The information below is not medical advice. I am not a medical professional; I am studying to be a clinical herbalist. Herbalists do not diagnose or treat disease. Please use common sense whenever learning about herbs and always check with a medical professional before taking any herb.

The following Materia Medica is from my own personal herbal reference journal and the information is taken from a variety of sources. All sources have been linked below the article for you to do your own research!

Historically, the kidneys have been revered in many cultures. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is believed that kidneys are one of the main energy sources for the body, as they supply other organs with reserved Qi. In many other cultures, kidneys were viewed as the place where emotions were held; similar to how Western culture views the Heart, today. Ancient Egyptians and Jews believed that God would judge the kidneys after death – which is why Egyptians would remove the kidneys before mummifying their dead.

Today we know that the kidneys hold several functions that are crucial to overall health in the body. Their functions include, but are not limited to, removing waste products from the blood, regulating water balance and blood volume and therefore blood pressure, and secreting two hormones: Calcitriol (Vitamin D) and Erythropoietin (works with bone marrow to increase production of red blood cells).

There are many herbs that support the kidneys, and the entire urinary system in general. Many of these herbs can be found in your backyard depending on the season, and several others are easy to find in the grocery store. Let’s dive in and take a look at ten different herbs that can support urinary system health.

Golden Rod solidago spp

You’ve probably seen this gorgeous plant when she blooms during Autumn, as her golden yellow flowers stand tall along roadsides, ditches, and woodlines. Goldenrod has an astringent nature, which means she tones and tightens mucous membranes in the body, as well as being a diuretic which means she helps rid the body of excess salt and fluids by increasing urine output from the kidneys. Due to these two actions, goldenrod is excellent for urinary health. As a diuretic, she increases urine to help flush bacteria from the kidneys and bladder and relieve inflammation. The astringent properties tone the urinary system.

In a clinical trial with patients who had Urinary Tract inflammation, 70% reported complete disappearance of symptoms of pain frequency and urgency after using a goldenrod tincture.

Nettle Urtica Dioica

Nettle is one of the most nutrient and mineral rich herbs that we know of today. She is a tropho-resorative (tropho is Greek for nourishing), which means that she is extremely nourishing to not only the kidneys and urinary system, but also the entire body. Her diuretic properties can help to flush bacteria out of the kidneys and urinary system by increasing urine output.

One interesting thing to note about herbs with Diuretic properties is that they are usually very nutrient rich and replenish the body with (specifically) the mineral potassium. This is important because Potassium is water soluble and is therefore excreted in relatively high amounts in the urine. When you have increased urine output due to a diuretic, it’s important to be sure you are not losing too much potassium over a long period of time. Three of the herbs discussed in this article (Nettle, Dandelion Leaf and Horsetail) have diuretic properties and also replenish the body with potassium. Nature knows best!

Cleavers Galium Aparine

Cleavers is a weed that can be found growing in much of the United States. It is fantastic for the lymphatic system but also incredible for kidney health. Cleavers is a diuretic and helps the kidneys flush out waste and toxins and clean up the urinary system. She has also proven helpful in cases of kidney stones.

Dandelion Leaf Taraxacum officinale

Dandelion is one of the most common weeds growing in the US, and nearly everyone knows how to identify her. Dandelion is a diuretic, but also incredible for liver support and increasing the “digestive juices”. She can also help strengthen connective tissue in the bladder.

Plantain Plantago Spp

Plantain is another one of the most common weeds in the US. She grows nearly everywhere (except in my yard, much to my chagrin) and spans many states. Plantago is exceptionally soothing and healing to not only the intestinal gut lining, but also to the epithelial tissue lining of the bladder and urinary system.

Marshmallow Althaea Officinalis

Althaea is not only a diuretic, but when soaked overnight in a cold infusion, she releases her mucilaginous properties which are indicated to soothe inflamed membranes. This makes her perfect for eliminating build up in the urinary tract – the diuretic action increases urine output and the mucilage helps soothe the tissue at the same time.

Wild Hydrangea Hydrangea

Though a less commonly used herb, hydrangea actually specializes in kidney and urinary health! She is, of course, a diuretic and seems to specialize in kidney stones, UTI’s, and prostatitis. Hydrangea works best when combined with other plants, such as an Antispasmodic herb for kidney stones, or an antimicrobial herb for UTIs. The root is indicated for UTIs accompanied by pain.

Horsetail Equisetum arvense

Horsetail strengthens and nourishes tissues in the urinary tract due to her large amount of silica, potassium, manganese, flavonoids, and phenolic acids.

Corn Silk Zea mays

Corn Silk is one of the most gentle, yet efficient remedies for soothing inflammation in the urinary tract. Corn silk is easy for most people to find- it’s the long hairs surrounding the corn inside the husks of Corn on the Cob. Cornsilk is a diuretic with mild antiseptic and antimicrobial properties. You can eat it fresh, cut up on a salad, or make an infusion with it. It’s one of the safest remedies for children too.

Celery Seed Apium Graveolens

Celery seed is another herb that is fairly easy to find at your local grocery store in the spice section. Due to her high volatile oil content, she works to inhibit bacterial growth of many different bacteria including E. Coli and Salmonella. Celery Seed is also a diuretic so she works to decrease Uric Acid and increase Urine Production.

Nature provides so many incredible herbs for every single system in our body, and it’s fascinating and empowering to be able to take your health in your own hands. I hope this article was helpful for those looking to strengthen and nourish their kidneys and urinary system. Please always reach out to a medical provider if you are not seeing improvement in UTI symptoms within 48 hours of using herbs and are not working with a clinical herbalist. Use your intuition, your brain, and always do your own research.

From my kidneys to yours,

Victoria