Water is also essential. It should be our main source of hydration. Forget sugary soft drinks! Being well hydrated helps the proper functioning of our body because let’s remember that we are mostly made up of water. Drinking enough water protects our skin and mucous membranes and helps our kidneys to function properly.
In neurological injuries, especially in spinal cord injuries, we often find what we call neurogenic bladder: the urine bladder does not work well, does not empty well, and this favors urinary tract infections. Drinking can help to “clean” the urinary system. Sometimes there are limitations to water intake. For example, when catheterization or intermittent catheterization is necessary, it is sometimes recommended to drink little. We should discuss this with the doctor, but, if possible, it is recommended to drink a little more and do some more catheterization per day, as it can be beneficial in the prevention of infections and lithiasis.
There are also people who have limitations in drinking water by mouth due to swallowing problems (dysphagia). In these cases, oral intake is sometimes replaced by a tube that goes directly into the stomach and through which we can administer the necessary water. If not, liquids must be taken with thickening agents, making it more difficult to drink enough. In both cases we must be attentive to the good hydration of that person.
Let us remember that water is also a great ally to help the evacuation, the intestinal transit. Another particularly interesting product is fiber. It is not absorbed, but it is necessary to regulate intestinal transit, to maintain our microbiota and it is related to intestinal cancer prevention. Fiber is found in legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts.
Intestinal transit is frequently affected in spinal cord injuries and in immobility in general, so it is important to know what foods can help prevent constipation: it is advisable to eat fruit (best with skin, and especially plums, cherries and kiwis), vegetables (which also contain fiber) and whole grains (which, in addition to fiber, provide some vitamins). Despite taking the right diet, in some spinal cord injuries pharmacological help will be required from established guidelines with laxatives and suppositories, but the right foods, with fiber and good hydration, can help a lot.