Dietary Tips for UTI
UTI is common among women. Once the infection occurs, it can be easily identified with the symptoms it commonly causes. If these are left untreated, they can intensify and become painful. To fight these, it is important to seek treatment. But in addition to treatment, there are certain foods to eat and avoid for UTI. Read on to know more about them.
Foods to eat
- Cranberries
While you are taking antibiotics prescribed by the doctor, it is also important to know the foods to eat and avoid for UTI. This can help in a speedy recovery and prevent the worsening of symptoms. One of the most important foods to include in your diet is cranberries. It is believed that cranberries can successfully help fight UTI. Cranberries contain proanthocyanidin that fights bacteria-causing infections and stops them from entering the urinary tract lining. However, if you are planning to drink cranberry juice, ensure you pick the sugar-free variant.
- Blueberries
Berries such as raspberries and blueberries are believed to have the same effect on UTI as cranberries. Eating these can prevent the bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract lining. Therefore, ensure that you add those to your diet too.
- Yogurt
Probiotic foods such as yogurt or pickles to your diet can help fight infection. These foods are loaded with good bacteria that can prevent infection. So, ensure you add yogurt to your diet to prevent and fight UTI.
Foods to avoid
- Coffee
For many people drinking coffee is essential to get their day started. However, coffee can also aggravate the symptoms of UTI. Caffeine can cause irritation in the bladder and worsen the infection. A study was conducted on people suffering from chronic inflammation in the bladder, also known as interstitial cystitis. At the end of the study, it was found that drinking coffee was associated with worsening of the symptoms. Therefore, to fight UTI, replace your mug of coffee with herbal tea.
- Sodas
Drinking sodas has been commonly associated with irritating the bladder of people suffering from chronic inflammation. It is also believed that sodas can worsen the symptoms for someone who is suffering from an infection in the bladder. Citrus-flavored and caffeine sodas can aggravate the symptoms of urinary tract infections. Therefore, replace your soda can with water or cranberry juice.
- Acidic fruits
Some fruits contain acids that can cause irritation in the bowel and further worsen the UTI symptoms. Therefore, you must eliminate fruits such as grapefruits, lemons, oranges, and tomatoes to fight the symptoms of UTI.