With a new year comes the focus of re-commitment to health. Many adults set health-related goals, change their diets, and join gyms. Others begin by scheduling physicals with their doctors. While both of these are great ways to start and/or continue a focus on one’s health, unless there is a problem, most people don’t think about their bladder health. But a healthy bladder is just as important as other aspects of one’s health. Women, in particular, should be thinking about bladder health. According to the Urology Care Foundation, “…of the 25 million people in the United States that experience loss of bladder control, 75% are women.” While this may seem like an additional concern for women to focus on, there are 4 simple things women can do that will support and maintain a healthy bladder.
Why is a healthy bladder important?
The bladder is important because it has just one job: hold urine. For adult females, a healthy bladder holds about 10-13 ounces of urine, and the need to void the bladder occurs about every 2 to 4 hours. However, when the bladder is not healthy, it does not do its job well. It may signal to the brain that it is full when it’s not, which may lead to a person to frequently go to the bathroom just to release a few ounces of urine, or the bladder may leak, which might lead to lifestyle changes such as wearing only dark-colored clothes so no one can see the leakage or extra padding.
4 Ways for Women to Maintain a Healthy Bladder
- Drink plenty of water, on average 6-8 glasses daily. Drinking water promotes urination which flushed the urinary tract, ridding the body of bacteria and other substances collected by the kidneys.
- Avoid using tobacco. Tobacco use has been linked to increases in bladder cancer.
- Do Kegel exercises. These exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that hold urine in the bladder, thus helping to decrease urine leakage.
- Sit to urinate. Standing or “hovering” over the toilet to urinate can put stress on the pelvic muscles and make it harder to fully empty the bladder. And when the bladder doesn’t empty fully, there is an increase in the risk for a bladder infection.
Maintaining a healthy bladder doesn’t cost additional money, but it does require a bit of daily focus. When you make these practices a part of your daily routine, your bladder will thank you!
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Reference: http://www.urologyhealth.org
