Frequent Urination During Covid 19 “Stay-In-Place”? …Think Food?

Thu, 07 May 2020 18:42:53 +0000

As you know whenever a new symptom comes up I think “What am I eating? What is different in my diet since the new symptoms started?” I always ask my patients these questions and myself. You will save thousands of dollars in medical bills if you ask those questions and do the following.

I had a patient in her 50s, professional, fit come in and complain she is urinating more frequently, especially after she goes to sleep. Then she can’t go back to sleep and lack of sleep is really stressing her out. She denied having any burning with urination, flank pain or fevers. I said I’d be happy to do a urinalysis but it doesn’t sound like an infection.

“First, though, how long has this been going on?” For two or so weeks. She said her husband and she are both professionals, working at home with “Stay-In-Place” and getting a little stir crazy. I said, “Are you eating differently since you have had more time at home?” She said sheepishly “Yes. A lot more sweets and more alcohol.” I said, “Humor me, let me take a diet history…”

The long and short is she was drinking more alcohol, more sugar rich foods, having her normal decaf coffee & teas, rye coffee, and chewing 3 pieces of gum after dinner.

Her urinalysis turns out to be normal…. So I said, “Do this simple experiment. Eliminate all processed carbs/wheat (sugars), stop alcohol, don’t have any teas, coffees – decaffeinated or not, stop having the chewing gum and just eat whole, unprocessed foods of my elimination diet ( page 2, BED Diet ) for at least five days and see what happens to your urination.” She said she would.

She called me this morning and said she had been on the diet for about 20 hours and I laughed (:-)) because she wanted a referral to her urologist which I was happy to

do. But she said she would still stay on the diet for the 5-7 days. I hope she does. People don’t believe that food can be that powerful. Any food can cause any symptom if you are sensitive to it.

My own personal example was a year ago Fall I started noticing I was urinating all the time. Like it was hard to hold it for a one hour plane flight to LA that I was doing weekly. I checked by urine and there was no infections. To make a long story short I knew in the back of my mind that the one cup of coffee daily played a roll. I stopped caffeinated coffee for a week and there was a dramatic reduction in urination within a day. Normal! Added back decaffeinated coffee which “I hate” no increase in urination. If couple of beers was consumed on the same day as coffee more urination and urgency.

I just got done with the 5 day Prolon – Fasting Mimicking diet. I think it’s my 7 time doing it. The first three days I had a small cup of coffee just to break the monotony. The last two I didn’t have any coffee. Last night slept through the night. Didn’t have to urinate my usual 1-2 times at night. I am not saying coffee is the culprit in every incidence of frequent urination….But I am saying you have to look at the food you are eating.

Figure it out by an elimination diet (BED, page 2) or a water fast, or limited food fast like the Fasting Mimicking Diet (available at Health Associates Office discounted). Or simple elimination and challenge of frequently eaten foods…. But I would always start eliminating caffeine containing foods, sweets/processed carbs, alcohol and dairy products (i.e. like bed wetting in young children from dairy – a classic).

I am a HUGE fan of any kind of lower allergy fast for 5 Days or more like Prolon FMD because of what you learn when you REINTRODUCE food. Notice how you feel when you get off the foods, BUT REALLY NOTICE what you feel when you reintroduce food. We all get used to food reactions when they are at a low level and just live with them. Or, if we get a severe reaction you go to the doctor who will give a pharmaceutical treatment which usually masks symptoms and really doesn’t cure the problem. Some type of low allergy, modified fast periodically – (every 1-3 months) if done with “Awareness” will save you thousands of dollars and hours of annoying suffering.

Be well,

Kirk

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