Here’s why you should not hold your urine

Now, holding in your urine occasionally may not cause any problems. But when you make it a habit, it could lead to different health problems, some of them potentially devastating.

Here they are :

(1) Bladder problems: The bladder is where the body stores urine. Holding urine too long can stretch the bladder muscles and make them weak.

When this happens , the bladder won’t be able to contract and release pee normally.

This is why some adults need to pass a tube (catheter) into the urinary system to urinate properly. In bad cases, holding in urine too much can make the bladder burst. This is rare, but it also VERY bad.

(2) Pelvic muscle weakening: Holding urine not only weakens the bladder, but it also weakens the pelvic muscles. These muscles are what prevent urine from leaking out. So when they get damaged, the person in question won’t be able to hold in urine again. Once the urge to urinate comes, the urine will leak out. This is called Urinary incontinence.

(3) UTIs : There’s a reason why everyone hates UTIs (Urinary tract infections).

Pain when urinating, smelly urine with a different colour, Abdominal pain, these are just some of the problems that can happen when the urinary tract gets infected.

Guess what? Holding in your pee can lead to UTIs and land you in a hospital.

(4) Kidney stones: A kidney stone forms when waste products in the blood accumulate over time and form crystals (stones). Apart from poor water intake, another thing that can lead to kidney stones is holding in your pee.

Anyone that has passed out kidney stones in their urine will tell you that it is one of the worst types of pain that they have ever experienced.

When you consider all these reasons not to hold in your pee, you begin to realise that it is not a harmless habit.

If you do it, it’s best to stop it before it causes complications.

Please share this with someone who needs this information.

Migraine

You know how you sometimes say that you have a slight headache? Anyone who has ever had a migraine knows that a Migraine is never a slight headache.

At best, a Migraine headache is moderate in intensity. In its worst form, a migraine headache will ruin your day.

Now there’s a type of Migraine that doesn’t present with headaches, but we won’t be discussing that here. Let’s talk about the migraine that everyone wants a solution to.

Migraines are more common in women than in men, and usually has these characteristics:

A throbbing/pulsating headache on one side of the head
Accompanied by nausea, vomiting and an extreme sensitivity to light/sound/smell/touch
Usually lasts hours or even days
The Migraine is usually preceded by an aura

So what is an aura ? Keep reading..

Many people who frequently have migraines will tell you that they know when they are about to have a migraine. In fact, the experienced ones start using their medication from that point.

Some of them see flashes of light or bright spots/ shapes. Others may have prickly sensations on their body or even numbness.

These signs are known as Auras and they usually occur before or even during a Migraine.

The exact cause of Migraines is unknown. We suspect that they are as a result of changes that occur in the brain. There’s also some evidence pointing to it running in families.

Some people also notice that there are certain things or periods that trigger Migraines for them. For some, it’s a type of food or drink. For others, it is stress or even their menstrual period.

The good news is that, in many cases, Migraines can be prevented and also treated.

The key to proper prevention of Migraines is to pay attention to the circumstances that trigger the Migraines in the first place.

Is it a type of food/drink you love to eat? Is it linked to a particular environment or situation?

In severe cases, medication could also be given in order to help prevent Migraines. Some anti-seizure medication and Blood pressure medication have been effective, although they may take weeks before good results are seen.

If prevention isn’t very effective, then treatment is the next best thing.

Medication like Painkillers, Triptans and Anti-emetics are quite helpful in treating Migraines.

Sleeping in a dark room also helps in many cases.

In the end, the best approach to prevention and/or treatment of Migraines is by working together with your Doctor to find the best fit for you.

In summary, a Migraine does not have to define your life.

Take a deep breath. Read this article again and digest it.

Follow the steps and work closely with your Doctor.

There’s usually a solution with the right approach!

HERE’S HOW TO GAIN WEIGHT

At 6 feet, I weighed 69 kg at a point in my life. Now i weigh about 20kg more. So I know the struggle, as well as how to gain healthy weight.

And I’m here to show you how i did it.

If you are looking for a quick method that will get you huge results in a matter of days or weeks, then this post may not be of much use to you. But if you’re ready to put in the work and be patient with yourself, keep reading.

(1) You need to achieve a caloric surplus. You see, everyday we take in calories (food/drinks) and we burn calories (body processes and movement). What your primary goal should be is to eat/consume more calories than you use in maintaining your body weight. To do that, you need to eat more than you currently do.

If you’re someone who doesn’t remember (or like) to eat, remember to set an alarm on your phone/watch to help you. You need to eat at least 3 times a day. If you can eat 4-5 times a day, that’s best.

(2) The type of food you eat is just as important. Gaining healthy weight means eating healthy food.

Keep these three classes of food in mind : Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats.

Protein is the most important on the list and this is because it is what builds a healthy body mass. You need to increase your protein intake within healthy limits.

High-protein foods include meats, fish, eggs, many dairy products, legumes, nuts and others. Protein supplements like whey protein and protein bars can also be useful if you struggle to get enough protein in your diet.

Carbohydrates and Healthy fats are also important. Carbs give you energy for the important activities of the day, while fats support cell growth, protect your organs and still give you energy.

Healthy sources include Rice, Irish & sweet potatoes, yams , Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, Whole milk, full-fat yoghurt, cheese and Fish.

(3) To make sure that all these nutrients don’t give you a potbelly and flabby arms, you need to exercise.

Lift weights 2-4 times a week. Start gradually and build from there.

Dear ladies, lift weights. You won’t end up looking like a Man. You don’t have enough testosterone to look like a man, so don’t be afraid to go to the gym.

Lifting weights make sure that the nutrients you eat give you a toned body, flat tummy and larger numbers on the weighing scale.

Now, there are different supplements being advertised in the market out there : Weight gain pills, teas, syrups and the likes. Most of these things don’t work. And the ones that may help you gain weight, usually do it in a way that will cause health problems for you in the future.

As human beings, we tend to look for the quick fix, the easy solution that doesn’t stress us. Just remind yourself that nothing good comes easy.

When you’re tempted to look for the easy solution, just remember MMM.

When carrying out these healthy weight gain steps I mentioned earlier, it’s important to remember that you are creating a new body for yourself, so be patient with yourself.

It will take weeks for you to notice results, and it will take months for those around you to notice changes in your body.

Don’t be easily discouraged. You can do this.

Create your own reality.

HERE’S HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT

Losing fat is probably the most common human goal in the world.

Many of us drink green tea, apple cider vinegar and wear Waist trainers in order to achieve this, all to no avail.

This is because there’s only one healthy, scientifically proven way to lose body fat : You need to activate a calorie deficit. This means that you need to burn more calories than you consume.

So here’s how it works : Think of food (solid and liquid) as energy (calories) .

When we eat and drink , we take in food materials that are either used by the body as fuel or stored by the body as fat. When the calories we eat are less than the calories required for maintaining our body weight, then we will be in a caloric deficit and lose weight.

On the other hand, when we eat more calories than we use, then we are in a caloric surplus and we gain weight.

So here’s how to activate a Caloric deficit:

(1) Replace most of your fatty/sugary foods with healthy ones. This includes reducing/avoiding soft drinks, fried foods and processed meals (like canned foods).

Replace them with more water, fruits and vegetables. You can still enjoy the occasional fastfood, but please stay away from liquid sugar (like soft drinks, sweetened fruit juice etc)

(2) Reduce the quantity of food you eat gradually. If you eat three scoops of rice normally, reduce it two scoops of rice. But be careful not to reduce food intake too sharply.

If you reduce it too sharply, you may not be able to maintain it. And you’ll just be cranky for no good reason.

(3) Exercise. Start with 30 minute exercises, 3-4 times a week, then increase it gradually.

Incorporate some cardio and some weightlifting.

Women shouldn’t be scared of getting muscular because they are lifting weights.

Your lower level of testosterone already protects you from looking like a man. Lifting weights will make you look leaner, not bigger.

Combine all 3 of these and, in a matter of weeks, you will start to lose body fat.

It won’t happen overnight. You will most likely backslide once or twice.

Just make sure that you’re patient with yourself and that you keep your eyes on your goal.

You will lose weight, if you persevere.

Then you can come and thank me later.

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Toluwani Binutu is a Medical Doctor based in the UK. With experience in a wide range of specialities, from Emergency medicine to Health insurance , he is passionate about wellness. He believes that the key to living your best life lies in your ability to stay healthy. For more health tips , you can check out his Instagram handle @tolubinutu

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