Your kidneys help to filter out waste and toxins, regulate fluid and mineral balance, help regulate blood pressure, secrete several hormones and regulate acid-base balance amongst other functions. Your kidneys also hold your jing which is regarded as the essence of life, the substance that nourishes, fuels, and cools the body.
Many factors can contribute to lowered kidney function some of which include:
- Heavy metal toxicity. Especially cadmium and mercury which slowly destroys the glomerular (the basic filtration unit) of the kidneys.
- High protein intake, processed foods, sugar, caffeine and alcohol.
- Many over the counter and prescription drugs.
- Dehydration really stresses the kidneys out.
- Impaired liver function. When the liver becomes overburden and cant keep up its job the kidneys will take on many of the detoxification tasks the liver would normally do.
- Continued kidney infections.
- Exhaustion due to overwork and a hard-driven lifestyle.
In Chinese medicine, the skin is associated with the kidneys. The body will use the skin as a secondary route of detoxification if the kidneys are no longer processing the metabolic waste correctly and as such skin problems that appear to have no known cause can often be associated with kidney dysfunction.
Declining kidney function can manifest as fatigue, exhaustion, poor concentration, infertility, early menopause, andropause, prostate problems, chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, heart irregularities, irregular uterine bleeding, bladder weakness, mild dizziness, tinnitus, knee and leg weakness, lower backache, poor eyesight, fluid retention and reduced sexual vitality.
There are many mineral-rich herbs that provided support for the kidneys some of which include:
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum), Cleavers (Galium aparine) and Dandelion leaf (Taraxacum officinale) helps increase urine output to flush the kidneys and urinary tract helping to promote waste elimination.
Nettle leaf (Urtica dioica) is a mineral-rich herb that is extremely nourishing to the kidneys. The seeds of Nettle provide excellent support whenever there is kidney damage, failure, dialysis, and other major problems in the structure/function of the kidneys. The leaf of Nettle has a primary action to increase water output and urination. However, Nettle leaf also has an effect on the liver that includes general detoxification and purification of the body, but particularly in regards to protein metabolism and purification of water-soluble toxins, thereby taking any additional pressure off the kidneys.
Rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa) has specific energetic properties that tonify the kidney’s, boost their energy and optimise their function.
Goji berry (Lycium barbarum) is a tonic herb to promote improved energy and healthy function of the kidneys.
FURTHER SUPPORT FOR YOUR KIDNEYS
1. Drink 6-8 glasses of filtered or spring water daily.
2. Use Himalayan salt in your cooking.
3. Walk barefoot in the early morning on dew-covered grass for 10 minutes. This stimulates the kidney meridian on the soles of the feet.
4. Take saunas. This helps improve blood circulation. Stay in the sauna until you are sweating which aids elimination through the skin instead of the kidney.
5. Ensure that your diet contains an abundant quantity of minerals. A diet high in alkaline-rich vegetables and fruit contains generous proportions of available minerals to help balance the acid-base load in the body.
Consistent over-acidity in the diet will contribute heavily to the deterioration of the kidneys, so show them so love with this alkaline juice which is packed with foods that are known to help reduce acidity and help protect the kidneys.
Kidney Rejuvenation Juice
Ingredients
1cm turmeric root
1cm ginger root
2 handfuls of spinach
1/2 cucumber
1 stalk celery
1 handful of parsley
200ml coconut water
Instructions
Wash, chop and juice all of the ingredients ~ enJOY.
Take care of the health of your kidneys and show them so love 