Urologists top tips for urinary health

Urologists top tips for urinary health

Your urinary tract system is quite an amazing feat of human plumbing. This important and vital bodily system is in charge of removing waste that accumulates needing to be eliminated every single day.  Essentially a drainage system, your urinary tract is responsible for removing urine, which is composed of wastes and extra fluid.  In order for normal urination to occur, all body parts in the urinary tract need to work together in the correct order.  

Parts of the body that make up the urinary system include the kidneys, which filter blood; the ureters, which move urine from the kidneys to the bladder; the bladder, which stores urine; and the urethra, through which urine exits the body.  Functionally, the kidneys are the most complicated part of the system.  The kidneys work by filtering blood through long tubes (ureters) then returning the filtered blood to the circulation, while some fluid and the waste products exit the kidneys as urine.

This hard-working bodily system, like all bodily systems, is prone to health complications.  This is why more than 9 million doctor visits each year are due to problems with the urinary system according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).  Some of the most common urinary problems include urinary tract infections (UTIs), urinary stones, bladder infections, and urinary incontinence.

So, what steps can you take to prevent these issues?  Fortunately, there are several simple habits urologists advice you to adopt that may reduce the risk of problems developing in your urinary tract.  When practiced regularly, it can significantly help reduce issues with the urinary tract system.

Here is what urologists recommend for a healthy urinary tract system:

·      Stay well hydrated – When you urinate, you are eliminating waste products from your body. To keep your urine flowing normally, and to avoid blockages, be sure to drink when thirsty, aiming for somewhere between 64-80 ounces of fluid (preferably mostly water) each day.  The color of urine can be a good indicator if you are well-hydrated.  It should be a very light yellow – the darker or more concentrated it is indicates you need to drink more fluids. 

·      Go easy on the salt – Too much salt in your diet keeps the salt/mineral/water balance in your kidneys off kilter. A high-sodium diet has been associated with elevated blood pressure. Long-term, uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to kidney damage. A high-salt diet may also contribute to the development of kidney stones. If fact, many people think that calcium stones are the result of eating too much calcium. Sodium, a mineral in salt, causes more salt to be excreted by the kidneys. Avoid consuming high-salt foods such as processed foods by reducing intake of canned soups and vegetables, luncheon meats, hot dogs, sausages, potato chips, crackers, and TV dinners.  Choose more fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh meat that is not processed, beans, unsalted nuts and seeds, and whole grains.

·      Consider reducing caffeine intake – Drinking caffeinated beverages may irritate your bladder and serve as a diuretic or increase your need to urinate. The more caffeine you drink, the more you may need to urinate.  

·      Don’t wait too long when needing to urinate – Withholding urination can put added pressure on your bladder which can lead to infection.

·      Women should wipe from front to back – The anus and rectum have a lot of bacteria.  Wiping from front to back ensures that you don’t bring the bacteria into contact with the vagina, resulting in urinary tract infections.

·      Take precautions after having sex – Bacteria can easily travel up into the urinary tract during sex, causing urinary tract infections. Urinating shortly after sex and wiping yourself has been shown to reduce the odds you will develop an infection.

Urinary tract infections are more likely to occur after sex in women because women have a much shorter urethra than men.  That makes it easy for bacteria to go up into the urinary tract. But men can get urinary tract infections too and they can transmit pathogens to women as well. The groin is a major source of bacteria so men should also adopt good personal hygiene including cleaning their groin area.