One of the reasons why I created this blog is so I can document what I learn from using more healthy routes to treating my ailments. This morning, I woke up with a horrible bladder infection, due to my unwise decision of drinking large amounts of alcohol a couple of days ago along with holding it too long and not drinking enough water. I have had countless bladder infections throughout my adulthood--literally, I turned 18 and my bladder started spazzing out on me. Many times, it reaches my kidneys before I do anything about it. Currently, my kidneys are fine; however, I'm having an unearthly amount of pain in my bladder, especially whenever I try to empty it. Here is what I have done so far, as well as what I intend to do, in order to restore my health without stepping foot in a doctor's office:
First of all, I started drinking more water. It was difficult at first because my bladder seemed to understand that I was feeding it and only ached more. However, when I swallowed a couple of cranberry pills (the ones I used this morning can be found at Walmart and aren't too expensive, however, I prefer AZO brand cranberry pills), the pain dissipated after about half an hour, and I was able to get back to sleep. I've tried to keep drinking water as the day has passed, even though I've been running around a bit and have been away from home.
When I got home, I immediately made tea: squeeze a fresh lemon in a mug, 2 teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother), and a generous helping of honey, then pour your boiling water over it and stir. This is the first time I've used Apple Cider Vinegar to treat a bladder infection, so I was a little worried about the taste. However, once I got a few sips in, I was fine. The subtle vinegar taste of the Apple Cider Vinegar mixes well with the sour lemon in the tea, so it isn't unpleasant to drink this. On the bottle, it says to take it three times per day (morning, noon, and night), so I plan on having another mug of tea before I go to bed.
As far as food goes, I made one of my favorite dishes. I cut up a few pieces of garlic (natural antibiotic) and sauteed it in vegetable oil and soy sauce with onions and eggs. I like to add a bit of Tumeric, just to keep things moving in my body--blood, poop, whatever--and then I eat that concoction over white rice. I also plan to make a batch of peanut butter cookies with extra Cinnamon (another natural antibiotic) in them. I'm trying to eat as much protein as I can, while still maintaining a healthy amount of fruits and veggies. My body will need all the protein it can get (and Vitamin C) while fighting off this infection.
While I'm not drinking tea, I'll be drinking more water and watered down pomegranate/cranberry juice, which I found at a local health food store and is 100% fruit juice. When looking for a good cranberry, pomegranate, or blueberry juice to fight off a bladder infection, it's best to spend a little more and get a quality product, seeing as these are key juices to drink while fighting off a bladder infection. If you get something that is full of weird sugars and doesn't have much real juice in it, that will only irritate your bladder more. You get what you pay for in juices.
As a side note, I'll add a few pointers for those who aren't as familiar with bladder infections, but would like to know how to prevent them. Drink lots of water every day. At your first feeling of discomfort in the bladder area, take a cranberry pill. If the discomfort doesn't go away within an hour or two, take another. Don't take more than 2 or 3 in a day, though. Make sure to wear breathable clothing, preferably cotton underwear. Your underbits need to breathe. Make sure you're wiping from front to back if you're a lady. Also, go pee as soon as possible every time after you have sex (foreign bacteria can get caught in that area, and if it's left there for a long time, it can affect your bladder negatively).
In a couple of days, I will come back and give you all an update on how I'm feeling and whether this regime has worked. If you're suffering with the same problem, I hope I have helped guide you in healing yourself. Have a nice, relaxing day!
UPDATE: A week ago, I was in a state that would typically motivate me to catch a ride to the closest emergency clinic in order to get a prescription for antibiotics and pain killers. Luckily, I didn't do that and, instead, chose to self-medicate. I took my tea for a few days fairly consistently (I'm not good at being consistent at anything), made those cookies with extra cinnamon, and made sure to feed myself plenty of healthy foods. I also made an extra effort to keep away from stress, as stress will make any sickness worse (if your environment makes stress unavoidable, I can suggest to you the herbal complex I take whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed--it takes the tension away within a few minutes of taking it). As of today, I feel healthy and strong...and, better yet, I don't have to be afraid of peeing my pants in public.
Once more, I hope this post has been helpful and informative. If you have any suggestions or questions, feeling free to find me on facebook or comment below and drop me a line!
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