About our urine

 

Before we attempt to answer those questions above, let's have a look at our urine - what's healthy and what's not?

 

Above is a picture of our bladder, and the two antenna like stems sticking out from the top, is the ureter that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder.  A normal bladder can hold up to 2 cups of urine, however, we will begin to feel like going to the loo when the bladder is only a quarter full.  It takes around 9-10 hours to fill, and it is quite normal to pee anywhere between 4 to 10 times a day.

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Colour

 

The colour of urine should be pale yellow to gold, however, there are many variations.

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Dark honey or brown coloured urine could mean that you are terribly dehydrated, or, this colored urine is associated with liver problems.

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If your urine is pink or red in colour, it could be the type of food you ate or medication you took or, it could be blood in your urine.  Diseases associated with blood in your urine include kidney disease, urinary tract infection (UTI), prostate problems or a tumour.

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Orange urine could be from the food you eat, medication taken or, it could be liver or bile problems.

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If you have blue / green urine, it could be medication you took, however, if your urine continues to remain this colour for a day or two, see your doctor.

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Foamy or frothy urine is associated with protein in your urine and this could mean kidney problems.

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Smell

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If we are dehydrated or if we have some urinary disease such as UTI, diabetes, bladder infection, then a strong ammonia smell will be noticed.

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About Frequent Urination and Diabetes Neuropathy

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Diabetes Neuropathy is when our nerves begin to die.  When there is too much sugar in our blood, it thickens and becomes like sickly cough mixture as it passes through our arteries and blood vessels.  

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When diabetes neuropathy occurs in the bladder, it is called 'Neurogenic Bladder' and there are two types:

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1. Overactive bladder

   • frequently going to the loo (more than 10 times a day), to pee small amounts

   • loss of bladder control

   • the need to pee urgently

   • problems with trying to pee and not fully emptying the bladder

2. Underactive bladder

   • unable to feel when the bladder is full​

   • bladder fills beyond normal capacity

   • problems with trying to pee

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Both types above, if not attended to quickly, can lead to kidney problems and urinary tract infections (UTI).

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Daily exercise along with a diet that can cut through all the sugar, like warm lemon water or apple cider vinaigrette and green leafy vegetables, will help keep your bladder muscles strong and healthy.  Why not try my eBooks - Stamp Out Diabetes in your Life - 30 day Menu, and Stamp Out Diabetes in your Life - Exercise for Diabetics, to help you develop a daily plan that will soon get you moving and feeling great.  Click here for more information!

 

Let's Stamp Out Diabetes in your Life, together 😉

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Cheers

Amelia Robinson

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The information gathered in this website comes from a number of resources -

medicalnewstoday.com, ncbi.nlm.nih.com, wikipedia, americandiabetesassociation.com, diabetesuk, healthline.com.