Do you check the color of your urine? If you don't, you
probably should because it could hold vital clues about the state of your
health.
According to The Cleveland Clinic, the shade of your urine
can tell a lot about a person's health, and they've produced a helpful chart to
aid people when checking.
Designed to establish whether one is drinking enough water,
it can also indicate urinary tract infections or other health issues.
The color also shows up traces of certain foods and
prescribed medications. A clinic spokesman said, "Human urine has been a
useful tool of diagnosis since the earliest days of medicine. The colour,
density, and smell of urine can reveal much about the state of our
health." Have a look at this basic guide as a starting point:
NO COLOUR
If your urine is clear, like water, then it is likely to be
a sign that you're over-hydrated. It could also indicate you've ingested a
diuretic, a substance found in coffee which forces the body to get rid of
water.
PALE TO DARK YELLOW
The lighter the shade of yellow, the more hydrated a person
is. As the color darkens, one is recommended to drink more water.
AMBER OR HONEY
If your urine is in a deep golden yellow then your body
isn't getting enough fluid. In such cases, pour yourself a large glass of H20.
SYRUP OR BROWN
This colour could indicate liver or kidney problems. It
could also just mean you've been gorging on aloe or fava beans. If drinking
more water doesn't change the brown colour, visit your GP.
PINK TO REDDISH
You should visit a doctor immediately if your urine is pink.
It could be traces of blood, which could mean kidney disease, prostate
problems, urinary tract infections, kidney or bladder stones or even cancer.
Less worrying, the colour could also indicate that you've had beetroot or
blackberries.
ORANGE
Apart from dehydration, it could be caused by laxatives and
chemotherapy drugs, as well as blood thinners. Food dyes, carrots or too much
vitamin C can also cause an orange tint.
