Cranberries- The Superfood to Stave Off Bladder Infections
Cranberries can assist to fight off urinary tract infections (UTIs). They reduce the influence of certain E. coli bacteria to adhere to and pierce the walls of the bladder.
In about half the cases of UTIs, the E. coli in charge have special small hairy tips called P fimbria. The bacteria makes use of their fimbria to attach themselves to the bladder so that they can multiply and cause an infection. That is where cranberries–which contain a group of chemicals termed proanthocyanidins—come in. They bind to the P fimbria of the E. coli and prevent 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 get rid of rather than kill the bacteria, there’s less of an opportunity for the E. coli to become resistant.
It is insistent that those who are prone to UTIs eat cranberries or drink cranberry juice on an everyday basis, because once the bacteria are able to comply to the wall, the infection sets in, and the cranberries can’t help at that point.
It is probably best to use cranberry products twice a day if you’re prone, as the effects of the cranberries wear off after about 10 hours.
You will need to also be hard-working 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 assist growth the body’s immunity and germ-fighting abilities. Coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages must be avoided, as well as alcohol. Be sure to complement your diet with a lot of foods rich in vitamin B, such as fortified cereals, lean proteins, asparagus, almonds and bananas, as they all help the body in the digestive procedure and converting food to energy, which your body will require if it is working to fend off an UTI.
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