What is bladder cancer - and how is it treated?/Walla system
Chances are you know the foods that can harm your heart.
But when it comes to the bladder, you've probably never made the connection with the nutritional impact.
It turns out that certain foods and drinks can irritate the bladder, which can lead to quite a few medical problems in this area.
Although people may not often talk about issues related to urination, the bladder area produces quite a few more common health problems than most of us think.
"Urinary incontinence (or 'leaky bladder') is one of the most common problems among men and women alike," explains urologist
Dr. Panwa Millhouse
. "Frequent urination is also a common complaint, which can be especially disturbing if it occurs at night or during sleep ".
Urinary tract infection is a long-term condition that causes pain and discomfort in the bladder. Such inflammation creates a feeling of needing to urinate frequently and urgently. "When patients experience overactive bladder or symptoms of urinary tract infection, our first recommendation is to limit the factors The irritation in the bladder," adds urologist
Dr. Annika Ackerman
.
The good news is that a change in diet may reduce these problems.
"Often, slight changes in diet and avoiding food that irritates the bladder will reduce and even eliminate the patient's symptoms," notes Ackerman.
Even if you don't suffer from bladder problems, it's always good to know what might cause you problems in this sensitive area of the body.
These are the foods and drinks you should give up, or reduce their consumption, in order to maintain a healthy bladder, according to medical and urological experts:
More common than you think.
Bladder problems/ShutterStock, vchal
coffee
You may not be able to start the day without a stimulating cup of coffee, but your bladder may be less than happy.
"The caffeine in coffee is a well-known diuretic, meaning it causes you to produce more urine, which increases the frequency of bladder activity," explains Dr. Milhouse. Bladder leaks.
Acidic foods and drinks can cause irritation and also worsen these symptoms."
But you don't have to give up the cup of coffee in the morning completely, and you can also continue with another cup during the day, the urologist reassures and notes that two cups of coffee a day will not cause symptoms in the bladder. What's more, those who already Dealing with pain while urinating or high frequency of urination - you should limit or not consume caffeine at all so that the symptoms go away. "Complete avoidance of coffee may be necessary for some people who struggle with overactive bladder or bladder pain," she says.
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In some cases you have to give up, or just reduce.
Coffee/Giphy
Citrus fruits
Your bladder does not like overacidity.
Although the consumption of citrus fruits is healthy and provides the body with quite a few important vitamins, but if you suffer from any symptoms in the bladder, it is better that you limit or reduce their consumption.
"Grapefruit or oranges, including juices, are fruits with particularly high acidity," Milhouse explains.
"This acidity can cause irritation of the bladder lining, which will lead to symptoms, which may be unpleasant. "I strongly recommend avoiding these foods if you have active symptoms of cystitis."
Tomatoes
If you regularly consume tomatoes or tomato-based products, such as ketchup, pizza, or pasta dipped in tomato sauce, it may be best to moderate your intake of these foods if you experience bladder symptoms.
"Tomatoes are very acidic, which can be a trigger for bladder pain for many people," Milhouse says.
In addition, cooked tomatoes have more acid than fresh tomatoes.
"Tomatoes become more acidic the longer they are cooked, so if you don't want to give them up completely, it is better to eat fresh and not cooked tomatoes," she adds.
Give up pizza for a healthy bladder.
Precisely because of the tomatoes/image processing,
Sausages and processed meats
If you are a fan of hot dogs, sausages and other processed meats, the kind that are usually sold in the deli section of every supermarket, you should give them up to save your bladder.
The additives that extend the shelf life of processed meat and add to it its highly addictive taste, may create unpleasant irritations in the bladder.
Many of these meats contain nitrates, a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen compounds.
"These chemicals are also a known source of carcinogenic by-products or those that have been proven to cause cancer," Milhouse says.
"The byproducts of nitrates added to red meat are associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer."
Whether you have bladder problems or not, Millhouse suggests paying attention to how often you eat processed meat.
"I definitely recommend that the entire population limit or avoid processed meat, regardless of one or another bladder symptom," she adds.
Also carcinogenic, also harmful to the bladder.
Processed meats/ShutterStock
Spicy foods
Many of us can't do without adding some spiciness to our food.
But if you suffer from bladder sensitivity, you should very well try to reduce spicy foods from your diet.
"Spicy foods irritate the lining of the bladder and cause symptoms to worsen," said Dr. Ackerman.
Sodas
The combination of sugar, caffeine and gas can cause a real storm in the body and cause bladder irritation.
This is why it is very important to reduce or completely reduce the consumption of carbonated drinks.
"These drinks contain caffeine, which is a natural diuretic - which causes dehydration and concentrated urine - and sugar, which causes an increase in urine acidity, which leads to an increased risk of bladder infections," explains Dr. Ackerman. "In addition, carbonated drinks go through a chemical process of adding carbon dioxide acidic, which causes irritation that may cause quite a few problems in the bladder"
An unhealthy combination of sugar, caffeine and gas.
Soda/Giphy
smoking
Although it is not food or drink, smoking tobacco can lead to bladder cancer.
Although many associate it with lung cancer, smoking is the number one risk factor for bladder cancer.
The many chemicals found in cigarettes are processed and released from the body during urination.
"The harmful chemicals in tobacco products are filtered through the kidneys and eliminated in the urine," says Ackerman.
"These chemicals affect the lining of the bladder, causing cellular changes that lead in many cases to bladder cancer."
And if you need another reason to quit smoking, the American Cancer Society states: "People who smoke are at least 3 times more likely to get bladder cancer than people who don't smoke. Smoking causes about half of all bladder cancers."
The simple way to improve the situation
Most urologists recommend drinking a lot of water to strengthen the bladder.
"I encourage my patients to increase their water intake to help avoid bladder problems," Ackerman said.
Drinking a large amount of water when you already have bladder problems may seem counterintuitive at first, but Dr. Ackerman explains the logic behind it: "While drinking a lot of water may send you to the bathroom more, if the water consumption is spread throughout the day, it is not It will greatly increase the frequency, on the one hand, but it will help in diluting your urine, which will probably reduce the irritation in the bladder."
More on the same topic:
urine
Bladder
irritable bladder
smoking
coffee
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