Natural Treatment Options For UTIs
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) aren’t any fun to deal with. The symptoms of a UTI include the frequent need to pee, a burning feeling when peeing, strong-smelling and cloudy pee, and even blood in pee! Some will also deal with fatigue, fever and chills, even shakiness. UTIs are caused by bacteria getting into the urinary tract through the urethra. Many experts believe at least half of all women will experience at least one UTI in her life, and many will have more than one. Roughly 3 million women get a UTI each year! No wonder this is considered one of the most common health conditions seen in women!
The great news is UTIs are easily treatable. There are lots of UTI relief medicines available, including many options for over-the-counter UTI meds and non-prescription UTI treatments. Of course, naturopathic UTI treatment is also an option. Those who prefer natural remedies can rejoice, as there are many out there for UTIs!
Pee Often
Yes, UTIs do often cause a frequent need to pee. But a woman can really boost her urinary tract health by using the bathroom and peeing often. At least, peeing when she feels she needs to do so! Holding pee can make UTIs far worse. Thus, no one should hold it! Women who pee more often are not only at a lower risk of getting a UTI in the first place, but it also helps them get rid of an existing one faster. This is because peeing more often helps get rid of bacteria in the urinary tract before it can cause too much damage. Of course, peeing more often also comes with wiping correctly. Women must wipe front to back to clean themselves without introducing bacteria to the area.
Drink Water And Stay Hydrated
Drinking lots of water and staying well-hydrated is a major part of keeping healthy. Not only does it prevent dehydration, but it helps the body work at peak efficiency. This helps treat UTIs! It does this by diluting the woman’s pee and causing her to use the bathroom more often. Using the bathroom more can help boost urinary tract health and get rid of bacteria faster. If women aren’t hydrated, their body won’t get rid of bacteria as quickly, allowing issues like UTIs to stick around longer. Although water is a great choice for staying hydrated, those with UTIs may wish to consider drinking unsweetened cranberry juice too!
Drink Some Unsweetened Cranberry Juice
Perhaps the most common way to treat a UTI naturally is to drink cranberry juice. Of course, the key is unsweetened cranberry juice, since sugar doesn’t do women any favors here! The reason why unsweetened cranberry juice helps is that it helps the body flush toxins, including the bacteria causing the UTI. Some even believe cranberry juice prevents bacteria from attaching to the bladder walls, which can help with current and future UTIs. This makes it excellent for women who deal with recurring UTIs! Unsweetened cranberry juice also helps women stay hydrated and get more vitamin C, which are also ways to treat UTIs naturally!
Get More Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful vitamin with many health benefits. It is also quite easy to get naturally! In the case of UTIs, vitamin C adds acidity to pee, which makes it quite a bit harder for bacteria to grow in the urinary tract. This can treat an existing UTI, as well as prevent future ones! Great ways to get more vitamin C is to drink orange juice or eat other foods in vitamin C. Foods high in vitamin C include strawberries, sweet potatoes, broccoli, kiwi, red peppers, cantaloupe, and kale. Of course, there are also vitamin C supplements out there for an additional boost when needed.
Consume More Probiotics
Probiotics are an amazing way to help treat a UTI naturally, as they help the body balance bacteria. The body contains both good and bad bacteria. The problem occurs when there is an imbalance, such as in the case of a UTI. A small imbalance is all it takes! Probiotic supplements can help bring the balance back and reduce the severity and length of a UTI. There are also other ways to get more probiotics. Yogurt, for instance, contains probiotics, and certain varieties are fortified with even more probiotics. Other foods with probiotics include sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, kombucha, and yes, pickles!