Parks and Recreation Month: Wellness Wednesday for Men with BPH!

July is Parks and Recreation Month, where the public is encouraged to appreciate nature, the staff involved who maintain the parks, and strive for their own betterment of health. Each day of the week is designated for a special part of Parks and Recreation Month. Wednesday is Wellness Wednesday, where we encourage the community to improve their health and wellbeing by going outside and safely practicing activities like walking, jogging, and light exercise in the park. Because of the pandemic, you should check whether your local park is open, and if you go, make sure to take safety precautions like social distancing, face coverings and hygienic practices. 

We want to address men who have BPH (prostate enlargement), which is a condition common in older men associated with lower urinary tract symptoms like frequent urination during the day and/or night, slow or weak urinary flow, struggle to stop or start urination, sensation of urine remaining in the bladder after voiding, and dribble at the end of urination. If you have BPH, especially in the mild stage, your doctor may have recommended watchful waiting and healthy lifestyle modifications to manage your symptoms. Taking walks in the park could promote physical activity in combination with a healthy nutritious diet to manage weight. Doing these things could help BPH from feeling worse. If you need to find a bathroom, bear in mind that some parks and recreational areas may have closed off public bathrooms to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. In that case, you may consider these tips:

- Go to the bathroom just before leaving your home so you can leave with an empty bladder.

- Go to the park that is closest to your home so you can return home easily if you need to go to the bathroom and public restroom facilities are unavailable. 

- If you are going to the park during a hot summer day, don't refrain from fluid intake just for the sake of avoiding urinary urges. This could put you at risk of heat stroke and also irritate your bladder because less fluids means the urine in your bladder will be thicker. 

- Bear in mind that public urination is against the law and you may be fined

Managing your symptoms at home by practicing double voiding techniques, pelvic floor exercises for controlling urges and reducing incontinence, safe application of heat therapy for relief of discomfort and promotion of blood flow, consumption of safe, clinically tested plant based therapy such as UMOOZE, and having support from family, friends and fellow BPH patients may be of help to men at this time. This July, enjoy the beauty of parks and the great outdoors in a safe, healthy way for better prostate health!