Study: Nature Beats Drugs For Urinary Tract Infections

The first head-to-head study reveals cranberry extract beats a common antibiotic in the treatment of urinary tract infections. Here’s what you need to know – By Colette Bouchez -

As we head into the holidays most folks are concerned with avoiding hangovers, heart burn, and maybe a cold or flu.

But for women – particularly those in mid life – the holidays also increase the risk of another health threat: Urinary tract infections or UTIs.

Indeed, holiday lifestyle factors like stress, lack of sleep, poor nutrition and most importantly too much alcohol and caffeine are all factors that studies show can increase a woman’s risk of UTI. For many the only way to avoid problems is to spend the entire year on low dose antibiotic therapy.

But now that prescription for urinary tract health may soon change thanks to research just published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. Here researchers detail how a cranberry extract works as well – with far fewer side effects – than the antibiotic commonly prescribed to keep these annoying recurring infections at bay.

And it was the first study to make this important comparison.

"Our trial is the first to evaluate cranberry [extract] in the prevention of recurrent UTIs specifically in older women, and the first head-to-head double-blind comparison of cranberry versus antibiotic prophylaxis,” says lead researcher Marion E.T. McMurdo.

Sherry Torkos, RpH, pharmacist and author of The Benefits of Berries, observes that "McMurdo's research is a landmark study …prevention of UTI with antibiotics is effective but undesirable due to side effects such as diarrhea, upset stomach and yeast infection – and in some cases a potentially fatal super infection with the bacteria Clostridium difficile .”

In the new study researchers compared Cran-Max(r) (a proprietary cranberry concentrate found in ActiFruit(tm) cranberry chews) with trimethoprim, an antibiotic frequently prescribed for recurring UTIs in women. The randomized controlled trial took place over a period of six months and involved 137 women, each of whom had experienced two or more antibiotic-treated UTIs within 12 months.

The end result: The time between infections was no greater in the women using the cranberry extract that in those who were taking the antibiotic.

“ Trimethoprim had a very limited advantage over cranberry extract (Cran-Max) in the prevention of recurrent UTIs in older women and had more adverse effects,” says McMurdo.

These findings - though a first – may soon be duplicated as a new European study comes to a close later this month. Here the impact of Cran-Max was compared to a 480mg dose of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole on 560 women for a one-year period. Preliminary results appear to mimic those found in the newly published study.

Researchers theorize that cranberries work well to reduce the risk of infection by making the urinary tract more “slippery” so bacteria won’t stick to walls as easily. And that means less chance for colonization – where bacteria multiply. And if you’re wondering if simply drinking cranberry juice can help …it can, but not if it’s loaded with sugar. Indeed, since excess sugar can increase the risk of a UTI, unless you’re drinking unsweetened juice ( which is extremely bitter tasting) you’re going to eclipse the benefits.

Midlife UTI: Are You At Risk?

In most instances a UTI is caused by a bacteria that makes it's way into a woman’s urinary tract, often the result of improper bathroom hygiene (like wiping back to front.) Intimate relations can increase the risks by pushing bacteria deeper into the body.

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) reports that women in mid-life may be particularly susceptible since a loss of estrogen shrinks the urethra, the already short tube that carries urine from the body. The shorter the urethra, the more easily bacteria can make it’s way into the urinary tract.

NAMS experts also say that as estrogen levels drop the acid level in your V zone goes turns alkaline creating an environment that favors bacteria and encourages growth, further increasing the risk of infection.

While most women experience obvious symptoms - a burning on urination, an urge to “go” all the time, even pain in the lower abdomen, this isn’t always the case. For some, a UTI may cause nothing more than fatigue – and can often be the undiagnosed culprit behind feeling tired all the time.

"Not every woman has obvious symptoms of a UTI - some have no symptoms or mild symptoms that go unnoticed, except for the fatigue," says Nicea Goldberg, MD a woman’s health specialist from NYU – Langone Medical Center in New York City.

The good news, with or without obvious symptoms a UTI is easily diagnosed via a urine sample – and once treated Goldberg says the symptoms, including the fatigue, usually clears within about a week.

If symptoms recur, you may have a chronic form of the infection, in which case the cranberry extract used in the study may help.

To learn more about the CranMax product used in this study, click here. study.

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Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this RedDressDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. All formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license, and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.

7 Ways To Avoid Holiday Colds & Flu

As we smack on into the cold and flu season, building your immunity becomes more important than ever. Here are 7 interesting ways experts say you can protect your health during the winter holiday season - By Colette Bouchez

Winter is almost officially here and it’s not just Santa Claus who’s comin’ to town. Cold and flu season is hitching a ride and on it's way too!

In a perfect world, your immune system goes to work as soon as those germs make a landing, producing powerful killer cells to attack that cold or flu and keep you from getting sick.

But many factors in our life and our lifestyle - including our age - can sometimes compromise that immunity, making it harder to fight germs and stay healthy, particularly during the winter season.

While some studies show taking herbs like Echinacea, ginseng, and astragalus can help -and a flu vaccine offers important protection too – there are also a variety of things you can do to boost your immune power during the winter season – and get the optimal protection you need to greet the New Year with good health as well as good cheer!

To help get you started, here 7 fun and unique ways experts say you can boost your immunity and stay healthier throughout the holiday season.

1. Eat more yogurt - Few folks realize that a good deal of our immune protection begins in the gut, where one of the first germ-fighting battles begins. To help give your body the ammunition it needs to fight, add more yogurt to your diet, say Jacob Teitlebaum, MD, Medical Director of the nationwide Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers. Why? Teitlebaum says yogurt is a great source of “probiotics” – the “friendly “ bacteria that help your tummy fend off germs and bacteria – and can help you fight off a cold or flu.

2. Eat less sugar - What’s a holiday season with out sweets, right? A little bit is okay – but eat too much and you could end up not only adding on a few pounds but also increasing your risk of getting sick. Why? According to preventive medicine specialist Mark Moyad, MD, Director of Preventive & Alternative Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center, “The sugar in just one can of soda can decrease immune function by up to 30% for three hours - it mmobilizes immune cells and impacts their ability to surround bacteria and destroy it.”

3. Donate Blood - Not only will you help someone else, but you’ll also get a “feel good “ boost to your immune system which can help you fight off germs. But more important, Moyad says that giving blood reduces your overall iron content – and since bacteria feed on iron reducing levels can help “starve” germs so they can’t multiply as quickly or attack as hard.

4. Drink Matcha Tea – The key here is powerful levels of antioxidants – nutrients that help increase your resistance to infection. According to pharmacist Suzy Cohen RPh, nothing beats the antioxidant power of Matcha tea – a powdered form of ground up green tea leaves sold under many brand names and available online and in most health food stores. Cohen says that just one cup of Matcha tea nets you the antioxidant power found in up to 10 cups of regular green tea – and up to 100 times the antioxidant power of vitamins C and E.

5. Watch The Wine – While wine is good for your heart and your overall health, drink too much and Moyad says you depress your immune system. Too much wine, says Moyad, can reduce the nutritional content in your blood stream, dropping levels of omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin C – both important for fight off germs, he says. Moreover, if you want to prevent those “travel colds “ that seem to pop up after a plane trip, don’t drink in flight. Moyad says this can help reduce your risk of picking up a cold or flu germ present in the plane or at the airport.

6. Smile! - According to studies published by Loma Linda University in California brain chemicals linked to immunity increase when we laugh – or even think about something funny. So rent a funny movie, watch your favorite sit com or just think about people that make you smile – all of it can help you stay healthier through the season!

7. Have more Sex - A study from Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania found that men and women who had one to two sexual encounters per week had a 30% increase in IgA – antigens that are found in saliva and in the mucous membranes and are considered the first line of defense against cold and flu viruses. Exactly how or why sexual activity causes an increase is not well understood but … do you really need a reason? :)

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And remember to visit www.RedDressDiary.com - Your Health & Beauty Source for Fabulous Women Over 40!

Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this RedDressDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. All formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license, and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.

Memory Boosters: 10 Natural Ways to Remember More!

Are you doing more and remembering less? Memory loss is a part of aging ...but you can do something to slow it down! Here are 10 natural ways studies show you can boost your brain power and remember more - by Colette Bouchez

· You come out of the mall and not only don’t remember where you parked
the car, you don’t even remember parking the car.

· You need sticky notes to remember the names of your kids.

· You not only forgot your anniversary, you momentarily forgot…your spouses name.

Sound familiar? If you’re over 45 I can almost guarantee at least one of these things happened to you this month. If you’re over 50, at least one happened today!

The problem is memory loss, and researchers say that, to some degree, it’s a natural part of the aging process. For women, remembering also seems rooted to our hormones – with swings both up and down having an effect.

Indeed, during pregnancy, when hormone levels are soaring, many women become forgetful. In menopause, when these same hormones are plummeting, absentmindedness prevails yet again.

And while some memory loss is clearly age and hormone related, you may be surprised to discover that there are many outside factors that can also impact how well, and how much, we remember.

To help put you on the road to making memories that last, here are 10 ways to boost your brainpower and remember more.

1. Watch Soy Intake – Eating a lot of tofu lately? Or maybe you don’t remember just how much! New research out of Oxford University revealed that eating tofu at least once a day increased the risk of memory loss – particularly in folks over age 60.

2. Eat Less White Bread – While the effect isn’t immediate, Dr. Vincent Fortanasce, author of “The Anti-Alzheimer’s Prescription says that carb-heavy diets – like those containing a lot of white bread and cake - cause insulin to spike, prompting the release of an enzyme necessary to neutralize the effects. The problem: It’s the same enzyme that’s used to clear memory-robbing proteins from the brain. If it’s working on your insulin levels 24/7, it won’t be doing its job for your brain – and over time, memory will suffer.

3. Eat More Fish - According to research published earlier this year in the journal Neurology, eating 3 fishmeals each week significantly reduces your risk of stroke – a major cause of memory loss.

4. Drink Alcohol in Moderation - As the holiday season approaches many of us can look forward to a night of champagne dreams being followed by a morning of no recall. While that once a year hangover isn’t going to have any lasting effect on your memory, drink too much alcohol all year long and studies show your memory will begin to suffer.

5. Sip Some Green Tea – A team of British researchers from Newcastle University found that green tea was able to reduce the activity of brain chemicals associated with memory loss. Reporting in the journal Phytotherapy Research, the researchers suggest that green tea has both long term and immediate effects on memory.

6. Take A Nap - Start logging in a few extra hours of sleep each week and watch your memory improve. Researchers from Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that the area of the brain that controls how quickly we access information works more efficiently after a good night’s rest.

7. Quit Smoking – According to a study published earlier this year in the Archives of Internal Medicine, smoking increases the risk of memory loss. The good news: If you quit, there’s a good chance you’ll sharpen back up to speed.

8. Get Your Thyroid Checked – For many women the perimenopause years can bring on more than just hot flashes – it can also cause a decline in thyroid function. Among the most commonly missed symptoms that your thyroid has gone awry: Memory loss. For some gals, this may be the only symptom.

9. Relax More - Stress is a leading memory-thief, and along with depression can make us much more forgetful on a day-to-day basis. Get stress under control via meditation, deep breathing or even yoga, and experts say your memory will benefit.

10. Stop and Smell The Roses – Literally! A group of German researchers found that the scent of roses increased the ability to recall recent events. Spray it your bed sheets and pillow cases so you sniff all night long!

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Foods That Improve Memory and Reduce Diabetes
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