(HealthWatching) Improving kidney function can be simple. Your body was designed to heal, and it wants to heal, but can't if you bombard it with conditions (diet, stress, environment) that constantly put it in a state of ill-health.
There are many simple things you can do to start improving kidney function today! Drinking plenty of water (up to 4L daily), exercising and getting rid of stress are important, but so are the foods you consume. Eating a protein heavy diet (animal products, processed greasy food) puts a lot of stress on the kidneys and raises the levels of uric acid generated by the kidneys.
Consuming foods that are healing to the kidneys is a great step in the direction to optimal kidney function. Pretty much all plant-based foods help heal the body, but these 12 fruit and vegetables I outline below are specifically targeted to help heal any ailment of the kidneys you might now be suffering.
Here are my top 12 kidney-friendly plant-based foods that you may want to start including in your diet!
RED BELL PEPPER
Provide roughage from the fiber, Vitamin B6, Vitamin A and folic acid and also antioxidant lypocene that cleanses your kidneys.
PARSLEY
Parsley is known as the best cleaning treatment for kidneys. It increases diuresis by inhibiting the Na+/K+-ATPase pump in the kidney, thereby enhancing sodium and water excretion while increasing potassium reabsorption. It is also valued as an aquaretic (excretion of water without electrolyte loss).
DANDELION GREENS
Dandelion greens are food for the kidneys. The leaf has a milk diuretic effect and helps the kidneys eliminate its waste products more efficiently. Dandelion greens do not deplete the body's potassium levels, despite its diuretic properties. Dandelion greens also contain a significant amount of magnesium, potassium and other important vitamins and minerals that strengthen kidney function, and reduce the risk of stone formation (potassium and magnesium both promote urinary excretion of citrate - a natural inhibitor of urinary crystal formation).
CUCUMBER
Help to wash the kidneys and bladder of debris and stones. Studies have shown that eating cucumbers regularly helps to regulate uric acid in the body, thereby preventing certain kidney and bladder stones.
CELERY
Promotes healthy and normal kidney function by aiding elimination of toxins from the body! In fact, Hippocrates considered celery a medicine and recommended it for its kidney cleansing benefits.
BURDOCK
Burdock is known for it’s blood purifying abilities. It is highly regarded for its action in the urinary tract, being of benefit to the kidneys and bladder infections, inflammations and kidney stones.
CILANTRO
Cilantro (Coriander) may help reduce the damaging effects of lead on the kidneys. Cilantro is also useful for removing mercury, a toxic metal that decreases the kidneys’ ability to filter and increases risk for kidney disease.
CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES (CAULIFLOWER, CABBAGE, BROCCOLI, ETC.)
Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable, containing special compounds that help your liver neutralize toxic substances, and thus eases toxic load on the kidneys. Cabbage on the other hand is a great source of vitamins K, C, B6 and folic acid, all of which help to support the health of the kidneys.
The fibre in cauliflower and cabbage, as well as other fiber-rich fruit and vegetables helps to slow the absorption of nutrients. This gives the liver and kidneys some time to deal with the influx into the blood stream, helping blood sugar from spiking, and thus saving the kidneys from potential damage. Fibre also pulls toxins from the digestive tract, and thus helps reduce the amount of toxins that would normally be processed through the kidneys for excretion.
GARLIC & ONIONS
Garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, and other members of the allicin family contain an organic sulfur-containing compound called allicin which has incredible anti-inflammatory properties that also fights infection. These foods help stabilize blood pressure too, and act as a beneficial antioxidant.
APPLES
Apples are a great source of fiber, which helps bind and remove toxins from the digestive tract before the body can absorb them (and thus lessening toxic load on the kidneys). Apples also help reduce cholesterol, have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system by cleansing the blood, and help reduce inflammation.
BERRIES (BLUEBERRY, RASPBERRY, STRAWBERRY, CRANBERRY)
These yummy fruits with vibrant colors are really healthy food for your kidney. Be it strawberry, raspberry, blueberries and last but not the least cranberries all have their individual and collect functions that benefit the kidneys. Cranberry increase the acidic nature of urine thereby eliminating infections, blueberries are anti-inflammatory and raspberries help neutralize the impurities in the kidney.
BEETS (BEETROOT)
The blood-red beet is also a good tonic for the blood, providing rich amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. Perhaps this is why beets are thought to strengthen the heart. With a wealth of vitamin C, carotene, and B vitamins, beets may nourish the nerves, aid lymphatic function, and increase energy
Article authored by Lic. Romualdo Rodriguez
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