Natural Remedies for Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): Herbal Treatments & Cranberry

Your mom might have told you when you were young to drink cranberry juice because it wards off urinary tract infections. Well, it's true. Cranberry is one of a few natural remedies for an infection. One out of every 5 women will get at least one urinary tract infection in her lifetime. Women are 20 times more likely to get these as men. Here are suggestions for herbal treatments.

Instructions

• 1

  Research the history behind cranberries. They contain proanthocyanidins, which are antioxidant compounds.

• 2

  Drink up. Look for cranberry juice with as much juice as possible. A cocktail with only 10 percent juice won't be as effective. Opt for the real deal. If you get urinary tract infections often, try to drink two glasses every day.

• 3

  Consider taking cranberry in pill form instead. In one study, participants took concentrated cranberry extract, containing 400 milligrams of cranberry solids, twice a day.

• 4

  Take goldenseal root. It has a long history of being a strong antimicrobial agent. Take 1,000 milligrams daily in capsule form. Or, make a tea with 1 teaspoon of dried herb per cup water.

• 5

  Turn to uva-ursi. It's been used as a urinary antiseptic for more than 1,000 years and is very effective against the most common cause of urinary tract infections.

• 6

  Buy your supplements at a natural foods store or online. Don't hesitate to ask the salesperson for advice.