Ways to take care of your kidney
For all health-conscious individuals, one endeavor of theirs is to find practical and actionable means to take proper care of their kidneys. On many media outlets available to the average person, you will find a content on kidney and ways to keep it healthy.
Yet depending on one’s lifestyle and circumstances, people are exposed to the varying risk factors leading to the damage or disease of the kidney.
The kidney, situated beneath our rib cages are fist-sized organs carrying out several functions, the topmost being the filtration of waste products, excess water and impurities from the blood. After the filtration, the removed waste products are stored in the bladder which later pass out as urine.
Other functions of the kidney include:
- The regulation of pH, salt, and potassium levels in body
- Production of hormones regulating blood pressure and controlling the production of red blood cells.
- Activating a form of vitamin D that helps the body absorb calcium for building bones and regulating muscle function
The kidney is indeed a vital organ so by paying appropriate attention to them, your body will filter and expel waste as expected and produce in the right proportions, hormones to enable the body function properly.
Here are ways to keep your kidney healthy
- Monitor your blood pressure level
The truth is that blood pressure possesses the ability to damage your kidney especially when it occurs with other complications like high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes. This impacts your body enormously.
Medically, a healthy blood pressure reads 120/80. A reading of 139/89 is indicative of the fact that one is at pre-hypertension stage and can be brought to normal by employing healthy lifestyle with sustainable dietary changes.
But when your blood pressure reads 140/90 you will be diagnosed of high blood pressure which becomes precarious for you. Talk to your doctor to help regularly monitor your blood pressure and advice on a change of lifestyle to improve your health.
- Develop the habit of drinking a lot of water or fluids
Many of us can go long hours in the day performing our daily tasks without consuming a single glass of water, the body can survive it, but it becomes burdensome for the kidney to function properly.
Every human is advised to drink about 8 glasses of water per day. This is important because it keeps you hydrated, and a consistent intake of water daily is just what the kidney requires to keep it functioning properly.
Why water? Water because it helps to clear toxins and sodium from the kidney and lowers your chances of chronic kidney diseases. Experts say aim for 2 liters of water per day. Your health and lifestyle though, determine precisely how much water you require for your body. You should plan your daily water intake taking into consideration factors such as climate, exercise, gender, overall health, pregnancy or whether you are breastfeeding.
Previous patients of kidney stone are advised to drink a lot more fluid to reduce stone deposits going forward.
- Keep fit through regular exercises
Beyond conventional muscle build up or slender waistline which seem to be immediate benefits of regularly exercises, it is vital for the kidney as it lowers the risk of chronic kidney disease.
Keeping fit reduces your blood pressure and supercharges your general health which is necessary for avoiding kidney damage.
Some ways to keep yourself fit are walking, running, swimming, dancing, cycling and all physical activities that allow you to use your entire body and results in sweat that burn calories.
- Manage your blood sugar level
All patients living with diabetes are prone to developing kidney damage. The simple reason is that once the body’s cells can no longer absorb the glucose or sugar in the blood, the kidney is faced with the extra burden of filtering the blood and over a period result in life threatening damage.
The good news here is, once you can manage your blood sugar, you reduce the risk of damage to your kidney.
- Control the number of over-the-counter pills you use
Warning! If you are constantly consuming over-the-counter drugs for pain relief, you are destroying your kidney, health experts warn. Regularly abusing the likes of ibuprofen and naproxen which are in the family of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, can weaken your kidneys if you take them regularly for conditions such as chronic pain, headaches, or arthritis.
It is advised that these medications, should not be taken beyond 10 days for pain and three days for fever. For example, consuming more than 8 aspirins per day may reduce your kidney functioning temporarily or permanently.
It is best to talk with a doctor about kidney-safe treatments if you are dealing with pain.
Types of kidney diseases
Chronic Kidney Disease - it is caused by high blood pressure
Kidney Stones - caused by crystallization of minerals and others present in the blood, in the kidney, forming solid particles or stones.
Glomerulonephritis - caused by infections, drugs, congenital abnormalities, and autoimmune diseases.
Polycystic kidney disease - is a genetic disorder that causes many cysts, round sacs of fluid, to grow inside and on the surfaces of your kidneys, interfering with kidney function.
To conclude, your best option to avoid the complications of kidney disease is to maintain an active, health-conscious lifestyle. In this way, your kidneys stay healthy.
