ATTENTION WOMEN: Living in fear of leaks and bathroom emergencies!?

SIX natural ways to combat urinary incontinence and restore your confidence

Nearly half of all women over the age of 50 suffer from urinary incontinence (UI)—also known as “overactive” or “leaky” bladder. And the problem is far from benign.

It can disrupt daily routines, squash self-confidence, limit physical activity, and basically make life miserable and downright embarrassing.

Worse yet, surveys show that most women with UI don’t ever discuss the problem with their doctor. Instead, they simply suffer in silence… using pads, sticking close to home, and wearing dark clothing.

But you DON’T have to endure another day living in fear of the next leak or bathroom emergency. In fact, research shows there are SIX effective, non-drug options that can help…

Natural ways to reclaim your life (and confidence)

There are three main types of UI in women: stress, urge, and mixed incontinence.

With stress incontinence, you leak small amounts of urine when coughing, sneezing, exercising, or having sex. It stems from weak or damaged pelvic floor muscles. And it often occurs following physical or hormonal changes experienced during pregnancy, childbirth, or menopause.

With urge incontinence, you have a sudden, overwhelming urge to urinate… and you tend to leak large amounts of urine. It’s more common among women who are overweight or have diseases like MS or type 2 diabetes, which impair neurological function. Certain drugs can also worsen this type of UI.

With mixed incontinence, you suffer from both stress- and urge-like symptoms.

Fortunately, as I mentioned, there are SIX effective, natural approaches that help “stem the flow” in all three types of incontinence…

Get in some daily squeezes. Research shows practicing “Kegel exercises,” which involve squeezing and releasing the pelvic floor muscles, can help treat both types of UI. In fact, in one study published earlier this year, they “significantly” improved both frequency and severity of overall UI symptoms.¹

Yet—somewhat surprisingly—just 38 percent of women with UI practice these effective, non-invasive exercises.²

If you aren’t familiar with how to perform them, I suggest conducting a quick internet search for a thorough explanation. Then, once you understand the concept—they’re quite simple (and discreet) to perform. Though, it may take four to six weeks before you notice a difference—so stick with it!

Try some downward dog. I know a lot of women with UI avoid certain exercises that involve running or jumping, as they can cause embarrassing leaks. But women with UI should still strive to remain active to improve their core strength and pelvic floor muscles.³

Consider replacing high-impact exercises that cause leaks with gentler, strength-building activities—like Pilates, yoga, swimming, cycling, or types of core training with planks, squats, and lunges.

Shed a few pounds. Extra abdominal fat puts a lot of added pressure on the bladder, which can cause leaks. But shedding just a few pounds can make a BIG difference in your UI symptoms.

In fact, in one recent study, women who lost just 3 to 5 percent of their baseline weight experienced a staggering 47 percent reduction in stress incontinence episodes.⁴ They also improved their urge incontinence! (See page 6 about an exciting, new, weight-loss formula on the horizon that can help you melt away the pounds.)

Cut the caffeine (but not the water). Caffeinated drinks—like coffee, tea, and soda—can irritate the bladder and cause it to fill up too quickly.⁵ Plus, research shows that women who drink more than two cups of caffeinated drinks per day are more likely to suffer from incontinence in the first place. Therefore, try to stick with fresh water or herbal tea throughout the day.

When it comes to how much water you need, I still suggest drinking half your body weight in ounces daily. (Remember, drinking too little water can irritate your bladder and lead to urinary tract infections.) Just sip slowly throughout the day… instead of guzzling a lot at once.

Improve your “Qi.” According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, UI results from a deficiency in the “Qi” (pronounced “chee”) of the kidneys. But the ancient practice of acupuncture can help. With this approach, a licensed practitioner applies sterile acupuncture needles to acupoints of the bladder and kidney that regulate “Qi,” promote the recovery of bladder function, and improve UI symptoms.⁶

In one recent meta-analysis, this powerful technique proved remarkably effective. In fact, in several of the featured studies, women who received acupuncture experienced a 50 percent reduction in incontinence episodes. (Electroacupuncture, which sends small electrical currents through the acupuncture needles, seems to offer the most improvement in UI sufferers. So make sure to ask your provider about their experience.)

Consider some smart supplements. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 75 percent of people with UI have tried taking an herbal remedy or supplement at some point to get their symptoms under control.⁷

But as always, you must be smart about your choices, as there’s a lot of junk out there…

I suggest starting with magnesium, which your body needs for proper muscle and nerve function.⁸ Some experts believe improving magnesium levels can also reduce bladder spasms—a common cause of UI in women.

Granted, most doctors don’t routinely test magnesium levels. So, ask about it at your next visit. (If your doctor won’t order this test for you, you can order it yourself through a company called Direct Labs.

Just visit their website at www.DirectLabs.com or call 1-800-908-0000.)

If your levels are low, start incorporating more magnesium-rich foods into your diet. Dark leafy greens, nuts, and avocado are all good sources. It’s also a good idea to add a magnesium supplement to your daily regimen as well. I always recommend magnesium orotate (32 mg per day) or magnesium taurate (125 mg per day). These two forms are best absorbed by the body.

Of course, you should also make sure your doctor regularly checks your vitamin D blood levels, as research shows low levels of this critical vitamin may contribute to urinary and even fecal incontinence.⁹ As always, I recommend taking a daily dose of 250 mcg (10,000 IU) to help you achieve vitamin D blood levels in the optimal range of 80 to 100 ng/mL.

Last but not least, I suggest giving pumpkin seed extract a try. In one recent study, researchers looked at the effect of this time-tested, natural remedy on 45 men and women with overactive bladder.¹⁰ It turns out, after just 12 weeks, the participants who took 10 mg of pumpkin seed oil daily experienced a significant decrease in their symptoms.

As an added bonus, they also experienced a reduction in their daytime and nighttime frequency and overall urgency to urinate. And best of all, there were almost zero unwanted side effects.

In the end, you don’t have to continue suffering in silence—house-bound, away from your friends and family, wearing dark cloths and pads. Because there ARE safe, effective, and natural ways to support your urinary health, put a stop to embarrassing leaks, and get your life—and confidence—back on track!

References:

1. “Effectiveness of supervised Kegel exercises using bio-feedback versus unsupervised Kegel exercises on stress urinary incontinence: a quasi-experimental study.” Int Urogynecol J. 2022 Jul 8:1–8. doi.org/10.1007/s00192-022-05281-8.
2. “Half of women over 50 experience incontinence, but most haven’t talked to a doctor, U-M/AARP poll finds.” Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation, University of Michigan, 11/1/18. (ihpi.umich.edu/news/half-women-over-50-experience-incontinence-most-havent-talked-doctor-u-maarp-poll-finds)
3. “Urinary incontinence: Common and manageable.” Harvard Health Blog, 10/18/17. (health.harvard.edu/blog/urinary-incontinence-common-and-manageable-2017101812583)
4. “Urinary incontinence in women.” Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017 Jul 6;3:17042. doi.org/10.1038/nrdp.2017.42.
5. “Urinary incontinence.” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, accessed 11/1/22. (womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/urinary-incontinence#:~:text=Studies%20suggest%20that%20women%20who,to%20have%20problems%20with%20incontinence.&text=Limiting%20caffeine%20may%20help%20with,less%20strain%20on%20your%20bladder.)
6.  “Acupuncture May Help Reduce Urinary Incontinence Episodes, Symptoms in Women.” MedPage Today, 8/4/22. (medpagetoday.com/urology/urinaryincontinence/100077)
7. “Herbal Remedies for Overactive Bladder.” WebMD, 10/3/16. (webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/features/herbal-remedies-overactive-bladder)
8. “Alternative Treatments for an Overactive Bladder.” Healthline, 10/18/22. (healthline.com/health/overactive-bladder-alternative-treatments)
9.  “Low Vitamin D Levels Tied to Incontinence.” WebMD, 3/19/10. (webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/news/20100322/low-vitamin-d-linked-incontinence)
10. “Pumpkin Seed Oil Extracted From Cucurbita maxima Improves Urinary Disorder in Human Overactive Bladder.” J Tradit Complement Med. 2014 Jan;4(1):72-4. doi.org/10.4103/2225-4110.124355.