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Urinary tract infections affect up to half of all women over the course of a lifetime and are responsible for eight million doctor visits each year. While men can experience UTI’s too, they’re much more common in women. They’re also most common in the winter months due to less water consumption, which unfortunately means that UTI season is upon us.
Tips to avoid a UTI include:
• Drink more water
• Change your undergarments daily
• Choose organic cotton underwear
• Don’t hold your urine for a long period of time
• Wear loose fitting clothes
• Consume fermented foods to help promote a healthy urinary tract
While antibiotics are commonly prescribed for UTI’s, there are a whole host of reasons why they are not an ideal remedy. For starters, antibiotics kill the good bacteria along with the bad, setting you up for fungal infections and digestive troubles, among other side effects.
If you do experience a UTI this winter, be sure to drink plenty of water to help flush the bad bacteria out of the urinary tract. Other home remedies for a UTI include:
Baking soda – Its alkaline nature can help neutralize or lessen the acidity of your urine, and can help alleviate the uncomfortable burning sensation. Here's what to do: Stir a teaspoon of baking soda in 8 ounces of filtered water until it dissolves. Drink the whole glass. This should be done first thing in the morning for at least a week.
Parsley water — Parsley acts as a diuretic that increases your urination, allowing bacteria to be flushed out of the urinary tract. If you have dried parsley, put it in a cup of boiling water, cover and let steep for eight minutes. Strain and drink.
Horseradish — This spicy and pungent vegetable contains a natural compound called allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), which has strong antimicrobial effects, and kills bacteria outright. Here's how to use horseradish for UTI: Get some fresh horseradish and grate it until you have at least half a teaspoon, and ingest. Follow with a gulp of water or milk to help curb the spiciness of the vegetable. Do this three time a day only, and stop if you experience stomach upset.
Celery seeds — These seeds work as a diuretic, similar to parsley, and increases urine production. Chew them once or twice a day, as an after-meal snack.