5 Secrets for Keeping Those UTI's* at Bay

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October 13, 2013

*Urinary Tract Infections

You sometimes hear this statement when you visit your doctor, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. This is very true when it comes to urinary tract infections among women. It's sad to know that they're ten times more common among women than men. Sorry about that, but it doesn't mean that you as a woman will not be able to do anything about it. According to statistics, the majority of women experiencing UTI will have to go to a doctor. You know what that means. It might be additional medical costs or even absent days at work. Why would you let yourself experience that when you can prevent it? I know, right? Let's get started.

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Drink water like a camel. An average sized camel can drink up to 200L of water in 3 minutes. Don't worry dear reader, I'm not asking you to drink that much in such a short amount of time. I was just exaggerating. Seriously though, you should drink plenty of water throughout the day. You shouldn't drink water only when you're thirsty.

How much water should you drink? This may sound like a simple and straightforward question to you. Though there are some critical factors to consider like where you live (Iceland versus somewhere in the Sahara Desert?), the state of your health and how active you are (please get off the couch). Once you identify these factors, you can more easily gauge the amount of water you will have to drink to stay hydrated and keep flushing out those bacteria.

You've probably heard this saying, “Drink eight glasses of water per day”. According to recent research, a more precise amount would fall around 3L of water per day for men (around 13 cups) and 2.2L of water per day for women (around 9 cups). So we say “Drink AT LEAST eight glasses of water per day”. Copy?

Water is helpful to wash bacteria away and prevent dehydration, but look in the opposite direction when it comes to sweetened drinks like sodas and fruit juices as these do not count as part of your 8 glasses!
Be sure you can breath down there. I'm not talking about Australia, the Land Down Under. Make sure your drawers (underwear) are breathable and comfortable. They should be made of natural fabrics i.e. things that grow. Examples include cotton, wool, hemp, linen and others. They keep moisture out and deter the growth of bacteria. You're also friendly to the environment. Some, like bamboo, are even hypoallergenic (less likely to give you allergies).

Pay your respects to CJ, that's cranberry juice. Your urinary tract extends from your kidneys to your urethral orifice (where pee comes out). Bacteria can adhere to the walls of your urinary tract and produce an infection. CJ prevents bacteria from acting like Spiderman (adhering to the walls) and behaving like the Green Goblin (producing an infection). Some studies theorize that CJ contains antioxidants which modify the bacteria and render them incapable of attacking themselves. Other studies state that it promotes some sort of a slip and slide mechanism. It makes the surface of your urinary tract so slippery that even bacteria can't attach to it. Either way, CJ helps prevent UTI’s. Just make sure you choose the unsweetened ones with 100% cranberry juice at the supermarket.

Vitamin C - your best friend! In addition to it supporting your immune system from intruders, vitamin C also helps to make your urine more acidic which can help to flush out bacteria and make your urinary tract an unfriendly place for these infection causing bacteria.
Don't wait for your bladder to burst! If you have to go, then go! Emptying your bladder at the right time flushes out the bacteria from your urinary tract. Holding on can give bacteria time to loiter around and adhere to the walls of your urinary tract. They might even set up camp and start the invasion (infection). So, the next time your bladder tells you to pee, obey sooner rather than later.

Follow these tips and let us know how they work out for you. If you have other suggestions, feel free to share them with us.