Embarrassing Incontinence
Embarrassing Incontinence
“You are what you eat.” This can’t be farther from truth when it comes to urinary tract infection. Our flawed lifestyle and bad diet play a major role in exacerbating the disease that affects a majority of women
By Dr Partap Chauhan
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is a common ailment that arises from an infection caused by a certain bacteria. The infection usually starts in the urethra and then spreads right up to the bladder and other parts of the urinary tract. The patient experiences a burning sensation when urinating and an increased frequency of urination. The condition is more common in women, as their urethrasare smaller and so are prone to infection more easily. The urethrain women is also closer to the anus, which is a source of contamination. Conditions such as diabetes, bowel incontinence, kidney stones, immobility, reduced intake of fluids, and pregnancy can also contribute to Urinary Tract Infection.
Causes
Increased intake of sour, salty, bitter, oily, spicy, and fried food, and tea, coffee, and alcoholic beverages aggravate Pitta (Fire) in the body leads to UTI. Working in hot weather and excessive physical exertion aggravates the condition.
Symptoms
- Fever
- Burning sensation in the urethra
- Pain
- Discomfort
- Burning sensation while passing urine
- Presence of puss or blood in the urine
Ayurvedic View
According to Ayurveda, Urinary Tract Infection or Pittaj Mutrakrichhra is caused by the aggravation of pitta dosha. Pitta is an Ayurvedic humour that symbolizes heat or fire. So, a diet and lifestyle that increases Pitta causes UTI. Aggravated Pitta produces heating toxins in the body. These toxins accumulate in the mutravahi strotas (urinary tract) creating an imbalance in the infection-fighting properties of the urinary system. It might lead to bacterial growth in the system, amounting to UTI. Many chemical drugs work on bacteria, but these do not work on infection-fighting properties and heating toxins. Thus, such infection can often recur. Ayurvedic medicine, on the other hand, balances the infection-fighting properties of the urinary system and pacifies heating toxins, thereby giving long-term relief to the patient.
Diet & Lifestyle Advice
- Avoid intake of hot, oily, spicy, sour, and salty foods.
- Increase intake of liquids like water, juices, coconut water, and other cool drinks.
- Increase intake of pitta-pacifying herbs like green cardamom, coriander, red sandalwood, licorice root, etc.
- Avoid working in the sun or in a hot atmosphere such as near furnaces and boilers.
- Take a coldwater bath 2-3 times a day with ½ teaspoon of powdered red sandalwood added to the water.
Home Remedies
- Add 3 tablespoons of powdered coriander seeds and 1 tablespoon of powdered rock candy (or unrefined sugar) in a vessel (preferably an earthen pot) containing 3 cups of water. Keep it overnight. Mix well and drink 1 cup of the liquid 3 times a day.
This is a very good remedy for pacifying pitta in the urinary tract.
(The author is Ayurvedacharyawith Jiva Ayurveda)
“Urinary Tract Infection affects more women than men, as the latter are more prone to such infections.Only Ayurveda promotesa very effective and holistic remedy for treating this in humans, while western medicine may offer quick relief without striking at the root of the infection”