Dr. Anitha

While many of us wish we could stay under the shower all day in the summers, winters and lazy Sundays find many of us making excuses to skip a shower. However, having a shower not only keeps you clean, it also plays an important part in keeping you healthy and fit. According to Ayurveda, a morning shower is an essential part of the daily routine and is considered as a therapeutic activity. Here are a few reasons you should never skip a morning shower.

1. It calms your muscles: A shower reduces tension in your muscles and can help relax sore muscles. It also helps increase flexibility and muscle elasticity. If you’ve slept awkwardly and woken up with a stiff neck, a shower can help ease the stress and make you more comfortable. Thus, a simple shower could save you a trip to the physiotherapist.
2. Showers boost circulation: Showering with warm water increases blood circulation and ensures that even cells in your extremities receive nutrition. Increased blood circulation also reduces pressure on your heart and protects you against a number of cardio vascular ailments.
3. It boosts the immune system: The core function of taking a shower is to clean the body. This reduces the number of bacteria and fungal cells that can infect you. A cold shower also stimulates the vascular and lymph system and promotes the production of white blood cells that fight infections. Showering also helps eliminate toxins that are released along with sweat.
4. Elevates the mood: If you’re feeling blue, a shower may be what you need. Having a cold water shower activates the nervous system and increases the amounts of chemicals such as beta endorphins and noradrenaline in the blood. These chemicals help fight depression and elevate the mood. Additionally, a cold water shower also sends electrical impulses that have an anti-depressive effect from the brain.
5. Improves lung functionality: When you put your head under water, you are forced to breathe differently. Showering makes you take a deep breath and hold it in for a few seconds before exhaling. This action opens up your lungs and increases your oxygen intake.
6. It makes you more sociable: It’s simple; when you bathe, you smell good. This makes people want to be around you and boosts your confidence. You’re also less worried about your hair looking oily or your shoulders being dusted with dandruff when you’ve taken a shower and hence can focus your attention on conversations. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an ayurveda and ask a free question.

Many women develop uterine fibroids by the time they hit the age of 50 years and above. These are non-cancerous growths that may occur in the uterus. Most women go through severe bleeding and pain as well as discomfort as a result of these fibroids. Age, family history of the same condition, obesity or being overweight, eating habits and even ethnicity play a large role in deciding the risk of each individual patient. These fibroids can grow in the submucosal, intramural and subserosal areas.

Following are the common side effects of uterine fibroids:

1. Frequent urination: Due to the pressure of the fibroids on the uterus, the patient may experience a constant feeling of fullness in the lower pelvic area of the body, which may lead to frequent filling of the bladder. This gives rise to frequent trips to the washroom for urination. 
2. Heavy Bleeding: Severe bleeding is one of the most common causes of the presence of these kinds of fibroids. The patient may experience a lot of bleeding during menstrual periods, as well as pain and cramps the rest of the time. The periods will also be very painful when there are fibroids in the uterus or the uterine lining.
3. Painful Intercourse: It is a well-known fact that any kind of infection or growth as well as sores and other such ailments can lead to vaginal dryness as well as pain during sexual intercourse. This is true for uterine fibroids as well, which can lead to severe pain during sexual activity. These fibroids can also give rise to pain in the lumbar or lower back region.
4. Abdomen Swelling: The abdomen may go through significant swelling in such a condition and the patient may even look like she is pregnant. The growth can push the shape of the abdomen outwards and create a full feeling.
5. Pregnancy Complications: The presence of uterine fibroids can give rise to several complications during pregnancy and even after child birth. One of the most common problems in this case is bleeding, followed by more severe outcomes like miscarriage. The women suffering from uterine fibroids are at greater risk of undergoing a caesarean section for the delivery of the baby. The baby may also be born breech and a premature delivery may take place. 
6. Infertility: This is also a rare side effect of the uterine fibroids and is generally seen only in very severe cases. 
7. Cancer: Only one in every 1000 cases might transform into malignant tumours. These uterine fibroids are generally known to be non-malignant. 

Any symptoms must be reported to a gynaecologist at the earliest to avoid any serious complications.