Kidneys - 5 Way To Keep Them Healthy!

Chronic kidney disease is an emerging crisis in India, people suffer from long-standing kidney problems that deteriorate the functioning of kidneys and ultimately lead to renal failure. There are a series of complications that come with chronic kidney disease (CKD) which include high blood pressure, complications with the heart, bone diseases, and even anemia. The symptoms don’t show in the early stages unless you get blood tests but even then you have to specifically look for it.

The symptoms start showing up eventually which include swelling of the leg, tiredness, puking and even fogging up of the mind and general weakness. You are more prone to CKD if it’s in your genetic makeup, as in if it runs in the family, or if you are obese and or diabetic. Yet, even if chronic kidney disease does run in your family, that is no reason to adopt a defeatist attitude towards your kidneys and if even if it doesn’t run in your family you should start take caring of your kidneys so that you can stave off the risk of it. Here are 5 easy ways to take care of your kidneys:

1. Be active: You need to be active and avoid leading a sedentary life to keep your blood pressure in check. This includes regular and regulated amounts of exercise, which could just be simply walking for 30 minutes every day, or cycling or even jogging. Basically, indulge in regular physical activities that increase your heart rate.
2. Check your blood pressure: Keep a look out for your blood pressure, and monitor it as often as possible, or as soon as you feel any sort of discomfort like dizziness or excessively tired or warm. Normal levels are 120/80. High blood pressure puts you in danger of kidney damage especially, when combined with other factors such as diabetes and high cholesterol.
3. Hydrate yourself: Drink lots of water but try not to overdo it. Try to avoid drinking other liquids in place of water such as sodas. 1.5 to 2 litres of water is agreed upon to be the healthy limit. Drinking the required amount of water regularly helps the kidneys flush out the toxins from the body, helps in its proper functioning and thus lowers the chances of kidney damage and formation of kidney stones.
4. Weight management: Keep your weight under control, being obese puts a lot of pressure on your heart and kidneys. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables and decrease your intake of saturated fats and salt that is found in abundance in processed foods.
5. Avoid smoking and drinking: Regulate your drinking and try to limit it to one or two glasses. Completely give up smoking and avoid it because smoke reduces the flow of blood to the kidneys and affects their normal functioning. It is also known to contribute to kidney cancer and increases the chances of the same by 50%.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!