(Adapted from Pelvic Health Solutions)
- Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. This helps to dilute your urine and ensures you urinate more frequently, allowing bacteria to be flushed from your urinary tract before an infection can begin. Not only can dehydration lead to a urinary tract infection, but it can also increase your risk for painful kidney stones.
- Wear cotton underwear. Cotton underwear allows more air circulation, keeping the urethra dry. Moisture can be an excellent breeding ground for bacteria.
- Do NOT wear thongs. Thongs track bacteria from your anus forward to your vagina.
- Wipe from front to back. Doing so after urinating and after a bowel movement helps prevent bacteria in the anal region from spreading to the vagina and urethra. Perfumes and fragrances on toilet paper can be quite irritating to the urethral area, encouraging the growth of infection-causing bacteria.
- Urinate soon after intercourse. This helps to flush any bacteria from the urinary tract.
- Avoid potentially irritating feminine products. Using deodorant sprays or other feminine products such as douches, powders, bath oils and bubble baths in the genital area can irritate the urethra. Choose a shower over a bath to avoid exposing your urethra to stagnant water.
- Drink cranberry juice. Drink true cranberry juice, not cranberry cocktail, or take a cranberry pill (one 400mg tablet twice/day). The antioxidant compound in cranberries and blueberries called epicatechin may work directly on UTI-causing bacteria such as E. coli, affecting the tendrils on their surface which stops them from being able to attach to the lining of the urethral walls. Cranberry compounds also appear to weaken bacterial cells.
- Avoid using spermicides as a form of birth control.
- Eat plain yogurt with active cultures. Yogurt with live bacterial cultures helps to keep up your gut’s population of “good bacteria”, which helps to keep your “bad bacteria” in check. You can also take a probiotic for urogenital health found in health food stores.
- Avoid sugary foods and beverages. Refined sugar or high-fructose corn syrup creates an environment in which bacteria thrive and multiply, making infection more likely. Natural sources of sugar, such as fresh fruit, is OK.
- Avoid chicken. Chicken (even if you just prepare it but don’t eat it), exposes you to E. coli bacteria through cross-contamination (see www.nutritionfacts.org).
Try these tips out for improved bladder health. Add your recommendations for avoiding urinary tract infections below!
The information in this blog is provided as an information resource only and should not be used as a substitute for seeking personalized direction from your overseeing physician. Please consult your healthcare team before making any decisions about your pessary treatment plan, which is unique to you and your overall health. Toronto Pessary Clinic expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this blog.