Cranberry Juice: The Wonder Drug for a Healthy Bladder

If you've ever experienced the pain of a severe urinary tract infection, you'll know, as I do, that its important to keep your bladder as healthy as possible in order to avoid another UTI at all costs.

Cystitis, as it is also known, can be due to a variety of causes. It is usually cured with a does of antibiotics; however in recent years strains of bacteria have begun to build up immunity to our traditional antibiotic concoctions. In the realm of medicine, increasingly we are told to keep it simple, as the simpler the treatment, the fewer the complications that will result along with it. So here are a few simple alternatives to prescribed drugs for the treatment and prevention of a urinary tract infection and maintaining a healthy bladder on a regular basis.

Bacteria living in your bathroom tub are a likely cause of urinary tract infections. The scum that builds up over the course of many baths is a veritable breeding ground for these bacteria, who then inhabit the bath water during each of your leisurely evening steams. If there is a shower available, forgo the bath in favour of the stand up method, or, if a good soak is necessary to your daily routine, make sure your porcelain is gleaming before you pour in the suds.

Believe it or not, sexual intercourse can be a factor in contracting a urinary tract infection. The best prevention in this case is to urinate soon after sex; this will cleanse your system of foreign bacteria and reinstate your normal internal chemistry.

The biggest cause of urinary tract infections is by far the E. coli bacteria. Researchers have discovered that the E. coli bacteria has hair-like protrusions that allow it to stick itself to the wall of the bladder, a fertile landscape in which to multiply. This is where the cranberry juice comes in.

Cranberry juice, as we have been told again and again, is a powerful source of antioxidants, twice as potent as vitamin C and eight times as much as vitamin E. So it's beneficial to your health in that it slows down the aging process, and lessens the risk of age-related conditions such as cataracts, Alzheimer's and possibly even cancer.

Cranberry juice is also healthy for your bladder. Researchers have found that cranberries possess an anti-sticking agent, which prevents the E. coli from adhering itself to the bladder walls, thereby lessening your risk of contracting those nasty and painful urinary tract infections.

One factor of caution, however, is that most commercial cranberry juice is extremely high in added sugar. Unsweetened, raw cranberry juice is the healthiest option, although it can be hard to find. Duke of York Cranberry farm in Nova Scotia, Canada, is a great provider, and they ship orders anywhere in Canada or the United states. http://www.cranberrytreats.com/main.htm In lieu of real cranberry extract, you can purchase cranberry extract capsules at your local drugstore which will give you that boost of antioxidant power without all the sugar.

Good Luck!