The best way to prevent urinary tract infection complications is to keep the kidneys and the entire urinary system healthy. This can be done through proper diet and nutrition. In this guide, we will cover the steps to keep the entire urinary system and kidneys healthy through home remedies, herbs and proper lifestyle changes.
The urinary system and kidneys-keeping them healthy
The complex urinary system and especially our kidneys are responsible for a lot more than simply filtering out waste products. The system is connected to our blood circulatory system and also maintains a harmonious balance between different minerals including sodium, potassium etc. The kidneys help filter out excess uric acid from the food we eat, but in most cases ,we do not give much thought to what we eat. The more acidic the food we intake, the greater is the strain on our kidneys for throwing out that waste. It is no wonder that we hear so much about the alkaline diet these days; more and more healthcare experts are recommending eating 80% alkaline foods with only 20% acidic food. Unfortunately, the American diet is the exact opposite. A diet rich in wheat flour and meat products all create an acidic environment which studies are now proving detrimental to kidney health. Fortunately, the same research is also showing that by eating more fruits and vegetables, we can counter these bad effects.
Here are some other steps you can take to keep the urinary system and kidneys functioning normally:
- Drink at least 10 glasses of water to flush out toxins
- Exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes a day. Maintain a healthy weight according to your age to avoid putting excess strain on all bodily systems.
- Avoid taking too many drugs especially pain medicines or drugs containing NSAIDs
- Get routine physical exams. If you are prone to urine infections regularly, you must consider getting urine culture tests done every few months.
- Eat healthy- avoid excess of red meat or go for a low protein diet. Eat more fresh fruits and cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli etc. Choose foods low in sodium, sugar and fats but high in fiber content. Take black strap molasses and, every few days, fast by drinking only lemon water.
- Educate yourself about kidney diseases, kidney stones and urine infection causes etc.
- If you suffer from diabetes, exercise control over blood sugar. Follow all medical advice given by your doctor about the disease, taking insulin, diet and other medications etc.
- If you have high blood pressure of hypertension, then your risk of developing kidney related issues is greater. So talk to your doctor about ACE inhibitors which are known to reduce these risk factors.
- If you are prone to getting UTIs frequently, get them treated immediately. Procrastinating treatment can complicate matters. See an expert urologist to rule out other complicated health conditions that could be the underlying cause behind frequent UTIs.
- Through diet or medication where needed, control high cholesterol.
- Avoid smoking and excess alcohol.
A study conducted by Harvard University also recommends vitamin supplements like Vitamin B-complex, Magnesium, etc to keep the kidneys healthy.
Herbs to strengthen the kidneys and urinary tract
Let us now consider some herbs you can make a part of your daily diet to ensure keeping your kidneys and urinary system healthy.
- Eat parsley after every meal. This herb cleanses your palate and also keeps your kidneys healthy by aiding digestion. It is rich in chlorophyll and acts like a diuretic drug to rid the body of excess water retention without affecting potassium levels in the blood.
- Other herbs that are excellent for bladder infections treatment can also help maintain kidney health. These include: Uva Ursi, Golden seal, Juniper berry, Ginger, Marshmallow, Cranberry, Buchu root, dandelion, Chamomile, Cornsilk, and Dong Quai (which is a traditional Chinese herbal remedy).
- Peach bark is another excellent herbal remedy that can flush out toxic elements from the urinary tract. The bark or leaves of peach tree can be made into a tea which serves as a diuretic.
- Plantain and comfrey are other herbal remedies rich in vitamins and minerals that help soothe the kidney tissues. You can take these remedies both internally and externally (plantain poultices are popular remedies for soothing skin infections etc) and are generally mild and safe to use.
- Devil’s Claw is another herbal remedy that can flush out uric acid from the urinary tract. Take this herb with soothing herbs like slippery elm because standalone it can be irritating to the digestive tract.
- The skin is another organ apart from the kidneys that eliminates excess uric acid from the body. To aid this organ in its work, you can use steps like dry body brushing. It is an excellent way of taking off the extra load from the kidneys. It is best to brush the skin with a natural boar bristle brush first thing in the morning before shower to get the best results of this ancient Ayurvedic detoxification technique.
We hope these and other urinary infection prevention remedies given on this site help you maintain the health of your kidneys.