Do you know what kinds of foods that naturally cleanse your kidneys. The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) notes that one can lower their risk of kidney problems by cleansing their kidneys naturally.
The kidneys are the filtering system of the body. They work very hard to keep the rest of your body healthy. In order to help them stay healthy, you can follow some simple steps.
Kidney stones are usually made of calcium, but sometimes they are made of uric acid. The uric acid ones are much more common in men than women.
In addition, kidney stones are a common, painful and potentially lethal condition. They affect about 10% of people in the US at some point in their lives.
In the UK, about 5% of the population will experience a kidney stone in any given year and less than 1% will have a recurrence within five years. That’s a scary 1% of the population who suffer recurrent kidney stones.
One way to get rid of this is by consuming lots of water. When you drink plenty of water, your kidneys will function more efficiently and you will be less likely to become dehydrated.
The following are foods that naturally cleanse your kidneys.
What Is A Kidney Stone?
In This Article
A kidney stone is a solid mass of crystals that form in the kidneys. Normally, the urine produced by your kidneys contains very little waste material or extra salt.
However, sometimes minerals such as calcium and oxalate are not removed from the body. Over time, these minerals can collect together and make crystals. These crystals can form a hard lump of rock called a kidney stone.
How Do Kidney Stones Form?
Kidney stones form when some of the minerals in urine, calcium, oxalate, and uric acid collect together and form crystals that stick together and get too big to pass through the urinary tract.
About 80% to 90% of kidney stones are small enough to pass through your urinary tract without being noticed.
But if a stone grows larger than 4 millimeters wide, it can cause intense pain that radiates from your lower back to your groin.
This pain might also occur if your bladder is irritated by a stone. A common symptom of kidney stones is sudden back pain.
- Feeling of pain in the backside or under the ribs.
- Difficulty urinating
- Having a fever
- Nausea or heartburn
- Decreased amount of urine
- Urinary odor
Top 8 Foods that Naturally Cleanse your Kidneys
There are several foods that can naturally cleanse your kidneys and help eliminate kidney stones or other blockages.
You should try to eat these foods every day and drink plenty of water in order to flush out the toxins from your system.
The following foods have the power to cleanse your kidneys naturally so that they may function optimally:
Drinking water
Drinking plenty of water helps to clean kidney and flush out toxins from the body. It helps you feel healthy and energetic. Water helps keep your bowels healthy and soft, prevent constipation and bloating.
Proper diet
A proper diet with the right amount of protein and carbohydrates will help cleanse the kidneys and improve overall health.
- Vegetables: Eat vegetables like broccoli, spinach or cucumber for a healthy kidney diet. These vegetables have natural diuretic properties which stimulate excretion of excess fluid from the kidneys. Plus, they contain a lot of fiber which helps in cleansing the bloodstream.
Ginger
This is one of the best foods for kidney cleansing because it reduces inflammation and swelling in the body. It also helps to lower blood pressure, which is a great benefit for your kidneys.
Cucumber
This water-rich vegetable is a great source of fiber. Fiber will help to flush toxins out of your system. Try eating cucumbers in salads or juicing them for a healthy beverage. Cucumbers are diuretic and will help flush out toxins from the kidneys as well.
Watermelon
Watermelons contain citrulline which helps in preventing kidney stones. Apart from that, watermelons also contain antioxidants that help in fighting free radicals which cause various kidney diseases like pyelonephritis and nephritis.
Eating watermelon juice on a daily basis will help keep you healthy and hydrated as well as helping to flush out kidney toxins.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a natural cure for kidney stones. It helps get rid of the pain, and dissolve the stone.
Lemons contain antioxidants known as flavonoids which help to protect cells against damage caused by free radicals. Lemons also contain potassium, which helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
Cranberries
Cranberries have a high amount of vitamin C and other antioxidants which help fight infections. These fruits also have phytochemicals called proanthocyanidins which prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of your urinary tract thereby preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Cloudberries are a great food for cleansing your kidneys. These tiny berries have a sweet flavor and will ease any kidney pain you may be experiencing.
The cloudberry contains vitamins B and C, which helps your body release urine more easily. It is also high in fiber, which is useful in flushing out your kidneys as well. Cloudberries are available in both fresh and freeze-dried forms in most health food stores.
Pomegranate Cashew
Pomegranate juice is the best solution to this problem. It contains potassium. The potassium in pomegranate prevents the formation of crystals. Its use reduces the level of acidity in the urine. It also helps to flush out toxins from the kidneys.
How to know if you have kidney disease
Kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease, is a condition in which one or both of the kidneys fail to perform properly, causing problems with the body’s ability to function.
If you have any symptoms at all, see your doctor immediately! Kidney failure is something that should be diagnosed as early as possible so that treatment can begin.
The following are some signs to look for:
- Frequent headaches
- Muscle twitches or spasms
- Numbness in the hands or feet
- Weakness in the arms or legs
- Unusual tiredness and fatigue
- Inability to urinate normally (painful urination)
- Changes in your vision (blurred) or hearing
- Pain in the lower back or sides.
- Shortness of breath.
- Blood in the urine
Foods To Avoid That Cause Kidneys Stone
Our body needs minerals to function effectively. But if we consume too much of certain minerals, it can cause kidney stones.
These stones can be as tiny as sand or as large as golf balls. It is a very painful condition and requires immediate medical attention.
Let’s see some of the food items that are responsible for Kidney stones:
Caffeine
Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, energy drinks, chocolate and soft drinks. The recommended daily maximum is 400mg per day.
If you have more than this quantity, you will suffer from kidney stones. Coffee takes about 8 hours to get out of your system, hence you need to drink plenty of water after each cup of coffee or caffeinated beverage.
Red meat
Red meat contains a lot of protein which can cause kidney stones if it is not digested well. Hence, a high protein diet also causes kidney stone problems.
Red meat also contains purines which get converted into uric acid by your body and if you have excessive uric acid in your body then it can lead to formation of kidney stones too.
So, people who love red meat should take care not to have more than the required quantity in order to prevent the occurrence of kidney stones.
You should avoid red meat if you have gout or diabetes as the fat present in this food increases the risk of these diseases.
Sugary foods
Sugary foods and soft drinks which contain phosphoric acid may also contribute to kidney stones because they increase calcium excretion in the urine.
Sugary drinks
Sugary drinks not only increase your chances of getting diabetes but it also contributes to kidney stone development as well as obesity.
Diabetes also decreases your ability to dissolve uric acid which is directly linked to kidney stone formation.
Salty foods
too much salt in the diet can increase your risk for developing kidney stones since salt causes your body to excrete more of its fluids. You should avoid eating salty foods like pickles or instant noodles;
Dairy products
dairy products contain high levels of calcium which, when combined with oxalate can form calcium oxalate crystals that can trigger a kidney stone attack.
Foods That Damage Your kidneys
- Soft drinks Because they cause dehydration
- Use small amounts of calcium.
- Eat less fatty meats.
- Use less acidic foods
- Artificial sweeteners
- Alcohol
- Canned foods
- Reduce the use of salt in your diet
FAQs
What are the best foods for restoring kidneys? ›
...
- Bananas.
- Avocados.
- Citrus fruits and juices, such as oranges and grapefruit.
- Prunes and prune juice.
- Apricots.
- Dried fruits, such as dates and raisins.
- Melons, such as honeydew and cantaloupe.
- Cranberries keep the urinary tract free from infection (UTI)
- Red grapes reduce inflammation and help protect against diabetes.
- Apples help to prevent constipation and reduce cholesterol.
- Drink more water. Drinking enough fluid every day is essential to a person's overall health. ...
- Reduce sodium intake. ...
- Make dietary changes.
Lemons contain citrate, which helps prevent calcium from building up and forming stones in your kidneys. Interestingly, the benefit doesn't seem to be present in oranges, making lemon a unique tool in kidney stone prevention.
What are the 3 early warning signs of kidney disease? ›- Dizziness and Fatigue. One of the first possible signs of weakening kidneys is the experience of overall weakness in yourself and your overall health. ...
- Swelling (Edema) ...
- Changes in urination.
Light-brown or tea-colored urine can be a sign of kidney disease/failure or muscle breakdown.
Are eggs good for kidneys? ›Egg whites provide a high quality, kidney-friendly source of protein. Plus, they're an excellent choice for people undergoing dialysis treatment, who have higher protein needs but need to limit phosphorus.
Diets high in salt are high in sodium, which can increase blood pressure and, in turn, harm your kidneys. Flavor your foods with herbs and spices instead of salt. Over time, you may find it easier to avoid using added salt (sodium) on your food.
Can kidneys repair themselves? ›It was thought that kidney cells didn't reproduce much once the organ was fully formed, but new research shows that the kidneys are regenerating and repairing themselves throughout life. Contrary to long-held beliefs, a new study shows that kidneys have the capacity to regenerate themselves.
- Make healthy food choices. ...
- Make physical activity part of your routine. ...
- Aim for a healthy weight. ...
- Get enough sleep. ...
- Stop smoking. ...
- Limit alcohol intake link. ...
- Explore stress-reducing activities. ...
- Manage diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Can kidneys repair themselves? ›
It was thought that kidney cells didn't reproduce much once the organ was fully formed, but new research shows that the kidneys are regenerating and repairing themselves throughout life. Contrary to long-held beliefs, a new study shows that kidneys have the capacity to regenerate themselves.
- Dizziness and Fatigue. One of the first possible signs of weakening kidneys is the experience of overall weakness in yourself and your overall health. ...
- Swelling (Edema) ...
- Changes in urination.
There are a number of things you can do to keep your kidneys healthy, including: If you have diabetes, make sure that your blood sugar control is excellent. Follow your doctor's advice about insulin injections, medicines, diet, physical activity and monitoring your blood sugar. Control high blood pressure.