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
Related Posts
Having a ball?
Previously I have written my guide to foam rolling parts 1 & 2. Now I want to explore the uses for another self-massage tool, the spikey ball. I would recommend you use both a foam roller and a spikey ball the reason is that for some parts of the body it is easier to use a spikey ball, for example: Releasing the feet Stand on one leg use a chair or the wall for balance. Roll one foot at a time over the ball for a good few minutes. Include the heel, the outside edge and the instep. Push down stronger into any area to deepen the intensity. Do each foot separately. Between the shoulders A common area of tension with modern postural habits is between the shoulder blades. You can easily reach this area with a ball placed anywhere between the shoulder blades and move up and down against the wall. One tip to stop the ball dropping it to put it in a long sock or stocking, drap it over your shoulder and then hold it in your hand. Lower back - Under sacrum and glutes You can use the floor of resistance to press your weight into or when lying to let gravity give you a help in hand. Simply lie on the floor, bend your knees but keep your feet flat on the floor. Then place the ball underneath your sacrum – the large triangular bone that forms part of your pelvis. Now move just gently move your sacrum and glutes all over the ball. If it feels safe to do so your can bring your knees into your chest to add additional pressure. This will help release off your lower back.
Massage Therapy and Neck Pain
One of the most common conditions we treat is neck pain which can range from a simple stiff neck, to inability to turn your head to either the right or left.
So in this blog post I wanted to discuss the recent scientific research regarding massage therapy for neck pain in people with neck arthritis.
Background
- 1 in 5 people who visit a massage therapist do so because of neck pain
- 28% of people with neck pain due to neck arthritis are likely to book a massage
Until the most recent research the scientific literature on the effects of massage therapy on neck arthritis pain was mixed. In this study an attempt was made to enhance the effects of weekly massage therapy by having the participants massage themselves daily.
Methods
Forth eight participants from a medical school, suffering from neck arthritis pain, were randomly split into two groups, one that received massage treatments and a wait list control group. The first group received a course of four 30 minutes weekly moderate pressure massages and supplemented this with 15 minute daily self-massage. The control group started the same course of treatments after four weeks without massages.
The effectiveness of the treatments were measured through self-reports and range of motion assessments, completed after massage treatments on the first and last days of the monthly study period.Results
The group that received the monthly course of weekly massage treatments, showed significant reductions in pain and improvements in range of motion. These ROM changes occurred specifically for nodding your head (flexion) and right and left lateral flexion motions. Between the first and last day of the course of treatments showed on average a 50% decrease in pain during flexion. Conversely the control group reported increases in pain and reductions in range of movement while waiting for massage treatments.
The study Field T, Diego M, Gonzalez G and Funk C G (2014) Neck arthritis pain is reduced and range of motion is increased by massage therapy, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 20(4): 219 - 223 supports my subjective experience that massage therapy helps reduced neck pain and increase clients range of movement when it has been compromised.Is there something in the quackery?
Many people think that homeopathy is unscientific nonsense - however a new study reports that homeopathy can reverse the skin condition vitiligo, which are the white patches on people's skin.
Classical homeopathy which is where individualized remedies are perscribed - has been sucessfully used on 14 vitiligo sufferers say researchers are the Centre for Classical Homeopathy in Bangalore , India. The remedies reduces the white patches on skin in all 14 patients within an average of 5 years of starting treatment.
With classical homeopathy, the remedy will vary and is determined by the characteristics of each individual patient, and so researchers are unable to point to one remedy that could treat the problem.
Vitiligo is an autoimmune condition that causes the loss of melanin, the skin pigment. Conventional medicine treats the condition with light therapy and drugs, which can restore some pigmentation but doesn't treat the underlying condition.
Reference
https://www.amjcaserep.com/abstract/index/idArt/905340
