What can you do to make your kidneys stronger?

Situated at the bottom of your rib cage on both sides of your spine, your kidneys are multi-functional. Their key functions include removing unwanted impurities from your blood, creating hormones for blood pressure regulation, regulating the creation of red blood cells, controlling levels of salt and potassium in your body and enabling vitamin D to assist your body in absorbing calcium for bones and muscle. 

As a consequence, your kidneys are one of the essential cores of your whole health and well-being. Keeping your kidneys in good health at all times will help your body filter waste and help your body produce hormones in an appropriate manner.  Here are some practical tips to help keep your kidneys healthy: 

1. Eat and drink healthily     

Eating fresh food with low sodium, for instance, whole grains, fish, cauliflower, blueberries, will minimize the risk of kidney harm.  

Drink at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day to detoxify your kidneys. This will also help you reduce your chance of developing chronic kidney disease. The amount of water you need is directly reliant on a number of different factors including gender, exercise, climate, whether or not you are an expectant woman or in the breastfeeding process and whether or not you have had kidney stones before. These things are very important for your plan of daily water consumption.  

In addition, always keep track of your weight to avoid developing a number of medical conditions including not only kidney disease but also heart disease and diabetes. 

2. Keep track of your blood sugar 

Having high blood sugar can damage your kidneys. When glucose in your blood doesn’t function properly, your kidneys are then pressured to work harder to filter your blood. If this continues to last for many years, you can experience fatal damage.     

If you manage to keep your blood sugar under control then you have a lower risk of kidney disease. The earlier the damage is detected, the better your doctor can minimize or prevent further damage. 

3. Keep an eye on your blood pressure 

Having high blood pressure can damage your kidneys. Prehypertension occurs between the healthy blood pressure point 120/80 and 139/89. Once your blood pressure readings are beyond 140/90 on a constant basis, you may have high blood pressure. Therefore, you are advised to consult your physician regarding regulating your blood pressure and changing your lifestyle and perhaps taking pills. 

4. Monitor the amount of OTC medication you take 

Regular intake of over-the-counter (OTC) medicine that alleviates medical conditions such as arthritis, chronic pain and headaches can damage your kidneys. Examples of these medicines are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen and naproxen. 

If you have no kidney problems and sometimes take the medicine, you are likely no longer in danger. Consult your doctor about how to treat your kidneys safely if you are dealing with pain.  

5. Stay physically fit 

Consistent physical exercise can reduce your chance of developing chronic kidney disease. It can lessen your blood pressure and keep your heart healthy which significantly contribute to prevention of kidney harm. 

Walking, cycling, running and even dancing are brilliant for the health of your kidneys. Engage in a physical activity that you really enjoy. With that in mind, you are likely to do it more regularly and achieve fantastic outcomes.  

Takeaway

On the whole, when the topic of maintaining the health of your kidneys is brought up to the table, visiting your physician annually is merely one chapter of the entire story. Start with the obvious activities such as having a healthy diet, keep fit and active and monitor your blood sugar and blood pressure. 

These behavioral and dietary changes may not always be easy to implement. However, understand that things you can do daily can minimize your risk of developing kidney diseases.