Urine To Beat Acne? And Other Health Benefits Of Wee
Urine could be the latest beauty and health elixir, as it turns out it has some unexpected healing powers
How about a lovely cup of wee with your breakfast this morning?
If you don't fancy it, obviously you're not alone, but for some urine holds the key to wellbeing, from topically drying out spots to boosting your immune system.The idea is sweeping the web after an article in the Telegraph revealed the beauty benefits our supposed waste-product could offer us.Drinking your own wee is known as 'Urophagia' and is actually practised around the world for various reasons. In some countries it's ceremonial, in others it's commonly used as a traditional method of healthcare and in the west it's more a form of alternative medicine.
Skincare
Anything that dries spots out can help heal them more quickly, but apparently urine is even more effective than standard home-made treatments such as aspirin and even Sudocrem. Just dip in a cotton pad and dab on the spots.
You can even mix a little with your moisturiser for healthy glowing skin.
In fact, urea, one of the main 'ingredients' of urine is already used in many face creams and cosmetic products.
But if you really want to glow from the inside out, you need to ingest a little wee wee, apparently.
Other Health Uses For Urine
It's not just a few hippies who are behind the idea of urine as a health elixir, though. An entire book written about 'your own perfect medicine' (and it's not the only one). And over the years we've had some great news items about people who drink pints of the stuff for health, for youth and for beauty. (And we haven't even touched on watersports.) But what else is it supposed to benefit?
Urine is actually 95 per cent water but also contains antibodies, enzymes and vitamins and minerals, as well as urea. It's antifungal and antibacterial (hence why it's good for spots) and some believe that the products found in it are more accessible for the body because they've already been processed once.
And according to some serious advocates at Extreme Health Radio (which we're pretty sure is not medically associated), it can improve: "Arthritis, Cancer, Hepatitis, Multiple Sclerosis, Eczema, Psoriasis, Diabetes, Herpes and adrenal failure."
And On The Flipside?
Not everyone agrees that drinking urine is a good idea though. Some medical experts have insisted that it can cause infection and the US army makes it clear that it is not a primary survival suggestion in times of low liquids.
And we've all heard that it's good to pee on jellyfish stings, right? Well actually it's not - salt water and vinegar are both better so you can avoid doing a Monica.
But perhaps the main reason to avoid the urine cure is the ick factor. Sipping a cup of your own pee? Doesn't really appeal does it? We'll probably stick to the green juice, thanks.
