UTI can mess up with your body in many ways, says ace nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar

We keep hearing the term UTI, but what is it? A urinary tract infection (UTI) affects the bladder and urethra but in more serious cases, it can even spread to the kidneys. It is characterised by severe pelvic pain, painful urination which may be accompanied by blood and an increased urge to urinate. Now, the thing is that women are more prone to a UTI due to a short urethra. Hence, females must stay aware of the signs of a UTI and how it can affect the body.

Rujuta Diwekar speaks on the basics of a UTI

Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, author of the best-seller ‘Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight’, often uses her social media handles to raise awareness about fitness, wellness, and health issues. Recently, she posted an Instagram video in which she talks about UTI. This is part of her ‘U’ series.

Check out her post here:

Rujuta’s ‘U’ series

In this series, she explains what UTI is, its symptoms, causes, and how it can be managed:

Basics of UTI: UTI is an infection in your urinary system, which includes kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. UTI occurs when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra, and multiplies in the kidney and bladder. The urinary system, by design, keeps out such bacteria, in certain cases bacteria may penetrate the urinary tract and cause an infection.

Symptoms: Rujuta talks about the common symptoms for UTI, which includes a strong and persistent urge to urinate, a burning sensation when urinating and passing cloudy urine. She also mentioned how fever and pelvic pain could also be symptoms of UTI.

Causes: She mentioned how UTIs are more common in women, as there are certain factors specific to them. These factors include their anatomy, as women have a shorter urethra than men, which shortens the distance that bacteria has to travel to reach the bladder. Menstrual health is another reason since there is a decline in estrogen circulation after menopause. This may cause changes in the urinary tract, making women vulnerable to the infection. Besides, medications and contraceptives can cause hormonal changes that make women more susceptible to catching UTI. Also, genital hygiene, if not taken care of, can increase the risk of being infected.

Preventing and managing UTI: Onset of UTI may be prevented by adopting simple practices such as staying hydrated, by drinking water, coconut water, neera, rice kanji, kulith, and sherbets. Besides the nutritious boost, these drinks will help dilute the urine, which in turn flushes out bacteria from the urinary tract before you get infected. Cleaning your genitals properly after urinating also helps prevent bacteria in the anal region from spreading to the vagina and urethra. Also, restorative yoga poses such as ‘suptabadhakon asana’ and application of ghee, coconut oil or ‘kashyachi wati’ on the soles of the feet will also help prevent and alleviate symptoms of UTI. kashyachi wati

So, ladies, take charge of your health and be a step ahead when it comes to detecting and treating UTI.