Seven Golden rules to protect the kidneys
Dr. Garima Aggarwal
It comes as a shocker to many that the kidneys, each about the size of a fist play such a major role in your wellbeing and involved in removing waste products from the body; preventing toxins from building up in the bloodstream. Post the circulation of blood through the entire body, it then passes onto the kidneys.
They kidneys then filter waste products from the blood including extra salt and water and these are then passed out as urine. So imagine your kidneys getting into a non-functional mode. If this ever happens the waste product build-up is likely to cause some chemical imbalance which are otherwise required for the smooth functioning of the body. Such disorders among others are precisely termed as renal diseases.
Since the causes can vary, so can the symptoms. Some very common symptoms however are too much or too little urine, or passing blood or abnormal levels of chemicals in urine. But if the disease is caused by a bacterial infection, the first sign is high fever. In case of moderate or mild kidney diseases, there are sometimes no symptoms at all. But to say that these do not cause any pain will be wrong.
Kidney stones in the ureter are seen to cause some cramping pain that spreads from the lower back into the groin. The disease can lead to chronic or acute kidney failure. While failure of kidneys in the former happens gradually, the latter may happen within a few hours or days. Both are life-threatening.
There are different kinds of renal diseases, some even leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD is a condition in which the kidneys fail to work in a normal way with the patient needing dialysis or kidney transplant.
Ways to prevent renal ailments in 2019
1. Regular Physical Activity – regular exercise is known to regulate and control the blood pressure, keeps away from heart diseases and improves kidney health.
2. Control blood sugar levels – Prolonged diabetes is one of the vital causes of renal failure worldwide. Being a preventable and controllable cause, timely detection and maintaining blood sugar levels not only keeps the kidneys healthy but also the overall organs. Diabetics should strictly control sugar levels and get regular blood and urine testing for diagnosing kidney disease.
3. Maintain Blood pressure – People with Hypertension or High Blood Pressure may be unaware of the problem. Normal blood pressure should be less than 120/80 mmHg. Get your blood pressure checked and if it’s high take appropriate treatment. High blood pressure causes kidney damage.
4. Maintain proper BMI – Being overweight or obese can lead to many health problems including kidney disease. And hence it is mandatory to maintain the normal body weight to minimize the burden on the kidneys while filtering the waste.
5. Reduce salt intake and have a healthy diet – High salt intake causes high blood pressure and increases the risk of heart and kidney damage. Most processed food is high in salt and should be avoided and instead, opt of fresh fruits and vegetables. Only 1 teaspoon a day of salt in the diet is recommended.
6. Smoking cessation – Smoking slows the flow of blood to the kidneys and impairs their ability to function properly. Smoking highly increases the risk of kidney disease and cancer.
7. Avoid dehydration – Maintaining a healthy fluid intake helps the kidney clean the body of all its toxins. Dehydration is linked to many kidney diseases.
Identifying the renal ailments
Get your kidney functions checked and consult a Nephrologist if you have –
• Reduced amount of urine
• Abnormal color of urine, or pain during urination
• Swelling of your feet or face
• Breathing difficulty on lying down or doing any activity (esp with above symptoms)
• Diabetes or Hypertension
• A family history of kidney disease
• Incidentally detected to have abnormal kidney blood tests, urine tests or abnormal kidney findings on ultrasound scan.
(The writer is a practicing Nephrologist and Physician based in Delhi)
