10 Ways to Support Urinary and Bladder Health

Urinary and Bladder Health are so important and the older we get, the more it seems to become an issue.  Bladder, kidney and urinary tract infections (UTIs) are terrible!  Talk about pain going from a zero to ten in a matter of a very short time. A UTI is an infection in the urinary tract which is typically caused by bacteria.  Usually when bacteria enters the urinary tract it is removed naturally.  That is why drinking water is SO important.  However, sometimes because of different reasons, our body cannot fight the infection.  An infection in the urethra is called urethritis. A bladder infection is called cystitis and the bacteria can travel up the ureters and infect the kidneys.  A kidney infection is called pyelonephritis.

There are different ways to get diagnosed by your physician, but my advice is don’t wait! If you have continual problems, you may want to do the following:

1. Cystoscopy is a procedure that uses a tubelike instrument to look inside the urethra and bladder.  It is usually quick and can often be done by a kidney professional in their office. 
2. Ultrasounds can show abnormalities in the kidneys and bladder. However, this test cannot reveal urinary abnormalities or measure how well the kidneys work.
3. CT scans use a combination of x rays and computer technology to create three-dimensional (3-D) images. A CT scan may include the injection of contrast medium. This test helps to see if everything is functioning correctly.
4. Check your hormone levels.  Sometimes the changes during menopause can cause a prolapsed bladder and more frequent infections. Women are especially prone to UTIs for anatomical reasons such as the woman’s urethra is shorter and it is near other sources of bacteria. Also men with an enlarged prostate can be affected.  My OB/GYNE also indicated that low levels of estrogen can cause more frequent infections and possibly could be remedied with just cream, but don’t guess, because too much estrogen can cause cancer as well.  Here is an article that speaks to how estrogen may help prevent urinary tract infections.  Natural hormones (bio-identical) versus synthetic are always my preference.
5. Serum creatinine (blood test): Creatinine is filtered out by the kidneys and a high level in the blood means the kidneys are not filtering enough.

Antibiotics should probably be your last resort when nothing else seems to eradicate the infection, because if your body gets use to the antibiotics, you will need a stronger one next time.  So you will need to be proactive on this.  Sometimes a short course of the antibiotic, such as 3 days can wipe out the infection. 

Here are 10 Ways to Support Urinary and Bladder Health: 

1. DRINK WATER!!  I have dedicated a whole post just on Water Wellness.  If I forget even one day to drink a lot of water, I start to get dull pains.  Uric acid can also build up in your system and the joints begin to swell big time.  This often happens in the elderly.  Keep your immune system healthy also.  Eats lots of organic fruits and vegetables as well as organic teas, organic spices and natural herbs such as garlic which is a natural antibiotic. 
2. Avoid waiting to urinate.  This keeps the bacteria sitting there and you don’t want that for sure.
3. Avoid too much calcium (hypercalciuria) which can create stones. This is something interesting that Livestrong mentions, “Hyperparathyroidism occurs when too much parathyroid hormone is produced by the body, causing calcium to be pulled from the bones into the blood and subsequently into the urine. This helps to explain the association between kidney stones and low bone density. Kidney disease, too, can cause high calcium levels in the urine when calcium is not properly absorbed back into the bloodstream. High blood pressure and obesity have also been associated with hypercalciuria.
4. Wear cotton underwear and keep up with hygiene to prevent bacteria growth, especially after sexual activity.  Apple cider vinegar in the bathroom is a must.
5. Vitamin D – According to a 2011 study published in the PLOS ONE journal, researchers found that vitamin D increases the production of antimicrobial peptides in the body.  These peptides prevent infection from harmful bacteria, including those that cause UTIs.  Read more about Vitamin D Deficiency and 38 Health Conditions.
6. Consider Chanca Piedra for eliminating kidney stones.  I wrote a post here.
7. Cranberries – drinking the juice or eating cranberries on a frequent basis can help guard against UTIs.
8. Silver Sol can also help fight bladder and urinary tract infections, as well as many other infections including MRSA, Malaria and Ebola, believe it or not.  I’ve written some information here.  You can purchase it here.
9. I love my herbal supplements for support:  Prickly Ash Bar, Juniper Berry, Burdock Root, Slippery Elm Bark and Uva Ursi Leaves. 
10. Baking Soda mixed with water can also neutralize bacteria.  Mix one teaspoon with water and drink  two to three times in one day for minor infections.
11. Bonus:  Try bone broth and collagen.  Glycosaminoglycans create a protective coating in the urinary tract and bladder and bone broth has this. Here is the research on this.

On a serious note…Chronic kidney infections that recur or last a long time can cause permanent damage, including kidney scars, poor kidney function, high blood pressure, and other problems. Some acute kidney infections can be life threatening  if the bacteria enter the bloodstream, a condition called septicemia. Septicemia can bring chills, fever, rapid breathing and heart rate, mental confusion and hallucinations, as well as shock.  Septicemia can be a serious implication for the elderly, especially those in a nursing home.  If any of these infections are ignored long term, death could be the result and that is why it is very important to pay attention to the symptoms.

Report to your doctor any of these symptoms immediately:

• Urge to urinate frequently during the night.
• Urine is foamy.
• Dark color urine.
• Pain or difficulty emptying the bladder when urinating.
• Swelling in other parts of the body.
• Fatigue
• Skin rashes
• Feeling cold
• Shortness of breath
• Metallic taste in mouth

Here’s to drinking lots of water and to Urinary and Bladder Health!