• 1 bag frozen corn on the cob

• 4tbsp fat-free Greek-style yoghurt

• Zest and juice 1 lime

• 100g Grana Padano cheese, finely grated

• Handful of baby tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 1 mango, finely diced

• 1 spring onion, sliced

• Fresh mint, roughly chopped

Method

1. Place the corn into boiling water. Cover, bring back to the boil and simmer for 4 minutes then remove from the water and set aside.

2. Place a griddle pan over a high heat or preheat your BBQ and drizzle the corn with the olive oil.

3. Place the corn onto the griddle pan or BBQ and cook, turning occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until nicely golden and charred all over. Allow to cool slightly.

4. Mix the yoghurt with the lime zest and half the lime juice. Set aside

5. Mix the tomatoes, mango, spring onion, mint and remaining lime juice in another bowl. Set aside.

6. Transfer corn to plates, spoon over the yoghurt drizzle and top with the additional mixture.

7. Serve immediately.