INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Long-term dehydration can prevent your kidneys from functioning properly. Drink whenever you feel thirsty, and drink enough to keep your urine colorless or pale yellow. It's a myth that additional water beyond this baseline will help flush your kidneys, but it will help prevent kidney stones in at-risk groups. The foods you eat are very important to your kidney health. When you are trying to flush your kidneys, pay particular attention to your diet. You should always aim to eat healthfully, but it is especially important when you are cleansing a major organ like your kidneys. A healthy, balanced diet will help prevent high blood pressure and diabetes, the two major causes of kidney damage. Watermelon is a great food to add to your diet. It contains a lot of water, and acts as a diuretic, which will help flush the toxins from your kidneys. Eat more berries. Cranberries and raspberries in particular can help rid your kidneys of unwanted substances. Pumpkin seeds contain a lot of powerful antioxidants that can help improve kidney function. Consider adding them to your diet as a healthy snack. Diets that are high in sodium lead to a greater risk of high blood pressure. This can result in extra strain on the kidneys. Reducing the sodium in your diet is an excellent way to promote overall health, especially for your kidneys. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh varieties contain lower amounts of sodium than the canned options. Read labels. Start scanning ingredient lists to make sure the foods you purchase do not have high sodium content. Canned soups are an obvious one to avoid. Compare products to make sure you buy the one with the lowest amounts of sodium. Look for products that are advertised as low-sodium. Because your kidneys are your body's filtration system, they can collect some build up. Drinking natural juice with no added sugars is a good way to stay hydrated while delivering nutrients to your body. Cranberry juice is one of the most effective choices for kidney cleansing, because it helps reduce the amount of calcium oxalate, which can cause kidney stones. Look for juices that are all natural and do not have any added sugar. Beet juice is also a great juice. It contains betaine, which can help remove buildup of many substances. The natural acidity in lemon juice helps flush your kidneys. Add water to cut the sharp taste. Many herbs are traditionally used to treat kidney problems, but overusing them or taking them in combination with other herbs or medication can end up causing more harm than good. Always talk to your doctor before beginning any dietary supplement. Milk thistle and grapefruit seed extract are all examples of naturopathic kidney treatments. Herbal products are usually best taken as a tea, made by steeping the herb in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. Dietary supplements are especially risky if you have a kidney disease, or if you are taking other medication. Even beneficial supplements such as vitamin C or cranberry tablets can backfire if taken in large amounts. To avoid contaminated products, look for supplements with a seal of approval from an independent organization, such as Consumer Lab, NSF International, or U.S. Pharmacopeia. A kidney cleanse is a good way to "reset" your body and begin new, healthy habits. Consistent healthy changes are safer and more effective than extreme changes, so don't feel the need to design a strenuous cleansing challenge. A few days or even just one day of cleansing can have good results. When you are doing a cleanse, you will only eat specific foods and liquids. These includes fruits, such as cranberries, and herbs, such as marshmallow root. Look for recipes that will allow you to integrate these foods into your meals. Cleansing means that you also need to avoid certain foods that stress your kidneys, notably alcohol and caffeine. If you are at risk for kidney stones, also avoid chocolate, nuts, tea, wheat bran, beet greens, strawberries, rhubarb, and spinach.

SUMMARY: Stay hydrated. Balance your diet. Reduce your sodium intake. Drink natural juice. Take herbal supplements with caution. Try a cleanse.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: There are a lot of cliches that people use when other people are going through hard times, and more often than not these common responses just feel insincere or painful to the recipient. Examples of what not to say include: "God will never give you more than you can handle," or its even-worse variation, "This is God's will." Sometimes well meaning people of faith say this phrase, and they may truly believe it, but it can feel very harsh to the recipient, especially if she is experiencing something that is very difficult or overwhelming. Also, the person may not believe in God. "I know how you feel." Sometimes people say this phrase to others who are going through hard times, and while its true that everyone has experienced trials in life, it's impossible to know how someone else is feeling. This phrase is even worse if its accompanied by personal anecdotes that really don't match the intensity of what the sufferer is experiencing. For example, if someone is facing the loss of a limb, don't equate it to the time that you broke your arm. It's not the same thing. However, if you have truly had an experience that is on par with the experience the sufferer is going through, it's ok to talk about and say "I've been through something similar." You'll be ok." This is a common phrase when people don't know what to say, and we often say it more as a wish than a statement of fact. In fact, you don't know if someone will be ok, and in many cases of chronic or terminal illness, the person will NOT be ok. They may die, or be condemned to a life of physical suffering. Saying they will be ok minimizes the experience they are having. "At least..." Don't minimize the person's suffering by suggesting they should be thankful that their situation isn't worse. In particular, avoid discussing minor health issues such as a headache or a cold. This can vary depending on your relationship with the person and the length of their illness. If they are chronically ill, or a very close confidant, it is more likely to be appropriate to discuss things that you're going through. While its true that its important to be sensitive to the feelings of someone who is sick, sometimes we overcompensate for our fear of doing the wrong thing by doing nothing at all. Its better to stick your foot in your mouth and apologize than it is to just ignore your sick friend altogether. If you do mess up and say something insensitive, just say, "I don't know why I said that. I really don't know what to say. This situation is just very hard." Your friend will understand. Try to pay attention to your friend's cues so that you don't visit too frequently or overstay your welcome. When someone is extremely sick especially, it can be very difficult to carry on a conversation and they won't want to offend you so may over-tax themselves by trying to please you. If your friend seems distracted by television or her phone, or seems like she is struggling to fall asleep, those might be signs that she is growing tired of the visit. Don't take it personally! Just remember she is dealing with lot, both physically and emotionally, and it can be taxing. Be mindful of the time, and be sure that you don't extend your stay into mealtimes or other times that your friend may need to be alone. Ask if your friend would like you to pick up some food for them or cook them a meal if you plan to visit during mealtime.

SUMMARY:
Watch out for common faux pas. Don't complain about your own health problems. Don't let fear of doing the wrong thing keep you from doing anything at all. Be considerate.