Uva Ursi: To Your Kidney's Rescue
Uva Ursi: To Your Kidney's Rescue
Want to know why bears never suffer from urinary tract infection?
Maybe because uva ursi is their favorite berries. In fact, another term
for uva ursi is bearberry, as bears are addicted to the plant’s bright red
or pink berries.
To human beings, uva ursi is an evergreen shrub known for fighting
urinary tract infections. Its leathery green leaves are formulated into
teas, tinctures, capsules, and extracts for this purpose (the berries are
better left for the bears to forage on).
The plant grows throughout colder northern climates from North America
to Europe to Asia. Official physician handbooks in the United States
listed uva ursi as a urinary antiseptic for a century up until the 1920s.
The antiseptic compound in uva ursi is arbutin, which the body converts
into a substance with proven astringent and bacteria-killing capabilities.
However, this substance cannot do it all alone—bacteria can easily
break up arbutin’s shield without assistance from the plant’s other potent
compounds.
In order for uva ursi to work its magic, you, too, must help! Your urine
must be alkaline. You achieve this by consuming plenty of dairy
products and non-citrus fruits, avoiding any foods, which will increase
the acid content of your urine.
While research into uva ursi’s efficacy is still at its infancy stage, people
with kidney disease, pregnant women, and breast-feeding mothers are
advised not take uva ursi.
If it’s safe for you to take this herb, try not to do so for more than 7 to 10
days at a time, limiting your overall use to no more than 5 treatment
cycles a year.