Cranberry: Urinary Tract Infection Natural Solution?


Cranberry & urinary tract health goes hand in hand. Do you know that cranberries, with its many health benefits, are most widely known for one of the urinary tract infections remedies that work?

Cranberries are not just good to eat, they have enormous medicinal value. In 17th century cranberries are used as medicine and remedies. Today, medical experts have discovered more benefits that we can derive and produce from cranberries.

Cranberries are rich in vitamins C, photochemical, flavonoids and antioxidants which help protect against certain cancers. As years passed, new discoveries revealed that cranberries can also prevent kidney stones, stomach ulcers, gum disease, and arteriosclerosis. Because of these benefits, even Germans specialists and scientist find it interesting that they also exert effort to be involved in studying of these plants. With the help of new technologies, the examination shows that a cranberry has hippuric acid from its juices which can cure UTI or Urinary Tract Infections.

Urinary tract infections affect millions of people annually. Infections are basically caused by bacteria. This bacterium lies on the lining of our stomach walls and even the lining in our body cells. It feeds off the cells or the surface or the lining they are attached to, and increase their numbers by reproducing, resulting in infections. In the case of urinary tract infections, this process happens in the lining of the urinary tract.

Women experience urinary tract infections more often than man. They are more prone with the bacteria called e.coli. These bacteria are from the fecal waste. They live in the skin near the rectum. It can travel through urethra, (a tube where the urine passes outside the body) or in the vagina.

Women can also acquire UTI by engaging in sexual activity, it is commonly known as the “Honeymoon UTI”. When the male organ penetrates and rubs too much it can irritate the sensitive part of the vagina’s wall, inviting more bacteria to attach. Sometimes, women who used spermicidal or lubricants can get these infections. If then, these bacteria reach the bladder it will start to multiply which they can cause the infections.

What are urinary tract infections remedies? Most patients, antibiotic are the common type of medicine that the doctor would prescribe. But cranberries can be an alternative to medicine. To prevent and cure urinary tract infections, one just drinks at least one to three 8 oz. glasses of cranberry juice (with at least 27 percent from its pure extract).

Cranberry, urinary tract infection’s natural alternative to medicine. How do cranberries help in preventing urinary tract infection? At first, scientist thought that the fruit acids in cranberries inhibited the growth of bacteria in the urine. Later on, it was discovered cranberries are rich in proanthocyanidins. Proanthocyanidins are tannins, a type of organic chemical compound, that have been condensed. These compounds have their own specific way of functioning, i.e. they block the bacteria from attaching themselves to the surface of the lining of the specific body part. These compounds found in cranberries helps to remove bacteria attached onto the lining of urinary tract, thus helping to relief and heal urinary tract infections.

So remember, the next time you experience urinary discomfort, think of cranberry, urinary tract infection’s natural solution.