6 Ways to naturally prevent UTIs

UTI is an acronym that stands for urinary tract infection. The urinary tract runs from the kidneys to the urethra. While infections can occur at any point in the urinary tract, most are not serious and resolve within days or weeks. Sometimes, though, they can cause unpleasant symptoms and even trigger a larger health problem in rare instances.

To help you better understand UTIs and how to naturally prevent them, here’s a quick guide on how to know if you have a UTI and a few simple steps you can take to keep them at bay.

What is a UTI?

Women get UTIs far more often than men. Because of the difference in physiology between men and women, the bacteria that cause UTIs have an easier time getting to the bladder where they can proliferate and cause an infection.

Unfortunately, no matter if you’re a man or woman, it's possible to have a UTI and not even know. Instances like this are called asymptomatic bacteriuria. Although an infected person may not exhibit the common physical symptoms of a UTI, he or she is still susceptible to bigger problems if the bacteria ever reaches the kidneys. Therefore, following the tips in this guide can help prevent an infection that you might not even be aware of.

Symptoms of a UTI

The symptoms of a UTI vary from person to person. Generally, though, the symptoms include:

• A burning sensation during urination

• Vomiting

• Cloudy, dark, smelly or bloody urine

• Fever

• Feeling the need to urinate often but not being able to

• Diarrhea

• Leaking urine

• Irritability

• Feeling the need to urinate more frequently than normally

• Stomach pain

The good news is that UTIs are largely avoidable with the right set of practices. Here is a checklist to preventing UTIs naturally in ways that don’t compromise your health or involve the use of harsh drugs or chemicals.

Although doctors usually prescribe antibiotics once you’ve been diagnosed with a UTI, when you follow these holistic methods you can avoid taking these medicines while still preventing UTIs.

1. Regular Vitamin C Intake

Research shows that, among its many health benefits, Vitamin C exerts substantial antibacterial action. Research has shown that people who get regular doses of Vitamin C get infections, including UTIs, less often and recover from them more quickly than people who are deficient in the vitamin.

2. Drink Plenty of Fluids

Getting plenty of fluids in your diet--ideally, water--helps keep your system "flushed" and free of pathogens that cause UTIs. When you drink water, you eventually urinate it out. This process washes away the bacteria and, therefore, potentially protects you from an infection.

3. Take Probiotics

Your body is home to billions of bacteria. In fact, humans have far more bacteria cells in their bodies than human cells. Some of these bacteria are beneficial to your health and some harm your health. These good and bad bacteria exist in a constant state of war in your stomach, intestines, and urinary tract.

Keeping a good balance of good to bad bacteria is crucial for preventing harmful health conditions like candida overgrowth and UTIs. You can get probiotics through a supplement or more naturally, through your diet by drinking and eating probiotic-rich drinks and foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and kefir.

4. Drink Cranberry Juice

This is perhaps the most well-known prevention for UTIs and for good reason. The cranberry's anti-UTI magic stems from its ability to prevent the bacteria from "sticking" to the urinary tract where they can reproduce and spread.

5. Urinate When You Need To

In the same vein as remaining hydrated, making sure you use the bathroom when the need arises can help get rid of any bacteria that might be lurking in your system before they have a chance to take root in your urinary tract.

6. Practice Safe Sex

Unprotected sex is a risk factor for developing UTIs. During sex, your urinary tract is exposed to more bacteria from the outside –some of which might cause a UTI. It's important to remember that you don't contract UTI from a sexual partner the same way you get a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

Even if you and your partner have a clean bill of sexual health, you can still get a UTI from sex. You can prevent the likelihood of getting a UTI from sex by urinating before and after sex and washing carefully after each encounter.

Prevent UTIs Naturally

When you institute these good hygiene practices, eat the right foods, and get plenty of water, you will likely see a drop in the frequency and severity of UTIs.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.