The nutritional body of the kidneys: 

The job of the kidneys is to keep the body’s fluids and electrolytes in a healthy balance. The kidneys love water, so make sure that above all else they get at least 1.5 litres (21⁄2 pints) of water every day. If they are well hydrated you will feel better, sleep better, look better and move better. The typical Western diet is not a friend of the kidneys and is in fact the reason why we see a high prevalence of kidney stones, with a diet high in trans fats and saturated fats, processed meats and refined sugars. In countries where fibre intake is high there is much less prevalence of kidney stones.

Magnesium-rich foods: All dark leafy green vegetables are a great source of magnesium. Magnesium is used by the body for everything it does, and all energy cells (ATP) need magnesium attached to them to work. So in these stressful, busy and important lives that we lead, extra greens won’t do you any harm! Fill up on spring greens, mustard greens, kale, beetroot leaves, cabbage, dandelion, spinach, rocket, watercress, etc

Dandelion: The roots and leaves of this plant are a great source of vitamin A and have been used in traditional medical systems to cure various health ailments, including kidney disease. Dandelion has diuretic properties, which is why it is a good tonic for the kidneys. 

Parsley juice: Parsley is a diuretic and is commonly recommended for the treatment of kidney conditions. It contains not only vitamin A but also vitamin B, thiamin, riboflavin, potassium and copper. Simply chop up the parsley, boil it in water and drink it when it has cooled. Whether you have kidney problems or not, this will help flush out toxins and slow down any degenerative issues in the kidneys.

Electrolytes are made up of:

Electrolytes in the blood can either become too high or to low if not kept imbalance and this primarily happens when water levels in the body change. When we sweat we can loose electrolytes particularly sodium and potassium. This can also be the case if you had a bout of diarrhoea or nausea leading to server vomiting. It is essential in these cases that the levels are replaces. The kidneys regulate the concentration of each electrolyte and if the levels of any one particular electrolyte gets top high the kidneys job is to filter it form the body maintaining homeostasis.

· sodium

· potassium

· calcium

· bicarbonate

· magnesium

· chloride

· phosphate

What foods can I get Potassium from?

Spinach, broccoli, pumpkin, leafy greens, banana, mushrooms

What foods can I get Magnesium from ?

Leafy greens, avocados, dark chocolate, legumes, lentils

What foods can I get sodium from ? 

Seat salt, Celtic salt, Himalayan pink salt

Where can I get calcium from?

Dairy products, leafy greens

Where can I get phosphate from?

Milk, organ meats, dark chocolate