If you have a medical problem that has caused you to have periodic fecal incontinence, then you will be happy to learn there are many things you can do to help the situation. While accidental bowel leakage is an embarrassing problem that makes you feel trapped at home because you never know when it will happen, there are many strategies you can use to eliminate or contain the condition, including each of the following:

Eat a Diet that is High in Fiber

In order to have a healthy colon and regular bowel movements, all people should eat diets high in fiber. Foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables that are naturally high in fiber help move waste products through your bowel and out of your body. While you might think this would increase your fecal incontinence, it actually will reduce it because your bowels will empty more completely when your bowel movements are more regular. 

Additionally, it is vital that you actively avoid eating foods that will promote anal leakage, such as:

• excessively greasy foods
• spicy foods
• excessively fatty foods
• smoked or cured meat products
• dairy products
• foods that contain artificial sweeteners

In addition to those listed above, you should also avoid drinking carbonated beverages, alcohol, and drinks that contain caffeine as each of these can make your fecal incontinence problem worse.

Use Kegel Exercises to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor Muscles

While you may think of Kegel exercises as the way to strengthen the muscles of the vagina and around the urethra to control urine leakage, the same exercises are a very effective way to improve fecal incontinence as well. Whether you are male or female, you can use Kegel exercises to strengthen the muscles that make up your pelvic area. Strengthened pelvic floor muscles help to tighten the rectum and anus to help contain fecal matter and prevent it from causing embarrassing accidents before you can reach the restroom.

Enlist the Help of Your Physician

Finally, while fecal incontinence is an embarrassing problem you would rather not talk about with anyone, mentioning it to your physician is the best thing you can do to help yourself. There is no reason to be embarrassed because your doctor has heard all sorts of awkward stories from their other patients and won't bat an eye when you mention this annoying problem to them. In fact, your physician can help get to the root cause of the issue and may even be able to eliminate it completely if you give them the chance.