The summer is a great time to explore outdoors in the sun and relieve some stress. However, if you’re living with urinary incontinence, you may find yourself worrying about the possibility of an accident instead of fully enjoying your day. Plus, during the summer, it may be a struggle to keep incontinence products discreet when wearing swimsuits, shorts, and lighter clothing. Luckily, you have options for managing your incontinence in the summer!
Top 5 Tips for Managing Incontinence in Summer
Here are a few of the easiest tips for keeping your urinary incontinence in check so you can focus on having the best time possible.
1. Focus on Better Nutrition and Exercise.
First, one of the easiest ways to start managing incontinence in any season of the year is to focus on your nutrition. Extra weight on the body can put additional pressure on the bladder, leading to events of stress incontinence and leakage. A well-balanced diet paired with regular exercise can help one maintain a healthy weight.
Summer is a fantastic time of year to check out all the fresh fruits and vegetables your local farmer’s market has to offer. You can take advantage of nutritious options like watermelons, cherries, peaches, raspberries, tomatoes, beans, corn, peas, and peppers. Then you can experiment with some new, healthy recipes in your own air-conditioned kitchen.
New to exercise? Get in touch with your doctor to determine the best way to start a healthy exercise plan based on your medical history.
2. Get Enough Fiber
As part of a balanced diet, you may want to also include more fiber in your daily meals. You may be wondering: what does fiber have to do with urinary incontinence? Constipation may play a part in urinary incontinence. This is because a full bowel may press against the bladder, leading to leakage. Also, a history of straining to move your bowels can actually weaken your pelvic floor muscles, which are necessary for controlling the bladder.
If you want another reason to increase the fiber in your diet, studies show that dietary fiber intake is associated with a decreased risk of heart disease and cancer.
So how much fiber should you eat per day? Talk to your doctor about how much they recommend based on your anatomy, age, size, and any medical conditions you may have.
However, a good rule of thumb to follow is the USDA’s recommended daily amounts, which is 25 grams for women and up to 38 grams for men. If you’re older than 50 years old, aim for between 21 to 30 grams per day.
3. Stay Well Hydrated
If you’re struggling with urinary incontinence, it may seem counterintuitive to drink more water. However, one of the worst things you can do for your health would be to avoid drinking water.
Particularly on hot, sunny days, no substitute is as good for hydration as water. You can take frequent, small sips of water throughout the day rather than try to drink a large amount at a time. That can help you stay hydrated throughout the day without consuming too much at once and putting extra pressure on your bladder. Talk to your doctor about how much water is right for you.
Plus, it may be a good idea to avoid diuretic beverages, especially in summer. Because diuretics remove water from the body, coffee, tea, soda, and alcohol may make incontinence worse instead of better.
4. Plan in Advance
You can help reduce stress about potential accidents with proper planning. For example, if you’re going on a day trip, map out and note locations of accessible restrooms and rest stops.
Scheduling bathroom breaks can also be a good way of managing incontinence in summer. Allot a few minutes for yourself every few hours or so, which can help prevent accidents and reduce the severity of leaks. Ultimately, that may even help you save money by reducing the frequency of incontinence product changes.
Also, consider what and how many incontinence products you’ll want to bring for the day. For example, will you need waterproof incontinence supplies if you go for a swim? Be sure to plan for which supplies you’ll want to take, such as adult briefs, incontinence pads, skin wipes, and liners.
Lastly, make sure you bring along an extra change of clothes just in case of an accident.
While it may take a few extra minutes to plan ahead, it may make the experience of heading out in the summer sun that much more enjoyable.
5. Get the Right Incontinence Products for Your Needs
The truth is that not all incontinence products are created equally. Also, they’re not one-size-fits-all, nor are they all as discreet as others might be.
While you can go to a local big box store or pharmacy and find incontinence products on the shelf, such as bladder control pads and adult diapers, those options may not always work well or fit right. Also, it may be harder to find discreet incontinence pads and discreet incontinence underwear that can be concealed in summer.
If you want a custom order with incontinence products that can help reduce the risk of leakage while staying comfortable and breathable on your skin, you might need some help in figuring out your options. That’s where our trained Incontinence Specialists can step in and help. Not only do we know our incontinence product options inside and out, but we can also help you navigate your insurance coverage for incontinence supplies.
Ready to start getting your freedom and independence back so you can enjoy your summer? Contact 180 Medical. We look forward to helping you find the right supplies to help turn your life around.
