Approximately 25 million people nationwide are affected by urinary incontinence. It is estimated that between 75-80% are women. Women are between four to five times more likely than men to experience loss of bladder control, in great part because of the trauma the body experiences during pregnancy and childbirth. In honor of the 2012 National Women’s Health Week theme, “It’s Your Time,” the National Association For Continence (NAFC) wants to empower women to make their health a top priority by encouraging them to take steps to improve their physical and mental health as well as lower their risks for developing diseases.
Problems with incontinence is not a disease. This is a symptom that can have many causes. There are remedies for loss of bladder and bowel control. The first step is to become educated, in order to understand your condition and decide, with your health care provider, the best way to treat and manage it.
We all have a role to play in women’s health. Women often serve as caregivers for their families, putting the needs of their spouses, partners, children and parents before their own. As a result, a woman’s health and well-being become secondary. As a community, we have a responsibility to support the women we know and do everything we can to help them live longer, healthier and happier lives.
Did you know?
- You can print the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Guidelines for Screening Tests for Women.
- The US goverment has issued its first-ever Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
- Read NAFC’s January Quality Care® article on How Exercise is Beneficial to Aging.
- HHS and USDA developed several tools to help you choose healthier foods to eat.
- Read NAFC’s Diet & Daily Habits leaflet.
- Womenshealth.gov has a multitude of free resources dealing with mental health
- Learn how to quit smoking with the resources on womenshealth.gov
- Understand how smoking irritates your bladder
Join us in our support of National Women’s Health Week!
Re orange juice and urine, I was alywas taught that orange juice made the urine more alkaline, not more acid. It is listed as a bladder irritant (therefore causing urgency) and we have patients decrease or eliminate citrus juices if they complain of urinary urgency or frequency. In quickly checking my literature, it seems to be unknown as to why this is. Nevertheless, we also teach patients to acidify their urine, both those who have their bladder and those with a urostomy, to decrease UTI’s. With either issue, it points to eliminating citrus juices from their diet!