Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are most often caused by bacterial infection. They occur in both women and men, but affect women about ten times more. Antibiotics are required to properly treat a UTI, so it is important to seek help from a health care professional if you are experiencing symptoms of an infection. These include: painful or burning sensation while urinating, abdominal pain, fever, frequent urination and increased urgency to urinate.
Acidic Fruits and Juices
The University of Oregon Student Health Center advises students who are suffering with a urinary tract infection to increase their dietary intake of acid-producing fruits such as plums and apricots. The acid produced by these fruits is thought to inhibit the growth of infection-causing bacteria by making the urinary tract a hostile environment for the type of bacterial reproduction that causes an infection.
Cranberries and Blueberries
Cranberries and blueberries are the focus of a study at the Rutgers University Philip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research. Work published by scientists there has shown that cranberries and blueberries are effective at preventing the occurrence of UTIs by coating the epithelial lining of the urinary tract with a slippery compound that inhibits the adhesion of bacterial cells.
Water
The Pennsylvania State University Milton S. Hershey Medical Center points out that the best way to fight off infection in the urinary tract is to flush it out with plenty of water on a regular basis. Liquids should be consumed at the rate of about one 8oz glass per hour in order to properly flush out the urinary tract.
