UTIs are painful, and if they keep recurring can seriously affect your quality of life. In addition, they can be embarrassing, especially when your doctor tells you the reason you keep having them is poor personal hygiene. But is that right?
Recent research by Washington University School of Medicine has shown that the root cause is not poor hygiene, but poor gut health.
Everyone has some E. coli in their gut. People with a healthy gut flora are able to keep E. coli in check and are less likely to have UTIs. The researchers found a clear link between a depleted microbiome and frequency of UTIs. This problem is made worse as the standard GP response to a UTI is to prescribe antibiotics, which further disrupt the balance of the microbiome.
My advice to anyone experiencing UTIs is to drink lots of water, and to take a probiotic, ideally one specifically focused on women's health such as Optibac For Women. At the same time increase your consumption of fruit and vegetables to ensure you provide enough fibre for the good bacteria in your gut.