The Urinary System is made up of the kidneys, bladder, two ureters and the urethra.  Its primary functions are to maintain proper fluid balance in the body, remove toxins from the blood and eliminate them as urine. Imbalances in the Urinary System often affect the Glandular and Circulatory Systems, particularly the reproductive organs, adrenal glands and the major blood vessels. Along with the lungs, skin, and intestines and liver, the urinary system makes up your detoxing team.

The kidneys do more than eliminate waste-water. They also regulate pH in the blood, and maintain fluid and mineral balance. Weak kidneys create weak ones. This is because waste acids can’t be flushed efficiently from the body causing mineral loss from the bones.  Herbal diuretics such as parsley, uva ursi and buchu are used for reducing excess water in the body known as edema. When there is a loss of the water-quality in the body that will create brittleness and stiffness in the bones.

So how do they work? Approximately one million nephrons are located in each kidney. Nephrons are responsible for filtering and purifying the blood. This filtration system helps to regulate body processes and balance the amount of water, salts, protein, glucose, minerals, urea and other substances in the body. As the filtration and processing occurs, urine is produced. Urine is approximately 96% water and 4% urea, salt, sugar, proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals, and other substances.

Urinary System Health Issues

A number of problems can occur with the urinary system, caused by a variety of factors. Let’s take a look at a few of these health issues and the possible effects they can have on the body.

One in eight Canadians suffer with kidney disease-The Kidney Foundation of Canada

Each day an average of 15 people are told that their kidneys have failed.-The Kidney Foundation of Canada

Urinary Tract Infections-Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect millions of people each year. UTI’s  account for over 8 million doctor visits per year.  Women are most prone to UTI’s-one in five women develops a UTI during her life span. UTI’s in men, while not as common, can be very serious because they may indicate another problem that needs to be treated.

Signs of a UTI include:

• Pain or a burning during urination
• Strong odor
• Feelings of urgency or a need to urinate frequently
• Cloudy appearance of urine
• Pus or blood in the urine
• Passing only a small amount of urine even though there is a feeling of pressure.

Urinary tract infections can be serious and can damage the kidneys. It is possible for adults or children to have a silent infection still present in the body even when the signs of a UTI are no longer apparent. Always consult with your healthcare professional if you suspect a UTI.

• Urinary Incontinence – It is basically leakage and inconveniently affects the lives 12 million people a year.  While urinary incontinence is more common as we age, young people are affected as well. Women suffer from this embarrassing situation more than men. The most common type of urinary incontinence is called stress incontinence. This means that leakage occurs when a person laughs, sneezes coughs, or there is a pressure applied to the lower stomach muscles. Urge incontinence is another type. This is when the urge to urinate comes on so suddenly it is difficult, if not impossible, to hold or stop the urine from leaking.
• Kidney Stones – are one of the most common disorders or the urinary tract and can be one of the most painful. Each year more than 500,000 people end up in emergency rooms and approximately 3 million visits are made to health care providers for problems related to kidney stones.
• Chronic Kidney Disease – Is a gradual reduction of kidney function that may result in Kidney failure. The surprising fact is that 1 in 9 adults have the disease and most don’t even know it.
• Kidney Failure – occurs when the kidneys are not able to regulate water and chemicals in the body or remove waste products from the blood.  The process of dialysis is necessary when the kidneys can no longer function on their own. Currently, there are more than one million dialysis patients worldwide.
• Kidney Transplants – the numbers are growing. The difficulty is that even if a compatible kidney or kidneys are donated, the body may reject it even with immunosuppressive medicine.

Did you know:

• Each kidney is the shape of a bean and about the size of a fist.
• The kidneys are involved in the production of red blood cells and the iron content of the blood.
• The kidneys can process and utilize up to 4 ounces of water at a time. For this reason, it is more effective to drink small amounts of pure water throughout the day than it is to drink a large amount all at once.
• Back discomfort in the middle to lower back can be caused by dehydration.
• High blood pressure can be a result of too much stress or pressure within the kidneys.
• Certain ingredients dehydrate and stress the kidneys. These include carbonated soda, coffee, caffeine, certain teas, table salt (not sea salt), and alcohol.
• Traditionally, the emotions of fear, shame, failure, criticism or disappointment are associated with the kidneys.  Anxiety, fear of letting go, or holding on to the old are all associated with the bladder.
• When the liver isn’t able to handle the overload of toxins, it shares its workload with the kidneys.

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