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UTI!

Hey all.

I’m a 20 something girl who has been struggling with recurring urinary tract infections ever since puberty. I’ve been 90% raw for almost a year now (and it’s helped a lot), but I still get them every couple of months.

I’m really really really not excited about going on antibiotics again, and I was wondering if any of you awesome people may know of a home remedy. I’ve tried cranberry and corn silk, and would love any additional ideas.

Peace.

Comments

  • MunchieMunchie Raw Newbie

    Sarah- I am 23 and I too, have been struggling over the years with UTI’s. I also get kidney stones. I also was wondering if there were any home rememdies as opposed to using frequent antibiotics.

    I am also wondering if a raw diet is safe for me or if my occurance of kidney stones will increase. Also, everyone in my family has had their gall bladders removed. I’m trying to avoid all this sickness by changing my diet, but I was told originally to stay away from beets and spinach,etc. :o( because they may cause stones. Hmmm???

  • jenny2052jenny2052 Raw Newbie

    Hi ladies—

    I’m sorry that we all have this in common! I’m 28 and have also suffered from chronic UTIs since childhood, but I seem to have gotten them under control a little better since going raw.

    Here’s what works for me:

    1) Unsweetened raw cranberry juice with water. I try to drink this every day. I just blend up about a third of a cup of cranberries (they’re frozen most of the year, but I’m using fresh now) with about 2 cups of water, strain it, and drink it in the mornings. I generally feel like this is more preventative than curative (there’s a chemical in cranberries that prevents the bacteria from attaching to the walls of the urinary tract, but I’m not sure what it does once they’re already attached—i.e., once the infection is already painful), but sometimes if I have a slight UTI I can flush it out by drinking this all day long.

    2) Young coconut water allegedly helps some people. For me, this only helps me feel better for a couple of hours, it doesn’t seem to actually make the infection go away. But it does help me feel better, so it gives other remedies a chance to work…

    3) Apple cider vinegar. I drink a couple of tablespoons of this a day (like a shot) when I have a UTI. This has actually cured a couple of mine (though some have still gotten bad enough that I’ve had to go to the doctor).

    4) Probiotics: I take acidophilus and drink kombucha on a regular basis, but I double (or triple) up when I have a UTI.

    I eat a ton of fruit on my raw diet, but my incidence of UTIs has gone way down, despite the sugar. But I’m sure that differs depending on the body…

    I’ve heard grapefruit seed extract can be very useful, but I’ve never tried it.

    Good luck! Hopefully raw will help all of our bodies fight these infections better!

  • Munchie,

    I’ve had a couple kidney stone experiences as well, and they suck. I think that my body’s ph level has a lot to do with whether I do or don’t get an infection. When I’m eating raw, my immune system is a lot stronger, and I can usually get rid of UTIs with a couple days of juicing + echinacea. This has also seemed to prevent any kidney stones for the past year or so. Then again, sometimes (read: now) the UTI just won’t go away, and I start getting worried…

  • MeditatingMeditating Raw Newbie

    UTI: I have never had a UTI that i couldn’t kick out with cranberry supplements. I take 2 – 1500 mg tablets 3 times a day and within 6 hours the pain usually stops. I continue that for 3 days just to be sure. However, since I had such a problem with them for a while, I now take 1 app. 1500 mg cranberry supplement in the morning. I have never had a UTI since then. The cranberry is very good supplement for you even if it didn’t have the effect on UTIs.

    KIDNEY STONES: I have a friend who has kidney stones so I did some research for her a while back on this. It is important to drink plenty of water and add lemon juice whenever possible. This works to help prevent stones and help move stones out. There is a chemical in citrus, most available in lemons, that helps prevent kidney stones. There is also a website I can direct you to that provides some interesting information: http://www.jumpandbump.com

    Good Luck to both of you. Illness and pain are always trying to deal with.

  • This isn’t a home remedy, but just another piece of information for you to think about.

    A good friend of mine suffered terribly from recurrent UTIs. She went to many different doctors and tried all sorts of different things, but they always came back. Finally, a new doctor actually laughed at what other doctors had done for her. He said that if you want to get rid of recurrent infections you have to completely kill the bacteria in your urinary tract and let it build up naturally from there (kinda like chemotherapy). They put her on 6 months of strong antibiotics. That was several years ago and she has never had another since.

    So, if you can’t find anything else that works, you might ask your doctor about a “complete cure” or “complete treatment” to totally rid the body of the offending bacteria (and lots of others too!). It’s a harsh treatment, but she doesn’t regret doing it at all and recommends it to anyone having problems. And she is a natural type person and didn’t make the decision lightly.

    But I sure hope you find a better way to get them under control!

  • I haven’t had a UTI in many years, but in the past I could zap them quickly with goldenseal tea. It’s really aweful, but effective. My ayurvedic doctor recommended it.

    Good Luck – they sure are miserable. I hope you are feeling better soon.

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    I am glad this thread is going on. I woke up this morning with some blood in my urine. Damn!

    I have only had a few UTI’s in my life. The first one I didn’t treat it because I had no idea of what it was – I thought it would go away – and i ended up in the ER and almost had a kidney infection.

    Thanks for all the tips guys!

    Off I go to buy cranberry and juice and supplements and maybe some corn tea. Good thing it didn’t happen tomorrow when the local co-op is closed all day.

    I am hoping this thing doesn’t get any worse because I have no health insurance now and I have no idea what I would do if it came to that.

    This sucks because now I have to cancel my plans for today and I have a very important looong trip coming up and there is no away I am letting this UTI ruin it! Why do things like this always crop up when you have important things going on?

    I thought I remember reading (or someone telling me) that UTI’s will eventually go away on their own (unless I am confusing that with something else) – I thought it was like seven days. Does anyone know if that is true?

  • Yeast infections will usually go away within 7-10 days but UTI’s can move up to the kidneys and become dangerous if left untreated. I have only had 2 UTI’s in my life but cranberry and lots of water did the trick.

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    thanks spirit!

    Maybe that was what I was thinking of? Either that or I was thinking of a herpes outbreak – those go away by themselves but are painful.

    I couldn’t find the corn silk tea (I did see some direction on how to make some) but I have pure cranberry juice, fresh cranberries, cranberry supplement and cranberry tea! I am going to turn into a cranberry! :) I also have lemons, limes and some pineapple.My bf says he has some goldenseal tea.

    I am wondering if I should eat anything today or just drink liquids? Anyone know if it is better to avoid any solids when you have a UTI? I know to avoid alcohol (sucks since it is Xmas – no wine!), anything with caffeine (does that include raw chocolate?).

  • justagirljustagirl Raw Newbie

    Hi, Just a bit of info on UTI’s. I used to have them quite a bit when I was younger. UTI’s respond well to an alkaline environment, so if you use green drink (fresh wheat grass juice) you should find that it will elleviate many of the problems. My ex used to have them as well, and I put him on a powdered green drink which cured his problem altogether. The powdered type is not as good but better than nothing. Be sure, if you buy the powder that you get a type that has no fillers. The fresh juice, though, is incredible and if you take green drink each day, it may help prevent other UTI’s from occurring. Everyone’s body is a little different, but hope this helps. You can also try an alkaline additive for your water so that you are always drinking water that is less acidic.

  • MarichiesaMarichiesa Raw Newbie

    I have a sort of related question. I have a yeast infection at the moment, only the 4th I’ve had in my life and I’m 40. Anyhow it is 7 days into the homeopathic treatment ( yeast away) and I’m not feeling better. Not the worst -just things don’t seem to be improving the way I remember from the past. I’m also taking grapefruit seed extract supplements to address any systemic issue. And I do think there is a systemic thang happening.

    Advice???

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    I tried that yeast away stuff – didn’t work for me either. You know what did? Yoghurt. If you are not adverse to purchsing some non-vegan stuff just for this (get the plain organic stuff – get a small size if you can) give it a try. It gets a bit messy but it honestly worked. Plus it is nicely cooling too. I put mine in with an old yeast kit applicator that I saved – put it in at night and try to lay so it stays in and and wear a pad too if you want because it will come out when you get up.

    Other things to try that I have heard of are a whole bulb of garlic or douche with apple cider vinegar. All of these need to go into your vagina – do it at night first of course.I have used the apple cider vinegar before and it helps a little – but the yoghurt really worked.

    If you don’t want to use the yoghurt, maybe if you can get some coconut keifer. I would start taking some probiotics too.

  • Marichiesa, I know that “they” say it will heal on it’s own between 7-10 days—I have never had a yeast infection heal before the 10th day—even with medications. Give yourself a couple of days. I also use a special vaginal formula ( you take it by mouth )of acidophilus from the health food store, this seems to have helped.

  • jenny2052jenny2052 Raw Newbie

    Marichiesa, I use probiotics as a suppository when I have a yeast infection, and that has worked great, too—kind of like yogurt without the mess. I just insert one at night before I go to bed. And I take a double dose orally, too. These helped me a lot when I had a flare up of yeast infections a few years ago.

    Queenfluff, I haven’t seen any negative results from eating food when I had a UTI, but you might consider avoiding chocolate if you can. Coffee makes my UTIs so much worse that I try steer clear of anything with any caffeine whatsoever. Raw chocolate probably isn’t as bad, but the sugars that usually accompany it might be problematic, too.

    And just FYI, if it ends up that you need to go to the doctor, Planned Parenthood’s testing, office visit, and treatment for a UTI generally runs about $50-70 if you’re uninsured. Even if you end up having to go to an urgent care clinic, the most I’ve ever had to pay was $130. It’s not cheap, but it isn’t unfathomably bad like some other things. And by the time mine are so bad I need a doctor, those prices seem like a steal. But I hope it won’t come to that for you!

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Hi Jenny,

    Thanks! I have decided that I am just not eating anything until later – I figure I would rather have my body direct its energy towards healing instead of digesting for a little while. I have had tons of water, a big glass of cranberry juice, two supplements and two huge mugs of cranberry tea – and you know what – it is pretty much gone already! The blood is gone and there is pretty much no pain when I pee (I slight discomfort towards the end – like a tingling not really a burning at all – and that is it) – my pee is all clear now too.

    I will still keep up with the treatments but later my bf is bring me a raw food meal from a new raw place so I will have a nice raw late dinner and some coconut water. :) Since I had to miss all the Xmas Eve family festivities – it will be nice to get a raw dinner later! :)

    I think I will avoid all chocolate for a bit just in case but I never had a problem with chocolate before. I don’t drink coffee anymore.

    That is good to know about Planned Parenthood – I have been there before but not for a UTI - I didn’t know they did stuff for a UTI. Right now, it is going great though (I really attacked it with cranberry stuff and water for the first few hours) so it probably won’t come to that. I can’t believe how fast it is working.:)

    I was looking at stuff online about UTI’s and there are so many people saying you can’t get rid of them without antibiotics – I really don’t believe that. I think if you treat it aggressively right away – it will work. I think lots of people just don’t really do the “natural” treatments right or not enough and my guess is they don’t drink enough water while they are doing. Also I wonder if it just hard to get rid of it if you wait to get treatment and don’t start right away and than you need the antibiotics.

    Hopefully mine will stay away! :)

    Thanks for the advice!

  • I had alot of UTI’s and yeast infections in my 20’s. I was eating a poor diet and drinking lots of wine. Once I stopped drinking I stopped having them.

    If I start feeling yucky in any way, sore throat, swollen glands, etc. I immediately up my lemon/lime drinks. I peeled them and throw in blender, white skin and all, with some water and have 1 – 3 of these a day. I also cut back on all other foods, especially nuts and start feeling better rather quickly. I think lemon is just the best and drinking lots of water helps clean things out.
    Good luck. I remember how bad those things felt and I wouldn’t wish them on my enemy:-)

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