The Kidneys
Reprinted from Sunshine Sharing

The river of life must always flow, and a malfunctioning kidney/bladder system has become a common problem for millions. With powerful chemicals being washed out of the body from stress or dietary and environmental poisons, inner tissue can be irritated or even burned. Constant irritation will wear down the health of the urinary system and leave it open to infection

A common irritant is diuretic drugs, often taken to expel excess water from the body,to lose weight or alleviate swelling. Other drugs can be irritating also, especially if the liver is unable to sufficiently neutralize their toxic properties first.
Another common problem is caused by not drinking enough water, or water that is contaminated. Although 8 glasses of water are recommended, this amount is not correct for everyone. Too much water can diminish the blood's oxygen and cause lethargy or a type of "drunkenness". Too little cuts energy production and all cell activity, also piling up wastes to poison and suffocate the whole system. Drink enough to satisfy your inner feedback system. It knows how much you need, unless you are experiencing certain diseases (like diabetes) that warp your inner signals for thirst.


So besides using treated water, various nutritional aids can strengthen, clean out, and increase the proper function of the kidneys and its associated bladder and tubes.
The body uses the kidneys to maintain a balance of many processes and needed nutrients. The blood flowing through the kidneys needs to have a pH of 6-7. This can be determined by touching a small piece of litmus (Nitrazine) paper to a drop of urine. (You can purchase litmus paper at any pharmacy.) Any large shift to either alkaline or acid can be a warning of trouble.

If stress has caused an alkaline (higher pH number) condition, this is medically called "alkalosis". Certain acids like vitamin C, lemon juice, cranberries, apples and especially apple cider vinegar diluted with water are excellent normalizers.
A pH of 4 is too acid and "five" may be temporary, and nothing to be alarmed about. Sometimes vinegar will drop the pH that low for awhile, but soft drinks and coffee are very acidic (4.5 pH) and cause a lowering of the pH also. People drawn to these drinks may actually be suffering from alkalosis as a result of stress and are unwittingly balancing their blood pH. However, they are using a means that may harm other parts of the body at the same time.

Everyone probably recalls having the flu and the backache that went with it. This was more than likely caused by overloaded kidneys trying to cleanse the body from the mass of destroyed germs and body tissue that occurs during an illness. The kidneys ache. This is an important time to rest and wash the poisons out by diluting them with plenty of liquid-healing broth, "green drinks" (made from blended/strained wheat grass or other greens), fruit and vegetable juices and pure water.

Without getting into the function of the kidneys, it should be understood that each contains little tubules that must not die or the blood cannot be cleansed. Dirty blood wears out the body, like dirty oil in an engine. Never allow this to happen! Your kidneys are giving you a continual "oil change" every minute. Of the heart's total output, the kidneys take 25% all the time. Remember that exercise will also help keep the plumbing running, and can help strengthen muscles needed to prevent embarrassing moments. More on that later.

We must not forget the bladder. This little storage facility has special muscles that actually wring itself out when emptying. Having to hold irritating substances for too many hours will weaken these muscles and the bladder may not totally empty. The remaining often contains bacteria which, in this warm environment, can cause bladder infection.
If, however, you experience bladder irritation, it could be one sign of a weakened constitution. If this is the case, JP-X or Golden seal, or Urinary Maintenance are very effective in combating this painful situation. Once the irritation is
overcome, continue to use Urinary Maintenance to help rebuild and maintain healthy kidneys and the overall urinary system. If the infection becomes persistent, or keeps recurring, it would be wise to check and treat for Candida Albicans.

This is just a general overview of the urinary system, and it will be the foundation upon which we will continue to build by discussing some of the specific problems and common distresses experienced within the kidneys and the bladder.

Signs of Urinary Problems
Some of the common signs of urinary weakness include:
* frequent urination
* burning urine
* backache
* lumbago
* fatigue
* thirst
* unusual fear
* graying hair
* insomnia
* weak digestion
* tinnitus (ringing in ears)
* memory loss
* weakness in legs
* constipation
Any one symptom is not conclusive of a problem. Look for a pattern of several signs before seeking help.

Symptoms & Conditions

Caution: As always, use wisdom and care when dealing with any physical problem. Do not take unnecessary chances. Nutritional supplements can give you remarkable results when used correctly. Be glad to get counsel and learn more about your particular problems. In that spirit of knowledge and being responsible, we offer some folk uses (some of which are being validated by scientific research) of various herbs, vitamins and minerals. Perhaps these will also help to correct other health problems you did not realize were related to the urinary system.

For support and suggestions use the link below
Urinary system issues including UTI