Kidney Health is Heart Health: How To Support Healthy Blood Pressure
As mentioned in the last article about using unprocessed salt to support healthy blood pressure, maintaining electrolyte balance is essential for good health. One of the key reasons for this is how electrolytes contribute to kidney health, which in turn supports heart health and helps regulate healthy blood pressure.
How Electrolytes Influence Kidney and Heart Health
Electrolytes are naturally lost through urine, perspiration, and stomach secretions. Excessive loss can happen due to heavy sweating, vomiting, adrenal gland fatigue, or kidney disease. When electrolytes become imbalanced, it can lead to a cascade of health issues affecting both the kidneys and the heart.
Here’s why the kidneys and heart are so closely connected:
- Kidney Function and Blood Pressure: Your blood volume affects your blood pressure. With enough water and balanced electrolytes, blood pressure can stabilize. Think of the body like a jar of water—when the jar is full, it feels full of life and vitality.
- Hydration and Adrenal Support: Proper hydration also protects the adrenal glands, which sit on top of the kidneys. The adrenals regulate metabolism, immune function, blood pressure, and your stress response. Without sufficient water or kidney support, the adrenals become taxed, making them more prone to flight-or-fight mode. This can strain both the kidneys and the heart over time.
The Journey of Discovery: Learning About Electrolytes from My Greatest Teachers
How did I discover the link between electrolytes, kidney health, and heart health? It wasn’t through textbooks but through deeply personal experiences with two of the most important beings in my life—my mom and my beloved dog, Aushadi.
Aushadi: The Healer Dog
Aushadi, my “healer dog,” was with me for 15 years. She attended every treatment session, class, and gig I ever had. If someone wanted my expertise, they had to accept I came with a dog!
At age nine, Aushadi started urinating frequently and uncontrollably. When I assessed her kidney health, I realized she wasn’t cycling enough water to pressurize blood flow through her kidneys, causing her fluids to dump into her bladder. Increasing her electrolytes helped stabilize her kidneys and reduced her excessive urination for a couple of years.
Then came another challenge: she started coughing. Her kidney pulse felt weak but okay, yet her heart pulse was very weak and damp. Around this same time, my mom had undergone a quadruple bypass. I was just beginning my education in heart health.
A Shared Diagnosis: Early-Stage Congestive Heart Failure
Aushadi’s doctor diagnosed her with early-stage congestive heart failure, the same condition my mom was facing. The prognosis for both wasn’t encouraging—fluid would eventually fill their lungs, leading to an inevitable outcome.
Aushadi was placed on the same medication as my mom, and I began integrating allopathic medicine with holistic practices to support them both. With a balance of modern medicine and plant-based therapies, I was able to keep Aushadi alive for two more years and my mom for 14 more years. As they say, one dog year is equivalent to seven human years.
Lessons in Electrolytes, Heart Health, and Balance
These experiences taught me invaluable lessons about the connection between the kidneys, heart, and electrolytes. They also reinforced the importance of balancing allopathic and holistic health practices. You don’t have to choose one approach exclusively; finding harmony between the two can create profound healing opportunities.
Electrolytes play a vital role in maintaining healthy kidney and heart function, stabilizing blood pressure, and supporting overall vitality. Whether through diet, hydration, or supplementation, ensuring your body has the right balance of electrolytes can protect these essential organs.
Why Strengthening Your Heart Matters
The heart isn’t just a pump—it’s also the center of our emotional and intuitive lives. When we strengthen the heart, we:
- Enhance Intuition: A healthy heart allows us to hear the inner voice that guides us.
- Show Up with Compassion: A strong heart helps us bring love and kindness to our relationships.
- Empower Healing: The heart is one of the body’s greatest tools for self-healing and influencing the world around us.
Final Thoughts
Electrolytes, hydration, and a balanced approach to health are the foundation of vitality. By supporting your kidneys and heart, you strengthen not just your physical health but also your capacity for compassion, intuition, and healing. The lessons I learned from Aushadi and my mom continue to guide me today, reminding me that the heart’s power is boundless—both scientifically and spiritually.
