Food and Diet to Cure Cystitis and Urinary Tract Infections

Foods and juices are nature’s medicines and are therefore natural treatments for cystitis, bladder and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Dietary approaches can speed healing and help to prevent recurrences. Nutritional interventions for UTIs include eating foods that acidify urine to help decrease bacterial growth. Foods that help acidify urine are cranberries, plums, prunes, corn, lentils, bread products, peanuts and walnuts. Additionally, include adequate protein in your diet to preserve kidney function. Raw foods are ‘alkaline’ so concentrate on these as they also strengthen your overall immune system. Reduce acidic foods in the diet and increase the intake of alkaline foods.

Another simple preventative treatment for a person who is prone to urinary tract infections is to increase their fluid consumption in order to flush the urinary system. Drinking cranberry and/or blueberry juice is encouraged as these juices contain proanthocyanidins, which prevent bacteria from sticking to the lining of the bladder.

Drink cranberry juice daily to ward off UTIs, but ensure that you drink real cranberry juice and not juice cocktails watered-down and heavily sweetened with sugar. Other juices such as raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and current juices as well as the juice of celery and cucumber are of great benefit when suffering with cystitis and UTIs.

Begin the day with a glass of warm water with lemon juice squeezed into it. Lemon juice changes the PH of the blood and urinary tract so that bacteria is not able to proliferate and spread.

Eat plenty of foods high in anti-oxidants and alkalise the blood with vegetable juices, barley grass, lemon juice, Miso soup and plenty of water. Our diet should be about 80 percent alkaline. Most fruit and vegetables become almost all of them become alkaline after digestion, therefore increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables along with healthy grains and nuts.

An ‘acid-wash’ diet, which consists of high-protein foods such as meats, fish eggs, cranberries, plums and prunes, produce an ‘acid’ urine that helps limit bacterial growth.

Cystitis sufferers will do well to follow certain diets when they have the ailment and they might also benefit from other foods after such an attack to help prevent the return of cystitis and/or urinary tract infection.

Some foods soothe and heal the symptoms of cystitis, bladder and urinary tract infections, whilst others exacerbate the condition. The following lists of foods and drinks to consume more of, and avoid and eliminate from the diet may, at times, contradict itself by having some products listed in both, but this is because it is often a case of trial and error to find out which foods trigger bouts of cystitis, and which heal and soothe the condition, according to the make-up of the individual.

When you are having problems with cystitis, you can get some relief from some of these natural treatments for cystitis, bladder and urinary tract infections (UTIs), that you can easily prepare yourself using everyday ingredients and foods.

FOODS TO EAT TO PREVENT AND TREAT CYSTITIS AND BLADDER INFECTIONS

• Almonds
• Fresh Coconut
• Chestnuts
• Alfalfa sprouts. Alfalfa is a powerful natural remedy for UTIs and cystitis. It can be taken in capsule form, as a juice and eaten whole and fresh in salads and the like.
• Radish sprouts
• Chia sprouts
• Un-sprouted Sesame
• Flaxseed. A tonic made of Flaxseed is an old, but effective natural treatment for cystitis and bladder infections. Simply steep 30 grams of Flaxseed into 2 cups of just boiled water for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain off the Flaxseed and discard the solids, retaining the liquid. Drink 1 cup twice a day.
• Unsalted Butter
• Milk
• Goat’s milk
• Eggs
• Vegetables (except peppers and beets)
• Fruits
• Cornsilk. Not the corn itself, but a tea made of the cornsilk makes for an effective natural cure for urinary tract infections and cystitis. Cornsilk can be purchased in most health food stores.
• String soy Beans
• Lima, green and snap Beans
• Peas
• Potatoes
• Arrowroot Flour
• Flax
• Millet
• Quinoa and Amaranth
• Most Herbal teas
• Garlic
• Cayenne
• Gelatin
• Most Spices
• Vanilla extract
• Miso
• Most Vegetables
• Unprocessed Sea Salt
• Brewer’s yeast
• Unprocessed Cold-pressed Oils
• Whey
• Plain Yohgurt
• Raw unpasterized Honey,
• Dried Sugar Cane juice
• Brown Rice
• Pumpkin Seeds. Dried, crushed pumpkin seeds made into a tea is an excellent natural remedy for cystitis and bladder infection. Use a handful of crushed pumpkin seeds to a litre of boiling water and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and steep for a further 30 minutes. Drink several cups throughout the day.
• Fruit juices
• Vegetable juices
• Spinach is a very good remedy for cystitis. Mix together around equal amounts of spinach juice and coconut water and drink this mixture a couple of times in one day.
• Apple Cider Vinegar. Simply put a couple of tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in cup or glass and add boiled water and sip throughout the day.
• Cucumbers and cucumber juice can also help you with your cystitis and bladder infection. Add a tablespoon of lime juice and a teaspoon of honey to a cup of fresh cucumber juice and drink this mixture three times a day.
• Raw vegetable juices like carrot juice, celery, cucumber and spinach juice should be part of your daily intake when you have cystitis. Alkalise the blood by consuming vegetable juices, barley grass, lemon juice, Miso soup and plenty of water. You can drink these separately or mixed together and this should be done every few hours or so.

Change your diet from your regular diet to a mostly fruit and vegetable diet when you have cystitis and urinary tract infections. Eat plenty of foods high in anti-oxidants such as blueberries, grapes and cranberries.

If you have high blood pressure, eat a low sodium diet.

Try to concentrate your diet more on liquid and soft foods when you have cystitis.

Lemons
Begin the day with a glass of warm water with lemon juice squeezed into it. Lemon juice changes the PH of the blood and urinary tract so that bacteria are not able to proliferate and spread. The juice from lemons and limes alkalises the body and reduces inflammation and acidity. The citric acid contained in the juice of lemons and limes causes an alkalising reaction on the digestive system and urinary tract.

Lemon juice has a myriad of healing abilities such as its ability to alkalise and reduce inflammation in the body, and to purify, cleanse and cool it. Lemon juice is an astringent, antiseptic, decongestant, anti-microbial and contains valuable Vitamin C.

Heat conditions such as a urinary tract infection respond well to the attributes of lemon juice. Urinary tract infections thrive in a damp and acidic environment, so lemon juice, due to its cooling and alkalising effect, is a beneficial way of using natural food as medicine to help relieve the symptoms of bladder and urinary tract infection and cystitis.

Although all citrus fruits turn alkaline in the body and are high in Vitamin C content, other citrus fruits (oranges and grapefruit in particular) do not exhibit the same therapeutic qualities as a lemon or lime. Although other citrus fruits contain healing qualities (and some people recommend them for their high vitamin C content) they are best avoided during urinary tract infections because they can exacerbate the symptoms and cause more discomfort.

Put a lemon (or lime) in the microwave for about 30 seconds on High, in order to maximize the amount of juice from the lemon. Then simply add boiled water and sip throughout the day. Do this routine in the mornings in particular. The mixture can be mixed with some cold tap water (or cooled boiled water) and added to a drinking bottle for throughout the day.

Cranberries
Cranberries have been known as a natural treatment for kidney, bladder and urinary tract infections and cystitis for many years.

Cranberries have health benefits as they:
- prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs and cystitis)
- prevent kidney stones
- kills bacteria and viruses

Cranberries increase the amount of ‘hippuric’ acid in the urine, and this is known to kill bacteria, leading to fewer occurrences of urinary tract infections. Simply drinking 1 to 2 cups of cranberry juice may help the prevention of cystitis, urinary tract and bladder infections.

SUPPLEMENTS TO THE DIET

There are supplements that can be safely taken alongside the diet that are natural treatments for cystitis, bladder and urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Supplements of the Vitamins A, E and C are useful to naturally treat cystitis and UTI’s.

• Vitamin C has a direct effect upon reducing the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract. It helps to strengthen the immune system, fights infection and acidifies the urine.
• Vitamin A is essential for the development and maintenance of a healthy urinary tract.
• A Calcium supplement may help to reduce bladder irritability.
• Consuming ‘probiotics’ (Lactobacillus acidophilus) may prove beneficial since they are through to inhibit the growth of micro-organisms that cause UTIs. These beneficial bacteria (found in some yoghurts) are also thought to foster the growth of friendly flora in the body, which may be reduced by pharmaceutical antibiotic therapy.
• Avoid large doses of Vitamin D can irritate the urinary tract, and excessive Vitamin D intake is linked to kidney stones in people who are susceptible to store formation.

There are other supplements that can be taken that are natural treatments for cystitis, bladder and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

BIO-CHEMIC CELL SALTS (Tissue Salts)

Bio-Chemic Cell Salts (or Tissue Salts) are natural treatments for cystitis, bladder and urinary tract infections (UTIs). To prevent, combat and treat cystitis and UTIs, Bio-chemic Cell Salts can be taken to both prevent on onset and treat a bout of cystitis.

NAT SULPH (Sodium sulphate) can be taken when it is difficult to retain urine.

CALC PHOS (Calcium phosphate) can be taken for frequent urination.

MAG PHOS (Magnesium phosphate) can be taken when the need to urinate is constant when standing or walking.

FOODS NOT TO EAT – FOODS TO AVOID

Certain foods and drinks can irritate the bladder. Therefore, it is best to avoid these during a bladder or urinary tract infection, to prevent symptoms worsening.

Not all the foods need to be avoided all the time, and as stated earlier, it will be a case of ‘trial and error’ as everyone is different and what sparks off a bout of cystitis in one person may not have any affects whatsoever on another. It will be up to the individual to determine and eliminate from the diet any foods and drinks that have adverse affects and exacerbate the problem.

The following is a list of known triggers that can cause irritation to the bladder:

• Tomatoes and tomato products eg. spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and pizza sauce.
• Chocolate
• Foods and drinks which contain coffee, tea and caffeine.
• Avoid spicy foods and drinks.
• Any foods and drinks which contain citrus such as limes, oranges, mandarins, grapefruit, peaches, cantaloupe, pineapple, bananas, nectarines, cranberries, grapes etc. (Lemons and Limes are natural remedies for cystitis and urinary tract infections due to their different compounds and constituents.)
• Vinaigrette dressings, and any other foods which contain white vinegar.
• Artificial sweeteners
• Colas and other carbonated beverages
• Alcoholic drinks
• Sweetened yogurt
• Table salt
• Soy sauce
• Meat and Fish
• Rice
• Oats
• Rye
• Wheat
• Wheat germ
• Bran
• Cornmeal
• Popcorn
• Pastas
• Breads (and other grain products, crackers, pastries)
• Black Beans
• Foods that are high in calcium such as milk, yoghurt, cream, sour cream and cheese products are to be avoided.
• Sunflower and Pumpkin seeds
• Walnuts
• Pecans
• Cashews
• Dried Coconut
• Pistachios
• Brazil nuts
• Peanuts
• Macadamia nuts
• Mustard
• Ketchup
• Mayonnaise
• White vinegar
• Nutmeg
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Salsa
• Soy sauce
• Worchestshire sauce
• Barbeque sauce
• Spices such as oregano and Italian seasoning
• Onions
• Green Peppers
• Avoid eating any processed foods, fatty foods, heavy carbohydrates, and dry foods.
• Avoid anything made with white flour or refined flour.
• Avoid processed meats and corned beef.
• When suffering from a UTI or cystitis, avoid caffeinated drinks and alcoholic beverages as the liquids irritate the lining of the bladder.

What we eat and drink has a direct effect upon how we feel on all levels – body and soul, mind and spirit – and how our body functions and mal-functions. The ‘right’ food and drink are natural treatments for cystitis, bladder and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Remember, it will be a case of ‘trial and error’ to determine which foods react positively, and which irritate the problem, and with time you will be begin to see links and know what substances to avoid, and which to eat to soothe, heal and prevent outbreaks of urinary tract and bladder infections and cystitis.

More Information Below:

• Herbal Remedies for Bladder Infections and Cystitis
• Crystals to Heal UTIs and Cystitis
• Essential Oils and Aromatherapy to Heal Bladder Infections and Cystitis
• Simple Methods to Treat Cystitis and UTIs
• All About CYSTITIS, BLADDER and URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS (UTIs