Taking care of your diet and following specific dietary guidelines can help alleviate and reduce urinary incontinence.
It is always advisable to maintain a balanced diet as this helps with maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight puts more pressure on the abdomen and bladder which increases the symptoms of incontinence. It has been shown that obesity weight loss can reduce the risk.
Doctors and health professionals advise incorporating certain foods into the diet that have a beneficial effect on those who suffer from stress incontinence. It is also recommended to reduce certain foods that can be harmful.
Foods beneficial for urinary incontinence
Incorporate food into your diet that stimulates and regenerates the cells of the genital mucosa, kidneys, bladder and muscle tissue. Foods that contain vitamins, minerals, proteins and nutrients contribute to maintaining the immune system, which help decrease risk of infection, restores tissue and prevents the weakening of the pelvic floor.
What are those foods?
- Blueberries
- Green peas
- Lentils
- Avocado
- Radish
- Nuts
- Fish
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Egg
The 2 most important foods you should incorporate into your diet for incontinence:
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Green peas are one of the most recommended foods in a diet for urinary incontinence due to their significant contribution of vitamin A, which helps with the strengthening of the kidney and bladder tissues. Getting a hold of them is easy as you can consume them at any time of the year, thanks to their ease of being frozen or preserved in cans. Plus, they are easy to cook!
- Radishes are filled with Vitamin C and have a great antiseptic benefit that speeds up recovery of urinary tract infections. In addition to this, it helps with urine control and relieves drips during the first phase of incontinence.
Vitamins for urinary incontinence
It is scientifically tested that there are certain vitamins and minerals that help control urinary incontinence. Vitamin C, E, B6 and magnesium are beneficial when consumed in adequate amounts.
What should I include?
- Vitamin C: citrus fruits (orange, tangerine, strawberries...)
- Vitamin E:olive oil, avocado and nuts
- B6 and magnesium: Meat, fish, green vegetables, coriander, mint, chives, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
Consumption of water and liquids
Drinking water is recommended even if you suffer from incontinence, as it helps keep the bladder clean and therefore reduces the risk of infection and irritation. It is advisable to ingest an adequate amount, which should be about two litres a day. Try to avoid drinking water two or three hours before going to bed. It is important to control the amount of liquid, especially in older patients, since the sensation of thirst decreases as you get older. It is important to maintain an adequate amount of liquid as both excess fluids and drinking too little can be harmful. If liquids are limited, the accumulation of toxins in the bladder increases, which can increase urinary incontinence.
Foods to avoid for urinary incontinence
Foods to limit or avoid are those that have a diuretic effect, which are foods that stimulate kidney function by producing a high amount of urine.
What do I avoid?
- pineapple
- fennel
- onion
- artichokes
- carrots
- celery
- lettuce
- asparagus
- cucumber
- watermelon
If you do not want to eliminate them completely from the diet, it is better to consume them in the morning or at noon, rather than at night.
Spicy foods also have a negative effect as they can irritate the urinary tract and cause the urge to urinate. This is the same with artificial sweeteners, so it is better to replace cookies, candies and pastries with fruit or nuts.
Beverages to avoid for urinary incontinence
Caffeine is a great enemy of urinary incontinence as it irritates the urinary tract and acts as a stimulant for the bladder, which increases the need to urinate. In small amounts, they do not have a diuretic effect but should be avoided as much as possible.
Tea & carbonated drinks should also be limited.
Decaffeinated drinks contain less caffeine but are not recommended either.
Alcohol dehydrates you and makes you need to go to the bathroom more often. Additionally it interferes with brain signals that tell your bladder when to release urine.
Recommended Recipes
Something Light
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Avocado and Radish Salad
Ingredients: Spinach, radishes, avocado, olive oil, vinegar and salt.
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Avocado and nut salad
Ingredients: Avocado, tomatoes, rocket, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper.
Creams & Dips
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Avocado and zucchini cream
Ingredients: avocado, zucchini, onion, Greek yogurt, vegetable broth, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Preparation: Fry the onion and zucchini. Add the broth and let it boil for a few minutes. Add the yogurt and avocado and blend. Well season to taste.
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Pea cream
Ingredients: frozen peas, onion, leek, potato, water, salt, oil and ground pepper.
Preparation: Put the oil in the pan with the chopped onion and leek. When they are golden add the potato. Add the peas and water and boil for 15 minutes. Shred and serve.
Something Sweet
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Blueberry Banana Smoothie
Ingredients: 2 medium bananas, ½ cup of fresh blueberries, 1 yogurt.
Preparation: Place all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
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Blueberry jam
Ingredients: Blueberries, sugar (½ of the weight of the blueberries), water (⅓ of the weight of the blueberries).
Preparation: Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce until thickened.
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Disclaimer: No content on this website, or in this article, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.