8 simple ways to prevent urinary tract infections

Blame female anatomy for the fact that women are twice as likely as men to experience urinary tract infections (UTIs). Help try to prevent them with these measures:

The route from the outside world via the urethra to the bladder is much shorter in women than in men, giving the bacteria responsible for these painful, often recurrent infections easier access. Plus, in women, that urethral opening is just a couple of inches from the rectum, making it far easier for bacteria from the bowel to slip in.

• About six out of 10 women will have at least one UTI, and about two out of 10 will experience them repeatedly.
• Usually, the cause is infection with E. coli bacteria, which tend to originate around the rectum and spread to the bladder opening in the vagina, then make their way up to the bladder.
• The bacteria that cause UTIs actually invade bladder cells, taking up residence there more or less permanently and leading to recurrent infections.

The main symptoms are:

• Burning or pain during urination
• Feeling that you need to urinate more often than usual
• Feeling that you need to urinate but not being able to
• Leaking urine
• Cloudy, dark, smelly or bloody urine

Prevent bacteria from getting in by wiping from front to back after a bowel movement — never from back to front.

• Use a clean washcloth to wash the skin around your rectum — and especially between rectum and vagina — every day when taking a shower or bath.

Cranberry juice for urinary tract infections is one of those folk treatments that really work.

• An antioxidant compound in cranberries and blueberries prevents bacteria from adhering to bladder and urinary tract cells.
• Most studies on cranberries have been conducted with pure juice or dried cranberry extract pills.
• Always buy unsweetened juice, not cranberry juice cocktail, which is loaded with sugar.
• If it's too tart, you can dilute it with water or seltzer.

The more you drink, the more you urinate. The more you urinate, the more bacteria you flush out of your urinary tract.

• Any liquid will do, although unsweetened cranberry juice offers the best protection.
• Blueberry juice and other berry juices are also good choices.

When you're there, do two things:

• Urinate to flush any bacteria from the urethra, and wash the area.
• Wet wipes designed for bathroom use are handy for this.

Cotton breathes, keeping the area between the legs drier so it doesn't become a breeding ground for bacteria.

It's not necessary.

• All douches and vaginal sprays do is irritate the urethra and disrupt the natural balance of good and bad bacteria that keeps infections in check.
• Ask about antibiotics. If you're prone to UTIs, ask your healthcare provider about antibiotics taken to prevent infection. Whether taken daily, only after sex, or every few weeks, they work to prevent UTIs, according to studies.

Using a diaphragm and spermicide may increase the risk of UTIs in women with a history of repeat infections. Even condoms used with spermicide can up the risk.

• Skip the spermicide if you think it bothers you, or choose a birth control method that isn't inserted into the vagina, such as oral contraceptives or contraceptive injections.

The more often you have sex, and the more people with whom you have sex in a year, the higher your risk of UTIs.

• Be selective and reduce the number of UTIs you may experience

UTI's are just an unfortunate reality of life for most women. However, with these simply tips, you can dramatically reduce the number of occurrences -- maybe even avoid them completely!