DRINK LOTS OF WATER

“The first way to prevent an UTI is to drink more water. A good rule to follow is to drink at least eight cups of water — that is two litres a day.”

F or some people, a urinary tract infection is a matter of urgency. It is not often that I attempt to use humour in my articles. I guess you now that know why. All kidding aside, a urinary tract infection can be a real problem for some people. Generally, women will get bladder infections more often than men. This month, let’s discuss some home treatment options to help prevent urinary infections.

For some, urinary infections can be an annoyance; in others, they can be quite serious. Symptoms of a urinary infection include painful, burning or frequent urination. For the very elderly or frail, symptoms can be much more serious, such as confusion and high fevers. If you think you might have a bladder infection, do not delay medical assessment. Untreated infections can spread to the bladder or kidneys. This can make treatment problematic.

If you do get recurring urinary infections (UTI), there are a number of ways to help prevent future ones. A re-occurrence is considered three UCIs in a year, or two in six months.

The first way to prevent an UTI is to drink more water. This might sound obvious but it is surprising how many people do not drink enough water. A good rule to follow is to drink at least eight cups of water — that is two litres a day. This may sound like quite a bit, but you can get your water from all sources. Juice, coffee and tea all count toward your intake. Or just go by the ‘colour of your pee rule’— if it has a colour, you are not drinking enough.

Cranberry juice is a tricky subject. The cranberry juices that taste good generally contain more sugar than cranberries, which can be counterproductive. Pure cranberry juice is quite tart and quite expensive. I recommend that people take a concentrated cranberry capsule with lots of water.

Another option is to eat three to four frozen cranberries a day. Usually these are not that big, and you can just swallow them whole. With lots of water, or course.

Another supplement that is helpful in preventing UTIs is a simple sugar called ‘D-Mannose’. D-Mannose is naturally occurring and has been shown to prevent bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract. There are a few scientific studies that have shown its effectiveness in preventing UTIs. Daily doses of two grams of D-mannose are recommended. Naturally, this supplement should be taken with plenty of water.

It is sometimes recommended that people take probiotics (acidophilus) to help prevent recurring UTIs. The scientific evidence for this claim is not very good. Probiotics are helpful for other conditions such as childhood eczema, diarrhea and digestive issues. I would rather you try the options listed above — with lots of water. heartpharmacy.com