Cranberries may help to fight off
urinary tract infections (UTIs). They reduce the power of certain E. coli
bacteria to adhere to and penetrate the walls of the bladder.
In about half the cases of UTIs, the E. coli responsible
have special little hairy tips called P fimbria. The bacteria use their fimbria
to attach themselves to the bladder so that they can multiply and cause an
infection. That's where cranberries--which contain a group of chemicals called
proanthocyanidins---come in. They bind to the P fimbria of the E. coli and
hinder them so they are unable to sticking to the walls of the bladder. As a result, the E. coli is flushed out in
the urine instead of causing an infection. And because cranberries remove
rather than kill the bacteria, there’s less of a chance for the E. coli to
become resistant.
It’s imperative that those who are prone to UTIs eat
cranberries or drink cranberry juice on a daily basis, because once the
bacteria are able to adhere to the wall, the infection sets in, and the
cranberries can’t help at that point.
It’s probably best to use cranberry products twice a day
if you are prone, as the effects of the cranberries wear off after about 10 hours.
You should also be diligent
about drinking lots of fluids in order to flush the bladder out on a regular
basis. Citrus fruits and fresh
vegetables high in vitamin C are also good, as they help boost the body’s immunity
and germ-fighting abilities. Coffee, tea
and other caffeinated beverages should be avoided, as well as alcohol. Be sure to complement your diet with plenty
of foods rich in vitamin B, such as fortified cereals, lean proteins,
asparagus, almonds and bananas, as they all assist the body in the digestive
process and converting food to energy, which your body will need if it’s
working to fend off a UTI
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