“The only things that life denies you are the things that you are willing to let pass by. Fight for the things you love, and love that which is worth fighting for. ”
When the Sun blazes through the young fire of Aries it lights up all the symbols and qualities that Aries aspires to capture, express or suppress - new beginnings, startups, births & rebirths, sparks of fire, selfishness, aggression, conflicts, war. But while the light shines on the individual self, the Full Moon is eclipsing and illuminating the hidden qualities and expressions of it’s counterpart Libra.
This lunar eclipse in Libra offers a space to review the shadows of our relationships and the blindspots that need visibility. It wants us to learn from the experiences of relating that rattled us at the core, but are still not quite finished yet. Or there may be a need to take another look at the resistance around commitments, the darkness of over pleasing, and to face the stumbling blocks around joining another, creating unions, merges and acquisitions, marriages and partnerships. Are they peace?
With these trailing and intense transits, it is important that you listen to your body and pay attention to the guidance and wisdom it is offering. Constipation may be alerting you of the need to let go totally and completely. A difficult task for many but one that says you’re holding on. Flushing with room temperature water accentuated with lime or lemon or even a pinch of pink Himalayan salt will begin to perform wonders in creating movement and flow within.
Our kidneys are under pressure during this Lunar eclipse and Full Moon in Libra. Many are up against long held fears now awakening and bidding it’s time to be removed with all the False Evidences Appearing Real. A kidney flush would be perfect. Apparently water is the essential element to balancing the fire and air so that we are not overheated from the blazing flames of Aries or dried out emotionally by excess Libra breeze. The Solar Eclipse in Pisces is still in our midst moistening us with emotions that want to anchor us into the heart center.
War & Peace are two sides of the same coin. The War is not out there it is inside of you and the Peace is not something someone else brings to you. It rests deep inside of you. Aries & Libra makes these two opposing yet complimentary forces clear. Somethings are worth fighting for and all peace only shatters you to pieces. Until we embrace both as a part of human nature, the world, life, and you will continue to be lopsided, out of balance. It is in our nature to fight. And it has become a habit to want peace while undermining or disregarding war. War wants its due process. And peace wants to be authentic and just enough.
In the winter, eating naturally black or dark blue foods nourishes the Kidney meridian. Naturally salty foods are also nourishing, such as seaweed. Avoid cold foods, though, and avoid an excess of cold, raw foods to avoid damaging the Spleen. Ice cream is deleterious to the Spleen, for example.
Creatinine is a waste product produced in muscles from the breakdown of a creatine.
Creatine is part of the cycle that produces energy needed to contract muscles.
Both creatine and creatinine are produced at a relatively constant rate.
Almost all creatinine is excreted by the kidneys, so blood levels are a good measure of how well your kidneys are working.
If low:
Low levels are not common and are not usually a cause for concern.
As creatinine levels are related to the amount of muscle the person has, low levels may be a consequence of decreased muscle mass (such as in the elderly) but may also be occasionally found in advanced liver disease.
If high:
Kidneys break down creatinine - if levels are high, they’re not working properly –>
Damage to or swelling of blood vessels in the kidneys (glomerulonephritis) caused by, eg, infection or autoimmune diseases bacterial infection of the kidneys (pyelonephritis)
Death of cells in the kidneys’ small tubes (acute tubular necrosis) caused, for example, by drugs or toxins
Prostate disease, kidney stone, or other causes of urinary tract obstruction.
Reduced blood flow to the kidney due to shock, dehydration, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis, or complications of diabetes
Creatinine blood levels can also increase temporarily as a result of muscle injury and are generally slightly lower during pregnancy.
Urea
Urea is the final breakdown product of the amino acids found in proteins. Nitrogen in the form of ammonia is produced in the liver when protein is broken down. The nitrogen combines with other chemicals in the liver to form the waste product urea. Healthy kidneys remove more than 90% of the urea the body produces.
If Low:
Low urea levels are not common and are not usually a cause for concern. They can be seen in severe liver disease or malnutrition but are not used to diagnose or monitor these conditions. Low urea levels are also seen in normal pregnancy.
· If high:
High urea levels suggest poor kidney function.
Acute or chronic kidney disease.
However, there are many things besides kidney disease that can affect urea levels such as decreased blood flow to the kidneys as in congestive heart failure, shock, stress, recent heart attack or severe burns; bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract; conditions that cause obstruction of urine flow; or dehydration.
Albumin
Albumin is the most abundant protein in the blood. It keeps fluid from leaking out of blood vessels; nourishes tissues; and transports hormones, vitamins, drugs, enzymes, and ions like calcium throughout the body. Albumin is made in the liver and is extremely sensitive to liver damage.
If low:
Low albumin concentrations in the blood can suggest liver disease. Liver enzyme tests are requested to help determine which type of liver disease.
Diseases in which the kidneys cannot prevent albumin from leaking from the blood into the urine and being lost.
Also seen in severe inflammation or shock.
Conditions in which the body does not properly absorb and digest protein such as Crohn’s disease.
If high:
High albumin concentrations in the blood usually reflect dehydration.
This is a very long list so click keep reading to read the rest!
Phosphate
In the body, phosphorus is combined with oxygen to form a variety of phosphates (PO4). Phosphates are vital for energy production, muscle and nerve function, and bone growth. They also play an important role as a buffer, helping to maintain the body’s acid-base balance.
If low: (hypophosphataemia)
Hypercalcaemia (high levels of calcium), especially when due to high levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH)
Overuse of diuretics (drugs that encourage urination)
Severe burns
Diabetic ketoacidosis after treatment
Hypothyroidism
Hypokalaemia (low levels of potassium)
Chronic antacid use
Rickets and osteomalacia (due to Vitamin D deficiencies)
Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme found in high levels in bone and liver. Smaller amounts of ALP are found in the placenta and in the intestines. Each of these makes different forms of ALP (isoenzymes).
Hypophosphatasia (Metabolism disorder, in born). Hypothyroidism. Wilsons disease.
If High:
Raised levels of ALP are usually due to a disorder of either the bone or liver.
If other liver function tests are also raised, this usually indicates that the ALP is coming from the liver.
However, if calcium and phosphate measurements are abnormal, this suggests that the ALP might be coming from bone.
In some forms of liver disease, such as hepatitis, ALP is usually much less elevated than AST or ALT.
However, when the bile ducts are blocked (for example by gallstones, scars from previous gallstones or surgery, or by a tumour), ALP and bilirubin may be increased much more than either AST or ALT.
ALP can also be raised in bone diseases such as Paget’s disease (where bones become enlarged and deformed), in certain cancers that spread to bone or in vitamin D deficiency.
Calcium
99% of calcium is found in the bones, and most of the rest circulates in the blood. Roughly half of calcium is referred to as ‘free’ (or 'ionized’) and is active within the body; the remaining half, referred to as 'bound’ calcium, is attached to protein and other compounds and is inactive.
If low: (hypocalcaemia)
The most common cause of low total calcium is low protein levels, especially low albumin. When low protein is the problem, the 'free’ calcium level remains normal.
High levels of glucose most frequently indicate diabetes, in fasting blood glucose test: <7mmol/L is indicative and in oral glucose test ites <11 mmol/L .
Acromegaly
Acute stress (response to trauma, heart attack, and stroke for instance)
Long-term kidney disease
Cushing’s syndrome
Drugs, including: corticosteroids, tricyclic antidepressants, oestrogens (birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy [HRT]), lithium..
Hyperthyroidism
Pancreatic cancer. Pancreatitis
Triglyceride:
Most triglycerides are found in fat (adipose) tissue, but some circulate in the blood to provide fuel for muscles to work.
If low:
Hyperthyroidism. Malnutrition. Certain medications and drugs can deplete fat, leading to low triglycerides.
If high: (e.g. at least 10-15 mmol/L) –> pancreatitis.
Parathyroid hormone:
Part of a ‘feedback loop’ that includes calcium, PTH, vitamin D, and to some extent phosphate and magnesium. PTH is secreted into the bloodstream in response to low blood calcium concentration.
If both PTH and calcium results are normal, and appropriate relative to each other, then it is likely that the body’s calcium regulation system is functioning properly.
Low –> conditions causing hypercalcaemia, or to an abnormality in PTH production causing hypoparathyroidism.
High –> hyperparathyroidism, which is most frequently caused by a benign parathyroid tumour.
Calcium - PTH Relationship
Calcium low and PTH high, then PTH working. Low calcium may be investigated.
Calcium low and PTH normal or low –> hypoparathyroidism.
Calcium high and PTH –> hyperparathyroidism.
Calcium normal and PTH high –> vitamin D deficiency or chronic kidney disease.
Amylase
Released from the pancreas into the digestive tract to help digest starch. It is usually present in the blood in small quantities. When cells in the pancreas are injured or if the pancreatic duct is blocked (by a gallstone or rarely by a tumour) increased amounts of amylase find their way into the bloodstream.
If high:
Pancreatitis which is a severe inflammation (often 5-10 times normal)
Cancer of the pancreas, gallbladder disease, a perforated ulcer, obstruction of the intestinal tract, mumps or ectopic pregnancy.
Increased blood amylase with normal or low urine amylase may indicate decreased kidney function or the presence of macroamylase.
I know some find offal off-putting, and I wouldn’t have Devilled Kidneys orLiver every day either; but they are lean, cheap and very nutritious. You won’t find a better source of iron! And when simply and well-cooked, they can be very tasty, too. Like these Green Onion Pork Kidneys.Happy Thursday!
2 (135-gram/5-ounce) pork kidneys (prepared by your butcher)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
In a medium frying pan, melt butter over a medium flame.
Finely chopGreen Onion, and once the butteris just foaming, add chopped white part of the Green Onion to the pan. Cook, a couple of minutes, until softened. Reserve chopped green part of the Green Onion part for serving.
Increase heat to medium-high. Pat pork kidneys dry, and lay them flat onto the pan. Cook, about 4 minutes, then the will close up. Cook on each side until browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Season both sides well with saltandblack pepper. The fleshshoud still be blushing inside.
ServeGreen Onion Pork Kidneys hot, sprinkled with chopped green part of the Green Onion . They pair well with a side of fluffy brown orwhite rice and warm Applesauce. If you want a glass a wine with them, a robust red like an Australian (Braossa Valley) Shiraz or a French Saint-Chinian, is excellent!
It’s been a while but I need your help! After 18 years I am being considered for a kidney transplant at John Hopkins, however since I live in another state I need to raise money to travel back and forth, parking, housing, and food before, during, and after transplant. Any thing counts and if you can’t donate please reblog or consider becoming a living donor.
