Learn more about these sensitive little sweeties in our body!
Feel free to download the audio and listen to this short audio as a podcast:
Some recipes and resources for more learning:
All About Water
Bell Pepper Bisque
Berry Bombe Oat Bake
Winter Balance Salad
Apple Porridge with Tahini Sauce
Let’s talk kidneys, those two, small organs housed within the lower part of your abdomen, closer to the back body.
According to western medicine, the kidneys filter waste products from the blood and send them out through the urinary tract system.
In Chinese medicine, the kidneys play a much more important role, as they are viewed as the governing organs of a person’s growth, maturation and reproduction. The essence stored in the kidney is bestowed to each individual from their parents at conception, hence TCM regards the kidney as the “congenital constitution” and origin of life.
Your kidney health greatly depends on your diet. Support the kidneys by drinking water (aim for 2 liters / quarts a day), as water is the fluid that kidneys use to filter toxins and waste products, and to create urine.
The best foods for kidneys include fresh vegetables and fruits with high water content and low sugar: red bell peppers (not green – remember they are are just unripened red ones!) cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, onions, apples, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, and red grapes. Fats like those found in olive oil, and the Omega-3s found in cold water fish are also a great choice. If you have kidney disease, avoid food with high phosphorous levels (milk and some milk products, amaranth, bran, brown rice, millet, quinoa, spelt, dried beans and peas, nuts and seeds, organ meats, sardines, beer, corn tortillas, and chocolate).
I will mention that our culture’s obsession with protein is causing harm to our kidneys. When the body uses protein, it turns into waste, which the kidneys must then filter out. Consuming more protein than our bodies really need (aim for 0.36 grams of protein per pound / 0.8 grams per kg of body weight), it puts undo stress on the these organs, which can lead to physiological complications and eventually dis-ease.
You can stimulate your kidneys by massaging your ears, which are the sensory organ connected to these organs and meridian line.
Fear is the emotion associated with kidneys, so if you are experiencing this feeling on a regular basis, anxiety and / or panic attacks, your body may be trying to tell you that your kidney energy is low or imbalanced.
Lastly, your kidneys really love to live in a well-rested body and to be kept warm. Sleep when you’re tired, and keep your body cozy! Naps are highly recommended to tick both of those boxes.
