Cranberries and cranberry juice might have the ability to help treat kidney stone, stomach ulcer and cancer.
Cranberry is well known to help prevent and treat urinary tract infection (UTI). From the point of view of the traditional medical theory, if a herb that is effective to treat infections, then it most likely has cooling properties. If cranberry can target urinary tract and reduce UTI by cooling down urinary tract, then this cooling effect should be beneficial to kidney stone treatment because according to the traditional medical theory, kidney stone is caused by excess kidney fire.
Modern medical science explains it in a different theory. Kidney stones form when the substances that form kidney stones become too high. Drinking cranberry juice can change the levels of these chemicals in the urine. Cranberry juice increases two of the inhibitors (citrate and magnesium) of kidney stones. But more studies are needed to make an accurate conclusion about the effects of cranberry juice on kidney stones.
Cranberry is also said to be helpful to treat stomach ulcer and cancer. Recent years, scientists believe that, the compounds (proanthocyanidins) in cranberry juice, that effectively prevents some species of bacteria from adhering to the cell receptors along the urinary tract, can keep H. pylori from adhering to the lining of the stomach. Studies found that, drinking cranberry juice seem to improve the conditions of the people who suffer from ulcers. In a study published in the journal Nutrition in 2008, the researchers found that, the group taking cranberry juice had significantly higher “eradication rates” of H. pylori than other groups.
Some scientists also wonder whether the compounds in cranberries may also fight the development of cancer. In some studies, the compounds, called proanthocyanidins, inhibited the growth of human lung, colon and leukaemia cells in culture, without affecting healthy cells. This leads researchers to guess that they could also stop cancer from spreading. It is said that consuming cranberries and cranberry juice may help treat stomach cancer and lung cancer. There are many compounds in cranberries having some anti-cancer mechanism, so some scientists believe that, eating cranberries may be potential for benefit in cancer treatment. But more studies are needed.
Please note, no matter using cranberry to treat kidney stone, ulcer or cancer, you should check with your doctor first.
For more information about natural remedies for kidney disease, go to Natural Remedies Center: http://www.naturalremediescenter.com/treat/kidney-disease/
