Kidney and Adrenal Health: Root of Life

Kidney and Adrenal Health 

Root of Life 

Today’s post is about the kidney meridian or pathway and how it relates to your health. As I prepare for a yoga acu event today I am contemplating how to sum up the essentials on kidney and adrenal health that I learned in school along with the practical applications and success I have seen with clients.

When I talk about the kidney energy and meridian I am also talking about the adrenals that sit on top of the kidneys. These glands sit like hats on top of the kidneys and secrete a wide range of essential hormones that regulate metabolism, excretion, immunity, sexual potency and fertility.  From a western perspective, the kidneys filter  waste metabolites from the blood and move them onwards to the bladder for excretion in urine. So, obviously signs and symptoms related to bladder infections or kidneys under-function would show up as excess waste in the blood and a decreased inability to filter.

Asian medicine also relates the kidneys to infertility, sexual dysfunction,  back pain, ringing in the ears, low immunity, inability to think clearly, bone problems/weakness, lack of vitality/essense, pre-mature aging, lack of courage, and heightened fear and anxiety.

Asian medical philosophy calls the kidneys the “root of life” or “minister of power”. One of the easiest ways to describe someone with strong kidney energy, essence, and qi would be someone that has endurance and a potency about them. You know that type of person that can work long and hard with strong body and mind? A powerhouse of will and determination? Think of these types of people as having strong roots and/or kidneys. They also have robust immune systems. What would someone look like that needs a kidney boost? They might have chronic low back ache, weak knees, struggle with hair loss, maybe ADHD, appear scattered, and be sort of “in their head” all the time. They may be wired but tired. These types need grounding. The first point on the kidney meridian is on the bottom of the foot. It is the most grounding of points.

The kidney meridian is a yin meridian (flows upward), controls the growth and development of bones and nourishes the marrow. Marrow is  the body’s source of red and white blood cells. Thus, strong kidneys promote strong immunity.

One of the reasons for naming my business Nourished Roots is because of my focus in helping couples with fertility-strengthening the roots of the family tree. Often, if not most of the time, clients seeking help with fertility have a deficiency in kidney energy. Clinically this shows up as night sweats, dry tongue, fear, coldness ( not enough kidney yang), hypothyroid, and stress. Exhaustion and  adrenal burn out is common  because of the stress of not being able to conceive. Sometimes the stress is largely because their body isn’t functioning as designed and it is very frustrating. Other times and often it is stress of not being able to conceive like those around them in addition to the financial stress of multiple fertility treatments that leave them utterly exhausted. In Asian medicine the communication between heart and kidneys is vital for reproduction.

So, what do I do about all this and can we boost and nourish your kidneys and adrenals? Yes! Asian medicine is not just about acupuncture! It is also about herbs, nutrition, and lifestyle factors that help your body come into homeostasis and heal. The good news is that specific points are getting research studies. A powerful point of the stomach meridian, ST36, shows increase in immunity and positive affect on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. This helps the body deal with stress better. These results indicated that electro-acupuncture at  St₃₆ blocks the chronic stress-induced elevations in the HPA and the sympathetic NPY pathway, which may be a mechanism for its specific stress-allaying effects(Eshkevari L¹, Permaul E, Mulroney SE.) It prevented increase in adrenaline. 

This is makes me so excited! It is probably one of my favorite ways I help my clients. Stress creates so much imbalance in our body and brain. I also use essential oils to reduce the stress response as well. Your body will go into a parasympathetic state and will be able to repair and balance. So, come in and enjoy an immune boost through points such as ST36 and Kidney27.