Does Cottage Cheese Make You Pee a Lot
9 Diet Tips to Manage an Overactive Bladder
Is your diet the answer to improved bladder health? Get tips to help you make food and drink choices to ease overactive bladder.
Creating a Bladder Diet
Altering your diet won't cure an overactive bladder or urge incontinence. However, certain foods and drinks can have an impact on your bathroom habits. "You may be able to manage some symptoms by restricting certain foods and adding others," says Yvonne Koch, MD, an assistant professor of urology at the University of Miami Miller Medical School. To see which foods and drinks affect you, keep a bladder diary where you record fluid intake and overactive bladder symptoms. You can also try altering your diet with these tips for a healthy bladder.
Balance Your Beverages
Fluid intake is a balancing act. While you may want to drink less to avoid running to the bathroom all the time, you don't want to become dehydrated. "Everyone needs to stay well hydrated, and drinking to your thirst will accomplish that," says Tomas Griebling, MD, MPH, associate professor and vice chair of urology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City. The best choice for bladder health is plain water. You can add a thin slice of lemon to make the water more appealing without making it too acidic.
Be Selective With Juice
Many people find that some citrus juices and drinks, including orange and pineapple juices and lemonade, irritate the bladder because of their acidity. On the other hand, "there is evidence that cranberry juice may reduce urinary tract infections," Dr. Griebling says. Cranberry can contribute to bladder health because it helps prevent bacteria from sticking to the wall of the bladder. Cranberry also can be acidic, so if it bothers you, stop drinking it.
Fill Up on Fruits and Veggies
You want to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables because they contain the vitamins and minerals you need for good health. And when you're healthy, your urinary system can function at its best, Griebling says. Also, fresh fruits and vegetables are generally high in fiber yet low in calories, which helps you to maintain a healthy weight — important for your bladder health and your overall health. Again, you might need to avoid acidic fruits like oranges and tomatoes.
Go for Whole Grains
Your best bladder diet should be rich in whole grains because they are full of fiber and many nutrients. Fiber helps you keep your bowels regular. Your bowels sit near your bladder, and if your bowels are full, they can put pressure on your bladder, causing you to have to go to the bathroom even more, Dr. Koch says. Think brown rice and whole-grain cereals, breads and pasta.
Hold the Spices
Not everyone with an overactive bladder is affected by hot and spicy foods, but if you are one of them, the solution is simple: Stay away. It's not entirely clear why spicy foods bother some people, but the thinking is they irritate the lining of the bladder, which increases the urge to go, Koch says. Spicy foods also can cause painful bladder syndrome, which has symptoms similar to overactive bladder, Koch adds.
Cut Back on Sugar
If you have an overactive bladder, try cutting out sweets and see if this leads to an improvement. Sugar can encourage bacteria to grow, and bacteria can cause urinary tract or bladder infections, which may cause overactive bladder symptoms such as the frequent and strong urge to go. Artificial sweeteners can be just as harmful, says Griebling, so substituting won't help in this case.
Be a Dairy Detective
Some people with an overactive bladder may find that milk and dairy products make their symptoms worse. People with the related condition interstitial cystitis, which is a chronic inflammation of the bladder wall and also causes a frequent urge to urinate, tend to have problems with certain dairy products, Koch says. This doesn't mean everyone with bladder problems will have a reaction to dairy. If you keep a food diary, you can figure out which foods bother you, and whether you should limit or totally avoid dairy products.
Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine
Alcohol stimulates the bladder, and that's the last thing you need if you have an overactive bladder. Pass on wine, beer, and liquor so you don't have to worry about the frequent urination that often accompanies them. Caffeine is also a stimulant that can cause urgency, frequency, and incontinence. It's found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and some sodas and energy drinks.
Skip the Nightcap
You're probably watching your fluid intake all day, but it especially makes sense before you go to bed. You may even want to cut out beverages completely at a certain point each night. A good time to consider is about 6 p.m. Remember, you don't want to become dehydrated, but if you drink more during the day and less at night, you may be able to sleep through the night without having to get up repeatedly to use the bathroom, Griebling says. And getting better sleep will add to your overall health.
Does Cottage Cheese Make You Pee a Lot
Source: https://www.everydayhealth.com/overactive-bladder-photos/diet-tips-for-overactive-bladder.aspx