24 oz. of Cranberry Juice (adult requirement, 12 oz. is good for a child)
24 ounces of prevention is worth 24 pounds of cure. Cranberry juice is the foundation of this remedy and the ingredient that is scientifically proven to help prevent a UTI. Now this is important: Use REAL juice, preferably unsweetened, even though it’s kind of expensive and a little bitter. There is also a concentrated, powder form that comes as a pill. This is a suitable and somewhat cheaper substitute for real juice but “cocktail” or “drink” is NOT.
Cranberry juice does NOT kill the bacteria in the urinary tract. It does NOT change the Ph of urine making it too acidic for the bacteria to grow. There are proanthocyanidins in cranberry juice that keep the bacteria from sticking to the cells that make up the urinary tract; flushing it right out of your system. This remedy also contains a diuretic ingredient that increases the frequency of flushes. We will get to that later.
The largest family-owned cranberry farm in the world, A.D. Makepeace Co., is in Massachusetts. This entire industry suffered in recent years loosing 80% of returns. This almost killed it. Now, thanks to a great program offered by Ocean Spray to the children of their current growers called “Next Wave” these family farms will live to be passed on to the sons and daughters who grew up there. Feel better without a UTI and feel good about supporting the American family farm.
How much juice is enough? Three glasses per day should do it. I make up this remedy in a 32 oz. bottle, with about 24 ounces of cranberry juice and drink one per day. I have never had a UTI. A few years ago my wife suffered through a bad one that the first round of antibiotics didn’t touch. She said the pain, discomfort and associated flu-like symptoms would have literally drove her crazy if it persisted a few more days. That’s when I first learned about the true benefits of drinking cranberry juice. My daughter, and although more common in women, even my father are also in the UTI club.
There are other benefits to cranberry juice. I am a big fan of antioxidants, and this juice has plenty of that. It is a good source of vitamin E, and also Vitamin K which the body does not store, so a daily dose is recommended. A bottle of this remedy will also supply 125% of a days requirement of vitamin C. Â Okay, so it is bitter tasting! The next ingredient in this recipe will take the edge off of that.
12 drops or 1/2 teaspoon of Stevia
Stevia is shrouded in controversy. All you government conspiracy theorists listen to this: The FDA seems to have collaborated with artificial sweetener lobbyists to give this herb such a bad rap that it is practically treated like marijuana. If it is labeled as a low calorie sweetener, and not as a dietary supplement, it is subject to search and seizure. This herb is 150 to 400 times sweeter than sugar. Native to Paraguay, it is starting to be used very frequently in Japan where it has been scientifically tested and found to be completely safe for human consumption.
You can find this low calorie natural sweetener in health food stores. Use it instead of all those artificial sweeteners that I think can be toxic. The FDA tells the public that they tested these chemicals and found them to be safe. The problem with the testing is that they don’t heat up the chemicals at any point to simulate an unrefrigerated truck load of diet soda in Nevada in July; 120 degrees. Studies have shown that these temperatures can change the properties of these artificial sweeteners rendering an adverse effect on the nervous system.
There is some research that suggests that stevia can actually decrease blood sugar. But extensive research has proven that it will NOT increase levels of sugar in the blood. So it makes a perfect replacement for sugar, especially for children who usually consume too much. Although a very natural product, refined sugar has no nutritional value and is extremely overused except in Brazil where it is used in abundance to fuel that country’s automobiles. You go Brazil!
It is the diuretic properties of stevia that makes it very useful in this remedy. What is a diuretic? A substance that makes you pee. Here you have the frequent flushing. Holding your urine, which in of itself can be uncomfortable, can cause a UTI. So don’t be concerned with the inconvenience, if you feel the urge, go! Men and women: Emptying your bladder after intercourse helps in the prevention of these infections. Girls, first learning to use the toilet should be taught to wipe in a “belly-button to bum-bum” direction, same way that diaper changing Mommies and Daddies should do it. The opposite can cause a UTI.
