You Eat A Lot Of Sugar
Bacteria that cause UTIs love feeding on sugar, so you run the risk of providing a feast for them whenever your sweet tooth strikes. Kalas V, et al. Structure-based discovery of glycomimetic FmlH ligands as inhibitors of bacterial adhesion during urinary tract infection. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1720140115
If you eat tons of added sugars and get a real surge in your blood sugar, you may end up with some of that sugar in your urine, says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Yale School of Medicine.
Some foods and beverages, like coffee, booze, and chocolate, can also irritate your delicate urinary tract and exacerbate an existing UTI.
Recurrent Yeast Infections And Eating Too Much Sugar
BackgroundThe maximum daily sugar intake for a woman is 50g, the immune system becomes suppressed and unable to ward off any bad bacteria that can lead to an overgrowth of yeast in the vagina, so too can the foods you eat, and that limiting sugar will cure you of it, Oral Thrush, but in a UTI/thrush sufferer this needs to be curtailed sugar
Why Does Diabetes Cause Frequent Urination
Diabetes is a condition that, among other symptoms, causes your body to have trouble creating or using insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that draws glucose or sugar into the cells to use as energy. This can result in highly elevated blood sugar levels.
Too much sugar in your blood is extremely taxing on the kidneys, which work to process that sugar. When the kidneys arent up to the job, much of that glucose is eliminated from the body through your urine.
This process also flushes out valuable hydrating fluids from your body, often leaving people with diabetes peeing frequently as well as dehydrated.
Early on, you may not even notice that youre urinating more often than normal. One of the key warning signs, however, should be if frequent urination starts to wake you up from sleep and deplete your energy levels.
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How To Treat Frequent Urination Caused By Diabetes
Treating bladder problems stemming from diabetes is best approached by treating the disease as a whole.
Simply monitoring fluid intake or scheduling bathroom trips likely wont help much, as the major problem is excess blood sugar, not excess fluid.
If you do have diabetes, your doctor will come up with a treatment plan specifically for you. In general, common treatments for diabetes include:
What Is A Urinary Tract Infection
A urinary tract infection or UTI is an infection anywhere in your bladder, kidneys or in the urinary system.
An infection of the upper urinary tract or the bladder is called a bladder infection or cystitis. An infection in the urethra is called urethritis. Women tend to be more at risk of these types of infections due to their anatomy they have a much shorter area between the urethra and the opening to the urethra to the bladder. Urinary tract infections are rare in men under 50 due to their anatomy.
A more serious infection of the lower urinary tract is an infection of the kidney and the ureters and is called pyelonephritis. This is a complication and occurs when the bladder infection progresses to the kidneys.
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According to the Stanford Medicines Michael Hsieh Lab, half of women and men will have experienced a urinary tract infection during our lifetime at least once. They are the most common infection, and can lead to death in patients who are experiencing it severely. Antibiotics are the most effective therapy.The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases account 8.1 million visits to the clinic, hospitals for UTI purposes. For women, the risk of getting a UTI is 50 percent greater than a man.
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What Sugar Does To The Urinary System
When it comes to UTI development, bacteria are primarily to blame . But, there are other factors that can contribute to infection as well, including diet. Sugar consumption can increase your chances of developing a UTI by feeding E. coli and helping it thrive in your system.
Sugar is one of the preferred nutrients for E. coli and can create the perfect environment for the bacteria to rapidly grow and cause unpleasant UTI symptoms, including:
- Unpleasant burning sensation when urinating
- Strong and constant urge to urinate
- Strong-smelling urine that appears cloudy
- Pelvic pain in women
- Cola-colored, red or bright pink urine
Its important to limit your intake of sugar if you feel any UTI symptoms. The good news is that even though diet has been linked to UTI development, it has also been linked to UTI prevention. The key is to incorporate the right foods and supplements into your diet. Eating foods high in vitamin C, for example, can give you an immunity boost and change the pH of your urine so its less hospitable to E. coli.
When To See Your Doctor
See your doctor right away if you have signs of a urinary tract infection. A bladder infection is generally not a medical emergency — but some people have a higher risk for complications. This includes pregnant women, the elderly, and men, as well as people with diabetes, kidney problems, or a weakened immune system.
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Should I Avoid Sugar Completely If I Have Incontinence
You dont have to give up sugar all together, but you should definitely pay attention to the amount you consume. People are unique and what may be a big bladder irritant for one person isnt always necessarily one for someone else. The best thing to do is to keep a bladder diary and track what youre eating and drinking for a few days, as well as when you have leaks. If you start noticing certain patterns , it may be a good idea to cut back. You can also try an elimination diet by eliminating sugar all together for a period of time, then slowly introducing it back into your system to see if it makes a difference.
Of course, when it comes to sugar, moderation is key for anyone not just those experiencing leaks. Too much sugar is bad for anyone trying to stick to a healthy diet. If you can, try to stick to naturally occurring sugars found in fruits and limit foods with added sugar as much as possible.
What Causes A Uti
A UTI is caused by bacteria, usually from the bowels. Normally, the urinary tract system has safeguards to protect against infection. For example, the ureters, which are the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, have one-way valves to prevent urine from backing up into the kidneys. The process of emptying your bladder also helps to flush out bacteria and other microbes. And a healthy immune system helps protect against infection, as well.
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Uti Causes And Symptoms
UTIs are mostly caused by bacteria that enters the urinary tract. Two strains of bacteria, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus saprophyticus, are the cause of about 80% of UTIs. An infection most often affects the bladder, but can spread to any part of the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters or urethra. Its important to do something about a UTI the moment you start to have symptoms. Though a very mild UTI may go away on its own after a few days, an untreated infection could get worse and spread to the kidneys, causing long-term complications. Though rare, if the infection spreads further to your blood, causing sepsis, it could be deadly. Symptoms of a UTI can include:
- Persistent urge to urinate, even if only a small amount of urine comes out
- Pain in the abdomen, lower back, around the pubic bone or center of the pelvis
- A burning sensation while urinating
- Urine that is cloudy
- Urine that is pink, red or brown, which is a sign of blood in the urine
- Strong or off-smelling urine
Antibiotics are the main treatment for a UTI, but it helps to take preventative measures whether youve never had a UTI or get them often. In addition to some lifestyle changes, what you eat and drink can have an impact on how UTIs are treated and prevented.
Eating Your Way To A Healthier Bladder And Bowel
The NHS estimates that there are around 14 million people who have bladder control problems and around 6.5 million people who suffer from poor bowel control and these are people of all ages incontinence in not an issue just for the elderly.
Did you know that for many people, incontinence issues can be vastly improved just by adjusting what we eat and drink. In this blog, we explore how what we eat and drink can affect our bladder and/or bowel.
Foods and drinks to avoid
If you suffer from and overactive bladder or urge incontinence, there are certain foods that can aggravate your condition and leave the bladder feeling irritated and sore. These include
Cranberry juice good or bad?
It has long been thought that cranberry juice can help prevent urinary tract infections but in fact leading urologists say that there isnt any evidence to suggest that cranberry juice does have properties that stop bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall. Cranberry juice is also naturally very acidic, which could lead to bladder irritation.
Increase your fibre
Drink less or drink more?
Achieve a healthy weight
Being at healthy BMI will help to reduce the pressure on your pelvic floor muscles and provide better support to your bladder and bowel and improve your ability to better control the sphincter muscles.
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Diabetes And Urinary Tract Infections
To avoid urinary tract infections, consult your doctor if symptoms occur.
People whose diabetes is not properly controlled have twice the risk of developing infections.
In addition to diabetes, you could be more susceptible to urinary tract infections if:
- Your blood glucose levels are not properly controlled.
- Sugar in the urine promotes bacterial growth.
- Your nervous system is already affected by diabetes .
- You could have a lazy bladder that does not empty completely.
- You are a woman.
- Certain anatomical traits, such as having a shorter urethra, increase the risk of bacterial contamination.
- You already have diabetes complications in your kidneys or blood vessels.
- This could be a sign that your diabetes is not properly controlled.
- You have had a urinary tract infection within the last year.
- People who have had infections within the last year are more at risk of a recurrence.
Bladder Conditions And Urinary Tract Infections
“Diabetes can affect the function and structure of the lower urinary tract, which in turn may play a role in patients with diabetes having more UTIs, overactive or underactive bladder, and problems with urination,” says Michael J. Kennelly, MD, Professor of Urology and Obstetrics & Gynecology at Carolinas Medical Center.
Over time, people with diabetes may lose sensory function. This can make it hard to know that you have to go to the bathroom. As a result, people may wait too long to go to the bathroom, or if the urine stays in the bladder too long, it may raise your chance for getting a bladder or kidney infection.
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Artificial Sweeteners May Worsen Bladder Symptoms
When you’re trying to cut calories at every corner, artificial sweeteners may seem like a healthy replacement for sugar. But if you’ve got a urinary tract infection, its possible that your bladder infection symptoms may worsen if you use artificial sweeteners. While one study found that artificial sweeteners worsened bladder symptoms in people with chronic interstitial cystitis, there’s no real proof they irritate the bladder when you have a simple UTI. But if these fake sweeteners bother you, skip them.
Preventing Utis With Diabetes
Taking care of your diabetes well will help prevent UTIs. For example, having high blood glucose levels can increase your risk of a UTI, so keeping blood sugar levels as steady as possible is important. Make sure you empty as much of your bladder as possible when you pee. This can be an issue for people with diabetes and can contribute to bacteria growth that can cause infection.
Other UTI prevention tips are the same whether you have diabetes or not. They include:
- Drink plenty of water.
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Pathogenesis And Risk Factors
Multiple potential mechanisms unique to diabetes may contribute to the increased risk of UTI in diabetic patients. Higher glucose concentrations in urine may promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria., However, several studies did not find an association between HbA1c level, which serves as a proxy for glycosuria, and risk of UTI among diabetic patients also, sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, which increase glycosuria, were not found to increase the rate of UTI., High renal parenchymal glucose levels create a favorable environment for the growth and multiplication of microorganisms, which might be one of the precipitating factors of pyelonephritis and renal complications such as emphysematous pyelonephritis., Various impairments in the immune system, including humoral, cellular, and innate immunity may contribute in the pathogenesis of UTI in diabetic patients.,, Lower urinary interleukin-6 and -8 levels were found in patients with diabetes with ASB, compared to those without diabetes with ASB. Autonomic neuropathy involving the genitourinary tract results in dysfunctional voiding and urinary retention, decreasing physical bacterial clearance through micturition, thereby facilitating bacterial growth.,, Bladder dysfunction occurs in 26%85% of diabetic women, depending on age extent of neuropathy and duration of diabetic disease, and thus should be considered in all diabetic patients with UTI.
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Can Eating Too Much Salt Cause A Urinary Tract Infection
According to the National Institutes of Health, urinary tract infections cause an estimated 8.3 million physician visits every year. Some people do not have any symptoms, while others may have to urinate a lot, but in small amounts, have a burning pain when they urinate, or have urine which has a strong smell or is pink.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
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How Can You Prevent Utis
When it comes to UTI prevention, rumors and misconceptions abound. But, for the most part, these are the typical prevention recommendations for people with recurrent UTIs :
- A new birth control: If recurrent UTIs are caused by using diaphragms or spermicide, you can talk to your healthcare provider about alternative contraceptives.
- Topical estrogen: If youre getting UTIs because youre postmenopausal, your healthcare provider may prescribe topical estrogen.
- Antibiotic prophylaxis: If your UTIs can be traced to sexual activity, you might be prescribed an antibiotic prophylaxis, or a proactive course of antibiotics like Keflex or Cipro, and advised to take it before or after sex.
There are a few other possible methods that could prove helpful for UTI prevention, but the clinical evidence for them is lacking:
Youve likely also heard about behavioral modifications you can make to reduce the risk of getting a UTI. Heres where the science stands on some of the most common ones:
What about avoiding douches and feminine hygiene sprays? Doctors dont recommend using either, but the reason isnt to prevent UTIs: Douching changes the balance of good bacteria that lives in your vagina, which can cause yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis and any type of spray or deodorant that goes on the vulva can irritate it.
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How Does Diabetes Cause Damage To My Kidneys
Diabetes can harm the kidneys by causing damage to:
- Blood vessels inside your kidneys. The filtering units of the kidney are filled with tiny blood vessels. Over time, high sugar levels in the blood can cause these vessels to become narrow and clogged. Without enough blood, the kidneys become damaged and albumin passes through these filters and ends up in the urine where it should not be.
- Nerves in your body. Diabetes can also cause damage to the nerves in your body. Nerves carry messages between your brain and all other parts of your body, including your bladder. They let your brain know when your bladder is full. But if the nerves of the bladder are damaged, you may not be able to feel when your bladder is full. The pressure from a full bladder can damage your kidneys.
- Urinary tract. If urine stays in your bladder for a long time, you may get a urinary tract infection. This is because of bacteria. Bacteria are tiny organisms like germs that can cause disease. They grow rapidly in urine with a high sugar level. Most often these infections affect the bladder, but they can sometimes spread to the kidneys.
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Support Your Good Bacteria Instead Of The Bad
Whilst we can aim to avoid excess sugar which risks spurring on our bad bacteria, another tactic is to focus on supporting our good bacteria instead. See, we have both good and bad types of bacteria throughout our system naturally however, these operate in a delicate balance and our good bacteria need to be of adequate numbers to help keep the bad guys in check.
To help support your good bacteria, a combination of prebiotics and probiotics work particularly well. Prebiotics such as our Molkosan help to correct the internal environment and the pH in and around our digestive and urinary tracts, which helps set the scene to top up our numbers of good bacteria themselves . For urinary tract or intimate issues, I often recommend Optibac For Women.