Everyone is paying due attention to drinking enough water and munching through nutritious diet so that hot season can’t ruin their summer time off. However, vacation enjoyment is often disentangled with attacks of summer diseases. As many a people do not give much thought to Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) which can take on either sex. However, men are confined from UTI as their prostatic discharges have imperative anti-bacterial properties. Whereas, UTI is reported to be the most widespread cause for which women visit a doctor during summers as their urinary tract lack bacteriostatic properties. Delayed response to urge of urination, not drinking enough water, wearing unwashed tight jeans most of time and lack of hygienic washrooms triggers the infection. Although UTI can occur at any age, but elder people are more vulnerable to UTI because of their weakened immune system.

UTI is an infection which affects the inner lining of the urinary tract. UTI’s are caused by microbes, including fungi, viruses and bacteria. However, bacteria are the most common cause of UTI. It is a microbial infection that usually occurs when Escherichi coli bacteria enter the opening of the urethra and multiply in the urinary tract. The body has natural defenses against bacterial infection of the urinary tract. In normal course, urine has acidic properties (pH of 5) which are not favorable for growth of bacteria. Additionally urination expels microbes from the urinary tract and prevents it from rising to the bladder and kidneys. In case of UTI, the natural defenses of the body fail and bacteria colonize the urinary tract. Additional set of bacteria that by and large contaminate the urinary tract take in Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella.

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Signs & Symptoms

• Urinating in small quantities at frequent intervals
• Pelvic pain
• Pain or burning sensation during urination
• Increase in abdominal pressure
• Fever and chills
• Discharge from vagina and bloating
• Cloudy urine with a pungent/ unpleasing odor
• Back pain or side pain

Precautionary measures

• Take care of personal hygiene to get faster relief from infections.
• Prolonged use of tight fitting pair of jeans or shorts must be hold back.
• Make use of cotton inner wears rather than nonabsorbent materials.
• Subsequent to every washroom visit, a woman should wipe up properly so that the bacteria from the anus do not aim at the urinary tract.
• Use of any perfumes near the genital area should be discouraged as they may destroy the useful bacteria present here.
• During menses, sanitary napkins should be used instead of tampons. As, the tampons can trigger infections and they can also aggravate the present infections.
• Women should make it a practice to urinate following the sexual activity with the intention that the genital and anal areas should be kept clean & dry.
• Dietary approach:

1. Drink plenty of water and other fluids on regular basis which in turn leads to frequent urination assisting in flushing out the infectious bacteria from urinary tract.
2. Spicy and oily food stuffs are better avoided to speed up recovery.
3. A light diet at frequent interval is preferred over three heavy meals a day, in order that the person putting up with UTI can tolerate well.

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Ideal Anti-UTI meal plan:

Stay Cool Stay Healthy!!

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