Bananas and other high-fiber foods can be good for urinary tract health and preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs) by encouraging regular bowel movements and relieving pressure on urine flow.
What foods calm the bladder? The American Urological Association also recognizes some foods as potentially having a calming effect on sensitive bladders. These foods include pears, bananas, green beans, squash, potatoes, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, bread, and eggs.
Fruits – while some fruits, especially citrus, can irritate the bladder, it's still important to incorporate them into your diet. Bananas, apples, grapes, coconut and watermelon are good options for those with overactive bladder.
Skip alcohol. Limit drinks with caffeine, such as coffee, tea and cola. They can cause you to urinate more. Know that foods such as soup add to the total amount of fluids.
Cashews, almonds and peanuts should be a part of your diet when dealing with an overactive bladder. They are packed with protein and are healthy snack options. Moreover, they are an excellent source of fiber and other healthy nutrients.
Eat Yogurt
But not nearly as many people are aware that probiotics in yogurt could help their urinary systems, too. In fact, yogurt can help fight urinary tract infections, which could also help prevent the development of more serious urinary problems, including bladder cancer.
The berries' acidity can irritate the bladder, and although its diuretic action helps flush out the bladder and urethra, it will also make you go more frequently. It makes sense that if too much caffeine can make you jittery, it also can make your overactive bladder jumpy.
Overactive bladder is a collection of symptoms that may affect how often you pee and your urgency. Causes include abdominal trauma, infection, nerve damage, medications and certain fluids. Treatment includes changing certain behaviors, medications and nerve stimulation.
Some people have noticed that milk and dairy are especially problematic with overactive bladder syndrome so it may be beneficial to consider going dairy-free. Try reducing your intake of milk, cheese, and other products that are high in lactose to reduce symptoms of incontinence.
You should start by eliminating, or at least cutting down, on the top seven irritants: coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate, alcohol, artificial sweeteners and cigarettes. You should allow at least two weeks without the food or drink before noticing any change in your bladder control.
First, make water your preferred beverage. Added ingredients in sodas and energy drinks, and caffeine in coffee, may aggravate an overactive bladder. Staying hydrated is important to overall health.
A study done on vitamin c intake in 2060 women, aged 30-79 years of age found that high-dose intake of vitamin c and calcium were positively associated with urinary storage or incontinence, whereas vitamin C from foods and beverages were associated with decreased urinary urgency.
Dairy products are known as bladder irritants. Those that can be especially bad are aged dairy products like aged cheese and sour cream.
Filling your diet with foods high in whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole-grain bread, whole-grain cereal (not the sugary cereals), and brown rice, will help keep your bladder and bowel movements regular.
Eating yogurt and other cultured dairy products (fermented with “good” bacteria) regularly may decrease the risk for urinary tract infections by up to 80 percent.
Drink Plenty of Fluids to Flush Out Bacteria — But Don't Overdo It. Drinking plenty of water — six to eight glasses daily — can flush bacteria out of your urinary tract and help prevent bladder infections.
Honey is known to contain anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties, making it effective for some people in fighting bacteria that cause bladder infections, but honey may not always be the answer.
Drink plenty of herbal teas – preferable loose leaf relaxing teas, chamomile, lavender, cinnamon, turmeric, fennel, calendula, lemon balm or verbena, mint, valerian, rose buds, hops, spearmint and (DGL) licorice will all help down regulate, or switch of the pain pathways and allow your bladder repair.
Foods that are high in fiber—such as bananas, beans, lentils, nuts, oats, and other whole grains—can help remove harmful bacteria from your body. They also encourage regular bowel movements, which can help relieve some bladder pressure.