Cranberry is also known by the names Marshwort and Fenne Berry. Cranberry is native to North America, and includes the species Vaccinium macrocarpon, which is used interchangeably with Vaccinium oxycoccus. For hundreds of years, Cranberries have been used to promote urinary tract health. Cranberries contain substances which alter the bacteria population in urine. The substances found in Cranberries seem to make harmful bacteria less likely to cling to the surface of cells in the urinary tract. Cranberry inhibits the adhesion of bacteria (often E. coli) to the urinary tract, perhaps due to a polymer contained in the plant. This allows the bacteria to be eliminated. The benzoic acid in the berries works as a natural preservative. Cranberry has been used to prevent kidney stones and "bladder gravel" as well as to remove toxins from the blood. Cranberry has long been recommended for persons with recurrent urinary tract infections. Cranberry may be used not only to prevent urinary tract infections, but also to eliminate odors associated with incontinence. Other benefits of Cranberry are to reduce inflammation and pain and to help improve digestion. A daily dose of Cranberry typically contains as much anthocyanidins as 100 mg of grape seed extract, with 50 mg magnesium (12% of the U.S. RDA for magnesium) and 12.8 mg of potassium. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 153 elderly women investigated the effectiveness of consuming 300ml per day of a standard Cranberry beverage on bacteriuria and pyuria. It found that, among women who had the infection in one month and were on Cranberry beverage, their odds of having the infection in the next month were only 27% of the odds in the control group. The experimental group's odds of having bacteruria with pyuria at all were only 42% of the odds in the control group.
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Uva Ursi is a small perennial shrub that typically grows in elevations of about 6,000 feet. The parts of this herb used medicinally are the leaves and the berries. Uva Ursi leaf is widely used as a diuretic, astringent, and antiseptic. Folk medicine around the world has recommended Uva Ursi for nephritis, kidney stones, and chronic cystitis. The herb has also been used as a general tonic for weakened kidneys, liver or pancreas. The berries can be cooked along with other foods. Raw, the berries are bland, but they do help to quench thirst and stimulate saliva flow, and can be used as a "survival food". The primary chemical constituents of this herb include glycosides, allantoin, flavonoids, tannins, hydroquinone, ellagic acid, gallic acid, malic acid, and ursolic acid. It also contains vitamin A, iron, manganese, selenium and silicon. Uva Ursi contains a high concentration of arbutin, an antiseptic phenolic glycoside. Arbutin and other glycosides have diuretic and urinary antiseptic action. They relieve pain from bladder stones, cystitis, nephritis, and kidney stones. In the urinary tract, the arbutin constituent is converted in the body to hydroquinones and glucose which have antiseptic and disinfecting properties, and also helps alkalinize the urine. The hydroquinone may turn the urine green. Uva Ursi also contains allantoin which is well known for its soothing and tissue-repairing properties. Uva Ursi works best when one avoids acidic foods, such as citrus fruits and juices, cranberry products, sauerkraut, and vitamin C. This herb helps prevent postpartum infection. Uva Ursi is also helpful for chronic diarrhea. As a nutritional supplement and muscle relaxant, Uva Ursi soothes, strengthens, and tightens irritated and inflamed tissues. The herb neutralizes acidity in the urine, increasing urine flow, therefore reducing bloating and water retention, making it beneficial for weight loss.
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