Cranberry: Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Natural Remedy
Nature calls, but when you go, only a little urine comes out and it burns. Then 20 minutes later, it happens all over again. Sound familiar? Chances are you’re suffering from a urinary tract infection (UTI). More common in women, UTIs are usually bladder infections caused by E. coli. Once you’ve had one, it’s more likely you’ll have another, so it’s important to learn about common bladder infection treatments, UTI natural remedies, and the beneficial effects of cranberry on the urinary tract.
The function of your urinary tract (bladder, kidneys, and the tubes that connect them) is to make and remove urine from your body. When E. coli gets into this system, it can cause an infection. While UTIs can be painful and annoying, the primary danger is if they go untreated and the infection spreads to the kidneys.
Symptoms
Urinary tract infections often develop quickly, and symptoms may include:
- Frequent urge to urinate (but not much comes out when you go)
- Painful or burning feeling when urinating
- Bad-smelling or cloudy urine
If the infection has spread to the kidney, you may experience a fever, pain in the back below the ribs, nausea, or vomiting.
Prevention
These steps can help reduce your risk of urinary tract infections:
- Drink plenty of liquid (eight 8-ounce glasses of liquids a day, including some cranberry juice or cranberry urinary tract pills)
- Avoid bladder irritants (including alcohol, coffee, carbonated drinks, citrus juices, spicy foods, and cigarettes)
- Urinate when you feel the urge (try not to hold it)
- Practice good hygiene (wipe from front to back after eliminating; urinate and clean genitals before and after sexual activity)
- Take showers instead of baths (avoid bath oils or bubble baths)
Treatment
Doctors will typically prescribe antibiotics as a bladder infection treatment, so it’s best if you can prevent an infection from taking hold in the first place. While usually effective, antibiotics will often wipe out the friendly bacteria in your gut, opening the door for Candida to flourish. And some doctors believe antibiotics may contribute to recurrent infections, due to bacteria becoming more resistant. So prevention is the key. If you are open to exploring natural remedies to prevent urinary tract infection, you may want to consider the benefits of cranberry.
Cranberry juice has been a popular UTI natural remedy for decades; in fact, cranberry fruit was usead hundreds of years ago by Native Americans for the treatment of bladder and kidney ailments. Scientists once believed that cranberry juice could help fight UTIs by making the urine more acidic, making it harder for bacteria to thrive in the bladder. However, more recent studies have shown that it may help prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of the bladder. If the bacteria can’t hold on, they can’t multiply and cause infection.
Cranberry juice has not been proven to treat existing urinary tract infections, but as far as natural prevention of urinary tract infection is concerned, it is one of the best. Many people don’t like the sour taste of cranberry juice, so for them cranberry tablets are an effective substitute. Wai Lana’s Urinary Tract Support is a natural remedy for UTI that contains cranberry and vitamin C to help improve urinary tract and bladder health in both men and women. It also contains Bioperine®, a patented form of black pepper extract, which enhances absorption. Its claimed benefits include:
- Helps prevent urinary tract and bladder infections
- Helps prevent bacterial overgrowth in the bladder
- Improves the body’s resistance to infection
Before trying cranberry urinary tract supplements or other UTI natural remedies, consult your doctor, especially if you’re already taking other medications. In fact, it is always advisable to check with your doctorbefore you embark on any new health regimen or introduce a new dietary supplement. Avoid cranberry products if you are taking the blood-thinning medication warfarin or have a personal or family history of kidney stones.
Purchase Wai Lana’s Urinary Tract Support supplement or view her other quality vegetarian supplements.
