There are common ways to keeping your kidneys healthy like doing the opposite of things that damages your kidneys and those good ways are: staying fit, eating a healthy diet . I would like to get more into detail with what exactly you need to do to keep your kidneys healthy and reduce future chances of kidney related problems.


Chronic Kidney disease

Here are some habits you can install into your life:

1. Control your blood sugar

People with diabetes, or a condition that causes high blood sugar, may develop kidney damage. When your body’s cells can’t use the glucose (sugar) in your blood, your kidneys are forced to work extra hard to filter your blood. Over years of exertion, this can lead to life-threatening damage.

However, if you can control your blood sugar, you reduce the risk of damage. Also, if the damage is caught early, your doctor can take steps to reduce or prevent additional damage.


2. Monitor blood pressure

High blood pressure can cause kidney damage. If high blood pressure occurs with other health issues like diabetes, heart disease, or high cholesterol, the impact on your body can be significant.

A healthy blood pressure reading is 120/80. Prehypertension is between that point and 139/89. Lifestyle and dietary changes may help lower your blood pressure at this point.


If your blood pressure readings are consistently above 140/90, you may have high blood pressure. You should talk with your doctor about monitoring your blood pressure regularly, making changes to your lifestyle, and possibly taking medication.


3. Be aware of the amount of OTC pills you take

If you regularly take over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication, you may be causing kidney damage. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen and naproxen, can damage your kidneys if you take them regularly for chronic pain, headaches, or arthritis.

People with no kidney issues who take the medicine occasionally are likely in the clear. However, if you use these medicines daily, you could be risking your kidneys’ health. Talk with your doctor about kidney-safe treatments if you’re coping with pain.


4. Cut down on salt.

Over 89 percent of Americans consume more than the recommended amount of salt each day. Experts recommend limiting your daily sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams, about the amount of a teaspoon. Eating too much salt can increase your blood pressure and water retention, adding stress on your heart and blood vessels and preventing the water from flushing out toxins.


5. Limit your ibuprofen use.

Taking certain over-the-counter medications too often can cause kidney damage. Before taking a pain reliever, check the label for a kidney damage warning. If you have healthy kidneys, you may take these medications occasionally for temporary relief but never for long-term pain management. 


If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor before using a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.


6. Eat more antioxidants

Cecile Verseput, dietitian and ADSA spokesperson, says that researchers are discovering more links between chronic diseases, including chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the role foods play by forming free radicals or protecting against chronic inflammation through antioxidants.


“Chronic inflammation results in permanent damage, for instance in blood vessels in the heart and kidneys, that causes damage,” she explains. “Antioxidants found in fresh fruit and vegetables can be seen as the ‘firemen putting out the harmful flames’ of inflammation caused by these free radicals.”

All fresh fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants.


7. Cut back on fatty red meat and dairy

Do you regularly eat plenty of fatty red meat and full-cream dairy? Unfortunately, you’re putting your kidneys at risk – they have to work so much harder to get rid of the excessive waste generated from digesting these animal proteins, explains Verseput.

Swap fatty meats and full cream dairy firstly for legumes, tofu and nuts, or alternatively for fresh/unprocessed fish or poultry.


8. Lose the weight

When you carry a bit of extra weight, your kidneys have to work so much harder – they need to filter more blood than normal to avoid the risk of developing CKD in the long term.

In fact, people who are overweight or obese are seven times more likely to develop end-stage renal disease compared to those with normal weight.


If you have a family history of CKD or renal failure, this should raise a red flag that you need to focus on the health of your kidneys. If you are overweight, you need to find ways to lose it and cut back on the stress you’re placing on your kidneys says Courtenay. 


9. Manage hypertension

The prime culprit in 64% of CKD cases in South Africa is undetected or uncontrolled hypertension.

Protect your kidney healthy by having your blood pressure tested regularly, following your treatment plan (if you’re on one) and making lifestyle changes to keep your blood pressure in check, Courtenay advises.


10. Eat more green

“Go green!” says Verseput. “Give preference to a plant-based eating pattern including lots of fresh, whole foods, fruits and vegetables. You can also swap red meat for plant-based proteins like legumes, nuts and tofu.”


11. Get real

Drop the high-salt, trans-fat takeaways and convenience foods like hot cakes,” says Courtenay. She suggests developing an interest and enjoyment in cooking from scratch with fresh, healthy ingredients – it also means you’ll know exactly what you’re eating, so you won’t be at risk for hidden salt and sugar.   

“It’s so much more delicious, and good for your kidneys.


12. Be choosy about fats

Fats are not created equal and you need to be careful about the ones you choose to eat.  “Go for extra-virgin olive oil and avocado oil rather than hard fats to protect the blood vessels in your kidneys,” says Courtenay.


13. Forget the convenient fads

Although convenient, sugar-sweetened drinks and treats, fast foods, processed and red meat are bad news for your kidneys.

“If your diet consists of processed, junk food, it could cause similar damage to type 2 diabetes,” says Verseput.


A study, published the Experimental Physiology journal, showed that regularly eating junk food, such as fizzy drinks, burgers, cakes, biscuits and fast food, causes similar blood sugar levels as type 2 diabetes.

"This causes an accumulation of sugar, or glucose, in the blood, which can have severe long-term consequences for organs, including the kidneys, where it can lead to diabetic kidney disease.”


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