Lester A. Mitscher and Victoria Toews
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 KEEPING THE kidneys IN GOOD HEALTH
The kidneys filter out and remove waste products from the blood, help maintain the normal range of nutrients in the blood, and regulate the body's pH level (acid-base balance). Kidney disorders range in severity from temporary loss of appetite to tissue deterioration and death. Chronic renal failure—the condition in which the kidneys are unable to perform their task of filtering waste out of the blood—can result from several causes, including infection, injury, diabetic complication, or cancer. |
Mehmet C. Oz., M.D. and Michael F. Roizen, M.D.
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 Blood urea nitrogen (BUN): This reflects the breakdown of protein (nitrogen containing compounds) and is eliminated by the kidneys. An elevated BUN level may be caused by kidney disease or by poor blood flow to the kidneys, as in congestive heart failure, dehydration, or hemorrhage into the gastrointestinal tract. A decreased level may be seen in liver failure, malnutrition, or anabolic steroid use.
Creatinine: This protein waste product is generated by muscle metabolism and eliminated by the kidneys. |
Gary Null and Amy McDonald
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 For example, the kidney is known to hold fear, so an acupuncturist, by checking pulses and skin temperature and other things can determine that the kidneys need to be "tonified," or rebalanced. Since the kidneys produce adrenaline, which in turn produces panic reaction, you can see that acupuncture can be very effective in regulating their biochemistries. |
Mehmet C. Oz., M.D. and Michael F. Roizen, M.D.
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| An elevated BUN level may be caused by kidney disease or by poor blood flow to the kidneys, as in congestive heart failure, dehydration, or hemorrhage into the gastrointestinal tract. A decreased level may be seen in liver failure, malnutrition, or anabolic steroid use.
Creatinine: This protein waste product is generated by muscle metabolism and eliminated by the kidneys. Because creatinine is released at a constant rate (depending on muscle mass), its blood level is a good indicator of kidney function. It generally creeps up as you age. |
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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 Pollard's lab set that level as a guideline for dosing lab mice with mercury so they could build up a load in their kidneys analogous to that which most humans are unknowingly walking around with. They then exposed groups of lupus-prone female mice, known as BXSB mice, to doses of mercury that they thought might produce a similar burden of mercury in their kidneys.
Just as the investigators had found with the other lupus strains of mice, not only did mercury exposure make the disease occur earlier in these BXSB mice, but the greater the dose of mercury the earlier the disease appeared. |
C. W. Randolph, M.D.
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 According to Maia Appleby author of "Why Drinking Water Really Is the Key to Weight Loss":
If the kidneys are water-deprived, the liver has to do their work along with its own, lowering its total productivity. It then can't metabolize fat as quickly or efficiently as it could when the kidneys were pulling their own weight. If you allow this to happen, not only are you being unfair to your liver, but you're also setting yourself up to store fat.
BELLY-BLASTING DAILY FOOD LIST
Here, for your easy reference, are the recommended foods in their optimum amounts. |
KC Craichy
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 According to famous juicing guru Steve Meyerowitz, distilled water is actually the only water that gives our kidneys a rest. Because distilled water is free of dissolved minerals, instead of the kidneys working to purify the water, the water purifies the kidneys. Distilled water also can aid in cleansing our bladder and bloodstream and will actively absorb toxic substances from the body and eliminate them.28 The dangers are in the long-term use of distilled water. Distilled water is devoid of nutritional and mineral content and has an acidic pH. According to Dr. |
Herbert Ross, DC with Keri Brenner, L.Ac.
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 If the intestines are letting toxins through, then the liver, lymph, kidneys, skin, and other organs involved in detoxification become overwhelmed.
The liver bears most of the burden for eliminating toxins. Located beneath the right lower part of the rib cage, the liver is the largest internal organ. It's also one of the most complicated organs in the body, rivaled only by the brain. The liver collects and removes foreign particles and chemicals from the blood and detoxifies these poisons through three systems:
1. The Kupffer cells
2. |
Roberta Bivins
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 Since the human body mirrored in miniature this natural world, Chinese medicine was organized around five viscera—the heart, the liver, the spleen, the lungs, and the kidneys, each of which was also associated with a particular element (fire, wood, earth, metal, and water, respectively). As in the parallel cases of Europe and India, this particular constellation of organs was called into existence by the demands of cosmology (theories of the universe) as well as the evidence of experience, animal dissection, and chance observations
5. |
Dr Ron Roberts
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 The best food sources of Vitamin A are animal and fish livers, kidneys, dark green and orange vegetables, egg yolk and milk. Beta-carotene is found in the yellow pigment of fruits and vegetables such as carrots.
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll, the pigment that absorbs light energy and makes plants green, is a natural blood enhancer and neutraliser of toxins. Studies have revealed it reduces infections of the upper respiratory tract and sinuses and various types of chronic ulcers, while recent research showed that it can counteract the effects of pollution and radiation. |
| She points out that the principal organs of detoxification in the body—the skin, lungs, intestines, liver, kidneys and lymph glands—benefit from the cleansing and energising properties of many oils.
Whether or not we are aware of it, the smells that surround us daily can change our mood by either lifting or lowering our spirits. Many essential oils are linked to our emotions, to improve harmony and balance in our lives. They have a significant effect on our moods and energy levels. |
Herbert Ross, DC with Keri Brenner, L.Ac.
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| Key components of the detoxification system include:
• The gastrointestinal barrier, including the walls of the intestines
• Liver
• Lymphatic system, which transports waste products from the cells to the major organs of detoxification
• kidneys, bladder, and other components of the urinary system
• Skin, including sweat glands and sebaceous glands
• Lungs
The gastrointestinal system is typically the first line of defense against toxins and, when compromised, the first place to harbor seeds of disease. |
Dr Ron Roberts
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| Yang organs in the body are the denser organs and include the heart, liver, spleen, kidneys and lungs. The yin organs are the more hollow organs, such as the large and small intestines, the gall bladder and the stomach.
Acupuncture is a quick, painless and bloodless procedure. There is just a slight numbness or tingling sensation where the needle is inserted. The needles are very fine (0.25?.5 mm in diameter) and vary in length from 1 cm to 5 cm. The treatment can vary considerably from one consultation to another and for some complaints as many as 20 needles can be used at one time. |
Lester A. Mitscher and Victoria Toews
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| Chronic renal failure—the condition in which the kidneys are unable to perform their task of filtering waste out of the blood—can result from several causes, including infection, injury, diabetic complication, or cancer. However, animal-based research suggests that green tea extract improves kidney function in cases of chronic renal failure, even in the face of free radical overload. Studies of specialized kidney cells grown in the laboratory indicate that green tea retards the progression of chronic renal failure. |
J. Douglas Bremner
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 When salt is retained in our blood vessels, they hold on to water by means of the osmotic effect, thereby preventing water from being excreted as much as it otherwise would be through the kidneys and into the urine.
Granted, not everyone is sensitive to salt to the same degree. However, there is no doubt that the population as a whole eats much more salt than in the past, probably at least two or three times as much, and these habits are having an adverse effect on our health, including raising blood pressure. |
| They block the pump in the kidneys that transports sodium, potassium, and chloride, and cause a stronger output of urine. However, because of their strong action, they can cause life-threatening depletions of potassium, calcium, and magnesium, which can increase the risk of insomnia, falls, confusion, and heat stroke as well as that of blood clots and stroke. Lasix increases the loss of thiamine (vitamin B{) in the urine, which can lead to memory deficiency and other problems, but this side effect can be corrected with vitamin supplementation. |
| The worst outcomes are a loss of sexual function with surgery, acute urinary retention (the sudden inability to urinate caused by untreated BPH), or damage to the kidneys and bladder. In half of cases
BPH reduces the quality of life for men. Thirty-six percent of spouses of men with BPH surveyed reported that BPH caused a cessation of physical intimacy in their relationships.
The prostate gland, a walnut-size organ in males that is located just below the bladder, helps create semen. |
| You can also develop damage to your kidneys.
The second-generation cephalosporins, which include cefamandole (Mandol), cefoxitin (Mefoxin), cefonicid (Monocid), cefotetan (Cefotan), and cefmetazole (Zefazone), are less sensitive to bacteria that produce the beta-lactamase enzyme and are more effective against gram-negative bacteria. Cefotetan and cefmetazole can cause bleeding reactions. If you drink alcohol while taking cefotetan or cefmetazole you may experience flushing, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and possibly unconsciousness—so don't drink and take antibiotics! |
| Given simultaneously with penicillinase-resistant semisynthetic penicillins or with vancomycin they act synergistically against staph infection (Staphylococci) but can be used initially only for a few days because they can cause lasting damage to your hearing or kidneys. They are also combined with penicillin G or ampicillin in the treatment of endocarditis.
Aminoglycosides interfere with the ability of bacteria to produce proteins by blocking the transcription of ribonucleic acid (RNA). If they can't produce proteins, the bacteria can't replicate. |
| Thiazide diuretics increase urine output and decrease the volume of fluid in your circulation by increasing sodium excretion from the kidneys, which drags water along with it. Examples include hydrochlorothiazide (Esidrix, Hydrodiuril, Microzide) and chlorthalidone (Hygro-ton). They work very well, are safer than other, newer meds used to treat hypertension, and because they are off patent and available in generic versions, cost a fraction of what other drugs cost. They also have some beneficial side effects. Thiazides promote calcium retention and prevent bone loss and fractures. |
Herbert Ross, DC with Keri Brenner, L.Ac.
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| Other toxins are eliminated through the lymphatic system, kidneys, skin (by sweating), and respiratory system. When imbalances occur in any part of the body's detoxification system, the result can be poor digestion, constipation, bloating and gas, immune dysfunction, reduced liver function, sleep disorders, and a host of degenerative diseases. Detoxification can reduce or
The Digestive System
Digestion begins in the mouth, then food travels to the stomach (1), where it is further broken down by gastric juices. |
Ron Garner
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 When calcium levels are low, the body uses parathormone to extract calcium from bones and teeth, increase absorption of calcium from the intestine, and decrease elimination of calcium from the kidneys in order to meet the calcium needs of the body.
Thymus
The thymus gland is located behind the sternum or breastbone. It manufactures thymosin, which promotes the formation of lymph glands, T-lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell scavenger), and antibodies that help to eliminate foreign substances from the body. |
Dr Ron Roberts
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| There are 14 meridians flowing vertically through the body, passing through the major organs—spleen, kidneys, stomach, liver, bladder, lungs, heart and so on—and the meridians are named after a particular organ. However, points along the meridians are used to treat disorders other than those affecting the named organ. Modern acupuncture charts show up to 2000 treatment points along the meridians, although traditional Chinese medicine only indicated 365. |
Andreas Moritz
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 The rectum solidifies fecal matter and prompts the emptying of the bowel. The kidneys pass urine to the bladder, which causes urination. The skin also receives waste products that begin to surface at this time. Hence, the importance of washing or showering in the morning. The entire body is geared toward the excretion of useless waste material. About 70 percent of the body's waste is eliminated through the lungs, 20 percent through the skin, 7 percent through urine, and 3 percent through feces. |
Dr. Steve Blake
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 The increasing levels of parathyroid hormone cause calcium to be released from the bones and retained in the kidneys.
When there is a severe deficiency of vitamin D in childhood, the bones fail to mineralize properly. Bones are most susceptible to low vitamin D levels when the bones are growing rapidly. With severe deficiency, the arms and legs become bowed—this is called rickets. Rickets can also result in delayed closure of the soft spots (fontanels) of the skull in infants. In very severe cases, low levels of blood calcium affect the nerves and seizures may result. |
| The kidneys.
(c) The skin.
(d) The lungs.
11. Regulation of the active form of vitamin D is handled by:
(a) The stomach.
(b) The parathyroid gland.
(c) The thyroid gland.
(d) The liver.
12. Which is NOT a risk factor for vitamin D deficiency?
(a) Being institutionalized.
(b) Elderly people.
(c) Breast-fed infants who do not receive sunlight.
(d) Skin which is light in color.
13. The form of vitamin E that the body prefers to use:
(a) Alpha-tocotrienol.
(b) Gamma-tocopherol.
(c) Alpha-tocopherol.
(d) Gamma-tocotrienol.
14. |
| Long-term overconsumption of vitamin D can cause calcification of organs such as the heart, blood vessels, and the kidneys.
Vitamin D toxicity is unlikely in healthy adults with supplement levels lower than 10,000 IU/day. The Food and Nutrition Board has established a very conservative tolerable upper intake level (UL) of 2,000 IU/day (50 meg/day) for children and adults. The UL for infants up to one year of age is 1000 IU.
To summarize, we need vitamin D to keep our bones strong. Vitamin D may play an anti-cancer role by slowing cell division. Sunshine is the natural source of vitamin D. |
| This transformation to the active form normally takes place in the kidneys, but may also occur in some other tissues. It is only as calcitriol that vitamin D performs its physiological effects. Steroid hormones such as calcitriol are molecules in the body that are made from cholesterol. Steroid hormones act to turn certain genes on and off.
Calcitriol Regulates Genes That Make Proteins
Inside the nucleus of the cell, calcitriol assists in the transfer of genetic code information. |
| Calcitriol is made from calcidiol, primarily in the kidneys. It is the most potent steroid hormone derived from cholecalciferol. Calcitriol is the active form of vitamin D. It regulates calcium and possesses anti-cancer properties. The chemical name for calcitriol is 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.
Ergocalciferol, vitamin D2, is made by irradiating ergosterol with ultraviolet light. Ergosterol is derived from the ergot fungus. It is a manmade product and not found in the human body unless it is taken as supplements or in fortified foods. |
| Any excesses of water-soluble vitamins are eliminated by the kidneys. Folates and vitamin B]2 are exceptions to this rule and are regulated by the liver and released through the bile.
The B vitamins are inactive until they are transformed into their coenzyme form. All of the water-soluble vitamins can act as important parts of the coenzymes that make enzymatic reactions possible, as seen in Figure 1-1.
Enzyme
Coenzyme
Vitamin
All of the B vitamins and vitamin C can act as catalysts for enzymatic reactions.
Figure 1-1 Vitamins can form part of the coenzymes that activate enzymes. |
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