7 Ways To Prevent Urinary Tract Infection

You know that awful burning sensation: It's the dreaded urinary tract infection. If it's happened to you — as it will to about 50 percent of us over our lifetimes — then you might want a refresher on some helpful tips to protect against it.

1. Drink water. Seriously.

Drink lots of water so you'll pee more frequently, helping to flush bacteria down there.

2. Always pee after sex.

For some young women, especially those who are newly sexually active, sex itself can cause a UTI. "Sometimes there's not enough lubrication, which causes irritation to the urethra, and intercourse pulls bacteria up into the urethra," says Dr. Felicia Lane, director of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery for the University of California, Irvine. Peeing cleans out your urethra after sex.

Over time, your body becomes more used to having sex, and your vagina becomes more stretchable and familiar with fending off external bacteria, but it's still good to take a trip to the bathroom within an hour or two.

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3. Always (always) wipe front to back.
Yes, you probably learned this as a toddler, but wiping back to front can introduce bacteria from your butt into your vagina and urethra. The most common type of UTI is from E. coli, a bacteria that lives on skin and is found more in fecal matter and around your anus. Just wipe the right way, OK?

4. Take vitamin C.
It's wise to get in the habit of making sure you get enough C, either through a supplement or through food. Vitamin C makes your urine more acidic, which may help fend off bacteria that may be lingering in your urinary tract.

5. Drink cranberry juice.
The elements of the fruit actually change the surface of E. coli so it can't bind to the urinary tract. If the juice — non-sugared cranberry extract — is too tart, you can also try a supplement like new AZO Cranberry® Gummies, which come in a mixed berry flavor! Two gummies is equal to drinking one glass of cranberry juice.*

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6. Don't try not to break the seal.
If you have to pee and hold it too long, you give bacteria in your urinary tract a chance to grow before you flush them out.

7. Avoid any vaginal products with perfumes and ~*~No DoUcHiNg~*~!
Your vagina already contains protective bacteria called "lactobacillus" to deter infections, so if you introduce unnatural cleaning elements, you risk upsetting your body's balance and raise the chance of bacterial overgrowth (which can actually worsen odours). "Besides warm water and soap, you don't need to use anything special on your vagina," Dr. Lane says.
And just FYI: if you have more than two UTIs in six months or three in a year, see your gyno to rule out more serious issues.
*Biological activity of 10 ounces of cranberry juice cocktail.

By Kira Peikoff from Cosmopolitan

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