Treating urinary tract infections. Altenatives to antibiotics?

donmar

things to research further and ponder, increase vitamin C to bowl tolerance, increase fiber intake, drink LOTS of water, Uva Ursi and goldenseal herbs are great for resolving infections and UTI's..his specific one connected to anti- biotics so start healing the gut, bone broth, maybe add a probiotic (100bn cultures) Take a diuretic to flush out the bladder..Apple cider vinegar, celery juice, dandelion, fennel, green tea, nettle and parsley are some other natural diuretics used effectively in treating UTI's. Avoid things like avoid alcohol, caffeine, soft drinks, chocolates, refined, spicy and processed food and sugar this all feeds the infection. But there is more to using herbs than using an herb to rid oneself of a symptom..changing dietary habits, lifestyle choices, exercise, sleep are all factors in reoccurring infections and lowered immune function. you could also try homeopathic Bacillus Proteus 30C dilution.

Happy Healing
Heather

donmar

Thanks. All good info. We already eat healthy, do bone broth etc. but you gave me more to do. Thank you!

LaurieLovesLearning

I always found that a simple cranberry juice was all I needed. Unsweetened juice is hard to find, but easily made if you have some frozen cranberries in the freezer.

Cherlynn

I agree, drinking a little cranberry juice 2 or 3 times a week stops UTI's from happening. I am allergic to most antibiotics and the ones I can take are so very expensive. So I bend over backwards to avoid these infections. I've never had them until I got up to 65 and now I suddenly get them every few weeks. I hate cranberries but I drink my juice 3 times a week to keep these infections away.

Grammyprepper

Cranberry juice (Ican't handle it straight, so usually get cran/grape or cran/strawberry). Lemonade (fresh, not the oversweetened kind, sugar doesn't help infections), As a woman of 'an older age', I have to be careful. I don't get the same symptoms i did when i was younger, and a UTI can sneak up on me. So I try to ensure I drink more than enough water every day. The key is to acidify your urine. That's the key behind most 'traditional' or 'old wives' cures. It makes the bladder less hospitable to the bacteria that commonly cause UTI.

*always be sure to consult a trusted medical practitioner. i am not a doctor, nor have i ever played one on tv...LOL*

tomandcara

Mannose is an awesome treatment for most UTI. If 100% cranberry juice is too hard to handle, I suggest diluting it with water instead of mixing it with other juices or buying the pre-mixed. The extra sugar in cran-grape and cran-strawberry will decrease the effectiveness of the cranberries.

Prepperid

Uva Ursi is my go to also baking soda mixed with water.  My mom used to give me the baking soda-water treatment when I was a kid and it worked great.

hmsadmin

I came to the forum to post my experience over the past few days, but figured I just toss my $.02 in here instead of making a new post.

This is always my go to, in addition to stepping up and being on top of eating well. (I'm admittedly not the best at keeping the sugar-creep out of my diet, or just simply not eating enough to get all the nutrients I need each day).

I had been feeling "off" for a few days and couldn't figure out exactly why, then yesterday the tell-tale symptoms came up and let me know I for sure have a UTI going on. I've always been susceptible to them, and lower digestive system infections in general, and cranberry has grown to be one of the first things I turn to.

@Grammyprepper you're totally right! I am still relatively young, but this UTI snuck up on me a good bit differently than they did when I was in my teens and 20's. Much more vague symptoms for a few days up until yesterday when my body made it clear on what was going on by telling me to go to the restroom every few mins..

My local natural foods store closes early on weekends.. so I ran to Albertsons and lo and behold they carry the brand I used to only be able to find at natural markets!

I drank roughly a cup last night, and have had two "doses" of a few ounces each today, and already my symptoms are 90% gone. I ❤️ this stuff, even if it isn't very pleasant to drink straight.

Thank you all for the other remedies you have posted! I've tucked away a list of all your recommendations in case the cranberry juice doesn't cut it for me in the future.

anectarine1

I am wondering if anyone has tried oregano for a UTI? I am on vacation with a UTi and have only oregano oil tabs on hand.

shllnzl

I once had a UTI for 9 months straight! I was in the Air Force at the time and was skipping fluids because there are no toilets out there where I was fixing aircraft. The men had an easier time finding a place to void their bladders. I ended up with a chronic condition called interstitial cystitis. What I have learned on the subject: drink lots of water! Cranberry juice is helpful. I also had someone once tell me that she increased her coffee intake when her bladder got sensitive; I tried it and it did help flush bad bacteria out of the system. I have an easier time with my chronic condition because I keep my bladder full of liquids all day with the result that my urine does not get too acidic. Sometimes medication or certain spicy foods can cause irritation. Sorry if I gave too much information, but thought I might help others.

gennywu

Did the Cranberry juice work for you? It has always done the trick for me and, surprisingly, even my General Practitioner recommended it.

shllnzl

Cranberry juice does help, I believe it contains bacteria similar to what is in your bladder. However, I drank so much of it then, that I no longer can stand to drink it. I still like cranberry sauce though.

shllnzl

I am reading a book by Rosemary Gladstar. She says parsley is good for bladder and kidney problems.

Trece

I like the idea of parsley. I wonder what quantity would be needed? I had heard of uva ursi but it's good to know there are more than just a few alternatives that could be effective. Thanks to all for the great suggestions.

For a UTI, I take D-mannose (4 caps or 2g per day), and probiotic with lactobacillus reuteri or lactobacillus rhamnosus (Jarrow fem-dophilus). I make my own yogurt and empty a few probiotic capsules to "fortify" the batch. As long as it doesn't get too hot, the cultures should be ok?

I also do a Borax sitz bath.

I haven't yet tried DIY boric acid suppositories - typically used for a yeast infection or BV - but it sounds like they might be effective for UTIs that don't respond to D-mannose.

ines871

only chronic dehydration is not enough to cause a bladder infection as never had one until was a mother in 30's. - What does most people in is Chronic stress... tho Not (being a mom=pure 🙂 joy)

Sidestepping non-emergency medical interventions for the plaque they are, one can drink LOTS of water, & add vit. C to bowl tolerance, add herbs like Goldenseal, & diuretics like dandelion & parsley. Tried plain cranberry juice too by the quarts to no avail. - Because once you have a raging FIRE even the dang ABO's do little but DESTROY your Immune system. At that point of blood mixed with urine, any idea of reducing! chronic stress flies completely out the window.

So what to do? - After 13 years of suffering from blood in urine UTI's, at last I could continue singing God's Praises... with D-mannose: a simple sugar Not metabolized, so it goes thru the Urinary-system intact, & because harmful microscopic critters LOVE sugar too, in essence as they the grab the passing D-mannose they let go of you, & are flushed out as you pee. YEAH!! You can buy just the powder: https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-733739028099-D-Mannose-6-Ounce/dp/B00JWKDF6A , or the caps cost a bit more: https://www.amazon.com/D-Mannose-500mg-120-Capsules-Pack/dp/B00M79OYS6 & as will Not harm you, you will be Amazed how FAST this works. Once you are Clear (you can have a UA-test done), you can start to Decrease stress-levels too. - And in case another twinge of uti threatens to rear its ugly head, you KNOW it is short-lived by one day.

spj510

These are all great suggestions! I had a UTI in my last pregnancy, and used megadoses of vitamin C every other hour, D-mannose as directed, cranberry juice, and grapefruit seed extract. That took care of it, no problem!

sallyhoward

Many great suggestions have already been made so I will just reiterate, drink lots of clean water.

captaincollins

Here is an excellent link to d-mannose use and some directions. https://www.healthline.com/health/d-mannose-for-uti#side-effects

The best dose to use isn’t entirely clear, however. For now, only the doses that have been used in research are suggested:

• For preventing frequent UTIs: 2 grams once daily, or 1 gram twice daily
• For treating an active UTI: 1.5 grams twice daily for 3 days, and then once daily for 10 days; or 1 gram three times daily for 14 days

Also, try to use a fragrance free, organic laundry detergent, only wash the perineal are with water and no soap. Urinate immediately after having intercourse. Stay hydrated...try to drink a cup of water every 60-90 minutes. Do not hold it in if possible. Eat naturally fermented foods. :)

tammyrichardsmt9

I have always used cranberry juice - I bought the concentrate at the health food store and water it down.

spowell07

I don’t know if you use EO’s at all but I do know that purify is an oil that is very good for a UTI.  Combine 1 drop Purify (protective blend) with 1 drop oregano; apply as a hot compress over abdomen and pubic area. you can also use pure cranberry or the juice of cranberries as well. Technically not a herb but used by herbalists. Cranberry extract helps prevent potentially harmful bacteria from sticking to urinary tract walls and effectively flushes out the bacteria from the urinary tract to help promote urinary tract health. As far as the juice If you can’t stomach straight cranberry try the pineapple cranberry or mix pineapple juice with it; it’s fantastic. Also you could try dandelion leaf this herb is potent diuretic used to flush the bladder and relieve symptoms.

anectarine1

I would also reiterate that sugar feeds the bacteria. After being off sugar a few days, I feel much better. I’ve been taking cranberry, vitamin c and d mannitose but it wasn’t enough till I went off sugar and upped my water intake.

ArleneWoods

Besides Purify essential oil, I prefer Juniper berry essential oil. (I really don't like cranberry any way it comes!). I take it in a veggie capsule, drink lots of water and avoid the sugar.

Leslie Carl

@donmar you are wise to avoid using antibiotics. The main bacteria responsible for UTIs, E. coli, has become increasingly resistant to a lot of antibiotics prescribed today.

The most popular natural treatments for UTIs are essential oils, probiotics, garlic, and cranberry juice.

As far as essential oils; @anectarine1 the three best essential oils for UTIs are clove, oregano, and myrrh. So yes, your oregano oil should work.

There are others that can be used for infections in different ways. For instance, adding one to two drops of lemon oil to a glass of water can help immensely (it can even help with kidney stones).

Some ways you can use the oils are;

1. Rub a few drops on the bottom of your feet.
2. Mix a drop of oregano with a drop of peppermint and massage over your abdomen to relieve the pain.
3. If you have high quality food grade essential oils, you can put 3 drops of clove, oregano, and/or myrrh into a veggie cap and top it off with extra virgin olive oil, avocado or coconut oil. Take it internally 2 times a day.

I am not a doctor, but I have used these methods with good results, for more than just UTI relief.

silvertipgrizz

It's been a long time since my last urinary tract dilemma but my solution is so simple:

As I saw a post above of the same...the miraculous cranberry juice. At onset of blood tinged....uti, I started drinking cranberry juice, started with a 2 quart bottle and by the time I had drank almost half of it all symptoms were gone, including the pain....all gone.

I asked a kidney doctor why it works and he said he didn't know.............wow

The best day to you all!

silvertipgrizz

I forgot to mention in case it hasn't been yet, the reason it is believed cranberry juice works is because it makes the inside of the tubes that drain urine out of the body slick so the bacteria can't stick and the bacteria just gets rinsed out of the body with urination.

Peace and blackberry tea!

shllnzl

Rosemary Gladstar's Urinary Tonic Tea

2 parts elder flower

1 part chickweed top

1 part dandelion leaf

Make an infusion and drink 1/2 to 1 cup once or twice daily to tone and nourish the urinary system.

ines871

Calling all Cranberry lovers, with 1 caveat : the juice needs be the original-TART (iow PURE). No messing it up with sugar nonsense.

Why?, because TART fruits like also Lemons are Antiproliferative: iow successfully STOP cancer-cells from making yet more cancer cells. And per good fortune, you can buy "Organic Freeze-dried powder" on amazon.

probinson50

I had frequent issues with this even with a healthy diet. I don't know if it was connected, but until I got systemic candida under control all other treatment were just temporary.

probinson50

I had frequent issues with this even with a healthy diet. I don't know if it was connected, but until I got systemic candida under control all other treatment were just temporary.

sarah121

One of the very best herbs for this condition is Barosma betulina (Buccu) I've used this numerous times in clinic, and it has proven to be a very effective simple (single herb remedy) for minor UTI infections. I found the following paper which may also be of help. I've used all of the herbs cited with good results, but it is really a matter of matching the plants to the person and getting to the root of the issue to prevent recurrence. All of the above advice re diet and lifestyle obviously still applies!

http://www.ijddr.in/drug-development/natures-weapon-against-urinary-tract-infections.pdf

sarah121

@probinson50 You also make an excellent point. When there is an overgrowth of candida or yeast in the bowel, this can most definitely impact the urinary tract. Using probiotics and gentle bowel cleansing herbs in this case would be preferable to using a simple such as Buccu. This really neatly illustrates the point that we cannot make broad "take this for that" statements when it comes to using herbs, and we must always look to the root cause in order to select the right remedy. This is the real difference between holistic treatment (taking the whole person into account) as opposed to treating symptomatically.