Tell me how much you weigh... and I'll tell you how your intimate health is.

We hear it every day: I'm fat! I look like a ball! I would like to be skinny! Weight for us women has become a true obsession. Partly because we believe that if we gain a few kilos, we will stop being attractive. And on the other, because we think that if we lose weight, we will be a sexual tigress.

With regard to celebrating this March 4, the World Day for the Fight Against Obesity, in this article we want to help you observe this obsession in a different way, so that you feel good, not only with a healthy weight, but at the same time with high self esteem. Worthy of an unstoppable woman. Go for it!

The first thing you should know is what is obesity and overweight?

Overweight and obesity are defined as an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that can be detrimental to your health. In the case of adults, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines overweight and obesity based on the Body Mass Index (BMI):

• Overweight : You are considered overweight when your BMI is equal to or greater than 25.
• Obesity : Obesity is considered when your BMI is equal to or greater than 30.

So if you have a BMI greater than 25, it is highly recommended to take actions to regain balance in your weight. According to the suggestion and evaluation that your specialist doctor or nutritionist can make.

How can obesity and being overweight affect my health?

Without falling into obsession and keeping our self-esteem high , we must be aware of the negative impacts that being overweight and obesity have on our health.

When you gain excessive weight, you expose yourself to contracting non-communicable diseases, such as:

• Cardiovascular diseases : (mainly heart disease and stroke), which were the leading cause of death in 2012.
• Arterial hypertension : which is associated with sexual dysfunction , both due to the disease itself and to some medications that are used, especially antihypertensives.
• Diabetes : If you become obese and have diabetes, you are more at risk of vaginal yeast infections , as well as impaired circulation to the clitoris, which reduces arousal.
• Some women's cancers : such as endometrial, breast, ovarian cancer. And liver, gallbladder, kidneys and colon. Obesity is an ally of cancer!
• Disorders of the musculoskeletal system : especially osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease of the joints, which is very disabling.

In addition, obesity and overweight also complicate…

• Cardiovascular problems : we must remember that —in the case of sexual health— arousal requires that the blood vessels dilate and that the glands that secrete a series of substances that act as lubricants to facilitate penetration can flow. Something that obesity hinders. If there are alterations in the vascular system, arousal will not occur in the same way... and therefore, you will affect your sexual desire.
• Finally, Smoking : if you are a smoker —and obese— you affect the vascularization process of the clitoris, which needs to fill with blood and grow when you are excited by a sexual encounter.

There is also emotional obesity...

As you have already seen so far, the negative impact of obesity and being overweight on our body is significant. But, it also reaches us on an emotional level. That's why we said at the beginning... maintaining high self-esteem.

Obesity has an important emotional component. How we feel, daily stress, our relationships with other people, daily responsibilities, strongly influence our diet. That " I'm sad, I need a chocolate " thing is very frequent. And... nothing happens, if when you are sad, you decide to " indulge yourself ". The problem comes if this is frequent and also... you don't do physical activity daily.

Beyond anxiety, sadness, loneliness... which are usually emotional spaces in which obesity hides, the important thing and the first thing you should do is become aware of where you are emotionally speaking. And for us at TuSaludIntima there is also something very important that you must keep in mind: LOVE YOU and RECOGNIZE YOURSELF AS YOU ARE. Because although it is true, obesity and being overweight bring many problems to our health, the first thing we must be aware of is that our body and our spirit, just as they are, are perfect!

And what happens to my intimate health if I am overweight or obese?

The impact of obesity on a woman's sexuality depends on many variables : the degree of obesity or overweight, pre-existing diseases associated with excess weight, age, hormonal changes, the arrival of menopause and the emotional component.

There are studies that show that obese women tend to have less sexual intercourse and this may be due to excess estrogen derived from obesity, which produces a decrease in progesterone, the hormone responsible for sexual desire.

Obesity causes the endocrine system to be reflected in a higher frequency of irregular menstruations, longer periods and less bleeding, which is called Oligomenorrhea.

These imbalances in your cycle can cause the necessary estrogen peak not to occur during the preovulatory phase, which coincides with the days when we feel the greatest sexual appetite. This is because ovulation does not occur on a regular basis.

As we mentioned before, the emotional aspect of obesity and being overweight exists, and it can cause a lack of sexual appetite or insecurities that lead to the rejection of sexual relations.

Such is the case of Dysmorphophobia , which happens when some obese women develop a distortion of their image, based on stereotypes and pre-established concepts about beauty, which results in them not wanting to have sex for fear of undressing in front of them. another person.

All these feelings have their impact outside of bed because women begin to doubt our attractiveness . To suspect infidelity due to our insecurities, to think about the effects of weight on intimacy and in the relationship: will it hurt if I sit on top of it? Do the folds of the skin smell bad? Will I be able to have children? Other questions that arise.

In short, obesity puts your libido , your emotional stability, and your ability to feel and experience pleasure at risk. It's not a game thing! At #TuSaludIntima we invite you to work daily to maintain a weight according to your height, your age and your physical condition.

What to do to overcome obesity and overweight?

As we already said, the first thing is to love and recognize yourself as you are. A beautiful and unstoppable woman. Then, you can take actions like the following:

• Be aware of what you consume . What is the diet you have today? Why should you consume one food or another? If you're feeling a bit lost with what you eat, don't reach for the first diet you come across. See your doctor and a nutritionist. They will guide you with what you should or should not consume. You will surely be surprised at how easy it can be to eat healthy.
• Support yourself with nutritional supplements . Obesity causes loss of sexual desire. In this case, you can rely on Libizenzs, the libido Booster from Zenzsual . A natural herbal nutritional supplement that will increase your desire, energy and also help you to maintain your muscle mass at a healthy level.
• Bet on more fruits and vegetables. Consume foods rich in vitamins and minerals that make you feel good, that provide well-being.
• Lower sugar and saturated fats . Although these occasional tastes encourage and excite us, it is highly recommended that you lower your consumption.
• Eat slowly. It seems incredible, but many of us forget this.
• Don't go hungry . This influences the metabolism and also emotionally predisposes us so that the body wants to replace, in a moment, all the time of hunger that you spent.
• Love yourself as you are . Who more than you can love and take care of yourself with everything? Only you have the ability to overcome yourself, achieving happiness and a healthy life.
• exercise . We will repeat it until exhaustion, you must exercise every day, cardiovascular activities such as: running, walking or swimming. This will give your mind and emotions the space they need. The most important thing at this point is that you do activities that you like.

Well friend, to stay firm with healthy habits and good nutrition. In order to avoid weight gain. Remember to seek professional help, that your body will respond lovingly and wisely, always focusing on the happiness of recognizing ourselves as we are.

We invite you to visit our online store TuSaludIntima to learn about Zenzsual's feminine care products and connect through our social networks, where we always publish videos, promotions, and informative tips for your feminine health and sexuality. Follow us on our social networks @tuSaludintima @DoctoraKlaraSenior and @Tu_Ginecologa.

FOUNTAIN:

• Dr. Klara Senior @doctoraklarasenior - Founder of Zenzsual
• Dr. Sofía Herrera @tu_ginecologa - Founder of Zenzsual
• paho.org