Other Names:
Nephritis

Symptoms:
There may be no symptoms or they may include blood and/or albumin in the urine and lower back, abdominal pain, even chills, fatigue, edema, nausea and vomiting, frequent urge to urinate, and loss of appetite. Severe cases may include anemia and high blood pressure.

Cause:
This is inflammation of one or both kidneys. Thousands of tiny cells in the kidneys filter fluids out of the blood in order to purify it. But the filter can become plugged with toxins and mucous. When these tiny cells become swollen and inflamed, infection soon follows.

This infection can be acute or chronic, and may require hospitalization.

Constipation causes a toxic matter to be reabsorbed by the blood. This clogs the kidneys.

Overuse of aspirin and other pain killers weaken the kidneys; beer can cause their failure. Environmental toxins, such as heavy metals, add to the damage. Anti-hypertensive drugs are used to reduce blood circulation, and therefore injure the kidneys.

Kidney infection can also be caused by bacterial infection in the bladder (cystitis, which see) which has traveled up the ureters to the kidneys.

Treatment:
• Drink plenty of pure water. Avoid coffee, alcohol, and artificial drinks.

• Drinking unsweetened cranberry juice and apple juice helps reduce bacterial growth in the kidneys.

• Carrot, celery, and parsley juice is also helpful.

• Eat nourishing food, and avoid processed and junk food.

• Include enough vitamins C, A, and B complex in the diet. Potassium deficiencies can encourage kidney problems.

• Go on a 3-day cleansing water-and-juice fast. Take enemas and rest. Keep the fluid level high.

• Helpful herbs include garlic, echinacea, burdock, red clover, and goldenseal. Also of value: juniper berries, parsley, and watermelon-seed tea. Buchu tea and marshmallow tea are most helpful.

• Used in conjunction with more fluid intake, corn-silk tea has been used for hundreds of years to increase urine output, a very necessary factor in purifying and detoxifying the kidneys.