Your kidneys are vital organ of your body.
They work to remove waste from the blood and then convert it to urine. Their purpose is also to maintain a stable balance of salts and other substances in the blood and produce hormones that help build strong bones and form red blood cells.
The kidneys are the body’s primary blood filters. When the kidneys start to be overloaded with toxins, they become overwhelmed and begin to break down.
Certain whole foods are specifically designed to support kidney function and to help prevent them from being overloaded with toxins. In this article, we outline the top wholefoods for healthy kidneys, that in turn, can make a huge difference in keeping you disease-free.
1. Kidney Beans
If you’ve ever wondered why kidney beans have the name they do, it’s thanks to the Doctrine of Signatures or Law of Similarities that demonstrate how plant foods 'mirror' and 'target' corresponding parts of the human anatomy.
The ancient healers observed that if a food looks like a particular organ or body part, then it has very specific nutritional properties that support the health of that organ.
Kidney beans look just like the kidneys, and of course, today's nutritional science has shown that they they are promote the health of your kidneys.
Kidney beans support kidney function because they're full of healthy nutrients and minerals that strengthen the kidneys, as well as fibre to help move waste through your digestive system. They also help maintain a healthy weight, they’re a great source of plant-based protein, and they’re high in probiotics to help feed a healthy gut micro-biome.
2. Sea Salt
Properly functioning kidneys expel saline fluids easily. Refined salt does not allow this free crossing of liquids and minerals and actually causes the accumulation of fluids to stagnate in joints, producing edema and chronic kidney problems.
Not all salt is made equal. There’s a reason you’re told to stay away from too much salt, but unrefined, nature-made salt is a different story and it’s actually a key component of good health.
Natural sea salt allows liquids to freely cross body membranes, the kidney’s glomeruli and blood vessels walls. Whenever the sodium chloride concentration rises in the blood, the water in the neighbouring tissues is attracted to that salt-rich blood, and the cells then re-absorb the enriched intra-cellular fluid.
Salt is the single element required for the proper breakdown of plant carbohydrates into usable and assailable human food. Only when salt is added to plant foods can saliva and gastric secretions readily break down the fibrous store of carbohydrates, etc. Once salt is dissolved and ionised, the salt possesses a definite reactivity, has full electromagnetic capabilities, and passes more easily into the large colon where it will have a sanitising effect.
People who eat refined salt develop a craving for salt, because the salt that they eat is not satisfying theirs or their body's critical needs. They then use more and more processed salt like "Table Salt", but taking big amounts of this kind of refined salt burdens the kidneys and adrenal glands which are very important for calcium utilisation.
An excess of refined salt interferes with the absorption of nutrients and depletes calcium, but sea salt enhances calcium absorption and nutrient utilisation in general. Make sure you choose a high quality, nature-made salt like Celtic Sea Salt or Himalayan Crystal Salt to reap the benefits of this important element.
Learn more in The Truth About Salt.
3. Black Soybeans
Black soybeans are a healthy part of any diet, but they’re also one of the top whole foods for healthy kidneys. Black soybeans influence the spleen and pancreas, improve kidney function, improve blood circulation and water metabolism, remove toxins from the body, and are used as a diuretic.
Black soybeans can also help treat kidney disease and kidney-related conditions such as low backache, weak bones, and painful knees. Drinking soybean juice can help to relieve spasms, cramps, inflammation, and coughing due to weak kidneys.
Since Soy Beans are one of the most over-commoditised crops out there, be sure to choose organic, non-GMO soy beans only, which you'll find in any good health food store or wholefood market.
4. Alfalfa Sprouts
Alfalfa is an ancient healing food that’s used to treat everything from anemia to gout, arthritis, fatigue, insomnia, kidneys, peptic ulcers, pituitary problems, stimulating the appetite, regulating diabetes and for building general health.
Kidney stones have been treated with alfalfa by the Chinese for centuries. Alfalfa sprouts contain more protein than corn and wheat, and they’re one of the richest sources of vitamins and trace minerals. Alfalfa is in fact, one of mother nature's most perfect foods.
Alfalfa also eliminates retained water and relieves urinary and bowel problems, they help remove toxins from the body and they neutralise acids to help with digestion, which makes them one of the top wholefoods for healthy kidneys.
5. Juniper Berries
In history, many conditions were treated with juniper berries by many cultures, including gout, warts and skin growths, cancer, upset stomach, and various urinary tract and kidney diseases.
Some of the benefits of these little blue juniper berries are treating infections, especially within the urinary tract, bladder, kidneys and prostate. Juniper berries possess cleansing properties that help remove waste and acidic toxins from the body, which make them one of the top wholefoods for healthy kidneys.
Juniper berries can also help increase the flow of digestive fluids, improve digestion and eliminate gas and stomach cramping. They’re also used as a diuretic to help eliminate excess water retention, which helps with weight loss and inflammation.
6. Lemons
Lemons are incredibly beneficial to your overall health, but they are a key food when it comes to kidney health. The citric acid found in citrus fruits may protect against the formation of kidney stones. The best and most accessible food sources of citric acids are lemons.
One study found that drinking approximately two quarts of lemonade per day improved the quality of the urine in ways that are associated with stone prevention. The trial also showed that lemonade was far more effective than orange juice.
The particular lemonade used in the trial was made by making two litres, with four ounces of lemon juice and the rest water (as little sweetener as possible).
Learn more in 9 Incredible Health & Healing Benefits of the Lemon.
More top whole foods for healthy kidneys:
- Soybeans
- Basil
- Turnip
- Green beans
- Artichoke
- Chives
- Sweet potato
- Lima beans
- Asparagus
- Coconut
- Beets/beet juice
- Black-eyed-peas
- Flaxseed oil
Other ways to boost kidney health:
- Eat whole foods and drink water, as much as possible (an eight to sixteen-ounce glass of water every hour for healthy urinary tract function).
- Eat a diet containing foods that heal, such as raw fruits, vegetables, legumes, juices and whole grains. Watermelon, garlic, potatoes, asparagus, parsley, watercress, celery, cucumber, papaya and bananas are particularly healing for the body.
- Avoid all animals and animal products. Do not eat fish, chicken, turkey, lard, fried and greasy foods, margarine or any other processed foods and animal derived products. Remove these foods from your diet because they contain high levels of saturated fats and are typically laced with chemicals, pesticides and toxins that are very damaging to the draining effect of the kidneys. Processed food products are extraordinarily destructive to the kidneys.
- Avoid tobacco, processed caffeine, sodas, sugar and refined white flour such as breads, pastas and cereals, which can be replaced with whole-wheat versions.
Kidney stone flush: drink eight to sixteen ounces of distilled water, mixed with the juice of one lemon and lime, a pinch of cayenne pepper and a touch of maple syrup for taste. This drink will help eliminate toxins in the kidneys and dissolve kidney stones.
Drink it first thing in the morning, at noon, and again at six p.m. for seven days. You should only eat fruit during this period. It may also be beneficial to consider doing a fast for two to three days, which should consist of only fresh juices or spring water.
Learn more in Kidney Health: Tips to Heal Disease & Get Rid of Kidney Stones.
Eating for healthy kidneys is as simple as including more whole foods into your diet and choosing the top wholefoods for healthy kidneys and eating those as much as you can. This will help you fight off kidney stones, kidney disease, and a wide range of other illnesses for a happy, healthy life.
Tolman Self Care.
