A kidney infection is often a result of a bladder infection that spreads upward. MayoClinic.com reports that treating a kidney and bladder infection quickly is important to prevent damage to your kidneys as well as the spread of the infection to other parts of your body. In most instances, your doctor will prescribe a round of antibiotics to kill the infection, but adding certain foods to your diet may also help flush out the bacteria so you can recover more rapidly.
Parsley
Raw parsley may help clear up a bladder and kidney infection more quickly, Amy Rost notes in her book, "Natural Healing Wisdom and Know How: Useful Practices, Recipes, and Formulas For a Lifetime of Health." Parsley is a low-acid food, which can help reduce the discomfort associated with a kidney and bladder infection and may help flush out the germs causing the infection as well. Add raw parsley to a salad or sprinkle it on cooked potatoes or fish as two ways to increase your intake. Drinking parsley tea is another way. Boil fresh parsley leaves in water for several minutes and allow to cool slightly before drinking. Other leafy green vegetables, such as romaine lettuce and spinach, may have similar effects and should be added to your diet as well, Rost recommends.
Watermelon
Watermelon has a high concentration of water, which causes a diuretic effect in your body. Diuretic foods are useful if you are suffering from a bladder or kidney infection, because they encourage your body to eliminate urine more often, which helps flush the infection-causing bacteria out of your body. Two or three servings of watermelon each day will help encourage you to urinate more often. Other diuretic foods include cucumbers and celery. Combine sliced cucumbers and celery to make a high-water salad that may help you heal more quickly.
Cranberries
Fresh cranberries can help treat a bladder and kidney infection, because they are rich in bacteria-killing antioxidants, Michelle Schoffro Cook reports in her book, "The Phytozyme Cure: Treat Or Reverse More Than 30 Serious Health Conditions with Powerful Plant Nutrients." The antioxidants in cranberries prevent the bacteria that causes a bladder and kidney infection from adhering to the lining of your digestive system and bladder so your body is able to flush them away more easily. Fresh cranberries can be added to a fruit salad or cooked and smothered on cooked chicken or fish. Fresh cranberry juice without added sugar may also help rid your body of the germs causing your infection.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Kidney Infection
- "Natural Healing Wisdom and Know How: Useful Practices, Recipes, and Formulas For a Lifetime of Health"; Amy Rost; 2009
- "The Phytozyme Cure: Treat Or Reverse More Than 30 Serious Health Conditions with Powerful Plant Nutrients"; Michelle Schoffro Cook; 2010
