A Urinary tract infection, or UTI, is defined as a bacterial infection of any part of the urinary tract, which includes the bladder, kidneys, ureters (tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder) and the urethra (the tube that allows the bladder to be emptied). Out of these parts, infection of the bladder or the urethra is the most common.
A UTI occurs when bacteria enter the urethra and travel up to the bladder, where they get multiplied. Escherichia coli are the commonest bacteria found in the human gut and cause an infection. Symptoms of urinary tract infections include pain or burning while urinating, cloudy or bloody urine, pain in the lower abdomen, a strong and frequent urge to urinate often.
UTIs are easy to control by adopting a useful and nutritious diet. Your diet is often the first place you should look to improve when trying to increase your overall health.
Here we suggested some of the best and nutritious food that a patient suffering from UTI can follow and can ease the symptoms of infection naturally. Following foods are very beneficial for natural treatment of uti –
- CRANBERRY JUICE- Cranberry juice contains a unique substitute of photochemical that may help to prevent infection-causing bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract walls. One research found that cranberry juice and supplements helped to reduce the occurrence of UTIs. Consume pure cranberry juice once daily for a minimum of 1-2 months for a cure and further prevention from any kind of infection.
- GARLIC – Garlic is a very effective remedy for the management of any kind of UTI problem. Many studies and research proved that many bacteria strains that were resistant to the drug were susceptible to garlic extract. Garlic is a delicious addition to many meals and can be consumed raw, cooked or in supplement form.
- CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES – Cruciferous vegetables are very beneficial to cure UTI problems. Consume plenty of vegetables from the brassica family in your diet. Foods such as kale and cauliflower contain large amounts of vitamin C, they also come packed with calcium which is crucial for kidney function, fiber for bowel regularity, and certain B vitamins that play an important role in energy production and keeping the nervous system in working order.
- BERRIES – Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries all contain high amounts of vitamin C which may help to stave off bacterial growth in the bladder. Also, berries, like most fruits, are made up of mostly water, so plentiful consumption helps to ensure adequate fluids intake to flush out the kidneys and bladder at regular intervals. Eat them by the handful, or try delicious recipes from berries.
- CITRUS FRUITS – Citrus fruits contain Vitamin C, which is very beneficial for our health. Some researches show that increasing your intake of vitamin C could protect you against urinary tract infections. It works by increasing the acidity of the urine, thereby killing off the bacteria that cause infection. A Study of UTI s in pregnant women looked at the effects of taking 100mg of vitamin C every day.
Red peppers, oranges, grapefruit, and kiwifruit all contain the full recommended amounts of vitamin C.
Below are some foods that should be avoided during any kind of urinary tract infection. By avoiding the intake of these below-mentioned foods the patient can ease their symptoms naturally.
FOODS TO AVOID WHEN YOU HAVE A UTI
- COFFEE – Coffee is a common stimulant and irritant of the bladder. One study found that women who increased their coffee consumption by two servings a day had a 64 percent higher risk of urinary urgency than other urinary tract symptoms. You must take herbal tea instead of coffee.
- CHOCOLATE – A high amount of chocolates can irritate your sensitive bladder. As it includes small caffeine contents that can cause a worse effect on the bladder. If the infection goes on re-occur you should avoid a high intake of chocolates.
- ALCOHOL – Excessive intake of alcohol can irritate the bladder and weaken your pelvic muscle tone. You should prefer some organic juices in the place of alcohol and other energy drinks.
- SPICY FOOD – If you are suffering from burning sensation, you should strictly avoid all the spicy foods. Because of the high consumption of spicy food can irritate the bladder and make the symptoms worse. You should choose neutral herbs like rosemary and thyme in your food instead of black pepper, cayenne, and red chili pepper flakes.
- DIET SODA – Diet soda is probably the worst thing you can drink when you’re struggling with a UTI because it has caffeine, bubbles, and artificial sweeteners. Like some of the other ingredients on this list, low or no-calorie sweeteners like aspartame tend to cause bladder pain for some, so it’s best to stick to plain water or tea whenever you can.
Vaidya Jagjit Singh is an Ayurvedic Physician in Chandigarh and has an experience of 30 years in this field. He is founder of Chandigarh Ayurved Centre. Chandigarh Ayurvedic Centre provides best ayurvedic treatment & panchakarma therapies centre in Chandigarh. Chandigarh Ayurvedic Centre is a leading Multi speciality Ayurvedic Clinic of North India.
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