Alternative Ways to Get Rid of Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)

Urinary tract infections (UTI's) are a horrible experience for everyone, they are painful and make you feel like you have to be steps away from the bathroom all day. The usual cure is a quick trip to the doctor and a course of antibiotics. However antibiotics may get rid of good as well as harmful bacteria in your body, leaving it depleted and weaker than at the start. Here are some good, cheap and natural alternatives that you can get at the grocery store or your local vitamin or herbal store.

1. Gokshura or (Tribulus terrestris): A flowering plant that grows in desert regions like a weed. It has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years without side effects. The mechanisms for getting rid of the bacteria are still unknown but this one has been the most personally effective. It is sold at many local health stores in capsule or powder form. You can also find it online. As with all products, organic gokshura is a better option but the tablets work just fine.

A tea can be made out of the powder, simply put 2-3 heaped teaspoons into a mug, add hot water and mix. Wait 5 minutes for the powder to settle to the bottom of the mug and drink the liquid on top. Usually 2-3 mugs for one day is enough to get rid of the infection. It tastes pretty good sweetened, a little like Chrysanthemum tea.
I consider this the best remedy as there are usually no side effects and the package lasts a long time (only 1% of the population experiences mild gastrointestinal upset.)

2. D-Mannose capsules: This is the active ingredient in cranberry juice. Somehow the bacteria preferentially attaches to the sugar preventing it from attaching to the walls of the urinary tract and everything gets excreted with the urine. It is a simple sugar and can be sold in powder form or in capsules at your health store. Personally this only worked for me when I was in the very early stages of an infection.

3. Cranberry juice: You can find this at most supermarkets. It may help slightly as the juice contains some D-Mannose however, you must drink litres of juice to get the same effect as a few tablets of D-mannose. The other problem with cranberry is that it is acidic and the E-Coli bacteria (usually the cause of infection) thrives in acidic environments. Again this might be useful if the infection is in its early stages. It works for some although others have reported that it makes the infection worse.

Remember to always drink lots and lots of water to flush out your urinary tract.

NOTE: If you are already in the advanced stages of a UTI DO NOT WAIT! GET TO A DOCTOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.