Supplements For A Healthy Pelvic Floor From The Inside Out
Kegel exercise is the best way to keep your pelvic floor in strong, effective and in tip top condition. But like the other muscles in your body, you need the right nutrients for the muscles to work to the very best. Supplements will work alongside pelvic floor exercises to make your pelvic floor stronger and healthier from the inside out.
Research...
Kegel8 are always looking at ways to improve the pelvic health for both women and men and during their decades of research they have gained some fantastic knowledge, that has been spread far and wide in the hopes that the taboo of the pelvic floor will be crushed!
The latest research has included looking at supplements that will help to improve the health of the pelvic floor and after many months of searching we have found the ideal ones to go alongside your pelvic floor exercise routine.
Supplements
We are always hearing "make sure you get your five-a-day, eat plenty of fibre for your bowels, red meat for your iron, leafy greens for calcium, get plenty of vitamin D on your skin", but with all the will in the world this is sometimes not manageable, and this is when supplements are needed, just as a little help getting whatever is missing.
Read on for more information about the supplements that we now stock and what they can do for your health and in particular your pelvic floor.
Vitamin C (with citrus bioflavonoids)
Vitamin C is one of life's most important nutrients, it is a powerful antioxidant and is one of the bodies best defenses against excess free radicals caused by smoking, stress and pollution. Because the body cannot store vitamin C you need to get the recommended daily intake via your diet.
Vitamin C plays a primary role in the formation of collagen, which is required to keep organs and other structures in place in the pelvic area. Vitamin C also aids tissue healing, which could help with prolapse and any damage that has occurred to your pelvic floor.
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3 is ideal to be taken alongside your Kegel8 routine as it helps decrease pain sensitivity for chronic pelvic pain and protects against muscle wastage, helping the pelvic floor stay strong and healthy.
A study which took place at Botucatu Medical School at Sao Paulo State University in Brazil, found that consuming enough vitamin D may be able to reverse the muscle loss that most women typically experience after they go through the menopause.
Vitamin D has been shown to increase skeletal muscle efficiency at adequate levels. The levator ani and the coccygeus pelvic floor muscles are skeletal muscles and are crucial to supporting the structure of the pelvic floor.
Pelvic floor musculature weakness can contribute to pelvic floor disorders such as urinary or faecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.
D-Mannose
D-Mannose is a simple sugar molecule found in fruits such as cranberries. When D-Mannose is present the bacteria attaches itself to it rather than to the bladder wall and can be used to flush out 90% of urinary tract infections and associated symptoms such as pain and discomfort, hence why people drink cranberry juice when they have a urinary infection.
It can also be consumed at relatively high levels as a food supplement to actively remove E.coli during an infection.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential mineral for the growth and maintenance of the body's organs, nerves and blood. Magnesium is ideal if you suffer with pelvic pain as it will help relax your pelvic floor muscles and reduces bladder spasms.
It can also lower blood pressure, balance hormones, help with digestion and lower the risk of constipation. It is also known to alleviate morning sickness and reduce the risk of the child having cerebral palsy and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) if taken during pregnancy.
Collagen
Collagen is the "glue" that keeps our bodies together! It is found in muscles, bone, skin, cartilage, blood vessels, digestive system and tendons.
Collagen production slows down as we age (from as young as 30 years old!) creating signs of ageing such as joint pains, sagging skin and it affects the pelvic floor muscles.
To keep the pelvic floor strong and healthy, collagen is necessary as it strengthens the ligaments enabling the pelvic floor musculature to contract and do its job.
Epsom Salts
Epsom salt is a natural exfoliant and anti-inflammatory that is most commonly used in the bath to treat muscle and joint, aches and pains. Although it is called a salt it is a lot different from most salts as it is actually a mineral compound of magnesium and sulphate.
Although using Epsom Salts doesn't directly benefit the pelvic floor it does address some of the issues that can be causing the muscles problems.
Beta Carotene
Beta Carotene is a carotenoid, widely distributed in fruits and vegetables forming part of their natural yellow and orange pigment. Beta Carotene is also a natural precursor to vitamin A which when digested releases vitamin A into the system.
Vitamin A supports cell growth that helps to repair damage to the pelvic floor muscles and then helps to maintain them.
Mega H-40
Mega h-40 is a fantastic one-a-day multi-vitamin and mineral plus complex with each capsule containing over 40 active ingredients that give you everything you could need to maintain a pain free, healthy and strong pelvic floor to help banish any problems you have had!
Oregano Oil
Oregano Oil is a strong anti-fungal, so it helps with the build-up of candida (yeast) which can cause thrush (in women) and balanitis (in men).
It is also a powerful antioxidant and because of its antibacterial properties it is used by herbalists to treat gastro intestinal and respiratory disorders, particularly upper respiratory tract infections.
Power Dophilus
Power Dophilus is a non-dairy, pro-biotic formula providing a natural source of 3 billion live, friendly bacteria.
Friendly bacteria help to balance the intestinal flora and encourage healthy bacteria to grow in the gut. Power Dophilus is known to ease symptoms of IBS and candidosis (thrush) and is suitable for those with a lactose intolerance.