The Art & Science of Detoxification – Part 5: Kidneys
Learning the art and science of detoxification is key to supporting to your EBV healing journey. In my case, I usually experience the viral flareup after heavily stressful life events (such a grieving loved ones and dealing without childcare during a pandemic in my most recent experience). While my body fights the higher viral load, my physical pathways get bogged up and the viral die-off seems to recirculate and make everything worse. Now that I’ve been through the pattern many times, I notice this is usually the starts of fatigue and brain fog and double-down on detoxing routines to get things moving and prevent a bigger crash.
While I’m not a medical professional, I’m here to share what I’ve learned about the pathways of detoxification and how you can apply rituals in your life. When fighting Epstein-Barr or any other pathogen, it’s important to give your body the support it needs to flush the garbage out. The six key detoxifying pathways are: Skin, Lungs, Kidneys, Digestion, Lymphatic and Liver. These systems work together to rid your body of toxins your skin, breath, stool and urine.
Please, I beg of you, don’t go googling any wild and crazy fad cleanses. Especially you have chronic illness, these kinds of cleanses can be extremely dangerous. It’s important to take small and steady steps forward, being kind and gentle to yourself. You don’t need drastic or expensive measures to make a big difference.
Where to Start:
I encourage you to start with Part 1 of this detox series - the Skin. Next up, let’s talk about our kidneys and renal system! Here are my favorite Renal Detoxing tips:
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate – Hydration is a fine balance, but most people aren’t drinking enough water. I happen to love water, especially at room temperature, and have a bottle with me throughout my day - at my desk and in my car. Choose filtered water and ideally avoid plastic bottles. If you dislike water, herbal teas are a nice option or a squeeze of lemon or a berry infusion can make a really pleasant treat. I happen to love mint-infused water! Remember, temperature can help make it interesting too - hot, warm, cold, iced or tepid are all different on the tongue. Make sure you are also considering electrolytes once a day, especially if your digestion is off and you are experiencing headaches or muscle cramps.
Avoid Imposter Hydration - While many other drinks are water-based, coffee and tea are actually a diuretic (meaning they push fluid out of your body and ultimately dehydrate you.)
Detox Teas - Any herbal detox tea with dandelion and/or burdock will help get your fluids pumping. I love Yogi Detox Tea and find it to be super effective. I can tell a difference within an hour.
Probiotics - If you struggle with UTIs or other renal health issues, you may want to check out the Part 4: Digestion reference to probiotics. For most women, this can be caused by germs that creep in to the urethra from the digestive tract. Cleaning up the gut can often help the UTI situation.
Don’t Hold It - There’s nothing more important than self care. Not like you need permission, but please urinate when you need to, especially when you are flushing toxins from your body. Holding it, especially for something as banal as feeling “too busy” or not wanting to get up from your chair again isn’t doing anyone any favors. You should be visiting the restroom every couple of hours at least and even perhaps once at night.
I hope these simple tips help get the fluids moving. I’d love to hear yours!
