Goji Juice for Urine Infections

Antibiotics are the normal treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs). Personal hygiene helps in prevention and early relief from UTIs. Alternate therapies and dietary supplements provide a natural approach in prevention and treatment of UTIs. Flushing your body with the correct fluids while keeping acid levels high may allow the body to not only maintain a healthy urinary tract, but cure a urinary tract infection.

Facts

• Urinary tract infections can be painful and lead to serious health conditions if not treated promptly. Most uncomplicated infections are caused by Escherichia coli bacteria, which are normal flora of the colon that have infected the urinary tract. Women are at higher risk for UTIs because of their anatomy; the urethra is situated close to the rectum and vagina. If not treated properly, the E.coli infection will reach a level that puts the kidneys at risk.

Benefits

• The proclaimed benefits of goji juice include treating inflammation, skin irritations, nosebleeds, aches and pains. It has been used in combination with other botanicals to treat poor vision, anemia and cough. Certain elements isolated from goji have been shown to have anti-cancer properties and immune-enhancing effects. It is the immune-enhancing effects and anti-inflammatory properties of goji juice that relieve urinary tract infections.

Features

• Goji juice is described as sweet and tart by some, while others describe it as a sweet combination of cranberry and cherry flavor--others claim its taste is complex and intriguing. All sources seem to agree that goji juice has a very pleasant taste. The goji berry used to create the juice is also called English wolfberry, matrimony vine or Chinese boxthorn; all are varieties of lycium, an evergreen shrub that is often spiny. The fruit is the main source of medicinal extracts. Depending on where the berries grow in Asia they may be small and orange and have many seeds; or large, plump and deep red with few seeds.

Composition

• The composition of goji juice is very impressive and unquestionably healthy. It is rich in beta carotene and vitamin C, contains the mineral germanium, has four polysaccharides, 19 amino acids and 21 trace minerals including zinc, copper, selenium and phosphorus. It has a high protein content and also contains zeaxanthin, B-complex vitamins and fatty acids. It also provides vitamin E, cyperone, beta-sitosterol, solavetivone, physalin, linoleic acid, betaine and 11 mg of iron per 100 g of berries used.

Warning

• Although most indications are that goji juice is safe to drink, health claims may be inflated since there is not adequate scientific research to support them. Unless you take the prescription medication Warfarin (coumadin), you should be safe consuming goji juice in moderation. Goji berries may have anti-coagulant properties which, when taken with this medication, could lead to dangerous bleeding episodes.