I keep getting recurrent cystitis. I take uva ursi for this and it gets rid of it pretty quickly, but it's not to be used for long periods. I believe that I'm suffering from a chronic infection as I have had three so far since November and it ends up on my kidneys if I'm not careful. Nothing shows up on the msu and there is only a trace of protein when it's dipsticked.
Uva ursi works best if the urine is alkaline, so I take potassium citrate with it, and that helps too as uva ursi also depletes the body of potassium.
But, when I stop using these two things the infection returns.
If I take cranberry, the urine becomes too acid and irritates the bladder and I need to pee all the time.
If I reduce the amount of acid foods I eat will it help keep the infection at bay, or is cranberry okay to take if you're following a low acid diet?
I dipstick my urine at work and it's always very acid.
I also take D-Mannose and try to drink plenty of water.
I am very confused 
I don't know whether to keep things acid or alkaline. Bacteria turn the urine alkaline and acid kills them, from what I understand, but acid is irritating and an acidic state in the body is bad for you
I will ask this at cob too, but thought I'd see if anybody knows much about it here as well.