Cleanse Your Kidneys the Natural Way

Your kidneys are a truly vital organ. Many of our diseases arise due to problems in the urinary system.  The kidneys remove unwanted substances from the blood by eliminating impurities from the body. If they are not in great shape they will not do their job effectively, so it is up to us to keep them in tip-top condition. Here’s how you can help your kidneys stay healthy – the natural way!

Do your kidneys need a clean?

There are bodily signs that indicate that you kidneys might need a clean. For example, if you are suffering from high or low blood pressure this could indicate kidney issues. If your lower abdomen hurts and your urine is very dark, it can also suggest kidney malfunction. Kidney problems can also show up as excessive thirst, back pain and the need to urinate a lot – even at night. All of these need to be checked out by a doctor.

If you pass less that half a litre of urine per day but always feel like your bladder is full you may have kidney problems. You should also be alerted if you experience pain during urination, if your ankles often swell at night, if your eyes are puffy in the morning or if you get bruises or hemorrhages when you have not injured yourself. If you have been diagnosed with kidney stones or bladder stones – a kidney cleanse is a good idea.

Preventing kidney imbalance

• Try to reduce the number and amount of toxins entering your body. If you take in a lot of toxins, your kidneys will have to take them out for you!
• Reduce the possibility of kidney stones forming and of kidney failure by reducing your consumption of salt or processed foods (especially frozen and breaded foods).
• Cut down on dairy products – particularly full-fat milk.
• Reduce animal proteins in your diet by reducing meat portions. Animal proteins increase the chances of kidney stones by raising urine calcium and uric acid levels.
• Alcoholic beverages and sugary beverages cause calcium to be eliminated more quickly and can cause kidney stones.
• Adopt a vegetarian diet or a diet rich in natural foods.  Do this by adding plenty of natural fruit and vegetable juices to your diet.
• Get plenty of foods with diuretic properties into your daily diet. Try oranges, lemons, grapefruit, celery, carrots, cucumber, apples, watermelon, cantaloupe, lettuce, Japanese plums and peaches.
• Only take medications like aspirin and ibuprofen if you really need to.
• Drink a great deal of water every day. In practice this means two litres in winter and three in the summer. You can tell if you are drinking enough water by looking at your urine. If it is nearly transparent, or a very light yellow colour, you are fine. However, excessive water consumption is not good for you either, so don’t go overboard.

3 days to clean your kidneys

This is not a magical solution to all kidney problems but will help things along. Start by avoiding all coffee, alcohol, sodas, salt, and foods with a lot of protein for three days.  Substitute with mineral water. Swap meats for linseed and sunflower with almonds.

Start all 3 days by adding a glass of blueberry juice to your breakfast – it will reduce the amount of calcium accumulating in the bladder. Calcium can slow kidney function and toxins are left within the body for longer. Blueberry juice helps to prevent urinary tract infections and kidney stones.

Your mid-morning snack should be accompanied by one glass of potassium-rich juice, which acts as a cleansing tonic and will help you stay energised throughout the day. Make your own juice by blending carrot, celery, parsley and spinach juice.

Lunch should include a glass of liquid chlorophyll! This is the green pigment that gives plants their colour – buy it at health food shops. Alternatively, grow grass seeds in a planter and cut, blend and strain.  It’s great for your immune system and cleanses the blood.

Your afternoon snack includes one glass of watermelon seed tea. It has a gentle diuretic effect which helps activate kidney and bladder functions.

Your dinner should be accompanied by carrot juice, to correct your frequency of urination. Blueberry juice would be great as well.

You can eat any healthy foods for your main meals – but cut out red meats.

Before going to bed, drink a tea made from mint leaves or dandelion.  These detoxify the body and help the body with digestion during the night.