Ok, I do not know about men (sorry guys) but I do know that many women are familiar with these three letters. If you are not, lucky you!
I know them all too well. I was plagued by urinary tract infections for many years. Back and forth to the doctor’s office, urine samples, waiting for treatment with that awful, burning pain. Of course, the antibiotics, which always resulted in a yeast infection, and I had to learn to manage that with probiotics/more medication.
I had them so often, I knew what it was the very moment it started. The problem was, it would progress to unbearable pain so quickly, and when I traveled I was away from my doctor and I could not get help fast enough. If it was a weekend, I ended up in the emergency room and could barely walk.
UTI’s (Urinary Tract Infections) are one of the most common infections. According to Dr. Mercola:
“Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common type of infection in the body, sending more than eight million people to their health care providers every year in the US alone. Women suffer from UTIs far more often than men, and more than 50 percent of women will develop a UTI during her lifetime.” (Source: Dr. Mercola)
UTI’s are also common among the elderly in nursing homes. My mother in law was in a nursing home at 89 years old. While she was there, she had UTI’s on numerous occasions and it was quite challenging, although the care that she received there was wonderful. In the elderly, the complications can become severe, and they often cannot express their discomfort.
Look up the antibiotics used for Urinary Tract Infections online…there are so many of them and the list is growing. The bacteria are now becoming more resistant to antibiotics, and they are becoming more and more difficult to treat.
I tried everything to prevent them. Gallons of water, cranberry juice, (no need to mention the other things here, we will save that for another blog! You name it, I tried it! Nothing seemed to work on any kind of regular basis. Even my female pets got them, thankfully it was not common for them.
There are homeopathic remedies that will work, but I found something quicker and easier for this one. D-mannose. See Dr. Mercola's Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections.
I learned about his treatment many years ago, and I was desperate to try anything. I did not care whether the research said it worked or not! If it was safe and natural, I was giving it a go. To me, it was a miracle.
“D-mannose is a naturally occurring sugar that sticks to the E. coli bacteria that most commonly causes UTIs, so it can be effectively “rinsed” out when you urinate.” - Dr. Mercola
Well, it worked. Every single time. It is always in my first aid kit. When I found it was safe to give to dogs, I used it for them and it worked just as well! Although it is a natural sugar that is related to glucose, it does not act the same as sugar in the body.
I thought everyone knew about it by now; but if I mention it to my students for their dogs, to this day, most people have not heard of it.
You can find it in a health food store or online. It comes in capsules or powder. I currently use Soloray that I buy on Amazon. I have used many brands over the years, but this brand seems to work the best for me. D-Mannose with CranActin Solaray 60 VCaps by Solaray
At first sign of an Urinary Tract Infection, I take two capsules three times a day. I can prevent them by taking one or two a day, if I think I am at risk.
My doctor did not know, and no one else told me, but I'm glad I discovered these on my own.
If you have a wonderful doctor, (or veterinarian, or health practitioner of any kind) as many of us do, treat him or her with respect and courtesy! They work hard and have a very difficult and a very stressful profession. They can be your ally. But they should also treat you with the same respect. I will always ask lots of questions, do all of my own research, and make my own decisions, because my health is in my own hands.
Doctors practice medicine, and they do not know everything, no one does. If I come across one who thinks they do, I am out of there and on to the next one. I am responsible for my own health and I take it seriously. I am not a doctor, but I am not a mindless sheep and I am not made from a cookie cutter. We are all different, and what works for someone else may not work for me.
I have been using d-mannose for almost 18 years, and it has just been validated as a treatment in the last couple of years. My discovery of it helped get me off of the antibiotic merry go round, and on to more pleasant activities!
Marie (www.mikamar.net)
To learn more about her and see all her other articles, go to Marie's Page, Natural Healing Gal.
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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly and Marie
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Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI used these home remedies to treat my UTI - very helpful. Good luck to you! https://www.ladysoma.com/home-remedies-uti
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