Why is bladder health important?
Your bladder is the organ that's responsible for getting rid of the urinary waste produced by your kidneys. It is important to maintain bladder health since this can help prevent different painful, debilitating, or even some life-threatening conditions such as UTIs.
Below are suggestions that can help keep your bladder healthy.
Exercise your pelvic floor.
To keep your bladder muscles strong, try doing Kegel (pelvic floor) exercises daily. These exercises can also help prevent urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor-related health problems.
You can do Kegel exercises by "squeezing" the muscles you use to urinate for a few seconds, then releasing them. Repeat this several times at intervals throughout the day to make your bladder stronger.
Follow a proper diet and exercise regularly to avoid constipation.
Your diet, physical activity, and bowel movements are interconnected. If you suffer from chronic constipation, your bladder health can suffer because "pushing to produce a bowel movement also places a lot of stress and strain on the bladder." Constipation can also weaken your bladder over time.
Follow a healthy diet that contains fiber-rich and nutritious whole foods to prevent constipation. Exercising regularly can also promote healthy bowel movements.
Maintain proper hygiene.
Good personal hygiene can help prevent diseases and infections like UTIs. This is crucial for women, especially since keeping the area around the vagina clean and dry can help prevent bacteria from reaching the urinary tract and entering your bladder.
Always wear clean and dry underwear and loose-fitting clothing.
Stay hydrated.
It seems simple enough, but there are some people who don't drink enough water every day. Keep in mind that you need to drink water and not sugary beverages, which can cause more harm than good. (Related: Women who drink more water reduce their risk of a bladder infection by 48%.)
Try to drink at least six to eight cups of plain water daily. But if you have a preexisting health condition like kidney or heart failure, which can be affected by your fluid intake, consult a healthcare professional.
You can also consume more of these healthy foods that can help you stay hydrated:
- Bell peppers
- Cantaloupe
- Celery
- Coconut water
- Cucumber
- Lettuce
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
- Yogurt (plain)
- Zucchini
Use the bathroom whenever you need to.
Holding in your urine is bad for your bladder health. If you hold urine in for too long, the muscles of your bladder may weaken over time. This can then make your bladder lose its muscle tone and become floppy, which results in incomplete bladder emptying.
Any type of fluid that stays for too long in any hollow organ in your body has an increased risk of becoming infected. While urine is sterile and cleaner than various bodily secretions, such as saliva or tears, individuals who develop UTIs usually don't empty their bladder in time or are incapable of emptying their bladder completely.
If you feel like you need to empty your bladder, find the nearest toilet. Doing so may help prevent a UTI.
Bladder health is important whether you're in your 20s or older than 40. Exercise regularly, follow a healthy diet, maintain proper hygiene, and stay hydrated to keep your bladder healthy as you age.
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