The bladder is part of the urinary tract, so it is common for a bladder infection to be referred to as a urinary tract infection. Using cranberry products to treat bladder and urinary tract infections is a practice that has been passed down by word of mouth for generations. Fortunately, it is not just an old wives' tale. Now, scientific evidence supports the use of cranberries for a bladder infection. The August 2009 issue of the "Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research" reports that cranberry juice helps prevent bladder and urinary tract infections by preventing bacteria from attaching itself to the lining of the bladder. You can easily make your own cranberry preparation to treat, and prevent, bladder infections.
Step 1
Put 4 cups of water in a sauce pan or pot. Add 2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries.
Step 2
Turn the stove to medium heat. Cook the cranberries until they begin to stew. Once they begin to stew, watch for them to begin splitting open. Once they begin splitting, remove them from the heat. Allow them to cool in the pan.
Step 3
Place your sieve over a large bowl. Run the cranberries and water through the sieve. This will separate the pulp, skin and seeds from the cranberry juice. You may need to take the back of a wooden spoon and put pressure on the berries to make sure you have extracted as much cranberry juice as possible.
Step 4
Add the extracted cranberry juice to 1 gallon of water.
Step 5
Drink 8 oz. of this cranberry water two to three times per day, or more if you like. If you find the taste too bitter and you would like to sweeten it, add a dash of stevia, which is a sweet, natural herb. Steer clear of table sugar, as sugar can aggravate a urinary tract or bladder infection. According to Vinay Reddy, M.D., from the Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies in Michigan, too much sugar in your urine can cause bacteria to grow.
Tips and Warnings
- If you do not wish to stew your own cranberries, you can purchase natural cranberry concentrate from a health food store, and prepare your juice by following package directions. Before buying, be sure it does not have any added sugar. If you have an ongoing bladder infection that does not respond to cranberry treatment, see your physician.
- If you are currently on medications for a bladder infection, speak to your physician before adding cranberry to your routine.
Things You'll Need
- Fresh or frozen cranberries, no sugar added
- Sieve
- Water
- Pan
- Stove
- Stevia (optional)
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