This month I’m sharing some of my best advice on how to support and maintain a healthy lady garden. And no discussion on lady garden health would be complete without a mention of those miserable, burning, peeing-a-million-times-a-day UTIs.
Urinary Tract Infections
While men get UTIs as well, women are much more prone to getting urinary tract infections. This is due to a couple of unique things about the lady garden anatomy – the urethra is very close to two bacteria-filled environments, the vagina and the anus, and the urethra in women is much shorter, allowing a fast-track for bacteria to get into the urinary bladder.
Sex can also increase the incidence of UTIs in women because of, well, friction. If the bacteria in the vaginal tract are not healthily balanced those bad bacteria can be pushed into the urethra and lead to a UTI (this is why we are told to pee after sex ladies!)
Symptoms of UTIs
Most women are pretty fast to identify a UTI. There is no mistaking that burning sensation when you pee, as well as that urgent and frequent need to urinate – even when very little comes out each time. Other symptoms to pay attention to are: cloudy urine, pain in the lower back or lower abdomen, or fatigue, fever and chills. If you pain, fever or fatigue – get to your doctor – the infection may have moved into your kidneys which needs immediate attention.
An Empowered Approach to Treating UTIs
While most women are given an antibiotic for UTIs – a treatment which is absolutely necessary in some cases – many women can manage their UTIs quickly and easily with a more natural and empowered approach. There is much more to the treatment of UTIs than just killing off bacteria (those antibiotics will kill off both good and bad bacteria) – we also need to support the health of the lady garden and the immune system.
Lifestyle and Prevention
If you have ever had a UTI it is likely you have been given this advice, but it is so important that it is worth mentioning again. Follow these simple tips to prevent UTIs:
- Pee after having sex (to flush the urethra of any bacteria that may have gotten in there)
- Drink lots of water
- Pee often – don’t hold it in!
- Wipe from front to back
- Don’t use scented products on your lady garden
- Wear cotton underwear and loose fitting clothes
Diet to Prevent Bladder Irritation
Some foods can promote a bladder environment that makes it more likely for you to develop UTIs – and can make it harder to effective treat infections, leading to an increased likelihood of chronic or recurrent urinary tract infections (no thank you!)
Limit caffeine, refined sugar, white flour, alcohol, and food allergies to support the health of your bladder and reduce irritation. If you are a smoker, you should quit as well.
Get Hydrated
Another piece of obvious advice, the importance of hydration can NOT be underemphasized in the treatment of UTIs. I recommend drinking water like it is your day job when actively treating a UTI. But for prevention you should still drink at least 2 litres of water per day. Avoid fluids that contain caffeine and sugar, and stick instead with just plain water – or water with lemon if you’d like.
Keep Your pH Balanced
We talked a lot about the importance of pH balance in the lady garden in the BV and yeast infection articles, and pH balance is just as important for urinary tract infections. Our urine should be slightly acidic (like our lady garden!) which creates an environment that is inhospitable to those UTI-causing bacteria, like e. coli.
Vitamin C is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support the proper pH of the urine. During acute UTIs you can take higher doses of vitamin C (discuss your dose with your Naturopath), and for maintenance take 1-2g per day in divided doses (morning and evening).
Promote Healthy Bacteria
UTIs are caused by the presence of nasty bacteria – most often e. coli, in the urinary tract. Promoting healthy levels of beneficial bacteria, especially lactobacillus, will prevent there from being large colonies of e. coli in the vaginal tract, urinary tract and digestive tract. A daily probiotic supplement is absolutely recommended, and I will often recommend a topical probiotic to be applied to the lady garden during acute infection.
Clear Out the Urethra
We’ve all heard of using cranberry to treat UTIs, and there is evidence that this treatment will help. Cranberry contains a compound called proanthocyanidin that prevents bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract. This allows you to clear the bacteria much faster. For an acute infection you need to use unsweetened 100% cranberry juice and drink a good amount per day – up to 16 ounces, diluted in water.
Banish Bad Bacteria
There are some excellent natural plant-based treatments for killing off the bacteria that cause UTIs. I never recommend these in isolation – they need to be taken as part of an empowered treatment plan. Destroying bacteria alone will not adequately treat a UTI.
Uva ursi is a powerful antimicrobial that can be highly effective in eradicating bacteria, including e. coli. It is not for use in pregnancy, breastfeeding, children or for more than one week at a time.
Goldenseal is another excellent antimicrobial that is effective against e. coli. It can be used as a supplement, in a tea, or as a lady garden rinse after sexual activity.
Boost Immune Function
To support your immune system, be sure you are maintaining healthy vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is necessary for the production of antimicrobial peptides – our body’s own antibiotics. Supplementation with vitamin D has been found to be associated with a decreased incidence of UTIs. And since just about every Canadian is deficient from October to May, a daily supplement is necessary for most everyone.
Empowered and UTI-Free!
I hope you can now see all the many factors that go into treating and preventing UTIs. Working with a Naturopathic Doctor can help you to individualize your plan – to be sure that you are taking all the necessary steps to be empowered in the care of your lady garden. If you’d like to talk – drop me a line! You can book a 15 minute meet and greet session, join me on Facebook or Instagram. I’m thrilled to a part of your empowered journey.
Disclaimer
The advice provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is meant to augment and not replace consultation with a licensed health care provider. Consultation with a Naturopathic Doctor or other primary care provider is recommended for anyone suffering from a health problem.
