Article: Many of the underlying causes of incontinence unfortunately cannot be controlled. Benign prostatic hypertrophy, neurological disorders, stroke, prostate/bladder cancer, etc. cannot be prevented. However, you can take steps to minimize your risk of some of these underlying conditions. . One excellent way to reduce your risk of developing incontinence is to stop smoking. The National Institutes of health reports that up to 50% of bladder cancer cases are caused by smoking. Pressure in the bladder caused by tumors results in incontinence. If you need help quitting, schedule an appointment with your doctor, who can help you quit. There are prescribed medications to help you, and she can also help you find a local support group. . When you are overweight, extra pressure gets placed on your bladder. This extra pressure on your bladder can lead to incontinence. While losing weight may seem like a daunting task, it will be well worth it in the end. Start exercising more and make an effort to eat healthy foods. Other ways you can lose weight include:  Making sure that you get the right amount of protein, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and healthy carbohydrates each day. Your daily intake of each food group will depend on your weight, age, and health. If you should be consuming 2,000 calories a day, you should eat six to eight servings of grains, four to five servings of veggies, four to five servings of fruit, 3 – 6 ounces of protein, two to three servings of low-fat dairy, and two to three servings of fats and oils.  Developing an exercise routine and sticking to it. Your exercise routine should include cardiovascular training (like running or swimming), weight training (like doing push-ups or lifting weights), and flexibility training (like yoga or stretching). Limiting the portions of each meal you have. Choosing low-calorie snacks like fruits and vegetables. Research has indicated that men with prostate cancer had 62 – 75% decreased zinc in malignant prostate cells and that zinc plays a role in the progression of prostate cells to malignancy. The recommendation is for zinc supplementation, but amounts are not clear at present. Consult your doctor regarding a healthy amount of zinc supplementation based on the present zinc levels in your diet. Lycopenes are powerful phytonutrients and antioxidants shown to fight cancer. Five of the foods highest in lycopenes  per cup include:  Guava: 8587 uq Watermelon: 6889 uq Tomatoes: 7298 uq Papaya:  2651 uq Grapefruit: 2611uq Some recent findings have suggested that the isoflavones in soy may help prevent prostate cancer. You can increase the amount of soy in your diet with edamame, soy milk, or tofu. Omega-3 fatty acids are present in a wide array of fish and seafood options, including salmon, mackerel, sardines, and bass. Studies have shown that omega-3's protect against cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate. Drink at least eight glasses of water during the day to prevent conditions such as urinary tract infection, constipation, and kidney stones that cause incontinence. You should also consider drinking most of your fluids during the day and limiting the amount of fluids you drink in the evening before going to bed. If you are afraid that you may develop incontinence, you can train your bladder to some degree. Plan particular times during the day to visit the restroom. This is a way to train your bladder, which helps to avoid incontinence. Substances that can lead to incontinence include alcohol, caffeine, acidic foods, spicy foods, and sugar or artificial sweetener.  Alcohol is a diuretic, an agent that causes your body to lose fluid. It also irritates the bladder, causing incontinence. Try to limit your alcohol intake to one glass per night if at all. Caffeine is also a diuretic. Drink caffeinated beverages early in the day if at all. Kegel exercises are a great way to prevent incontinence because they strengthen the muscles of your pelvic floor. Learning how to do them correctly can be a little tricky because you have to isolate your pelvic muscles. Your pelvic muscles are the muscles you use when you try to stop urinating midstream. You will see or feel your testicles rising when you squeeze your pelvic muscles. Once you’ve isolated your pelvic muscles, squeeze them and hold for a count of five and then relax for a count of five. Your goal is to do ten repetitions, three times a day. A diuretic is a medication that gets rid of extra fluid in the body. This is usually prescribed for patients who have heart conditions. Sadly, it also has a tendency to cause incontinence. There are several different kinds of diuretics: thiazide, loop, potassium-sparing, and quinazoline diuretics. Recognizable diuretic medications include:  Thiazide diuretics: Clorpres, Tenoretic, Thalitone, Capozide, Dyazide, Hyzaar, Lopressor HCT, Maxzide, and Prinzide. Loop diuretics: Lasix and Demadex. Potassium-sparing diuretics: Aldactazide, Aldactone, Dyazide, and Maxzide. Quinazoline diuretics: Zaroxolyn Always consult your doctor before taking yourself off a prescribed medication. A muscle relaxant is a medication prescribed for certain types of injuries to muscles. It may not come as too much of a surprise that the medications that relax your body also cause incontinence. Recognizable muscle relaxants include:  Valium, Soma, Flexeril, Skelaxin, and Robaxin. Sedatives can also cause incontinence. An antihypertensive drug is a medication used to lower blood pressure. Antihypertensive drugs can be a combination of different kinds of diuretics. If you are using an antihypertensive drug, ask your doctor about other medications available that do not list incontinence as a side effect. Recognizable antihypertensive drugs include: Moduretic, Minizide, Monopril HCT, and Accuretic.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Identify the forms of incontinence that you can prevent.  Stop smoking  Lose weight to prevent incontinence Increase zinc in your diet. Increase your lycopene intake. Eat more soy. Add more omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. Stay hydrated. Practice timed voiding. Avoid incontinence-causing food and drinks. Try out some Kegel exercises. Avoid diuretics. Consider avoiding muscle relaxants. Identify antihypertensive drugs that may cause incontinence.