ED 12 KIDNEY DRIVER

Bottom Line: Kidneys and Adrenals, Drive and Stamina

This driver looks at both the kidneys and the adrenals, which rest on top of the kidneys. There are also links with the brainstem and brain function, and with the pancreas, intestines, ears, throat, lungs, and bladder. There is also a particularly strong match to the cell nucleus within all our cells, and therefore with all our genetic material. The key things we are looking at with this driver are fluid regulation, energy, stamina and ability to handle stress.

In Chinese Medicine the kidneys are seen as the source of “jing”, a vital energy that we are born with and that we can nourish through food, air and water. We may be more inclined to attribute this to the adrenals in the West, which produce hormones that manage our energy, drive and adaptation to stress. However, if we think of the structure of the kidneys, which are packed with many tiny filtering tubules, we can see how they can gather source energy. In terms of a Kidney Driver priority we may be seeing anything along the spectrum range from just needing a bit more get up and go, to feeling chronically fatigued. A priority may also mean you need more drive and ambition, or that anxiety is affecting your ability to seize the day and get things done.

The Kidney Driver energy field is partly generated by the movement of charged particles across the semi-permeable membranes of the kidney tubules. The kidneys are highly sophisticated filtration systems. Their primary role is to cleanse the blood and to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. In a day they filter around 180 litres of plasma, a pretty amazing statistic given that the circulatory system contains an average of four to five litres. Of course the circulatory system is always pumping blood through the kidneys and they are constantly filtering and re-filtering the blood day and night. Most of the blood plasma fluid is reabsorbed, along with red blood cells, proteins, glucose and other nutrients. What’s left behind are waste products like urea (the leftover bits of proteins), mineral salts and water, that all then head off to the bladder for excretion. If you’ve ever had a urine test find protein or blood in your urine it’s because the kidney tubule membranes have become leaky and have allowed those larger molecules to leach out, perhaps due to a kidney infection or some other trigger for inflammation here.

We want to consider this driver too when thinking about blood pressure and pH balance. The kidneys contain sensory cells that are able to detect the pressure of the blood and the level of sodium contained within the blood (which increases blood pressure). If your blood pressure drops, for example, they can reabsorb more sodium and fluid, reducing the amount you excrete through urine and increasing the volume and saltiness of your blood, so raising blood pressure. The adrenals are also involved in this process. Increased production of adrenal stress hormones can increase blood pressure, bringing more blood to the muscles and cardiovascular system in times of emergency. This is fine in the short-term but long-term stress and raised blood pressure is not. On the other hand, low adrenal energy may cause a drop in blood pressure or, quite commonly, affect the ability to make quick adjustments to blood pressure that can make us feel dizzy on standing or sometimes even pass out.

All enzymes in the body (and enzymes make things happen) function in a narrow pH range. This varies from tissue to tissue but in the blood, the pH is tightly regulated at a slightly alkaline pH of 7.35 to 7.45. The kidneys help to maintain this acid/alkaline balance by excreting more hydrogen ions (acidic) and keeping more bicarbonate (alkaline). They also help to maintain the balance of the sodium and potassium electrolytes, which help to control energy production and the movement of substances into and out of the cells – so this balance is fundamental to all body processes of course. Again we see a crossover here with the adrenals. Excess sodium and deficient potassium is a pattern seen with adrenal hyperactivity and a heightened stress response, the reverse pattern may be associated with fatigue and depleted adrenal activity. We can often crave salt when adrenal energy is depleted.

Emotionally, the kidneys (and the adrenals) are linked with our willpower, drive and ambition. The emotion that most damages them is anxiety and fear.

Issues: A Kidney priority may mean many different things. Consider fluid and salt balance. Ideally our urine should be the colour of pale straw and have little scent. Fluid retention, dark circles and puffiness under the eyes can be signs of reduced kidney function. The kidneys need water! One of the easiest ways to increase the stress on your kidneys is not to drink enough. A diet high in sugar and processed foods and eating more protein than your needs can also stress the kidneys. They are damaged by environmental toxins, particularly heavy metals like cadmium and mercury. To look at how efficiently your kidneys are filtering you can have a blood test that looks at the Glomerular Filtration Rate which, ideally should be above 90 millilitres per minute.

Adrenal fatigue or hyperactivity (and you can get both together, giving you that tired but wired feeling) are so common in our highly pressured and stressed lives. Consider symptoms like fatigue, poor stamina, lower back pain, dizziness, tinnitus and immune function with a priority. There are also links with the kidney, the brain and concentration; with the knees; and with the bone marrow and immune function, all of which the Kidney Driver Infoceutical can also help to address.

ACTION: Get your Kidneys into Gear

Questions: You want your kidneys to drive your energy and stamina throughout the day but you want this drive to be a smooth one, not one where you can’t change gear, your foot is always on the peddle or you’re about to run out of gas. What is a Kidney Driver priority saying to you? Am I nourishing my kidneys? Am I drinking enough water? Am I managing my stress? Am I scheduling time for rest and relaxation? Your Practitioner can help you to decide whether issues such as toxicity or infection could be affecting your Kidney Driver.

Go For It:

Keep hydrated. On average around 8 glasses per day, but this varies according to your body weight and level of activity. Make sure you get adequate electrolytes too.

Take your foot from peddle by making time for rest and relaxation. Deep breathing techniques are one of the most powerful ways to calm the signals from the brain to the adrenals that can keep us stuck in fight or flight mode.

Qigong. An exercise for the kidneys is gently tapping or rubbing the kidneys with your fists. Another exercise is standing barefoot on the earth and raising and lowering your heels. This pumping action through the feet helps to bring energy into an important acupuncture point for the kidneys “gushing spring”. It can have both a calming and an energising effect.

KIDNEY DRIVER INFOCEUTICAL: The Kidney Driver Infoceutical helps to energise and support the kidneys and adrenal glands. It may be helpful with fluid balance, blood pressure regulation, energy, stamina and brain function. It can help to improve the ability to handle stress. It can help to bring more drive, ambition, willpower and the energy to strive for your goals. It can help you to think more clearly and calmly too, especially when you are under stress.