Urinary Tract Infection Foods To Avoid

Urinary Tract Infections Must Be Treated Promptly By Your Doctor Left Untreated A Uti Can Be Painful And May Spread There Are Several Things You Should Avoid While You Have A Uti In Order To Prevent Worsening Of Symptoms

Urinary tract infection is one of the most common infections affecting older adults, especially women. If you have a UTI without complications, and you are otherwise in good health, your doctor might prescribe a shorter urinary tract infection treatment, such as a 3-day course of antibiotics. However, treatment type and length will depend on your medical profile and specific symptoms. Additionally, your physician may prescribe pain medication that relieves burning during urination, but pain is usually relieved shortly after beginning the antibiotic treatment. Below is some information to help you know what to do if you have a UTI infection in order to prevent exacerbating your UTI symptoms.

The following things can further irritate your bladder and increase the frequency of sensing an urgent need to urinate. Until your UTI has cleared up, you should:

What Happens If You Let A Urinary Tract Infection Go Untreated

If the infection moves up the urethra, they may cause a bladder infection . Bacteria that have infected the bladder may travel to the upper urinary tract, the ureters and the kidneys. An infection of the kidneys is called pyelonephritis. An upper urinary tract infection may cause a more severe illness than a lower urinary tract infection.

How Can I Prevent Uti Naturally

UTIs, or urinary tract infections, are actually fairly easy to control and/or avoid with a balanced diet. In fact, your diet is often the first place you should look to improve when trying to increase your overall health. Not only food, but also the beverages you drink have a heavy influence on bladder health and UTI contractions.

Recommended Reading: Severe Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms In Elderly

Avoid Delays In Urinating

Do not allow yourself to hold your urine because you think you are too busy to urinate. When you sense the urge to urinate and hold in the urine instead, you can put yourself at risk for major urinary tract issues. Retaining the urine also allows germs that are floating in your bladder to remain there. Emptying the bladder promptly flushes out bacteria.

For more information about UTI symptoms and treatments, or to make an appointment to see an OB/GYN in Little Rock AR, contact us by calling the Womans Clinic at 664-4131.

Foods To Eat For A Uti

In order to recover from a UTI as soon as possible, you may want to try consuming the following foods:

• Berries. Although researchers are still studying their effectiveness, its believed that eating cranberries, blueberries, and raspberries can help fight off a UTI. They contain proanthocyanidin, which has been shown to prevent infection-causing bacteria from adhering to the lining of the urinary tract.
• Probiotic-rich foods. Try incorporating foods like plain Greek yogurt, pickles, and sauerkraut into your diet, since they contain good bacteria that can help combat an infection.
• High-fiber foods. Foods that are high in fibersuch as bananas, beans, lentils, nuts, oats, and other whole grainscan help remove harmful bacteria from your body. They also encourage regular bowel movements, which can help relieve some bladder pressure.
• Salmon. Cold-water fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation caused by a UTI. Fish oil supplements are another great alternative for individuals who dont eat fish always consult your doctor before adding any supplements to your diet.

Read Also: Urinary Tract Infection And Alcohol

Advice On How To Reduce Your Risk Of Getting A Uti And Steps To Take If You Think You Have One

• Stay hydrated! Good hydration is essential to prevent urinary tract infections
• Drink regularly throughout the day
• Have at least eight BIG drinks each day – you can download a handy drinks tracker here. .
• Avoid too many fizzy, caffeinated or alcoholic drinks .
• Make sure that older people or people with dementia are reminded to drink regularly as their sense of thirst can diminish.
• Eat lots of foods such as fruit, salad or jelly, which all contain higher levels of water
• Use the wee scale one to three is normal wee, four to 8 you must hydrate!

Things To Avoid: Sugar & Utis

Adjusting your diet for a UTI involves more than introducing certain foods and drinks it also means abstaining from things. Not sure where to start? Heres a simple rule of thumb to follow: Avoid sugar for a UTI. Sugar is laced in an overwhelming amount of commercial foods and drinks these days. Unfortunately, it can also aggravate an infection. To cut back on these sugary delights and boost your care plan for a UTI, avoid:

• Carbohydrates
• Alcohol
• Artificial sweeteners

Although theres no evidence that artificial sweeteners can worsen a UTI, they have been shown to exacerbate bladder symptoms for individuals with chronic interstitial cystitis, so you may want to avoid them. Other foods and beverages to avoid with a UTI include:

• Spicy foods. Certain spicy foods can irritate the bladder. Instead, try sticking to a bland dietlike the BRAT dietwhen you have a UTI.
• Citrus. Although theyre high in immunity-boosting vitamin C, highly acidic fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits can irritate your bladder and aggravate UTI symptoms.
• Caffeinated drinks. Its important to stay hydrated when you have a UTI, but stay away from coffee and other caffeinated beverages. When in doubt, choose water!

Recommended Reading: What Cause Urinary Tract Infection In Male

Drink Plenty Of Fluids

Stay hydrated throughout the day. This will make you pee more frequently, which flushes bacteria out of your urinary tract.

Water is the best choice. Aim for 6 to 8 glasses per day. If its hard for you to drink that much water, you can also increase your fluid intake by drinking sparkling water, decaffeinated herbal tea, milk, or smoothies made with fruits and vegetables.

Try to limit or avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks, which may irritate the bladder.

So Much Of What I Read Led Me To Believe Two Things About Utis In Men:

#1: Men dont suffer from UTIs as much as women, based on their anatomy.

Longer urethas mean its easier to flush out bacteria when urinating.

#2: When men do contract a UTI, they tend to be whats called a complicated infection.

There is a need to be observant and prudent in treatment.

Id be interested to know if any guys reading this have tried any of these home remedies and what they discovered.

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Best For Senior Cats: Blue Buffalo W+u Weight Management + Urinary Care Wet Food

Key Ingredients: Chicken, chicken broth and liver, pea protein, potatoes, whitefish, carrots, cranberries | Calories per Serving: 68 | Balance: Crude Protein min. 8.5%, Crude Fat min. 2.5%, Crude Fiber max. 4%, Moisture max. 78% | Life Stage: Adult, senior | Texture: Paté

• Manages two problems with one food

• Grain-free

• Prescription required

Obesity can be a problem for senior kitties who become less active as they age, especially for indoor only cats and those with health problems that sap their energy or reduce their mobility. Since some urinary problems are more common in senior, overweight and/or obese cats, it makes sense to consider a food that provides ideal levels of fat, calories, and fiber to help your cat manage its weight as well as controlled mineral levels to keep urine pH lower to prevent crystal and stone formation.

Blue Buffalo W+U Weight Management and Urinary Care canned wet food is an excellent choice carried by many veterinarians. With chicken as the first ingredient, this food also has added plant fiber in the form of powdered cellulose so your cat will feel fuller despite being a lower calorie food. Levels of magnesium and sodium are controlled to promote balanced urinary pH.

Blue Buffalo reports that its science-based formulas are developed by a team of PhD animal nutritionists, food scientists, and veterinarians.

What Is A Urinary Tract Infection

A urinary tract infection can take place anywhere along the urinary tract, and your dog is particularly susceptible to such infection when his or her immune system is already weakened. UTIs are typically caused by the bacteria E. Coli, and result from the bacteria gathering on the outside of the urethral opening, and they tend to move up the urinary tract towards, and sometimes into the bladder or kidneys, which can result in very serious complications. Another symptom that dogs with UTIs often exhibit, is the presence of kidney stones, or crystals in the urine, that can create a favorable environment for bacteria to collect. All UTI-related problems are likely to be very painful for your dog, so its important to recognize the symptoms and have a veterinarian diagnose the illness and help you treat your dog accordingly.

Recommended Reading: Does Cranberry Juice Clean Urinary Tract

* Disclaimer: All Information In This Post Is Based On My Personal Experience And Is Not Intended To Take The Place Of Your Doctors Advice

The dreaded urinary tract infection aint nobody got time for that!

During my last bout of fighting a bladder infection , I researched home remedies and came across a ton of information.

Google knows whats what.

Once I gathered a list of the most common remedies, I went to the people.

I asked around to see if anyone had given any of the remedies a go.

The results were evenly split between those who would never ever attempt to treat a bladder infection on their own and those that have and regularly do, with good results.

Cat Urinary Infection Causes

Avoid grain foods when feeding a cat. If your male cat has urinary blockage, it means their urethra the tube that drains urine from the bladder to the penis and out of the body is blocked by inflammatory material.

Apple Cider Vinegar Remedy for Cat Urinary Tract

• If left untreated, a uti can lead to partial or complete blockage of the urethra.

Also Check: Can Probiotics Help With Urinary Tract Infection

Whats A Cpac And Why Is It Helpful

I know I mentioned this above, but in case youve scrolled down without reading, heres the info again:

PACs are a class of polyphenols .

The PACs found in cranberries help prevent the adhesion of certain harmful bacteria, including E. coli .

Supplements can deliver a higher dose of cPACs, compared to juice.

As soon as I suspected my UTI, I was taking 2 cranberry supplements a day throughout the infection and for two weeks post just for good measure.

This is the one I use :

Watch For Early Signs Of Infection

You may notice warning signs before you start to experience symptoms of UTI.

• Gritty sediment in the urine.
• Mucus in the urine. This is often a sign of high levels of bacteria in the
• Dark, cloudy or bad smelling urine.

If you notice any of these, you might be able to fend off UTI.

• Cut back on drinking liquids with alcohol, caffeine, and sugar.
• Drink more water to help wash out more of the bacteria.
• If you do intermittent catheterization, do it more often. If you use an indwelling catheter, change it.

Consider changing it again after the early signs of infection have gone away.

Recommended Reading: Can Baking Soda Cure Urinary Tract Infection

Foods That Will Help Prevent Urinary Problems

It can be tough to get your cat to drink a great deal of water, as cats are naturally thirst-tolerant animals. Some strategies for increasing your cat’s water intake include purchasing a “kitty fountain” or providing plenty of fresh water in multiple bowls. Kitty fountains are particularly effective because many cats prefer drinking running water.

In general, good quality canned cat foods are better for urinary health than dry foods. That said, however, there are some dry foods that have been carefully pH balanced. Even if you choose a high-quality dry food, however, canned food and water remain your cat’s most important weapons against urinary crystals or stones.

What Should You Do Now

Seeing a primary care doctor is still your best option if you experience symptoms of a urinary tract infection. While it is always advisable to see a healthcare professional if you suspect you have some sort of infection, the information given in this article is still important. If followed properly, it could be the deciding factor between a recurring UTI and a cured one.

Lets go over the important tips for preventing future infections again.

• Drink lots of water.
• Dont hold in the waste product urinate as soon as you need to.
• Take showers instead of baths avoid hot tubs and Jacuzzis.
• Use cranberries as an antibiotic and prophylaxis.
• Supplement your diet with probiotic-rich foods.
• Wear comfortable clothes, like cotton. Anything that comes into contact with your private areas should be cotton.
• Baking soda, both drinking and bathing with it, can go a long way to relieve pain.
• Avoiding sugars and bowel irritants will reduce the number of times you have to bear that burning sensation. Cut out caffeine, avoid caffeine-loaded soft drinks, and dont drink alcohol.
• Consume large amounts of Vitamin C to limit the growth of bacteria.

Also Check: Why Am I Prone To Urinary Tract Infections

How Do I Know If My Dog Has A Urinary Tract Infection

Common symptoms of lower urinary tract problems in dogs meaning an infection no further up the system than the bladder include: difficulty urinating, more attempts than usual to urinate, dribbling of urine, breaking housetraining, licking around the urinary tract opening, and blood in the urine, as well as foul smelling, discolored urine.

If the infection is more local to the kidneys an upper urinary tract infection, your dog may have trouble with eating and appetite, might exhibit weight loss symptoms, and may vomit more than usual. If an upper UTI becomes more serious, your dog may become lethargic, have a fever, and/or experience soreness in the abdomen.

Both types of urinary tract problems in dogs are very dangerous if left untreated. UTIs are more common in female dogs than male, but if a male dog has a urinary tract infection, it could become life-threatening. If your dog displays any symptoms of a UTI, you should take him or her to a vet immediately.

What Are Symptoms Of A Uti In Females

• The most common sign of a UTI is a strong urgency to urinate.
• Dysuria is when sharp pains or burning is felt when urinating.
• The urge to urinate returns minutes later .
• Soreness may be felt in the lower abdomen, in the back or in the sides.If you notice a strong odor, cloudy urine or even blood presence, you should walk-in to the GYN Emergent Care Center for immediate care.

If bacteria enters the ureters and spreads to the kidneys, symptoms may include back pain, chills, fever, nausea and vomiting.

Recommended Reading: Urinary Tract Health Cranberry Pills

Why Cats Are Prone To Urine Crystals And Bladder Stones

Urine crystals and bladder stones form when more magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, or protein exists in your cat’s urine than its system is able to effectively dissolved. Special diets that prevent the formation of one kind of crystal can actually cause the other, so it is best to avoid such diets for your cat.

A great deal of research has been on-going as to the relationship of diet to urinary tract health, and the thinking has changed over a period of just a few years. Originally it was thought that diets high in magnesium and ash contributed to the problem. Now, more emphasis is being placed on the pH of urine . Veterinarians recommend a range between 6.0 and 6.5.

Foods To Avoid When Treating A Uti

If youâre suffering from a Urinary Tract Infection , you need to make sure youâre following the proper procedures to alleviate as much pain as possible. This means that you need to watch what you put in your body, because certain elements can cause problems for you. From drinks to actual foods, weâre going to tell you about what you should avoid.

Caffeine. Itâs a single word, but it is everywhere in most diets. Coffee and soda are leading culprits when it comes to making life miserable with UTI. The reason being is that caffeine can increase the rate at which you urinate, which has two problems associated with it. If you proceed to urinate frequently, youâre bound to experience slight dehydration in your body, resulting in salts in your urine. These salts can irritate the bladder, and worsen the symptoms of UTI. On the other hand, you may find yourself holding back the desire to urinate. If you are in this category, you run the risk of increased bacteria in the bladder. Water and cranberry juice are the two most beneficial things you can drink, as they flush bacteria from your system with little to no irritation.

Sugar is a great food source for bacteria, but not good to eat when you have a UTI! You should avoid sugary foods such as cookies, soda, chips, candy, cake and foods with starch.

For more information on how your diet effects cancer, click here.

Read Also: Kidney Stone In Urinary Tract

Foods That Are Great For Bladder Health

Your bladder is an important part of the urinary tract system. Its an essential pear-shaped organ made out of expandable components that holds on to urine until its expelled from your body. The bladder itself is quite impressive and is able to stretch from about two inches to over six inches long, depending on the amount of liquid its holding.1 In a typical person, your bladder will reach capacity when it fills up with about 16-24 ounces of urine, but most people start to feel the urge to urinate when it is only 25% full.1 At this point, your body starts to send nerve signals to the brain indicating that its time to find a restroom. When you proceed to use the bathroom, there is a mixture of voluntary and involuntary muscles working to lead urine from the bladder, through the urethra, and out of the body.

Your bladder works hand-in-hand with your kidneys to filter fluid and wastes from the bloodstream. They are the primary parts of the urinary tract system. The . When your bladder isnt functioning properly, it can lead to a number of problems.

Choosing Healthier Drinks

Different Types of Tea

Certain Fruit Juices

Lemon Enhanced Water