The color of your urine can help determine certain medical problems. So while it may seem a little strange to look into the bowl after you’ve tinkled, this health habit can give you an important heads up on health concerns.
Here are some things the color of your pee can say about your health. However, this is no way an ‘expert’ gauge of your body’s condition—just a red flag to prompt a visit to a doctor, who has the tools and the knowhow to give you the right diagnosis.
Clear urine
Absence of color is a good thing. It shows that you’ve been drinking enough water. Water plays a big role in your body’s health: regulating all body organs and temperature, and transporting nutrients). Too little water could lead to headaches, dizziness, sleepiness and irritability.
White or cloudy urine
You might have a urinary tract infection (UTI). The change I color is caused by a high concentration of white blood cells which means your body is trying to fight off infection. Make a trip to your gynecologist, especially if you’re also experiencing other symptoms of UTI, such as a frequent urge to urinate, a painful and burning feeling during urination, uncomfortable pressure above the pubic bone. (Read our tips on preventing urinary tract infection.)
Dark yellow
If you only see this in the morning, in your first bathroom visit after sleeping, then this could just be overnight buildup. But if it happens regularly, start drinking more water. Highly concentrated urine is a sign of dehydration. This may be accompanied by a very strong and offensive smell (very foul odor is usually a sign of UTI).
Orange
If you’ve just taken a laxative, then orange urine is a normal side effect. But if you haven’t taken a laxative, talk to your doctor. He may call for an official urine test to rule out the presence of blood, which can be symptom of urinary stones, bladder or kidney cancer or kidney stones.
Red
Certain foods can make your urine reddish. These include rhubarb, beets, blackberries. But if you haven’t been taking a lot of reddish food, talk to your doctor. The red tinge can be coming from blood; you need to have this checked out by your doctor.
Photo from jennygoestopoland.wordpress.com
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