Let’s face it: We, as women, don’t ever seem to get a break from the lovely surprises our bodies throw us. From puberty to menopause, the ever-changing hormones cause a myriad of symptoms that we have to deal with. It is just part of being a woman and preparing and dealing with the gift of creating children, I suppose. I have dealt with puberty and becoming a women, bore three daughters in my 30s and am now in my 40s I’m watching my body change once again. My monthly cycle has become unpredictable. My hips and breasts seem to be changing again. My private-part care, in general, is becoming something I am having to focus on as well. In fact, for the first time in my entire life, I have now had two bladder infections within a month of each other. It is probably coincidental, but I still blame biology. Dealing with my changing 40 year old body is just not fun. Lately though, I have been reading up on and trying to learn about over-the-counter products I can purchase to help me feel more like me again. In my search, Vagisil comes up most as a trusted source to help combat vaginal dryness and other symptoms of just being a woman. Vagisil is known as the women’s expert partner in intimate health, on a mission to help women around the world feel healthy and confident. In my search, I have also found four ways to deal with my changing 40 year old body.

Exercise is key

I know we all know that exercise and active lifestyles are important, but the older I get, the more I am understanding how much exercise keeps our bodies working the way they are supposed to. Not only is sweat and the extra water we consume as a result great for our skin and organs but as our muscles start to change, exercise can help to make us stronger. Exercise and feeling confident also helps us with our energy level, which can help us have the energy for our families and our partners. Everything just improves when we exercise. From our work life and creativity to our sex lives. So get up, get out and get that exercise that helps balance our entire body!

Find trusted products

We all walk up and down the aisles of Target, CVS and other stores, looking for the right products that will really work for us. If you are experiencing dryness due to childbirth or perimenopause or menopause, knowing which product to buy is a challenge. Everything I have read about Vagisil ProHydrate is positive. Vagisil ProHydrate is a vaginal moisturizer used to relieve dryness anytime or in advance of intimacy. It is formulated to feel like your own moisture so you can feel like yourself again. There are no added perfumes or dyes, and it is fast-acting and works with your natural lubrication. I have it in my home now, and when I feel most dry, like right after working out or after my period where I use tampons, I use it to relieve those irritating symptoms dryness can create.

Talk to your friends

So many of us are so private about what is happening to our bodies. We are embarrassed to talk about natural functions that we all really have. I have found that the more I open up to my friends, the more they open up as well. In addition, almost everything I bring up, they can relate to! Even the icky stuff like vaginal dryness, unexplained odors and the changes in our bodies as we age. There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

Talk to your doctor

As I make my way through perimenopause and experience longer and more unpredictable periods, longer bouts of vaginal dryness (which may make any intimate relationship more difficult) and other body changes that can affect how I feel about me, I may need expert advice in handling it. A talk with a doctor about fears and concerns is never a bad idea. Make your regular appointments, be honest about your symptoms and make the changes necessary to make this time in your life as painless as possible!

Turning 40 was the easy part for me. Taking care of me is a little harder. A single mom with three growing girls, I am often the last one I consider. But my 43-year-old body needs the attention. I am just glad there are products out there that can help when I need them!

Are you experiencing hormonal changes? Do you talk to your friends about it? Comment below for the chance to win a $100 Gift Card!

Entry Instructions:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1 Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2 Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#Sweeps” and “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3 Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

4 For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 10/31/16- 12/31/16

Be sure to visit the brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!