Hippocrates Soup for Urinary Tract Infection Prevention

These fresh, organically-grown veggies are vibrant and colorful! Don't peel the spuds for Hippocrates Soup!

If you have had a urinary tract infection or a disease--that you have over-come-- you will know how much more pleasant it is NOT to have to deal with the pain and inconvenience of infection/disease.  This is the time to take a careful examination of what you eat, and your lifestyle in general, and to make some healthy choices that have a higher chance of preventing disease and maintaining health for you than the risky behaviours (including what you eat). 

 A wonderful warming and comforting "immunity soup" is provided as a recipe by the Gerson Institute, a long-standing alternative health and treatment provider for persons with cancer.  Here is what you can do to help 'look after yourself' so that you don't come down with so many UTIs.

Gerson Institute Hippocrates Soup Recipe (an "immunity" soup helpful for preventing Urinary Tract Infections)

1.  Find yourself a good quality stainless steel soup pot that is at least 4 Qts. large.  Don't use aluminum pots or those with stick-free surfaces since we do not really know what the results of releasing those chemicals are for the body.  Look carefully at your pot to make sure it is not soldered (around the place where the handle is attached, etc.) with lead-containing solder. 
   
     
2. Clean off the following veggies without peeling them: 1 Pound of Potatoes, 4 Medium Size  Onions, Garlic as desired, 1 1/2 Pounds of Tomatoes (or more, as desired), 4-6 ribs of Celery, chopped, and Fresh Celery or Cilantro to season.
3. Cover with filtered water and slowly simmer for two hours.
4. You will now have a wonderful 'stock' should you want to put any of the broth into glass jars in your fridge for future soups you plan to make (store for a couple of days only for best benefit)
5. Grind up the vegetables or chop them in their broth in the food processor or blender.  Serve for one or more meals.  Using the stock to make new soup increases the available minerals and vitamins.
6. Note that there is no table salt or other condiments served with this soup.  Eat with a nice fresh salad.

  *References in this blog are meant for information only and if you have a condition of concern, please consult with your trusted health care provider.

Just What the Doctor Ordered To Build Your Urinary Tract Health!

Image courtesy of Karen Barefoot

Dr. Joe Mercola has the largest health site on the internet.  He has information on a variety of topics, some fairly conservative and 'traditional' in appearance, some a little more radical, and some that is off the the radar screen altogether.  His advice for building a health urinary system is pretty-much acceptable by anyone, scientific-minded or more into alternative, herbal medicine.  As always, some of his suggestions are a little surprising (as in, "why didn't I think of that?").  Here they are, with more in the video that follows:

1. Drinking lots of pure water everyday helps you to flush your system and dilute any possible concentration of irritants.
2. Don't resist the signal to urinate.  Go when your body is telling you you need to.
3. Women (and girls of course) need to wipe from front to back, and use only unscented, unbleached toilet tissue.  Many women have issues with chemicals in toilet paper and cosmetics.
4. Showers are more conducive to good urinary health than are baths.
5. Cleanse the genital area before and after sexual activity-- the best idea is to use a bidet (and NOW you can inexpensively install a bidet right in your own home bathroom)
6. Don't bother using douches, powders and 'feminine' deodorants, etc.  These products are cosmetic only and can often irritate your urethra and genitals, creating urinary tract infections or discomfort.  I'm adding here that Dr. Ben Kim gives good evidence in this article about not using soap on one's privates (or washing one's small children's privates with soap).
7. Use Cotton-Only sanitary products (pads and tampons).  In general, only a teeny fraction of the popular sanitary products are made of cotton and can be extremely irritating.
References in this blog are meant for information only and if you have a condition of concern, please consult with your trusted health care provider.