If you want a proper kidney function, it is important to do kidney cleansing in order to flush out excess of waste materials. Here are some natural kidney detox measures that you can implement in your daily routine as a kind of kidney flush home remedy.

Why is Kidney Cleansing Important

• Your kidneys are the main filters of your body for eliminating waste products and unnecessary substances.
• Kidneys also release important hormones for regulating blood pressure, stimulating production of red blood cells and maintaining bone calcium.

Must Read: Lifestyle Changes for Keeping Kidneys in Healthy Shape

What is Kidney Cleansing

What does flushing kidneys mean? Kidney cleanse involves consumption of certain foods that help in removing toxins from your body and keep the kidneys in normal functioning state.

• Kidneys are actually self cleansing, as you can keep them in functioning order by taking enough fluids in the form of water, other liquids and fruits or vegetables.
• In addition, there are several foods, supplements, and products that can detoxify kidneys and prevent the formation of kidney stones.

However, let’s look at some natural approaches for detoxifying kidneys.

Be Water Wise – Cleansing of Kidney Naturally

This means that you must drink the right amount of water.

There is a misconception about drinking 8 glasses of water a day! Each one of us is different, so the amount of water you need will depend on the climate, your age, exercise levels, illnesses, whether pregnant, breastfeeding and other such factors.

• Improve kidney health by drinking water. Drinking water helps kidneys to remove wastes efficiently in the form of urine.
• Water also enables faster travel of blood to the kidneys and delivery of nutrients to them.

Related: Health Benefits of Drinking Lots of Water

Severe dehydration can lead to kidney damage. Drink more water in hot weather and after exercise.

Here is a sign that a kidney detox is working. A good indicator that you are drinking enough water is that the urine passed should be clear or pale yellow and not strong smelling.

Remember: Carbonated drinks, coffee and tea are not a substitute for natural water.

How to Flush Out Kidneys: Juices and Smoothies

• Juices are high in essential electrolytes, minerals and are easy to digest, forming an essential part of kidney health diet.
• They hydrate the body and assist the kidneys in flushing out excess toxins, thereby assisting in kidney cleansing naturally.
• Kidney cleansing juices contain antioxidants and nutrients that facilitate the removal of toxins. This takes the strain off the liver, colon and kidneys.
• Watermelon juice helps in flushing out toxins. Just blend the slice along with peeled lime. Add some honey and drink it up to clean the kidneys.
• Lime juice increases citrate in the urine, which prevents formation of kidney stones.
• Beet juice contains betaine, which increases urine acidity and removes calcium, thereby helping the kidney function better.

Remember:  Drink these on an empty stomach before taking any solid food for the day, for maximum effect!

Note: Use fruits like apples; oranges, pears, pineapples, grapes, blueberries and cranberries. For veggies, try celery, zucchini, carrots, spinach, kale and lettuce.

Related: 15 Best Foods for Kidney Repair: Healthy Kidney Tips

Kidney Cleansing Herbs

One major concern with kidneys is kidney stones! How to prevent and flush kidney stones? What is good for kidney health? The answer is by taking herbs containing a diuretic effect!

Remember: These simple herbs are powerhouses for natural kidney detox! They offer the best ways to flush your kidneys.

• Milk Thistle. It contains an active ingredient silymarin that helps detoxify your kidneys. It also contains antioxidants and can reduce kidney inflammation and prevent kidney cancer.
• Marshmallow Root. It is one of the best kidney cleansing home remedies. It has a diuretic effect and results in an increase in the amount of urine produced. This helps flush out toxins from the kidneys.
• Parsley. It is also a diuretic and can help prevent kidney stones and flush out toxins. It also improves kidney tissue and reduces the size and number of kidney stones, thereby being a natural kidney cleansing herb.
• Gynostemma. It helps produce healthy tissue in the kidney and reduce fibrosis, enabling the kidney to detox optimally.
• Ginger. It is a pungent herb that increases the natural antioxidants present in the kidneys. It eliminates toxins, reduces fibrosis, helps produce healthier tissue and reduces inflammation in the kidneys.
• Dandelion flushes out uric acid and is a natural diuretic.

Potassium Rich Foods

When considering foods that are good for your kidneys, potassium works well as a cleansing agent for the kidneys.

• Potassium rich foods, such as grapes, cantaloupes, bananas and prunes help keep up the electrolyte levels in the blood, which makes the kidneys function at their optimum level.

Warning: An excess of potassium can lead to hyperkalemia, which can cause heart attacks. An acceptable level is up to 4.7 grams of potassium per day.

Foods for Kidney Cleansing

In order to cleanse the kidneys, you can consume certain foods that must be free of:

• Toxins
• Excess sugar
• Any sort of chemical or artificial sweeteners
• Pesticides
• Herbicides
• Antibiotics
• Preservatives
• Hormones and additives
• Excess of protein
• Processed foods

Consume organic foods whenever you can. If the food is not organic, you can spray the fruit/vegetable with non toxic sprays and wash it thoroughly to eliminate all traces of toxins.

The following vegetables are recommended for natural detox of kidneys as they are among the best food for kidneys. Some of the best kidney flush foods are:

• Red Bell Pepper
• Barley
• Dandelion
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower/Broccoli
• Leafy Greens
• Garlic
• Asparagus

Elimination Through Skin

The skin is an important organ of elimination. You can improve its functioning in order to support the kidneys.

• Use a natural skin brush with bristles while washing the skin.
• Use non toxic soaps and shampoos for your body and hair.

Must Read: Kidney Disease Diet: Foods To Avoid If You Have Kidney Problem

Kidney Cleansing Programs

There are several types of kidney cleansing programs, but most of them typically last for 7 to 10 days and consist of a restricted diet. They offer natural ways to clean your kidneys.

• The kidney cleansing diet consists of smoothies, juices and teas with herbs.
• You must first get the supplies, such as distilled water, lemon juice, Apple Cider Vinegar and other kidney friendly foods.
• Limit the amount of solid foods that you eat on the kidney cleansing days. Drink a glass full of cleansing drinks every 3 hours and drink Lemon Apple Cider Vinegar mix throughout the day.
• A natural kidney cleanse protocol works somewhat like this:

# Kidney cleanse drink for breakfast.

# Kidney cleanse juice for lunch.

# Kidney cleanse smoothie for the afternoon.

A kidney cleanse meal for dinner. It will consist of herbs, fruits and veggies that are good for kidney health.

Kidney cleanse drinks and tea at intervals (optional)

Tip: Check out the above video to make the Lemon ACV mix.

• The herbs used in the natural kidney cleanse programs help to naturally flush the kidneys, the bladder and the urinary tract. It enables a free and healthy flow of urine. It also helps dissolve kidney stones and prevents infection.
• This is a simple kidney cleansing cocktail or kidney flush drink that you will love!

Cranberry Juice – 1 cup unsweetened

Chlorophyll – 1/4th cup

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar – 1/4 cup

Lemon juice  from 2 lemons

3 to 5 drops of dark liquid stevia.

Make this drink and have it for 14 days to give the kidneys a boost.

Tip: There are many natural herbal kidney cleansing programs available. You can opt for these periodically. Such kits come with instructions on how to use.

• There are also several kidney supplements containing herbs, vitamins and minerals for supporting kidney health.

The FDA does not make any stipulations for marking products and supplements for kidney cleansing as safe or effective. Hence, take care while purchasing such supplements, as they might contain herbs in high dosage.

Note: When planning a kidney detox week, make sure that you take a clean break from events and functions like birthdays and weddings, so that your kidney detox program does not get derailed.

You may experience some loose bowel movement or headaches during the first few days of the kidney detox. This is because of a sudden withdrawal of routine foods as well as due to the stimulation on the kidneys. Such symptoms should normally subside within 24 to 48 hours.

Natural Ways to Clean Your Kidneys

Fast food, stimulants and caffeine could result in your kidneys bearing the brunt of excretion of these toxins. When the load of toxins becomes unbearable, the kidneys slow down their functioning and become vulnerable to kidney stones, tumors, infections and even kidney failure. However, the good news is that there are many home remedies to detoxify the kidneys naturally.

Related: Kidney Disease Symptoms and Early Warning Signs

Certain diets, foods and beverages can detoxify the body, though there is no scientific research supporting the claims. However, you can help the kidneys stay in good shape by staying well hydrated and eating a healthy and balanced diet consisting of the above mentioned foods and herbs.

Your kidneys could surely do with a bit of health. A true detox can lead to true health. Nature has provided us with some amazing food to optimize the kidneys to function at their peak level. So let’s take steps towards it today!