Diet tips to improve urinary incontinence

Limit caffeine intake. Caffeine is found in soft drinks, teas, chocolate, and even decaf coffee. It makes you feel like you have to go, and it also prompts your body to get rid of liquids. Remove or reduce caffeine from your diet. Don't drink coffee past 7 p.m. Whether you prefer coffee, tea, or soda, limit yourself to one or two caffeinated beverages per day.

Limit spicy foods. Eating spicy foods can make your urinary incontinence or overactive bladder worse. Spicy foods irritate the lining of your bladder just like caffeine does.

Watch how much water you drink. If you don't drink enough water, you can get dehydrated. However, if you have incontinence and drink a lot of water, that can cause problems. It is recommended to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. However, if you drink too little water, your urine can become concentrated which can irritate your bladder. This may make you feel like you have to go. Therefore, ask your doctor how much water you should drink.

Avoid carbonated drinks. Even if you find one that doesn’t have caffeine, this may not be your best choice. The carbon dioxide in the drink can irritate a sensitive bladder, causing you to have the urge to go.

Limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol makes you feel like you have to go more often. Alcohol also affects the messages from the brain to the bladder that tell it when to hold urine and when to go. Therefore, alcohol makes it more likely for you to have an accident. While some people choose to limit their alcohol consumption, it is best to completely avoid it when suffering from urinary incontinence.