05/10/2016
Parsley Water can prevent recurrent UTIs
Aside from the fact that parsely makes a wonderfully refreshing after dinner drink, parsley water can help relieve a urinary tract infection and sp*ed up the healing process by acting as a diuretic. Diuretics are used to treat a number of problems, and work by increasing the amount of sodium your kidneys excrete in urine. When they excrete sodium, they take water along with it, and the amount of fluid in your blood goes down. Less fluid means less pressure on the arteries, this is why it’s used to treat high blood pressure. In the case of UTI’s we just want to encourage an increased amount of urine to keep flushing out bacteria and relieving discomfort. Parsley is thought to work by inhibiting a Na+-K+ (sodium and potassium) pump. By inhibiting the reabsorption, sodium levels rise. To balance out the concentration, kidneys excrete more sodium in the urine. More sodium means more water which means an overall increased output of urine.
You will need…
-Roughly 1 cup of fresh parsley OR 2 tablespoons of dried parsley
-1-2 cups of water
Directions
Bring water to a boil and add the parsley if you are using fresh-which is preferable in my opinion. Reduce the heat so it simmers steadily and let the leaves infuse the water like this for 6-10 minutes. Strain the leaves out and drink the water hot. If it’s a hot day, pop it in the fridge for refreshing parsley “iced tea.”
If you use dried parsley, simply place it in a cup of boiling water, cover, and steep for 8 minutes before straining and drinking.
