Beware: kidney trouble can be dangerous: don't do as I did unless you know what you're doing (or are stubborn like me) ..... and long live acupuncture.
My kidney was infected, and as I did not want to have antibiotics, I searched the internet to find out how to heal it with food. Not easy: there is, apparently the dangerous kidney infection for which you have to go into hospital. I was convinced that I did not have that, as I felt fine and several (alternative) health professionals had assured me my pulses were very strong. And when I went to the doctor to have my urine tested, they let me go quite happily when I refused to have antibiotics prescribed.
For the other, less serious, type of infection the recommendations were: cranberry juice, ginger, garlic, raw foods, good yoghurt, kefir (which I had), celery, fruit, bananas, beans, asparagus, etc. Avoid cheese, dairy and chocolate.
So I embarked upon a regime with lots of those. My kidney (lower back-) pain went up and down, but did not seem to improve generally. So I looked some more, and found that phosphorus and potassium were off the menu too. Unfortunately most meat has got phosphorus and most vegetables potassium, so nothing much was left, but I managed to avoid having too much of those as well.
The kidney trouble went up and down but still did not improve. There seemed to be a blind spot somewhere, but I could not identify it. Then I decided to go to my acupuncturist, and she mentioned in passing that I seemed to have too little kidney-yang.
I did some more computer-research and lo and behold: a kidney which is deficient of yang needs a completely different diet! Definitely no cranberry juice, no yoghurt or kefir, no asparagus, no salads but hot soups, to start with. No wonder I had not been improving!
This new diet tallied with my tastes: I'd hated the salads and, every meal, I kept wishing for warm food. And the ginger, which I had grated fresh over every dish, should be powder which is heating, whereas fresh ginger cools, apparently.
I don't blame people for going to the doctor, if they haven't got the time or inclination or plain stubbornness to search the computer the way I do. But I hope this story is of use to someone or other who has similar problems to the ones I had. My kidney, by the way, is finally doing fine .....
Sorry, I forgot to give the main websites:
General:
Diet:
and - Yang Deficiency.pdf
There's more if you're interested! Love, A.
Good one.
Persistence and strong decision. Unwavering and trusting. Recipe for all things good.
You hated salads and yet loved hot soups. Your body has wisdom that mind keeps interfering with...and keeps trying to override.
Love this kind of stubbornness. This particular kind of stubborn leads to greater humility and openness of heart.
Love
Thank you Jnani, I'm (humbly!) flattered.
Unfortunately, not everything I really fancy turns out to be beneficial: the kefir, the (homemade) yoghurt and the asparagus in the garden keep winking at me .....
But right now I'm so happy that the kidney/backache has finally gone, I won't do anything which goes against the yang-deficient diet.
The reason I have been so stubborn in the face of threats and worries all around me, is that I can see how our 'healthcare professionals' have been very unprofessionally influenced by the dirty tricks of the moneymakers. Globalization has so strengthened the big pharmaceuticals that they can do anything. The latest revelations about Tamiflu are only the tip of the iceberg. Doctors generally are honest but busy, and don't have time nor inclination to see through what is really only propaganda. So the pills are dispensed, the money made, and most people are only too happy to follow authority.
Glad you were able to find some relief and still enjoy everything you like.
Kidney trouble almost gone now. Can eat fruit, salads, ferments etc., only spinach, beet and parsley are still off the menu. The warm 'kidney vest' has long since gone into the loft, winter or not! So thank you Russ (my acupuncturist) - I hate to think what I would have been without you and Traditional Chinese Medicine.