Will changing my diet help with cystitis?

There are many helpful things you can do diet-wise to reduce the likelihood of cystitis.

• Drink at least 1.5 litres of still, plain water daily to dilute urine, because highly concentrated urine will irritate the bladder lining. Fizzy or flavoured water doesn’t count towards your total daily amount, as it doesn’t have the same effect on your urine. Try to drink at least 20-30 minutes away from meals, to avoid diluting your digestive enzymes.

• Reduce the amount of coffee, tea (apart from herbal tea) and fizzy drinks that you take and increase the amount of plain water and herbal teas instead.

• Reduce the amount of refined sugar that you eat, because this feeds unfriendly bacteria and impedes the immune system. Replace sugary treats with delicious dried fruit and healthy snack bars containing dried fruit, nuts and seeds.

• Reduce your intake of table salt, because it isn’t good for the kidneys and this can weaken your urinary tract generally.

• Avoid highly processed foods, which tend to contain a great deal of refined sugar and / or salt.

• Keep your intake of animal protein (meat and dairy products) moderate.

• Vitamin C is good for your urinary tract and for your immune system, so choosing vitamin C-containing fresh fruit and vegetables in preference to processed sugary snacks and meat-based meals is a good option.