One of the most important parts of our diet is our fluid intake. Water makes up to 70%-80% of the human body and it is responsible for how well the body functions. Drinking plenty of fluid so your urine is a light yellow or clear colour is a good sign that the body is hydrated. Dark coloured urine is a sign of dehydration and poor fluid choices.
Inadequate daily fluid intake can actually worsen incontinence and lead to infection and more serious illnesses.
What should you avoid?
- Cut down on coffee, tea and soft drinks. All these drinks are diuretics, which means that they make you produce more urine than normal and increase the pressure on the bladder.
- Alcohol is another diuretic that can reduce bodily control and increase dehydration so it should be consumed in moderation. Excessive alcohol intake damages the liver and weakens the entire system.
- Citrus Juices such as grapefruit, lemon, lime and tomato-based products should be closely monitored because they are all beverages that can irritate the bladder.
- Limiting daily fluid intake can actually worsen the affects of incontinence or lead to serious illness. We recommend natural spring water as the main choice for fluid and adding a pinch of organic sea salt to your glass of water to stop the body from urinating so frequently which will make it easier for you to manage your incontinence.The amount of water you should be drinking depends on your level of fitness and the activity you partake in and it is also seasonal. Experts recommend that your daily water intake should be close to 3.1 times your body weight “daily” so a person weighing 80kg should be drinking 2.5 litres a day unless advised otherwise by your doctor.It is also important to remember that you also get about 20% of your total water intake from eating fruits and vegetables. Water is essential in processing dietary fibre in order to pump the stools through the digestive system. Drinking up to two litres of fluid per day will improve bowel movements. Cranberry juice has a reputation for helping to clear up bladder infections however it does not help with an overactive bladder and urge incontinence.
- Use the information above as a guide on how much water you should be consuming everyday. We also mentioned to drink natural spring water it’s important you choose this over normal tap water (even though we have some of the best drinking water in the world) the body does not need the chemicals and fluoride that are found in our tap water.
- Purified water in some cases is not good for the body either because it can actually have no minerals, which can be worse for the body. A pinch of Himalayan or organic sea salt can re-mineralise the water. Start with one small pinch per glass or a large pinch per one litre bottle and add more as required. You shouldn’t be able to taste the salt in the water.
- Drink plenty of water first thing in the morning and less in the evening. When you wake up in the morning rinse your mouth (with a swirl of natural spring water and spit it out) to cleanse before starting off your day with a large glass of water before having breakfast.
- You should be leaving at least 15 minutes after drinking water before consuming food to give the body a chance to properly digest the water.
- Avoid large portions of water during meals 1 glass is more than enough water during a meal to moisten the palette.
- The same applies after meals, you should wait 15 minutes or longer to consume a glass of water so the body can easily digest the meal.
- You may need more fluids than normal during hot weather. After exercise it is recommended that you rehydrate the body with a glass of water.