Cleanse, Detox or Bust: How to get the kidneys working
So, it’s been a couple of weeks now that we’ve started eating more healthy, nutrient-dense whole foods, started moving more, exercising, drinking more water... how’s it going? Did you backslide? Cheat a little here and there? Sugar cravings pop up out of nowhere? Me too!!! Don’t beat yourself up! I don’t! Just pull yourself back, focus, start again. Every day is a re-start.
Remember, just by adding in more of those healthy whole foods we talked about earlier this month and increasing your fiber and water intake, we have basically started a gut cleanse. This will help improve our digestion and get us ready for the next step, improving our kidney function. By adding the right foods into our diets, organically grown and free from pesticides, herbicides, and preservatives, we can start slowly clearing toxins which will lead to fewer cravings, better mood and we might even lose a couple of pounds or at the very least, reduce any bloating and water retention. This won’t be a deep detox. It’s a gentle, every day, ‘this is how we should always live’ kind of ongoing detox. These are the types of foods we should always have in our diets to keep our kidneys working optimally and allowing our bodies to continually release and eliminate toxins. This can keep us feeling good all the time...which is what we all really want, I would think.
Our Kidneys – The Basics
One of the basic functions of the kidneys is the elimination of toxins and waste. If we don’t release these toxins daily they start to build up in our system causing us to feel unwell, sluggish and tired. This is where our problems can start. Excess toxins at the cellular level will affect organ function leading to, more serious health issues, something we can easily avoid with the addition of simple foods.
Our kidneys also maintain proper regulation of fluids and key minerals in the body. They ensure that our organs and body are properly hydrated and have the minerals and nutrients we need to keep everything working. If your kidneys are low functioning it can cause nausea, swelling of the legs, ankles or feet, fatigue, confusion and maybe the most obvious, reduced amount of urine.
By maintaining a diet with kidney-friendly foods and lots of water, we will be gently detoxing our bodies without a lot of effort but with the great reward of actually feeling good! The changes will be subtle but exponentially and you’ll start to feel really good, all the time.
Check out my Bits & Bites for a top 10 list of foods and a top 5 list of herbs to support and improve kidney function. You’ll be surprised at how familiar all these foods are!
