Incontinence can be an embarrassing health concern for men and women alike, especially when you have no idea what might set it off. There’s a plethora of food triggers which can irritate your bladder but if you eliminate the right ones, and cut down on the rest as much as possible, you don’t have to let incontinence dictate your life.
1. Alcohol. Anyone can experience an increased need to urinate after a few drinks, but if your well-being is affected by incontinence, alcohol can really exasperate your bladder. If this is the case, you need to limit your alcohol consumption to a drink a day.
2. Fluids. Regardless of what you’re drinking, it is recommended that you consume just about the recommended two litres of fluid a day. Any more than that may spell trouble, but not drinking enough can also affect your wellness with dehydration, constipation and kidney stones.
3. Chocolate. Whether it’s white, milk or dark, the caffeine content in your favourite box of chocs make them an absolute no for incontinence sufferers.
4. Sugar. While you may be able to still consume sugar as part of a balanced diet, overdoing it can play havoc on your bladder. This is the case for sugary foods containing honey, fructose and corn syrup as well as artificial sweeteners.
5. Fizzy drinks. These beverages contain the unholy trinity of health concerns; caffeine, high sugar content and carbonation. Even if you find some fizz that doesn’t have caffeine, all of these beverages are best avoided when you have incontinence.
6. Coffee and tea. These beverages are diuretic and irritate the bladder, even if they’re decaffeinated. Doctors recommend that you slowly wean yourself off the mug stuff, in order to help your bladder cope better.
7. Cranberry juice. Because cranberry juice it is useful against Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and bladder infections, you may assume it can counteract your overactive bladder. However, it is the infection element, rather than the bladder element, that the juice works on, and as cranberry juice is highly acidic, it will do more harm than good to your bladder.
8. Spicy food. Hot or spicy foods irritate your bladder, which can trigger episodes of incontinence. Try to regulate how much spicy food you consume.