Urinary Tract Infection

At the first sign of a bladder infection, drink large amounts of purified water to flush bacteria out of the bladder.

Drink a quart or more of unsweetened cranberry juice every day until symptoms subside. (Avoid cranberry juice sweetened with sugar or other concentrated sweeteners because sugar feeds the bacteria.) OR Take 3 cranberry capsules three times a day.

Increase vitamin C intake to 500 mg every couple of hours to create a more acidic environment in the bladder and urinary tract, which will discourage bacterial growth. If you have diarrhea when taking that much vitamin C, cut back on the amount until you no longer have loose stools, and you'll know that you've reached your tolerance level.

Aromatherapy
Make an essential oil of equal parts of sandalwood, bergamot, tea tree, frankincense, and juniper. Add essential oil to a massage oil and rub over the bladder area. Continue for four to five days after the symptoms subside. Also, use it in baths.

To Prevent UTI
Wash the vaginal area before and after sex with goldenseal tea. Pour one cup of boiling water over one teaspoon of powdered goldenseal. Cover, let steep until cool, and strain before using.

Herbs
To fight infection, take two capsules three times a day of echinacea and Oregon grape root or goldenseal. Or a half-teaspoon of the tincture every hour in acute cases.

For a more severe infection, combine equal parts of pipsissewa, buchu, echinacea, and uva ursi tinctures. Take 20 drops every two hours for the first two days and then one teaspoon four times a day until the infection clears. Drink a demulcent tea such as marshmallow root at the same time to counter the strong antiseptic effect of uva ursi.