Start your kidney cleanse by drinking 1 litre of pure water -preferably distilled -to which you have added the juice of 1 lemon (or I lime), preferably organic. Add 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or a little more to taste. Follow this drink after a few minutes with a cup of ‘kidney’ tea -Dandelion leaf plus Parsley leaf and/or a little Corn Silk or whatever you can obtain from the herbal stores (dandelion tea is very good). Take a dose of your prescribed kidney tincture -maybe a combination of some of the following herbs ­Dandelion, Marshmallow, Chickweed and Burdock root, some of which are demulcent and protective to the urinary tract. Ask your practitioner for a herbal formula.

Drink kidney tea and/or Barley Water (not commercially made) until lunch time. For lunch drink vegetable juices, diluted to taste (celery is very alkalising) or eat a raw salad of Dandelion leaves (pick fresh from an uncontaminated source), grated beetroot, grated carrot, and any sprouted seeds. For dressings use only olive oil, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar. Remember not to get chilled -use a little cayenne pepper and/or ginger on the salad to bring a little warmth to the food.

For the remainder of the day continue to drink kidney tea and barley water and take more of your tincture formula. Drink more vegetable juices and eat more raw salad if you wish. Throughout the day drink lots ofpure water.

KIDNEY CLEANSE

Keep warm throughout the day of the cleanse and if your are kidney cleansing in winter, add some ginger and/or cayenne to the cleanse to add warmth.

HOME-MADE BARLEY WATER (from a recipe taught by Jill Rosemary Davies)

Use half a cup of whole barley to five cups of water. Add a quarter of a stick of cinnamon and a little grated fresh ginger. Simmer for 20 minutes, cool, strain, and add fresh lemon juice to taste.