Health Tip Details
Food as medicine
Foods that beat Urinary Tract Infecton
I am sure, most of you might be aware about urinary tract infections. For people who are wondering what it is, let me put it down in simple words A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in any part of your urinary system. It could be your kidneys, ureters, bladder or urethra.
If you’ve ever had a urinary tract infection, you know how painful and frustrating they can be, especially if they keep coming back. For many women, urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are a recurring and painful annoyance. Women are at a greater risk of developing a UTI than are men. That is primarily because of the shorter length of women’s urethras that tend to make it easier for bacteria especially Escherichia Coli to enter into the body and start its multiplication.
There are many factors which could lead to UTI. Some of them are listed below:-
1. ‘Holding on for a long period of time’ – ignoring signals to urinate which encourages bacteria to just progress.
2. Dehydration – not including enough of fluids in your diet.
3. Too much sugar in the diet – Like any other living organism, E. coli needs nutrients for their survival and sugar is something that these bacteria love. With the introduction of sugar into body, the acid level of urine becomes more hospitable and comfortable for E. coli, thus allowing the infection to progress more rapidly.
4. Extended bouts of sitting – which is connected with increased kidney problems and UTIs
5. Poor hygiene – wiping/cleaning your private parts in an unhygienic way, accidentally transferring bacteria into the bladder.
9. Pregnancy – this can also make emptying the bladder difficult and foster bacterial growth.
10. Air travel – which combines dehydration, limited bathroom access, sugary and processed foods, plus hours of sitting.
11. Aging – Some of the biological, physical and chemical changes associated with aging, like menopause, diabetes, some prescription drug use – such as those for high blood pressure – can also compromise your immunity system, making middle-aged and older women more susceptible to UTIs.
So now, how to get rid of this??
What you eat has a huge influence on the kind of bacteria and hormones that regulate your health, so it’s a good idea to introduce the right diet lifestyle that will help in UTI prevention.
When choosing foods that which would aid in UTI, you should consider various kinds of diets and food choices to eat. Making long-term and beneficial food choices can help change your body composition and reduce the risk of getting recurrent UTIs.
So making good choices about what you eat is the best way to ensure that your body is strong and that you’re preventing all kinds of infections.
CRANBERRY JUICE:- Studies have shown that cranberries, and blueberries to a lesser extent, can be very much helpful in treating and preventing urinary tract infections. They contain a compound called proanthocyanidin, which prevents E. Coli from adhering and sticking to the bladder walls. However, sugar can exacerbate the infection so be particular to drink only unsweetened cranberry juice and, if you are using dried cranberries, make sure they are also unsweetened or sweetened naturally with apple juice or any other juice.
PINEAPPLE:- Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain that may decrease inflammation from infection and may even kill bacteria and viruses, which would make it effective to heal UTI.
Adding pineapple to a smoothie or juice is a delish easy way to get pineapple in your diet.
PROBIOTICS:- Yogurt is another super food in the prevention from UTI. It contains probiotics, i.e. helpful bacteria, which reduce the harmful bacteria not only in the urinary tract but also throughout the body, including the digestive system and vagina. Yogurt can be especially helpful in preventing a yeast infection and the bacterial infection that may occur from antibiotics used to treat the UTI.
**Please note: not all yogurts have active probiotics, check the label. Also avoid sweetened yogurts because they have added sugars, instead, sweeten it yourself.
VITAMIN C:- Keeps your bladder and urethra healthy and working well, It also makes your urine more acidic, which helps to prevent bacteria from growing and causing UTIs. Having a Vitamin C tablet or getting good food sources of Vitamin C for e.g. more fruits like Amla, lemons, oranges, bananas, guava, kiwi, melon, raspberries, tomatoes, and papaya.
BICARBONATE (BAKING) SODA:- drink ½ teaspoon in a glass of water upon waking in the morning and before you go to bed at night which will help you to alkalizing your urine.
On the other side, sugar, refined foods like white bread, pasta, noodles and simple carbs like soft drinks, junk food are best avoided when you have UTI. These contribute to bacteria and yeast overgrowth and can worsen the condition. It is also recommended that spicy foods, alcohol, which are considered bladder irritants be avoided when infection is at its peak. These may be included once infection is out of the body. Avoiding these foods for a short period could speed healing.
I hope I have helped you to clear your doubts on UTI and foods that help. In case of any queries, feel free to contact us at:
Keep reading my blogs and stay healthy!!
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