
As most of you know I went on a cruise last month and had the time of my life. That was until I managed to get a urinary tract infection three days before I was going to hit land. I was in so much pain I almost paid the MD on the cruise $500 to talk to me and then another $140 for antibiotics. I knew what it was, I went to medical school, so I decided to do whatever I could to prevent it from getting worse. What surprised me was how much I learned about
Myth #1: Cranberry juice cures all!
Myth #2: Only women get UTI’s and if you’re a woman you should have one before you turn 21.
When I told the doctor I had a UTI he asked me how many I had before. When I told him this was my first one he told me I had to be wrong because all women have at least one UTI before they turn 21.
Wrong.
Not everyone is the same and it bugs me when doctors put people in categories like that. Research shows that most women have at least one UTI in their lifetime, but there is no age that you should have experienced a UTI by. Besides, men experience this as well, just in a smaller amount. Only about 12% of men experience a UTI in their lifetime where as about 70% of women will experience one.
Myth #3: If you get a UTI it means you have poor hygiene.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Women have short urethras allowing bacteria to easily enter and stick on the bladder. Even the cleanest of people encounter bacteria occasionally.
Myth #4: UTI’s can’t be healed naturally, only by using antibiotics.
False! I like to use essential oils to help cure things as often as possible and this is one of those times where it will work! Oregano, clove, myrrh and lemongrass all have healing properties when it comes to UTI’s. Oregano prevents bacterial overgrowth in the bladder interior walls, clove fights the bacteria and parasites that lead to UTI’s, myrrh helps soothe the discomfort and lemongrass helps support healthy urinary tract heath.
Stuck with a UTI and unsure of which oil to use? I recommend oregano, I’ve have many patients who have used it topically, but I recommend mixing 5 drops with honey 3x/day for up to 7 days. Add probiotics to help support a healthy gut and you are going to be feeling better in no time!
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