How is everyone today? For those who started with their kidney flush ritual – how are you feeling?
Remember that self care is really important whilst cleansing.
How many of you are including the follow:
- Warm baths (Epsom salts or essential oils) – enables sweating
- Walks in Nature
- Exercise to a sweat
- Sleep (7-9 hours)
- Morning day/sunlight
- Herbal teas
- Gratitude for the way in which our magnificent bodies can repair
- Dry brushing/massage
Quick recap: The kidneys rid the body of unwanted products of metabolism – self made toxins – such as ammonia, urea, uric acid, creatinine, used up red blood cells and hormones as well as toxins that have been made water soluble by phase 2 in the liver. They excrete heavy metals and a number of new-to-nature molecules. They also excrete nutrients or food constituents when consumed in excess, such as salt, vitamin C, B vitamins, and others.
One of the big challenges for the kidneys is that although they are effective at removing many toxins from the blood, some are difficult to then excrete into the urine. This means they may accumulate in the kidneys and as their concentration increases, they can cause damage to the kidneys.
Unfortunately, we are now exposed to such a high toxic load in the modern world that loss of function with ageing is considered “normal.” A 90-year-old has only one-third to one-half of the kidney function of a 20-year-old. This means a significant decrease in ability to rid the body of many toxins and helps explain why almost everyone becomes sicker with ageing. Once again, “normal” is not necessarily “healthy”.
As we get older we need to be more aware of kidney health and function. As oestrogen declines, vessels become less elastic, and blood pressure can increase, which is bad for your kidneys.
Other factors affecting kidney function
Salt: excessive salt consumption. The 2 to 6 excessive grams of salt the average person consumes every day appears to overload the kidneys enough to impair their ability to eliminate other toxins, especially acidic metabolic waste products.
Phosphates: Research has shown that excessive phosphorous consumption significantly disrupts hormonal regulation of phosphorus, calcium, and vitamin D, affecting mineral metabolism which may cause osteoporosis; cardiovascular disease; and impaired kidney function.
“Hidden” phosphates are additives used as processing aids, such as acid balancing (especially in carbonated beverage); leavening of bread; colour and moisture retention; anti-caking; and flavourings.
Microplastics: Research has shown that tiny amounts of plastics that we inadvertently consume on a regular basis can travel to our kidneys and instigate oxidative stress and inflammation slowing down detoxification capabilities. We consume these plastics in drinking water, single use plastic containers and utensils and food.
Smoking: smoking damages the kidneys. It is high in cadmium and nicotine constricts the blood vessels going into the kidneys, thus decreasing glomerular filtration. It also increases generation of reactive oxygen species and activation of fibrotic pathways in the kidneys.
Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs: Most nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were initially available only by prescription and then became available over the counter when their patents ran out. Many of these now readily available drugs have long-term side effects that are not adequately appreciated by most people. Virtually all safety studies are short term, so many toxic effects are not detected during the research and development stages and are now showing up in population studies. Acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, indomethacin, and COX-2 inhibitors have now all been shown to cause kidney damage when used chronically.
Cadmium: Cadmium has a worrisome half-life of more than 10 years and it is very difficult to excrete. Cadmium is especially a problem for the kidney, which holds 50% of the total body burden.
The cadmium damage to the kidneys helps explain why it accounts for a surprising 20% of osteoporosis. The final stage in activation of vitamin D into its most active 1,25(OH)2D3 is in the kidneys. As the kidneys degenerate, they not only lose their ability to excrete toxins, but now are less able to perform their other functions. The main sources of cadmium are smoking and conventionally grown soybeans. Both are grown with high phosphate fertilisers that are contaminated with cadmium.
Mercury: Within a few hours of exposure, 50% of the mercury that gets into the blood ends up in the kidneys. Much of the tissue damage appears due to poisoning of the kidney mitochondria so there is not enough ATP (energy currency) for the cells to protect themselves from the toxins they are excreting. The main sources of mercury are so-called “silver” fillings, which are actually 55% mercury and eating large fish.
Persistent Organic Pollutants: The persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are new-to-nature molecules specifically designed for special purposes and to be difficult to break down. They range from herbicides and pesticides, to nonstick coatings, to fire retardants. They are typically mostly fat soluble therefore, particularly damaging to the kidneys.
Many of these chemicals are difficult to detoxify or excrete that they have half-lives measured in months to years.
Fluorinated Hydrocarbons: Tetrafluoroethylene and similar compounds are converted into materials such as Teflon. This class of compounds is used as nonstick coatings on pots and pans; in clothing that is waterproof, but breathable; for stain prevention on carpet and upholstery; and for other purposes. When nonstick surfaces are heated to high temperatures on a stovetop, they emit toxic gases. Within only 2 minutes on a hot stove, the nonstick coatings start to release toxic gases. The lowest temperature at which this starts to occur is 392°F, a temperature commonly achieved in the typical kitchen. The temperature at which most oils start to smoke is high enough for the polymers to start breaking down.
They damage the kidneys so harshly resulting in progressive loss of kidney function. Other examples in this toxic class include perflouro-octanoic acid (PFOA) and perflouro-octanesulfonic (PFOS) acid.
Ensure you are including the following nutrients:
Antioxidant foods:
- Vitamin A Carrots, spinach, watercress, green leafy vegetables, (1 per week: mango).
- Vitamin C Cabbage, broccoli, parsley, frozen peas, blackcurrants, kiwi, leafy greens.
- Zinc Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, lentils, tofu, almonds, wholegrains, asparagus, shiitake, quinoa
- Selenium Brazil nuts, wholegrains, chickpeas, strawberries
- Vitamin D eggs, shrimp, cod
- Omega 3 Salmon, walnuts, flaxseed oil, mackerel, herring, sardines
Kale & Spinach Salad Serves 2
• 1/4 cup pine nuts • 3 TBSP olive oil • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 1/2 bunch kale, chopped with tough stem centres removed • 1/2 bunch spinach • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes • 1/2 cup water • Salt and pepper to taste
- Heat a large sauté pan on medium-high heat and add the pine nuts. Toast them until they are fragrant and begin to brown. Pay attention as pine nuts burn easily. Stir or toss the nuts frequently. Once they are toasted, remove from pan and set aside.
- Add the olive oil to the pan and swirl it around. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds; the pan should already be hot, so it won’t take long for the garlic to begin to brown.
- Add back the pine nuts, add the greens and mix well.
- Sauté, stirring often, until the greens wilt and begin to give up some of their water, anywhere from 1-2 minutes for spinach to 4-5 minutes for kale.
- Sprinkle a little salt and red pepper flakes on the greens. 6) Add the water. 7) Toss to combine and let the liquid boil away. Once the liquid boils off, remove from heat. 8) Add salt and pepper to taste.
