If you have been recently diagnosed with urinary incontinence, or even if you have been dealing with it for some time, you are not alone. More than 2 million men are affected by urinary incontinence. The good news is that there are natural ways to treat urinary incontinence and support your urinary health.
Incontinence is a symptom of a urinary tract problem, and there are different types of urinary incontinence. Men most commonly experience stress incontinence — the accidental release of urine when the bladder is under pressure — after being treated for prostate cancer.
Another type of incontinence is called overflow incontinence. This is associated with enlarged prostate — benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH can squeeze the urethra and keep the bladder from completely emptying.
Whether you have stress incontinence or overflow incontinence, there are natural steps you can take to support your urinary health and restore continence. If an enlarged prostate is causing your symptoms, you can learn how to promote a normal prostate size.
The first step is to talk to your doctor about what is causing your urinary incontinence and to develop a plan for dealing with the problem. Learn as much as you can about prostate health and urinary incontinence. Keep an ongoing conversation going with your healthcare provider.
The lifestyle choices you make and the foods you eat can help you regain control of your bladder. Following are several lifestyle changes you can make that will positively affect your bladder control, prostate and urinary health.
Take Supplements
There are several natural supplements that support the urinary tract, and many supplements that shrink the prostate. Many men find urinary health benefits from quercetin, saw palmetto, curcumin, green tea extract, cranberry, stinging nettle and pygeum.
Eat Plenty Of Fruits And Vegetables
These foods are high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber. These support prostate health and urinary tract health, as well as being good for the rest of you too.
Eat Healthy Fats
Healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats help promote prostate health. These fats are part of the Mediterranean diet, which has several prostate health benefits.
Manage Fluids
Drink pure water. While it is important to stay properly hydrated, you want to avoid drinking in the two to three hours before bedtime.
Avoid Food Additives And Sugar
Some foods and additives are harmful to the prostate and your urinary function. Try to avoid the worst ingredients in processed foods.
Exercise And Maintain A Healthy Weight
Being overweight can worsen symptoms of urinary incontinence by putting excess pressure on the bladder. Exercise helps promote prostate health.
Do Kegel Exercises
Doing Kegels every day can help improve bladder control. Other alternative treatments such as physical therapy may also be of help.
Don’t Smoke Or Drink
Smoking is a risk factor for stress incontinence. Alcohol increases urinary frequency, so try to limit or avoid it.
Drink Green Tea
Green tea health benefits come from its strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Whether your drink it or take it as a supplement, look for caffeine-free green tea.
Avoid Caffeine
Caffeine from coffee, tea and soda can promote urinary frequency. A study on incontinence in men and caffeineshows that men who consumed 234 mg or more of caffeine every day were 72 percent more likely to have some urinary incontinence compared to men who drink small amounts.
Avoid Foods That Irritate The Bladder
Foods and drinks that can irritate the bladder include citrus fruits, citrus juice, carbonated drinks and spicy foods.
Go When You Need to Go
Don’t hold your urine when you need to go. Holding it can irritate your urinary tract and possibly lead to a urinary tract infection.
Step By Step
Following these steps and eating a healthy diet should help you regain control over your bladder. For more specific eating advice, take a look at: the best foods for men over 50, which can help you adjust your diet to your body’s changes as it ages.
Of course, there are medications and other treatments that can help with urinary symptoms of BPH, but they have some unwanted side effects. Before taking any medications, you should give some of the natural supplements and lifestyle changes a try. They may help and they won’t hurt.
If you are considering medication, first ask your doctor about Proscar side effects and the effect of Flomax on sexual function. These are medications that are often prescribed for men with BPH. Before taking drugs, see if natural methods yield the results you are looking for. It may take some time; but if you adopt a healthier lifestyle, you should start to see some changes in more than just your urinary health.
Reference:
Davis NJ, et al. Caffeine intake and its association with urinary incontinence in United States men: results from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2005-2006 and 2007-2008. J Urol. 2013 Jun;189(6):2170-4. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2012.12.061. Epub 2012 Dec 28.
Davis NJ, et al. Caffeine intake and its association with urinary incontinence in United States men: results from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2005-2006 and 2007-2008. J Urol. 2013 Jun;189(6):2170-4. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2012.12.061. Epub 2012 Dec 28.
