Nutrition has played a vital role in Chinese medicine for a long time, generating health within people. There are specific foods that help strengthen a certain organ system including the kidney, metal, liver, spleen, and heart systems. Each of these systems has an express role in the functioning of the body. The nutritional requirements of the kidney organ system will be the topic of this article.
In Chinese medicine, the kidney organ system’s main function is to maintain the strength of a person’s willpower, control urine flow, optimize the function of the brain, preserve bone health, regulate growth and reproduction, and house life essence. Every other organ systems are affected by the kidneys. When kidney function is out of balance, symptoms such as ear disease or infections, loss of hearing, dental problems, lower back pain, weakening of the knees may occur. Another sign of a kidney imbalance is hair problems including premature graying, split ends, and hair loss. Any reproductive, sexual, or urinary health issues are also kidney-related issues and so too are excessive insecurity and fear, poor development and growth, and premature ovarian failure.
We can drink or eat various foods to help strengthen the kidney organ system. Of these, drinking water is perhaps, the most important thing to do. Water is the element associated with water and so to keep yourself well-hydrated, remind yourself to drink water throughout the day.
The kidney system can also benefit from salty flavored foods such as kimchi (a Korean dish), sauerkraut, miso, tamari, seaweed, and sea salt.
It’s important that you balance your salt intake. Switch to sea salt from table salt and do not consume too much salt.
Believe it or not, the kidney system can also benefit by eating foods shaped like a kidney. These include most beans but especially kidney beans, and black beans. This is called the doctrine of signatures, which states that herbs and foods that look like certain parts of the body can be utilized to resolve issues of that part of the body. The doctrine of signatures is a philosophy usually followed by most herbalists.
Black and blue foods such as figs, black beans, mulberries, blackberries, and blueberries can support the function of the kidney. The blue and black color is affiliated to the kidney element of water.
Eating certain seafoods can also be good for the kidney. These can include seaweeds, shrimp, fish, oysters, mussels, fresh water clams, and crab. Meat products such as duck, duck eggs, chicken and chicken eggs as well as pork are also good for the kidneys.
Seeds that reinforce the kidneys include black sesame, sunflower, flax, and pumpkin seeds. They all help regulate fertility and growth, which are physiological functions that the kidneys govern.
When a certain organ system is out of balance, you can help restore it to normal function by choosing the right foods to eat. With acupuncture treatment administered by a licensed acupuncturist in Orlando, you can get your body working at optimal levels and help your system feel great!
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