By Andreas Moritz
The kidneys perform one of the most delicate balancing acts
in the human body - maintaining the right acid-alkaline concentration of sodium
and potassium in the blood and other fluids. While sodium is an alkaline
mineral, potassium is acidic. The ratio between these two natural minerals is
expressed as the pH (power of hydrogen) value and needs to be maintained within
an extremely narrow range.
One of the main reasons is that every one of the 100
trillion cells in your body needs a certain specific pH value so that they can
perform even their basic functions. This job is entrusted to the kidneys. If
your body's internal environment tilts towards being acidic, you run the risk
of suffering from acidosis, and depending on your diet, you will speed towards
a toxicity crisis. Alternatively, if your blood and other fluids tilt towards
being too alkaline, you run the risk of alkalosis.
When the optimal pH value is under threat, the kidneys are
forced to take defensive action in an attempt to restore the imbalance. Among
these measures are kidney congestion, kidney stones and fluid retention, all of
which are associated with weight gain.
As we have seen with other organs such as the liver, small
intestine and bowels, congestion causes a toxicity crisis, which in turn leads
to various health issues such as obesity, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis,
stomach ulcers, hypertension, cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, and many
other chronic diseases.
Some of the main factors contributing to toxicity and kidney
congestion are dehydration and the consumption of acid-forming foods.
Dehydration results from insufficient water intake;
consuming foods and beverages that have a dehydrating effect (meat, artificial
sweeteners, sugar, alcohol, tea, coffee and sodas); smoking cigarettes; or
watching television for too many hours at a stretch.
Feeding off a diet rich in acid-forming foods, such as meat,
fish, dairy products, baked goods, candy, and sugar, is another way the kidneys
get congested, as is consuming food and beverages that contain large amounts of
oxalic acid.
Body drought occurs when you don't drink enough water. Most
individuals substitute this life-giving fluid with processed beverages and
drinks with caffeine such as tea and coffee.
When the body is dehydrated, the pH value gets altered.
Also, the amount of water outside the cells increases to help neutralize the
toxic waste products that have accumulated there. The kidneys begin to hold on
to water, drastically reducing urinary secretion and causing further retention
of potentially harmful waste products. As a result, fluid builds up in various
parts of the body, selectively in some individuals and across tissues and
organs in others. This puffiness and bloating, also called water edema, leads
to weight gain.
If water retention alone does not actually make an
individual obese, it is usually a contributory factor, more in some individuals
than others. Normally, cellular enzymes signal to the brain when cells run low
on water. Enzymes in dehydrated cells, however, become so inefficient that they
are no longer able to register the drought-like condition. Subsequently, they
fail to convey the emergency situation to the brain, which would normally push
the 'thirst alarm button'. This results in a vicious cycle.
At the neurotransmitter level, the Renin-Angiotensin (RA)
system is activated whenever there is a water shortage in the body. Apart from
signaling the kidneys to inhibit urination, it also signals the blood vessels
to constrict to reduce the amount of fluid circulating, which could potentially
cause water loss. This is one reason why obesity is usually accompanied by
cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension. The RA system also stimulates an
increase in the absorption of sodium or salt, which helps the body retain
water.
Ironic as it may sound, the main solution for water
retention is to drink water! That's because it facilitates the release of
toxins and brings down the acid levels in the blood and other fluids. The body
no longer needs to store water to save itself. Here's something you might want
to think about if you're not drinking sufficient water:
An estimated 75 percent of Americans are chronically
dehydrated
In 37 percent of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak,
it is mistaken for hunger. According to research at the University of
Washington, drinking just one glass of water shuts down midnight hunger for
almost 100 percent of dieters involved in the study
Even mild dehydration slows down your metabolism by 3
percent.
Kidney stones are another manifestation of congestion. There
are different kinds of stones depending on their composition, which in turn
depends on the specific biochemical process that is off-balance.
Stones begin as tiny crystals and can eventually become as
large as an egg. The tiny crystals are too small to be detected by X-rays, and
since they do not cause pain, they are rarely noticed. Yet they are big enough
to block the flow of liquid through the tiny kidney tubules. Crystals or stones
are formed in the kidneys when urinary constituents, which are normally in
solution, are precipitated. Precipitation occurs when these particles occur in
excessive amounts or when urine becomes too concentrated. Most crystals or
stones originate in the kidneys, although some may also be formed in the
bladder.
If a large stone enters one of the two ureters, urinary
discharge becomes obstructed. This can lead to serious complications such as
kidney infection or failure. Regardless of where in the kidneys the blockage occurs,
it restricts their ability to remove and regulate water and chemicals, causing
these delicate organs to suffer injury.
Some studies claim that kidney stones bring around 2 million
individuals to a doctor's clinic every year. According to these studies, obese
women have a 90 percent higher risk of developing kidney stones than women who
are not obese. Obese men have a 33 percent higher risk.
Some researchers believe that abnormal accumulation of fat
tissue induces insulin resistance, causing changes to the urine that favor the
growth of kidney stones.
Others believe that another reason why obese individuals are
prone to developing kidney stones is the over-consumption of soft drinks and
colas. Soft drinks are highly acidic and have radical mineral imbalances. To
counterbalance this and restore the body's pH level, the kidneys draw calcium
from the bones and other tissues. Excess levels of calcium in the kidneys
promote the development of stones in these organs.
Cutting soft drinks out of your diet is one of the biggest
favors you can do yourself. This includes sports drinks or 'energy drinks',
which according to a study by the University of Californian in Berkeley can
raise body weight by a stunning 13 pounds a year if only one 20-ounce bottle is
consumed every day.
Another study, conducted at Boston University School of
Medicine, shows that drinking as little as one can of soda per day - regular or
diet - is associated with a 46 percent increased risk of metabolic syndrome,
which plays a major role in heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
According to the study, other harmful side effects of soda,
both diet and regular, include:
A 31 percent greater risk of becoming obese
A 30 percent higher risk of having a larger waistline
A 25 percent higher risk of developing high blood
triglycerides or high blood sugar
A 32 percent greater risk of having low levels of good
cholesterol
An increased risk of high blood pressure
[This is an excerpt from the book 'Feel Great, Lose Weight'
by Andreas Moritz]
Andreas Moritz is a writer and practitioner in the field of
Integrative Medicine. He is the author of 13 books (
http://www.ener-chi.com/book.htm ) on various subjects pertaining to holistic
health, including The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush, Timeless Secrets of
Health and Rejuvenation and Cancer Is Not a Disease.
His most recent book is titled 'Vaccine-Nation: Poisoning
the Population, One Shot at a Time'. Moritz is also the creator of Ener-Chi Art
and Sacred Santmony. Much
of his life's work has been dedicated to understanding and treating the root
causes of illness, and helping the body, mind, spirit and heart to heal
naturally.
Connect with Andreas at:
http://www.facebook.com/enerchi.wellness
Copyright 2011 by
Andreas Moritz
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