Anyone on a restricted diet, thanks to kidney issues or urinary incontinence, will tell you that the holidays can be a challenging time of year. Starting with Halloween sailing right through into December, it seems like our schedules fill up with family gatherings and friendly parties from the get-go.
Your friends at Urology want to remind you to keep on smiling and don’t get discouraged by the thought of holiday headaches over menus and food. Here are some tips (and some recipe suggestions) to make the holidays easy and breezy so you can enjoy yourself and some kidney-friendly treats that are delicious and healthy.
Tip #1 – (Try to) Avoid Caffeine
OK, so we understand that this first tip might be challenging when you’re facing a busy calendar of holiday happenings and events. However, one of the biggest culprits of causing an overactive or irritated bladder is caffeine. If you think about it, it does make sense.
When you drink a caffeinated beverage, you’re immediately increasing bladder activity, which can trigger the annoying, uncomfortable symptoms of an overactive bladder. There’s a good chance you’re going to experience:
– A much greater need to go to the bathroom
– Like you need to go to the toilet more often than usual
– An increased risk for uncontrollable incontinence
It’s also a good idea to cut back on or eliminate carbonated beverages and alcohol from your diet if you’re struggling with an overactive bladder. Both of these can aggravate your condition and be detrimental to your future urinary health.
Tip #2: Watch the Chocolate
You might have learned this the hard way in the past, but chocolate can cause problems for some people with an overactive bladder. Your urologist will tell you that it all comes back to caffeine. Just like coffee, tea, and sodas, chocolate does contain some caffeine. (Generally, about a quarter of the amount you’d find in a standard cup of coffee.) If you can’t seem to satisfy your chocolate sweet tooth, try a little bit of white chocolate.
Unlike other kinds of chocolate, the white version is generally caffeine-free because it’s made with cocoa butter, rather than cocoa solids. It has more of a vanilla flavor and can help curb your chocolate cravings while keeping your urinary incontinence in check. You might also want to consider checking out the chocolate alternative called carob. It’s free from caffeine and is fortified with minerals such as calcium and B-2.
Tip #3 – Find Some Fruit
With all of the delicious dishes that are synonymous with the holidays, it’s always a good idea to snack on some healthy fruits. They’ll help to get rid of your cravings for something sweet! Fruits are packed with sugar that’s natural, and they’re also free from any caffeine that could cause you bladder problems.
Remember to try and choose fruits that are low in acid because that can irritate your urinary system. Reach for:
– Strawberries
– Apples
– Blueberries
– Grapes
Tip #4: Try These Recipes
Sometimes it can be challenging to find foods that are tasty but won’t cause problems for your overactive bladder. We’ve compiled some delicious ideas just for you. (We hope you’ll find something you like! Make it and let us know how it turns out.)
3) Cornbread Broccoli Stuffing
If you’ve got a unique, kidney-friendly recipe your family raves about, please let us know. We’are always excited to learn about new delicious dishes.
