The kidneys are located at the bottom of your rib cage, on either side of your spine. Their function is multifaceted.
The most significant function of kidneys is to filter waste products, surplus water, and other impurities. Excess water from your body gets stored in your bladder and eventually removed.
Your kidneys also control pH and salt levels in your body. The production of red blood cells and the regulation of blood pressure are also managed by hormones secreted by the kidneys.
As well as activating a form of vitamin D to aid in bone building and muscle contraction, your kidneys are also responsible for regulating your body’s calcium absorption.
Your overall health and well-being depend on the health of your kidneys. Having healthy kidneys will result in the proper filtration and elimination of waste as well as the production of hormones that your body needs to function.
You Can Keep Your Kidneys Healthy By Following These Tips
Here are some tips for kidney health:
1. Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle
Exercising regularly has many benefits besides reducing your waistline. Chronic kidney disease can be prevented by exercising regularly. As a result, it lowers blood pressure and helps boost heart health, which is important for preventing kidney damage.
A healthy lifestyle doesn’t require running marathons. It’s perfectly fine to walk, run, cycle, and even dance for your health. Choose an activity you enjoy and will keep you busy. This will help you stick with it and achieve great results, and maintain kidney health.
2. Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
If you suffer from diabetes, or a condition that leads to high blood sugar, you may suffer kidney damage. As a result, your kidneys work harder to filter your blood when you cannot use the glucose (sugar) in your blood. This can have life-threatening results after years of exertion.
If you manage your blood sugar, you can reduce the risk of damage. Furthermore, the earlier the damage is detected, the more likely it is that the damage will be reduced or prevented.
3. Monitor Your Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can result in kidney damage. The impacts on your body can be significant if high blood pressure occurs in conjunction with other health issues like diabetes, heart disease, or high cholesterol.
A healthy reading of blood pressure is 120/80. Your lifestyle and diet may play a role in lowering your blood pressure.
A blood pressure reading consistently exceeding 140/90 may indicate high blood pressure. Your doctor may prescribe medication, or you may need to change your lifestyle and monitor your blood pressure regularly.
4. Maintain a Healthy Diet and Weight
An overweight or obese person is at risk of kidney damage as well as other health problems. Diabetic complications, heart disease, and chronic kidney disease are all possible.
It is possible to reduce the risk of kidney damage by eating a diet low in sodium, potassium phosphorus and avoiding other kidney-damaging foods. During the week, consume fresh, naturally low-sodium ingredients such as cauliflower, blueberries, fish, and whole grains.
5. Stay Hydrated by Drinking Plenty of Fluids
Although it’s not a secret that we should drink eight glasses of water a day to stay hydrated, it is a good goal, because it encourages us to stay hydrated. Your kidneys benefit from regular, consistent water consumption.
Your kidneys are cleansed with water by removing sodium and toxins. In addition, you are less likely to develop chronic kidney disease if you drink water regularly.
You should drink at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water each day. Depending on your health and lifestyle, you need a different amount of water. When planning your daily water intake, you should consider climate, exercise, gender, health status, and whether or not you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Drinking more water will prevent kidney stones in the future for those who have already had them.
6. Avoid Smoking
The blood vessels in your body are damaged by smoking. The result is reduced blood flow throughout your body, especially to your kidneys.
You are also more likely to develop kidney cancer if you smoke. Quitting smoking will decrease your risk. Nonetheless, it will take a long time for your risk level to return to that of someone who had never smoked.
7. Make Sure You Don’t Take Too Many OTC Pills
You could have kidney damage if you regularly take over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication. In the case of chronic pain, headaches, or arthritis, taking NSAIDs regularly can cause damage to the kidneys, including ibuprofen and naproxen.
Patients without kidney problems who occasionally take the medicine are probably safe. You could end up endangering your kidneys if you take these medicines every day. If you are living with pain, discuss kidney-safe treatments with your doctor.
8. Consider Having Your Kidney Function Checked If You Are At High Risk
It’s a good idea to get regular kidney function tests if you are at risk for kidney damage or kidney disease. People at risk for kidney damage and kidney disease include:
Senior Citizen.
Premature babies.
Patients with cardiovascular disease or those with a family history of it.
People with high blood pressure and those who have a family history of it.
People have Diabetes with uncontrolled blood sugar levels.
Obese individuals.
People with a family history of kidney disease.
Checking kidney function on a regular basis is an excellent way to check kidney health and look for changes. Preventing or slowing future damage can be achieved by getting ahead of any problems.
When Kidneys Need Emergency Room Visits
Pediatricians detect most chronic kidney problems or congenital disabilities in children. Adults are more difficult to diagnose. Our bodies often attempt to tell us that kidney distress is a symptom of another issue.
Patients in the emergency room with renal distress are most commonly suffering from kidney stones. A kidney stone is a hard collection of calcium or uric acid plus salt and they can travel to the rest of the urinary tract by the flow of urine.
An abdominal, groin, genital, or side pain caused by kidney stones is severe. The following symptoms may also occur:
Urine-containing blood
High fever and chills
Vomiting or severe nausea
At CARE Hospitals, we have the best kidney specialist in Hyderabad who offers a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approach to the treatment of kidney diseases & failures.
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