Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the great literal and figurative pains in this world. If you’ve ever had a UTI, then you know how painful they can be. Not to mention inconvenient.

The first symptoms of a UTI are usually followed by the hassle of a trip to the doctors, then the pharmacist. And that’s just the beginning. Since antibiotics increase your risk of yeast infections, there’s a good chance you’ll be back in front of your doctor and pharmacist soon after the UTI clears up to handle the yeast infection.

UTIs are the second most common infection in the United States, second only to the common cold, and 50% of all women will get a UTI at some point in her life.

How do UTIs happen?

UTIs are caused by bacteria entering the urinary tract. About 90% of the time, the culprit is E. coli which get pushed from the skin around your anus and vagina into your urinary tract. When bacteria attach to your urinary tract, a UTI sets in. The infections are painful and can escalate quickly, traveling to the kidneys if untreated. If you have a UTI, you need to visit your doctor and get an antibiotic prescription to clear up the infection.

How can you prevent UTIs in the first place?

There are a handful of ways you can help your body boost its natural defenses against UTIs:

1. Stay well hydrated.Urination is your body’s best natural defense against UTIs, and the better hydrated you are the better your body can fend for itself.
2. Don’t hold it in! We’re not saying to go to the bathroom when you feel the slightest urge—over time that weakens your pelvic floor and decreases the size of your bladder. However, holding your urine for a long time allows bacteria to multiply within the urinary tract, resulting in a bladder infection or UTI.
3. Wipe from front to back, since wiping the other direction can introduce bacteria into the urinary tract.
4. Consider cutting out baths. Avoid baths if you’re especially prone to UTIs and opt for showers instead.
5. Pee right after sex to flush out any bacteria that might have been introduced during intercourse.
6. Let her breathe. Wet bathing suits, tight pants, and sweaty gym clothes trap moisture which harbors bacteria. If you are prone to UTIs, change right after your workout or beach day. If you can’t resist a good pair of tight jeans—slip into something cotton (or commando) as soon as you get home.
7. Ditch the douche. As if there aren’t enough reasons to keep douches far away from your vagina, they also kill the good bacteria (lactobacillus) you need to combat a UTI. Maintain your natural balance instead of squirting harmful antiseptic water up your vagina.
8. Evaluate your birth control options if you’re suffering from repeat UTIs. Diaphragm, unlubricated condoms or spermicidal jelly for contraception may increase the risk of developing a UTI. (Psst, FLEX is in the clear here.)
9. Drink Uqora. Give your body extra defense with Uqora. With Uqora, you can flush out UTI-causing bacteria whenever you’re at risk of developing a UTI.

It isn’t always as simple as wiping front-to-back and peeing after sex

For some of us, you can be doing everything right and still be getting hit with UTI after UTI.

Here’s a scenario: you and your friend have similar hygiene habits, are having a similar amount of sex, and have a similar post-sex and post-workout regimens, yet you get slammed with UTI after UTI, and she is cruising through life oblivious to your suffering. Sound familiar? What gives?

Well, all of our bodies respond differently to bacteria. Research is still limited, but recent studies have illustrated that our bodies have a lock-and-key relationship with bacteria. This means that you could transplant the same bacteria into your friend’s urinary tract, and she’d successfully flush the bacteria out with urination, but you’d be on a hot route to the doctor's office. This explains why some of us get hit so hard with UTIs, no matter how much we’re peeing after sex or wiping correctly.

This just means that some of us need extra help. With Uqora, you can flush out UTI-causing bacteria, preventing an infection before it starts. Just mix Uqora with a glass of water and drink it when you’re at risk of developing a UTI, like after sex or exercise, or daily. Uqora tastes like pink lemonade and also gives your immune system an extra boost so you can say ahead of UTIs.

Want to give it a try? Prevent UTIs with Uqora—take 15% at www.uqora.com off with promo code FLEX15