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| that the bacteria can't adhere. Contrary to popular belief, citrus juices are alkalinizing, not acidic, so don't drink citrus juices. Furthermore, the high sugar content of citrus and other sweet juices creates a hospitable environment for the invading microorganisms. Since sweetened cranberry juice creates some of the same problems as other sweet juices, add just enough plain apple juice to the unsweetened cranberry juice to make it palatable. Concentrated cranberry products in capsule form, such as "Cranactin" and other brands, are also effective. |
| Supplement the diet with 500 mg of vitamin C every hour until acute symptoms subside. Thereafter, 1,000 to 2,000 mg two to three times a day are sufficient. Some people find acidophilus supplements to be helpful, along with 15 mg of zinc daily and 50,000 IU of beta carotene. Many herbs are effective in the treatment of urinary tract infections, but it is necessary to find the right combination for an individual's unique symptoms. |
| Teas which incorporate herbal diuretics to increase urine production, demulcents to soothe inflamed tissue, astringents to check bleeding, antispasmodics for pain and antimicrobials to stimulate the local immune response in the mucous membranes are also helpful. While tinctures and capsules are easy to take, they are generally less effective than teas in treating UTIs. It is important to drink teas to help to flush out bacteria and microorganisms from the bladder. The following tea is an effective treatment for cystitis and urinary tract infections. |
| UTI Tea |
| 2 parts nettles (Urtica dioica) |
| 2 parts cornsilk (Zea mays) |
| 2 parts bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) |
| 2 parts cleavers (Galium aparine) |
| 1 part pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata) |
| 1 part dandelion greens (Taraxacum officinalis) |
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