Kidney Cleanse Diet: A Step-by-Step Guide
Your kidneys are among the most important organs in your body. They work hard every day detoxifying the blood and sending waste toxins out through the urinary system. Kidneys also balance electrolytes, regulate minerals, like calcium, and help maintain a healthy blood pressure.
With all this work to do and with so many chemicals in our environment, it’s not surprising that one in three Americans is at risk of developing kidney disease in their lifetime or that 10 percent of Americans will develop painful kidney stones. Supporting your kidneys with a cleanse or simply incorporating certain foods and herbs into your diet can improve kidney health and provide other health benefits.
Short Breakdown of the 4-Day Kidney Cleanse
- Pre-Cleanse: Gather necessary supplies, including kidney-cleansing foods, as desired.
- Morning & Afternoon: Take 5 droppers (5 ml) of Global Healing Turmeric and 5 droppers of Plant-Based Kidney Health Raw Herbal Extract™ in both morning and afternoon, in between meals.
- Evening: Take 5 droppers (5 ml) of Turmeric and 5 droppers (5 ml) of Plant-Based Kidney Health before or after your evening meal. At least two hours later, take 4 capsules of Oxy-Powder®.
What Do Kidneys Do?
Part of your body’s renal or urinary system, the kidneys are curved, fist-sized organs located halfway down your back that perform critical functions in your body. Perhaps most importantly, they are instrumental to your ability to detoxify chemicals you encounter. They filter more than 200 quarts of blood daily, removing nearly two quarts of water and metabolic waste that gets excreted as urine.
The kidneys also help regulate and balance your sodium, phosphorus, and potassium levels. The importance of these nutrients is often glossed over, but proper, balanced levels are critical for good health and life.
Finally, the kidneys are responsible for releasing three hormones — erythropoietin, renin, and activated vitamin D. Erythropoietin supports red blood cell production, renin controls blood pressure, and vitamin D is necessary for the body to effectively use calcium, as well as many other benefits.
Signs of Poorly Performing Kidneys
Kidney issues can arise silently or suddenly. High levels of calcium in the blood may lead to calcium deposits in the kidneys, which ultimately produce kidney stones. People with stressed kidneys may experience the following symptoms:
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Itchy, dry skin
- Bad taste in the mouth
- Swollen ankles
- Brain fog
- Changes in urine frequency or color
- Leg pain
- Frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
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What’s the Best Kidney Cleansing Diet?
A kidney cleansing diet involves eating foods and herbs that support normal kidney function while avoiding foods that discourage kidney function. It can be done for a brief period, as an actual cleanse, and below, we provide a protocol for a four-day Kidney Cleanse. You can also take a less regimented approach and simply incorporate these foods and herbs into your regular diet. Either way, taking these steps will provide specialized nutrients that support your kidneys and boost your overall health and wellness.
Herbs for Kidney Cleansing
Since ancient times, herbalists have embraced the therapeutic characteristics of plants and used them as remedies for a variety of health conditions, including helping kidney function. The following herbs can be taken in supplements or used to make tea. A few are listed below, but see more in our best herbs for kidney cleansing article.
Cranberry
Cranberry is one of the most popular herbal supplements in the U.S., and for good reason. The phytonutrients in cranberry keep harmful organisms from sticking to the lining of the urethra, promoting kidney and urinary tract health.[1] They also are thought to keep stone-forming harmful organisms from sticking together and to kidney cells, which means they get purged from the body instead.[2]
Hydrangea
This herbaceous, perennial shrub is not only coveted for its gorgeous flowers but also for its therapeutic properties. Not only is it popular in traditional Chinese medicine but Cherokee Indians also used it to support kidney function. Hydrangea is known as a lithotrophic, diuretic, and tonic herb. It contains hydrangin, a phytochemical that helps increase urine flow.[3]
Uva-Ursi
This low-growing evergreen herb, also called bearberry leaf (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), has been safely used for centuries in traditional medicine to support urinary tract health.[4] Uva-ursi can deplete potassium levels by increasing urination, so make sure you get enough in your diet.
Horsetail
Scientists have found this marsh plant to be as safe and effective as the commonly used diuretic, hydrochlorothiazide, without causing excess loss of electrolytes.[5] Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) not only works to cleanse the kidneys but it also helps protect the liver.[6]
Kidney Cleanse Foods
There are many foods that help detox the kidneys. You can add these to your regular eating plan, or follow a temporary diet that focuses specifically on kidney-cleansing foods. If you have kidney disease, your healthcare provider may have specific diet recommendations, such as limiting sodium (salt) and potassium. However, if you are trying to be proactive about kidney health, these foods are just a few you can try.
Baking Soda
Sodium bicarbonate, commonly used as baking soda, has incredible benefits for the kidneys! In a two-year study, only 9 percent of patients with chronic kidney disease who took a small daily dose of bicarbonate developed end-stage renal disease, compared to 45 percent of the other group.[7]
Celery
Vegetables and fruits high in antioxidants are generally good for the kidneys. That’s because antioxidants counteract the harmful effects of certain toxic chemicals and harmful free radicals in the blood, which, of course, filters through the kidneys. Celery is known to help urinary tract issues and reduce blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipids (fats).[8]
Cucumbers
These watery vegetables have many kidney-boosting properties, including preventing the accumulation of uric acid crystals in joints, which leads to gout. Cucumbers are high in silicon and act as a diuretic, helping the kidneys remove toxins.
Beets
Beets have high levels of antioxidants and help remove calcium buildup in the kidneys, which otherwise can lead to kidney stone formation. You can drink beet juice or eat whole beets. Eating your beets raw in salads or in juice is a great boost to your kidney cleansing.
Onions and Garlic
Both of these bulbs from the Allium family contain high levels of quercetin, a powerhouse nutrient that helps reduce swelling and redness, and protects kidney cells from damage.[9]
Foods to Avoid for Healthy Kidneys
Just as certain foods help the kidneys function better, other foods stress the kidneys. High-protein diets with a lot of red meat and full-fat dairy stress the kidneys. If you are doing a cleanse or just want healthier kidneys, avoid these foods:
- Liver and organ meats
- Red meat
- Seafood (especially sardines, anchovies, shellfish, tuna)
- Beer and distilled liquor
Kidney Cleanse Recipes
One of the most effective strategies for promoting kidney health is to combine the various fruits, vegetables, and herbs that support kidney health so they can work together. Below are just a few ideas you can use to get started.
Ginger Root and Turmeric Tea
To make a tasty kidney-cleansing tea that also benefits your digestive system, squeeze the juice from a one- or two-inch piece of ginger root into hot water. Add half a teaspoon of turmeric. Turmeric not only has antioxidant properties, it also reduces harmful molecules circulating in your blood, which benefits the kidneys.[10] Ginger scavenges damaging free radicals and improves kidney function. Together they pack a punch!
Fruit and Vegetable Juices
Make juice from fresh organic watermelon, beets, ginger, celery, and lemon for super kidney benefits, or try one of these kidney-cleansing drinks.
Dr. Group, DC’s Kidney Cleanse Drink
You can drink a glass of this anytime for a kidney-cleansing boost, whether you are doing an official kidney cleanse or not. You'll get the best results if you do not eat 30 minutes before or after drinking the Kidney Cleanse Drink. Add a dash of raw, organic, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (ACV), a squeeze of lemon, and one dropper of Plant-Based Kidney Health to distilled water. Plant-Based Kidney Health is an all-natural, vegan blend of the kidney-cleansing herbs listed above. It's available in the Kidney Cleanse Kit, which is linked to below.
4-Day Kidney Cleanse
If you want to perform a four-day kidney cleanse, these instructions will tell you what you need to know before you start and while you are detoxing.
Items You Need for the Kidney Cleanse
The following are the supplies you will need for the four-day kidney cleanse.
- The Kidney Cleanse Kit, which includes:
- 1 bottle of Plant-Based Kidney Health
- 1 bottle of Turmeric Raw Herbal Extract
- 1 bottle of Oxy-Powder
- Kidney-cleansing foods
Protocol
We recommend you follow the schedule below to maximize the benefits from your kidney cleanse. Follow these instructions for four days.
Morning
Take five droppers of Plant-Based Kidney Health and five droppers of Turmeric Raw Herbal Extract. Take both on an empty stomach, such as 20 minutes before breakfast. This maximizes absorption. You can take these extracts directly from the droppers, or you can add them — together or separate — to an eight-ounce glass of water.
Afternoon
Take five droppers of Plant-Based Kidney Health and five droppers of Turmeric Extract in the afternoon, on an empty stomach.
Evening
Take five droppers of Plant-Based Kidney Health and five droppers of Turmeric Extract in the afternoon, on an empty stomach. In the evening before bed, and at least two hours after you consume your evening servings of the two liquid extracts, consume four capsules of Oxy-Powder.
Helpful Notes About the Cleanse
- Avoid milk and other dairy products, meat, alcohol, table salt, refined sugar, gluten, soy, canned foods, processed and microwaved foods, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and dyes. All of these will decrease the effectiveness of the kidney cleanse, and add more toxins to your body.
- Eat as healthy and clean as you can during the cleanse. As mentioned above, some great kidney-cleansing foods include beets, celery, onions, garlic, and cucumbers, but also cherries, cinnamon, ginger, olive oil, grapefruit, oranges, tomatoes, and watermelon.
- You should be able to perform this kidney cleanse while carrying on your normal daily activities. Oxy-Powder can cause watery stools, so make sure a bathroom is nearby. If your stools are liquid, remember this is not diarrhea but the detoxing of compacted fecal matter from the intestinal tract.
- If you want extra tips about kidney cleansing, please read our 10 Essential Tips to Maximize Kidney Cleansing article.
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Points to Remember
Being aware of your kidneys is important for everyone, not just people with impaired kidney function. A kidney cleanse can help you maintain the health of these two important organs throughout your life.
There are many kidney-cleansing herbs, foods, and teas you can add to your lifestyle to boost your kidney health. To get the best bang for your buck, perform a four-day kidney cleanse involving turmeric and other kidney-cleansing herbs. This involves following a clean diet that’s based on simple, organic vegetables and avoiding unhealthy additions to your diet.
References (11)
- Butterweck V, Khan SR. Herbal medicines in the management of Urolithiasis: alternative or complementary? Planta Med. 2009 Aug;75(10):1095-1103.
- Kessler T, et al. Effect of blackcurrant-, cranberry- and plum juice consumption on risk factors associated with kidney stone formation.. J Med Food. 2012;15(8):678-690.
- Zhang S, et al. Total coumarins from Hydrangea paniculata show renal protective effects in lipopolysaccharide-induced acute kidney injury via anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. . Front Pharmacol. 2017;8:872.
- Aguiar S, Borowski T. Neuropharmacological review of the nootropic herb Bacopa monnieri. Rejuvenation Res. 2013;16(4),313-326.
- de Arriba SG, et al. Risk Assessment of Free Hydroquinone Derived from Arctostaphylos uva-ursi folium herbal preparations. Int J Toxicol. 2013;32(6):442-453.
- Carneiro DM, et al. Randomized, double-blind clinical trial to assess the acute diuretic effect of Equisetum arvense (Field Horsetail) in healthy volunteers. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:760683.
- Gründemann C, et al. "Equisetum arvense (common horsetail) modulates the function of inflammatory immunocompetent cells." BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014;14:28
- de Brito-Ashurst I, et al. Bicarbonate supplementation slows progression of CKD and improves nutritional status. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2009; 20(9),2075-2084.
- Kooti W, Daraei N. A Review of the antioxidant activity of celery (Apium graveolens L). J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2017; 22(4):1029-1034.
- Wilson RT, et al. "Fish, vitamin D, and flavonoids in relation to renal cell cancer among smokers." Am J Epidemiol. 2009;170(6),717-29.
- Ghosh SS, et al. "Curcumin and chronic kidney disease (CKD): major mode of action through stimulating endogenous intestinal alkaline phosphatase." Molecules. 2014 Dec 2;19(12):20139-20156.
†Results may vary. Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician.
Dr. Edward Group, DC
FOUNDER | HEALER | ADVOCATEDr. Group, DC is a healer and alternative health advocate, and an industry leader and innovator in the field of natural health who is dedicated to helping others. He is a registered doctor of chiropractic (DC), a naturopathic practitioner (NP), and proud alum of Harvard Business School and MIT Sloan School of Management. Dr. Group, DC is the founder of Global Healing – a mission and vision he has shared through best-selling books and frequent media appearances. He aims to spread his message of positivity, hope, and wellness throughout the world.
