Thank you to Ocean Spray for sponsoring this blog post. All opinions are my own.
When I was a kid, I got sick a lot, and I remember every visit to the doctor would result in a prescription for antibiotics. Then, as I got older, I had to start taking different antibiotics; as an adult, I go to the doctor a lot less, but when I do get a bad sinus or ear infection now (yup, I’m 35 and still getting those!), it usually takes 2-3 tries to find an antibiotic that actually works.
This is a smaller version of what’s happening on a much larger scale in our world right now—bacteria are evolving faster than our antibiotics. The development of new antibiotics takes a back seat to other kinds of medical research and we’re on the verge of a very scary global problem.
It’s important to take small steps on our own to fight against antibiotic resistance and one way to do that is to reduce your consumption of antibiotics. Of course, sometimes they’re needed, but they’re not necessary for every infection you get; some, like mild sinus infections, will often clear up on their own.
Keeping infections from happening in the first place is the most effective way to avoid antibiotics. We’ve shared natural ways to boost your immunity before, but if you’re one of the 60% of women who get urinary tract infections (UTIs), drinking cranberry juice daily is a great way to stay healthy. There’s a 50% resistance rate to the most commonly used antibiotic to treat UTIs, so prevention is key.
So how does cranberry juice prevent UTIs? According to Dr. Jennifer Berman, proanthocyanidins keep bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract. (Note that the recent studies that came out about cranberry juice focused on treating UTIs, not prevention–cranberry juice won’t treat an existing infection.) One 8-ounce glass of Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktail each day is all you need; cranberry supplements aren’t as effective.
Drinking juice straight is best, but you can mix things up and incorporate cranberries into other drinks, cocktails and smoothies too:
This Cranberry Cleanser Detox Water is made with a refreshingly tart combination of lemon and cranberries–but you can add a little honey to sweeten it if you like!
Adding cranberry juice to margaritas makes a perfect drink for the holidays.
Winter fruit takes center stage in this creamy, milkshake-like Cranberry Tangerine Smoothie.
Ginger makes this spiked cranberry punch spicy and festive.
The spiced cranberry syrup used in these Cranberry Pomegranate Margaritas also makes a fun DIY gift for foodie friends.
Learn more about how cranberry juice can help prevent UTIs and the over-use of antibiotics by visiting cranberryhealth.com.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ocean Spray®. The opinions and text are all mine.