In the last few months I have heard of many cases people with kidney problems. Kidneys are an important part of our good health and their good condition is important for good quality of life.

Kidney diseases, chronic or not, can affect your body’s ability to clean your blood and control your blood pressure. It can also affect blood cell production and vitamin D metabolism needed for bone health. These two ‘friends’ maintain the balance of water and minerals in your blood, remove waste after digestion and muscle activity, make renin (to manage your blood pressure), make erythropoietin (to prompt the creation of blood cells), and make an active form of vitamin D.

If you do not have a severe kidney issue, some herbs and foods can help promote the good functioning of your kidneys. There are several plants that can help, but the ‘trendy’ ones are artichoke, bur (agropyron repens), agrimonium, althea, and milk thistle, but also epilobium urtica, and parsley. These can also help with fatty livers, a common health condition after the age of 60. These dried herbs can be used as a mixture in a tea (it is quite bitter), or you can add them to cooking and salads (the way you use dried oregano).

The properties of these herbs are mainly diuretic, so keep in mind to drink extra water when consuming them. Also, there are anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties in some of them.

Using them before the Christmas feast is ideal preparation for consuming all that food!

* The above is not medical advice but mere suggestions for improving your diet. Before reach herbal use you should consult your doctor, especially those who have health issues, are pregnant or are under the age of 6.

Evropi-Sofia Dalampira holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics and an MSc in Botany-Biology.