You must keep your kidneys in good health as you may not know that they are the hardest working organs of the human body.
Have you ever thought about your kidneys? If your answer is no then you join the club. It is natural that you will not pay any attention towards them if they aren’t causing any problems to you. For your information your kidneys filter almost 200 liters of blood every day, and sift about 2 liters of water and waste, that your body secretes as urine. Kidneys work in the background usually and are the biochemists of the body.
Kidneys are bean shaped organs and are approximately the size of our fist and are located on both the sides of the spine in the the back. Each kidney contains around 1.5 million filters which balance the electrolytes which include minerals like phosphorous, sodium and other minerals in your blood. It keeps a check of the fluids in the system and removes the waste like leftover chemicals that the body makes when you burn fat, acids in food that you eat and by-products from muscles. If all this seems to little then for your information, kidneys are also hormone factories that have an effect on the bones, heart and blood, thus release the following:
Erythropoietin(EPO)- when the kidney senses that the oxygen level in the body has reduced then the kidney cell release EPO, this in turn stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells and carry more oxygen to the body. This means that if the kidney stops functioning well it will result in s low level of oxygen level, as a result you will become Anemic.
Calcitriol- Your bones require the kidneys to make sufficient amount of vitamin D to maintain the right amount of calcium in bones.
Renin- this is not a hormone it is a sort of an enzyme which is used to produce a hormone called angiotensin. This hormone ensures that the kidney has sufficient salt and water and shoots up the blood pressure when it is very low.
The main job of the kidney is to maintain homoeostasis that is fluid balance in the body. Say for example if the blood pressure increases then the kidney excretes more water and salt from the body so that the volume of blood goes down and the blood pressure deceases subsequently.
If the blood pressure becomes too low, the kidneys decrease the excretion of salt and water from the body so that the volume of blood goes up.
When the condition of the kidneys becomes poor, people may not notice it until it is too late, as kidneys do not show symptoms of damage until they have severe problems – per Dr. Leslie Spry of National Kidney Foundation. A condition of Chronic Kidney disease (CKD) happens when the urine function or the abnormalities of the kidney occurs for three or more months. This condition has become common in the past few years and is one of the leading causes of death; the disease is sometimes correlated with high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.
Why is it so?
It is because diabetes stops glucose from further breaking down, and the excess amount of glucose could result in damaging the nephrons, the part responsible for filtering and purifying blood. Chronic blood pressure level can damage the blood vessels in the body, along with the kidneys, making it all the more troublesome for the kidney to drain out fluids and wastes.
Researchers have not been able to find out the reason why obesity has a role to play, but in a journal Annals of Internal Medicine published in 2006, it was written that people who are slightly overweight have a higher chances of having a kidney failure than the thinner counterpart. The research also points out the obese people have a high possibility of suffering from diabetes and blood pressure. Obesity also puts greater metabolism demand on kidneys and pressurizes then to work harder – per Chi- yuan Hsu a professor of medicine in the University of California and the leading author in the study.
Other reasons for kidney failure are autoimmune disease happens it a person takes (nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs) – NSAIDs for many years. Generally kidney failure takes a lot of time to happen unless and until you have been poisoned or have had a physical wound in that place. The symptoms of kidney failure are chills and fever, puffy eyes, weight loss, swelling in ankle, dark urine, itching, fatigue and pale skin. But many times such symptoms don’t really manifest until almost 60- 70 % of the kidney is damaged – per Kelly Welsh- a specialized dietician in kidney health.
What can you do? As you cannot stop your kidneys from ageing, but you can definitely slow down the speed at which it is aging. It is a fact that the healthier you are in your youth the healthier will be your kidney when you become old.
Here are 10 Commandments for you to incorporate in your daily life to have healthy kidney.
You must stop smoking; in a study published in 2007 by American Physiological Society suggested the main factor in developing kidney disease is nicotine.
Get the blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol level in control.
Think what you eat. Stop consuming soda especially the ones that are high on fructose syrup and also a cause of inflammation and obesity. Have lots of fruits, vegetables and wholegrain and stay away from processed food and salt. Have lean protein like chicken and fish, a couple of times in a week.
Pay attention to the digestion. Adding pre-biotic and pro-biotic and additional amount of fiber can help elimination, food that do not have pesticides will also put less strain on the kidneys.
Try to avoid pain killers, other prescription and over the counter medicines that can tax the kidneys like Advil, Motrin and other NSAIDs. If you have to use it then take milk thistle along with it, two to three times a day.
Do a lot of exercises; include aerobics in the exercise regime. This will help to increase the heart rate.
Drink lots of water, at least eight glasses of water to stay hydrated, preferably drink filtered water every day.
Cut down on consumption of alcohol. Overindulgence in alcohol can increase the blood pressure and urination.
Do certain exercises to reduce stress like yoga, tai chi, listen to music or you can sit will your family and friends and have a lively chat filled with laughter.
You must consume theses herbs to have a healthy kidney and prevent ailments related to kidney.
Dandelion is rich in beta-carotene and has a high content of potassium, dandelion works as a tonic to kidney and liver and works as a gentle diuretic. The leaves can be consumed with green salad and the roots of this plant can be soaked in tea or can be taken 500gm every day in any other way.
Stinging nettle can be taken by steeping in tea or in a supplement form. Nettles have a high content of chlorophyll which supports and tones the entire body mainly digestive and urinary system.
Throwing Stones:
Men who have kidney stones say that passing the stones is something like childbirth to them. The majority of people who suffer of kidney stones are men and women who are in their 50s are increasing in number as well. As per professor David Kaufman who specializes in epidemiology in Boston University says that the risk of development of kidney stones is 5-16% in a lifetime. And if you have had once then the risk of getting stones again with the next 5 years is almost 30-50%.
What are these kidney stones? Kidney stones develop when oxalic acid, uric acid and calcium bond together. The size may differ; it could be a small as grains of sand or as big as a pea. They do not cause much trouble as long as they are there in the kidney and most of the times dissolve in kidney itself. But sometimes the stones break down and reach the ureter, a tube from which urine passes from kidney to the bladder. Still it is fine till it gets stuck there in the passage and the pain get really excruciating.
Te early stage of having kidney stones is that you may have fever or have trouble during urination. At this point try consuming gravel root. The herb breaks down the stones and makes it easier to pass. The method to take gravel root is to take a tablespoon of the herb in 3 mugs of hot water and let it soak for 10minutes and drink the whole portion at least three to five times in a day.
You can also drink Marshmallow root tea to help the stone to pass painlessly and sooth the urinary track.
Method to consume it:
1 tablespoon of the herb in a quarter glass of cold water soaked overnight. Drink more than 2 cups a day. For painful urination use Uva Ursi. It is a very good remedy in such condition like corn silk and marshmallow root. Take 2-4 ml three times a day but just for 7-1- days.
Consume black tea to minimize the chances of getting kidney stones says Dr. Jacquelyn Wilson.
You must eat potassium and magnesium rich food to minimize the oxalate level. Whole grain, avocados, nuts, seeds and vegetables are rich in magnesium and turmeric, apricots and strawberries are rich in potassium. You must cut down the consumption of red meat, soda and alcohol as phosphoric acids causes creation of uric acid.
Four herbs to clean the liver
The liver is no doubt the most vital detoxification organ. It helps in metabolism of fat and digestion of food and also detoxifies the body form food additives, pollutants and other toxins.
Below are four different herbs that help to clean the liver:
Milk thistle also called Silybum Marianum
The main ingredient in milk thistle is silymarin. The compound safeguards the liver from damaging substances that cause cell damage in liver. The compound also helps in cell regeneration to built the cells after the damage has already occurred. Silymarin also prevents the reduction of glutathione, one of the important nutrients of liver.
Detoxification
Silymarin is the seed of milk thistle and is not soluble in water thus does not work well with tea. Instead of that a extraction of 140gm of silymarin helps in protecting and cleansing the system.
Dandelion Roots also called Taraxacum Officinale
Nature blooms a cleanser of liver every year. It is a weed that is cursed by people as it pokes through the green lawns. Dandelion is one of the finest herbs which cleanse the liver.
The Medical Herbalism Journal of Australia mentioned the regenerative properties of the flower in ailments like hepatitis, jaundice, indigestion and swollen liver. If you want to add dandelion roots to cleanse your liver then take 500-2000mg every day. You can also consume by taking two cups of powered dandelion root in a cup of water. Boil it and simmer for fifteen more minutes, and drink it at least three times a day.
Globe Artichoke (Cynara Scolymus)
Globe Artichoke has a compound known as caffeylquinic acid that has regenerating effects like milk thistle. This herb is generally found in capsule form. The dosage is 300-500mg every day.
Turmeric also called Curcuma longa
This is a common spice used in curry in India; turmeric helps to detoxify the lever from toxics and regenerates liver cells. Turmeric also produces more bile which helps in removing toxins and reduces inflammation in liver. In a study turmeric has also shown an increase in two enzymes that supports liver which promotes liver detoxification reaction. The herb comes in capsule form, generally under the name curcumin, which is the primary ingredient of turmeric.
Follow what is written in the package. You can also consume ground turmeric by soaking it in stews, curries and soups. You must always seek help for your physician before consuming any herb. This article is just to inform you about different herbs and ailment and is not made to treat or diagnose illness.
Recommended Product: