Dr. HingHau Tsang's Crusade on Nutrition
Newsletter #39
--- Natural approach to Urinary Tract health
Urinary-tract infections occur when bacteria such as E. coli, which normally live in the bowels, make their way into the bladder and set up residence.
In Women:
Over 20% of women experience the discomfort of cystitis (Infection of the urinary bladder) --a urinary tract infection--at least once a year, about as often as the common cold. Bladder infections causes frequent trips to the rest room. They usually present themselves by causing burning, painful urination. Cystitis is caused by a migration of bacteria into the bladder. While E. coli and other bacteria almost routinely migrate into the bladder, most bacteria are flushed out in the urine. Cystitis only occurs when bacteria remain in the bladder by anchoring themselves to the bladder's cells. If not treated promptly, the infection may become chronic and spread to the kidneys. This is very serious, so here are some suggestions for prevention and early treatment.
Natural approach to Cystitis
Flush out bacteria by drinking plenty of pure, filtered water--ten to twelve 8-oz. glasses per day.
- Cranberry juice, well-accepted as a folk remedy for the problem, also has held up under scientific scrutiny. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, women who drank cranberry juice were 58 percent less likely to develop a urinary tract infection than those who drank a placebo. If they already had an infection, they were 27 percent less likely to have their infections continue if they drank cranberry juice. Advocates of cranberry juice treatment for infections used to think that it worked by acidifying the urine, making it less receptive to bacteria. But now it appears that cranberries (and blueberries) contain a substance that disrupts the glue bacteria use to adhere to tissue, making it harder for them to get established on the lining of the bladder. Drink 8 oz of cranberry juice a few hours before and after sex or any other activity that manipulates or puts pressure in the pelvic area, such as riding a bicycle. The surfaces of fecal bacteria are dotted with substances called lectins, which form strong bonds with sugar residues on the surfaces of cells lining the bladder. Cranberry juice contains substantial quantities of alpha D mannopyranoside, a derivative of the sugar D-mannose. This compound attaches to the lectins of bacteria and prevents their attachment to the bladder wall. In one study, 16-oz. of cranberry juice per day eliminated cystitis in 73% of patients. Look for pure cranberry juice, with as little added sugar as possible. At the first hint of burning urination, drink eight ounces of juice. Repeat every three to four hours. Cranberry juice - at least the ordinary variety - is full of sugar and water, with only some of the real juice. The high sugar content may actually encourage the growth of bacteria and yeast. To avoid the excessive sugar content, it is preferable to drink unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate, which you can buy in a health-food store or to buy cranberry capsules. Take cranberry two capsules twice a day. Even if one is taking pharmaceutical drugs to treat the infection, one still takes cranberry capsules along with them. For immediate treatment of cystitis symptoms. Use one tablets every three to four hours.
- For a little extra antibacterial punch, eat Garlic, parsley, and rose hips whenever you can.
- Resistance Support Formula to enhance immunity.
- You also can take some measures to help control a return of the infection. Avoid tight pants, synthetic underwear, and deodorant soaps, all of which can encourage bacteria. Also, many women get urinary-tract infections shortly after a pelvic exam. Drinking a glass of water just before and after visiting your gynecologist seems to help protect against this problem
Vaginal yeast infection (Candidial Vaginitis)
can cause symptoms mimicking urinary tract infection.
Predisposing factors
- Antibiotics: Antibiotics disrupt the balance of organisms in the vagina, and gives free rein to yeast to overpopulate it. Thus, avoid antibiotics if at all possible, and if you need to be treated for a urinary tract infection, ask for one of the newer, single-dose agents.
- Pregnancy and diabetes predispose a woman as well, apparently by raising the sugar content of the vagina and fostering yeast growth.
- Try avoiding milk products and foods with high refined sugar or yeast content.
- Birth control pills may contribute to yeast growth. If you take the Pill, you might want to experiment with a different form of birth control.
- While it's not been proven that yeast is sexually transmitted, I think its worth considering having a sex partner treated as well if infections are chronic.
Natural approach to Candidial Vaginitis
Probiotic or acidophilus culture. These bacteria are the ones that make milk sour. "Friendly" and natural to the intestinal tract, they may also out-compete yeast in the vaginal area and change the chemistry of the tissues to make them resistant to the fungi. Take probiotics Bio-dophilus before starting antibiotics, during the course of antibiotics and continue for 3-4 days after discontinuing the antibiotic
Home remedies: Try douching with pure tea tree oil. Tea tree oil, a nontoxic approach which very useful for fungal infections. The oil is extracted from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, a native tree of New South Wales. Mix one and a half tablespoons of the oil in a cup of warm water and use it as a douche once a day. If you experience any irritation, however, discontinue its use. Or use water and vinegar -- a quarter of a cup of vinegar in two cups water. Vinegar makes the vagina more acid, and thus more inhospitable to yeast. Or try inserting either 2 tablespoons of yogurt containing live acidophilus or use a rubber bulb syringe to insert one tablespoon of liquid culture directly in the vagina or place a capsule of acidophilus directly into your vagina once a day. These harmless bacteria counteract the growth of the offending yeast.
Wear only cotton or silk underwear, as synthetic underwear traps moisture, contributing to yeast growth, and don't forget to change underwear frequently.
Reduce your sugar intake. High-sugar diets stimulate the growth of yeast.
Add one or two cloves of raw garlic to your diet or 2 odorless Garlic tablet daily. A clove once a day is a powerful natural medicine, with specific anti-yeast effects (that's one segment from a bulb, not the whole thing!). Mash or chop it finely, mix it with food and eat it with a meal. Or, cut it into chunks and swallow the chunks like pills. Fresh-grown garlic is much better than any garlic supplements. Chew a little parsley afterward if you're concerned about odor. Try it, it really works. Make sure you're getting adequate iron, zinc and selenium.
General principles for Women to maintain a healthy Urinary Tract
Women should cleanse the genital and urinary areas from front to back with soap and water after each bowel movement.
Avoid tight-fitting pants and wear cotton-crotch underwear and panty hose, changing both at least once a day. Mild detergents are best for washing underwear.
Women at risk for urinary tract infections should take showers rather than baths and avoid bath oils, feminine hygiene sprays, douches, and powders; as a general rule, any product containing perfumes or other suspected allergens should not be used near the genital area. The use of tampons may encourage development of a UTI. If sanitary napkins are substituted for tampons, health care professionals advise napkin changes after each urination. Women at risk for UTIs should urinate frequently when they have the urge.
Sexual Precautions: Good hygiene should always be observed before and after sex, including keeping the genital and anal areas clean. Urinate before and after intercourse to empty the bladder and cleanse the urethra of bacteria. Women with recurrent infections should use alternative contraceptive devices to those particularly diaphragms that require added spermicides. Unfortunately, male use of condoms with spermicides is an important preventive measure for sexually transmitted diseases. Uncoated condoms do not appear to pose the same risk for UTI but they are not as protective against sexually transmitted diseases. Women with a high risk for UTI should discuss contraceptive measures with their physician. Sexual promiscuity with multiple partners is always dangerous behavior and should be avoided to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and urinary tract infections.
Drink Cranberry Juice or take cranberry capsules regularly.
Take Vitamin C regularly make urine more acidic and less hospitable to bacteria.
In Men:
Frequency urination in men may be a sign of urinary tract infection or prostatitis but it could be due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) - Benign Enlargement of the Prostate gland.
Natural approach to Benign Prostatic Enlargement
Please read Newsletter #12 Natural approach to Prostate Health
- Uni-Pros-Trol. It protects the prostate gland from excess testosterone and shrink the gland. Uni-Pros-Trol combines Saw Palmetto, Nettles, Pygeum Africanum, Beta-Sistosterol, Zinc, Selenium, amino acids, Ginkgo biloba, Pumpkin Seed, B6 and Lycopen to effectively reduce symptoms of BPH. Each component has been proved by clinical studies to be effective in reducing symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men. This combination formula is a most powerful approach for men against BPH.
- Natural Progesterone Cream - Dr. John R. Lee suggests applying 1/8 teaspoon (8-10mg) daily. Use the cream in addition to Uni-Pros-Trol to shrink and protect the prostate. He said that all men over age 40 should consider natural progesterone replacement therapy, or even earlier if there is a history of prostate caner or BPH. Dozens of anecdotal reports show that enlarged prostates (BPH) have been reduced, their PSA level normalized and prostate cancers reversed in men who have used 8- 10mg natural progesterone cream daily.
Men in their twenties and thirties sometimes get an infection of the prostate (prostatitis), which can stimulate frequent urination. In this case there is usually burning or other discomfort with both urination and ejaculation.
Natural approach to Chronic prostatitis
Drink lots of water daily
Avoid spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and other irritations to the prostate, including dehydration and prolonged sitting or bouncing (as on a horse, bicycle or motorcycle.)
2,000 mg of Vitamin C three times a day.
60 mg of Zinc-Loz everyday.
Resistance Support Formula to enhance immunity.
Acute epididymitis infections should always be treated. If the infection is from a sexually transmitted disease, the sexual partner should also be treated. In both the acute and chronic forms there are several things you can do to boost the natural healing process.
Natural approach to Epididymitis
Relax in bed with the scrotum on a towel. This elevation improves the drainage of infection from the area.
Applying heat with medium hot, wet compresses will increase blood flow to the epididymis and aid the immune system.
Supplementing with antioxidant vitamins and minerals is beneficial.
Vitamin C -- 2,000 milligrams two to three times a day
Changes in the diet, particularly increasing fresh fruits and vegetables, will help build immunity.
In Men and Women:
Iirritable bladder and urinary tract spasms
Nearly 30 million people in the United States, most of them women, have issues with urinary urgency and frequency. This sudden urge occurs when the smooth muscle of the bladder contracts. Difficulty with bladder control has a profound effect on quality of life - causing social, psychological, occupational, physical and sexual frustrations. Butterbur relaxes the detrusor muscle, which reduces pressure on the bladder and thus relieves the urge to urinate.
Butterbur Extract (Petadolex) has been shown to minimize frequency and the sudden urge to urinate. In a human clinical trial conducted in Germany, 24 women were given butterbur for 8 weeks. After three weeks, 17 women reported a significant reduction in the frequency of urination. Before they began taking butterbur, voiding intervals were 30 to 90 minutes, three weeks later the intervals of 17 of the women were between 90 and 150 minutes. (Bauer, H.W. and U. Danesch. 1995. Therapeutische Aspekte in der Urologie mit Petadolex (Therapeutic aspects in the urology with Petadolex) Presse Symposium München 10/18/95. )
Summary
While there are some differences in the way women urinate, most of the basics are the same for both sexes.
An average adult urinates about five or six times a day, and a typical urination is about 300 ml, so almost two one-liter bottles daily is the normal output. By middle age it is not uncommon for both men and women to get up once at night to urinate. If you are urinating more often than this, (a condition called "frequency"), it is usually due to either increased urine flow out (which means the body is making more urine than normal) or a decreased bladder capacity (which means the bladder holds less urine than normal). Several things can prompt the body to make more urine than normal -- especially drinking alcohol and caffeine or taking diuretic drugs. Urinating frequently can also be a sign of diabetes. Decreased bladder capacity almost always due to an irritation. The biggest offender here is caffeinated beverages, especially coffee, which is a notorious bladder irritant, particularly in women. Switching to decaf is not a solution, because it still contains other irritating components of the coffee bean. Drinking more rather than less water is generally a good idea here, as it will help dilute irritating factors in the urine. Anxiety can also cause urinary frequency by affecting the nerves that control the bladder.
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Dr. Tsang wishes to share his knowledge & Opinion with the public regarding the importance of " Nutritional Supplements ". This is for your information only. He is not in any way try to replace your physician. Drugs have powerful effects on the body, so please don't abruptly stop taking any prescription medication. Always consult your physician or health care provider before you use any nutritional supplement or switch from drugs to natural health products.
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