How to Cleanse & Detox Your Kidneys Naturally – 7 Best Foods
Do you have frequent bloating and chronic fatigue?
Do you have kidney stones, skin problems, or recurring urinary tract infections?
You may want to start thinking about detoxing your kidneys.
The longer toxins are left to build up in your kidneys, the more at risk you are for renal disease or renal failure.
Most people are born with two kidneys — each about the size of a tennis ball. Healthy kidneys have millions of nephrons that filter out waste. This waste is then removed through the urine.
Unhealthy kidneys lose the ability to efficiently filter out waste, and toxins start to build up in the blood. Excess waste in the body can cause nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, generalized weakness, change in taste, and itchy skin.
Our kidneys are one of the hardest working organs of the body. Everyday our kidneys filter out about 200 quarts (30 gallons) of blood, while removing toxins and excess fluid.
Kidneys also monitor blood pressure, make red blood cells, regulate calcium to build strong bones, and balance out our electrolyte levels.
Before You Start a Detox Cleanse
If you’ve made up your mind in doing a kidney cleanse, give your body that extra fighting chance by doing everything you possibly can in giving your body the upper hand.
This includes eliminating all toxins, chemicals, GMOs, MSG, sugar, refined/processed food, dairy, caffeine, fried foods, and saturated fats from your diet. Also, stop smoking and drinking at least a week before and after your cleanse.
Try to eliminate chemicals found in common household detergents and fabric sheets, cleaning products, shampoos, soaps, and air fresheners. Replace as many as you can with natural or DIY products.
If you’re going to invest in a gym membership, make sure that they offers classes such as yoga or Pilates. These types of meditative exercises stimulate your circulation, lymphatic system, and digestive system.
Kidney Cleansing Foods & Recipes
Most kidney problems do not show symptoms early on. It is important to maintain healthy kidneys before they start showing signs of disease or failure.
Symptoms of kidney disease include nausea, decreased appetite, swelling of the ankles and lower legs, generalized fatigue, itching and dry skin, foamy and bloody urine, bad taste in the mouth, and mental status changes.
Your body is designed to naturally detox and remove excess uric acid from the body through the urine. But when the kidneys aren’t functioning properly, the excess toxins can build up in the blood.
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables during your cleanse and stay away from animal meat and fats. Animal fats and protein contain a lot of uric acid.
When the body breaks down a chemical called purine, which is naturally made in the body and found in certain foods, uric acid is produced. Uric acid can crystalize in the blood and accumulate around the joints, creating arthritic pain. This is what happens during a gout attack.
A study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology shows that a lower protein diet is more beneficial to patients with chronic renal failure.
Patients who are in end stage renal disease (ESRD) and on dialysis, are recommended to eat a normal protein diet because dialysis removes protein waste and essential amino acids from their blood.
Foods that are high in uric acid are meat proteins (chick, red meat, fish), fats, yeast, and beer. Other foods to stay away from during a kidney detox are sugar, table salt, and caffeine.
Foods that are beneficial to the kidneys are apple cider vinegar, berries, dandelion leaves, beets, garlic, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts & seeds, turmeric, and carrots.
Ingredients for Kidney Cleanses
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Berries
- Dandelion Leaves
- Beets
- Garlic
- Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
- Nuts & Seeds
- Turmeric
- Carrots
Check out the full benefits and explanations of these ingredients in Kidney Cleanses & Detoxes.
Recommended:
- Natural Spring Water
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Organic, Raw, Unfiltered
- Cranberries – Organic Capsules
- Red Raspberry Powder – Organic
- Blackberry Powder – Organic
- Dandelion Leaf – Organic, Dried
- Dandelion Leaf and Root Tea – Organic
- Beetroot – Organic Capsules
- Beet Root Juice Powder – Organic
- Garlic – Organic Supplement
- Garlic Powder – Organic
- Mixed Nuts – Raw, Unsalted
- Turmeric, Curcumin – Organic Capsules
- Carrot Juice Powder – Organic
1. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Drink
Apple cider vinegar is great for improving overall health, boosting the immune system, and detoxing the body.
The citric, acetic, and phosphorus acid components in ACV helps to break down and prevent kidney stone formation.
Method: It is best to drink this mix in the morning, as soon as you wake up. Drink this drink 3 times a day, for 1-week. For maintenance purposes, continue drinking 1-2 times a day, everyday.
- 2 teaspoons of organic apple cider vinegar
- 8-1o ounces of pure filtered water
- 2 teaspoons of raw organic honey (add honey if the ACV taste is too strong for you)
Recommended:
2. Berry Smoothie
Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and cranberries are rich in vitamins, minerals, flavonoid antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Antioxidants rid the body of free radicals and slows the progression of kidney disease.
Method: Drink a berry smoothie once a day.
- 1 cup of mixed berries
- 1 organic, peeled, raw beet
- 1/2 cup of organic cranberry juice
- 1/2 cup of organic milk, greek yogurt, or kefir
- 2 teaspoons of organic apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup of dark green leafy vegetables (your choice)
Recommended:
3. Dandelion Leaves & Tea
Dandelion leaves contain an antioxidant called flavonoids. Flavonoids cleanse the kidneys, purify the blood, and increase the flow of urine.
Dandelion leaves’ diuretic effects is as strong as some pharmaceutical drugs, yet they are more gentle and come without any known side effect.
Method: Drink a detoxing dandelion tea daily.
You can also get fresh dandelion leaves from an asian supermarket or a local farmer’s market. Add fresh dandelion leaves to your daily salad.
Recommended:
4. Garlic Drink
Garlic is great for immunity, cleansing of the kidneys and liver, and your overall health.
Garlic is a natural diuretic. It forces out excess sodium and water from the body, and into your urine. This in turn, decreases blood pressure throughout your entire body.
Garlic also protects your kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, and blood from harmful toxins and heavy metals.
Method: A great way of adding garlic into your diet is to add it to your cooking. Cooked garlic has a pleasant aroma and is delicious.
Also, add a few cloves to your smoothies. If the taste of garlic is too strong for you, odorless garlic supplements are also a great option.
- If you cannot handle eating the entire clove raw, try holding a slice of garlic in your mouth, while sucking on the juices for 15-minutes.
- You can also finely mince 1-2 cloves of garlic, mix it into a glass of water, and drink it.
- Another method is to take the finely minced pieces and put it on a piece of fruit, and cover it with honey.
Recommended:
5. Turmeric
Curcumin is an active component in turmeric and contains antioxidants and significant anti-inflammatory properties. Kidney diseases and other frequently accompanied diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders, are caused by inflammation in the body.
A study published in the journal Molecules in 2014 shows that curcumin is beneficial for people with kidney disease while another study shows the benefits of curcumin on kidney stones.
Method: Turmeric comes in powder, liquid, tincture or supplement forms. Add turmeric powder to your favorite recipes, baked goods, teas and more!
Recommended:
- Turmeric Root Ground – Organic
- Turmeric Curcumin Drops – Organic
- Turmeric Curcumin with Bioperine – Orgaic Supplement
6. Carrot Juice
Carrots are packed with carotene, which fights cancer and removes toxins and heavy metals from the kidneys. The fibers in carrots bind to the toxins and eliminate them.
Method: Carrots are best eaten raw, organic, and unpeeled. Drink carrot juice everyday in the morning, on an empty stomach. Leave the peel on for added vitamins and minerals.
- Juice 5-7 organic raw carrots
Recommended:
7. Carrot, Beets, & Dandelion Salad
Beets contain betaine, an antioxidant that helps fight tumor growth and removes calcium buildup in the kidneys.
Method: Make a fresh carrots, beets, and dandelion salad. Personally, I like to slice all my salad ingredients with a mandoline slicer. A finely chopped salad makes it more fun and easier to eat.
Home-made Organic Dressing: I was always hesitant in making a dressing with apple cider vinegar because of the strong taste and smell. But now that I’ve tried it, I can never go back!
The olive oil, freshly grounded peppercorn, and Himalayan salt perfectly balances out the taste, while the ACV provides a special kick.
- Shred or chop 1 whole carrot
- Shred 1 organic, raw, peeled beet
- Add any of your other favorite veggies
Recipe for Organic Salad Dressing:
- 1 teaspoons of organic olive oil
- 3 teaspoon of raw organic apple cider vinegar
- Add a dash of freshly grounded peppercorns
- Add a dash of sea salt or pink Himalayan salt to taste
Recommended:
- Dandelion Root Tea – Organic
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Organic
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Organic, Raw, Unfiltered
- Pink Himalayan Salt
Final Word
There are many natural and safe ways to help detox your kidneys. Start off slow and let cleansing become part of your everyday routine. See how a cleaner body can change the way you feel and the way you think.
