I've only had one UTI since going vegan three years ago, whereas I used to get them at least twice a year, no matter how religious I was about protecting myself. As you probably know, UTIs come from E. coli getting into the bladder. I'd thought that only happened from fecal matter getting into the urinary tract. Not so. The reason I may have noticed an improvement is really gross: E. coli in chicken.
"Researchers went to supermarkets and tested 1,648 different types of food — and they found it. We now think that urinary tract infections come from eating chickens. Half of retail poultry samples were found contaminated with the UTI-associated strains of E. coli," Dr. Greger says. "Scientists now suspect that by eating chicken, women infect their lower intestinal tract with these meat-borne bacteria, which can then creep up into their bladder. In addition to the traditional hygiene measures aimed at preventing urinary tract infections — wiping from front to back; urinating after intercourse — women can now add avoiding poultry as a way to help fend off UTIs." So there you have it — if you have chronic UTIs, steer clear of eating chickens.