Urinary tract infections are commonly treated with a round of antibiotics to destroy the germs causing your symptoms. Antibiotics are not the only way to treat a urinary tract infection. Certain foods may work the way medications do to target the bacteria causing your symptoms and eliminate them from your body. Cherries, while not the most effective choice, may help combat your infection and ease your discomfort.
Urinary Tract Infections
Your urinary system includes your bladder, kidneys, ureters and urethra. An infection in any of these parts is referred to as a urinary tract infection, but these infections occur most often in the bladder or urethra. An infection begins when bacteria begins to grow in your bladder. Your urinary tract naturally keeps bacteria out of your body, but when a strain is able to sneak past your urethra, you may end up with an uncomfortable infection. You may be at a greater risk for developing a urinary tract infection if you have new or multiple sex partners, engage in more frequent intercourse than normal, if you have diabetes or are pregnant, or if you use certain medications.
Symptoms
One of the most common symptoms of a urinary tract infection is pain or burning when you urinate. If you have a urinary tract infection you may also experience a more frequent urge to urinate, a feeling of urgency while urinating, blood in your urine, lower abdomen pain, fever, strong-smelling urine, nausea, vomiting or pain during intercourse. If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor right away to determine an appropriate course of treatment.
Cherries
Cherries contain antioxidants that may help ease your symptoms of a urinary tract infection. The antioxidants may also help prevent future urinary tract infections by keeping your immune system strong and in good health. A better fruit choice for treating a urinary tract infection is cranberries. Cranberries, or unsweetened cranberry juice, contain compounds that help prevent the bacteria that causes a urinary tract infection from sticking to your bladder walls, which reduces the chance that you will experience symptoms. Blueberries may also work more effectively than cherries because they contain similar compounds to those found in cranberries.
Tips
Drink unsweetened cranberry juice on a regular basis to help reduce your risk of developing a urinary tract infection. If you already have symptoms, a fruit salad that consists of blueberries, cherries and unsweetened dried cranberries may be a healthy alternative or supplement to antibiotics. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that the antioxidants in cherries may reduce symptoms, so eat a bowl of the fruit plain, stir into plain yogurt or sprinkle on a bowl of cereal.
