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" This content has been created in collaboration with TENA Lady.\u00A0 It may sound surprising but if you experience bladder weakness, you may want to take a close look at your diet. Did you know that what you eat and drink may be triggering some of the common symptoms, such as leaking when you laugh, sneeze or exercise; an increased sense of urgency or an overactive bladder? If any of those are familiar scenarios, here are four things to think about that might make all the difference to you.    Ditch diuretics  Caffeine and alcohol have a diuretic effect, which means that they increase the amount of urine you produce and can stimulate the bladder, creating that sense of urgency. Alcohol is easy to spot, but you need to be aware that coffee isn&amp;#039;t the only culprit when it comes to caffeine content \u2013 black and green tea both contain up to 75mg of caffeine per teabag, depending on how long you leave the bag in the cup.   If you&amp;#039;re having several cups a day, the diuretic effect could mount up. If you like a strong brew, bear in mind that leaving the bag in for five minutes can double the caffeine content compared to one or two minutes. Caffeine is also found in cola, energy drinks, chocolate and some over-the-counter medication (ask your pharmacist for advice).  Beware bladder irritants  You may have already noticed that eating certain foods seems to make things worse. Spicy foods, for example, such as curries or anything with chillies can irritate the lining of the bladder, generating common symptoms of bladder weakness, so you&amp;#039;d do well to keep clear of them.   If you like your food to have a bit of oomph, then swap spices for herbs, such as coriander leaves, thyme, tarragon or rosemary, as these pack a powerful flavour punch without the irritant effect. Other common irritants include acidic juices, citrus fruits, carbonated drinks and artificial sweeteners (don&amp;#039;t forget this applies to tonic water, bitter lemon etc), so it&amp;#039;s worth swapping these out of your diet if you struggle with an overactive bladder.   Wise up to water  Self-imposed abstinence is fairly common amongst people with an overactive bladder. After all, there&amp;#039;s an obvious logic to restricting fluid intake if you want to avoid urgency. In fact, the reverse is true: this may make things worse because overly concentrated urine can irritate the bladder.    Low levels of fluids can also result in constipation which is bad news for the bladder. The muscles and nerves that control the bowel and the bladder are closely related and excessive straining to pass stools could weaken the pelvic floor, resulting in leaking or urgency.    If you&amp;#039;re severely constipated, stools can build up in the bowel, putting pressure on the bladder and making symptoms worse. Try spreading your water intake throughout the day and reducing it in the evenings. Bear in mind that fruit and vegetables contain lots of water too, which can help to keep the fluids up. They have the added benefit of being rich in fibre which is good news if you struggle with constipation.   Watch your weight  Excessive body weight can put pressure on the bladder, which might result in leaking and urgency to urinate. If you experience bladder weakness and are overweight, losing a few pounds could be a good strategy. The single best way to do this is to take a hard look at the sugar in your diet, as excessive levels of sugar are strongly associated with increased abdominal fat. As well as the obvious cakes, cookies and chocolate, keep an eye out for hidden sugars, such as those in fruit:   A large glass of orange juice contains the equivalent of around 6 teaspoons of sugar. A 250ml fruit smoothie contains up to 8 teaspoons of sugar. Low-fat products such as a small low-fat 150g pot of fruit yoghurt can contain the equivalent of 5 teaspoons of sugar.  For a free sample of TENA Lady visit tena.co.uk  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-eating/advice/a26444/link-between-diet-and-bladder-weakness/>