Bladder and Kidneys

The urinary system eliminates excess water from the body. What amazes me when speaking to people is that they believe they need to drink gallons of water a day; and by doing this, they find they are always in the bathroom or have to get up during the night to eliminate water. Does this make sense to you?

The average person requires six to eight cups of water daily. By drinking excessive water, you are putting your urinary system under stress all day. It needs a chance to rest. You could not eat all day without aggravating your digestive system. The same is true of your urinary system. If you do a lot of exercise or have a job where you do a lot of sweating, more water might be called for, but your body will let you know. You will be thirsty! When you are thirsty, always drink pure spring water, avoid city water or purified waters that are sold in stores.  A cup of water is necessary upon rising from sleep in order to re-hydrate the system; then 3/4 cup at a time will keep the system flushed and hydrated throughout the day.

The foods to avoid to heal the Bladder and Kidneys:
Caffeine aggravates the bladder and kidney. Get off the caffeine! This includes coffee, tea (except for decaffeinated herbal teas), caffeinated sodas and chocolate. I find this is a huge problem for people with urinary problems, but so often people don't want to hear this. They want to fix their chronic urinary problems without giving up the caffeine. Healing does not work this way. By knowing what aggravates the problem brings you a step closer to healing it. This is a reason I have such a hard time with schools serving caffeinated drinks. Although it is a legal drug, it is still a very addictive drug to the system and on top of it, it causes damage to the organs.

White refined sugars also affect the urinary system. Switch to complex sugars including pure maple syrup, barley malt, rice malt, molasses, sucanat, organic pure cane juice crystals, agave or stevia. A much better choice for cooking and sweetening. And your body will thank you! Water imbalances can also cause potassium imbalances. Sunflowers seeds are the most absorbable form of potassium I know. Swelling in the outer extremities may be a call for more potassium. A daily handful of sunflowers seeds (without salt) can be helpful.

Herbs and supplements that are beneficial to the Bladder and Kidneys:
Dandelion acts a diuretic when the body needs to balance its water. It is naturally high in potassium so it solves two problems with one herb. Juniper berries are also helpful as a diuretic. Cranberry helps to heal the urinary tract. Make sure it is pure cranberry free of refined sugars (juice, capsules or tea).

One of my favorite homeopathic combinations for this condition, which usually works quite well, is called Hyland's "Bladder Irritation". Clients have found success with this combination, but the caffeine must be eliminated for it to be effective.  The tissue salt Nat Mur 6x potency can also help balance the water system of the body.
Natrum Mur is a tissue salt that is the water balancer of the body. People whose bodies hold on to water and crave salty foods may find this tissue salt helpful. An imbalance in water of the body (either too wet or too dry in any part of the system) may be a clear indication for Natrum Mur.

Physical Symptoms of Bladder and Kidneys:
When a bladder is not functioning properly the most common complaints begin with bloating and frequent urination or the feeling of having to urinate without the ability to do so. Swelling of outer extremities is a cause to heal the urinary system, as well as parts of the body either being too wet or too dry (lips, eyes, skin, etc.) Burning and itching with or without discharge is most often a sign of bladder problems wherein yeast has attached itself to the bladder and is creating havoc.

Negative emotions that aggravate the Bladder and Kidneys:
The bladder holds the emotion of disappointments. Disappointment can be created by a number of negative emotions. So it is important to look at the reasons why the disappointment was created in the first place. Remember, if you have no expectations, you will have no disappointments. When you expect nothing, everything you get becomes a gift. What a wonderful way to go through life. There is no specific flower for disappointments. A flower choice would be more dependent upon the specific emotion that created the disappointment.The bladder area also speaks to relationship issues. People with chronic bladder issues tend to have competitive or victimization issues. There is often a great deal of disappointment that surrounds their relationships with themselves and/or others. In order to heal relationships with others, we must first heal our relationship with the self.

When the energy has moved up into the kidneys (2nd chakra - two!) disappointments are now attached to resentments, bitterness or blame outwardly directed at others.

To heal the Bladder and Kidneys, acceptance of oneself and others is essential.