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The kidneys are essential for filtering the blood and removing wastes, which are then eliminated via the urinary bladder. The kidneys also regulate electrolytes, maintain acid-base balance (critical to health and life), and regulate our blood pressure.

Put your hands over your lower back at waist level and say “thank you” to your kidneys! To help support your kidneys:

  1. – Limit your exposure to toxins. Limit alcohol and processed food consumption.
  2. – Look at your medicine cabinet. Are you taking a lot of medication? Every pharmaceutical has side effects and needs to be processed by the liver and kidneys. Do not stop any prescribed drugs without advice from your doctor. But, consider that if you are taking ibuprofen (e.g. Advil) daily or frequently, this is damaging to your kidneys.
  3. – Consider that anything you put on your skin will also be absorbed into your body and, if toxic, will affect your health. Though quantities of chemicals might be low, if used regularly, they can accumulate.
  4. – Look at your household cleansers. Does the bottle have a skull and crossbones on it? Consider that there are alternatives, including simple baking soda, vinegar, and lemon combinations and many healthier packages detergents and cleansers on the market.
  5. – Spend some time away from the city near lots of plants (plants help to clean the air).
  6. – Drink plenty of water through the day as dehydration can also damage the kidneys.
  7. – Foods that support the kidneys include apples, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, cherries, red grapes, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, onions, red bell peppers, egg whites, fish (sardines, mackerel, herring), olive oil, fresh raw nuts and seeds (walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds), and legumes.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) also associates the Kidney system with other functions in the body, so additionally you could:

  1. – Work on your fears. Are they limiting you? What fears are not serving you?
  2. – Keep your ears healthy. Find silence. Avoid loud sounds (use earplugs when you need to) and do not turn up the volume when you wear headphones.
  3. – Lift weights. Lifting weights does help strengthen muscles, but it also builds stronger bones. Bones are connected to the TCM Kidneys. Manage your stresses. Your adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys and pump out your stress hormones. When stressed, your adrenals have to work hard to pump out adrenaline and/or cortisol, which can further stress your body.
  4. – Tap lightly on your back, in the muscles to either side of the spine, at the level of the waist to stimulate the Kidney energy.

Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, supplements (ask me about Thuja), and other treatments and lifestyle changes can also help.