If you are a senior and have urge incontinence, then you probably have sudden urges to urinate on a frequent basis. Medications can be used to help reduce your urge to urinate. You can also take steps to change some of your habits to reduce urge incontinence. Some of these changes may even be fairly easy for you to implement. Keep reading to learn about a few diet change examples. 

Drink Enough Water

If you often talk to your physician about your health, then you likely know that you need to drink plenty of water. After all, older adults are more likely to become dehydrated because they are unable to conserve as much water. Your sense of thirst reduces as well, and your body may be more likely to respond to extreme temperatures. Unfortunately, drinking too much water also means an increase in urine. You may try not to drink as much water simply because it worsens your incontinence condition. However, not drinking enough water can also make it worse. 

When you do not drink enough water, then the urine will become more concentrated. This means that there will be more organic compounds like sodium, potassium, chloride, and creatine in the fluid. These things can cause the bladder to become irritated. It is better to drink the fluid that your body needs than to end up dehydrated with an irritated bladder. In general, you should drink about eight full 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Consider spreading water consumption throughout the day to help reduce the number of times you need to use the bathroom.

Reduce Your Intake of Acids

You likely have heard that cranberry juice helps to keep the urinary tract healthy. However, that is only if your issues are due to an infection. If you have an urge incontinence issue that is unrelated to infection, then you might want to skip the cranberries. Cranberry juice is an acidic beverage. While you may think that the acid in the juice is helping to keep your urinary tract healthy, it is actually the A-type proanthocyanidins in the cranberries that offer assistance. Specifically, the chemicals keep bacteria from attaching to the bladder and the urethra and this keeps infections at bay.

If you have incontinence, then try to avoid cranberry juice and cut down on highly acidic foods as well. Tomatoes, oranges, blueberries, and coffee are a few foods that you may want to cut back on.

For more ideas on treating your incontinence, consult with a company like Advanced Urology Associates.