Urine color Chart

Urine isn't something must people like to talk about. We barely give it more than a passing glance as it swirls out of sight down the toilet bowl. Changes in urine can provide important clues about the status of your body. Your urine can reveal what you've been eating, how much you've been drinking and what diseases you have.

Urine is an important part of the body's disposal process. Its job is to remove the extra water and water-soluble waste the kidney filters from the blood.

When you notice that your urine has changed color or there's a strange odor wafting up from the toilet, it may be a sign of a serious infection.

Before you flush, here are a few urine changes to look out for:

• Color Changes

Urine gets its yellow color from a pigment known as urochrome. That color normally ranges from pale yellow to deep amber, depending on the concentration of the urine. Darker urine is usually a sign that you are not taking enough fluid. Your body needs a certain amount of fluid to function so your body will hold on to the fluid and the urine will become very strong and concentrated. The opposite is also true, if your urine is pale  it means you are taking a lot of fluid.

Certain medications can cause your urine color to fluctuate to hues of green or blue, carrots could tint it orange and vitamins could give it a yellow hue..

Seeing red is typically a sign that there is blood in the urine and this could mean an infection or a deadly disease such as cancer. If you are seeing blood and the urine is also cloudy it signals the presence of protein in the urine and this suggests a problem in the kidneys.

• Odour changes

Urine normally doesn't have a very strong smell. If you get a whiff of something particularly pungent, you could have an infection or urinary stones which can create an ammonia like odor. Diabetics can notice that their urine smells sweet, because of excess sugar.

How often do you need to go?

How often you need to go can be as important an indicator of your health as the color or smell of your urine. Most people take toilet breaks about six to eight times a day, but you  might go less or more depending on how much fluid you take.

If you are constantly feeling the urge to go to the toilet and it's not because you are drinking extra fluid causes could include:

1. Over-active bladder- Involuntary contraction of the bladder muscle
2. Urinary track infection
3. Interstitial cystitis- A condition that causes the bladder wall to become inflamed and irritated.
4. Benign Prostate enlargement- Growth of the prostate that causes it to squeeze the urethra and block the normal flow of urine out of the body.
5. Neurological diseases including stroke and Parkinson diseases
6. Diabetes.

Not going to the toilet often can occur when there is a blockage or infection. It can also be as a result of bad bathroom habits. Delaying urination can be problematic. The bladder stretches and then contracts repeatedly but eventually it can stretch too much to bounce back thus developing a chronic over-distention - A condition that describes a chronic emptying problem.

Developing Healthy Bathroom habits

Take good care of your bladder and it would return the favor by helping you urinate regularly. To prevent too many bathroom visits, stay hydrated but not over hydrated. Drink when ever you are thirsty but don't feel as though you have to adhere to the 8-glasses-a-day recommendation except you have bladder or kidney stones in which case you have to take a lot of water.

If you are getting up during the night to use the bathroom,stop drinking 2-3 hours before bedtime and avoid caffeine as this irritates the lining of the bladder. Excess alcohol intake could also produce similar effects.

Finally do not hold it in. As soon as you feel the urge to go, excuse yourself and find a bathroom.

Living Healthy...