Home remedies for urinary tract infections, such as dandelion tea or parsley infusion, for example, have antibacterial, diuretic and anti-inflammatory action, helping to eliminate bacteria from the urinary tract, relieving symptoms such as pain or burning when urinating. and speed up recovery.
Urinary tract infections are generally caused by changes in the balance of the microbiota in the genital region, by holding urine for a long time or drinking little water during the day, leading to inflammation of the urethra, bladder or kidneys, causing symptoms of pain, frequent urges urinating or a feeling of heaviness in the bladder, for example. See other symptoms of urinary infection.
Although they cannot replace medical treatment, home remedies are a good option to help alleviate the pain and discomfort caused by urinary tract infections and can be used to complement the treatment recommended by your doctor. These home remedies are prepared with natural ingredients found in pharmacies or health food stores.
1. Horsetail tea
Horsetail tea has a strong diuretic action as it contains flavonoids, such as quercetin and apigenin, and phenolic compounds, such as caffeic and cinnamic acids, which act by increasing the elimination of urine, which helps eliminate bacteria from the urinary tract, combating urinary infection.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of dry mackerel stem;
- 1 cup of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Add the dry horsetail stalk to the cup of boiling water and let it rest for about 5 to 10 minutes. Strain and drink up to 2 cups a day, preferably after the main meals of the day.
Horsetail tea should not be used for more than 1 week in a row, to avoid dehydration and elimination of some essential minerals for the body, and cause side effects such as diarrhea, severe headache, weight loss, pancreatitis, changes in heart rate and muscle weakness.
This tea should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women or by people with heart failure, low blood pressure and kidney disease, for example, due to its ability to lower blood pressure and have a strong diuretic effect.
2. Garlic and ginger tea
Garlic and ginger tea has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties due to allicin, present in garlic, and phenolic compounds such as gingerol, chogaol and zingerone, from ginger, which help combat the symptoms of urinary tract infections such as pain or burning when urinating. .
Furthermore, this tea helps to strengthen the immune system and shorten the duration of urinary infections.
Ingredients
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half;
- 1 cm of ginger root or ½ teaspoon of powdered ginger;
- 3 cups of water;
- Honey to sweeten (optional).
Preparation mode
Boil water with garlic. Remove from heat and add ginger and honey. Strain and serve afterwards.
Ginger should not be consumed by people using anticoagulants, and therefore should be removed from the tea in these cases.
3. Dandelion tea
Dandelion tea is rich in substances such as nitriles, phenylacetic acid and dehydrovomifoliol, with diuretic and antibacterial action, which help to increase urine elimination and reduce the amount of bacteria in the urinary tract, helping to fight urinary tract infections.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of dandelion root;
- 1 cup of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Add the dandelion root to the cup of boiling water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain, let cool and drink up to 3 times a day.
This tea should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women.
4. Pomegranate juice
Pomegranate juice is rich in antibacterial substances such as triterpenes, steroids, glycosides, tannins, and vitamin C, which increase the acidity of urine and prevent the growth of bacteria that cause urinary tract infections such as Escherichia coli e Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 ripe pomegranates;
- 1 glass of water.
Preparation mode
Cut the pomegranates in half and remove the seeds. Blend the pomegranate seeds together with the water in a blender. Strain and drink then.
5. Parsley infusion
Parsley infusion, in addition to being a strong natural diuretic, also helps with kidney health, allowing urine to be eliminated more quickly, which helps eliminate bacteria from the urinary tract, fighting urinary tract infections.
Ingredients
- 1 handful of parsley;
- 1 cup of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Cut the parsley into small pieces and add it to the cup of boiling water. Let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Strain the parsley leaves, let it cool and drink up to 3 times a day.
Parsley infusion should not be used by pregnant women or people with kidney or heart failure.
6. Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice, also known as cranberry or cranberry juice, has a high concentration of proanthocyanidins, flavonoids, terpenoids, catechins, citric and malic acids, which are substances that act by making it difficult for bacteria to adhere to the urinary tract, especially Escherichia coli.
Thus, this juice helps to treat and prevent infections in the kidneys, urethra and bladder, making it a good option for a home remedy for urinary tract infections and can be used during pregnancy. See other tips for treating urinary tract infections during pregnancy.
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of dehydrated cranberries;
- 1 glass of water.
Preparation mode
Blend the cranberry together with the water in a blender. Strain and then drink 1 to 3 times a day.
Another option for using cranberry for urinary tract infections is to take it in capsule form, using 1 capsule of 300 to 400 mg, 1 to 2 times a day. The use of capsules is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women due to the components in the formula.
7. Cha de uva-ursi
uva-ursi tea has antiseptic, diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties as it contains substances such as arbutin, hydroquinone and hydroxyacetophenone, which increase urine elimination, cleanse and reduce swelling of the urinary tract.
Furthermore, some studies show that uva-ursi has antimicrobial activity, reducing the proliferation of microorganisms, especially the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) which causes infection in the bladder, urethra and kidneys and is therefore a great option for a home remedy for urinary tract infections.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of dried uva-ursi leaves;
- 1 liter of water.
Preparation mode
Boil the water together with the uva-ursi leaves for approximately 15 minutes. Strain and drink 2 to 3 cups a day, for a maximum of 5 days.
This tea should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, children under 12 years of age and people with stomach problems such as gastritis or ulcers, for example.
uva-ursi tea can cause side effects when used in larger amounts than recommended, causing symptoms such as ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting, feeling short of breath or convulsions.
8. Nasturtium tincture
Nasturtium tincture has antibiotic, antiseptic and diuretic properties, which reduce bacterial proliferation in the urinary tract and stimulate urine production.
Ingredients
- 20 to 50 drops of nasturtium tincture;
- ½ cup of warm water.
Preparation mode
Mix all the ingredients very well and then drink. This remedy should be taken 3 to 5 times a day. You can buy nasturtium tincture in health food stores and in some homeopathy pharmacies.
9. Goldenrod tea
Goldenrod tea is also an excellent home remedy for urinary tract infections because this herb has a diuretic and anti-inflammatory action that increases urine production, thus reducing the time urine spends in the bladder and the development of bacteria.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of dried goldenrod leaves;
- 1 cup of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Add the goldenrod leaves to the boiling water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain and drink 1 cup of this tea several times a day.
10. Horseradish tea
Horseradish tea has antiseptic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that relieve symptoms of pain or burning when urinating and reduce the amount of bacteria in the urinary tract, helping to fight urinary tract infections.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of dried horseradish leaves;
- 1 cup of water.
Preparation mode
Boil the water and then add the dried horseradish leaves. Let it rest for 5 minutes, strain and drink 2 to 3 cups a day.
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