Four Evidence-Based Tips to Treat Your UTI at Home
The pain of a urinary tract infection UTI can be felt by anyone who has faced this struggle, especially recently. A UTI occurs when your urinary tract becomes infected by bacteria. These bacteria can enter the urinary tract through your gut through the urethra.
While the cause of a UTI is often not clear, the pain and discomfort can be felt by everyone. From sudden urges to pee to abdominal pain, dealing with a UTI is no joke. Of course, the first thing everyone wants to know is how to get rid of this nuisance.
If you are also looking for an answer, look no further. Here are some important tips that can help you treat your UTI at home.
- Focus on Hydration
Drinking enough water has never been a bad idea. Luckily, studies have suggested that drinking enough water can help prevent UTIs. Water plays a crucial role in removing waste from your body while retaining the much-needed electrolytes and nutrients it needs.
Water also speeds up the process of getting rid of the UTI by diluting the urine. It makes it hard for bacteria to infect the lining of urinary organs. Hence, the first step to recovery from a UTI is to grab a water bottle and drink at least 6-8 glasses of water every day.
- Use Probiotics
An addition of probiotics to your diet can play a vital role in keeping your urinary tract healthy. Many people pair antibiotics with the needed probiotics for UTI to get the quickest and most effective results for their UTI. This combination is especially helpful for people with reduced antibiotic resistance.
You can also find probiotics from natural foods such as yogurts, kefir, cheese, sauerkraut, and much more. You can ask your nutritionist about the naturally occurring sources of probiotics while keeping your food allergies and dietary restrictions in mind.
- Practice Healthy Hygiene Habits
Hygiene plays an important role in keeping UTIs at bay. It all starts with good bathroom and hygiene habits. One of the most important habits is to urinate after sex. This habit has proven to reduce the chances of bacteria spreading.
In addition, you must also prevent holding your urine for too long. It can result in bacteria buildup, which may lead to an infection.
People with a female urethra must be especially careful while wiping themselves after using the toilet. You may want to wipe from front to back to restrict the bacteria from spreading through your urinary tract and causing an infection.
- Consume Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that has been proven to improve the function of an immune system. It helps in lowering the pH of urine too, and creates less favorable circumstances for bacteria to survive.
Both men and women over the age of 19 are recommended to add Vitamin C to their everyday diet to maximize its benefits. It can also be present in naturally occurring foods such as kiwi, strawberries, oranges, papaya, and much more.