BLADDER WEAKNESS HEALTH
be a symptom of bladder prolapse,
diabetes, heart or liver problems.
Is your diet
making it worse?
‘You may find certain types of food and
drink can make symptoms worse,’ says
Dr Arroll. Keep a bladder diet diary.
These have been found to make things
worse, according to Bladder Health UK...
% Blue cheese or strong cheese
% Tinned beans and vegetables
% Highly preserved meats, fish and
fast food
% Tomatoes, tomato paste or sauce
% Kiwi fruit
% Spices, including chilli powder,
paprika and yeast extract
% Chocolate
% Soy products
% Artificial sweeteners
% Dried food
% Citrus/acidic juices
%Hot chocolate
% Carbonated water
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Give your pelvic floor a
WORKOUT!
Jane’s lift
Imagine your pelvic floor
is a lift going up five
floors. Pull up a little (20%),
that’s first floor, then a bit
more to the 2nd (40%),
until you reach the 5th.
Lower back down,
stopping at each floor.The leg-up
Lie on your back. Tense
your tummy muscles
and slowly lift your legs
up towards the ceiling,
one at a time. Keep
your pace slow to feel
it in your calves. ThisThese easy exercises can help boost bladder control...
The good news is a weakened pelvic
floor can be tightened. ‘Looking after
your pelvic floor should be an important
part of your daily routine,’ says Stephanie
Taylor, managing director at Kegel8.
Use these exercises to create your own
workout, aiming for 100 daily contractions.Find
your muscles
‘First, imagine you
are stopping a fart,
then stopping a wee,
and think of drawing these two
feelings in together and up inside
you,’ says Jane Wake. ‘The feeling
should also be between those
bones you’re sitting on – this is
where the pelvic
floor lies.’will help work your
pelvic-floor muscles.Glute tightener
Lie down with your knees
up and slightly apart and
your feet touching the
floor. Slowly raise your
hips off the floor, tensing
your glutes as you go.
Form a bridge from your
shoulders touching the
floor and hold at the top,
before slowly bringing
your hips back down.Jane’s volume
switch
Breathe in and, as you
exhale, start to lift up the
pelvic floor. Keep lifting
as you exhale feeling
the pelvic floor lift in
more and get strongerTOP TIP
Always allow for
your pelvic floor to
expand, lower and
release in between
contractions.towards the end of your
breath, like a volume
switch turning on and up.
Aim for 10 in a row.Stephanie’s
slow squeeze
Sit or lie with your knees
slightly apart. Tighten
your pelvic-floor muscles,
starting with your anus,
then around your vagina.
Squeeze both areas and
lift as hard as you can.
Hold for a count of five,
relax. Repeat five times.
The fast one: As above,
but quickly for two secs,
then relax for two secs.
Repeat five times.
The variation: Alternate
between five slow and
five fast, for five minutes
at least three times a day.