10 Lifestyle Hacks to Support These Vital Organs

By Jamie Bussin

Most people know a few things about their kidneys. You have two, but can survive with just one. There’s a bean that’s named after them. And their primary function is to filter our blood. But did you know that the kidneys filter a half cup of blood every single minute? Over the course of the day that’s over 845 cups! I discussed the kidneys, their function and how to support those functions with Master Herbalist and nutraceutical formulator Joel Thuna on Episode #50 of the Tonic Talk Show/Podcast. This is a digest of that conversation.

What Else Do Your Kidneys Do?  Well, they also control the amount of liquid water in your body, by regulating the amount of water in your blood. Water in our blood is released through our urine. When you consume enough water, the kidneys keep the proper amount in your blood, and when you don’t drink enough water, less is released into your urine (which becomes darker and more pungent). And when you drink too much water you may notice that there is little if any colour.

Your electrolytes are also regulated by your kidneys. Electrolytes are the minerals and salts in your body that are used to conduct electricity in your nervous system and muscles. The key electrolytes are sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium and chloride. Your electrolytes are eliminated through your urine and sweat. You sweat and urinate more when you exercise…and that’s why many people consume sports drinks to replenish or replace electrolytes.

Your kidneys also help regulate your blood pressure. Your blood pressure is controlled in part by the amount of water in the blood. If you have a large volume of blood through water retention you’ll have increased blood pressure. If you have too little blood, you actually have less blood pressure. But blood pressure is also controlled by the kidneys through two different hormones. The first one your kidneys release is called renin. It can cause your kidneys to retain more sodium in water but also causes your blood vessels to contract. 

The second hormone is called erythropoietin (EPO). It signals the marrow inside your bones to make red blood cells which they use to carry oxygen through your body. It also helps your body lower blood pressure. (Sidebar) EPO came into the news a little while ago.  A synthetic version was used by Lance Armstrong. He was taking synthetic EPO which caused his bone marrow to create more red blood cells, which gave him more oxygen, more energy and more endurance. 

What illnesses are your kidneys susceptible to? Unfortunately kidney stones are quite common. As the kidneys filter your blood, calcium and oxalic acid from your blood accumulate and form calcium oxalate, aka kidney stones. Most people do not have substantial kidney stones. Rather they’re little and are expelled through the urine. But if they get too large they can create blockages. Those blockages can be painful and also damaging to your body. If urine can’t pass, it backflows and causes permanent damage to your kidneys. Typically surgery is required to rectify the situation.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is relatively easy and inexpensive to diagnose by testing blood pressure, urinary protein and creatinine levels. However the disease is frequently underdiagnosed until it is quite advanced. CKD can cause serious damage to your kidneys, which in turn can cause other serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, weak bones, nerve damage and chronic anemia. There are three main risk factors for CKD: diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

The happy news is that there are 10 lifestyle hacks that can help support your kidney health:

  1. Keep your blood pressure and blood sugar in check
  2. Keep your sodium levels in check. That doesn’t mean eliminate all sodium. Consuming slightly under 1 tsp per day is a good target. Note: even fresh fruits and vegetables contain sodium
  3. Avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aka NSAIDs. Painkillers such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin are all hard on your kidneys 
  4. Instead, try healthy alternatives like turmeric, yoga, physiotherapy, acupressure, acupuncture and chiropractic therapy
  5. Moderate your protein intake
  6. Drink plenty of pure, clean water
  7. Kidney stones form when the kidneys filter out poor quality calcium from your blood. So make sure that you are consuming high quality calcium in your foods and supplements
  8. Aloe vera and cranberries help to remove poor quality calcium and oxalate from your body
  9. Avoid smoke, both primary and secondary sources. And yes, that includes cannabis
  10. If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation