How are nutrition and the pelvic floor related?
A happy pelvic floor meal
I am hesitant when discussing nutrition on a general level due to all the things that can come up for people around food. I personally struggled with an eating disorder for years and I do not like it when someone tells me to change my diet without knowing my triggers.
However, I do think it is important to share that there are some foods that can be beneficial for the pelvic floor and some that can cause some harm. Know that this is very general and you will need to find what works best for your body.
What can you focus on when eating for pelvic floor health?
Pure water intake. I have stated in past posts about how beneficial drinking “enough” water is. “Enough” water is half of your body weight in ounces of water. An example would be if you weigh 150 lbs, then you would want to drink 75 ounces of water a day. I have never stated the importance of drinking pure water though. I usually do not discuss this because many people do not drink enough water so I will take them drinking anything that is close to water. However, if you are drinking enough liquid, then I want to you look at how much of it is pure water. Pure water that is room temperature or warmer is very beneficial for health. This is water that is not flavored with artificial flavors or that has carbonation. Pure water is the best for your pelvic floor by allowing your muscles and organs to be well hydrated. Warm water or at least room temperature helps with digestion to allow for easier bowel movements.
Low acidic fruits and veggies. Fruits and vegetables that are lower in acidic content are better for your pelvic floor than food that is acidic. Low-acidic fruits and vegetables include apricots, melons, banana, many vegetables including carrots, asparagus, cooked spinach.
Omege-3 fatty acids. Eating food that are high in omega-3 fatty acids helps to decrease inflammation in the body which helps make for a happier bladder and body. Food rich in omega-3 fatty acids include numerous fatty fish, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and seaweed.
Spices. There are some spices that you can add to your food to help promote pelvic floor health. Spices that help to decrease inflammation in your body and help your pelvic floor are: turmeric, garlic, ginger, lemon zest, and parsley. Lemon zest is one that first surprised me. Lemon zest does not add acid to your food, but it does have some good immune boosting properties to help your body.
What foods should you think twice about before eating if you have a pelvic floor dysfunction?
I never tell my clients to avoid these foods completely. However, I do let them know that it would be beneficial for them to watch and be mindful of how they feel and how their pelvic floor feels after eating these foods. If they notice that a food seems to cause more symptoms, then I just tell them to make sure they eat it when they have the space to have more symptoms.
These foods include:
Alcohol
Acidic fruits and veggies
Carbonated/sugary drinks
Caffeine
Spicy foods
Alcohol. Alcohol is both a bladder irritant and a diuretic. This is an easy one to miss, so play close attention to determine if drinking alcohol increases your pelvic floor symptoms. Symptoms might include increasing urinary urgency and frequency as well as incontinence.
Acidic fruits and veggies. Acidic foods can irritate the bladder by increasing inflammation in the body. These foods include tomatoes, cranberries, and oranges. Many people are told to drink cranberry juice to help decrease UTIs. However, there has not been any research to suggest that drinking cranberry juice helps decrease UTIs and some people do report noticing increased urgency and frequency after having cranberries.
Carbonated/sugar drinks. Drinks with sugar and carbonation can cause increased inflammation in the body and irritate the lining of the bladder.
Caffeine. Caffeine is both a diuretic and a bladder irritant. Notice if you have to pee more often after drinking caffeine. Many people notice that they are able to have an easier bowel movement after drinking caffeine. Because a full bowel can have a negative affect on the bladder, I say that if you drink a cup of coffee in the morning to have a bowel movement, that might be more beneficial then cutting it out.
Spice foods. Spicy foods can irritate your bladder and bowel the same way they irritate your mouth. Notice if spicy foods cause diarrhea or incomplete bowel emptying and/or increased peeing frequency and pain.
All in all, the most important thing is to decide what works best for you and your body. Eating whole and real foods is the most important things when it comes to nutrition and health. Eat what is manageable for you and know that you don’t have to be “perfect” all of the time. Allow yourself to also enjoy eating and drinking.
