The Golden Rule of medicine should be, "Keep it simple." The reason is simple. The less complicated the treatment, the fewer the complications. Besides, in an increasingly complex medical environment, doctors tend to overlook simple treatments that work. It's a simple as that.
It's estimated that every year 30 to 50 million North Americans, mostly women, suffer from cystitis. Few ever forget the first attack, with its severe pain on urination and the constant running to the bathroom. Then the shear terror if blood appears in the urine.
Urinary infections can be due to a variety of causes and are usually cured by antibiotics within a few days. But in recent years, the overuse of this medication has resulted in bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics. Unfortunately, women in particular face recurrent bouts of cystitis.
To prevent recurrent infections, a few simple steps can be helpful. If a shower is available, forget about taking a bath. Sexual intercourse may also be an instigating factor. So remember to urinate soon after sex.
Don't forget "Mother's advice." For years doctors pooh-poohed her opinion that cranberry juice prevented urinary infections. But several years ago, a study at Harvard Medical School proved that not all old wives tales are wrong. Cranberry juice is a simple way to circumvent recurrent bladder infections without any antibiotic complications.
Cranberries have many nutritional benefits. Most people never consider cranberries as a complete source of protein, but they contain all essential amino acids. They're also a source of powerful antioxidants that are twice as potent as vitamin C and eight times as much as vitamin E. Studies show that antioxidants slow down the aging process and lessen the risk of aging problems, such as cataracts.
Plant sterols are also present. They have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels in the blood and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.
But the big and startling discovery at Harvard was what researchers found out about E. coli. It's the main bacterium causing cystitis. E. coli, they discovered, has hair-like protrusions that enable it to stick to the bladder wall, allowing it to multiply. But cranberry juice possesses an anti-sticking factor that prevents this from happening.
Studies showed that by "oiling" the inside of the bladder with cranberry juice it was possible to flush out bacteria during urination. Moreover, the daily use of cranberry juice could aid in preventing recurrent cystitis.
But there are problems when large amounts of cranberry juice are used day after day to prevent cystitis. Cranberry juice is loaded with sugar, and that means excess calories. Today that's the last thing that patients need. [Editor's note: One solution is to use unsweetened cranberry extract and add stevia, an herbal sweetener, if desired.]
The longer I practice medicine, the more I'm convinced that natural remedies are usually superior to man-made drugs. After all, what's better than simplicity without complications?
Dr. Gifford-Jones is a medical journalist with a private medical practice in Toronto.
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