How I Have Cleared Up Bladder Infections Without Using Antibiotics
About 8 or 9 years ago I began having occasional urinary tract infections, for which I would go to a doctor and get antibiotics. This seemed to work ok until about 5 years ago when the infections became more frequent, sometimes less than 6 months apart. It seems that some women tend to get recurring infections, no matter how careful we are when it comes to hygiene. Not only are these infections very painful and annoying, the idea of taking antibiotics several times a year or more does not appeal to me, as some bacteria can develop a resistance to the antibiotics. Also, taking them can throw other parts of our body chemistry out of balance and kill too much of the good bacteria, paving the way for yeast infections and other unpleasant side effects.
I did quite a bit of research on natural remedies before coming up with a solution that worked and continues to work for me. The best thing that I have found, in addition to being very careful in maintaining cleanliness in the areas where bodily elimination occurs, is to keep on hand a natural product called D-Mannose, which is a highly concentrated form of sugar from cranberries and other fruits. This is much, much more potent than drinking cranberry juice and doesn't involve the type of sugar that creates high blood glucose levels. It seems to just attach itself to the bad bacteria in the urinary tract so that they will be flushed out of the system. I use the powdered form of D-Mannose, and mix it with tea or fruit juice. At the first sign of any symptoms, take 1 heaping teaspoon of the powder and mix it in a drink. Sip the drink slowly until it is gone, wait for several hours and then take more. For the first day or two, it may be necessary to repeat this 3 or 4 times a day. In fact, some sources recommend taking one teaspoon every 2 to 3 hours for the first 24 hours. Take a drink before going to bed also. Also, drinking extra fluids will help in flushing the bladder out. The symptoms should subside and disappear within a few days. Continue taking the powder for several more days after symptoms have cleared up, tapering off a bit each day. I have not noticed any side effects from this powder. If symptoms start to reappear within the next few weeks, continue taking the powder as frequently as needed. I have found that I need to take more than is indicated on the bottle to get complete relief. But it works! I have only had to visit a doctor a couple of times in the last 5 years or so, when an infection came up and I didn't start taking the powder soon enough. But there have also been a few times when the symptoms felt fairly severe, and the D-Mannose was able to clear it up. I do recommend seeing a doctor right away if you have extreme burning, pain or abdominal discomfort, or if you develop a fever. My infections do not seem to ever get to that stage, as I always start treating them immediately at the slightest twinge. Do not ignore the symptoms!
In addition to D-Mannose, I recommend taking goldenseal herb according to directions on the bottle for 2 weeks or so after symptoms first appear. This herb can also help in clearing up many other types of minor infections, such as gum irritations, before they get out of hand.
My local health foods store usually carries D-Mannose in stock, but there are also on-line stores that have it at a lower price, around $15 for a 3 ounce bottle of the powder. I prefer the powder over the capsules; it seems to work more effectively for me, and mixes well with most any beverage, including plain water. It has a very slight taste of mild sweetness.
I hope that this information will be helpful to anyone out there that has suffered from this problem. It was such a big relief to me to find something natural that actually could clear it up. Drop me a line and let me know if you have any questions or if you have had the same experience that I had. daylily@joyful-ideas.com
I did quite a bit of research on natural remedies before coming up with a solution that worked and continues to work for me. The best thing that I have found, in addition to being very careful in maintaining cleanliness in the areas where bodily elimination occurs, is to keep on hand a natural product called D-Mannose, which is a highly concentrated form of sugar from cranberries and other fruits. This is much, much more potent than drinking cranberry juice and doesn't involve the type of sugar that creates high blood glucose levels. It seems to just attach itself to the bad bacteria in the urinary tract so that they will be flushed out of the system. I use the powdered form of D-Mannose, and mix it with tea or fruit juice. At the first sign of any symptoms, take 1 heaping teaspoon of the powder and mix it in a drink. Sip the drink slowly until it is gone, wait for several hours and then take more. For the first day or two, it may be necessary to repeat this 3 or 4 times a day. In fact, some sources recommend taking one teaspoon every 2 to 3 hours for the first 24 hours. Take a drink before going to bed also. Also, drinking extra fluids will help in flushing the bladder out. The symptoms should subside and disappear within a few days. Continue taking the powder for several more days after symptoms have cleared up, tapering off a bit each day. I have not noticed any side effects from this powder. If symptoms start to reappear within the next few weeks, continue taking the powder as frequently as needed. I have found that I need to take more than is indicated on the bottle to get complete relief. But it works! I have only had to visit a doctor a couple of times in the last 5 years or so, when an infection came up and I didn't start taking the powder soon enough. But there have also been a few times when the symptoms felt fairly severe, and the D-Mannose was able to clear it up. I do recommend seeing a doctor right away if you have extreme burning, pain or abdominal discomfort, or if you develop a fever. My infections do not seem to ever get to that stage, as I always start treating them immediately at the slightest twinge. Do not ignore the symptoms!
In addition to D-Mannose, I recommend taking goldenseal herb according to directions on the bottle for 2 weeks or so after symptoms first appear. This herb can also help in clearing up many other types of minor infections, such as gum irritations, before they get out of hand.
My local health foods store usually carries D-Mannose in stock, but there are also on-line stores that have it at a lower price, around $15 for a 3 ounce bottle of the powder. I prefer the powder over the capsules; it seems to work more effectively for me, and mixes well with most any beverage, including plain water. It has a very slight taste of mild sweetness.
I hope that this information will be helpful to anyone out there that has suffered from this problem. It was such a big relief to me to find something natural that actually could clear it up. Drop me a line and let me know if you have any questions or if you have had the same experience that I had. daylily@joyful-ideas.com