Herbs to Support Urinary System
In the United States, 30% of men and 40% of women have bladder issues. In Europe, 1 in 5 adult women experience urinary tract infections at some point in their lives.
Poor health of the urinary system is exceedingly common. After initial treatment, many people turn to natural remedies for prevention.
Fortunately, nature has provided us with many herbs that help maintain a healthy urinary system. Let’s have a look at some of them:
1. Goldenseal
Goldenseal, native to North America, has been used as a traditional herbal remedy for a long time. It is just as popular today for its high alkaloid, berberine, hydrastine, and canadine contents.
High concentration of berberine in this herb gives it strong anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Due to these properties, the herb is commonly used for urinary tract infections.
Goldenseal can be used in the form of a leaf tincture as well as a root tincture.
2. Cranberry
Cranberries are packed with nutrients and antioxidants, which is why they are often considered a superfood. Multiple bodies of research have found cranberry to be highly effective in preventing urinary tract infection.
The antioxidant proanthocyanidins (PACs) in cranberry keep the bacteria from growing and sticking to the urinary tract walls and cause infection. Cranberry can be consumed in the form of a tincture.
3. Marshmallow Root
The age-old herb, marshmallow root, comes from the marshmallow plant. It is a brown, fibrous husk. Marshmallow root naturally kills bacteria, which makes it an excellent herb for maintaining a healthy urinary tract.
Marshmallow root draws out the bacteria from the urinary tract by increasing the secretion of urine. Medical practitioners today also recommend marshmallow root tincture to relieve the symptoms of kidney stones.
4. Horsetail
The use of horsetail tincture in folk medicine can be traced back to the Greek and Roman Empires. Like most herbs, horsetail has many benefits. However, it is specifically popular for its effectiveness against fluid retention. All over the world, horsetail capsules and tinctures are widely used to help with kidney stones, bladder stones, the inability to control urination, and urinary tract infection.
Horsetail, in general, can also be used to maintain kidney and bladder health and prevent any complications.
5. Dandelion Leaf
Dandelion leaf is a super-food with high contents of bitter glycosides, triterpenoids, tannins, volatile oils, vitamins, fiber, iron, potassium, protein, selenium, silicon, sodium, zinc, and a range of other health-beneficial compounds.
Along with many other benefits, dandelion leaves can help remove excess fluid from the body. They’re a great diuretic gifted to us by nature.
A study 2009 published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine discovered that dandelion extract increases urine output and frequency. The frequency of urination prevents the growth of microbes and urine infections.
If you are concerned about your urinary health, don’t hesitate to try out these herbs to keep complications at bay. These herbs provide great support to the urinary system, helping to prevent and relieve problems as well as improve its overall health and functioning.
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