8 Ways to Maintain Urinary Tract Health that You Need to Know All

KOMPAS.com – It’s important to stay healthy urinary tract because it plays an important role in filtering wastes and extra fluids from the bloodstream and removing them from the body.

Waste and extra fluid is excreted in the form of urine.

Collect National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)The body parts that play a role in the urinary tract include 2 kidneys, 2 ureters, bladderand the urethra.

All of these parts need to be healthy to work together in the right order and pee you are normal.

For Peeyour brain signals the sphincter muscles to relax.

Then it signals the muscular bladder wall to tighten, squeezing urine through the urethra, and out of your bladder.

Also read: Signs of an Unhealthy Urinary Tract due to Infection

Here’s how to maintain urinary tract health things to know:

1. Drink enough water

Collect Verywell Healthevery healthy person needs to drink at least 8 glasses measuring 230 ml or a total of 2 liters every day because it can maintain urinary tract health.

The water you drink is filtered through your kidneys to collect in your bladder until you feel the urge to urinate.

When you don’t drink enough water, your urine becomes concentrated, smells stronger, and can irritate your bladder and make you urinate more often.

Concentrated urine can cause a burning sensation when you urinate and increase your risk of bladder infections or kidney stones.

People who are prone to infections or kidney stones may benefit from drinking 10-12 glasses of water a day.

Meanwhile, according to NIDDK, You may need to drink less water if you have certain conditions, such as kidney failure or heart disease.

Also read: Long-term Catheter Use Can Cause Urinary Tract Infections

2. Limit salt consumption

Collect Verywell HealthConsuming too much salt can create an imbalance in the content of salt, minerals, and water in the kidneys.

In addition, consuming a lot of salt can increase blood pressure.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure in the long term can cause damage to the kidneys, which are part of the urinary tract.

The Ministry of Health has set a salt consumption limit of 5 grams/person/day (1 teaspoon/person/day) or the equivalent of 2000 mg sodium/person/day.

Meanwhile, most of the salt is also contained in foods, such as canned soups, processed meats, burgers, chips, and other snacks.

So, it is important to limit salt consumption to maintain urinary tract health.

Also read: Are Urinary Tract Infections Dangerous?

3. Reduce caffeine intake

Collect Verywell Healthdrinking caffeinated beverages can irritate the bladder and act as a diuretic (increasing your need to urinate by making more urine).

The more caffeine you consume, the more likely you will have to urinate.

Too much caffeine can also cause dehydration which can increase the risk of kidney stones, bladder infections, and other problems.

There is some evidence that women with interstitial cystitis (IC) should avoid caffeine.

Interstitial cystitis or cystitis is a chronic disease that causes inflammation, pain, and pressure in the bladder.

Also read: Get to know the common urinary tract infections experienced by newlyweds

4. Don’t hold your pee frequently

Collect NIDDK, people often hold their urine because they feel it is not the right time to go to the toilet, even though it can interfere with urinary tract health.

Holding your urine for too long can weaken your bladder muscles and make it harder for your bladder to expel all the urine (emptying it completely).

Urine that remains in your bladder allows bacteria to grow and makes you more susceptible to urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Collect Verywell HealthThis problem can also cause urine to flow up to the kidneys.

How often you need to urinate depends on how quickly your kidneys produce urine that fills your bladder and how much urine your bladder can comfortably hold.

The bladder wall muscles expand when they are filled and contract when they are empty.

So to maintain a healthy urinary tract, don’t hold your pee for too long, which over time can stretch your bladder.

Also read: 7 Ways to Treat Urinary Tract Infections Without Antibiotics

5. Pee before and after sex

Collect Verywell Health, You also need to pee before and after sex to keep your urinary tract healthy.

Bacteria can climb into the urinary tract during sex, increasing the risk of a urinary tract infection.

Urinary tract infections are more common in women after sex because they have a shorter urethra than men.

That makes it easier for bacteria to climb into the urinary tract, but not every woman gets the infection.

Although rare, men can also get urinary tract infections and they can also pass the pathogen to women.

The groin is a major source of bacteria, so men should clean their groin area as part of good personal hygiene.

6. Wipe from front to back

Collect Verywell Healththe anus and rectum have a lot of bacteria, so it needs careful treatment to clean them.

To maintain the health of the urinary tract, it is recommended to wipe from front to back after urinating.

This ensures that you don’t carry bacteria into your vagina, resulting in a urinary tract infection.

Also read: Beware, Frequently Holding Pee Can Make Urinary Tract Infections

7. Defecate

Collect NIDDKRegular bowel movements are also important for maintaining bladder health.

You can defecate regularly by:

• Make healthy food choices

You can maintain urinary tract health by sticking to an eating plan that includes lean protein, whole grains, fiber-rich breads, nuts, colorful berries, fruits, and vegetables to encourage regular bowel movements.

• Live a healthy lifestyle

Get regular physical activity, limit alcohol intake, reduce caffeinated foods and drinks, and don’t smoke.

8. Train the pelvic floor muscles

Collect NIDDKpelvic floor exercises are also called Kegel exercises.

This exercise can be done to keep the pelvic floor muscles strong and maintain bladder and bowel health.

Both men and women can benefit from this pelvic floor muscle exercise.

Also read: Why Are Women More Susceptible To Urinary Tract Infections Than Men?

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