I have had great success helping my clients with Chronic Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s) using blueberry in the form of a concentrate.

The dosage for the prevention of UTI’s is ¼ cup of the pure blueberry concentrate stirred into one liter of water and sipped throughout the day.

As an herbalist I also encourage my clients to have an herbal mix to treat and prevent Urinary Tract infections. I like the blend from Herbalists and Alchemist UT Compound by David Winston which includes herbs in a wonderful combination that helps to clear the infection and help sooth the bladder. Typical dose is: 20-40 drops (1-2 ml) taken 3 times per day over a period of a few months (although you need to speak with an herbalist the dosage may need to change depending on weight and age and condition of person).

Please understand this: it is NOT that blueberries are antibacterial and kill the bacteria responsible for UTI’s; rather, it’s that the blueberries have a component that inhibits bacteria from proliferating and living on the bladder wall.

Here is what the research says, “The compounds responsible for inhibition of bacterial adherence are called proanthocyanidins. The proanthocyanidins found in blueberries prevent harmful bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract. Blueberries contain certain molecular compounds that help prevent urinary tract infections; however, blueberries do not have direct killing effects on the bacteria. Instead, blueberries prevent urinary tract infections by altering the bladder tissue in such a way that the bacteria are not able to adhere for long enough to establish an infection. Therefore, when the bladder is emptied during urination, the bacteria are flushed out along with the urine, and an infection is avoided.

newsletter-blueberry pudding cake
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
1 cup spelt flour
3/4 cup turbinado sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup rice milk
3 tbsp. healthy margarine, softened

  1. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
  2. Toss the blueberries in the cinnamon and sprinkle with lemon juice.
  3. Spread blueberries evenly over the bottom of the baking dish.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
  5. Stir in milk and softened butter. Spoon batter over the blueberries (it will be thick and clumpy).

Topping:
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch or kudzu*
1 cup boiling water

  1. Mix together sugar and cornstarch and sprinkle mixture over top of batter.
  2. Slowly pour water over all (DO NOT STIR!).
  3. In an oven that has been preheated to 350°F for at least 15 minutes, bake until the cake appears done (about 45-50 minutes)

Kudzu powder

How to use: 1.5 tablespoons of kudzu powder to thicken 1 cups of liquid. Kudzu comes in small chunks. To thicken a liquid, crush the chunks into a powder, mix them with enough cold water to dissolve the chunks, then mix with the hot water. You can find kudzu in health food stores.

Kudzu, a member of the legume family, is high in complex carbohydrates, helps balance the acidic nature of many foods, and is soothing and cooling to the digestive tract. In clinical studies in China it has also shown to: lower cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of blood clots, and protect against heart disease.