Did you know that September is Urology Awareness Month? Organised by The Urology Foundation, this month aims to raise awareness of urological diseases as well as funds for the vital training and research into these diseases.
It is estimated that 1 in 2 of us will be affected by a urological condition in our lifetime.
Our urological health is vital to our quality of life. But diseases and cancers of the kidneys, bladder, prostate and the male reproductive system are becoming more prevalent and devastating the lives of millions of men, women and children in the UK.
What is urology?
Urology is the study of the female urinary system and male genito-urinary tract. Put simply, these are the parts of the body that produce, store and get rid of urine, as well as the parts involved in sexual function for men. Urology covers conditions affecting the kidneys, bladder, ureters and urethra, and for men, the prostate and reproductive organs.
What is urological disease?
The term ‘urological disease’ describes a wide variety of conditions, all related to the filtering and carrying of urine out of the body. These diseases can affect men, women, and children of all ages.
Urological conditions affect very specific parts of the body. In women, they involve the urinary tract. In men, they affect the urinary tract or the reproductive organs.
They can be very common conditions such as cystitis or erectile dysfunction (ED). However, they can also be very serious conditions, which is why it is important to talk about any concerns you might have about your urological health – the earlier, the better.
Some of the most common urological conditions include:
- prostate cancer (the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the UK)
- bladder cancer
- testicular cancer
- kidney stones
- incontinence
- urinary tract infections
- bladder prolapse
- blood in the urine
- overactive bladder
- swelling of the prostate gland
- male infertility
How can you minimise the risk of getting an urological disease?
To maintain good urological health, start by following this simple piece of advice: drink plenty of liquid. In general, it is recommended we drink at least 2 litres of water in winter and 2.5 litres in summer. You will know if you are adequately hydrated from the colour of your urine, which should be almost colourless.
If you have kidney stones, try to reduce your salt and protein intake. Although you may need to limit how much animal protein you eat each day, you still need to make sure you get enough protein. consider replacing some of the meat and animal protein you would typically eat with beans, peas and lentils, which are plant-based foods that are high in protein. To keep your salt intake in check, try to avoid canned, packaged and fast foods.
Those with recurrent urinary tract infections should try to avoid becoming constipated, undertake proper washing of genitals – always from front to back, urinate frequently, and urinate and wash after intercourse. We also recommend trying our Women’s Health Duo.
Women’s Health Duo
The Women’s Health Duo is designed to be taken over the course of 30 days, during which you take two For Women probiotic capsules daily before breakfast and two Garlic tablets daily with meals to help keep UTIs and thrush and bacterial vaginosis at bay. This powerful combination of supplements will also help keep your vagina healthy, and any pain and discomfort will become a distant memory.
In addition to the For Women capsules and Garlic tablets, Omega 3 fish oils and Vitamin E should be staple supplements for chronic UTI sufferers, as these are powerful anti-oxidants able to reduce inflammation in the bladder.
Take a high dose of these supplements for 48 hours as soon as you feel the symptoms of a UTI. Take one of the Just For Tummies Omega 3 capsules twice daily with food. If you want a Vitamin E recommendation, please get in touch with the Tummy Team at: feelgood@justfortummies.co.uk
At the first sign of symptoms, it’s also important to encourage the bladder to do what it does best – expel urine. To do this, increase your fluid intake, ideally doubling your average daily intake and building up to 3-4 litres of fluid a day. This will encourage the bladder to empty, and the fluid will dilute the effects of the infection.