Fight Infection and Prevent UTI With This Change to Your Diet

Have you heard of an alkaline diet? If so, you’ve probably been ingesting more alkaline-forming foods, which means you probably haven’t had a UTI in some time. Is this a coincidence? Certainly not.While cranberries and cranberry juice have long been known as an effective remedy of urinary tract infections and their symptoms, new studies show that it doesn’t come down to cranberries. These antioxidant-heavy berries are still acid-forming.

Thermodynamic Energy Shield

One study suggests that drinking cranberry juice daily creates a thermodynamic energy “shield” in your bladder. This prevents the virulent bacteria that cause UTIs from attaching to the bladder-wall. This cranberry solution only affects the bad bacteria, as they use hair-like “legs” called fimbriae to attach to your bladder – the good bacteria don’t have fimbriae.

The good bacteria are required to fight off even worse organisms like Clostridium difficile and other gut-wrenching bacteria. The problem with cranberry juice is that its effects are temporary.Switching to a highly alkaline-forming diet is just a good idea. It will promote better overall health, as well as provide energy boosts – specifically in the morning.

Alkaline-Forming Foods

A new study suggests that a protein which is secreted very early on in the cell’s contact with microbes. The protein, called siderocalin, prevents E. coli from spreading by depriving them of iron, which is necessary for the bacteria’s growth.Researchers found that the more siderocalin activity your body has, the better it will fight bacteria like E. coli from spreading and thriving.

Siderocalin wasn’t the only thing though. When the scientists tested urine, they found a particular imbalance made all the difference.“Urine with higher pH levels battled bacteria better,” says Dr. Jeffrey Henderson, assistant professor of medicine and molecular microbiology at the Center for Women’s Infectious Disease Research at the Washington University School of Medicine.

Balancing Act

Higher pH levels correlate to an alkaline diet. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14, 0 being highly acidic, and 14 being highly alkaline. Our bodies are happiest at 7.30-7.45, which is slightly alkaline. Being overly acidic can lead to many health issues and problems, one of which being urinary tract infections.

Dr. Henderson says the good news is that pH levels are easy to monitor, manipulate, and manage. You can find out where you fall on the pH scale by doing a simple pee-test on special strips.Adding polyphenol-rich foods to your diet is essential as well. A higher alkaline diet with polyphenol-rich foods will not only improve gut health, encourage siderocalin growth, and help ward off UTIs.

Alkaline Forming Foods

Green vegetable

Peas, beans, lentils

Spices and herbs

Seeds and nuts

Polyphenol-Rich Foods

Berries and apple

Flaxseed meal

Dark chocolate and cocoa powder

Chestnuts and hazelnuts

Green and black teas

Pure pomegranate or apple juice

Stay away from acid forming foods such as:

Meat, fish, poultry

Eggs

Grains

Legumes

Number One, Though…

UTIs are far more common for women than for men, and the infections are most prominent around the time women start having sex, or when they are postmenopausal. The problem, in general, is that women do not empty their bladders enough.”For many, it’s just once or twice a day,” said Dr. Ming-Hsien Wang, Spiegel/Nichols Assistant professor of Urology at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.

She suggests that women should be peeing every few hours, and to flush out bacteria, women should always empty their bladder after having sex. The urine will flush out any bacteria trying to make its way up the urinary tract.