I have had so many people recently contact me with the problem with painful kidney stones. I have now compiled my research information and thoughts on holistic remedies.
The kidneys are of major importance to our health, since they regulate the amount of water and salts in our body, which helps us to maintain the body’s correct chemical balance. Healthy kidneys make important chemicals called hormones. These hormones circulate in our bloodstream, sending messages throughout the body, contributing to the regulation of blood pressure and red blood cell production, and managing the calcium balance in our body.
The kidneys also balance our body’s minerals, which are of paramount importance.
The kidneys’ key role is to detoxify and filter impurities from the blood. The kidneys help remove waste products, such as urea and creatinine, from the body. When the body breaks down protein (such as meat), urea and other wastes are made. Creatinine is a waste product of the muscles. As kidney function decreases, the levels of urea and creatinine in the blood increase. If you have high levels of urea or creatinine, it indicates that the kidneys are not functioning properly.
Some signs that you may have challenged kidney function are:
1. Swelling in the lower legs or around the eyes.
2. Nausea or vomiting.
3. Shortness of breath.
4. Sleep problems.
5. Unexplained weight-loss.
6. Weakness or fatigue.
7. Dry, itchy skin.
8. Difficulty concentrating.
9. Urinating more or less than usual.
Kidney stones form when the kidneys are not able to process and excrete waste. When this happens, the excess minerals, and the toxins and crystals of unprocessed minerals begin to build-up. The hard lumps in the kidney are also called nephrolithiasis or renal stones. Kidney stones are made up of minerals that accumulate in the kidneys and form crystals. There are 4 types of hard crystals that can form, but kidney stones are primarily composed of calcium oxalate stones. Cysteine, uric acid, and struvite are common forms also, but they are less prevalent.
Kidney stones are a common health problem for many people, but men have a tendency to have 10% more kidney stones than women. When the stones pass from the kidneys into the urinary tract, this can cause a very sharp pain in your lower abdomen, back, side or groin, which can cause pain when you urinate, or nausea and vomiting, fever, and chills.
So, how do we prevent kidney stones?
First, avoid pharmaceutical drugs that can cause these stones to be formed.
The pharmaceutical drugs that can cause formation of kidney stones are: laxatives, some antibiotics, potassium-sparing diuretics (used for high blood pressure), potassium channel blockers (used to control heart rhythm and for multiple sclerosis), and sulfonylureas (used to treat type 2 diabetes).
Holistic remedies include eliminating refined sodium (white salt), packed processed, and fast foods. Overeating white salt, with no minerals, (which is primarily sodium), also increases the number of oxalates you’re consuming. Highly refined white salt in the diet can increase calcium levels in your urine, which can cause kidney stones to form.
Avoid high-oxalate foods. Overeating protein leads to the accumulation of oxalates in the blood and the kidneys, where they can form stones. Limit chicken, beef, pork, shellfish, and organ meats in the diet. Organ meats, like liver, are excellent sources of protein, but they contain high levels of oxalates.
Beets, rhubarb, cranberry, and full-grown spinach (baby spinach or spinach sprouts do not have have high oxalates) are high in oxalates.
Pure organic cranberry juice can be helpful to prevent urinary tract infections. But cranberries contain some oxalates. When manufacturers combine cranberry juice with sugar, it increases the oxalate value in each serving.
Avoid drinking sodas and/or using artificial sweeteners. Sodas contain high amounts of uric acid and oxalates, which lead to the formation of kidney stones. Sugar-free sodas and artificial sweeteners reduce kidney function, making it difficult for the organ to clear oxalates from the tissues.
When saturation of calcium oxalate in the blood become more elevated, the kidneys become overwhelmed, and this results in the kidney’s ineffectiveness to excrete all of the particles. The crystals that remain in the kidneys begin to form kidney stones. When this happens, symptoms like a throbbing pain in the middle of the lower-back begin.
Holistic Remedies for Kidney Stones are:
1. Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, and Raw Apple Cider Vinegar. The combination of lemon juice, olive oil, and raw apple cider vinegar is one of my favorites and, in my opinion, one of the most effective remedies for kidney stones and the discomfort they cause. At the first symptom of stone pain, (use all organic ingredients if possible), mix 2 ounces of olive oil with 2 ounces of lemon juice.
Drink it straight and follow with a 12-ounce glass of purified water. Wait 30 minutes. Then, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon into 12 ounces of purified water, add one tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar, and drink. Repeat the lemon juice, water and apple cider vinegar recipe every hour until symptoms improve.
2. Drink Dandelion Root Tea or take a dandelion root supplement. Dandelion root is a marvelous supplement that can help detoxify and cleanse the kidneys and support normal kidney function.[4] Taking up to 500 mg twice a day may be beneficial.
3. Magnesium-rich foods like Kidney Beans can be used to make a tonic for cleansing the kidneys. Studies show that people with recurrent kidney stones who took magnesium supplements showed significant improvement in symptoms.
Try removing the beans from inside the pods, and then boil the pods in purified hot water for six hours. This liquid can be strained through cheese cloth, cooled and taken throughout the day for one day to ease kidney stone pain.
4. Drink some Horsetail Tea, which is a natural diuretic that helps flush excess water and uric acid from the kidneys. Drink up to 3-4 cups of horsetail tea daily or take 2 grams of the herb in capsule form daily.5. Ingesting Pomegranates or Pomegranate Juice is very beneficial because of its “astringent with sour” properties, which help detoxify the blood and kidneys.
6. Add Celery to your diet. Celery and celery seeds are detoxifiers and excellent kidney tonics. Celery, including the seeds, is rich in vitamins and minerals, which include A, B-complex, C, iron, phosphorous, calcium, and many more essential micronutrients.
Adding organic celery and/or celery juice to your diet, or adding celery seed to your recipes may prevent kidney stone formation.
7. Basil Tea (Tulsi Tea or Holy basil) can help support the kidneys.
Basil or tulsi tea can be taken throughout the day for proper fluid, mineral, and uric acid balance. Basil has been found to be a potent adaptogen with other antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immune-enhancing properties. These components help to avoid oxidative damage.
If you have kidney stones, try taking one teaspoon of fresh basil juice with raw, unfiltered honey each day for one week to six months.
8. Drink Coconut Water, because it can dissolve kidney stones.
Organic coconut water is packed with electrolytes and minerals that can restore lost body fluids and help someone get more hydrated. This is vital because constant dehydration can lead to kidney stone formation.
When dehydrated, the urine volume that is produced can be highly acidic. There are some minerals that can settle in the urine as unbeneficial byproducts of metabolism, and they can find an acidic environment ideal for crystallization. This results in a gradual build-up of these crystals, eventually leading to the formation of solid stones. I was told that a coconut water IV can also reverse a heat stroke, because it is extremely hydrating. Coconut water can also be used for blood transfusions when blood is not available .
There are many other health benefits that coconut water provides, including aiding in digestion and increasing your metabolism.
In closing, stay hydrated, avoid pharmaceutical drugs, try some of the remedy’s. Take good care of your kidneys, so they can take good care of you.
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