Urinary tract

The purpose of the Urinary tract is to produce urine and discharge this to the exterior - a process which is termed excretion. It is necessary to produce and excrete urine for the following reasons:

• To maintain water balance in the body. The kidneys regulate the amount (or concentration) of water which is present in the body. This in turn, will determine the concentration of the substances found in blood, plasma, the extracellular fluid and inside cells. Excess water in the body dilutes these substances and conversely, too little water increases the concentration.
• To maintain the balance of electrolytes. Chemical substances dissolved in blood, plasma and the body fluids include simple molecules such as sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphates. These substances are termed electrolytes (because they bear small electrical charges).For the cells in the body to function normally, the amount of electrolytes present in plasma has to be controlled to lie within certain specific ranges.For instance, sodium is consumed and absorbed from our food in quantities in excess of our metabolic requirements. An excess of sodium in our blood can interfere with the metabolic processes which are vital to cellular function. The kidneys excrete sodium atoms which are not required,so that the level of sodium in blood remains within the normal range.
• To excrete waste substances. Waste substances such as urea are produced as a result of the normal metabolic activity of the cells in the body. These substances have to be excreted and urine is an important route for the elimination of urea and many similar substances.

If fluid retention, persistent cystitis or urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a problem, it is very important to:

• Drink at least 2 litres of still water daily, at whatever temperature you prefer. Tap water is allowable but sparkling water is not. This is one of the most important parts of a detox.
• Avoid dehydrating drinks such as coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and alcohol. Herbal teas and pure fruit juices are acceptable but must be taken in addition to, rather than instead of, 2 litres of water.
• In addition avoid foods that are heavily salted.
• Choose herbal teas such as A.Vogel Golden Rod Herbal Tea. It makes a refreshing drink and contains golden rod, birch leaves, knotgrass, horsetail and wild pansy. It is packed with natural flavours and will help cleanse and refresh your system from the inside, helping to remove impurities from the body.

Kidneys suffer badly from our modern habits of not drinking enough water while consuming large quantities of  dehydrating salt, coffee and fizzy drinks.

In addition, these organs do not appreciate refined sugar, therefore between crisps and chocolate bars they don’t have a very good time.

Kidneys in distress show up with symptoms such as:

• Puffy eyes
• Swollen hands, feet and legs
• Water retention
• Fatigue
• Low back pain
• Frequent infections and kidney stones or gravel.

A.Vogel's Kidney Tonic, or as we sometimes call it, Alfred Vogel’s ‘waterfall drops’ are a combination of four herbs which work synergistically in the body. Apart from Solidago (Solidago virgaurea) the herbs present in this fresh herb tincture are Birch (Betula pendula), Restharrow (Ononis spinosa) and Horsetail (Equisetum arvense).

Solidago virguarea, also known as Golden Rod, is a herbaceous plant found in temperate countries, often in the natural flora of grassy mountainous areas. The name Solidago means ‘to make whole’. In 15th and 16th Century Europe it was used topically for wound healing but in modern times the main use of Solidago is to help maintain the health of the urinary tract.  As well as being part of this tincture Solidago can also be found in our GoldenGrass Cleansing Herbal Infusion.

The Birch tree (Betula pendula) is known as ‘The Tree of Life’.  It grows well in temperate and Nordic climates and its leaves have been used in herbal supplement combinations to aid detox by supporting the body’s natural elimination of toxins and impurites. One of the lesser ingredients in this combination is Restharrow (Ononis spinosa). It is a commonly found in almost all parts of Europe, West Africa and Asia and has been used traditionally to support bladder health. Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is another minor but important ingredient in Solidago complex. The plant is said to resemble a horse’s tail and it grows almost everywhere. Although poisonous to grazing animals when eaten in large quantities it has been used by people from as long ago as the Ancient Romans in the form of a tea.