6 Tips to Prevent Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that affects your kidneys, bladder, ureters, and urethra. This infection can also affect surrounding organs. Common symptoms include:

• Burning or painful sensations during urination
• Cramping or pressure in the lower abdomen
• Frequent urges to urinate
• Bloody or cloudy urine

If you’ve ever experienced a UTI, you know how uncomfortable it is to deal with. You might even be willing to do anything to avoid contracting it again. This condition is quite common, so preventative steps are important. So, here are some tips to prevent urinary tract infection as well as some healthy diet options to reduce your chances of suffering from a UTI.

Drink Plenty of Fluids

Bacteria can build up in your urinary tract. Without adequate flushing, this bacterium can cause a UTI. So the first step in preventing a UTI is to stay hydrated throughout your day. Be mindful of what you’re drinking, and how often you pee.

Studies have even shown that increasing fluid intake is highly effective in preventing recurrent UTI. Women who consistently drank more than eight glasses of liquids or 1.5 liters each day for twelve months were able to avoid contracting a UTI.

For people who have trouble drinking more water, using other fluids such as herbal tea, milk, and even chocolate drinks — like Bona Vita’s 8-in-1 Choco — still works wonders for rehydrating your body. What is important is that you’re able to increase your daily intake to flush out the bacteria.

Wipe Front to Back

Your rectum can also harbor a significant amount of bacteria, such as E.coli. Wiping from back to front can easily transfer those microorganisms to your genitals, causing an infection. So, be mindful when you’re in the bathroom, and avoid wiping this way.

Instead, wipe in a front-to-back motion after using the toilet. It’s even more important to do this when you’re experiencing digestive problems, as it can be hard to control your bowel movements. Wiping away from your genitals prevents the risk of infection, and can remove bacteria from entering your urethra.

Don’t Hold in Your Pee

Holding in your urine can also encourage bacteria growth in your urinary tract. While simply holding it in won’t directly cause a UTI, it will prevent adequate flushing of your system. The bacteria will then sit and multiply, which will increase the risk of it traveling into your urinary tract.

To prevent this from happening, try not to wait more than a few hours to pee. Holding it in for more than four hours will increase your chances of a UTI. When in the bathroom, make sure to empty your bladder.

Avoid Certain Feminine Products

When selecting your feminine hygiene products — like tampons, feminine wash, and others — avoid ones with scents. Also, try to avoid using abrasive scrubs or douches to clean your genitals.

Your body needs to maintain a healthy pH level to regulate “good” and “bad” bacteria in your body. Scented products have chemicals that can disrupt the delicate balance your body has as they affect your pH levels.

When your pH balance is disrupted, harmful bacteria growth will be promoted. Good bacteria will be overpowered and unable to fight against infectious organisms. This can result in UTIs, among other types of infection. Using products that exfoliate can also cause irritation and small cuts, which can also become infected.

So, when maintaining genital hygiene, avoid using products such as:

• Scented napkin pads and tampons
• Scented bath oils, soaps, and bubble baths
• Douches
• Exfoliating scrubs
• Deodorant sprays or scented powders

Take Probiotics

Taking care of your diet will also decrease your chances of a UTI. In particular, making sure your gut microbiome is healthy will increase the amount of “good” bacteria in your urinary tract. These bacteria will fight off infectious microorganisms and protect you from infection.

To promote your gut health, consider taking probiotics. Lactobacilli strains are especially effective in lessening your chances of contracting a UTI. This probiotic can be added to your diet through fermented foods — like yogurt or kefir — or by taking probiotic supplements.

Increase Your Vitamin C

Aside from taking probiotics, you can also increase your daily vitamin C intake to prevent a UTI. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that strengthens your body’s natural defenses. Additionally, taking in more vitamin C can make your urine more acidic, which helps in cleaning your urinary tract of excess bacteria.

Vitamin C isn’t produced by our bodies. Rather, our dose comes from the food we eat, so make sure you’re eating and drinking vitamin C-rich foods every day. Add things like citrus fruits and leafy vegetables to your meals to increase your intake. If you find it hard to incorporate these items into your menu, consider looking for alternative vitamin C sources.

One great option for you is taking Bona Vita’s 8-in-1 Coffee! This coffee has mangosteen, acai berries, and Guaynabo, which are all vitamin-C-rich fruits. Taking a cup of this coffee every day will help you get the vitamins you need to maintain a healthy body.

Key Takeaway

A UTI can be uncomfortable and painful to deal with. Worse, serious consequences can occur with repeat infections, or if it spreads to other organs. This is why you should take steps to reduce your chances of contracting this condition. UTI’s can’t always be avoided, but using these tips to prevent urinary tract infections will significantly reduce your risk of getting one.

On top of these prevention methods, make sure you’re taking in nutritious and hydrating foods every day. Try Bona Vita’s vitamin-packed drinks to become healthier today!