7 Kidney Foods that Double as Medicine
There are 7 kidney friendly foods and beverages with healing properties so powerful they may actually double as medicine.
Some of the foods I have today can lower your blood pressure more than prescription drugs, some others may even help preventing cancer!
I can’t believe I’ve never talked about the foods of today’s video before!
nuff said Let’s start immediately, let’s see our number 7!
Hibiscus Tea
Oh, great, let’s start with a powerful, kidney friendly drink!
Research has uncovered a range of health benefits linked to drinking hibiscus tea: it may, fight bacteria and aid weight loss and even lower blood pressure! Which is crucial if you want to lower your creatinine levels.
You may find hibiscus tea under different names depending on where you live.
For example, here in Italy it’s called karkade. But it is also known as Agua De Jamaica and Jamaica Tea.
And, although commonly called tea, it’s actually a tisane – a beverage made from steeping dried or fresh hibiscus flowers in boiling water.
This is important because teas and tisanes are prepared in different ways. You need the water to boil and several minutes of infusion to make a tisane.
Especially if you want to get the important health benefits this infusion can provide!
Actually, Hibiscus tea is so rich in powerful antioxidants that it may even help prevent damage and disease caused by the buildup of free radicals!
And, one of the most impressive and well-known benefits of hibiscus tea is that it may lower blood pressure.
Actually, a 2015 review of five studies found that hibiscus tea decreased both systolic and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 7.58 mmHg and 3.53 mmHg, respectively!
Yes, this is just a tisane made from dried flowers, not a pill! I mean, I’ve just bought this box from the supermarket shelf.
In another study about it: 60 people with diabetes were given either hibiscus tea or black tea.
After one month, those who drank hibiscus tea experienced increased “good” HDL cholesterol and decreased total cholesterol, “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Incredible!
Actually, it is advisable that people with high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels check their levels regularly if consuming hibiscus tea.
It may decrease blood sugar and blood pressure levels … drastically, which is great, but your doctor should know what you’re doing so they can then adjust the dosages for the drugs you need.
Yes, this tea really doubles as medicine! Very powerful medicine too!
So, guys, share this video with anyone you know who may want to lower their blood pressure without drugs!
This is really great, by the way
Ok, time for our number 6 now!
Do you want to play a game? Shall we? Yeah, let’s make this interesting!
I have a question for you!
In this bag there is a … healthy seed.
And while many seeds are full of nutrients, antioxidants and health benefits, this one is quite special:
It’s the seed with the lowest potassium levels you can find! So it is particularly kidney friendly!
Ok, listen to this question and answer in comment!
WHICH seed is the lowest in potassium: sunflower seed, chia seed, flaxseed or sesame seed
Ok guys, you have 10 seconds to think about the answer and to write it down in comment section!
The answer is in this bag!
Let’s play, write, write, write
Are you ready?
And the seed with the lowest potassium levels is…
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Chia seed!
An incredibly healthy choice for people with kidney problems!
Chia seeds are probably the best plant-based source of omega 3 fatty acids.
And they’re also low in potassium, compared to other seeds: 1 oz, or 28 grams only has around 110mg of potassium.
Sunflower seeds for comparison have 215mg, flaxseeds 270mg and sesame seeds 160mg.
But how does this small seed double as a medicine?
Well, chia seeds almost act as a natural statin.
Given that chia seeds are high in fiber, antioxidants and omega-3s, they may reduce your risk of heart disease.
Rat studies have shown that chia seeds can lower certain risk factors, including triglycerides, inflammation, insulin resistance and belly fat. They may also raise “good ” HDL cholesterol – thanks to the omega 3s they contain.
A few studies show that chia seeds significantly reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension, which is a strong risk factor for kidney disease – but the results are still not conclusive.
What’s more, chia seeds are incredibly easy to incorporate into your diet.
They don’t need to be ground like flax seeds, for example, so you can eat them raw, soaked in juice, added to porridge, pudding, smoothies or added to baked goods.
Time for our number 5, this food really doubles as medicine, it has kidney protecting and blood sugar lowering properties! Let’s see it!
Number 5 is…
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5 Sweet Potato
Oh, I bet you weren’t expecting this one! But sweet potatoes are a truly underrated vegetable!
There are so many misconceptions surrounding them!
First of all, despite the fact they’re moderately high in potassium and called “sweet”, these root vegetables are actually very healthy!
And, yes, you can even eat sweet potatoes in a kidney friendly diet! I’ll show you how in a moment.
The other thing you may not know about sweet potatoes is that … they’re not potatoes!
They are naturally sweet roots in the morning glory family. Unlike yams, which are actually potatoes.
The majority of Sweet potatoes sold are Rose color or purple skin with orange flesh or Pale copper/tan skin with white flesh.
Now, the most important thing about sweet potatoes: they are so loaded with nutrients they may actually double as medicine.
Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are a great source of carotenoids, a type of antioxidant with kidney protecting benefits.
Purple sweet potatoes are high in another natural compound called anthocyanin, very healthy for your heart.
All these antioxidants will protect your body and kidneys from free radicals, unstable molecules that can damage DNA and trigger inflammation.
And, despite their sweet flavor, sweet potatoes don’t increase blood sugar as much as you might expect.
Actually, they may even improve blood sugar control in those with type 2 diabetes – since they’re packed with healthy fibers and they’re low on the glycemic index!
And there’s a special way of cooking them, called potassium leaching, that will also make them low in potassium.
And I know that many of you guys already know how to leach potassium from potatoes.
But the procedure for sweet potatoes is a little bit different: for the most effective potassium removal, sweet potatoes should be leached in warm water.
This is According to the National Kidney Foundation.
Let’s see how to do it.
Slice the sweet potato into thin pieces and rinse under warm running water.
Place in a warm water bath at a ratio of ten parts water to one part sweet potatoes. Soak for at least two hours.
Rinse again in warm water and cook at a ratio of five parts water to one part sweet potatoes.
Boil them for at least 10 minutes.
This is an effective strategy to retain the nutrients and the taste while getting rid of the potassium!
And it means that… sweet potatoes are back on the menu! Great!
Time for our number 4 now! The next food does not just have powerful medicinal properties.
In this bag I have something every kidney patient should eat regularly.
Let’s see it!
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Number 4, Cucumber!
Oh, what an exceptional vegetable! First of all, cucumbers are full of healthy fibers, vitamins and other healthy plant compounds!
And … these vegetables should be a regular in the diet of people with diabetes!
There are several studies showing that cucumbers may help reduce blood sugar levels and prevent some complications of diabetes.
a study induced diabetes in mice and then supplemented them with cucumber peel extract. Cucumber peel reversed most of the diabetes-associated changes and caused a decrease in blood sugar.
One theory is that the cucurbitacins in cucumber help regulate insulin release and the metabolism of hepatic glycogen, a key hormone in the processing of blood sugar.
Fiber, too, may help prevent and manage type 2 diabetes, according to research.
So always eat cucumbers with the peel!
And also consider that cucumbers are almost calorie free, and don’t worry about the potassium, there’s just about 150mg in 100 grams, or half small sized cucumber.
Now, there’s another reason why this one should be considered a food that doubles as medicine: cucumbers are known for having exceptional wound and tissue healing and capabilities.
They are an excellent source of the chemical compound silica, which helps the body re-grow connective tissue in the muscles, ligaments, tendons and other tissues.
Actually, cucumbers are often found in beauty products or directly applied on the skin exactly for this reason.
Applying sliced cucumber directly to the skin can help cool and soothe the skin and reduce swelling and irritation. It can alleviate sunburn.
Placed on the eyes, a cucumber slice can even help decrease morning puffiness.
And, according to some research, eating cucumber may even help if you have swelling in your hands or feet – or if you have a bladder infection.
This may be due to the phytonutrients called lignans.
Time for our number 3 now!
The next superfood has anticancer properties, which makes it one of the most powerful medicinal foods in the world.
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Number 3, Collard greens!
Collards are a member of the cruciferous family, which includes popular vegetables such as kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.
And while all Cruciferous vegetables contain a wide array of antioxidants – linked to a decreased risk of heart disease – research has proven that collard greens have equal-if not better-cholesterol-lowering and heart healthy properties than their leafy relatives.
What’s more, this veggie here has something none of the other members of the cruciferous family has: it is low in potassium!
Just 210mg per 100grams, or about 3 cups. Yes, you can go wild with this one!
No portion control like you would have with kale, for example, which has more than two times the potassium in collard greens!
And collard greens are a very good source of vitamins B2, B6, and choline, and a good source of vitamins B1, niacin, folate, and pantothenic acid. And if you have watched my video about vitamins for people with kidney disease, you may already know how important vitamins of the b group are for you.
So, just like cucumbers, this is a veggie that in my opinion should be a regular in the diet of people with kidney problems!
Not to mention that collard greens are one of the best plant sources of calcium available – especially useful for people with kidney disease.
Adequate calcium intake from plant sources can promote bone health and has been shown to decrease the risk of osteoporosis.
And, as I was saying, this cruciferous vegetable is number 3 in my top 7 of foods with medicinal properties for one reason: it may be able to fight cancer.
One study found that eating more than one serving of collard greens per week was associated with a decreased risk of some cancers.
The cancer-preventive properties of collard greens may be largely related to glucosinolates, the plant compounds that give this veggie its pungent flavor.
And these glucosinolates lower our cancer risk by supporting our body’s detox and anti-inflammatory systems.
Another reason to add this veggie to your diet: you can eat it raw, in a salad, or lightly steamed.
People in the south of the US love to braise collards with ham for hours, but these hearty leaves are delicious quickly sauteed and also make an amazing slaw.
Now, to find this one at the grocery store, look for a vegetable that’s similar in leaf size and color to kale but less curly.
This is a veggie that’s available year round in almost any part of the globe.
Ok, time for our number 2 now! One of the healthiest food in the world, this may actually replace one or two pills people with kidney problems take every day!
Is this even possible? Let’s see!
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Oh, Garlic!
Cannot make a top 7 of foods with healing properties without including garlic!
Consuming garlic regularly has several, proven benefits for people suffering from kidney disease. It can lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity in people with diabetes.
it can lower blood pressure by up to 9 over 5 millimeters of mercury – more than anti hypertension drugs.
it can fight oxidative stress and inflammation.
it can even fight high cholesterol, in determinate conditions.
So, if there’s one food that deserves to be considered medicine, it’s garlic.
Actually, I was really going to give it the number 1 spot, today. I’ll show you why I didn’t in a moment.
Now, all these benefits are clearly going to help you a lot in fighting kidney disease.
And they are all possible due to the allicin content of garlic.
Studies have shown that at least 10mg of allicin a day are required, if you want garlic to lower your blood pressure and your blood sugar levels.
To get enough allicin, eat 1 to 4 cloves of fresh garlic a day. Don’t cook it, or you will decrease the allicin content.
Just peel it, cut it into small pieces and eat it.
But what is the right quantity of garlic for you? Let’s see it with the … Kidney health tip of the day!
There’s a small, but growing number of physicians that are “prescribing” foods not only for weight management, but also to prevent and treat chronic diseases.
And we have seen that this may actually be possible, if we consider, for example, the blood pressure lowering properties of hibiscus tea or garlic.
So, there’s only one tip I want to give you today, but it is very important!
It’s …
Become an Expert on You!
Just because something is known for providing certain benefits doesn’t necessarily mean it will do the same for you.
You are unique and it’s essential to be patient and flexible when on this journey.
As a result, it’s important to get to know yourself, to know what works for you and how.
And the best way to do is to start a health journal.
A health journal is like a diary which let’s you keep track of your health.
If paired with the medicinal foods of today’s video, it may even help you lower your creatinine levels!
Especially if you use it to gradually introduce blood pression and blood glucose lowering foods and beverages.
A health diary will also make it a lot Easier to Stay On Track: writing things down provides a layer of accountability and a reason to keep up doing things right.
So, my advice here is to download and print the excel spreadsheet I personally use and to use it at your own advantage.
Because, for example, the combined benefits of garlic and hibiscus tea are impressive when it comes to lowering your blood pressure.
If you can leverage them to lower your need for medications the results will be really incredible.
To do this you should take your blood pressure and blood sugar levels every single day and write down if the levels are decreasing when introducing these healing foods
This is the only way to see immediately what’s working and it will also give your doctor the info they need to lower your medications, if appropriate.
And, yes, that’s how you lower your creatinine levels.
Ok guys, time for our number one!
And the most powerful medicinal food in the world is…
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Ginger!
The many health benefits of ginger include soothing an upset stomach, helping with menstrual cramps, and contributing to weight loss.
But there are even studies on kidney disease patients showing that ginger has therapeutic effects in improving renal function.
This is because Ginger is loaded with bioactive compounds and nutrients that are helpful for our brain and body.
Ginger also contains gingerol, a substance with powerful medicinal properties.
It helps fight inflammation and this is more important than people realize:
kidney disease, like other chronic diseases will cause inflammation in the body.
Ginger can really help.
And, unlike garlic, it won’t cause bad breath or other side effects!
So, guys, what do you think? Are you already using these superfoods or will you start using them? Let me know!
And I really hope the information in this video will be able to help you!
A new video is coming next Friday, as usual, if you don’t want to miss it, subscribe and set the notification bell to all.
In the meantime, keep taking good care of your kidneys and be good to yourself.
This is all for today, thank you for watching!
About the Author
Michaelw Hi, my name is Michael and in this blog I'm gonna share the story of how I got off kidney dialysis for good. Getting off dialysis isn't easy at all, and that's why I'm trying to help people as much as I can.
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