The Key To Kidney Health

Sally Kean-Hammerson, Acupuncture, West-Wimbledon January 29, 2013

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According to classical Chinese medical texts preserving your Kidney energy is essential for good health, whatever your age.  The ancient texts ascribed the internal organs to Twelve Officials of the Court, led by the Heart, the “King”, the Kidneys are known as the ‘Minister of Health’ and therefore have a very important role in building the foundations for vitality, good fitness including strong bones and teeth, healthy head hair, and hearing.  Perhaps more familiar is the Kidney’s function of water metabolism keeping our urination regular and complete, but most importantly strong Kidney essence, known as Jing, is essential for fertility and development.  On an emotional level the Kidney’s are also responsible for our will power and drive, relevant for those who are struggling to maintain their New Year’s Resolutions!

Conditions such as incontinence, infertility, brittle bones, and deafness/tinnitus, to name but a few, can all be attributed to weak Kidney.  Anyone thinking of starting a family, children who are growing and developing, middle-aged and older men and women alike benefit from preserving their Kidney energy to maintain health and fitness.  This is particularly pertinent during the winter months, which are the Kidney’s season, and therefore the time of year they work overtime, even more reason to give them a boost!  Here’s how…

Keeping Warm

Consider the purchase of a Kidney warmer or Hamaraki – originally developed in Japan in the 16th century.  They look a bit like a vest that has been cut in the middle, a tubular band made of fabric that hugs the skin and keeps the kidney area warm.  There is a wide variety available, just put kidney warmer or Hamaraki into Google.

Foods to Nourish Kidney Energy

In the winter it is appropriate to eat salty foods (in moderation) e.g. soya sauce, miso, because it encourages a centring quality, which enables us to store our energy well, and warms our core.

Not surprisingly, warm hearty soups and stews are the best way to increase your Kidney energy and to avoid raw, chilled food and drink.  The best way to prepare food is to cook for longer, and on a lower heat, and steam rather than boil lots of leafy green vegetables to accompany your casseroles/stews using carrots, turnips, and celery (have a bitter quality also good at this time). If you eat meat; lamb, beef and chicken are all beneficial, for those who enjoy fish; mussels, anchovy, prawns are helpful for depleting Kidney energy.

Kidney Warming Exercises

The space just below your ribcage on your back is the Kidney area.  Place both hands on this area and begin to rub them on your back as you feel warmth building up.  Then tap the area with the back of loose fists or if you like, you can hula hoop your hips in circles, make sure you do equal circles in both directions.  This will stimulate and strengthen your Kidney energy and warm your body up. Two or three minutes will do it but if you can manage 5 minutes, all the better.