KIDNEY DISEASE
A HOLISTIC THERAPY
By Walter Last
The main functions of the
kidneys are the removal of metabolic waste matter, of any toxic material and
excess of water, minerals, and bio-chemicals in order to keep their blood
levels within on optimal range. This is done by filtering the blood and
concentrating the waste in the form of urine. In addition, the kidneys produce
hormones, which affect the salt balance and red blood cell production.
A common kidney disorder is
the formation of kidney stones. These are mostly composed of calcium salts and
to a lesser degree of uric acid. Stones can partly block the flow of urine and
this may result in infections as well as accumulation of waste matter in the
blood. The passing of large stones through the urethra can be extremely painful
and is called kidney colic.
Stone formation as well as
bacterial infections or accumulation of toxic material may lead to acute or
chronic inflammation of the kidneys, also called nephritis or Bright's disease.
Symptoms are a rise in blood pressure, back pain, fatigue, being listless and
loss of appetite. Later oedema may develop; one may feel dizzy and nauseated.
Albumin, a protein compound, will be passed in increasing quantities with the
urine.
If the condition continues
to deteriorate, uraemia or renal failure develops. High concentrations of waste
matter accumulate in the blood and all of the mentioned symptoms become more
severe. If nothing is done about it, death will eventually occur. The
conventional medical treatment is the removal of these waste materials by
filtering the blood through an external membrane, a dialysis machine or artificial
kidney. When the condition deteriorates still further, a kidney transplant is
attempted.
The disadvantages and
dangers are that dialysis takes a long time; 4 - 12 hours twice a week, and
beneficial ingredients, such as zinc may be lowered while harmful ones, such as aluminium may
accumulate. Kidney transplants have the major disadvantage, apart from the risk
of the operation itself, that the lifelong requirement to take
immune-suppressive drugs weakens the immune system and predisposes to chronic
and severe infections as well as cancer.
NUTRITIONAL CAUSES
From the point of view of
natural medicine there should rarely be a need for such extreme measures,
except in the case of serious accidents. Prevention as well as cure begins with
two simple measures: raising the water intake and reducing the salt intake.
Disregarding these basic rules is the main cause for the high incidence of
kidney disease in hot climates as in
Nephritis or Bright's
Disease
Further important
nutritional factors in the development of kidney disease are a high intake of
protein, phosphate and calcium, a low intake of magnesium and vitamin B6, and
finally, chronic inflammation due to food allergy.
Proteins are generally high
in phosphorus. Therefore, by restricting the protein intake the amount of
phosphate ingested or formed in the body is reduced at the same time. With a
severe restriction of protein and phosphate intake, tests showed a 10 to 40
fold decrease in the progression of kidney disease and patients who would normally
have required immediate commencement of dialysis could postpone this for about
seven months.
A high protein and
phosphate intake imposes a greatly increased workload on the kidneys. If their
functions are already impaired by stone formation or inflammation, then the
individual filtering units become more and more sclerotic, which means they
calcify and harden through overgrowth with tough, fibrous tissue. This causes
large amounts of protein to be lost with the urine while other chemicals, such
as salt and uric acid remain in the body.
High phosphate levels also
cause an overactivity of the parathyroid glands with a resultant rise in
calcium blood levels. This may lead to decalcification of bones and to the
formation of calcium deposits as with kidney stones, arteriosclerosis and
arthritic deformations. It raises the blood pressure and damages the kidneys
still further, in particular through calcification of the kidneys with calcium
phosphate.
In addition to a high
phosphate intake, a diet high in protein produces much more waste products than
any other class of nutrients, especially in the form of urea, uric acid and
sulphates. Compared to proteins there is hardly any residue in a properly
metabolised carbohydrate or fat diet. Both produce carbon dioxide and water as
end products. Therefore, with these foods there is hardly any need for
dialysis.
Patients with severe renal
failure should restrict their protein intake to less than 20 g and
phosphorus to less than 400 mg. For children and as a maintenance diet amino
acid supplements may be necessary with severe protein restrictions.
Allergy
A major cause of
degeneration of the kidneys is chronic inflammation, and a major cause of chronic
inflammation is hidden food allergy and chemical sensitivity, these are
commonly due to microbes from intestinal dysbiosis or root canal treatments.
While kidney patients are hardly ever tested for food allergy in conventional
medicine, in one recent test it was found that about 65% reacted positive.
However, due to their high calcium and often low acidity levels, kidney
patients usually show only a weak allergy response with various testing
procedures. Therefore, the only reliable test is the avoidance of all suspected
foods and checking kidney functions after a prolonged period of abstinence. In
this way patients improved greatly.
Chronic inflammations
caused by hidden food allergies as well as inflammations due to irritations
caused by kidney stones both accelerate the process of kidney degeneration. In
addition to avoiding the mentioned harmful influences, there are several
nutrients that help to overcome inflammations.
Commonly used in natural
medicine to remove infections and inflammations are vitamin C, magnesium,
propolis, various herbs such as echinacea, golden seal and garlic, the
anti-inflammatory protein-digesting enzyme Bromelain from pineapple and the
omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils and linseed oil.
The common polyunsaturated
oils from oil seeds form mainly pro-inflammatory tissue hormones, while
the fish oils and the linolenic acid in linseed tend to suppress inflammations.
Trials with fish oils produced significantly beneficial results in patients
with kidney disease. Protein loss in the urine could be reduced by nearly 50%.
KIDNEY STONES
Various calcium salts are
only slightly soluble and easily precipitate during the filtration process in
the kidneys. They may then crystallise and combine to form kidney stones or
urinary calculi. It has been estimated that about 90% of such stones contain
calcium as main ingredient, mainly as phosphates and oxalates. Phosphate stones
are chalky and soft while oxalate stones are small, dark and hard. Stones may
also contain a mixture of both. Uric acid stones form mainly in acid urine and
are yellow or black. A few stones are formed from the oxidised amino acid
cystine with a waxy appearance.
A high protein diet
contains a large amount of phosphate that overstimulates the parathyroids and
raises the calcium blood level. This gives rise to the formation of calcium
phosphate stones, especially when the urine is alkaline.
Sugar
Sucrose, the common
household sugar, has several negative effects. One experimentally controlled
study found that sugar added to a meal will greatly increase urinary calcium as
well as oxalate excretions and that both reach maximum levels together, thereby
greatly increasing the possibility of precipitation.
This over-saturation of the
kidneys tends to result in calcific lesions that serve as foci on which
crystals begin to aggregate and start to form stones. Sugar also increases the
urinary output of an enzyme that is indicative of kidney disease. Most at risk
from sugar are individuals with an excessive insulin response and this includes
most stone formers.
In addition, insulin levels
remain permanently elevated in maturity-onset diabetics and others due to
habitual sugar consumption. They are also elevated in stressed individuals as
the blood glucose levels become less sensitive to insulin in the presence of
high adrenalin levels. Increased insulin levels in turn elevate the blood
calcium levels that then lead to an increased concentration of calcium in the
urine. It has been experimentally shown that stone-formers lose up to five times
the normal amount of calcium in the urine after ingesting 100 g of sucrose. In
one study about 60% of habitual stone formers had an excessive insulin response
to sugar. Another demonstrated effect of high sucrose and fructose consumption
is a rise in blood levels of uric acid.
Vitamins, Minerals and
Stimulants
Two minerals with a
negative effect are sodium and cadmium. In one study stone-formers normalised
their excessive calcium levels by restricting their sodium intake.
Cadmium is a heavy metal
that is significantly increased in stone-formers. It causes renal tubular
damage and can lead to calcific foci with increased oxalate crystallisation. A
group of coppersmiths with chronic cadmium exposure had a 40% incidence of
kidney stones as compared to 3.5% in the general population.
Citric acid is essential
for cellular energy production. Elderly individuals and those on diets high in
meat and fat have low levels of citric acid. Citric acid also prevents
individual crystals of calcium salts from fusing together to form stones.
Therefore, heavy meat-eaters easily become stone-formers.
In one experiment long-term
supplementation with sodium citrate did not reduce stone formation while
potassium citrate reduced stone formation by 86% in susceptible individuals. Citrus
fruit provide a high intake of potassium citrate.
There is an antagonism
between calcium and magnesium due to a common regulation through the
parathyroids. Increased magnesium supply tends to lower the calcium loss and
inhibits the precipitation of calcium salts in the kidneys. In two long-term
studies magnesium supplementation reduced the incidence of calcium stone
formation by more than 90%.
Vitamin B6 is essential for
the normal metabolism of oxalic acid. A deficiency leads to accumulation of
oxalic acid. In one study oxalate stone formation was reduced with 60 mg
vitamin B6 daily but not with 20 mg. In another study with intakes from 75 to
600 mg of vitamin B6, supplementation with 150 mg daily was found to be optimal
for oxalate reduction in the urine.
In addition, vitamin A,
folic acid and zinc may help to reduce stone formation and supplementation can
be of advantage. Low levels of these cause various common nutrients to form
oxalic acid.
Long-term coffee drinking
or caffeine in general has been shown to result in increased calcium loss. Two
cups of coffee caused an additional calcium loss of 22 mg per day. In addition,
with oxalate-related stones foods high in oxalic acid are best avoided, such as
rhubarb, cocoa, instant coffee, spinach and tea.
Excessive tea drinking, for
instance, has been blamed for the high incidence of oxalate kidney stones of
the British troops in India during the Second World War. However, generally the
effect of dietary oxalic acid is negligible, except if one eats much refined
food. With a healthy, mainly unrefined diet most of the oxalic acid combines in
the digestive tract with calcium to form insoluble calcium oxalate, which is
then excreted. Only in diets low in fibre, vitamin B6 and calcium is dietary
oxalate a contributing factor to stone formation.
There have been allegations
that high intakes of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) may lead to the formation of
oxalate kidney stones. While there is a slight elevation of oxalate in urine
with mega doses, various controlled studies have not found increased stone
formation. On the contrary, there are indications that the higher urine acidity
from ascorbic acid helps to prevent or dissolve phosphate kidney stones. This,
of course, is valid only for ascorbic acid, not for calcium or sodium
ascorbate. Nevertheless, in case of uraemia or kidney failure a high vitamin C
intake would contribute to the workload of the kidneys and supplements should
not exceed 1 g daily.
Meat
While all proteins increase
phosphorus levels to some degree, animal protein, especially from meat, has an
additional detrimental effect on stone formers. In comparison to vegetarians
urine excretions of calcium, oxalate and uric acid are 50 - 400% higher in
non-vegetarians. The higher the intake of animal protein, the higher is the
level of these stone-forming substances. Stone formers usually have the highest
intakes of animal protein.
It has been calculated that
the risk of stone-formation is about 6 - 700% higher in those with a high
intake of animal protein as compared to vegetarians. In addition, meat is the
main source of uric acid. While urate stones represent only a minority of
kidney stones, elevated levels of uric acid cause calcium oxalate to
precipitate and crystallise.
DIET
Use a low-allergy
semi-vegetarian diet based mainly on fresh raw and steamed vegetables. The
amount of animal protein as well as high-protein legumes should be determined
by the condition. If it is not too serious, that is if dialysis is not required
or expected, then fish may be used occasionally, also a few eggs per weak and a
small to moderate amount of yoghurt or cottage cheese made of goats' milk.
However, in more serious
conditions and also as temporary mild cleansing periods, avoid completely all
animal protein and soybeans and use other legumes only in moderation,
preferably in sprouted form. Brown rice and other non-gluten grains, cooked and
raw vegetables as well as extra-virgin olive oil may provide the bulk of the
energy requirement. Between and before meals have some tart or acid fruit, such
as grapefruit, orange, pineapple, berries and apple. Except with low blood
pressure and sensitive skin, you may also have fruit meals and fruit days.
Foods of special benefit are
fresh vegetable juices, including wheat grass and other grasses and leaves with
plenty of parsley and celery, also dandelion leaves if available, green beans
and bean pod tea, cucumber, horseradish, lemon juice, fenugreek, watermelon and
banana. If available frequently have a small amount of Jerusalem artichoke
about the size of a hen's egg. Preferably go for several months on a raw
vegetable and fruit diet.
We can live healthily on a
diet very low in protein only if most of that protein is raw or unheated. Good
sources for this are sprouted seeds and fresh vegetable juices, especially
juice of grass and leaves. In addition frequently stir a teaspoon of spirulina
powder and wheat grass or barley grass juice extract powder into a glass of
juice or water and drink before or between meals.
Minimize meat, sugar and
sweetened food, cow's milk products and wheat products, processed food with
added chemicals, salt or salted food, polyunsaturated oils and margarine, soft
drinks, rhubarb, coffee, tea, alcohol, nicotine, baking powder, and medicinal
drugs.
Drink plenty of good
quality water, rainwater or soft bore water, otherwise filtered or distilled
but definitely no chlorinated or fluoridated water. Drink 1 l each 30 to 60
minutes before breakfast, lunch and dinner. You may drink water or weak herb
teas, diluted vegetable juices or water with lemon juice.
Cadmium, a heavy metal, has
been shown to cause renal tubular damage. Cadmium is widely used in the
manufacture of plastics and electro-plating. Avoid water conducted through
black polythene pipes, also from plated containers and the first water coming
out of taps. Galvanised iron contains some cadmium but that is less harmful due
to the very favourable ratio of zinc to cadmium.
Frequently have cleansing
periods mainly on fruits only, mostly tart and acid varieties. Also fasts on
watermelons are excellent; chew the seeds as well. However, sensitive
individuals should use fresh vegetables in preference and also fresh vegetable
juices. Highly recommended is the Basic Cleanse.
Reintroduce normal food gradually after a fast and watch for any sign of
allergy such as a high pulse rate, pain, discomfort or rash and especially any deterioration
in kidney functions. For further details see also Allergies
and Addictions.
Supplements
With kidney stones,
inflammation or infection of the urinary tract and not more than a moderate
deterioration in kidney functions you may take with each meal up to half a
teaspoon of ascorbic acid and as a magnesium supplement either 1 teaspoon of
milk of magnesia or half a teaspoon of magnesium carbonate or magnesium
chloride or somewhat less magnesium oxide. Also take a low potency B complex,
natural vitamin E and either a halibut or shark liver oil capsule. With kidney
stones use additional vitamin B6 to raise the total amount per meal to about 50
mg.
Use a trace mineral
supplement high in zinc and manganese or use separate supplements for these.
With serious impairment of kidney functions use only a low-potency
multivitamin-mineral supplement and none of the others mentioned above.
However, on a diet very low in protein take supplements of essential amino
acids, this is especially important for children. Test these amino acids but
also all supplements for allergy.
Suitable herbs to improve
kidney functions and serve as mild diuretics to prevent water retention and
oedema are buchu, corn silk, dandelion, elder and juniper berries, peach leaves
and uva ursi.
Warning: If on dialysis do not stop your
normal dialysis routine when starting on this nutritional program. Instead
phase it out gradually according to the results of your urine and blood
analysis tests.
URINE THERAPY
Drinking one's own urine is
common in India and was formerly also a trusted home remedy in some rural parts
of Europe. Fresh urine generally is sterile and has excellent wound-healing
qualities. Some European health practitioners claim to have obtained healing
results with urine fasts, which could not be achieved with other methods of
fasting or healing (see The Water of Life by J. W. Armstrong).
Success rates approaching
100% have been claimed in the treatment of severe kidney disorders including
complete kidney failure. Reasons for this strong healing potential of urine
are:
The Urine Fast
Drink all of your freshly
voided urine and in addition sufficient good-quality water for a total fluid
intake of at least 5 litres on the first day. If the urine is very concentrated
in the beginning, it may be strongly diluted with water. However, the more
concentrated the urine, the stronger is its stimulating effect on bowel
movements.
After several days, the
urine usually becomes more or less clear and tasteless. The overall daily fluid
intake and output may gradually build up to 10 litres or more. When high
volumes are reached, discontinue the addition of water.
The high fluid intake,
together with the stimulating properties of the urine, will normally prompt
frequent bowel movements, especially in the beginning. In this way, harmful
substances such as toxins and uric acid are safely removed, while the vitamins
and minerals are reabsorbed.
Urine fasts reportedly are
more successful if the body is extensively rubbed with urine during this time.
Only small amounts are needed, pour a teaspoonful into the hollow of a hand and
rub the skin until it is dry. The original recommendations in The Water of
Life speak of two hours of daily rubbing, especially over diseased parts
and problem areas. One may also use urine compresses on these parts. After
rubbing, take a shower.
The duration of urine fasts
is commonly between four and ten days. However, it varies greatly according to
the nature of the disease. With some life-threatening diseases it has been
found that the body often reacted quite badly if food was given before it was
properly cleansed. As with water fasts, a return of the appetite usually
indicates the completion of the cleansing process. However, prolonged fasts,
especially if in poor health, should always be under the care of an experienced
practitioner.
Drinking unpleasant urine:
close your nose with thumb and forefinger while drinking the urine and until
you have rinsed your mouth twice with diluted fruit juice, spit out the juice.
Alternatively, you may just hold your breath during this time. Normally no bad
taste or after-taste develops with this procedure. However, as the body becomes
cleaner the urine loses its offensive qualities and tastes and smells more or
less like the food one has last eaten. With high volumes discard the late
evening urine to reduce urinating during the night.
Armstrong in The Water
of Life gives many case histories, here just a few details to show the
scope of the therapy:
A woman in her forties with
complete kidney failure: Largely because of water retention she had about
doubled her normal weight and been told by her doctors that she had two days to
live. Urine very scanty, thick, looking like a mixture of blood and pus. By the
fourth day of the urine fast her urine flow had increased from less than 60 ml
per day to about 6 liter. On the 23rd day she tried a small amount of carrot
juice but had a strong setback. She continued the fast and broke it on the 49th
day with fresh orange juice. A week later she had complete recovered.
A male patient, also
supposed to be close to death, had doubled his weight to about 190 kg. He
fasted for 55 days and was completely recovered shortly afterwards. Another
male patient of 75 years fasted for 53 days and a boy of 11 years for 14 days.
Both recovered completely.
A young man of 19 years did
not have bowel movements for one week and had not passed urine for 72 hours.
Armstrong gave him some of his own urine. Two hours later he passed a small amount
of foul urine. Eight hours later he was nearly free of the excruciating pain he
had suffered for weeks. On the fifth day a doctor intervened and gave him a
tablespoon of ground wheat in water. Immediately the flow of urine stopped and
soon the former painful condition had returned. The urine fast was restarted
and broken on the 17th day. Ten days later he was back at work.
In cases of Bright's
disease when patients were not close to death fasts lasted from four to
fourteen days until recovery. Armstrong also gives the case of a man with a
diseased kidney in addition to a large stone. The kidney was due to be removed.
After several short fasts on urine this kidney was declared to be healthy and
without stone by the same hospital staff who before wanted to remove it.
If you want to use a less
radical method than a full urine fast, try the following: Collect your first
morning urine, dilute it to half a litre and drink immediately. One to two
hours later this will cause you to urinate a second time and again you dilute
it to half a litre and drink it. Do that a third and possibly a fourth time and
then have your breakfast and your normal food and drink for the rest of the
day.
If you start at 5 or 6 a.m.
you may have your breakfast between 9 and 10 a.m. and have given your kidneys
an excellent flush in the meantime that will quickly dissolve any stones and
wash out any calcifications and microbes. Repeat this as often as necessary to
heal your kidneys.
However, my favorite
to re-activate kidney functions is to drink, slowly and spaced out, about 3
liters of high-quality water (no chlorine or fluoride) before breakfast. To
each liter add up to a cupful of fresh urine and the content of one capsule of
MegaHydrin or Microhydrin. Instead of these you may also use alkaline water
from a water ionizer. Useful alternative antioxidants are ascorbic acid and
alpha lipoic acid. Preferably start with smaller amounts and only gradually
increase to 3 liters if problems arise, such as water retention, then reduce
the fluid intake temporarily. If already on dialysis then use water low in
minerals with these additions and increase the volume of drinking water more
slowly to match the output of urine.
Armstrong claims to have
cured many thousands of patients, many of them with so-called incurable
diseases and close to death. However, he is emphatic that no medical or other
drugs must be taken during urine fasts. While I suspect that most kidney
patients will prefer dialysis or kidney transplants, I offer this information
for the few who are willing to try. For details and further information see
also the related articles Urea and Urine Therapy and Urine Therapy Prevents Kidney Failure.
ADDITIONAL THERAPY
A more conventional therapy
to delay the need for dialysis is colonic irrigation (colonies) with plenty of
low-mineral water. This helps to reduce high blood levels of toxins and waste.
Epsom salts and castor oil
packs over the kidneys can be of great benefit. Wet a cloth with concentrated
warm Epsom salt solution and place it over the kidneys. Keep warm for 1 - 2
hours with a hot water bottle. At other times use warm castor oil on a woollen
cloth, keep warm. Repeat these packs frequently. With inflammation and pain a fresh
outer cabbage leaf over the kidneys may bring relief.
To use colour therapy,
shine a bright orange light at close range onto the kidney area for kidney
stones, but use blue light in case of pain. Exclude daylight or other electric
light. In case of weak kidneys violet light is best. More convenient than a
coloured light bulb is coloured cellophane, place several layers of violet
cellophane over the kidneys and expose this to bright light or sunshine.
Generally keep light bulbs about half a meter away from the skin. Treat for 30
to 60 minutes at a time.
The foot reflexes for the
kidneys are near the centre of the soles of the feet. Press around this area
until you find the sorest spot and then continue to press. You may also press
it onto a stone or golf ball or against the edge of a table. Repeat daily until
recovered. It also helps to press into tight muscles at the small of the back
and tap the vertebrae in this area. For further details see the article on Reflexology.
Adopt a daily routine of
meditation or relaxation exercises followed by guided imagery. Imagine white or
golden yellow-healing energy entering the top of your head, filling your body
and concentrating in the kidneys. For other mind healing methods see Mind Therapies.
The kidneys are
linked through acupuncture meridians to the teeth and jaws in upper and lower
positions 1 and 2. Dead teeth, a metal bridge, root, gum or jawbone infections
or inflammations in these positions tend to interfere with kidney and bladder
functions. While generally all dead teeth should be removed, with kidney
diseases it is important to sanitise any problems with the front teeth.
Constipation can contribute
to kidney problems. If necessary use more laxative food such as ground linseed
and psyllium hulls. Most important is the Ultimate
Cleanse to sanitize the intestines and eliminate microbes which are
commonly a main cause of this disease.
With kidney failure combine the Ultimate Cleanse with Reflexology, diet,
and drinking as much diluted lemon or grapefruit juice or (organic)
cider vinegar as possible before meals without causing fluid retention. The
citrus juices should be freshly pressed and diluted with water that has a low
mineral content. If the body is or becomes too acid see if you can neutralize
it with spirulina powder.
To recapitulate: Have a high fluid intake as
unpolluted water (rain water, filtered or distilled), diluted herb teas or
diluted wheat grass juice and fresh vegetable juices; minimise the intake of
meat, sweet food, sodium, calcium and phosphates; use plenty of raw food,
especially salads and acid citrus fruit. Have frequent and prolonged fasting
periods on apples, citrus fruit, wheat grass and other vegetable juices, try
urine fast; do the ultimate cleanse and test for food allergies.
The most important
supplements are ascorbic acid, vitamin B6, magnesium and zinc, ground linseed,
fish oils, and a mixture of kidney herbs,. Sanitise your front teeth, possibly
spinal adjustment and stimulation at the small of the back, experiment with
packs, colour therapy, reflexology and mind improvement methods.