A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking at the British Association of Urological Nurses (BAUN) conference in Liverpool. My talk, titled "Fuelling Urinary Health: Building Resilience to UTIs through Food," sparked incredible conversations about the role of nutrition and integrative strategies in preventing and managing urinary tract infections (UTIs).  

UTIs are frustratingly common, and when they recur frequently, they can become increasingly complex to treat. Persistent infections may lead to chronic, painful bladder symptoms. But there’s good news: by supporting your body’s natural defences, you can reduce the risk of recurring infections and promote healing, even if symptoms have become persistent. Here are the 3 key takeaways I shared with urology nurses to help break the UTI cycle and build long lasting urinary health.

If you’re living with interstitial cystitis (IC) or chronic UTIs, you know how frustrating it can be trying to find something — anything — that brings relief. It’s understandable to dive into different diets, like the low-oxalate diet, in hopes that cutting out certain foods will help heal your bladder pain. If you’ve found some relief from this approach, that’s great! But after years of working with IC sufferers and seeing what truly leads to long-lasting improvements, I want to share why I don’t typically recommend the low-oxalate diet for managing IC and chronic UTIs.