{"id":205272,"date":"2018-09-12T11:54:56","date_gmt":"2018-09-12T11:54:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/5f17670acf5743285.temporary.link\/rohsi.org\/?p=205272"},"modified":"2018-09-12T11:54:56","modified_gmt":"2018-09-12T11:54:56","slug":"urinary-tract-infection-what-you-should-and-should-not-eat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rohsi.org\/?p=205272","title":{"rendered":"URINARY TRACT INFECTION: WHAT YOU SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT EAT"},"content":{"rendered":"

By<\/strong>\u00a0Pamela Fernandes, MD<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

50% of women experience a\u00a0urinary tract infection<\/a>\u00a0(UTI) in their lifetime. It costs over 1 billion USD and results in 1 million hospitalizations. It\u2019s common among women compared to men. UTI\u2019s are an infection of the urinary tract involving the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Left untreated the infection can escalate and damage the kidney and ureters, permanently leading to scarring and renal failure.<\/p>\n

The most common cause is due to bacteria from the gastrointestinal system. The anus is usually quite close to the urethra in women. Bacteria like E. coli travel from the digestive system. These bacteria can also be introduced during sex like Chlamydia and Mycoplasma.<\/p>\n

Symptoms of UTI<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some of the common symptoms of a urinary tract infection are painful urination, burning sensation on urinating, an intense urge to urinate, pressure or fullness on the bladder, discharge, nausea, vomiting, cloudy or strange smelling urine, fever and back pain. If severe then you may also see blood in the urine.<\/p>\n

Risk Factors<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are certain risk factors that increase the chances of getting a urinary tract infection. These include unprotected sex, intake of antibiotics, not urinating frequently, choosing baths over showers, lack of water in the diet, bacterial entry from the anus and pregnancy. Old age and gender do play a role since immunity is lower in the elderly and the urethra is shorter in women.<\/p>\n

Foods You Should Eat When You Have a Urinary Tract Infection: Certain foods are known to help relieve symptoms of UTI.<\/p>\n

Water<\/strong><\/p>\n

Water keeps your system hydrated and helps your body flush out toxins. Most people don\u2019t drink enough water. Infections are caused by a buildup of bacteria and with decreased water consumption. The bacteria can be flushed out of the system with hydration. \u00a0Studies have shown that increased water intake can help in the\u00a0prophylaxis and treatment<\/a>\u00a0of UTI\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Cranberry juice<\/strong><\/p>\n

Everyone\u2019s heard of cranberry juice as a cure for UTI\u2019s. And the science proves it. Two randomized controlled studies prove that cranberry juice does reduce the number of symptomatic UTI\u2019s over a twelve-month period.\u00a0Unsweetened cranberry<\/a>\u00a0juice is best as sugar tends to worsen the infection. You can dilute 1 ounce of juice with 7 ounces of water. Cranberries have proanthocyanidins. This is a compound that prevents E.coli from multiplying within the urethra.<\/p>\n

Pineapple<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pineapple<\/a>\u00a0contains bromelain. It\u2019s a protease mixture or enzyme mixture that has been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties. It also increases wound healing and immunomodulatory effects. It\u2019s also being studied as an anticancer agent.<\/p>\n

Probiotics<\/strong><\/p>\n

Among pregnant and breastfeeding women, probiotics are often recommended.\u00a0Probiotics<\/a>\u00a0contain healthy bacteria which help your immune system and staves off infection. Probiotics like fermented yogurt and live cultures can give you a dose of \u201cgood\u201d bacteria.<\/p>\n

Vitamin C<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you want to prevent a UTI infection you can take\u00a0Vitamin C<\/a>. It makes the urine acidic. This prevents bacteria from multiplying. With the bacteria controlled, the chances of a UTI are less.<\/p>\n

Lemon juice<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lemon juice<\/a>\u00a0also contains ascorbic acid. It makes the urine acidic and controls the bacteria. You can drink lemon juice or can be used prophylactically in those who have frequent UTI\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Baking soda<\/strong><\/p>\n

Urine alkalinization<\/a>\u00a0has been studied in female patients with lower UTI\u2019s. In fact, in chronic patients, this alkalinization is done with sodium bicarbonate. You can use \u00bd tsp of\u00a0baking soda<\/a>\u00a0in warm water and drink this in the morning. This wouldn\u2019t be suitable for people with hypertension as it contains sodium which increases blood pressure.<\/p>\n

Apple Cider Vinegar<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dilute two tbsps. of\u00a0apple cider vinegar\u00a0<\/a>in a cup of water. You can add honey to this mixture. Drink this in the morning till your infection clears. Apple cider vinegar hasantimicrobial activity<\/a>\u00a0against E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans.<\/p>\n

Garlic<\/strong><\/p>\n

Garlic<\/a>\u00a0has been studied for its effects against dyslipidemia and its antithrombotic effects. It has numerous benefits that now clinicians are considering garlic tablets as part of therapy. However, in uncomplicated urinary tract infections, it also plays a role due to its antifungal and antimicrobial properties. There is very limited scientific evidence about the usage of garlic for non-E. coli UTI.<\/p>\n

Blueberries<\/strong><\/p>\n

A few\u00a0blueberries<\/a>\u00a0in your diet either whole or juiced would be great till your infection clears.<\/p>\n

Like cranberries, they also contain proanthocyanidins which help stave off E Coli.<\/p>\n

Foods to avoid<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you have a UTI there are some foods that can worsen your condition.<\/p>\n

Sugar<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sugars can contribute to the growth of yeast which can aggravate your UTI. Any refined flour, white bread, pasta and sweet stuff can be responsible for increasing your sugar levels. Increase sugar levels also affect the immunity and hence can encourage the growth of bacteria and slows down the resolution of your infection.<\/p>\n

Caffeine<\/strong><\/p>\n

Caffeine is a stimulant and a diuretic. It is known to be a bladder irritant as it produces early urgency and increases the frequency of urination. If you have symptoms if UTI you should avoid, coffee, tea, and alcohol.<\/p>\n

Spicy food<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lay off the spice and other foods that can irritate the bladder. You don\u2019t want a very active bladder when you have a UTI.<\/p>\n

Red meat<\/strong><\/p>\n

Red meat also tends to add more acid to your gut and lowers pH levels in the body. Try and avoid red meat if you have an active urinary tract infection. Eat a high fibre diet instead.<\/p>\n

Diagnosis and Treatment<\/strong><\/p>\n

After asking about your symptoms, and making a tentative diagnosis your doctor may want to physically examine you and order a routine urine test and a bacterial culture of your urine. This is to confirm if you have an infection. And also to determine the causative bacteria or microorganism responsible for the infection.<\/p>\n

Usually, doctors will instruct you to submit a clean catch sample of urine. This is done by washing the area and then collecting a sample midstream. The sample is collected in a sterile container to prevent cross contamination.<\/p>\n

Treatments are usually targeted towards the offending bacteria. And these are usually antibiotics. Bacteria that are sensitive to the antibiotics will be killed. However, with every urinary tract infection and subsequent treatment, the bacteria may develop resistance and so it\u2019s essential that you prevent recurrent urinary tract infections.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

URINARY TRACT INFECTION: WHAT YOU SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT EAT<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Pamela Fernandes, MD 50% of women experience a\u00a0urinary tract infection\u00a0(UTI) in their lifetime. It costs over 1 billion USD and results in 1 million hospitalizations. It\u2019s common among women compared to men. UTI\u2019s are an infection of the urinary tract involving the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Left untreated the infection can escalate and damage […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-205272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-healthy-tips"],"yoast_head":"\nURINARY TRACT INFECTION: WHAT YOU SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT EAT - Rays of Hope Support Initiative<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/rohsi.org\/?p=205272\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"URINARY TRACT INFECTION: WHAT YOU SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT EAT - Rays of Hope Support Initiative\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By\u00a0Pamela Fernandes, MD 50% of women experience a\u00a0urinary tract infection\u00a0(UTI) in their lifetime. 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