There are many self-care and wellness actions you can take to protect your kidneys even if you have chronic kidney disease, or if you just want to keep them healthy and stay well.

Find some ways to keep your kidneys healthy below. Consult the source listed below for more information.

1.  Eat polyunsaturated fatty acid foods.

Some foods to eat include fatty fish (tuna, salmon, mackerel, herring, whitefish), green leafy vegetables, flaxseed (add to salads, soups, yogurt, cereals, baked goods or fresh juices), olive oil, seeds and nuts.

2.  According to several studies, fish oil may reduce high blood pressure, prevent the development of proteinuria (protein in the urine) and minimize lesions. To insure these effects, take fish oil capsules daily.

3.  Eat a high soy and vegetarian diet and include flaxseeds. A report in the American Journal of Kidney Disease reviewed the recent findings from dietary intervention studies and found that soy and flaxseed both protect against kidney disease.

4.  Increase your intake of garlic. It can protect the kidney cortex (Free Radicals in Biological Medicine) and stop kidney damage in chronic kidney syndrome (Molecular and Cell Biochemistry).

5.  Vitamin B6 supplementation can improve tingling, numbness, and burning pain in fingers and toes that sometimes accompanies chronic kidney failure, according to a study in Nephrology Dialysis and Transplants.

6.  A Chinese herbal recipe called Yishen Huanshuai can markedly retard the rate of progression of chronic kidney disease when combined with a low protein diet and controlled blood pressure, according to one study.

7.  Drink a pint of raw carrot juice mixed with one pint of raw spinach juice daily. It would be best to purchase a juicer because the juice must be made fresh daily and drunk immediately.

8.  Try to eat the following foods more often. They are considered kidney tonics in Chinese Medicine: beef kidney, chestnuts, cinnamon, cloves, dill, fennel, fenugreek, lobster, pistachios,raspberries and strawberries.

9.  To balance negative thoughts, say or write one of the following affirmations 20 times every day:

      *  It is safe to grow and be joyful

      *  The right action is always taking place in my life.

      *  All things good come into my life

10. Hold your hands just above your waist on your back and say, "Phew!" 25 times. This will bring cleansing circulation to your kidneys.

11. Avoid concentrated sugars, dates, raisins, lots of protein, beet greens, cooked spinach, rhubarb, chocolate, coffee, tea, sugar and alcohol.

This article is excerpted from The American Holistic Nurses' Association Guide to Common Chronic Conditions: Self-Care Options to Complement Your Doctor's Advice, Wiley, 2003. For more information, consult this source.

This article is for information only. For treatment, consult your health care provider.Copyright www.carolynchambersclark.com

For more information about kidneys, click on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidney