Say goodbye to menopausal UTIS
Urinary tract infections ( UTIS) are now the second most common infection nationwide— and your risk skyrockets after menopause, when estrogen shortfalls make your bladder more vulnerable to bacterial invasions. To prevent those painful flareups:
Outsmart trouble with spicy burgers
A University of California study suggests that the same E. coli bacteria that can cause food poisoning triggers 85% of UTIS! Luckily, just adding one to two cloves of garlic to your ground beef, salad and/or veggies— or 1 or 2 Tbs. of turmeric or curry— makes you less susceptible to UTIS. The spices kill E. coli in the digestive tract, preventing it from entering the urinary tract, scientists say.
Keep bugs at bay with corn silk tea
Sipping two cups of this slightly sweet- tasting brew daily helps flush out troublemaking E. coli bacteria before they latch onto your bladder walls. Corn silk is rich in gentle natural diuretics that also coat and protect the bladder lining, studies show.
Strengthen your defenses with a vaginal ring
Getting a low dose of estrogen via a vaginal ring, tablet or gel could cut your UTI risk 50% or more by strengthening the lining of the urinary tract and increasing your bladder’s production of antimicrobial compounds that destroy germs, says study coauthor Annelie Brauner, M.D.
KO germs with D-mannose
Feel an infection brewing (see “Signs of trouble” box)? A daily 4,000-mg. dose of D-mannose (a
compound found naturally in oranges) can help. Studies show it kick-starts healing within 24 hours for 71% of women by coating germs so they can’t attack the bladder wall. One option: Now D-mannose Powder, $14, Amazon.com.
Avoid the vacation threat
Think twice about using the whirlpool bath in your hotel room! Turns out, whirlpool plumbing can be a breeding ground for UTI-causing bacteria. Got a whirlpool at home? Sterilize it by adding 1/2 cup of bleach and 1 Tbs. powdered dishwasher detergent to a full tub and running it for 20 minutes. After draining the tub, run it for 20 minutes with clean water to rinse.