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ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL MEDICINE
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Because of anatomical differences, cystitis is a problem that nearly always affects women. It's estimated that up to 20% of all women have at least one bout of cystitis a year and, at any one time, nearly 5% of all women show high levels of bacteria in their urine meaning that they have a current infection. Urine is normally completely sterile until it exits the bladder into the tube that goes to the outside, the ‘urethra’. Bacteria get into the bladder by growing on and climbing up the urethral tube. Serious problems can develop when urinary tract infections don’t resolve as the infection can spread further up the urinary tract all the way to the kidneys. The bacterium that, by far, is the most common cause of cystitis is Escherichia coli, or E. coli. Everyone has some E. coli in their system; an infection with it is more a matter of where it has got to and how much of it there is. Other bacteria that are commonly identified in urinary tract infections include Proteus species, Klebsiella and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. Antibiotics are routinely given for cystitis but they seem to be ineffective for a growing number of people and there is growing concern that some strains of E.coli etc. are becoming increasingly resistant to more and more antibiotics. Whether a woman has been trying antibiotics without success, or whether she cannot or does not want to take drugs, it is reassuring to know that there are several remedies within Nature that have an excellent track-record in this area that are highly likely to help.
The amounts described above give a good-sized jar and also give you the proportions of the herbs. These are dried, cut herbs (not powders) and the dosage is 3-4 heaped tsps in one cup of freshly boiled water. Cover and allow the tea to steep for a good 10 minutes, then strain and drink, it's ok to add honey.
This tea has been used innumerable times with great success in the treatment of cystitis and can be recommended to anyone. For the first few days, until things are much improved, make and drink a fresh cup 3 or even 4 times a day. As soon as things are significantly better you can reduce to just once a day but you should then keep taking this daily dose for quite some time to support healing and prevent recurrence. If you are not noticing a marked reduction in pain or burning after one day or 3 or 4 cups of the tea, then start taking a small tsp of baking soda mixed in a little water each time you take a cup of the tea. The baking soda will rapidly alkalise your urine and can sometimes be a necessary step to get the full antibiotic action of the Uva-ursi. You may like to read further about Uva-ursi; the reason it is the main herb in the tea and why it can help even if repeated courses of antibiotics have failed, more about it here
The second key step is to drink plenty of water and eat an alkaline diet. Drinking plenty of water is one of the most important things you can do to reduce the severity of an infection and to help prevent a recurrence of the cystitis. How much to drink can be gauged by how often you need to go the toilet. More than once an hour is too much, less than once in two hours is too little. An alkaline diet will reduce the symptoms of cystitis and help prevent the recurrence of future infections. The main thing to know is that you can rapidly alkalise your diet by simply eating plenty of fruit and vegetables. For more information, the guidelines written up in the cleansing diet point further in this direction, it's written up here
Unless the cystitis is just a one-off infection as a result of getting with a new partner or some other distinct life event then you may need to carefully consider the overall health of your immune system. The immune system is exactly like having an active army inside the borders of your own body. You need that army to repel invaders from the outside, such as viruses and bacteria, and likewise to deal with dangerous elements on the inside, such as toxins or mutated cells,
If the immune system is out of balance, then begin by looking at the key factors that provide rhythm and stability in our health -- especially the diet and the work/life balance. Your answers to the following questions may show where the attention needs to go: 1) Do I eat a healthy diet and would score myself at least 7 out of 10 for good nutrition? 2) Do I have signs of food intolerance such as a bloated belly and dark rings under my eyes?
Finally, you might benefit from learning about your constitution to know what kind of foods, herbs, exercises etc. will work especially well for your health in general. Constitutional health is an old and fascinating way of understanding our differences. There's a brief introduction here and a more detailed section on working out which constitution you are here
Please understand that I cannot personally advise you without seeing you in my clinic. |
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© 2011 R.J.Whelan Ltd