Prolonged sitting and prescription drugs cause incontinence in seniors

Two Common Habits Might ZAP Bladder Control

Lots of folks LOVE to talk about their health problems…

In fact, complaining about this nagging pain or that weird rash is often a favored topic of conversation.

But even those who consider their health problems everybody’s business often draw the line at discussing certain ailments they find a bit, well, embarrassing.

Like a tendency to pee their pants...

Or even leak urine a bit too often for comfort.

Friend, if YOU suffer from incontinence, you know it CAN be downright mortifying – whether you talk about it or not.

That’s why I want to talk about it right now… and share two habits YOU may be doing to cause it.

Doubling Toilet Trouble

If your toilet struggles have become a way of life, you may be doing more than just avoiding discussing them…

You may be avoiding social situations altogether.

But incontinence is VERY common – especially in seniors.

That’s because two habits that many older folks are known to do… are two of its biggest triggers.

The first is prolonged sitting, which we know is no friend of your heart – or your waistline.

And as one study found, it can also do a number on your urinary tract.

The subjects included men without bladder control issues at baseline.

But those who spent more than five hours per day on their tush soon developed a variety of pee problems, including an inability to empty their bladder, urinary urgency and frequency, a weak stream, and/or toilet runs in the middle of the night.

Plus, perhaps an even BIGGER culprit is prescription drugs – and their health-wrecking side effects.

Turns out, some of the most commonly prescribed drugs can do a number on your bladder. See, many popular drugs can cause or worsen incontinence in a variety of ways, including:

Stimulating the body to produce MORE urine
Hampering the bladder’s ability to empty completely, which can lead to a bigger issue called overflow incontinence
Causing confusion and fatigue, which makes it even harder to control your bladder – and nearly impossible to reach the toilet in time
Triggering constipation, straining, and additional stress on the bladder, leading to leakage

Steps in the Right Direction

Friend, while the mainstream wants seniors to believe that incontinence is simply part and parcel of getting older…

As we’ve seen, that’s not TRUE.

First, if you SIT too much – or are generally inactive – stand up, walk around, and stay on your feet.

You’d be surprised how getting up and moving can make a BIG difference… in LOTS of ways.

Physical activity can not only prevent further damage, it can reduce your risk of even more serious health conditions, including heart disease and dementia.

And while the mainstream will never admit that prescription drugs are a problem, they ARE. Plus—it’s really no coincidence that these drugs are commonly taken by seniors.

In fact, bladder problems are common side effects of many meds, including blood pressure drugs, heart medications, water pills, muscle relaxants, antihistamines, sedatives, and antidepressants.

If you’re taking any of these meds – and paying the price in ways you’d prefer not to – tell your doc what’s going on and look for an alternative.

A functional or integrative physician can help you find the best natural solutions for the condition you’re taking drugs for — and your bladder problems – at the same time.

P.S. Friend, while these are two of the biggest causes of incontinence, they’re not the ONLY ones. Next week, I’ll share a few more – along with simple, drug-free steps to help you regain bladder control AND your quality of life. Don’t miss it!

Source:

“Excessive Sitting Can Harm Your Urinary Tract, a New Study Finds.” Everyday Health, March 21, 2018. (everydayhealth.com/urinary-tract-infection/symptoms/excessive-sitting-can-harm-urinary-tract)