Pelvic Floor Diet: Foods to Improve Pelvic Health

Pelvic floor symptoms affects many women, and these can range from bladder/bowel incontinence to varying degrees of prolapse. 

It's a topic that we tend to shy away from talking about; however, the more we know, the faster problems can be sorted.

It may not be immediately apparent, but what you eat and drink can actually affect your bladder health. We LOVE talking about Gut Health and in this eBook below, we have lots of recipes as well you can try as well. Just £4.99 for 31 pages of really helpful information, all in one eBook.

 

Most pelvic floor symptoms can be attributed to muscle weakness, usually in pregnancy, childbirth and also, don't forget that anyone at any age regardless of pregnancy can suffer from weak pelvic floor issues.

However, a certain amount of pelvic floor weakness is simply down to the ageing process.

 

Of course, strengthening and retraining the muscles will help a lot, but the food we eat can also play a part in making pelvic floor issues better or worse.

 

The following foods can help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and improve your pelvic health.  

• Bananas
• Eggs
• Avocados
• Fish
• Water

Bananas

The reason why bananas are a pelvic floor superfood is that they contain magnesium. We cover foods also in our 30 Day Pelvic Floor Challenge.

This vital nutrient is essential for your nerves and muscles to function correctly. It is an excellent food for helping reduce any spasms of the bladder and helps it empty properly. 

 

Magnesium can be found in:

• wholegrain,
• nuts,
• beans
• potatoes
• but bananas have the highest concentration. It is also a great nature stool softener making bathroom visits much less stressful.

 

So, please remember that when you are on the toilet having a bowel motion, PLEASE, use a foot stool when doing a poo and do extra Kegels after you go.

This is to help keep the strength of your pelvic floor muscles – Including your anus muscles.

 

Eggs

Thanks to ongoing research, we now know that pelvic floor issues can be attributed to lower vitamin D stores. We did a blog on this - Vitamin D and Pelvic Floor Disorders

Vitamin D can be obtained from sunlight, but doctors recommend that adults take a vitamin D supplement, as most people are lacking.

Vitamin D plays a vital role in maintaining adequate calcium levels. It's essential for muscle growth and function.

The pelvic floor is reliant on the delicate relationships between musculoskeletal connections to pelvic bones that support the abdominal cavity and pelvic viscera

It might be OK to skip supplements in summer, but they are highly recommended for the rest of the year.

 

If you would like to read my personal story, my symptoms (YES! I was offered antidepressants...)  and my recovery from being severely vitamin D deficient - you can read it here and the top 5 foods that are high in vitamin D.

 

 

Avocado

Foods rich in citric acid are known to create bladder irritation. Avocados are much more gentle on the system and also have incredible nutrient value, including fibre.

Now, are they a fruit or a vegetable?

According to botanists, avocados are indeed fruits.However, they are often classified as vegetables for nutritional and culinary purposes, even by the USDA. This is because although they are fruits, they are nutritionally more like vegetables. Who knew??

 

This versatile little green fruit has so many uses and can replace some of the more acidic fruits and vegetables that you don't really want in your system.

 

Fish

Omega three fatty acids are brilliant for reducing bladder irritation and inflammation.

Unfortunately, we naturally tend to consume more omega six fatty acids, and these are not so beneficial.

They tend to come from vegetable and seed oils, but if you switch to oily fish, walnuts and even flaxseeds, you can improve your pelvic health by increasing your fatty acid intake.

Here are just a few to remember to take more off:

Foods That Are Very High in Omega-3

• Mackerel
• Salmon
• Cod Liver Oil
• Herring
• Sardines

 

Water

Okay, water isn't strictly a food, but it is absolutely vital in good pelvic health.

If you are dehydrated, there is every chance you will become constipated, and this, in turn, can cause problems with your pelvic floor.

It can also occur if you drink too many caffeinated drinks because these contain substances that irritate the bladder, causing it to become overactive.

 

This also leads to infection, incontinence and other urination problems, so ensuring you are well-hydrated with fresh water is the best way to keep yourself healthy.

 

IN CLOSING
Our choice of foods and drinks play a very important part in our pelvic floor health.

You may find by keeping a food and drinks diary what irritates your bowel or bladder. You may be surprised to find the links.

 

We are running our next 30 Day Pelvic Floor Challenge on Monday 14th November 2022 - Be LEAK FREE by Christmas 🎄

Just click the link above to come and join us and get a stronger pelvic floor. Learn how to become a Kegel Master and get your confidence back.

 

 

To learn more how our Pelvic Floor Exercise Weights work, head over here. Secret Whispers Pelvic Floor Training Weights

 

You can also join our fabulous womens only private Facebook Group

Fancy a FREEBIE? Download our FREE guide The easy way to get a stronger pelvic floor

Any questions? Just email us at support@secretwhispers.co.uk and we will get straight back to you. 

 

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