The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located at your lower back beneath the rib cage.
These two things are a powerhouse because the failure of the kidneys can ultimately lead to death. That’s why it is essential to protect the kidneys from things that may damage them and cause them not to function properly.
The main function of the kidney is to filter blood and produce urine and remove impurities from your system. When the kidney is not functioning optimally it can lead to other health problems like nerve damage, weak bones etc.
The human body can function with one kidney but the second one may fail in the long run if proper measures aren’t taken. But why wait for one or both of them to fail when you can protect your kidneys from damage?
Bad habits that damage the kidneys
Everyone has one bad habit or the other that you find very difficult to drop but here are 10 habits that you must drop or correct as soon as possible.
Holding your pee too long: urinate immediately you feel pressed or as soon as you find the opportunity. Holding it can cause urinary tract infection, put pressure on your kidneys, it can also damage and burst your bladder and cause kidney stones.
Kidney stone forms when waste products from the blood form crystal over time. Kidney stones are common with people who do not stay hydrated, it causes nausea, aches, blood in urine etc.
Not drinking enough water: the kidneys remove waste and toxins from your blood and drinking water makes this process seamless by drawing the toxins out and pushing them out through your bladder. Some experts believe women should drink at least 2.7 litres of water and 3.7 for men each day but there’s no limit to the quantity you can drink, just ensure you stay hydrated. This is for healthy kidneys but if you are already having early stage of kidney failure, you need to regulate your water and fluid intake
Eating too much animal protein: high protein diet is said to accelerate kidney failure especially animal protein. The kidney performs a vital role in processing protein in your blood, Too much protein may make the kidneys work overtime and in the process damage them. This happens mostly with people who are already diagnosed with kidney disease but people on the keto diet are also at risk of kidney damage because keto is a high protein diet. Make efforts to eat a healthy balanced diet by incorporating carbohydrate, protein and fats into your meals but eat more of plant protein as animal protein is more complex and people who consume a lot of animal protein, especially red meat have a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease.
Adding extra salt: sodium is good when your body has a balanced level of it, not too much or less. Salty foods are sweet to eat, the worst is adding salt into an already prepared meal. Salt makes you add weight and increases your blood pressure. Sodium also increases the protein in your urine which reduces kidney function and worsens kidney disease. Avoid kidney damage by reducing your salt intake, read food labels and nutritional information to be sure of the quantity of sodium contained in it.
Going extra on the alcohol: drinking excessive alcohol doubles your chances of kidney failure. Too much alcohol causes high blood pressure and high blood pressure is one of the major causes of kidney damage. So, put a stop to alcohol consumption or drink in moderation.
Cigarette smoking: smokers are liable to die young is written on almost every cigarette pack but that doesn’t deter people from smoking. Smoking slows the blood flow to important and vital organs especially the kidneys which can damage the kidney or worsen kidney disease.
Not exercising: physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor for kidney disease. Exercise improves metabolic function as well as blood pressure and insulin resistance. Studies have also shown that vigorous exercise can protect against kidney disease
Taking too much painkiller: don’t take painkillers again!! Sounds impossible right? Extensive and regular intake of painkiller is known to gradually damage the kidneys, both prescribed and over the counter analgesics like ibuprofen, aspirin etc. It’s difficult to manage pains but you should try to manage other minor headaches and pains caused by tiredness and stress by resting, taking a shower, sleeping and just taking time off. It helps a great deal rather than reaching out for NSAIDs every time you feel some ache.
Eating high sugar foods: when the blood sugar is high, it causes frequent urination and this puts pressure on the kidneys. Sugar may not directly damage the kidneys but it worsens other conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.
People who are diabetic have a higher chance of having kidney failure. The excessive blood flow and inflammation will cause the kidney to begin to shrink and die but this happens years after diabetes is uncontrolled. Uncontrolled diabetes leads to uncontrolled high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. keep sweets, processed foods and anything that is a risk factor for diabetes at bay. that way you reduce your risk of kidney damage
Lack of sleep: I can’t stress enough the importance of sleep. When you sleep, your body goes through some repair process and it also uses the protein in your system to build and grow muscles. According to research by WebMD, Women who slept five hours or less a night had a 65 per cent greater risk of rapid decline in kidney function, compared with women sleeping seven to eight hours a night. So make out time to sleep and give your body some rest.
Takeaway
Kidney disease is a very expensive disease to manage and most people who have it do not have the financial capacity to manage it because dialysis amongst other treatments for kidney disease cost so much and they often require help, donations and contributions from the community to live. A kidney transplant is also a solution to kidney disease but it also has its own downside because the transplant list is usually long and some may be lucky to find a donor while still on dialysis, some others may not survive to get a new one. Then some others who successfully get a new one can have their body reject the kidney, and they will struggle to survive years after the transplant. The good thing is, you can protect your kidneys from damage with these few tips and if you are in the early stage of kidney damage, it can be reversed with medication and lifestyle changes especially by what you consume.
It will be kind to show support both financially and by any means possible to people managing kidney disease. Share this piece with someone, you may be saving a life