Bladder infections can produce painful symptoms such as pelvic pain in women, rectal pain in men and burning during urination. It is unpleasant enough to cope with once; having to deal with this infection repeatedly can leave you miserable. Aside from the medication doctors use as treatment, the food you eat can make a difference in the amount of infections you have and the severity of them. Knowing what foods to eat and which to avoid may help.
Understanding the Urinary Tract
Your bladder, kidneys, ureter and urethra comprise your urinary tract, the system in your body responsible for removal of waste from your blood. The process begins with your kidneys, which converts the waste into urine. The ureters transport urine from your kidneys to your bladder until the urethra secretes it from your body, explains the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Although urine contains waste and salts, it does not contain bacteria or fungi, the causes of infection. Outside sources, such as sexually transmitted diseases, bacteria from the anus and yeast overgrowth from your digestive tract, cause bacteria to enter your urinary tract resulting in bladder infections.
Recurrent Bladder Infections
Also known as urinary tract infections, recurrent tract infections are chronic; this means two infections in six months, or three infections in one year, according to Arthur Schoenstadt, M.D., of eMedTV.com. They are more common in women than in men because of the length and shape of the urethra in women; it is shorter in women and closer to the opening of both the rectum and vagina, common areas for bacteria. The NIDDK says women who have three urinary tract infections typically continue experiencing them. Aside from pelvic pain and burning during urination, you may also feel a constant urge to urinate, pass small amounts of urine, have strong smelling urine or urine that is dark yellow and cloudy. Choose your food and drink carefully; they can impact your symptoms and, in some cases, help prevent infection.
Foods To Avoid
There are some foods you want to avoid. They can either make your symptoms worse or induce the infection. Refined foods, such as white bread, cakes, cookies, pastries and crackers "feed" any existing bacteria in your urinary tract. These products contain yeast and sugar, the two ingredients bacteria live for. Items containing caffeine, or carbonated beverages, irritate your bladder and worsen your symptoms when a bladder infection is in progress. Spicy foods have the same effect, as do alcoholic beverages. If you notice an increase in infections when eating foods containing wheat or gluten, ask your doctor to test you for food allergies.
Foods To Consume
The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide reports that researchers from Finland found women who drink one glass of berry juice, such as cranberry, each day are 34 percent less likely to develop a urinary tract infection. Additionally, women who eat yogurt or some type of fermented milk product at least three times per week are almost 80 percent less likely to experience a UTI. Cranberry juice is high in acid, making it difficult for bacteria to grow. Fermented dairy products, such as yogurt, contain the "good" bacteria your body needs to suppress the growth of the bacteria responsible for bladder infections. Water is an essential part of any healthy diet. Drinking 6 to 8 oz. per day helps flush the harmful bacteria from your urinary tract.
