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Happy Tummy Expert

10 months ago

Dear Gurleen Kaur Gandhi, Thank you for the question

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by bacterial infection, fungal infection and/or due to an underlying health condition which may require medical attention.

Here are a few tips to manage UTI

• Drink a lot of fluids (Increasing your fluid intake will give bacteria less opportunity to bind to host-cells before being washed away when you urinate, thus lowering your chance of developing an infection)
• Avoid sweetened fruit juices and aerated drinks
• Cranberries and blueberries contain substances that inhibit the binding of bacteria to bladder tissue. Drinking unsweetened cranberry juice regularly potentially  helps lower the risk of UTIs
• Eat antioxidant-rich foods, including fruits (berries, tomatoes, etc), and vegetables a minimum of 5 servings/day .
• Probiotics - foods containing ‘good bacteria’ are beneficial in managing UTIs.
• Foods high in Vitamin C, such as oranges, lime, Kiwi and tomatoes make your urine more acidic, and acidic urine inhibits the growth of bacteria in your urinary tract
• Avoid bladder irritants such as caffeine, alcohol, spicy food, carbonated drinks, tobacco and artificial sweeteners.
• Drink 8-12 glasses of filtered water daily.

Regular gastritis, Indigestion towards certain foods, malabsorption, inability to digest/absorb certain nutrients can occur due to intolerance, digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, Anal fissure, food allergies or any underlying medical condition which may require medical attention. For further guidance and management, please contact a specialised health care professional such as a gastroenterologist.

It is necessary to improve your overall digestive system which involves a healthy lifestyle management including a good balanced diet, adequate hydration, regular physical activity and hygiene & stress management is key to maintain a good digestive health. It is also important to ensure adequate fiber intake which is essential for a healthy gut and overall digestive health.

Gut microbiota includes a diverse community of bacteria in human gut, they carry out various functions that influences our overall health. The functions include, nutrient metabolism, natural defense against infections and regulation of immune system.

For managing a healthy gut it is important to consume a diversified balanced diet at regular intervals, maintain hydration and include dietary fibre in your daily diet. It is also important to engage in regular physical activity and include prebiotic and probiotics in your daily diet Prebiotics are food components that confer benefits to the host by selectively stimulating the growth of beneficial gut microbiota whereas Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that incur positive effects on human health. They are present in the human gut and are also taken through food products such as yogurt, fermented foods, dietary supplements etc.

Prebiotics naturally exist in different foods including, asparagus, garlic, chicory, onion, honey, banana, barley, tomato, rye, soybean, human’s and cow’s milk, peas, beans, etc.

The common sources of probiotics are yogurt, cultured buttermilk and cheese. The other foods that are produced by bacterial fermentation are, tempeh, sauerkraut, sour dough, bread etc.  Look for food products labelled ‘Probiotic’, ‘Probiotic food’, ‘Contains Probiotics’, ‘with Probiotics’ etc.

Daily RDA for fiber as per NIN, ICMR is: 25g per day for female

Here are a few guidelines for general digestive health.

• Do not skip your meals, have small frequent meals at regular intervals.
• Eat a well-balanced diet including minimum 5 serving of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit in a day as they are good sources of fiber and essential nutrients such as vitamin A, Vitamin B, iron, zinc etc.
• Include prebiotics such as banana, soyabean, garlic etc., good sources of probiotics like yogurt, buttermilk etc., to maintain a healthy gut.
• Try to include whole grains like wheat, millets and multigrain in your diet as they are a good source of fiber and other nutrients.
• Limit the intake of dairy and fiber in case of loose stools/diarrhea
• Avoid large, heavy meals, and practice portion guidance.
• Deep fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
• Try to limit the foods like caffeine, spices, raw onions etc.
• Food should be eaten slowly and chewed well as fast eating provokes gastric feeding reflex.
• Avoid lying down immediately after your meal consumption
• Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day
• Have a gap of minimum 2-3 hours between bedtime and your last meal
• Engage in physical activity for a minimum of 30-45 minutes for at least 5 days a week.
• Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

It is always preferable to consume food that is fresh and has been prepared hygienically to avoid any kind of infections/intolerances

For further diagnosis and assistance kindly contact your specialized health care professional.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions please contact your Health care professional or any registered dietician.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead.

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