With how the demands of society and living consume everyone’s time today, maintaining good health seems a difficult task to do. The tight and hectic schedule makes things difficult for anyone to keep a good lifestyle, and prevent different illness from developing. As a result—whether a student or a working adult— most people unintentionally neglect to watch what they eat and their lifestyle, which leads to poor health and later on to severe medical problems.
Nowadays, common infections like UTI or Urinary Tract Infection is massively spreading not just among women but all genders of all ages, including babies. UTI is a broad medical issue that caused by different ways and other health issues. However, the high risk of catching it depends on one’s way of living and more often than not, due to poor shape.
What Is UTI?
Urinary Tract Infection is a mild to severe disease which happens when one of the urinary system (bladder, kidney, urethra, ureters) has harmful pathogens and bacteria dwelling inside. The cause ranges from poor hygiene to inadequate intake of water and healthy foods. However, there are cases where the person develops UTI after having sex with another person. And usually, it is the women who suffer and have the highest chance of catching this common type of infection. Urinary Tract Infection is a mild infection that needs treatment right away; however, if not fixed, it can cause severe medical issues if it reached the kidney and may lead the person to death.
The symptoms of UTI differ from what stage it already is. The most common type is the Bladder infection, which in most cases does not have distressing symptoms. Even though, there are minimal symptoms such as pain and burning sensation while urinating, cloudy-looking urine that has a foul smell and abdominal pain particularly in the lower part. On the other hand, if not treated immediately, the chance of developing an infection in the kidney is high. The symptoms are the same with the bladder infection but with intense lower back pain. Other alarming symptoms include nausea or vomiting, fever, and chills.
People of all ages can develop UTI. However, some specific individuals have a high chance of catching UTI and infection in the kidney later if not treated. And these individual are those:
- who are pregnant
- have diabetes
- men with an enlarged prostate
- folks who suffer from urinary retention
- people with kidney problems
- elders
7 Ways to Prevent You from Developing UTI
Despite the busy schedule, anyone can still maintain a healthy lifestyle. With the many different ways to prevent you from catching Urinary Transaction, it does not seem impossible to achieve. If you are wondering how to keep yourself away from UTI, here are a few tips experts suggest to do.
Always Drink Water
There is nothing water can’t do that makes one’s health and body better. And for Urinary Tract Infection, water is the best way to eliminate and flush out bacteria inside trying to infect your urinary system. Thus, it is essential to follow doctors’ timeworn advice, which is to “drink six to eight glass of water every day”. Another source of fluids such as watery fruits is also helpful. However, caffeine-infused and alcoholic drinks should be avoided as much as possible.
Always Urinate and Wash After Every Sexual Activity
It is undeniable how women catch UTI after sexual intercourse with another person. To keep yourself healthy and prevent infections to develop, always pee and wash your genitals right after the sexual activity. Both help in preventing harmful bacteria from spreading and reaching the bladder, which eventually can lead to UTI or other infections transferred through sexual intercourse.
Regularly Urinate
Usually, because of the tight schedule, most people hold their pee until they finished a task and is free to do other things. However, this traditional habit is not suitable for your urinary system. It helps the bacteria to dwell in and accumulate in one place, which eventually will lead to UTI if not flushed out. Additionally, drink lots of water to aid you to urinate many times a day.
Install Bidet in Your Toilet
Proper hygiene is and always will be the most excellent way to prevent infection-causing bacteria from developing in your urinary system. To make sure you are correctly caring your intimate parts, consider installing the best bidet toilet seat in your bathroom. Bidets are like shower heads but for genitals. And everyone knows that cleaning oneself using toilet papers or wet wipes is not enough and healthy. Hence, using bidets to wash your vaginal area is best in preventing the harmful pathogen from entering in your bladder.
Wear Cotton-Made Underwear
It is the women who suffer in UTI most of the time. And if you are one of them, try considering the benefits of using cotton –made panties. This type of underwear— unlike other fabrics who cannot— let the moisture your vaginal area produce escape. Trapped moist in your intimate part can cause bacteria to breed and spread. Tight-fitting clothes and undergarment are also a no-no, so it is best to avoid them.
Don’t Use Feminine Deodorants
For women, feeling and smelling fresh down there is important. As a result, many of them opt feminine deodorant to achieve the smell and comfort they want for the vaginal area. However, this kind of deodorants is not advisable and healthy, especially for women who have a reoccurring Urinary Tract Infection. Hence, it is best to avoid it. Instead, wash your genitals using water to achieve the always-fresh feeling all the time.
Ditch Toilet Papers
The use of toilet paper is an unhealthy way to clean the genitals. It is also harsh on the skin and is apparently not enough to clean and flush away ill-causing bacteria. And most of the time, the germs left after wiping is the reason why women develop UTI. Thus, it is best to ditch toilet wipes. If you are worried what to use when you are out, there are bidet sprays available in the market that you can use. It is lightweight, affordable, and portable.
To keep you healthy and free of disease-causing bacteria is indeed a complicated task to do nowadays. But despite the busy schedule and relentless demands of living, there are simple ways to include in your everyday routine to prevent Urinary Tract Infection.
