10 Life Hacks for Top Pelvic Floor Health

1. Boost intake of hydrating liquids - needed for good bodily function. Dehydration reduces mental and physical capacity, concentrates urine and which can irritate the bladder and leads to constipations.

2. Improve Nutrition - protein, rainbow veg, cooked leafy greens, VEG, omega 3s, VEG, antioxidants & bio-flavanoids, VEG. Go easy on easy on sugars, alcohol and caffeine.

3. Pimp your pooping skills – constipation needs to be addressed for good pelvic health. Hydration and veg intake are key as are using a “knees up” toileting position to avoid straining. Chronic constipation is a major risk factor for pelvic organ prolapse.

4. Breathe - Spend time practicing breathing using the diaphragm and lower ribs. Make the out-breath longer than the in-breath. Diaphragmatic breathing has multiple benefits -aiding digestion, calming the nervous system, increasing oxygen intake, massaging the viscera, promoting peristalsis and setting up the natural relationship between the diaphragm and the pelvic floor.

5. Bladder Health – Monitor your fluid intake and your bladder emptying. Aim for a wee every 2 to 3 hours in the daytime and for a count of 8 -10 Mississippi.

6. Avoid bladder irritants - Tea, coffee, acidic fruit juices, spicy food and carbonated drinks can irritate the bladder and if you are experiencing urgency/frequency excluding these irritants can be a big part of the solution.

7. ALWAYS sit to wee and poop. Hovering over the seat means that the pelvic floor is under tension and can result in incomplete emptying of the bowel and bladder.

8. Avoid the “Just in Case” wee. Repeated “JiC ing” trains the bladder to contract before it is full and can result in urinary frequency.

9. Activity – the pelvic floor loves activity walking and good Pelvic Floor appropriate exercise for you. Your loading capacity is personal to you. If you leak or have a heavy dragging feeling after a exercise, then you have exceeded your loading capacity and that work needs to be modified.

10. 10.Exhale - DON’T hold your breath, good inter abdominal pressure control on loading (no breath holding)