Top 10 Ways To Keep Your Kidney Healthy
18 Nov, 2019
We all have one heart, one liver, one intestine but two kidneys which play a vital role in keeping one healthy and fit. It is one of the vital organs of the body that performs numerous activities including filtering waste products out of the body in addition to removing an excess of water and impurities from the body. A little deviation in its functioning can end up affecting the whole of health.
Hence, it is necessary to take the utmost care of this humble organ in our body- the kidneys that help in regulating our pH levels, potassium, and salt in the body. Also, it is one of the main contributors to producing hormones that assist in regulating blood pressure.
Here are some tips to help keep your kidneys healthy.
Drink lots of fluid
Staying hydrated is not only good for our body but our kidneys too. Drinking at least 6 to 8 glasses of water in a day helps kidneys in throwing away the toxins and excess sodium out of the body.
Stop Smoking
Smoking not only puts our respiratory system at risk but also does no good to our kidney. Smoking leads to damage to blood vessels which thereby lead to slow blood flow to our kidney. This also eventually increases the risk of cancer. Hence, if you wish for a healthy kidney, stop smoking soon.
Avoid intake of NSAIDs
Avoid excess consumption of NSAIDs like naproxen and ibuprofen that leads to an increase in creatin levels. These OTC pain killers hover the risk of your kidney getting permanently damaged if taken regularly.
Check your blood sugar levels
Diabetics and high blood sugar issues are prone to kidney damage. The body is unable to break down glucose in the blood and further pushes it to kidneys that are pressurized in working extra hard for filtering blood. Hence, keeping a check on sugar levels will prevent permanent damage.
Monitor your BP regularly
Hypertension puts kidneys at risk. A reading of 120/80 is an ideal BP for a healthy body. If your BP levels rise higher than 140/90 you are prone to hypertension. This again lowers the breaking of glucose and which thereby pressurizes the kidney to work harder.
Exercise regularly
Exercise, Yoga and other physical training help in throwing out excess of toxins in the form of sweat thereby also regulating BP and boosting heart health.
Control Weight
Obesity is among the health risks leading to kidney damage. Avoid junk and processed food and focus on low sodium diet like whole grains, cauliflower, blueberries to lower kidney damage.
Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol shots up the blood sugar levels as the kidney is not able to breakdown glucose. This eventually leads to damaging kidneys in the future.
Get an annual health check
Post the age of 60, and those with a history of BP and diabetics running in the family are recommended to get an annual health-checks done to prevent falling prey to chronic kidney disease.
Follow a healthy diet
A diet filled with enough legumes, low sodium diet, water and fluids along with keeping oneself physically active is prominent ways to keep your kidney healthy throughout.