Preventing UTI's

You can read my post below to see my advice for treating UTIs. However, here are some tips for prevention.

1) Daily vitamin, supplement, and dietary regimen:

100 mg tablet of vitamin C (or citrus fruit or juice), 500 mg tablet of cranberry extract (or unsweetened, natural cranberry juice), and 1 cup of yogurt (or 1 acidophilus tablet) taken daily serve as excellent preventatives of UTIs.

2) Lifestyle changes:

For other forms of prevention you might want to try wearing cotton underwear, not wearing thongs, and wiping from front to back.

3) Changes in sexual activity:

Urinate immediately before and after sexual intercourse. Wearing condoms during sex and using natural water-based lubricant (there are many plant-based, vegan, organic products on the market) can minimize the amount of bacteria and foreign substances your vagina is exposed to. Lubricant will also help decrease the amount of friction during sex, which will, in theory, limit the amount of bacteria your urethra is exposed to. This is especially important if you do not use condoms during intercourse. I recommend Intimate Organics Defence Lubricant because it contains plant materials that foster the natural flora in your vagina to help prevent against yeast and other infections.

If you wear a diaphragm, you might want to consider another form of birth control, as diaphragms have been known to increase the frequency of urinary tract infections. There have also been complaints from women who wear the NuvaRing as birth control during sex, that this has caused irritation and urinary tract infections. However, because the ring can be removed for up to three hours, you can simply pop it out, and, when you're done, rinse it off and put it back in.

These are just a few tips for preventing urinary tract infections that I have come across on my own. Obviously, if you have persistent problems you should consult a doctor.