Urinary Tract Infections

Infections of the urinary tract are commonly known as cystitis in women and urethritis in men. It is important to catch these infections at the very first sign (often a burning sensation and an increased need to urinate) to prevent a more serious infection. Consult your doctor for any type of urinary tract infection, or if you have a fever or blood in your urine.

Drink cranberry juice
Cranberry juice helps to prevent and treat bladder infections. It makes the walls of the bladder slippery and prevents bacteria from gaining a hold.
60m1 (2fl oz) water
125m1(4fl oz) unsweetened cranberry juice
60m1 (2fl oz) unsweetened apple juice
Combine the ingredients in a glass. Drink six glasses daily at the first sign of a bladder infection. If you're prone to such infections, drink two glasses every day as a preventive measure.

Flush out bacteria
Drinking plenty of water-at least six glasses daily-flushes the bladder of problem-causing bacteria and can help prevent bladder infections.

Drink parsley tea
Parsley has natural diuretic properties and helps to cleanse the bladder of infectious organisms.
20g (r/4oz) coarsely chopped fresh parsley
2.5 litres (4 pints) water
Simmer the parsley and the water for five minutes in a covered pot, steep for 15 minutes, and strain. Drink the tea over a period of three hours to flush out the bladder

Drink uva ursi tea
Uva ursi contains a potent antiseptic that combats urinary tract infections.
250m1(8fl oz) boiling water
1 teaspoon dried uva ursi leaves
Pour the boiling water over the leaves. Cover, steep for 15 minutes and strain. Drink three cups daily at the first sign of infection. Continue for three days after the symptoms have subsided. Alternatively, take half a teaspoon of uva ursi tincture three times a day in a small amount of warm water. Don't drink cranberry juice while you are taking uva ursi because the herb works best in an alkaline environment

Fight the infection
Uva ursi, echinacea, and goldenseal make a powerful infection-fighting formula for urinary tract infections.
30ml (1fl oz) uva ursa extract
I5mI (1/2fl oz) echinacea extract
15m1 (1/2fl oz) goldenseal extract
Combine extracts in a dark glass bottle. Shake well, and take one teaspoon in a small amount of warm water four times a day.
Caution: Avoid goldenseal if you have high blood pressure or are pregnant.

Ease discomfort with a sandalwood bath
An aromatherapy bath can help to ease the pelvic discomfort that often accompanies a bladder infection. Sandalwood is used in Ayurvedic medicine for treating urinary tract infections. Add ten drops of sandalwood essential oil to a bath of comfortably warm water and soak for 20 minutes to ease the pelvic discomfort. Repeat daily until the infection has subsided.