Women are 30 times more likely to develop UTIs than men and it's a urethra. It's a little tube connecting

the revolver and the outside world to the bladder. Because that is so short, it's not very far for these harmful bugs to come out through the

anus and into the bladder. And they can actually move up further from the bladder if it's not controlled,

so they can travel up the tiny tubes of the uretas and move up

towards the kidneys which is obviously really what we don't want.

Kate Stevens is a doctor of microbiology specializing in the human microbiome and she wants to get us talking about our vaginal health.

I'm Liz Earl and this is the Liz Earl Well-being show, the podcast helping us all have a better second half.

My mission, well, it's to find ways for us all to thrive in later life by investing in our health and our well being today and this episode is brought to you in partnership with Octobac.

Okay, so we are going to get personal today, UTI's. It's quite a visceral feeling just saying the word, isn't it? And I have to say this is something that I have been unfortunately personally connected with for far too many years before sorting out my

gut health. So I am really looking forward to this conversation because Kate is a gut

microbiologist and scientific training manager at Optibach, the UK and Ireland's most recommended brand of friendly bacteria supplements, founded 20 years ago with the belief that everyone deserves to

feel their best. I totally agree. Well they work with the world's leading laboratories

to create a wide range of award-winning friendly bacteria supplements,

formulated for individual needs and life stages and yep that does include menopause and you know I feel so passionately that no woman should have to suffer with recurrent UTIs and I'm equally passionate about eradicating the stigma

vaginal health.

There is absolutely nothing shameful about fluctuations

in your intimate microbiome.

But we do need to acknowledge it so that we can do something about any issues that come up again and again.

In fact, I am so passionate about this that as a lovely loyal listener, you get 15% off the Optibac for women supplement.

When you use the code Liz Pod at Optibac.com forward slash Liz Pod, L-I-Z P-O-D. So here we go once and for all how can we

support our vaginal health against recurring UTI's. Well, Kate, what a pleasure to have you here, you know, as I said in the intro, this is a personal journey for me as well.

And I want to do some treatment myth busting with you in a bit to see how the old wives tale stand up to the science.

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