The kidneys are probably one of the most under appreciated organs in the body. Perhaps, the least most talked about organs, where silently regulating so many bodily functions without us even realizing it. When asked most people to name one function of these vital organs, you would be lucky to have 1 out of 50 people able to provide the answer correctly. These organs are delicately powerful are considered as the last stop for filtration and part of detoxification pathway. It's a cleansing organ.
We eat and eat all the time, gulp down beverages loaded with sugars and chemicals on daily basis. Have often we think about our detoxification organs such as liver and kidneys? The kidneys are working hard every single day to cleanse and detox your body by filtering anywhere from 180-200 quarts of blood. They collect excess fluid and waste and excrete them out as 1-2 quarts of urine daily. The nephrons first filter fluid and waste, while preventing blood cells and large molecules like proteins from passing through. The filtered fluid then goes through a tube that adds needed minerals back into the bloodstream and removes wastes. Urine is the final product.
The kidneys are crucial organs because they have the job of keeping blood composition stable, which allows the body to function well. When your kidneys are in good shape, they:
- Prevent the buildup of wastes and extra fluid in the body
- Keep levels of electrolytes stable, such as sodium, potassium, and phosphate
- Produce an active form of vitamin D that promotes strong, healthy bones (if you have chronic low vitamin D and you supplement with it, look to tune up kidney health)
- Release hormones that help make red blood cells and regulate blood pressure
Symptoms of congested kidneys:
- Low libido
- Weak nails
- Brain Fog
- Lower back Pain
- Edema
- Poor Balance
- Poor Physical Development
- Bladder conditions/dsyfunctions
- Kidney stones
- Infertility
The Recipe:
1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
A teaspoon of chlorophyll (chlorella)
Quarter cup of raw apple cider vinegar (organic)
Juice of two freshly squeezed lemons (use mixture of lime if desired)
Optional: a few drops of liquid stevia
Why These Ingredients?
Cranberry Juice
Cranberries prevent bacteria, primarily E.coli from attaching to the wall of the bladder. This means that infections cannot stick around inside your body. Most people know this, but what they don’t know is that a lot like a full-bodied red wine, cranberries are high in tannins. Tannins are an active ingredient in cranberries that work by helping your liver remove excess cholesterol out of your blood while flushing out bacteria and toxins from your kidneys. So, cranberries can help your other major detoxification system, the liver, to do its job better as well.
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is just a powerful nutrient for health and a health food that often gets overlooked. It has many benefits for the human body well beyond the kidneys. It’s essential to the process of photosynthesis known as 'the building block for life'. Chlorophyll contains the trace element of iron which is helpful for anemia, low energy, and headaches.
Chlorophyll has an affinity for blood; indeed chlorophyll has been shown to increase oxygen uptake in the blood, which can increase energy, relieve fatigue and improve many blood disorders. There are tons of heavy metals polluting our environment on daily basis. Mercury is one of the common heavy metals, a potent toxin in its own right that can damage your brain, central nervous system and kidneys, and is especially dangerous for children, fetuses, pregnant and nursing women and people who have high levels of mercury.
Chlorophyll also contains vitamin C, inorganic salt, and is alkalizing. The combination of these things allows chlorophyll to assist in toxin removal, especially from the kidneys. Studies show it has kidney-protective properties and may also reduce the risk of kidney stones.
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
It helps detoxify the liver because it helps break down fats. Apple cider vinegar also helps prevent kidney stones from forming and helps remove bad bacteria E. Coli is usually at the root of a urinary tract or bladder infection. With adding both apple cider vinegar and cranberry juice together, bad bacteria will be depleted because they work synergistically together.
Lemon Juice
Good old-fashioned lemon juice has been shown to increase citrate levels in the urine. Citrate is a known inhibitor of calcium stone disease. This means plain lemon juice is a powerful tool to discourage kidney stones from forming.
** This can be made and consumed on weekly basis, or couple of times per week, depending on your diet, lifestyle, exposure to toxins and status of your detoxification pathway, especially the kidneys.
 |
| Photo courtesy from MedicineNet |
