Overactive bladder involves muscle contractions in your bladder's wall that cause urinary urgency, or an increased need to urinate. Overactive bladder, reports the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, affects one out of every 11 Americans, especially people who are over the age of 65. Dietary changes may be beneficial in treating your overactive bladder, or urinary incontinence, but you should always speak with your primary care provider before pursuing this natural treatment approach.
Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder is a condition characterized by urinary urgency, increased urinary frequency and urinating two or more times each night. Approximately 60 percent of people who have overactive bladder experience only increased urinary urgency and frequency, reports the Cleveland Clinic, while the other 40 percent of people with this condition also experience urge incontinence, or urine leakage. Bladder control issues may lead to other health problems, such as decreased sexual function. Urinary tract infections, bladder cancer, bladder stones and traumatic injuries are all possible causes of overactive bladder.
Dietary Considerations
Overactive bladder, or urge incontinence, is a condition that may respond to certain dietary changes. According to certified nutritional consultant Phyllis A. Balch, author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," eliminating certain foods and beverages from your diet may be helpful in treating this condition, including soft drinks, chocolate, alcohol, coffee and processed and refined foods. Foods that contain significant amounts of zinc -- lobster, fortified breakfast cereals, spinach, oysters, pork, chicken, beef -- may also be helpful in improving your bladder function and treating your incontinence.
Highlighted Food
Spinach contains significant amounts of zinc and may help treat your urge incontinence. Spinach, notes nutritionist and biologist George Mateljan, author of "The World's Healthiest Foods," has historically been used for numerous health purposes, including inflammation reduction, boosting your energy levels and promoting the health of your heart, brain and vision. In addition to zinc, spinach contains numerous nutrients, including vitamins A, E, C and K, manganese, folate and magnesium.
Additional Information
Overactive bladder is a health condition that should always be managed by a licensed health-care professional. If your doctor diagnoses you with this health problem, ask her about alternative treatment options. In most cases, this condition may best be treated using a mix of conventional allopathic treatments and complementary alternative health measures. Some foods traditionally used in treating overactive bladder may require further scientific scrutiny to determine their true health benefits.
References
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center: Overactive Bladder
- Cleveland Clinic: Overactive Bladder
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC; 2010
- "The World's Healthiest Foods"; George Mateljan; 2007
