More often than not, a person undertaking a ‘cleanse’ will put a primary focus on cleansing of the liver and/or colon. While these are two extremely vital organs to consider, another organ that gets ignored or disregarded in the cleansing process are the kidneys.
The kidneys are one of the hardest working organs in the human body responsible for filtering the blood, while releasing any excess fluid, toxins and waste as urine. They are essential organs in the body, however through our modern diet and lifestyles they can become overused. When there is an influx of physical and chemical stressors placed on the body, the kidneys become over-worked, therefore reducing their function, resulting in toxicity. This can be from high physical and emotional stress, medications, processed foods, preservatives, high salt and sugar diets, and even cleaning and beauty products. The toxins start to build up over time and can cause a detrimental effect systemically if left untreated.
Signs of overloaded kidneys can present as frequent kidney and bladder infections, poor appetite, fatigue, dark urine, and fluid retention along with a feeling of general un-wellness.
Experiencing any of the symptoms? Then you may want to start thinking about detoxifying your kidneys. Here’s how to do it in a safe, effective and natural way.
Top 4 Kidney Cleansing Foods:
1. Antioxidant Rich Fruits
Cranberries, black cherries, acai berry (unsweetened) and blueberries are jam-packed full of antioxidants. Blueberries and black cherries both contain resveratrol, which has been shown to reduce inflammation in kidney disease. Cranberries have been proven to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections, which can place stress on the kidneys, so prevention is absolute key for healthy kidney function.
Load up on these little bundles of goodness by throwing them into your smoothies or juices!
2. Beetroots
With the rich, dark red colour of a beetroot, it comes as no surprise that it does wonders for our blood and circulation. Beetroots are high in nitric oxide*, a compound which relaxes narrowed blood vessels, increasing oxygen and blood flow and helping to purify the blood.
Juice these up, bake them, put them in a salad and get them in on a regular basis, your kidneys will thank you for it.
*Exercise also has the ability to increase nitric oxide. So why not run to the shops to buy your beets, getting a double dose of the stuff!
3. Lemon Juice & Water
Not only is this a beautiful and gentle way to wake the body up each morning, lemon juice and water also kick starts digestions and aids in the detoxifying process. Both lemon and lime juice can help to prevent kidney stones, and also acts as a natural diuretic (makes you need to pee), assisting in flushing fluid and waste from the body.
4. Spinach
We all know that spinach is a powerhouse for antioxidants, but it is also rich in B vitamins. B vitamins are great in helping the body to produce more red blood cells helping the kidneys to work at an optimal level.
No Processed Foods!
Stick to a wholesome, nutrient rich diet. Step away processed cakes, biscuits, white breads and basically anything from a package. Although this is something you should be striving for every day, the closer you stick to this style of eating, the less the body has to detox from lessening the burden on the kidneys. Along with this a wholesome diet, with a low sodium and low sugar approach should also be adopted.
Written by: Greta Thurgood
Colonic Hydrotherapist
Currently studying: BHS – Nutritional Medicine
Need help with detoxing? We offer Colonic Hydrotherapy, Nutrition and Infrared Sauna Therapy, all of which can help support and assist with your body’s natural detoxification processes!
