As mentioned in my previous post about colon cleanse/detox, performing a cleanse or detox is a way to clean out the debris in your body and revitalize your systems and organs. Toxic waste from heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals in our food and environment can have your body working at suboptimal levels and cause some serious health conditions. Cleansing and detoxing will allow your immune system to take a break, flush the toxins out and get your organs and systems working as they should. The second cleanse that I will focus on in this series is a kidney cleanse. If you plan to do a series of cleanses, start with the colon and then move onto the kidneys.
Function of the Kidney
The kidney performs a few important functions. They clean the blood, help regulate blood pressure, and moderate the volume of water in the body. They also remove waste and help to utilize Vitamin D, which in turn helps maintain calcium levels in the body.
Signs and Symptoms that you Need a Kidney Cleanse
If you are experiencing any of the below, it would be helpful to do a kidney cleanse:
Frequent urination or clear urine
Hair loss, split ends, premature graying
Dizziness
Dry mouth
Low backache
Spontaneous sweating
Bone and teeth problems
Hearing loss or ear infections
Lack of sexual desire
Irregular menstrual periods
Goal of the Kidney Cleanse
When doing a kidney cleanse, the goal is to eliminate toxic waste from the kidneys, and to regulate the water in the body. Good kidney health can lead to improvement in hair, nails, bones, and teeth. The kidneys are linked to the adrenal glands, so improving the function of the kidneys will have a positive impact on energy levels.
Things to Eliminate from your Diet
While performing the cleanse work to avoid overeating. Eliminate coffee, alcohol, tobacco, salt, refined sugar, meat and greasy/oily foods for the length of the cleanse.
Things to Add to your Diet
Be mindful to add many of the following to your diet:
Fruits: blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, huckleberry, juice (cranberry, lemonade), lemon, melon (watermelon), mulberry
Vegetables: asparagus, carrot, celery, chive, garlic, ginger, kuzu root, leek, mung bean sprouts, mushroom, onion, parsley, potato (with skin), scallion, seaweed, string bean, water chestnut, winter squash
Grains: barley, millet, quinoa, wheat berry, wheat germ
Legumes: beans (black, black soybeans, kidney, lima, mung), tofu
Nuts/seeds: anise, black sesame, fennel, fenugreek, walnut
Other: black peppercorn, cinnamon, clove, water
Herbs and Supplemental Support
The below herbs and supplements may help cleanse your kidney:
Aloe vera
Asparagus root
Chlorella
Marshmallow root
Rehmannia root
Silver colloid
Spirulina
Lifestyle Support and Other Therapies
Other therapies that may help with a kidney cleanse are:
Reduce use of aluminum cookware
Summary
The kidneys are a vital organ in ensuring that blood is cleaned. They work to ensure proper water volume and electrolyte balance. The key to keeping healthy kidneys is to consume whole foods that are plant based while staying hydrated with water. A kidney cleanse/detox is a way to reset and get on track if you are experiencing the signs and symptoms listed above. I recommend following this cleanse/detox for five to seven days.