How many of you have had urinary tract infections (UTIs)? How many of you have had kidney infections?

Men, don’t be shy, it can and does happen to us also. I speak from experience as I’ve had my share of kidney infections over the years. Generally, my infections have been due to not drinking enough water, which puts a stress on the kidneys. At the time these started, I was an electric meter reader in central Arizona and would be away from my truck for several hours at a time. When I got back to my truck and the cold water, I only drank a little because if I drank too much, I would soon have pee and there aren’t many bathrooms in neighborhoods and our daily routes were timed.

I have a warning here that a doctor told me some years ago. My doctor at the time told me that one, my kidney infection was caused by not drinking enough water and two, doing physical work or exercise with a kidney infection can cause permanent kidney damage. That concerned me because work didn’t like us taking sick days, especially for something like a kidney infection which they considered minor.

Okay, so the vast majority of you have probably had a UTI or kidney infection or you know someone close to you who has. Often, it’s not talked about since it is a rather personal thing but trust me, most of you probably have and never said much about it.

Now, let me ask how many of you have heard that when you have a UTI or kidney infection that you should drink cranberry juice? What about taking cranberry supplements to maintain kidney health?

I’ve heard it and so has my wife. In fact, we both take cranberry supplements as part of our daily routine.

What would you say if you were told that cranberry juice is over rated and not necessarily going to help you recover from a UTI or kidney infection?

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in Great Britain says that although some people swear by the beneficial help of drinking cranberry juice to help recover from a UTI or kidney infection, there is not enough evidence to substantiate that it really works.

What do they recommend?

Drink lots of water, take an over the counter painkiller if necessary and see your doctor. They say it’s important to see a doctor because quite often an antibiotic is necessary not only to fight off the infection but to prevent the infection, usually caused by bacteria, from spreading and creating more severe health problems. However, they warn not to rush to use antibiotics too often as this could lead to the buildup of bacteria that become resistant to the antibiotic and this could become a serious health concern.

According to them, the jury is still out on cranberry juice and cranberry supplements. They say not enough evidence to prove one way or another, so it’s basically up to you.