Did someone explain the kidneys are like a really important, not to be forgotten, under-estimated, ignored or under-valued kind of organ in your training as a naturopath? No, me neither. I mean I know Buchu and Uva and Zea (on a first name basis only, clearly!) and …no actually, I’m done. But seriously, it didn’t take too long in practice to stumble across a whole lot of bad when kidneys aren’t getting the attention they warrant and equally to develop a slight obsession with renal markers in all of my patients not just because of their incredible impact on whole health but also because of what ‘lay beneath’.
As you might suspect, I get sent labs all the time from practitioners. Stop no! That is not an invitation!
Often it’s client’s renal markers which I do appreciate because it tells me there is an increasing number of praccies that absolutely have done some post-grad DIY knowledge building about these bean-shaped babies and their critical contribution to health. The results might come with a question like, “What’s going on with their kidneys?!” [insert worried face emoji of choosing]
To which my reply is often… “not much but boy do we need to talk about your patient’s GIT microbiome! [or] mental health! [or] sarcopenia!”
Say what? Yes abnormalities within the renal markers: urea, creatinine and uric acid may be a reflection of renal issues. But if you know where each of these molecules enters the blood,exits the body and all the interesting good & bad they can get up to in between…then the patterns speak less (if at all in some instances) to what’s going down in the kidneys but instead give you an incredible insight into key issues all over the body: from the gut to the brain. But wait there’s more! Want to know what’s the latest and greatest in management of advanced renal disease? Treat the gut to lower the urea. What about managing mania? Add in a gout treatment to lower uric acid. Dang! This is holistic health at its best with those poor kidneys no longer being left out in the cold!
“Who knew urea, creatinine, GFR and uric acid could be such a Goldmine….Mind…officially…blown!” New Graduate Mentee 2019
Want an Opportunity for ‘XXX sized’ up-skilling in Renal Markers & Health?
Most practitioners graduated with not much more than a few ‘kidney’ herbs and an under-appreciation of the contribution renal health makes to wellbeing. It’s not just about waste and water. In reality, the kidneys are pivotal in just about every major element: blood, bones, pH balance, methylation, control of oxidative stress, the GIT microbiome and more! And we are seeing the impact of this in our patients in all sorts of subtle and not so subtle presentations. This new instalment in diagnostics, brings the renal system into the spotlight so we can confidently identify and better manage its critical contribution. In addition to this, just like with other routine labs such as LFTs, we unpack how these so-called ‘renal markers’ can flag a plethora of other insights into your patients, from reflecting (un)healthy muscle mass to calculating individual dietary protein adequacy, from key ‘danger and distress’ signals in response to disturbed metabolism, oxidative stress to certain types of GIT dysbiosis! We call this Renal Markers: Explained, Expanded and Exploded because these routine labs can deliver XXX sized insights into your patients.