Urinary track infections

This Week In The HSI Forum

Few health problems can be as persistently difficult to deal with as UTI, or urinary tract infection. And one of the reasons for this persistent quality is easily explained.

In an HSI Forum thread titled “Recurring urinary track infection elderly,” a member named Darling notes that her 86-year-old mother has been getting a UTI every couple of months for two years. Darling asks, “Anyone know what causes these or any preventative actions that can be taken?”

We’ll start with the cause. When Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria invade the bladder, they penetrate a protective coating of the superficial cells that line the bladder. Once the E. coli begin multiplying in the bladder lining, they form pod structures that are protected by the cell coating. In a study last year from Washington University, researchers found that after an infection was treated with antibiotics, pods that survived the treatment soon released bacteria to begin a new infection. This is one reason why many successful bladder treatments are followed by subsequent infections.

Last February I told you about a Forum thread titled “Any natural cures for urinary tract infections?” This new UTI thread elaborates on that old one with some information like this from a member named Steve, who writes, “I’ve had excellent results in treating UTIs with colloidal silver. Olive Leaf extract works great too.”

And a member who calls herself Mom shares this information about her mother’s UTI defense technique: “She takes the herb Uva Ursi, liquid form, two times a week at the most. She takes cranberry gel caps maybe once a week. But, when she feels as if she’s getting an infection, she takes more cranberry gel caps, and takes the Uva Ursi two or three times a day. HSI had told about a hybridized mushroom extract, and that really helps along with the other things mentioned to knock an infection quickly.”

Mom’s mom must have seen the January 2000 HSI Members Alert in which we told you about activated hexose correlate compound (AHCC); the breakthrough cancer treatment and immune-booster made from hybridized Japanese mushrooms. AHCC dramatically increases the activity of natural killer cells, and has been effective in fighting some forms of cancer, as well as hepatitis C, which commonly transforms into primary liver cancer.

A member named alleymom has this to say about another proven UTI fighter: “D-Mannose has worked absolute wonders for me. I’m diabetic and used to get horrible urinary tract infections every so often. I have not had to take antibiotics for a UTI since starting the mannose two years ago.”

In the December 2001 issue of his Nutrition & Healing Newsletter, Jonathan V. Wright M.D., had this to say about D-Mannose: “Over 90 percent of bladder infections are caused by E. coli bacteria, which stick to mannose molecules present on the surfaces of the cells that line our bladders. If a person has an E. coli infection and takes D-mannose, the ‘loose’ molecules of D-mannose surround and coat each E. coli bacterium, so they can’t stick to the bladder. The next time the patient urinates, the D-mannose-coated E. coli are rinsed away.”

Cranberry juice is rich in D-mannose, a natural simple sugar. But if you try cranberry juice to combat UTI, make sure the juice contains no added sugars, which can actually promote further infection.

If you know of additional effective ways to treat and beat UTI, drop by this HSI Forum thread and share your experience with other member.

Other topics on the HSI Forum this week include:

* Flax seed oil
* Causes of heart disease
* Preparing for a flu outbreak
* Smokers – side effects of quitting?
* Libido enhancer
* Prolotherapy

To reach the HSI Forum, just go to our web site at www.hsionline.com, click on “Forum,” and add your voice to the wide range of topics concerning health care and nutrition.