How Acidic Foods Impact Your Bladder
The foods you eat can have a direct impact on your bladder health. And if you're not careful, eating too many acidic foods can actually lead to problems like urinary tract infections and even kidney stones. So if you're looking to keep your bladder healthy and happy, it's important to be mindful of the types of food you're eating. According to the Bladder & Bowel Community, acidic foods can make your urine more acidic. This can cause irritation to your bladder and make you feel like you need to urinate more often. Highly acidic foods can also disrupt the part of the nervous system that controls the bladder (via University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics). Highly acidic foods include tomatoes, citrus fruits, and even coffee.
Other foods that can disrupt your bladder include caffeine, spicy foods, and sugary foods. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it makes you have to urinate more frequently. Spicy foods can irritate your bladder and make you feel the urge to urinate more often. Sugary foods can also make you feel like you need to urinate more frequently. Carbonated and alcoholic drinks can also irritate your bladder. Carbonated drinks can cause bloating and make you feel like you need to urinate more frequently. Alcohol can also irritate your bladder and disrupt the signal between your brain and bladder. If you're looking to keep your bladder healthy, it's important to be mindful of the types of food you're eating.
Tips to keep your bladder healthy
There are a few things you can do to keep your bladder healthy and avoid problems like urinary incontinence. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day (via Everyday Health). This will help keep your urine diluted and less likely to irritate your bladder. Drinking plenty of fluids can also flush out bacteria that can cause urinary tract infections (UTIs). Drinking too much, however, can backfire on you. If you feel like you have to go to the bathroom all the time, you may be drinking too many fluids during the day. You may also have an issue with your bladder, so it is important to see a doctor if this is the case.
You should also avoid foods and drinks that can irritate your bladder, such as caffeine and alcohol, as mentioned above. Practicing good bathroom habits by going when you feel the urge and avoiding holding it in for too long can also help. When you do go to the bathroom, be sure to urinate completely and avoid holding anything in. Doing this frequently can cause bacteria to enter back into your system. Finally, exercise regularly to strengthen the muscles around your bladder and prevent incontinence. If you follow these tips, you should be able to keep your bladder healthy and avoid any problems.