Tanja Turundzieva, nutritionist: If you suffer from urinary tract infections, chocolate and caffeinated beverages are blacklisted

Photo: Private archive / Profimedia

Urinary tract infections affect both sexes at any age, but are more common in women. According to some studies, urinary tract infections affect one in five adult women. Women have a much higher risk of developing urinary tract infections, and the reason for this is that the urethra in women is very short (up to a few centimeters) so the infection often does not remain localized, but easily progresses to the bladder and beyond. Urinary tract infections can lead to serious complications if they spread to the kidneys, so it is important to recognize them in time and treat them properly.

The food we eat, ie. molecules that are formed when we digest it, affect the growth of bacteria in our urinary tract. Therefore, those who have problems with urinary tract infections should adjust their diet slightly.

We are talking about this topic with the nutritionist Tanja Turundzieva.

Most often the symptoms of urinary tract infections are expressed in the form of frequent and difficult urination, painful urination, tingling when urinating, often accompanied by nocturnal urination, as well as pelvic and back pain.

Women who are prone to urinary tract infections should have a urine culture test every three months, even when they have no symptoms, until a more serious problem occurs. If the infection is in the urinary tract and treatment is easier, if it spreads to the kidneys due to untreated or inappropriate treatment with antibiotic therapy, then serious complications occur.

Urinary tract infections are more common in women

The constitution of a woman's body, more specifically the shorter urethra (urethra), makes women more prone to urinary tract infections than men, as well as the physiognomic arrangement of the urethra and anus, which in women are closer. Women from an early age, like little girls, should be educated on proper wiping with toilet paper, which should always be done from front to back, to prevent the transmission of bacteria from the anus to the urethra, as well as to wear cotton underwear. and performing appropriate care, without the use of talcum powder, perfumed baths and the like. At the same time, in the event of such infections, care and hygiene is especially important, which should be at the highest level after each going to the toilet. Another recommendation for sexually active women who have problems is mandatory urination after intercourse, which would prevent the transmission of vaginal and urinary tract infections.

Vegetables and fruits must be clean

Of the bacteria that invade the urinary tract, the fact is that the most common is Escherichia coli. One of the ways it often enters our system is through fruits and vegetables, which are not well washed and were watered with fecal water during cultivation. Therefore, the first recommendation is good washing and peeling of fruits and vegetables during their consumption. One way is to immerse them in a bowl of water and add a tablespoon of baking soda to create an alkaline environment, then another way is to rinse with filtered water or ozonate. Next are the tomatoes, peppers and all the vegetables that are not peeled and are not heat-treated, ie they are brought in fresh form, says Turundzieva.

Cranberry is a cure for urinary tract infections

As far back as 1984, Dr. Sobota, a professor at Ohio State University, was the first to discover that cranberries were a famous fruit for treating urinary tract infections. He found that cranberries were more than 25 percent more effective and slower than any tea mix and tea.

In our country, cranberry is most often consumed in the form of tea, which should not be consumed in huge quantities - 450 ml of tea is enough, three times a day, 30 minutes before a meal or two hours after a meal. There are also organically concentrated cranberry preparations, which, if taken, must be diluted with water so as not to irritate the digestive system. However, it is best to eat it fresh.

In addition to cranberries, blueberries are excellent in dealing with urinary tract infections, as well as all the red fruits of shrubs. If ingested in dried form, they should not be sweetened or candied.

The emphasis is on fluids

When it comes to urinary tract infections, food is not as important as fluids. We should consume at least three liters of water, and water with a higher pH value. Alkaline water with a pH value of 8,8 is a priority and aims to clear the urinary tract through more frequent urination, which causes it. Under no circumstances should carbonated, sugary, or caffeinated beverages be included, which, along with chocolate, are blacklisted by people with urinary tract infections. In addition to water and tea, squeezed, vegetable juices diluted with water are also recommended.

Focus on the vegetarian diet

During the period of dealing with urinary tract infections, especially because they often recur, it is important to make dietary changes and focus more on the vegetarian diet. However, if you can not do without meat, then let it be turkey, and meals should be mostly in broth form rich in root and stalk vegetables - parsnips, carrots, celery, daikon, radish in fresh form. These vegetables have antioxidant and diuretic effects, so in addition to broths, they are well absorbed into the body in raw form in salads or as a supplement to vegetable juices. In addition to these, t should be consumed. n. "Stinky" vegetables, which abound in essential properties. These include leeks, garlic, onions and ginger. It is recommended to take parsley in fresh form, and not as a tea.

Nutritional recommendations

Except for cocoa, chocolate and caffeinated beverages, it is recommended to discard all industrial products, bread and sweets. It is recommended to consume more fluids, but not to practice urinary retention, because when you abstain or delay urination, the bacteria in the urinary tract multiply even more. "After noticing the symptoms that indicate a urinary tract infection, seek medical help, accompanied by microbiological tests, which will give an adequate biography, according to which you can be prescribed appropriate antibiotic therapy, necessarily supported by antibiotics," said Turundzieva.

And as she already mentioned, urinary tract infections are persistent and recurrent.

- Therefore, a urine culture should be done one month after the end of the antibiotic therapy, because it will show a sterile result earlier. "If a new dose of antibiotic is needed, it must be changed so that it does not create resistance and ensure its effectiveness," the nutritionist concluded.

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