The key is to know which foods are more likely to irritate your bladder and which ones are more likely to soothe. In general, you will want to avoid coffee, alcohol, citrus fruits, tomato-based products, artificial sweeteners and spicy foods.
Bananas, apples, grapes, coconut and watermelon are good options for those with overactive bladder. Vegetables – Leafy greens, like kale, lettuce, cucumber, squash, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, celery and bell peppers. Whole grains, like oats, barley, farro, and quinoa (also a great protein).
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.
Drinking plenty of water — six to eight glasses daily — can flush bacteria out of your urinary tract and help prevent bladder infections.
Water is the best drink of choice to keep your bladder pain under control. It will also provide other benefits such as healthy skin, increased energy, reduced toxin levels, and a boosted metabolism. You'll want to stay away from acidic, caffeinated, or alcoholic beverages such as fruit juice, coffee, beer, and soda.
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.
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.
Rich on potassium and loaded with fiber, banana is excellent for your urinary tract.
Dairy products are known as bladder irritants. Those that can be especially bad are aged dairy products like aged cheese and sour cream.
Chocolate can irritate your bladder for the same exact reason: caffeine. While it has less caffeine than coffee and tea, it is still enough to exacerbate bladder symptoms. If you just absolutely need a sweet fix, though, stick with white chocolate for less caffeine.
Tomatoes – The acidity in tomatoes may irritate your bladder. Foods that contain tomatoes, such as pasta or pizza sauce, ketchup and salsa, may also affect symptoms. Citrus fruits – Foods like oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes are also acidic and can affect bladder control.
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.
The following foods are acidic and have been shown to be irritating to the bladder. These items should be avoided: All alcoholic beverages. Apples.
All of the cruciferous vegetables (so named for their flower petals which resemble a cross) are low in fat, low in calories, and high in fiber. But did you know they're also a non-acidic, bladder friendly source of vitamin C? Depending on how it's cooked, broccoli can have more vitamin C than an glass of orange juice.
Almonds, cashews and peanuts are healthy snacks and rich in protein. Eggs. Also rich in protein, eggs are on several lists as one of the "least bothersome" foods for bladder conditions.
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.
Typically, you should be able to sleep six to eight hours during the night without having to get up to go to the bathroom. But, people who have nocturia wake up more than once a night to pee.
Drinking too much fluid during the evening can cause you to urinate more often during the night. Caffeine and alcohol after dinner can also lead to this problem. Other common causes of urination at night include: Infection of the bladder or urinary tract.
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.
Green Tea
It has a multitude of health benefits including alleviating anxiety and stress. Studies have found that the catechins in green tea were able to protect healthy cells in the bladder and other mucosal linings from inflammation.
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.