8 Lifestyle Tips for Managing UTI
There are many things that you can do manage and prevent urinary tract infections (UTI). Some of them are a standard medical process. But there are specific suggestions that you can incorporate into your lifestyle to control and reduce recurrent UTIs. Here you can find such lifestyle tips for UTI that can decrease the chances of infection.
- Maintaining hygiene is one of the most crucial things that can reduce future UTIs. Healthy practices like cleaning your genitals front to back, washing before sex, can help you ward off UTIs in the long-run.
- You may use tampons rather than sanitary napkins or pads during your menstrual period. Tampons are more effective at keeping the bladder opening are drier than the mentioned sanitary products. A dry area lessens the chance of bacterial growth and thus decreases the risk of infections.
- Cranberries in your diet can help prevent further UTIs. The ingredients in cranberries ward off bacteria from sticking to the lining of the urinary tract. Cranberries can also be consumed with salads and brown rice and by extracting the juice and having it unsweetened. It should be noted that cranberries do not provide any treatment against UTIs.
- Blueberries have a capacity similar to cranberries. Blueberries keep the bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract’s lining and decrease the risk of UTI. You may have blueberries via smoothies, salads, or yogurt. Eating cranberries and blueberries, thus, can help you fight urinary infections.
- You can take advantage of the acidic quality of vitamin C to reduce your risk of UTI. Vitamin C makes the urine acidic, too, and thus prevents the bacteria from growing. Apart from the supplementary method, you can take vitamin C from foods such as lemons, oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, and green leafy vegetables too.
- Probiotic is another useful method of reducing your chance of UTI. Probiotics contain good bacteria, and it helps lessen the growth of harmful bacteria in the genitalia. Supplements and fermented foods such as cheese, Greek yogurt can deliver probiotics to your body. The protective properties of probiotics can lower the risk of recurrent UTIs.
- Evidence shows that consuming excessive carbonated sweet drinks can increase the chance of lower urinary tract symptoms. Caffeine also does the same. It is better to avoid these drinks. Instead, consuming healthy fluids, especially water, can prevent you from getting UTIs.
- Healthy urination habits like frequently urinating, avoiding delay, and urinating after sex can have long term benefits for reducing the chance of urinary infection.
Although the course of antibiotics is the most common route for treating UTI, it is proven that following lifestyle tips, as discussed above, can have a long term impact on your urinary health. However, discuss with your doctor before applying any of these lifestyle tips for UTI.