Take Heed! This could one of the most important messages you’ll ever receive!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Annual 2004 United States Renal Report estimate that 26 million adults living in the United States have chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and here’s the kicker—most don’t know it!
Kidney disease is the loss of kidney function. It can happen as a result of many different things, such as:
- Uncontrolled diabetes or high blood pressure
- A physical injury
- A hereditary or acquired disease
- A congenital abnormality
Why don’t most people know they are developing kidney disease until it is too late?
Kidney disease it is a silent condition, and in the early stages, most people don’t notice any symptoms. So, by the time you have symptoms, damage s already being done!
This is no joke!
According to a 2006 report, kidney disease caused nearly 45,000 deaths, ranking as the ninth leading cause of death in America. February 11, 2011 statistics provided by the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) state that 87,820 people were awaiting kidney transplants.
Kidney Transplants! That’s removing your kidneys and implanting someone else’s kidneys into your body! This DOES NOT have to happen to you!
The Good News Is You Can Prevent Kidney Disease!
How?
By controlling your blood sugar and high blood pressure!
Uncontrolled hypertension and/or diabetes are the two leading causes of kidney failure. This means eat the right foods, take supplements, and avoid things that can lead to kidney disease. Even if you already have kidney disease, a healthier lifestyle, natural supplements, and avoiding things that stress your kidneys can help reduce or eliminate your kidney problems.
Your Kidneys have an Important Job
The major function of your kidneys is to remove waste products, drugs, and excess fluid from your body through your urine, so that your body can maintain a stable chemical balance. In addition to regulating your body’s salt, potassium and acid, your kidneys also produce hormones that affect your major organs.
Some of the hormones produced by your kidneys stimulate red blood cell production, and others help regulate blood pressure and control calcium metabolism. They also produce an active form of vitamin D that promotes bone health, and they produce hormones that help keep your blood pressure normal. So, it just makes sense to keep your kidneys healthy.
They may be small—only be about the size of your fist—but you need them!
Eat Foods that Promote Healthy Kidney Function
Add More of these Foods to Your Diet
- Flaxseeds. Scientific studies show that flaxseeds can halt or slow the progression of kidney disease and even improve side effects linked to immune suppressive drugs. An easy way to eat them is to sprinkle the seeds on cereals and salads.
- Go for Low-Potassium Foods. These include cranberry juice, plums, canned fruit, apples, berries, pineapple, carrots, cabbage, red bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard greens, pasta and rice, rice and corn-based cereals
- Load Up on Vegetables. Veggies contain lots of antioxidants that help your immune system destroy free radicals, which are the byproduct of oxidation. Cauliflower and cabbage are all good sources of antioxidants.
- Eat Protein-Rich Foods. Fish, poultry, low-potassium beans and lentils, and eggs are all good protein choices.
- Switch to Whole Grains. These include oats, bulgur, barley, brown rice and unsalted popcorn, oatmeal, and whole-grain pastas.
- Add these Power House Foods. Garlic, onions, raspberries, cherries, red grapes, seafood with a high omega-3 content, like salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, herring and rainbow trout.
- Choose Healthy Fats. Try topping your breads and salads with olive or canola oil.
If Your Doctor Recommends Eating Lower Protein Meals, these are good alternatives to higher protein choices: egg substitute, beef stew, imitation crab, shrimp, and tofu.
Avoid or Limit these Foods
- Foods High in Sodium and/or Potassium. Limit your intake of bananas, apricots, salt foods and salt substitutes, oranges, kiwi, melons, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, cooked spinach, bran-based cereals, beans, such as lima, kidney, and baked beans, frozen entrees, canned soups, fast-food items, and packaged foods with sauces.
- Foods Containing High Amounts of Phosphorus. These include milk, cheese, nuts, and soft drinks.
- Dairy Products, Nuts And Beans. These can increase your phosphorus levels.
- Foods High in Added Sugars. These include candy, milk chocolate and frosted cakes, and foods made from refined flour, such as white bread.
- Avoid Saturated and Trans-Fats. These are found in fried foods, red and processed meats, stick margarine, butter, and commercial cakes, cookies and pastries.
- Avoid High-Fat Creamy Salad Dressings. Go for oil and vinegar and/or fat-free dressings.
Don’t Forget these Natural Supplements
Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 helps lower urinary oxalate, the main element found in many kidney stones.
Aloe Vera Juice. This healing juice can reduce kidney stone size and prevent stone formation. It is a proven anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial, and you can drink it. It comes flavored or unflavored. The unflavored type can be added to any cold beverage of choice.
Lemon Juice. Lemons contain acid that helps break up kidney stones and prevent stone formation. The natural antiseptic properties found in real lemons prevent bacteria from forming in the kidneys that can cause infections.
Horsetail. Horsetail is used as a diuretic and is usually taken as a pill or capsule. It helps rid your body of excess fluids, by increasing urine output of urine.
Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps prevent uric acid crystal kidney stones.
Liver & Kidney Cleanse™. Created by Dr. Cutler, a Board Certified family physician with over 17 years of experience in chronic health problems, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue, Liver & Kidney Cleanse™ can be purchased on the doctor’s website at liverkidney.com.
This all-natural formula includes powerful herbs, including Milk Thistle, Phosphatidylcholine, Artichoke Leaf, Turmeric Root, Burdock Root, N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC), Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA), Trimethylglycine (TMG), Dandelion Root, and Olive Leaf Extract—all known to have immune boosting properties and antiviral capabilities that support the immune system.
Give Toxins the Boot!
Modern life is filled with everyday toxins that most people ignore, not realizing the harmful effects they have on the human body. Here are some of the worst of the worst toxins to avoid.
- Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). Check your food labels. Food manufacturers are sneaking this stuff into your food under names you would never question, such as “natural flavorings.” MSG is known to be more toxic than all other food toxins, poisons and allergens.
- Aspartame. This is one nasty ingredient and you’ll find in Activia Yogurt, Nutra Sweet, Equal, and in many everyday food items. It never leaves your body, and it is a known carcinogen.
- Pesticides. I used to think “organic” was a lot of hooey, but not today. Highly toxic pesticides are used on most fruits and vegetables. If pesticides kill insects, what do you think ingesting pesticide residue is doing to your internal organs? Go organic whenever possible, or wash your fruits and veggies in bleach or a product wash to remove the toxins.
- Medications. Granted, some medications are lifesaving, however, if you have to take prescription drugs on a daily basis, you must keep your immune system optimized, because ALL prescription drugs have side effects that can become toxic in the long run. So, if you have a choice between taking a natural remedy or a prescription drug, go natural.
Be Sure. Get Tested Every Year!
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) recommends that you have three simple tests annually to check for kidney disease. These are: a blood pressure test, a urinalysis to check for protein and blood cells in your urine, and a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) test, which will show how well your kidneys are working.
The Two Most Important Things to Remember.
The most important thing you can do to ensure the healthy kidneys is to keep your blood pressure and blood sugar within their normal ranges. That means eating a balanced diet, keeping your weight under control, addressing stress issues that may be contributing to elevated blood pressure readings.
If you are diabetic, take it seriously and resist the temptation to overindulge in sweets too often. I know it’s hard sometimes, but when you find yourself reaching for candy, a soda, or a pastry, take control and eat a favorite fruit.
The same goes for controlling your blood pressure. If you smoke, cut down or quit. Smoking really elevates blood pressure. And if you are overly emotional, find ways to express your emotions in healthy ways, like indulging in a favorite sport, exercise, meditation, listen to music, laugh, or make love.
The point is, you are in control, so take control!
You don’t have to be one of the 26 million who have kidney disease. Get yourself tested annually and maintain normal blood pressure and blood sugar levels. You can do it! You really can!
By the way…Before I forget!
You like controversial stuff don’t you? You must…specially if you are a Morning Letter subscriber 
Anyway…controversial is good, SPECIALLY when it’s backed by concrete research AND scientifically proven. I won’t expand, but if you want some extraordinary super-kidneys you should look at what Nephrology nurse, Rachel Gordon, came up with! You can visit her website here.
