Another thing that may help to sell you on following the Paleo diet is that by doing so you dramatically reduce your chances of suffering the very uncomfortable, painful and frustrating sensations that are caused by a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). Eating too much sugar increases your chances of getting a UTI – therefore, eating a low-sugar Paleo diet will help you to prevent them!
Remember that sugar in the body isn’t just table sugar, therefore don’t consider sugar to only be store-bought candy, ice cream, chocolate, etc. The carbohydrates within grains (breads and pasta) turn into sugar within the body. Therefore, too many grains in one’s diet could also lead to a UTI. By following the Paleo principles in your diet, the reduction of sugar is dramatic and therefore your risk of developing a UTI is dramatically reduced, as well.
Improving your diet is the best thing that anybody can do to prevent a UTI, but if one has already set in then hopefully the natural remedies below will help to combat it a lot quicker. If within a couple of days your UTI has not gone away with natural remedies, you will want to consult with a medical professional as the risk of the infection moving into the kidneys and bloodstream and becoming a much more severe risk to your health than simply having a burning sensation when needing to pass urine can occur.
If you have suffered from a UTI in the past, you will very likely be able to feel when it is coming on again by the slight burning and very warm feeling when passing urine. If you haven’t had a UTI in the past, then hopefully you won’t in your entire lifetime, but if you do, you may not realize what is happening until things become quite painful. The remedies mentioned below will work best at the onset of your UTI and will be less effective when you have already had the UTI for several days.
How to Cure a UTI Without Going to the Pharmacy
Cranberry Pills
If you suffer from UTIs regularly, one of the best things you can do (in addition to changing and improving your diet), is to take natural cranberry tablets. There is a reason I mention cranberry tablets and not cranberry juice or even consuming fresh cranberries — the reason for this is because you want to reduce the sugar content in your diet, especially if you’re currently suffering from a UTI. Cranberries have a wonderful property that helps prevent bacteria from ‘clinging on’ to the walls of the urethra. When the bacteria cannot live, you won’t suffer from a UTI. Cranberry tablets can be very effective, but always ensure that you are purchasing, and therefore consuming, a high-quality product.
Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)
Take a quick look at a pharmacy remedy for a UTI, and chances are, the main ingredient is baking soda. Remove any preservatives or additives that are on the list and you’ll probably find that the only real ingredient that combats a UTI is indeed, baking soda.
So save yourself the trip to the pharmacy as well as the expense by combining 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda that’s already sitting in your kitchen cupboard, with a glass of water, then drinking it. You will want to do this several times a day but generally speaking no more than 3-4 times. As always, too much of a good thing isn’t always a good thing! Don’t go overboard with how much baking soda you consume, as you really don’t need to consume much for it to bring on an effective change within your body.
Goldenseal Plant
Another natural ingredient that has a similar effect to that of cranberry is goldenseal. It has a natural property that helps in preventing bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urethra, which is what causes UTIs to come about. The only real negative to goldenseal is that it’s fairly expensive. However, it can be another helpful remedy.
Goldenseal can be found in many forms, such as tablets and tinctures, and can be dried in order to make a tea. As it is always good to consume plenty of water when suffering from a UTI, even though the last thing you want to do is pass urine, drinking a cup of goldenseal tea is a good option to try. All you will need is 1-2 teaspoons of dried goldenseal (you can of course always use fresh if you’re able to source it) and boiling water. Place the goldenseal into your mug, cover with boiling water and allow to seep for 10-15 minutes before drinking.
Although it is very painful to pass urine when suffering from a UTI, and it can be annoying to visit the bathroom every few minutes, do not hold in your urine. This can cause the bacteria in your urine to develop further, which is the last thing you want.
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