This one if for my fellow women – sorry guys! Part 2
Following on from part 1 on how to treat unirary tract infections naturally here are more tips.
Probiotics
In a study of postmenopausal women prone to UTIs, a probiotic supplement containting Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobascillus reuteri RC-14 cut the number of recurrences by around 50% over a yea. The “good guy” bacteria were almost as effective as antibiotics and they had the advantage of not leading to drug resistant bacteria which may happen with antibiotics. Probiotics also seem to help prevent UTI when use as vaginal suppositories.
Ulva Ursi
There is evidence to suggest the herby may reduce the duration of a UTI when one strikes. The German Federal Institue for Drugs and Medical devices approves the herb for treatment of UTIs. In one clinical trial, supplements containing standardized extracts of uva ursi as well as dandelion root taken for 1 month effectively prevented UTIs over the following year.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C may help prevent and treat UTIs by acidifying the urine, creating a hostile environment for infection – causing bacteria. In a study of preganty women, those given daily supplements including 100mg vitamin C experienced significantly fewer UTIs than women given supplements without vitamin C.
Reference
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22782199
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/ctu/news/2018/04/20-atafuti-trial-protocol-publication.page
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0011393X05802048?via%3Dihub
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Does massage help tense muscles or muscle soreness?
A lot of clients visit it us in clinic with tense muscles, which over time can lead to achy muscles and this in turn can then lead to episodes of muscle pain. Muscle tension refers to the condition in which muscles of the body remain semi-contracted for an extended period. Muscle tension is frequently caused by the physiological effects of stress. Massage is well documented to reduce muscle tension (see top two references). In addition what is also known to help are
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Can aromatherapy help people combat depression?
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Power Poses
Like most people I am interested in body language. Like most people I noticed awkward social interactions in day to day life. Until recently I considered that body language is about
- what you are communicating others
- what they are communicating to you
By adopting the Wonder Woman pose for 2 minutes, social scientists have proven that it will increase your confidence, assertiveness and help you feel more comfortable in a situation. This is due to the impact holding this "high power" pose for two minutes has on your body, its reduces your cortisol levels and increases your testosterone levels. Meaning you are less reactive to stressful situations.
So can you apply this in real life. Last weekend I was on my sports massage course and each weekend we have a written test we need to pass. For some reason I had misunderstood what the test was on and forgot to review the whole subject. I discovered this about 30 minutes before the test. So I was in a highly stressful situation. So I decided to give this power pose a try and did it during the next 30 minutes while revising. The science says 2 minutes but I felt I needed all the help I could get. It turns out that I passed. While this isn't irrevocable proof, I would recommend people try it.
As Amy Cuddy says "our body's change our minds, our minds change our behavior and our behavior changes our outcomes." For a more detailed understanding of power poses, the science behind them, watch Amy Cuddy's Your body language shapes who you are.

