Relationships

Simply Walking More Can Help You Get Fewer UTIs, Says Most Helpful Study Ever

by Candice Jalili
Simone Becchetti/a>

I have to be honest: I've personally never had a urinary tract infection. But it seems like every day I have an unlucky, poor victim of a friend texting me about getting another one of these godforsaken infections.

From what I hear, they sound horrendous: Having the urge to pee all the time only for it to feel like the worst, stinging vagina pain you've ever felt every time you do pee? NO, THANK YOU.

There's got to be a way to put an end to these. I mean, imagine a world in which you NEVER had to worry about getting an annoying UTI after having sex (ugh, it's so common) ever again. Sounds like a total dream, right?!

Well, it doesn't need to be a distant one. A new study conducted by Danish researchers found that simply walking more can actually help prevent UTIs, according to Medical Daily.

That's right, I said walking. Believe it.

The researchers examined two health surveys of Danes taken in 2007 and 2010. People who did low to moderate levels of exercise — a range they defined as at least four hours per week of "strolling, riding a bicycle or other light activity," to "exercise through sports or heavy gardening or similar activities" — had a 10 percent lower risk of getting a bacterial infection than those who didn't exercise at all.

And here's where it gets really good: The protective effect of light exercise was most present in women and men suffering from either cystitis or URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS caused by bacteria.

Are you picking up what I'm putting down here?! Going for a nice little stroll every now and then could be enough to prevent you from having to deal with a stupid, annoying, painful AF UTI ever again!

In fact, this should be your new sex routine: Get laid, pee immediately, then take bae on a nice walk around the block to really take in the scenery and bask in your post-sex glow.

Or, you know, just walk to Chipotle instead of ordering it on Seamless from your sweaty sheets.

NOW GO FORTH AND REJOICE, UTI SUFFERERS!

Citations: Urinary Tract Infections Prevention Update: Light Physical Activity May Protect You From UTI's (Medical Daily), Leisure-Time Physical Activity and the Risk of Suspected Bacterial Infections (Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise)