Top Tips for Bladder and Bowel Health

1. Drink your way to a healthy bladder

Drinking well is vital to the health of your bladder and bowel.

The average body needs about two litres (eight glasses) of fresh fluid every day. Naturally energetic activity or hot weather will increase your fluid needs. It is unwise to drink large quantities of liquid quickly. Carry a sipper bottle in your bag or keep a glass of water on your desk and spread your intake of fluid evenly throughout the day.

2. Eat for bowel health

It is through the bowels that the body absorbs nutrition and liquid from what you consume. A balanced diet high in natural fibre is vital to the health of the bowels – remember; what goes in must come out.

The recommended daily intake of fibre is just 25 to 30 grams, but processed foods such as snacks, takeaway and convenience meals are often fibre poor. There is constant debate over what constitutes a healthy diet, but experts generally agree that fresh is best and variety is of key importance.

3. Keep active

General fitness and wellbeing are necessary to internal bowel and bladder health; constipation can be caused by lack of physical activity.

Exercise should not be a chore, but an activity that gives you pleasure. Remember the old saying:

The best exercise for you is the exercise you’ll do.

Thirty minutes every day is ideal, but as little as ten minutes is a great start. Exercises you could include in your daily routine could be:

• walking to the shops
• taking kids or dog down the park and playing with them
• getting involved in social dancing
• take up a sport such as lawn bowls or netball, anything that may be of an interest to you. This will keep you motivated to attend
• Enrol in an exercise class appropriate to your age and fitness level

4. Take care of your pelvic floor

The pelvic floor muscles support abdominal organs, including the gallbladder, bladder and bowel. This means the stronger your pelvic floor, the more control you have over the function of your bladder and bowel.

Regular pelvic floor exercise is recommended to everyone, but especially women after childbirth.