You wake up in the middle of the night with a strong urge to urinate. While urinating, you notice a burning sensation, your urine has a strong odor and seems cloudy or even bloody. If this is followed by frequent similar trips to the bathroom that produce only small amounts of urine, you may be one of millions of people experiencing a urinary tract infection, or a UTI. Simple UTIs can rapidly progress to more serious conditions, such as kidney infections. Consult with a medically trained naturopathic physician for appropriate care and follow-up if you decide to use alternative treatments for your UTI.
Diet
Diet plays a key role in prevention and treatment of many conditions and can be tailored to your needs when experiencing a UTI. As a general rule, avoid all simple sugars including full-strength fruit juices and refined carbohydrates, as well as known food allergens. Restrict calories during the first few days of the infection and eat large amounts of garlic as garlic has been shown to have antibacterial activity against many UTI-causing bacterias, including Eschirichia coli, Proteus sp., Staphylococcus sp. and Klebsiella pneumonia.
Fluids
In general, large amounts of fluids are helpful in enhancing urine flow, preventing bacterial attachment to the walls of your urinary tract, enhancing your immune system function and promoting a protective pH level in your urine. Filtered water, herbal teas and fresh fruit or vegetable juices diluted with equal amounts of water make acceptable choices for the fluids consumed during a UTI. Constituents in cranberry juice reduce the ability of Eschericia coli to attach to the urinary tract walls. Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., recommends that 1 liter of unsweetened cranberry juice be consumed at one sitting for it to be effective.
Nutritional Supplements
Several nutritional supplements can be helpful in aiding the treatment of your UTI by enhancing your immune system activity. These may include vitamin C, vitamin A, bioflavonoids, beta-carotene, zinc and choline. For best results, nutritional supplements should be tailored to your specific needs by an alternative medicine expert, such as a naturopathic physician.
Botanica Medicines
Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., also recommends several botanical medicines in the form of a tea or extract for the treatment of UTIs, including Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and Hydrastis canadensis. Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, also known as bearberry, may be recommended as a urinary antiseptic and is especially suited against Eschericia coli, the bacteria responsible for causing most UTIs. Because excessive intake of uva ursi can be toxic, seek the advice of a naturopathic physician before taking it. Hydrastis canadensis, or goldenseal, is an effective antimicrobial against several species of bacteria including Eschiricia coli, and Proteus species, Klebsiella sp, Staphylococcus sp, Enterobacter sp and Pseudomonas sp.
References
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Urinary Tract Infections in Adults
- "Textbook of Natural Medicine"; Joseph E. Pizzorno, Jr., N.D., and Michael T. Murray, N.D.; 2006
- Mayo Clinic: Urinary Tract Infection: Alternative Medicine
