A Healthy Bladder: How to Keep it that Way

How often do you think about how great it is to have a bladder that's in perfect working order? Most of us go days, weeks, months and even years without thinking about that minor human detail. Your way of life would be turned upside down if you lost your bladder to disease.

We are bombarded on a daily basis with what steps we need to take in order to maintain optimal heart health, breast health, prostate health and colon health, to name just a few.

Ideally, we should be thinking about maximizing the health of those body parts before anything goes wrong; prevention is the key. The bladder is no different. If you've taken your bladder for granted in the past, today is the day to start appreciating that invisible body part.

Cystitis and Bladder Cancer are two very painful and sometimes life-threatening conditions of the bladder. Practice prevention by making minor changes in your lifestyle.

About Cystitis

A bladder infection will almost bring your day to a standstill with the burning and urge to urinate which results in a disappointingly small amount of urine.

Women are more likely than men to get Cystitis because of their shorter urethra. The elderly and people with diabetes are prone to more frequent bladder infections.

There are some things you can do to reduce the frequency of infections:

-Empty your bladder as completely as possible so the urine doesn't sit in the bladder for long periods of time, which allows bacteria time to grow. When you are awakened in the middle of the night by the urge to urinate, don't procrastinate, go right then. Look at it as a way to protect your future health.

-Throw out perfumed soaps that can irritate the perineal area. If soaps cause infections for you, try one that's free of perfumes, dyes and other irritants. Burt's Bees has a soap I like:

Naturally Nourishing Milk and Shea Butter Body Bar. The ingredients are simple:

• Milk
• Shea Butter
• Soybean Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Palm Oil
• Olive Oil
• Rosemary

That's a huge improvement over the long list of chemicals in the traditional soaps on the shelf.
Chronic bladder irritation caused by urinary infections has been linked to bladder cancer. For this reason alone, it's very important to do what you can to reduce your bladders exposure to irritants.

-Women should wipe from front to back after you use the bathroom. Use a soft cloth to clean the area with warm water and soap after having a bowel movement. After you use those washcloths, put them in the washing machine and:

• Use the hottest water setting
• Add detergent
• Add Bleach
• Dry on the hottest setting

These steps will kill the germs on contaminated washcloths and underwear.

-Again, avoid irritants. Coffee is a bladder irritant. The caffeine, tannins and acid in coffee are horrible for the bladder. Every time you reach for the coffee pot, think: bladder infection; bladder cancer. That should help you kick the coffee habit!

Decaffeinated coffee is not any better and tea is just as irritating. Skip both and drink hot water with honey!

All hope is not lost though. People who suffer from Interstitial Cystitis (IC) have to be very careful about what they eat and drink. With IC, life is all about avoiding what might irritate the bladder. Some people with IC can drink herbal coffees successfully, such as Cafix or Pero. If you just can't live without that coffee in the morning, try low acid coffees, like Euromild or Puroast.

-Drink plenty of fluids each day; preferably water. Drinking lots of water keeps you going to the bathroom regularly (and it improves bowel function). This frequent going, even though annoying at times, reduces your risk of bladder cancer by not allowing toxins to sit in your bladder for long periods. If you are experiencing burning from an infection, drink 10 ounces of fluid every half hour until the burning stops.

The benefits of being well hydrated are always in debate, but personally, drinking plenty of water helps me to feel better and have more energy.

About Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is the result of cells gone crazy that continue to change until they grow into a tumor.

Did you know that bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the United States? The most common form of bladder cancer in the United States is transitional cell carcinoma. This type of cancer is superficial; affecting the lining of the bladder. It can be difficult to get rid of and tends to come back.

Some risk factors for developing bladder cancer are:

Age
Smoking
Repeated bladder infections
Family History

Even though you may have several risk factors to develop bladder cancer, that doesn't mean you will. Eating right: avoiding processed foods, sugar, diet drinks and artificial sweeteners will go a long way toward improving your bladder health and your overall health. Eat colorful fruit and vegetables daily as part of your bladder health improvement plan.

The 'jury' is unclear about one of the causes of bladder cancer being the use of hair dye, especially dark hair dyes. Avoid them; go natural; it's the in thing to do!

Get out in the sun for that vitamin D! There's strong evidence that bladder cancer, among other cancers, is inhibited (by enough vitamin D in the body) or activated (by not enough vitamin D in the body).

Above all....be happy and be grateful. The healthiest people are often the happiest people, regardless of their risk factors.