The treatments and home remedies for kidney disease include medical treatments like dialysis and kidney transplant, reducing the amount of salt in your diet, eating less potassium, and lowering your amount of protein intake. Other remedies include intake of dandelion, parsley juice, aloe vera juice, cranberry juice, apple cider vinegar, herbal tea, buchu, and barberry. These are the most well-known and trusted ways to deal with various kidney diseases.
Kidney disease, also known as nephropathy or renal disease is a wide-ranging term for a variety of diseases that can affect the health of the kidneys. The most common among these are kidney stones, but top among the diseases that can lead to kidney failure and fatality is chronic kidney disease. Kidney disease can be acute or chronic.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) or chronic renal disease means that the kidneys are no longer able to filter the blood. This is labeled as a chronic condition because the damage is gradual and occurs over a long period of time. In this case, the kidneys don’t filter out extra water and wastes from your body, resulting in toxins to build up in your body. CKD can also result in many other complications like issues with blood pressure, the production of red blood cells, and bone health. [1]
The kidneys are the most important organ of the human body. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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Treatments & Remedies for Kidney Disease
While medical treatments help in curing the condition, following a proper diet can actually help prevent or reduce the symptoms of kidney diseases. We have discussed all of them in greater detail below.
Medical Treatments
Medical treatments for kidney disease include the use of medicines like captopril, lisinopril, losartan, etc. Although medicines work in most cases, a chronic kidney disease may also call for a dialysis or kidney transplant. In dialysis, the machine takes over the kidney function – there are two types of dialysis, one is hemodialysis and the other one is peritoneal dialysis. While dialysis requires a minor surgery, a kidney transplant involves a major surgery. Not just that, but in the case of a kidney transplant, you also might have to wait for longer periods of time.
Reduction in Salt
Due to the excessive strain put on the body by kidney disease and failure, adding salt to the body makes the situation much more difficult. The loss of potassium into the urine means that there is almost always too much salt in the body in terms of the necessary balance. Therefore, you should adopt a low-salt diet to make sure the fluid balance in the body remains appropriate. Frozen foods and convenience style meals are notoriously high in salt. Add fresh vegetables and fruit to your diet, and avoid adding too much spice and salts to your meat dishes and other meals. [15]
Potassium Content
Although one of the problems is salt in the diet, choosing low potassium foods is also recommended. The excess of all types of minerals can be dangerous when not balanced, and sodium occasionally outweighs potassium. Therefore, avoiding high potassium concentration foods like bananas, oranges, potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes are recommended. This particular remedy is actually dependent on the case. Some doctors will tell you to increase your potassium intake, while others will tell you to reduce it. [16]
Lower Your Protein Intake
An excess amount of protein in the body can also exacerbate the problem of kidney disease, although one of the symptoms of kidney disease is a loss of protein. It is a very challenging disease to treat because many of the things that can make a person better for most diseases can actually make the situation worse with this specific form of renal disease. [17]
Water
Perhaps the simplest way of solving kidney issues is to simply flood the body with water. This will stimulate urination, which is the body’s primary way of releasing liquid as well as toxins. Urine is made up of fats, protein, water, and excess salts. Therefore, by drinking 6-8 glasses of water every day, you can flush your system and help to reduce the number of toxins that are accumulating in your kidney, therefore delaying the need for dialysis and slowing the progression of kidney disease. [18]
Dandelion
Dandelion is a good source of vitamin A and has been used in traditional medical systems against various conditions. Research suggests that it has diuretic properties and may help in against kidney diseases. [19] [20]
Parsley Juice
Parsley is a perfect kidney cleanser and is used as a home remedy for kidney diseases, around the world. Parsley is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin B (thiamin and riboflavin), and vitamin C, as well as potassium, and copper. Chop up the parsley leaves and boil them in a pot of water. You can then drink this water when it is cool. It can improve the general health and toxicity levels within your kidney, whether it is a preventative measure or a remedy to slow the progression of the disease once it begins. Parsley is also a diuretic substance, which helps flush out toxins. [21]
Herbal Tea
There are a number of herbal teas that are often prescribed for the treatment of kidney disease. The most common recommended blends are green tea, marshmallow tea, blueberry tea, gravel root tea, and dandelion tea. These are some of the most popular and effective herbal varieties and have been used in various countries around the world as a home remedy for kidney disease since they are packed with antioxidants and detoxifying compounds that keep the kidneys functioning properly. [22]
Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice is recommended for all sorts of kidney issues and is probably the most widely known and utilized form of a home remedy since cranberry juice is widely available and delicious to drink as well. The organic compounds found in cranberries are very effective for reducing the severity of infections in the kidney. Drink 2-3 glasses of cranberry juice during periods of inflammation or irritation in the kidneys. This is also a good method for preventing the development of kidney infections. However, it is important not to drink too much cranberry juice, as the potent fruit juice can be toxic in extremely high concentrations. [23]
Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe vera juice is used in so many different health treatments for various conditions, so it comes as no surprise that it will also be beneficial for fighting kidney infections. The healing and antioxidant properties make aloe vera a powerful tool in the battle against kidney disease. [24]
Apple Cider Vinegar
When you mix apple cider vinegar with some honey in a large glass of water and drink this once or twice every day, you can seriously improve your chances of preventing kidney disease or keeping the symptoms to a manageable level.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil can be used in many different recipes and foods. In fact, it can replace almost all of the other oils you use for most preparations. Extra virgin olive oil is well known to soothe inflammation and also detoxify the body. Therefore, it is ideal for slowing down the progression of kidney disease.
If you follow these treatments and monitor the way your body is functioning, you can live a long and happy life. However, it is a very serious health condition, so it is a good idea to see a doctor and get professional help.
