Most women can heal their Diastasis Recti naturally through a whole-body and multi-factorial approach that includes nutrition.
Diastasis Recti is the result of excessive intra-abdominal pressure and often develops during pregnancy. This pressure rise causes the ab midline (connective tissue – made of collagen fibers) to become stretched and thinner as it works to accommodate the growing baby, and it sometimes doesn’t return to its original state after baby arrives.
7 Nutrition Tips for Diastasis Recti Healing
Nutrition should be incorporated as part of a comprehensive diastasis recti healing strategy.
As you probably know:
Healthy real food has a powerful positive effect on your body and mind.
And conversely a poor diet high in hydrogenated fats, additives, and refined sugar is a drain on its healing powers.
In short, what you eat plays a major role in how well your body works and heals.
The nutritional strategy for Diastasis Recti and pelvic floor healing should focus on optimizing connective tissue and muscle recovery. Eating collagen-rich foods or foods that boost collagen production is key for creating these building blocks.
The following advice is tailored for postpartum rehab and recovery in general, but most of us can greatly benefit from applying these tips to improve general health!
7 nutrition tips to support Diastasis Recti healing
Eat colorful fruit and dark green leafy vegetables
#1. Nutrition and Diastasis Recti Healing
Colorful fruits and dark green leafy veggies are high in bioflavonoids and Vitamin C, E & A which aid collagen production, and promote the repair of connective tissue.
Vitamin C also enhances iron absorption, which will allow you to be less tired, and in a better mindset to work on your alignment and core rehab exercises!
These vitamins can be found in fruits and veggies such as:
avocados
oranges
kiwis
strawberries
raspberries
pineapple
guava
papaya
dark leafy greens
red peppers
tomatoes
asparagus
celery
sweet potatoes
carrots
broccoli
Cook with bone broth
#2. Nutrition and Diastasis Recti Healing
As Thanksgiving approaches, remember not to let those precious drippings and bones go to waste! Save them to make some homemade broth.
Bone broth contains collagen and many amino acids, such as glycine, glutamine, and proline, which are essential for tissue healing, decreasing inflammation, and improving gut health.
The bones and connective tissue slowly simmer, releasing all the good stuff into the water, making it a very nutritious liquid that can be a great base to make delicious soups.
I recommend it to anyone suffering from pelvic floor muscle weakness, diastasis recti, and all pregnant and newly postpartum Mamas!
I just saw a 12-ounce container of turkey stock for $12, so I'd say making 4 jars using what's left over is a STEAL! You can use also chicken instead of turkey.
I use broth as a base to make homemade soups, but you can also simply drink 1 cup of bone broth daily. It tastes much better than it sounds!
Include protein-rich foods
#3. Nutrition and Diastasis Recti Healing
Protein is vital for repairing damaged tissue so aim to include some protein in every meal.
Be sure to mix up your sources, and prioritize plant protein:
Legumes: lentils, beans, peas…
Nuts and Seeds: almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, chia seeds, hemp seeds, squash seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds…
Whole Grains: quinoa, rice, millet, oats, buckwheat…
Animal sources: unprocessed meat, fish, eggs, dairy foods…
Consume zinc-rich foods
#4. Nutrition and Diastasis Recti Healing
Zinc is essential to connective tissue production.
The richest food sources of zinc include:
lentils
pumpkin
mushrooms
sesame seeds
cashews
dates
eggs
sardines
tofu
red meat
poultry
oysters
Get enough fiber
#5. Nutrition and Diastasis Recti Healing
Bloating and straining on the toilets can prevent healing, or even aggravate your core issues! The fiber in plant foods helps keep your digestion and bowel transit flowing smoothly.
Here are some fiber-rich foods:
green beans
lentils
broccoli
berries
avocados
apples
whole grains
nuts
dried Fruit
flaxseeds
Stay hydrated
#6. Nutrition and Diastasis Recti Healing
Drinking enough water is essential to:
Improve blood circulation, which plays a critical role in delivering nutrients and oxygen to the connective tissue.
Dissolve and eliminate waste, which aids in detoxifying the body.
Improve digestion and transit
Hydrate connective tissue, helping it to regain its elasticity.
The goal should be to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
If staying hydrated is difficult for you, here are some tips that can help:
Keep a reusable bottle of water with you during the day.
Try infused water: adding a slice of lemon, mint, or fruit to your water may help
Try cold or hot herbal tea
When you’re feeling hungry, grab a glass of water first.
Limit inflammatory foods
#7. Nutrition and Diastasis Recti Healing
A poor diet that’s heavy in inflammatory foods stresses your body and slows down healing.
Try to limit:
refined sugar
alcohol
caffeine
processed foods
trans fats.
Nutrition and diastasis Recti healing simply put:
Most women are able to heal their Diastasis Recti naturally, through a whole-body and multi-factorial approach including:
core strengthening with specific exercises
breathing improvement
alignment improvement
emotional stress management
healthy nutrition
If you want your body to recover well, you better give it the building blocks it needs to do that.
Your nutrition doesn’t have to be “perfect” - just do the best you can!
The goal is to help to repair and rebuild damaged tissues by creating an environment INSIDE ourselves that encourages fascial re-building. By supporting your connective tissue healing, it has better chance to regain elasticity and strength, enabling the ab midline to firm up.
Also, being mindful about what you put in your body can help you on so many levels - far beyond healing your Diastasis Recti!
Improve your Diastasis Recti with me!
A whole body approach to core healing and strength.
See what my students are saying: success stories