Tips for Keeping Your Kidneys Healthy
Tips for Keeping Your Kidneys Healthy
March is National Kidney Health Awareness Month, a time to reflect on how essential these two fist-sized organs are for the body. Your kidneys produce urine, filter wastes and excess fluids from the blood, and help regulate blood pressure and red blood cell production. Although your kidneys work hard around the clock to keep you healthy, you can lose nearly 60% of kidney function before realizing any issues. Chronic kidney disease symptoms are usually progressive, worsening over time until they cause severe or fatal problems. Kidney health concerns such as kidney stones, chronic kidney disease, and kidney failure may be preventable through healthy lifestyle choices. Below, Pegalis Law Group, LLC discusses ways to keep your kidneys healthy for many years to come.
Keep Hydrated, So Your Kidneys Can Produce Urine
We all know doctors suggest drinking at least eight glasses of water per day, but how many know why? Keeping hydrated ensures your kidneys can produce enough urine to filter the blood of wastes. Chronic dehydration can cause painful urinary tract infections and kidney stones (minerals and other crystallized waste products that can clump inside the urine and cause blockages). Eating kidney-healthy foods as part of a balanced diet is vital to avoid complications. Stay away from processed meats and other high-sodium foods, focusing on fresher options such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Stay Fit & Active to Manage Your Body’s Weight
Maintaining a healthy body weight isn’t just about your ego and how you look in a swimsuit. Keeping yourself fit and active can help lower your risk of chronic kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Whether you prefer walking, swimming, cycling, playing tennis, or running, the important thing is to get out there and get moving regularly. If you find an exercise you enjoy, you’ll be likelier to stick with it for healthy weight loss and maintenance.
Monitor Your Blood Sugars (Esp. If You’re Diabetic)
Chronic conditions like diabetes can cause kidney damage over time, especially if the person has high blood sugar for a prolonged period. When your body has excess sugar in the bloodstream, your kidneys must work harder to filter them. Maintaining your blood sugars helps prevent excessive kidney damage.
Control Your Blood Pressure to Prevent Kidney Damage
Chronic high blood pressure can also cause significant kidney damage. Taking medications, monitoring your diet and exercise, and making other lifestyle changes can help lower your blood pressure.
Don’t Smoke or Abuse Over-the-Counter Medications
Smoking causes numerous health concerns, including blood vessel damage restricting your body’s blood flow and damaging your kidneys over time. Smoking also increases your risk of developing kidney cancer. Another potentially kidney-damaging thing you may want to restrict or avoid use of is over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). While NSAIDs are often used to treat chronic pain, arthritis, and headaches, they may lead to kidney damage when taken regularly or excessively.
Are You at High Risk for Kidney Disease or Damage?
If you have a family history of kidney disease or other health conditions that may put you at high risk for kidney disease (high blood pressure, obesity, or diabetes), talk to your doctor about testing your kidney function. Detecting kidney damage early can help slow or prevent future damage from occurring.
Being Proactive About Your Family’s Health This Year
Pegalis Law Group, LLC is a New York-based personal injury and medical malpractice law firm committed to spreading public awareness on health-related topics for 50+ years. Receive additional insights about being proactive about your family’s health this year and beyond by visiting our website and following us on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.