Although common this infection is, especially among women, the pain and discomfort is certainly far from ordinary. Painful urination, cramping and blood tinged urine are just some of the common symptoms for urinary tract infection.
Women in particular are prone to it because of the shorter length of the urethra from the bladder and bacteria finds its way up the urinary system easily.
Did you know that there are many natural remedies for urinary tract infection? Before popping antibiotics, you may want to try some of these proven natural alternatives first.
Natural Remedies for UTI
Drink Lots of Water – Doctors will tell you to drink lots of water in order to flush away the toxins. This is actually the first step in dealing or preventing UTI. To know the adequate quantity of water to consume, you may take half of your body weight and convert it into ounces. This is the amount of water you should be drinking. Check with your physician on the safe amount of water for you.
Don’t Hold – Always pee whenever you feel the need to. Holding on longer to your urine just increases your vulnerability to more bacteria in your body.
Load up with Vitamin C – This makes urine acidic thereby inhibiting the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract.
Parsley Tea – A refreshing drink that you can probably make as your standby cocktail especially after dinner. It facilitates healing by acting as a diuretic that works by eliminating sodium from the kidneys into the urine. Sodium takes water along with it hence more fluid will be eliminated. The idea is to facilitate the excretion of toxins with the increase in urine output. To prepare this healthy cocktail, you will need a cup of fresh parsley or 2 tablespoons of dried parsley with 2 cups of boiling water.
Directions:
- Boil the water then add the parsley
- Reduce the heat, simmer and let it infuse for 6-10 minutes
- Strain the leaves
- Enjoy it hot or cold
Avoid Bladder Irritants – Unfortunately, this would mean cutting off from your favourite carbonated drinks, coffee, alcohol, nicotine and spicy food. This is the perfect time to go for healthier food choices and allow your body to recover and fight off the infection.
Ginger Tea – A very common yet reliable home remedy that works wonders for inflammation. Ginger contains very potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols that have a major role in reduction of pain and inflammation. A cup of ginger tea would be your best alternative to over the counter anti-inflammatory medications.
Cranberry Juice – A considerable amount of this Vitamin C rich juice will work wonders in fighting off the bacteria causing urinary tract infection. The acid content of the juice makes it difficult for the bacteria to cling to the urethra, thereby preventing the bacteria from multiplying.
Natural Herbs – There are a number of natural herbs that have been proven to provide relief from UTI, one of which is goldenseal. It is available in capsule or tablet form and adults are recommended to take 500-1000 mg doses. The active ingredient in goldenseal is berberine, which is responsible for preventing bacteria from clinging to the walls of the urethra. Alternatively, cranberry softgels are a convenient support for your UTI problems if you are unable to grab some cranberry juice on the go.
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References:
Suszynski, Marie (2016). 7 Home Remedies for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Symptoms |everydayhealth.com (online) Available at http://www.everydayhealth.com/urinary-tract-infections/helpful-home-remedies-for-urinary-tract-infections.aspx/ [ Accessed 12 Apr. 2016]
Goodall, Claire (2014). 14 Natural Home Remedies for UTI Pain & Discomfort| everydayroots.com (online) Available at http://everydayroots.com/uti-remedies/ [Accessed 12 Apr. 2016]