Thank you all for listening in to my mini Nutrition talk on UTI’s. Please see below for the summary. UTI ‘s can affect different parts of your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) and kidneys (kidney infection).
Symptoms of a UTI include:
- needing to pee suddenly or more often than usual
- pain or a burning sensation when peeing
- smelly or cloudy pee
- blood in your pee
- pain in your lower tummy
- feeling tired and unwell
- in older people, changes in behaviour such as severe confusion or agitation
Children with UTIs may also:
- appear generally unwell – babies may be irritable, not feed properly and have a high temperature of 37.5C or above
- wet the bed or wet themselves
- deliberately hold in their pee because it stings
UTI symptoms may be difficult to spot in people with dementia.
RED FLAG CALL 111 if you get any of these symptoms:
- pain in your sides or lower back
- a very high temperature or you feel hot and shivery
- felt sick or been sick
- diarrhoea
- These symptoms suggest a kidney infection, which can be serious if it’s not treated.
It’s Important to avoid taking NSAIDs like ibuprofen or aspirin if you have a kidney infection. This may increase the risk of kidney problems. Remember to speak to your doctor before you stop taking any prescribed medication.
Causes of urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Usually caused by bacteria from poo entering the urinary tract. The bacteria enter through the tube that carries pee out of the body (urethra). Women have a shorter urethra than men. This means bacteria are more likely to reach the bladder or kidneys and cause an infection.
A few other possible causes are pregnancy, conditions that block the urinary tract – such as kidney stones, conditions that make it difficult to fully empty the bladder, such as an enlarged prostate gland in men and constipation in children. If you have a urinary catheters (a tube in your bladder used to drain urine) and also having a weakened immune system – for example, from type 2 diabetes, chemotherapy or HIV.
Test/Diagnosis
A urine test helps to rule out other conditions that might be causing your symptoms. Men are sometimes offered a painless swab test to check for other conditions.
You may be prescribed antibiotics to treat a UTI. Once you start treatment, the symptoms should start to clear up within 5 days in adults and 2 days in children. If you keep getting UTIs and regularly need treatment, your GP may give you a repeat prescription for antibiotics.
There are some things you can do to try to prevent a UTI.
If you start to suffer with regular UTI infections you could try:
DO’S
- wipe from front to back when you go to the toilet
- try to fully empty your bladder when you pee
- drink plenty of fluids
- take showers instead of baths
- wear loose cotton underwear
- change your baby’s or toddler’s nappies regularly
Don’ts
- do not use perfumed bubble bath, soap or talcum powder
- do not hold your pee in if you feel the urge to go
- do not wear tight, synthetic underwear, such as nylon
- do not wear tight jeans or trousers
Natural remedies
Cranberries
Research has suggested cranberry may be effective against UTIs because it prevents E. coli, the bacteria that causes most urinary tract infections, from attaching to the walls of the bladder. To treat and to prevent recurrences, drink 4 to 10 ounces (114 to 296 ml) of unsweetened cranberry juice a day or take 400 mg of powdered cranberry concentrate three times a day.
D mannose
Research suggests D-mannose might help prevent UTIs in women who are not pregnant.
Some bacteria that typically cause urinary tract infections can attach themselves to the lining of the urinary tract by binding to molecules of mannose that naturally occur there.
Theoretically, if enough D-mannose is present in the urine, it would bind to the bacteria and prevent them from attaching to the urinary tract lining.
D-mannose is a type of sugar that’s related to the better-known glucose. These sugars are both simple sugars. That is, they consist of just one molecule of sugar. As well, both occur naturally in your body and are also found in some plants in the form of starch.
Probiotics
In a double-blind study of postmenopausal women who had a history of recurrent UTIs, treatment with a probiotic preparation reduced the number of recurrences over a one-year period by 51%. The preventive effect of the probiotic was almost as great as that of an antibiotic and did not lead to the appearance of antibiotic- resistant bacteria. The preparation used in this study provided 1 billion colony-forming units of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14, and was taken three times a day for one year. Research is therefore needed to determine whether other probiotic strains would also help prevent UTIs.
Elimination Diet
People who have recurrent or chronic infections should discuss the possible role of allergies with a doctor, since chronic infections have been linked to allergies in many reports. Identifying and eliminating foods that trigger problems may help reduce the number of infections.
Reassess what you are eating
When healthy volunteers consumed a large amount (100 grams) of refined sugar, the ability of their white blood cells to destroy bacteria was impaired for at least five hours.
Consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol has also been shown to suppress immune function. Reduced intake of dietary fat has been shown to stimulate immunity. For these reasons, many doctors recommend a reduced intake of sugar, alcohol, and fat during an acute infection and for prevention of recurrences. Also try to stay Stay Hydrated – water not tea and coffee or sugary drinks
Key Points
- Can affect different parts of your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) & kidneys (kidney infection).
- usually caused by bacteria from poo entering the urinary tract, pregnancy, obstructions of the urinary tract, not fully emptying the bladder, catheters and a weakened immune system.
- Urine tests to confirm & usually prescribed antibiotics.
- Good results from natural treatments: Identifying and eliminating foods that trigger problems may help reduce the number of infections and/or reducing sugars and alcohol
- Positive results from Cranberry juice, D mannose and probiotics reducing risk of antibiotic resistance.
Thank you for reading. Please do not make any changes to the way you eat or take supplements without consulting a trained health professional.
Regards
Fiona Waring
Dip Nut, BSc.(Hons), MSc PHN, ANutr
Nutritional Therapist
M: +44 07957 267 964
eatyourgreens@fionawaring.com
‘Registered with the Association for Nutrition – www.associationfornutrition.org
Protecting the public and promoting high standards in evidence-based science and professional practice of nutrition.’
