HOW HORMONAL CHANGES IN PERIMENOPAUSE AFFECT YOUR BLADDER AND VAGINAL HEALTH

Episode 7

The heal your bladder podcast with Mary Cotter Nutrition

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IN THIS EPISODE…

Are you noticing changes in your bladder and/or vaginal health and wonder if it’s hormonal or possibly linked to perimenopause? You’re not alone! In this episode, we dive into how hormonal shifts, particularly declining oestrogen from our late 30s onwards can influence bladder function, urinary symptoms, vaginal comfort and even our susceptibility to UTIs.

I’ll share insights into why these changes happen, what your symptoms might mean, and practical steps you can take to support your bladder health during this transitional phase.

Whether you’re dealing with urgency, vaginal discomfort, or recurrent UTIs, this episode will help you understand what’s going on in your body and empower you with tools to feel better.

Let’s break down the connection between hormonal changes, perimenopause and your bladder so you can approach these changes with clarity and confidence.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Show Intro
0:35 - Episode Intro
2:08 - The Role of Oestrogen in Maintaining the Health of our Bladder and Vaginal Health
5:50 - Thrush-Like Symptoms and the Importance of Testing
7:19 - Why Hormonal Changes can Increase the Risk of Infection
10:14 - Seeking Professional Help
12:02 - The Benefits of Vaginal HRT
14:24 - Supporting Vaginal and Urinary Health with Probiotics
19:13 - Tissue Integrity and Supporting Skin with Nutrients
19:48 - Omega-3 to Reduce Inflammation and Improve Tissue Hydration
20:39 - Staying Hydrated with Vaginal Moisturisers
21:27 - Effects of Lowering Oestrogen on the Pelvic Floor Muscles
22:46 - Episode Outro
24:11 - Show Outro

SHOW NOTES

If you prefer reading to audio, you might enjoy this blog post: “Is it IC or the menopause?” where we explore the relationship between oestrogen and painful bladder symptoms and how hormonal changes should be considered and addressed before accepting a diagnosis of interstitial cystitis (IC).
Listen to episode 6 with sex educator Olivia Teahan for more tips on vaginal health, navigating pain with intimacy, lubes, moisturisers and more, here!

CONNECT WITH MARY

Go deeper with Mary’s free ebook, How to Heal your Bladder with Food.‍
Follow Mary on Instagram ‍
The Heal your Bladder programme

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on marycotternutrition.com is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice from your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website.