Drink plenty of water and eat potassium-rich fruits such as bananas, grapes, oranges or cranberries to help cleanse the kidneys.
Decreased air quality exposes the body to many types of toxins. The kidneys are bean-shaped organs located in the abdominal cavity, responsible for excreting these toxins. However, too much accumulation of toxins causes the kidneys to be unable to handle them, causing functional decline, leading to kidney stones, infections, cysts, tumors or kidney failure.
Here’s how to naturally improve kidney health through a healthy diet.
Drink a lot of water
Adding enough water to the body is a simple way to regularly detoxify the kidneys. Drink about 8 glasses of water a day or more if you sweat a lot or play sports.
Observe the color of your urine to know whether your body needs to drink more water or not. If you drink enough, your urine will be clear or light yellow, without a strong odor. On the contrary, if the urine is dark yellow and concentrated.
Natural filtered water is better than liquids in the form of coke, coffee and carbonated drinks. Some teas and juices may contain vitamins and minerals that are helpful for the kidneys. However, you should not overuse them because they contain high levels of caffeine or sugar.
Eat fruits rich in potassium
Fruits rich in potassium aid in cleansing the kidneys. Fruits such as grapes, oranges, cantaloupes, bananas, kiwis, apricots, and plums are rich in potassium. They contribute to maintaining electrolyte levels in the blood, thereby keeping the kidneys functioning at optimal levels.
Potassium intake is limited to a maximum of 4.7 g per day because too much intake can lead to hyperkalemia, a risk of death and cardiac arrest. People with kidney problems such as kidney failure should also limit eating foods rich in potassium.
Drink cranberry juice
Drinking a glass of cranberry juice every day helps cleanse the kidneys. They provide quinine, a nutrient that converts itself to hippuric acid through a series of metabolic processes in the liver.
Hippuric acid helps reduce excess urea and uric acid in the kidneys. Cranberries help prevent urinary tract infections thanks to their antibacterial properties.
Add barley to your diet
Barley is a grain that cleanses the kidneys and helps prevent damage that occurs in the kidneys due to uncontrolled diabetes. Eating barley regularly also contributes to maintaining normal creatinine levels in diabetics, helping to reduce the load on the kidneys. Replacing refined flour with barley flour is a good way to include this food in your diet.
Quit smoking and alcohol
Smoking and drinking alcohol can increase blood pressure, leading to kidney problems. This habit also causes many other negative effects on health. To keep the body healthy and detoxify better, smokers should quit this bad habit.