April 26th, 2012

A healthy diet will help with faecal incontinence. Remember, if you have significant changes to your bowel movements, see your GP.

For patients with Faecal Incontinence, there is a new treatment now available in the UK called Secca Therapy and here at Fico Centre we arrange out-patient appointments for this minimally invasive procedure.

Call Karen on 0844 561 6606 if you have any questions and have a look at our website for further information.

A diet consisting of 25 to 30 g of fibre a day will help you have healthy bowel movements. It is important to drink 64 oz. of fluid a day when increasing your fibre intake for a healthy bowel movement.

Legumes are a good source of slowly-digesting carbohydrates and resistant starch.

Legumes, including beans, peas and lentils, provide a significant amount of fibre per serving and can help you have a healthy bowel movement. One cup of cooked split peas contains 16 g of fibre and 1 cup of cooked lentils contains 15 g of fibre, meeting at least half of your daily fibre needs. Other high-fibre legumes include kidney beans, garbanzo beans, black beans, lima beans and baked beans. In addition to acting as a good source of fibre, legumes also provide you with protein and iron, and make a healthy meat alternative. Increase your fibre intake with legumes by adding them to soups, salads, and rice and pasta dishes.

Bran Cereals

Bran cereals also contain high amounts of fibre to help support healthy bowel movements. A typical serving of a bran cereal contains 13 to 18 g of fibre. These high-fibre cereals do not have to be limited to breakfast, you can also eat cereal for lunch, dinner or as a snack.

Dried Fruits

Dried fruits also top the list of high-fibre foods to eat for a healthy bowel movement. Three dried figs contain 10.5 g of fibre, two dried apricot halves contain 1.7 g and three prunes contain 1.9 g. Other high-fibre dried fruits include raisins and dates. Increase your fibre intake by adding dried fruits to your snack list or adding to salads or hot cereals.

Fresh Fruits

Snacking on fresh fruit can also increase your fibre intake for a healthy bowel movement. One cup of raspberries contains 8 g of fibre and one medium pear with the skin has 5.5 g. Other high-fibre fruits include apples with the skin, oranges, strawberries and bananas.

Vegetables

High-fibre vegetables for a healthy bowel movement include artichokes, broccoli, turnip greens, potatoes with the skin, sweet corn and Brussels sprouts.

Whole Grains

Whole grains also help promote healthy bowel movements. High fibre whole-grain foods include whole wheat bread and pasta, oatmeal, barley and brown rice.

References

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/291288-the-best-foods-to-eat-for-healthy-bowel-movements/#ixzz1t8vVnzVf

 

March 22nd, 2012

Our bowels need to be kept healthy and eating a well balanced diet is certainly not only good for our digestion, but helps keep diseases at bay such as Bowel / Colon Cancer.

Food affects the consistency of stool and how quickly it passes through the digestive system. Adjusting what is eaten and when may be helpful in management of FI and the symptoms of Bowel Control Disorder.

• Avoid gas producing foods (beans, cabbage, etc.)
• Foods high in fat and large meals can trigger symptoms
• Certain sweeteners, honey and also some fruits are poorly absorbed by the bowels
• Avoid caffeine, fried foods, spicy foods and alcohol

Bowel Control Disorder/ Faecal Incontinence is an embarrassing, distressful condition that can cause sufferers to have a lack of self esteem, makes them withdraw from society and create the onset of depression.

Fico Centre offers a treatment called Secca. It is a fast, effective, non surgical procedure and is available at one of our centres across the UK. Please call us if you would like to discuss the treatment in confidence on 0844 561 6606.

Below are some guidelines on eating healthily, we hope this is of some help.

A diet based on starchy foods such as rice and pasta; with plenty of fruit and vegetables; some protein-rich foods such as meat, fish and lentils; some milk and dairy foods; and not too much fat, salt or sugar, will give you all the nutrients you need.

When it comes to a healthy diet, balance is the key to getting it right. This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amout of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

Most adults in England are either overweight or obese. That means many of us are eating more than we need, and should eat less. And it’s not just food: some drinks can also be high in calories. Most adults need to eat and drink fewer calories in order to lose weight, even if they already eat a balanced diet.

All the food we eat can be divided into five groups. Try to choose a variety of different foods from the first four groups.

  • Fruit and vegetables.
  • Starchy foods, such as rice, pasta, bread and potatoes. Choose wholegrain varieties whenever you can.
  • Meat, fish, eggs and beans.
  • Milk and dairy foods.
  • Foods containing fat and sugar.