Dietary Tips for Overactive Bladder
When you have an overactive bladder, you might experience a frequent and an intense urge to urinate. It is because the bladder muscles keep contracting, even while the bladder is not full. At times, the bladder muscles even contract in an instant without any warning or buildup. It might lead to an urgent urge to urinate.
What is the perfect diet for overactive bladder? Let us find out.
Foods to Eat
In a diet for overactive bladder, these foods are to be included:
- Fiber-rich Foods
One of the best and tastiest tips to improve your bladder health is by eating more fiber-rich foods. Fiber is a vital part of the perfect diet for an overactive bladder. Some of the fiber-rich foods to include are the lentil family and beans. You can also add a lot of whole-grain foods to your diet.
- Nuts
Cashews, almonds, and peanuts can help you tackle overactive bladder symptoms. They are a rich source of protein and one of the healthiest snacking items.
- Vegetables
Including more vegetables in your diet can be good for more than a few reasons. One incredible benefit of green leafy vegetables is that it improves bladder health. You can include vegetables such as cauliflower and kale as they are good sources of calcium and vitamin C sources. Further, potatoes and corns are rich magnesium sources, which can ensure that your bladder is entirely empty.
- Fruits
You should add more fruits to your diet, such as blackberries, strawberries, coconut, apples, grapes, and bananas. Pears, which are a fall fruit, should also be a part of your diet. You can consume most of these fruits raw or as juices or smoothies.
Foods to Avoid
In a diet for overactive bladder, these foods are to be excluded:
- Carbonated Drinks
It includes sparkling water, caffeine-free drinks, diet beverages, and regular carbonated drinks. Several studies have proven that carbonated drinks stimulate the bladder and are among the leading causes of an overactive bladder.
- Anything Containing Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners like saccharin, aspartame, and others are included in foods and beverages. So, for someone who has an overactive bladder, it is essential to cut out these foods and drinks from the diet. For this, you need to read the labels of all the pre-packaged foods thoroughly before buying them. It is best only to consume foods that have no or moderate amount of artificial sweeteners.
- Caffeinated Drinks
The caffeinated drinks, such as tea and coffee, also contribute to an overactive bladder. It is because caffeine is a diuretic and triggers the release of water in your pee. This can aggravate the symptoms of an overactive bladder.
- Alcohol
Alcohol drastically increases the production of urine in the body. Thus, it can aggravate the symptoms of an overactive bladder. Hence, it is best to avoid or curtail your alcohol consumption, and you will surely see an improvement in your symptoms. - Spicy Foods
Spicy food tends to inflame the lining of your bladder. Such foods also trigger overactive bladder symptoms and should be avoided.