Bladder leaks? Four ways to take action

Keep waking up in the night to pee? You’re not alone. If your precious sleep is constantly disrupted by bathroom trips and you dread long car journeys or being caught short, then you’re in good company with a third of UK women.

You could be experiencing a very common condition called Overactive Bladder (OAB), which affects as many as one in three women in the UK. But you don’t need to suffer in silence.

This is where healthcare brand Jude can help – it’s here to smash bladder taboos, open up honest conversations about incontinence, and help you get on with your life, leak-free. And you can start today with these four simple steps…

Certain foods and drinks can aggravate symptoms, but a few dietary changes can reduce them. If you suffer from bladder problems, limiting or avoiding alcohol, spicy and acidic foods, as well as caffeine, can help.

In fact, nearly 50% of people over 60 who drank more than 300mg of coffee a day (around three cups) suffered from overactive bladder symptoms, according to research. A 2016 study published in Current Urology found that this percentage was ‘significantly higher’ than that of people who didn’t consumer excessive amounts of caffeine.

Fizzy drinks, chocolate, citrus fruits, tomatoes and tomato-based products such as ketchup, as well as artificial sweeteners, can also cause flare-ups. Plus, sugary foods, honey and raw onion can put you in a world of pain, so it’s worth limiting or avoiding these irritants.

If you suffer from an overactive bladder, then you probably assume that one way to deal with it is to go to the bathroom as often as possible “just in case”. Wrong!

These last-minute toilet breaks when you don’t need to go could be making the problem worse – it’s actually “retraining” you to need the loo more often. Instead, it’s important to listen to your body’s, and bladder’s, cues.

When it actually comes to peeing, avoid straining your muscles and forcing the stream. Instead, place both feet firmly on the ground, and elbows on your knees. This specific position helps the pelvic floor muscles relax and lets the bladder fully empty.

Out and about when you need to go? While public toilets might not be the cleanest, it’s better to cover the seat with toilet paper than hover over it, as hovering can stop the bladder from emptying completely, causing damage to the pelvic muscles.

Oestrogen plays a key role in bladder strength, and a lack of it can have a negative effect on urinary health. During menopause, your body produces less and less of this important hormone, which can weaken the bladder and pelvic floor. But supplementing your diet with plant-based oestrogen can reverse this, strengthening bladder function and improving overall urinary health.

And surprisingly, research has found that pumpkin seed oil is particularly efficient at improving bladder control. These clever seeds are packed with essential nutrients including magnesium, potassium and zinc – all of which help relax the bladder muscles naturally.

That’s where Jude’s Bladder Strength Supplements can be a game changer. Just one daily dose has 96 pumpkin seeds worth of nutrients, along with soy germ extract, a high-quality plant-based compound that mimics oestrogen. Together, these two natural ingredients are clinically proven to strengthen pelvic muscles and reduce that feeling of urgency.

It’s so effective that 9.2 out of 10 participants in a clinical trial said taking Jude’s formula had improved their quality of life, with 66% reporting fewer daily leaks, and 70% fewer night-time bathroom visits.

Developed with urogynaecologists and Harvard Medical School professor Leena Pradhan-Nabzdyk, PhD, MBA, Jude’s Bladder Strength Supplements have been tried and tested by more than 15,000 people in the UK.

Leena recommends a course of at least three months for best results. She says: “I strongly recommend at least a 12-week treatment to significantly reduce urination urgency, plus daytime and night-time frequency.”

If you’ve ever been pregnant, you may remember your midwife telling you to do your Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles ready for labour.

Well guess what, they also really help with bladder health. Studies suggest that pelvic floor muscle training could also improve your sex life. Win, win!

Here’s how to do Kegel exercises:

To find your pelvic floor muscles, stop peeing midstream. Once you’ve identified your pelvic floor muscles, you can do the exercises in any position, although it is easiest to do them lying down at first.

To do Kegels, pretend you’re sitting on a marble and imagine tightening your pelvic muscles as if you’re lifting the marble. Try it for 2-3 seconds at first, then relax for a count of three.

Aim for at least three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions a day. Pilates is also worth a try. It strengthens your core muscles, which can help reduce leaks.