February 11, 2025 • 34 mins
Hey Heart Buddies! Our five-part series with pelvic health expert Dr. Kelly Sadauckas continues this week as we explore the surprising ties between erectile dysfunction and cardiac health. Discover why sexual health matters more than you might think and how it serves as an important marker for your overall wellbeing.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
If you can stick with me and you can understand the
science behind what we're going to talk about, it is applicable to
every human. And we're going to specifically talk about the
fact that erectile dysfunction by itself is
an independent risk factor for having a major
adverse cardiac event. Holy sh t.
(00:23):
So even if you have no family history of heart disease, if
you exercise, you don't smoke, you don't drink, if you're having a
little problem in the bedroom, attaining an erection or
maintaining an erection, it could indicate that you might be
at higher risk of having a major cardiac event in the next
three years. Welcome to open Heart Surgery with Boots,
(00:46):
where this February we're going below the
belt. That's right, we're diving into the
surprisingly connected world of heart surgery and
pelvic floor health in this five part series.
Join me and our special guest expert, Dr. Kelly
Sudakis as we talk about everything you're too embarrassed
(01:07):
to ask your cardiologist. From what makes a happy
pelvis to getting your groove back after surgery,
to yes, even the great post op poop
debate. With candid conversations, practical
advice and plenty of laughs, we're exploring the
ups and downs of recovery because let's face it,
(01:28):
healing happens from top to bottom. So
buckle up for some real talk about the parts of recovery nobody
warned you about. Hello, Boots Knighton
here with open heart surgery with Boots. And Kelly
Sudakis is back for episode two
of our heart and pelvis series.
(01:50):
Wow. I hope if you're just now finding us, I hope you'll go back and
listen to the first episode because it really does help
set you up for understanding all things
pelvis. I asked Kelly to start us off
with 101 pelvic health. What it looks
like, feels like, how it should operate and then what
(02:13):
happens when it goes arai. And so that now brings
us to our second installment, which is
erectile dysfunction. Hey, we get to talk
about penises.
This is important because. Hi, I'm Dr. Kelly
Sadowskis, double board certified pelvic physical therapist. If you didn't meet me in the
(02:35):
first episode, and my goal in life is
to break down barriers that are preventing you
from understanding your body and the bodies of the people you love
love. So most likely you either have a penis
or you love someone with a penis. So this is going to be
very important information. Boots and I were chatting a little bit and
(02:57):
she's like, well, is this erectile dysfunction in men and women?
Which is a very valid question because yes, the
we ladies, we actually have like Little. Our clitorises are actually little,
tiny penises. They arose from the same
embryonic tissue as a male penis. So we can still
also have erectile dysfunction. But guess
(03:19):
what? This will not shock you. We don't study erectile
dysfunction in ladies. And we being the scientific community at
large, because we don't study anything in women, because hormones.
And that's bull crap. But that is the reason
that most of the studies and the things that I'm going to talk to you
about today are a little bit more leaning towards
(03:41):
male anatomy, people with penises. But. But if
you can stick with me and you can understand the science
behind what we're going to talk about, it is applicable to every
human. And we're going to specifically talk about the fact that
erectile dysfunction by itself is an
independent risk factor for having a major
(04:03):
adverse cardiac event. Holy shit.
So even if you have no family history of heart disease, if
you exercise, you don't smoke, you don't drink, if you're having
a little problems in the bedroom, attaining an erection or
maintaining an erection, it could indicate that you might be
at higher risk of having a major cardiac event in the next
(04:25):
three years. So you got to get your cute pelvis, or if this is your
loved one, get their cute pelvis into a cardiologist for some
primary preventative screening. Okay. All right, that
being said, let's dive into what is an
erection and what is erectile dysfunction? So, okay, so
you just talked about why we should care, but let's go even more
(04:47):
basic than that. Like, why is sexual health
important? Why should we even be talking about this?
I know about the cardiac risk factors, but just for the
overall, like, picture of health and
thriving as a Homo sapien. Oh, my gosh, that is
a fabulous question. Like, so, first and foremost, even at, like,
(05:09):
the most basic level, why do we care about sexual function?
Even before I talk about, you know, the risk factors of that erectile dysfunction,
Sexual function can be an important part
of any human's life journey,
right? There are legitimately some individuals that it is not a
priority. And that's fine. If it's not a priority for
(05:31):
you, you're not alone. But more, I would say a
greater percentage of people start to lose interest
in sexual activity because it becomes either painful
or challenging to do physically, either because the actual pelvic
parts are no longer up to snuff, or orthopedically,
perhaps we have back pain or hip pain, and we don't know about how to
(05:53):
change positions. Ladies and people with vaginas,
as we age, our hormones change. That
can be one part of a puzzle that makes intimate functions
a little painful or less enjoyable. And so we might tend, rather than
trying to fix the problem and make them just as enjoyable as they
were in our younger years, we might tend to not do that anymore.
(06:16):
And why that matters is
sexual function could be something that you can enjoy again. And when
you can enjoy it, it is a powerful bonding experience
between you and your partner. It's good exercise, whether
you're with a partner or by yourself. And it
involves a release of endorphins that is good for overall
(06:39):
mental health and pain management. So the
ability to achieve an enjoyable
climax. It's kind of a litmus
test, so to speak, as far as how the whole system
is working the brain, body connection for that sexual
response, the physical health of the muscles around the pelvic floor to
(07:00):
have that appropriate sexual response regardless of your
anatomy. And if we can't do that, then maybe it's a
sign that, ooh, this is an opportunity for us to get a little
bit better. And then, and then we look at the science of
specifically erectile dysfunction. Being able to potentially
be a risk factor for heart problems down the road.
(07:22):
Ooh, now that's interesting. And if we do have open
heart surgery, the recovery of that sexual function, that's
another piece that sometimes is overlooked in your cardiac
rehab. Right. And so we want to, in later segments, actually dive into that.
About sex is a endurance event. How do. Is your heart ready for it?
Is your pelvic floor ready for it? Okay, yeah.
(07:45):
So that. Thank you. Yeah, that sets the scene because I think it's just
so important to have buy in, especially for those who may,
like you said there. And no, feel no shame if, like, this isn't a
topic that maybe is super passionate for you.
But. And I. That's fine. But it, it, it is. It's
okay to go through the emotions,
(08:07):
feel all that you need to feel. There is. You're all are welcome
here. And this is a safe place. And I know
Kelly personally, and I can't think of another person
that you can safely explore this topic with.
Oh, thank you, Boots. Thank you. And, you know, the topic's
important because, you know, if we look at, for a
(08:30):
number of reasons, the, the prevalence. Oh, so what
is erectile dysfunction? Right. Let's make one more step back. So,
hey, here's Peter the pelvis or Philip the pelvis. Hi,
We. We met Patty and Randy the rectum in the last
segment. Here is a pelvis with traditionally
male anatomy Right. In the last segment, you met Patty.
(08:52):
The pelvis, which showed you all the cool bony rings
and the muscles that exist
to form the base of your pelvis. And we talked about how
those muscles worked along with other body functions
to control a basic pee and poop
functions. Now, intimate functions in someone with a
(09:15):
penis. Usually the penis is nice and relaxed down here, like
so what is an erection?
What an erection is, is there are these cool little pelvic floor
muscles at the base of the penis. They look the. I'm
blocking this hole because I can't find my male pelvic floor right now. But it's
pretty much the same as this right here. But there's these little muscles at the
(09:37):
base of the penis that when we are sexually
aroused or during key times of hormonal
changes, sometimes for no reason whatsoever, these
muscles at the base of the penis will constrict. And
when they constrict, they are preventing blood from
leaving the penis so it will engorge and form.
(09:59):
Ready? Ready, Ready? Oh, can I do it? I think. Oh, I don't
want to break it. And it
was point upwards. Hello. And the funny thing is, is
like everybody's different, right? So please,
whatever you look like, whether you're circumcised or not, or your partner's circumcised or not,
everybody looks different. Sometimes erections are pointed straight,
(10:22):
sometimes they're a little hooked to the side, sometimes totally fine. You
are normal, I promise. Okay? If you ever have a
pain free lump or a painful lump that feels
like a little raisin in your testicles, then we want to get that checked out
right away. But when you have an erection, it might look like this
straight soldier or it might be a little to one side or the other and
(10:43):
you're fine. And I want you to know that because we don't as with everything,
pelvic health, we don't talk about this stuff enough. So
that's what an erection is, is an engorgement of these blood vessels within the penis
to trap blood in there and then make the soldier stand tall
and proud. That is a muscular
effort, right? For these muscles.
(11:05):
I just. And this
is Kelly everyone. And you know when you. I'm a
doctor, you've got to follow her on Instagram
because it's like this all the time.
Really. I think one of my first posts about penises,
I like trouble raising the main sale.
(11:27):
And it's not funny. I don't wish eating anyone but
my God, let's have a little fun while we're at it. God, we have
to. We have to. Because you know what, Boots? Like I am
reaching. Like we are reaching people because we can talk about this and have this
conversation if we just talk so scientifically we make it uncomfortable and
we lose that chance to help someone. So that's, you
(11:49):
know. Yeah. This muscular effort of these pelvic floor
muscles, again, specifically in the penis. And yes, it also happens to a lesser degree
in the clitoris. They are going to constrict at the base of the penis and
cause this to engorge. Okay. To then potentially allow
for penis in vagina or penis and something else. Penetration
and then stimulation of all the amazing nerves that go
(12:11):
along with that happen. Magic happens. And we
can have this beautiful, fulfilling climax that typically is going to
result in ejaculation. If you've had a type of prostate surgery, sometimes
it's called a dry ejaculate. Again, that's a little too in depth for this
talk. But we have a beautiful, fulfilling climax. Everything
relaxes back and cycle resets for
(12:34):
the next time. Erectile dysfunction is the
inability to attain or
maintain that erection for the
task at hand, so to speak. There
are some puns I think possible in there. And if you were around
for the first talk, we talked about how these pelvic floor muscles are
(12:56):
like a hammock at the base of your pelvis. And,
and they're like an elevator. An elevator and a hammock. So they're a hammock at
the bottom of the pelvis and have an elevator like function. And they're
meant to actually live on the ground floor of a four
story building and kind of move up and down depending on the task at
hand. But always come back to rest and even be able to
(13:18):
relax into the sub basement to have a good poop and then come back to
rest. If these pelvic floor muscles are
resting on the third or the fourth floors. And we talk
in the last, we talked in the last segment about why that can happen.
That can contribute to PE leaks or poop problems. But from a sexual
perspective, if they're always working, if they're always
(13:40):
clenching on this third floor and then the
time occurs or the mood occurs where you need them to do a
little bit more work to get this erection, they might not be
able to because they're tired. You know, we use a
wall sit analogy. If I boots, if I ask you to go and run up
the stairs right now, you could, what if I put you in a wall sit
(14:02):
for six hours and then ask you to Run up the stairs. You're not running
anywhere. And that's what can happen in these muscles in
the pelvic floor. They're too tired from being tight all the time, so they don't
have the energy to constrict further to cause this
erection. And then when we build,
so. So we get the erection in either the clitoris or the penis,
(14:23):
and then there's this building, this period of excitement before we have the release and
the climax. So it's the climb and then the climax. The climb
requires healthy nerves. If all of the pelvic
muscles are tight all the time, they can irritate the
nerves and make the climb hard or impossible.
And then to actually climax is a plyometric
(14:45):
contraction of your pelvic floor. I bet you didn't know that.
So that means it's. It's a really fast dynamic. Contract and relax.
Contract and relax to have this climax feeling. If
your muscles are not healthy enough to do that, you can't have a
climax. Oh, my gosh. Or you can, but it hurts.
So, wow. Like, that's all of the parts that are
(15:08):
required for a normal erection. And then, like, any difficulty
with any of that is considered erectile dysfunction. Long
road to get why we care on the Open Heart
Surgery with Boots podcast. Heart
disease. The same changes in our
arterial systems that can lead to ischemic heart disease, that
(15:30):
can lead to stroke, that can lead to coronary artery
blockages. Guess what? Those coronary arteries, how big are
they? Okay, brain arteries,
pelvic floor arteries, and those of you that are
just listening, I'm showing the relative size. Coronary
arteries are big. Brain arteries are a little smaller.
(15:52):
Pelvic floor arteries are tiny. So they're like our little
canaries in the gold mine. And the same
changes in life that are going to lead to some of this
atherosclerotic change, stiffening of arteries, blockage
of arteries. They're going to present in these little tiny arteries
first. It's so powerful. And
(16:13):
what evidence has shown is that the presence of
this erectile dysfunction in a man, yes,
it can be due to a lot of factors, but it can be that hypertonicity
of the pelvic floor, but it also can be a
primary change in the pliability of these arteries. And
as such, it is an independent risk factor for
(16:35):
a future major adverse cardiac event.
And even in the absence of any other risk factors
of family members having heart disease, you can exercise, you can eat well,
drink well. If you're starting to have problems hoisting the Main
sail. We need to get everything checked out because this could be an issue
with your underlying circulation and we might just save your life.
(16:57):
So. Wow, it's crazy pants. And
now if you have this erectile dysfunction and some
diabetes and some family history of heart disease, or
you're a smoker or you occasionally have some alcohol or have
alcohol a lot. Holy shit, friend. We gotta change some
stuff or you're not gonna be around four years from
(17:19):
now to be enjoying this beautiful life. So, like, it's a.
It's a cool thing to be aware of because we actually can
save lives when we get people to the right spot. So
if you haven't been doing regular wellness checks,
or maybe you have because you're watching this podcast, but maybe your best
friend Bill doesn't go to the doctors. And Bill
(17:42):
and you are talking about, oh, things aren't going so well in the bedroom.
Yeah, Bill could go to pelvic pt, but if they're a good pelvic pt,
they're going to ask Bill if he's been to his primary care provider, and if
he hasn't, they're not gonna treat his erectile dysfunction until he goes and
gets his heart checked because of this. And if you have been
going to a pelvic PT for ED and it's getting better, but you
(18:04):
haven't had your heart checked, you need to. It is exquisitely
important. And I think earlier I might have said. But I don't
remember. Cause I say a lot. The prevalence of this
erectile dysfunction has doubled in the
last 30 years. And perhaps some
of that is more normal reporting.
(18:25):
But what's happening with colorectal cancer
rates? It's shooting through,
skyrocketing. Okay, what things are
associated with colorectal cancer? Reduced fiber intake.
Right. Dietary changes. All. Increased stress
in the world. Perhaps a more sedentary lifestyle, especially
(18:46):
since pandemics. Right. So all of these same things that
are just killing our overall holistic
health, they're the same things that might contribute to
higher rates of erectile dysfunction, but, you know,
underneath that, contributing to reduced health of our
circulatory system, which then is, you know, erectile
(19:08):
sexual dysfunction, then possibly stroke or heart attack. So we
need to be talking about this. It's not just about getting jiggy in the
bedroom. It's about not dying three years from
now. So, like, that's. It's so powerful, right?
Yeah. Where I sit and just. I try not to
watch commercials. I don't really watch TV anymore. But in the past, I mean,
(19:31):
a classic commercial UC Is for Viagra.
Right. And. And in the bathtub.
Yeah. You think it's just about that. And they don't. They don't
talk about any of this background you just gave and,
like, all these other things you need to be thinking about. Totally. Well, do
you know Viagra was a blood pressure medicine? Like, that's a whole. Like, nobody
(19:53):
knows this. Or. You might, but, like, it's hilarious. It's like, oh, we found this
amazing drug to help with your hypertension and small side effect. You're gonna get
a giant boner for four hours.
Really? Let me. Let's talk more about that. Like, that's
amazing. Like, but again, if
that's the only thing. If you go in and you. Well, we
(20:15):
won't even get into the difference between males and females when we
report sexual dysfunction. Well, yeah, I will.
I will. If, you know, we go in and, like, say a dude is like,
oh, I'm having trouble with an erection. The. If the doctor's
not educated about the. This research. Right. And that study, I
think it's from 05 Montorsi. I'll get
(20:37):
you all links to it in 05. That found that the
ED could pre exist before a major
cardiac event. Three years. If the doctor doesn't know that study.
If they are all in, they're the best cardiac doctor in the
world. They honestly might just be looking at the heart. And that doesn't
make them a bad doctor. Right. Like, maybe they never even learned about pelvic
(21:00):
floor in medical school. They might not know about all of
those parts. So we need to educate you to take the primary
steps. I got a little off tangentially right there. I kind of lost my. No,
you're. We're citing studies and then talking. Talking about men versus women
and. Oh, men versus women. Thank you. Thank you. But I just wanted to
mention. Make sure. Just a timeout. If you haven't already, be
(21:22):
sure to go in the show notes to sign up for my newsletter
because. Oh, yeah, I will be linking to and I'll have
things in the show notes for you also listeners. But
if you sign up for my newsletter and also sign up for Kelly's,
you will get these studies and there will be more
in the newsletter each of these weeks talking about why you need
(21:44):
to care about your pelvic floor. Oh, totally. Time in,
Boots. Thank you. Time out. Time in. Thank you, Boots. So. So
if I'm a man and I come in to my doctor and I say, oh,
I'm having trouble with sexual function, that doctor might not know
about this important correlation. And if you look healthy,
they might just prescribe you something like Viagra. And that
(22:06):
might help this small piece of the puzzle in the short term. But
you do need a cardiac workup to make sure that things are okay to keep
you good in the long run. If I'm a woman and I come in and
I report sexual dysfunction, I'm not even gonna lie, you will be
told to just relax, have a glass of wine, which is a
neurotoxin. Thanks, doc. And that's about it.
(22:27):
Usually, like, if your doctor's very aware, you'll be prescribed pelvic floor
pt. But there's this huge kind of difference in
how everyone, you know, males versus females, are treated in
this realm. But it's important for everyone that we address
and what we can do about it. There's
actual things that you know, if this is present and
(22:49):
we know that this is, can be an independent risk factor
for future heart issues. If
we're post heart surgery, guess what, like, and you're having erectile
dysfunction, this is still indicate indicative that things
aren't 100% awesome. So, so let's work
holistically on the whole system. You're going to
(23:10):
love this, everyone. It's the classic sleep,
diet, exercise, and now
awareness of your pelvic floor. Pelvic floor relaxation, pelvic floor,
general health and well being can make
positive changes to improve this erectile function, the sexual
function, which then we have lowered our risk
(23:33):
factor for that future adverse cardiac event by
improving this one function, which is great. You don't have to be
Chris Helmsworth, right? Like in the gym 20 hours a day. I think one
of the studies in 2018, 40 minutes of
moderate physical activity four times
a week, within six months it reduced
(23:55):
erectile dysfunction. So you can read that a different way. If we don't
care about the erection function, 40 minutes of moderate
exercise four times a week for six months improves your
overall cardiovascular system and reduces your risk of heart attack
and stroke. And that's doable, right? And I'm
such a geek. I love what I do. I do a ton of teaching. I
(24:17):
also have a new online program called Dr. Kelly's Treasure Chest that has
workouts there for you. Right? And I started off with 40 to 60 minute
workouts. Nobody watched them. It's hilarious when you look at like the data.
Everybody was watching the 10 minute workouts. And you know what? A 10 minute
workout done is way better than nothing. And you could do that
one workout and get proficient at it and do it twice. In a row for
(24:39):
20 minutes. Like something is better than nothing.
Diet and exercise, right? I don't like the word diet. I like lifestyle food
choices, generally. A Mediterranean
diet, fruits and vegetables, heart, healthy fats,
boots. You had the whole nutritional segment, right? So
they can go back and look at that. Hugely important
(25:02):
for arterial health, heart health. So, and that's
not just for today. That's like a lifestyle change.
And it's nothing that we have to do, but it's something we want to do
because we feel so much better. And then if you
do smoke, stop. Don't be an asshole, idiot, stop.
There's nothing good about it. Stop. If you drink
(25:24):
alcohol, try to stop, please. It is just as bad for you as
smoking. There's no safe amount of alcohol. It's a neurotoxin and it
causes mental health issues. Nothing to be good from that,
okay? So just stop, please. We are going to be
amazed when we look back 10, 15 years from now at how
normalized alcohol consumption was in the world right
(25:46):
now. And so to help you be healthy, pre heart surgery,
post heart surgery, eat real food, not too much
exercise, and don't smoke or drink. Okay? I think
if you need help with all of that, go back and
listen to my episode in December of
2024 with Dr. Laura
(26:07):
Suarez Pardo. She is a cardiac
psychiatrist at the Mayo Clinic. And I
asked her, treat me like, I just came into your
office and I'm trying to stop a habit. Where
do we start? And it was absolutely
brilliant how she. It is. It is just
(26:29):
so simple. Like, basic small
changes every day that add up to big
changes. And I, I just want to say, like,
I see you, I hear you. Like, if you're listening and you smoke
or you drink or, or have any habits that aren't healthy for the
body, you know what, have you ever thought that maybe you're
(26:51):
worthy of a vibrant, healthy life? You
are. Amen. Deserve to be healthy
and ask for help, ask for support. You deserve to
have a healthy sexual
lifestyle. You deserve to have a healthy
pelvis. You are worthy of all of this. And
(27:12):
I really think that a lot of people out there
just really just say, I'm not worthy.
Maybe not, like, consciously, but I want to be
that person in your ears that say, you know what? Your heart deserves to
thrive and so does your pelvis. Yes. And so
many, so often those times when we are drinking or
(27:33):
smoking, we're not doing it because we're trying to be bad. We're doing it because
we're suffering and we're Using it as pain management.
And we're using it to hide the feelings, to not feel the
depression and the anxiety. And so
addressing those underlying factoids can help.
And removing that product, that
(27:54):
chemical, can set the stage for you to finally love
yourself again. So good. I'm so glad that you have that
podcast. Another book I love is
who I Forget Her Name. Oh, my gosh.
Complete mind blank was like, it's like a woman's guide to not drinking
or something. Do you know of that one? Oh.
(28:17):
Oh, gosh. Okay. I'm going to have to put. I'm going to have to put
the name of it in the show notes because I can't remember. Oh, quit like
a woman. And doesn't matter if you're not a woman. It doesn't
matter if you're, you know, trying to quit alcohol or cigarettes or just
reducing because, again, yes, we do want you to stop completely, but.
But even reducing can be beneficial. She
(28:37):
talks all about that, about how. And she talks specifically how about
like, AA didn't work for her. And it's. I think it's
valuable because it talks about approaching these lifestyle changes from
a position of love, like you just said, and not,
oh, my gosh, you suck.
And I think is really cool. So. Got a little tangential there, but
(29:00):
awesome. Thank you. That's what I needed to do because I was
depressed and, you know, not getting the most
out of life and AA just for me just caused
a shame spiral. It didn't work for me either. But you know
what? Some of my really close friends, it works really
well. So it. It's your own personal
(29:22):
journey for what is right for your. Your
history and what you need to heal. Just. Just
try. Exactly. You deserve to try.
Love yourself enough to try. Yeah. And I think, you know, in
my journey. Yeah, in my journey, I stopped
two. I was drinking very heavily during COVID times.
(29:44):
Right. To cope. And I mean, recognized it, and then was like, oh, this
is fine. It's just a coping mechanism. It's not fine. You
know, and I recognized it and just cut
way back and then have now stopped. And again, all
things in my life coalesced to the point where I could make that rational
decision. And I had the support that I needed to do that. But you recognize
(30:06):
that not only do you drink, sometimes to. For me, it was to
cover up anxiety that was undiagnosed for sure,
and some depression that was then coming from that. But even on, like, just
good days, it would be like, oh, like, this was already a great day. And
like, why and my total turning point crux, as I
was educating my kids, that, like, alcohol is really bad for you,
(30:28):
and yet I was still having a couple glasses a month. And my son
goes, well, why do grownups do it then? And
I had no ration. There's no response to
celebrate. Like, would I have a cigar or a cigarette in front of them to
celebrate? Like, there was no good answer for me to give them. And that's what
made me finally turn the corner to, like, cut it out. And so, yeah, that.
(30:51):
That's interesting. And it's this whole other level of just pelvic health and overall health,
but open heart surgery, alcohol and cigarettes, they're so
inflammatory. They're not serving you to heal, and they're not serving you to show up.
And so there are people there who can support you and love you. And if
you go to try to help, you know, get help with these habits and you
don't feel loved and it's not the right place for you, even if it's the
(31:11):
right place for your bestie, that's fine. Go someplace else until you
feel heartwarming.
Podcast and of having like, heart stuff is. The
opportunity for puns is endless. That's really,
really. It is, dude. I'm here for the puns.
All right, cool. But yeah, that is in a nutshell. That's why we want to
(31:34):
talk about penises on the open heart surgery podcast.
And if you don't have a penis, but you are noticing
changes in sexual function,
you know, they. This could be something to work on as a
canary in the gold mine to improve your overall circulation. And if
you are post heart surgery, especially if you're diabetic,
(31:56):
the reduced blood flow to the pelvic floor can be a
contributor to pee problems, poop problems, and sexual
problems. So seeing a pelvic floor PT in person or
online can be really help that part of your life. So please
just don't think, oh, I've had heart surgery, my sex life's over. If it's something
you're interested in or, oh, I'm just getting older, I guess it's normal that I
(32:18):
pee my pants, right? Not true. There's help available. So
I have a great blog with lots of information. You can work with me or
one of my staff online. I have a blog about how to find a PT
near you. You can reach out to Boots or me if you need
help finding a PT near you. And like I said, my treasure chest really
is a good trove. Literally a treasure chest of
(32:40):
exercises to get yourself moving to improve
this blood flow for not only better sexual health, but better
overall health as well. Oh, and we're giving you guys a coupon.
OHS 2025 open heart
surgery 2025 will give you guys 25% off any of my online
programs, including 25% off the first three
(33:02):
months of that Treasures Trust subscription, which is already a killer
deal. And that goes over how to connect and relax to your pelvic floor, as
well as these exercises to help improve your blood flow. So I'm glad
you're here. Boots. Thank you so much for this opportunity to talk about
Peter the Pelvis and. Heidi the Pelvis and Randy the
Rectum. If you missed the first installment, I'm
(33:24):
telling you, you just. We were having so much fun during Heart Month
and. And thank you, Kelly. All that you need will be in the
show notes. Again, be sure to sign up for the newsletter. That's another way to
stay in touch. And if you haven't, make sure you hit subscribe. And you know
what will really make my day and my Heart month and
my year would be as soon as you're done listening to this episode,
(33:47):
do two things. Share this with a friend.
Perhaps one with a penis or someone with a penis. And then
secondly, leave a review. I would so
appreciate that because that is how people find this podcast.
So definitely. And ask us questions. Yep.
Blow up the email, please. We love questions.
(34:09):
But in case no one has told you today, I love you.
You are loved. You are worthy of a thriving
pelvis, healthy pelvis. And be sure to come back next
week for more pelvic wisdom from Dr. Kelly. Bye.
If you can stick with me and you can understand the
science behind what we're going to talk about, it is applicable to
every human. And we're going to specifically talk about the
fact that erectile dysfunction by itself is
an independent risk factor for having a major
adverse cardiac event. Holy sh t.
(00:23):
So even if you have no family history of heart disease, if
you exercise, you don't smoke, you don't drink, if you're having a
little problem in the bedroom, attaining an erection or
maintaining an erection, it could indicate that you might be
at higher risk of having a major cardiac event in the next
three years. Welcome to open Heart Surgery with Boots,
(00:46):
where this February we're going below the
belt. That's right, we're diving into the
surprisingly connected world of heart surgery and
pelvic floor health in this five part series.
Join me and our special guest expert, Dr. Kelly
Sudakis as we talk about everything you're too embarrassed
(01:07):
to ask your cardiologist. From what makes a happy
pelvis to getting your groove back after surgery,
to yes, even the great post op poop
debate. With candid conversations, practical
advice and plenty of laughs, we're exploring the
ups and downs of recovery because let's face it,
(01:28):
healing happens from top to bottom. So
buckle up for some real talk about the parts of recovery nobody
warned you about. Hello, Boots Knighton
here with open heart surgery with Boots. And Kelly
Sudakis is back for episode two
of our heart and pelvis series.
(01:50):
Wow. I hope if you're just now finding us, I hope you'll go back and
listen to the first episode because it really does help
set you up for understanding all things
pelvis. I asked Kelly to start us off
with 101 pelvic health. What it looks
like, feels like, how it should operate and then what
(02:13):
happens when it goes arai. And so that now brings
us to our second installment, which is
erectile dysfunction. Hey, we get to talk
about penises.
This is important because. Hi, I'm Dr. Kelly
Sadowskis, double board certified pelvic physical therapist. If you didn't meet me in the
(02:35):
first episode, and my goal in life is
to break down barriers that are preventing you
from understanding your body and the bodies of the people you love
love. So most likely you either have a penis
or you love someone with a penis. So this is going to be
very important information. Boots and I were chatting a little bit and
(02:57):
she's like, well, is this erectile dysfunction in men and women?
Which is a very valid question because yes, the
we ladies, we actually have like Little. Our clitorises are actually little,
tiny penises. They arose from the same
embryonic tissue as a male penis. So we can still
also have erectile dysfunction. But guess
(03:19):
what? This will not shock you. We don't study erectile
dysfunction in ladies. And we being the scientific community at
large, because we don't study anything in women, because hormones.
And that's bull crap. But that is the reason
that most of the studies and the things that I'm going to talk to you
about today are a little bit more leaning towards
(03:41):
male anatomy, people with penises. But. But if
you can stick with me and you can understand the science
behind what we're going to talk about, it is applicable to every
human. And we're going to specifically talk about the fact that
erectile dysfunction by itself is an
independent risk factor for having a major
(04:03):
adverse cardiac event. Holy shit.
So even if you have no family history of heart disease, if
you exercise, you don't smoke, you don't drink, if you're having
a little problems in the bedroom, attaining an erection or
maintaining an erection, it could indicate that you might be
at higher risk of having a major cardiac event in the next
(04:25):
three years. So you got to get your cute pelvis, or if this is your
loved one, get their cute pelvis into a cardiologist for some
primary preventative screening. Okay. All right, that
being said, let's dive into what is an
erection and what is erectile dysfunction? So, okay, so
you just talked about why we should care, but let's go even more
(04:47):
basic than that. Like, why is sexual health
important? Why should we even be talking about this?
I know about the cardiac risk factors, but just for the
overall, like, picture of health and
thriving as a Homo sapien. Oh, my gosh, that is
a fabulous question. Like, so, first and foremost, even at, like,
(05:09):
the most basic level, why do we care about sexual function?
Even before I talk about, you know, the risk factors of that erectile dysfunction,
Sexual function can be an important part
of any human's life journey,
right? There are legitimately some individuals that it is not a
priority. And that's fine. If it's not a priority for
(05:31):
you, you're not alone. But more, I would say a
greater percentage of people start to lose interest
in sexual activity because it becomes either painful
or challenging to do physically, either because the actual pelvic
parts are no longer up to snuff, or orthopedically,
perhaps we have back pain or hip pain, and we don't know about how to
(05:53):
change positions. Ladies and people with vaginas,
as we age, our hormones change. That
can be one part of a puzzle that makes intimate functions
a little painful or less enjoyable. And so we might tend, rather than
trying to fix the problem and make them just as enjoyable as they
were in our younger years, we might tend to not do that anymore.
(06:16):
And why that matters is
sexual function could be something that you can enjoy again. And when
you can enjoy it, it is a powerful bonding experience
between you and your partner. It's good exercise, whether
you're with a partner or by yourself. And it
involves a release of endorphins that is good for overall
(06:39):
mental health and pain management. So the
ability to achieve an enjoyable
climax. It's kind of a litmus
test, so to speak, as far as how the whole system
is working the brain, body connection for that sexual
response, the physical health of the muscles around the pelvic floor to
(07:00):
have that appropriate sexual response regardless of your
anatomy. And if we can't do that, then maybe it's a
sign that, ooh, this is an opportunity for us to get a little
bit better. And then, and then we look at the science of
specifically erectile dysfunction. Being able to potentially
be a risk factor for heart problems down the road.
(07:22):
Ooh, now that's interesting. And if we do have open
heart surgery, the recovery of that sexual function, that's
another piece that sometimes is overlooked in your cardiac
rehab. Right. And so we want to, in later segments, actually dive into that.
About sex is a endurance event. How do. Is your heart ready for it?
Is your pelvic floor ready for it? Okay, yeah.
(07:45):
So that. Thank you. Yeah, that sets the scene because I think it's just
so important to have buy in, especially for those who may,
like you said there. And no, feel no shame if, like, this isn't a
topic that maybe is super passionate for you.
But. And I. That's fine. But it, it, it is. It's
okay to go through the emotions,
(08:07):
feel all that you need to feel. There is. You're all are welcome
here. And this is a safe place. And I know
Kelly personally, and I can't think of another person
that you can safely explore this topic with.
Oh, thank you, Boots. Thank you. And, you know, the topic's
important because, you know, if we look at, for a
(08:30):
number of reasons, the, the prevalence. Oh, so what
is erectile dysfunction? Right. Let's make one more step back. So,
hey, here's Peter the pelvis or Philip the pelvis. Hi,
We. We met Patty and Randy the rectum in the last
segment. Here is a pelvis with traditionally
male anatomy Right. In the last segment, you met Patty.
(08:52):
The pelvis, which showed you all the cool bony rings
and the muscles that exist
to form the base of your pelvis. And we talked about how
those muscles worked along with other body functions
to control a basic pee and poop
functions. Now, intimate functions in someone with a
(09:15):
penis. Usually the penis is nice and relaxed down here, like
so what is an erection?
What an erection is, is there are these cool little pelvic floor
muscles at the base of the penis. They look the. I'm
blocking this hole because I can't find my male pelvic floor right now. But it's
pretty much the same as this right here. But there's these little muscles at the
(09:37):
base of the penis that when we are sexually
aroused or during key times of hormonal
changes, sometimes for no reason whatsoever, these
muscles at the base of the penis will constrict. And
when they constrict, they are preventing blood from
leaving the penis so it will engorge and form.
(09:59):
Ready? Ready, Ready? Oh, can I do it? I think. Oh, I don't
want to break it. And it
was point upwards. Hello. And the funny thing is, is
like everybody's different, right? So please,
whatever you look like, whether you're circumcised or not, or your partner's circumcised or not,
everybody looks different. Sometimes erections are pointed straight,
(10:22):
sometimes they're a little hooked to the side, sometimes totally fine. You
are normal, I promise. Okay? If you ever have a
pain free lump or a painful lump that feels
like a little raisin in your testicles, then we want to get that checked out
right away. But when you have an erection, it might look like this
straight soldier or it might be a little to one side or the other and
(10:43):
you're fine. And I want you to know that because we don't as with everything,
pelvic health, we don't talk about this stuff enough. So
that's what an erection is, is an engorgement of these blood vessels within the penis
to trap blood in there and then make the soldier stand tall
and proud. That is a muscular
effort, right? For these muscles.
(11:05):
I just. And this
is Kelly everyone. And you know when you. I'm a
doctor, you've got to follow her on Instagram
because it's like this all the time.
Really. I think one of my first posts about penises,
I like trouble raising the main sale.
(11:27):
And it's not funny. I don't wish eating anyone but
my God, let's have a little fun while we're at it. God, we have
to. We have to. Because you know what, Boots? Like I am
reaching. Like we are reaching people because we can talk about this and have this
conversation if we just talk so scientifically we make it uncomfortable and
we lose that chance to help someone. So that's, you
(11:49):
know. Yeah. This muscular effort of these pelvic floor
muscles, again, specifically in the penis. And yes, it also happens to a lesser degree
in the clitoris. They are going to constrict at the base of the penis and
cause this to engorge. Okay. To then potentially allow
for penis in vagina or penis and something else. Penetration
and then stimulation of all the amazing nerves that go
(12:11):
along with that happen. Magic happens. And we
can have this beautiful, fulfilling climax that typically is going to
result in ejaculation. If you've had a type of prostate surgery, sometimes
it's called a dry ejaculate. Again, that's a little too in depth for this
talk. But we have a beautiful, fulfilling climax. Everything
relaxes back and cycle resets for
(12:34):
the next time. Erectile dysfunction is the
inability to attain or
maintain that erection for the
task at hand, so to speak. There
are some puns I think possible in there. And if you were around
for the first talk, we talked about how these pelvic floor muscles are
(12:56):
like a hammock at the base of your pelvis. And,
and they're like an elevator. An elevator and a hammock. So they're a hammock at
the bottom of the pelvis and have an elevator like function. And they're
meant to actually live on the ground floor of a four
story building and kind of move up and down depending on the task at
hand. But always come back to rest and even be able to
(13:18):
relax into the sub basement to have a good poop and then come back to
rest. If these pelvic floor muscles are
resting on the third or the fourth floors. And we talk
in the last, we talked in the last segment about why that can happen.
That can contribute to PE leaks or poop problems. But from a sexual
perspective, if they're always working, if they're always
(13:40):
clenching on this third floor and then the
time occurs or the mood occurs where you need them to do a
little bit more work to get this erection, they might not be
able to because they're tired. You know, we use a
wall sit analogy. If I boots, if I ask you to go and run up
the stairs right now, you could, what if I put you in a wall sit
(14:02):
for six hours and then ask you to Run up the stairs. You're not running
anywhere. And that's what can happen in these muscles in
the pelvic floor. They're too tired from being tight all the time, so they don't
have the energy to constrict further to cause this
erection. And then when we build,
so. So we get the erection in either the clitoris or the penis,
(14:23):
and then there's this building, this period of excitement before we have the release and
the climax. So it's the climb and then the climax. The climb
requires healthy nerves. If all of the pelvic
muscles are tight all the time, they can irritate the
nerves and make the climb hard or impossible.
And then to actually climax is a plyometric
(14:45):
contraction of your pelvic floor. I bet you didn't know that.
So that means it's. It's a really fast dynamic. Contract and relax.
Contract and relax to have this climax feeling. If
your muscles are not healthy enough to do that, you can't have a
climax. Oh, my gosh. Or you can, but it hurts.
So, wow. Like, that's all of the parts that are
(15:08):
required for a normal erection. And then, like, any difficulty
with any of that is considered erectile dysfunction. Long
road to get why we care on the Open Heart
Surgery with Boots podcast. Heart
disease. The same changes in our
arterial systems that can lead to ischemic heart disease, that
(15:30):
can lead to stroke, that can lead to coronary artery
blockages. Guess what? Those coronary arteries, how big are
they? Okay, brain arteries,
pelvic floor arteries, and those of you that are
just listening, I'm showing the relative size. Coronary
arteries are big. Brain arteries are a little smaller.
(15:52):
Pelvic floor arteries are tiny. So they're like our little
canaries in the gold mine. And the same
changes in life that are going to lead to some of this
atherosclerotic change, stiffening of arteries, blockage
of arteries. They're going to present in these little tiny arteries
first. It's so powerful. And
(16:13):
what evidence has shown is that the presence of
this erectile dysfunction in a man, yes,
it can be due to a lot of factors, but it can be that hypertonicity
of the pelvic floor, but it also can be a
primary change in the pliability of these arteries. And
as such, it is an independent risk factor for
(16:35):
a future major adverse cardiac event.
And even in the absence of any other risk factors
of family members having heart disease, you can exercise, you can eat well,
drink well. If you're starting to have problems hoisting the Main
sail. We need to get everything checked out because this could be an issue
with your underlying circulation and we might just save your life.
(16:57):
So. Wow, it's crazy pants. And
now if you have this erectile dysfunction and some
diabetes and some family history of heart disease, or
you're a smoker or you occasionally have some alcohol or have
alcohol a lot. Holy shit, friend. We gotta change some
stuff or you're not gonna be around four years from
(17:19):
now to be enjoying this beautiful life. So, like, it's a.
It's a cool thing to be aware of because we actually can
save lives when we get people to the right spot. So
if you haven't been doing regular wellness checks,
or maybe you have because you're watching this podcast, but maybe your best
friend Bill doesn't go to the doctors. And Bill
(17:42):
and you are talking about, oh, things aren't going so well in the bedroom.
Yeah, Bill could go to pelvic pt, but if they're a good pelvic pt,
they're going to ask Bill if he's been to his primary care provider, and if
he hasn't, they're not gonna treat his erectile dysfunction until he goes and
gets his heart checked because of this. And if you have been
going to a pelvic PT for ED and it's getting better, but you
(18:04):
haven't had your heart checked, you need to. It is exquisitely
important. And I think earlier I might have said. But I don't
remember. Cause I say a lot. The prevalence of this
erectile dysfunction has doubled in the
last 30 years. And perhaps some
of that is more normal reporting.
(18:25):
But what's happening with colorectal cancer
rates? It's shooting through,
skyrocketing. Okay, what things are
associated with colorectal cancer? Reduced fiber intake.
Right. Dietary changes. All. Increased stress
in the world. Perhaps a more sedentary lifestyle, especially
(18:46):
since pandemics. Right. So all of these same things that
are just killing our overall holistic
health, they're the same things that might contribute to
higher rates of erectile dysfunction, but, you know,
underneath that, contributing to reduced health of our
circulatory system, which then is, you know, erectile
(19:08):
sexual dysfunction, then possibly stroke or heart attack. So we
need to be talking about this. It's not just about getting jiggy in the
bedroom. It's about not dying three years from
now. So, like, that's. It's so powerful, right?
Yeah. Where I sit and just. I try not to
watch commercials. I don't really watch TV anymore. But in the past, I mean,
(19:31):
a classic commercial UC Is for Viagra.
Right. And. And in the bathtub.
Yeah. You think it's just about that. And they don't. They don't
talk about any of this background you just gave and,
like, all these other things you need to be thinking about. Totally. Well, do
you know Viagra was a blood pressure medicine? Like, that's a whole. Like, nobody
(19:53):
knows this. Or. You might, but, like, it's hilarious. It's like, oh, we found this
amazing drug to help with your hypertension and small side effect. You're gonna get
a giant boner for four hours.
Really? Let me. Let's talk more about that. Like, that's
amazing. Like, but again, if
that's the only thing. If you go in and you. Well, we
(20:15):
won't even get into the difference between males and females when we
report sexual dysfunction. Well, yeah, I will.
I will. If, you know, we go in and, like, say a dude is like,
oh, I'm having trouble with an erection. The. If the doctor's
not educated about the. This research. Right. And that study, I
think it's from 05 Montorsi. I'll get
(20:37):
you all links to it in 05. That found that the
ED could pre exist before a major
cardiac event. Three years. If the doctor doesn't know that study.
If they are all in, they're the best cardiac doctor in the
world. They honestly might just be looking at the heart. And that doesn't
make them a bad doctor. Right. Like, maybe they never even learned about pelvic
(21:00):
floor in medical school. They might not know about all of
those parts. So we need to educate you to take the primary
steps. I got a little off tangentially right there. I kind of lost my. No,
you're. We're citing studies and then talking. Talking about men versus women
and. Oh, men versus women. Thank you. Thank you. But I just wanted to
mention. Make sure. Just a timeout. If you haven't already, be
(21:22):
sure to go in the show notes to sign up for my newsletter
because. Oh, yeah, I will be linking to and I'll have
things in the show notes for you also listeners. But
if you sign up for my newsletter and also sign up for Kelly's,
you will get these studies and there will be more
in the newsletter each of these weeks talking about why you need
(21:44):
to care about your pelvic floor. Oh, totally. Time in,
Boots. Thank you. Time out. Time in. Thank you, Boots. So. So
if I'm a man and I come in to my doctor and I say, oh,
I'm having trouble with sexual function, that doctor might not know
about this important correlation. And if you look healthy,
they might just prescribe you something like Viagra. And that
(22:06):
might help this small piece of the puzzle in the short term. But
you do need a cardiac workup to make sure that things are okay to keep
you good in the long run. If I'm a woman and I come in and
I report sexual dysfunction, I'm not even gonna lie, you will be
told to just relax, have a glass of wine, which is a
neurotoxin. Thanks, doc. And that's about it.
(22:27):
Usually, like, if your doctor's very aware, you'll be prescribed pelvic floor
pt. But there's this huge kind of difference in
how everyone, you know, males versus females, are treated in
this realm. But it's important for everyone that we address
and what we can do about it. There's
actual things that you know, if this is present and
(22:49):
we know that this is, can be an independent risk factor
for future heart issues. If
we're post heart surgery, guess what, like, and you're having erectile
dysfunction, this is still indicate indicative that things
aren't 100% awesome. So, so let's work
holistically on the whole system. You're going to
(23:10):
love this, everyone. It's the classic sleep,
diet, exercise, and now
awareness of your pelvic floor. Pelvic floor relaxation, pelvic floor,
general health and well being can make
positive changes to improve this erectile function, the sexual
function, which then we have lowered our risk
(23:33):
factor for that future adverse cardiac event by
improving this one function, which is great. You don't have to be
Chris Helmsworth, right? Like in the gym 20 hours a day. I think one
of the studies in 2018, 40 minutes of
moderate physical activity four times
a week, within six months it reduced
(23:55):
erectile dysfunction. So you can read that a different way. If we don't
care about the erection function, 40 minutes of moderate
exercise four times a week for six months improves your
overall cardiovascular system and reduces your risk of heart attack
and stroke. And that's doable, right? And I'm
such a geek. I love what I do. I do a ton of teaching. I
(24:17):
also have a new online program called Dr. Kelly's Treasure Chest that has
workouts there for you. Right? And I started off with 40 to 60 minute
workouts. Nobody watched them. It's hilarious when you look at like the data.
Everybody was watching the 10 minute workouts. And you know what? A 10 minute
workout done is way better than nothing. And you could do that
one workout and get proficient at it and do it twice. In a row for
(24:39):
20 minutes. Like something is better than nothing.
Diet and exercise, right? I don't like the word diet. I like lifestyle food
choices, generally. A Mediterranean
diet, fruits and vegetables, heart, healthy fats,
boots. You had the whole nutritional segment, right? So
they can go back and look at that. Hugely important
(25:02):
for arterial health, heart health. So, and that's
not just for today. That's like a lifestyle change.
And it's nothing that we have to do, but it's something we want to do
because we feel so much better. And then if you
do smoke, stop. Don't be an asshole, idiot, stop.
There's nothing good about it. Stop. If you drink
(25:24):
alcohol, try to stop, please. It is just as bad for you as
smoking. There's no safe amount of alcohol. It's a neurotoxin and it
causes mental health issues. Nothing to be good from that,
okay? So just stop, please. We are going to be
amazed when we look back 10, 15 years from now at how
normalized alcohol consumption was in the world right
(25:46):
now. And so to help you be healthy, pre heart surgery,
post heart surgery, eat real food, not too much
exercise, and don't smoke or drink. Okay? I think
if you need help with all of that, go back and
listen to my episode in December of
2024 with Dr. Laura
(26:07):
Suarez Pardo. She is a cardiac
psychiatrist at the Mayo Clinic. And I
asked her, treat me like, I just came into your
office and I'm trying to stop a habit. Where
do we start? And it was absolutely
brilliant how she. It is. It is just
(26:29):
so simple. Like, basic small
changes every day that add up to big
changes. And I, I just want to say, like,
I see you, I hear you. Like, if you're listening and you smoke
or you drink or, or have any habits that aren't healthy for the
body, you know what, have you ever thought that maybe you're
(26:51):
worthy of a vibrant, healthy life? You
are. Amen. Deserve to be healthy
and ask for help, ask for support. You deserve to
have a healthy sexual
lifestyle. You deserve to have a healthy
pelvis. You are worthy of all of this. And
(27:12):
I really think that a lot of people out there
just really just say, I'm not worthy.
Maybe not, like, consciously, but I want to be
that person in your ears that say, you know what? Your heart deserves to
thrive and so does your pelvis. Yes. And so
many, so often those times when we are drinking or
(27:33):
smoking, we're not doing it because we're trying to be bad. We're doing it because
we're suffering and we're Using it as pain management.
And we're using it to hide the feelings, to not feel the
depression and the anxiety. And so
addressing those underlying factoids can help.
And removing that product, that
(27:54):
chemical, can set the stage for you to finally love
yourself again. So good. I'm so glad that you have that
podcast. Another book I love is
who I Forget Her Name. Oh, my gosh.
Complete mind blank was like, it's like a woman's guide to not drinking
or something. Do you know of that one? Oh.
(28:17):
Oh, gosh. Okay. I'm going to have to put. I'm going to have to put
the name of it in the show notes because I can't remember. Oh, quit like
a woman. And doesn't matter if you're not a woman. It doesn't
matter if you're, you know, trying to quit alcohol or cigarettes or just
reducing because, again, yes, we do want you to stop completely, but.
But even reducing can be beneficial. She
(28:37):
talks all about that, about how. And she talks specifically how about
like, AA didn't work for her. And it's. I think it's
valuable because it talks about approaching these lifestyle changes from
a position of love, like you just said, and not,
oh, my gosh, you suck.
And I think is really cool. So. Got a little tangential there, but
(29:00):
awesome. Thank you. That's what I needed to do because I was
depressed and, you know, not getting the most
out of life and AA just for me just caused
a shame spiral. It didn't work for me either. But you know
what? Some of my really close friends, it works really
well. So it. It's your own personal
(29:22):
journey for what is right for your. Your
history and what you need to heal. Just. Just
try. Exactly. You deserve to try.
Love yourself enough to try. Yeah. And I think, you know, in
my journey. Yeah, in my journey, I stopped
two. I was drinking very heavily during COVID times.
(29:44):
Right. To cope. And I mean, recognized it, and then was like, oh, this
is fine. It's just a coping mechanism. It's not fine. You
know, and I recognized it and just cut
way back and then have now stopped. And again, all
things in my life coalesced to the point where I could make that rational
decision. And I had the support that I needed to do that. But you recognize
(30:06):
that not only do you drink, sometimes to. For me, it was to
cover up anxiety that was undiagnosed for sure,
and some depression that was then coming from that. But even on, like, just
good days, it would be like, oh, like, this was already a great day. And
like, why and my total turning point crux, as I
was educating my kids, that, like, alcohol is really bad for you,
(30:28):
and yet I was still having a couple glasses a month. And my son
goes, well, why do grownups do it then? And
I had no ration. There's no response to
celebrate. Like, would I have a cigar or a cigarette in front of them to
celebrate? Like, there was no good answer for me to give them. And that's what
made me finally turn the corner to, like, cut it out. And so, yeah, that.
(30:51):
That's interesting. And it's this whole other level of just pelvic health and overall health,
but open heart surgery, alcohol and cigarettes, they're so
inflammatory. They're not serving you to heal, and they're not serving you to show up.
And so there are people there who can support you and love you. And if
you go to try to help, you know, get help with these habits and you
don't feel loved and it's not the right place for you, even if it's the
(31:11):
right place for your bestie, that's fine. Go someplace else until you
feel heartwarming.
Podcast and of having like, heart stuff is. The
opportunity for puns is endless. That's really,
really. It is, dude. I'm here for the puns.
All right, cool. But yeah, that is in a nutshell. That's why we want to
(31:34):
talk about penises on the open heart surgery podcast.
And if you don't have a penis, but you are noticing
changes in sexual function,
you know, they. This could be something to work on as a
canary in the gold mine to improve your overall circulation. And if
you are post heart surgery, especially if you're diabetic,
(31:56):
the reduced blood flow to the pelvic floor can be a
contributor to pee problems, poop problems, and sexual
problems. So seeing a pelvic floor PT in person or
online can be really help that part of your life. So please
just don't think, oh, I've had heart surgery, my sex life's over. If it's something
you're interested in or, oh, I'm just getting older, I guess it's normal that I
(32:18):
pee my pants, right? Not true. There's help available. So
I have a great blog with lots of information. You can work with me or
one of my staff online. I have a blog about how to find a PT
near you. You can reach out to Boots or me if you need
help finding a PT near you. And like I said, my treasure chest really
is a good trove. Literally a treasure chest of
(32:40):
exercises to get yourself moving to improve
this blood flow for not only better sexual health, but better
overall health as well. Oh, and we're giving you guys a coupon.
OHS 2025 open heart
surgery 2025 will give you guys 25% off any of my online
programs, including 25% off the first three
(33:02):
months of that Treasures Trust subscription, which is already a killer
deal. And that goes over how to connect and relax to your pelvic floor, as
well as these exercises to help improve your blood flow. So I'm glad
you're here. Boots. Thank you so much for this opportunity to talk about
Peter the Pelvis and. Heidi the Pelvis and Randy the
Rectum. If you missed the first installment, I'm
(33:24):
telling you, you just. We were having so much fun during Heart Month
and. And thank you, Kelly. All that you need will be in the
show notes. Again, be sure to sign up for the newsletter. That's another way to
stay in touch. And if you haven't, make sure you hit subscribe. And you know
what will really make my day and my Heart month and
my year would be as soon as you're done listening to this episode,
(33:47):
do two things. Share this with a friend.
Perhaps one with a penis or someone with a penis. And then
secondly, leave a review. I would so
appreciate that because that is how people find this podcast.
So definitely. And ask us questions. Yep.
Blow up the email, please. We love questions.
(34:09):
But in case no one has told you today, I love you.
You are loved. You are worthy of a thriving
pelvis, healthy pelvis. And be sure to come back next
week for more pelvic wisdom from Dr. Kelly. Bye.
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