Next Time You Go to the Loo

While we don’t tend to talk about our pee too often – even to our physicians – it’s actually part of an incredible system to which we owe much of our health. Our kidneys work round the clock to filter water-soluble wastes, toxins, bacteria, yeast, excess protein, and sugars out of our blood, that would otherwise build up in our system and make us ill. And not only does our urinary tract work as an effective filtration and disposal system, but it also functions as an early warning detection system, flagging certain signs and symptoms of potentially serious health problems that may otherwise go unnoticed.

The next time you head to the loo, here’s what to look for:

What your urine color says about your health

Urine is made up mostly of water, as well as uric acid, minerals, enzymes, waste materials, and substances such as urochrome, which gives urine its usual straw-yellow color. Here is your color reference list:

● Foamy: This is sometimes the result of an extremely fast stream of urine hitting the toilet bowl – nothing to be concerned about if this happens on occasion. But if you start to notice foamy urine more consistently, then it may be a sign of proteinuria, a condition characterized by a high concentration of protein in the urine and that usually indicates a kidney condition. It could also flag diabetes, an infection, or high blood pressure.

● Visible particles: This can be a sign of kidney problems, as well as the presence of bladder stones, kidney disease, a urinary tract infection, or other serious conditions.

Maintain and care for your urinary tract system

Most of us have been conditioned to wrinkle up our noses when it comes to urine, or to just flush it down without a second thought. But in order to notice the unusual warning signs that your pee may be trying to give you, you have to first familiarize yourself with its usual qualities – and this involves shamelessly looking down into the toilet bowl now and again, and noting what your pee looks like and smells like. It also involves paying attention to your daily bathroom habits and making sure that you are taking care of your urinary tract system.

Staying adequately hydrated is not the only key for maintaining a healthy urinary system, but it is also vital for healthy digestion and elimination, for keeping blood pressure and body temperature normal, for cushioning your joints and, essentially, for the proper functioning of every single organ and system in your body. And while most of us are familiar with the ‘eight glasses of fluid a day’ rule, the truth is that our actual fluid needs vary from individual to individual, depending on your weight, size, activity level, caffeine, alcohol, salt and sugar intake, medications you may be on, as well as the weather and climate you live in.

Drinking eight tall glasses of water a day could work as an easy guide to ensure you are drinking, but be sure to drink more on hot days, after you exercise, and when you are consuming caffeine, alcohol, or a lot of sugary or salty foods. Or drink when you are thirsty, and let your urine be your guide – if it’s darker than straw yellow, then try drinking purer, fresh water, noting how your urine color changes as your water intake changes.

Reprinted with permission from Bel Marra Health.

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