Many of the health challenges we suffer are self-afflicted. This often occurs because of ignorance. The Prophet Hosea once sounded the alarm when he declared that God's people perish for lack of knowledge(Hosea 4:6, New International Version). This edition of health issues is focusing on prevention of kidney disease, a challenge that is becoming widespread. Kidneys are the organs that help filter waste products from the blood(Wedro, n.d.). They are also involved in regulating blood pressure, electrolyte balance, and red blood cell production in the body.Kidney failure results from the build-up of waste products in the body. The symptoms include weakness, shortness of breath, lethargy, and confusion. Inability to remove potassium from the bloodstream may lead to abnormal heart rhythms and sudden death. Initially, kidney failure may cause no symptoms. There are habits that trigger kidney problem(My Healthy Book, 2016). If you get to know them and religiously avoid them, you will be doing yourself good as prevention is better than cure.
HIGH INTAKE OF SALT
Consuming too much salt on a regular basis can lead to serious kidney damage and other health issues as well. 95% of the sodium consumed through food is metabolized by kidneys. If you consume too much salt, your kidneys will have to work much harder in order to excrete the excess salt. This can result in reduced function of your kidneys, leading to retention of water in your body. Water retention can increase the blood pressure as well as the risk of kidney disease.
INSUFFICIENT INTAKE OF WATER
Your kidneys can be severely damaged if you don’t drink enough water. If your body lacks water, your blood will become concentrated so there will be less blood flow to the kidneys. This impedes the ability of kidneys to flush out the toxins from your body, and the more toxins in the body, the more health problems.
The recommended daily amount of fluid consumed by a healthy adult is 10 to 12 glasses at a minimum. In this way, the body will be well hydrated and the kidneys healthy. On the other hand, don’t consume too much liquid as this can harden the function of kidneys.
DRINKING TOO MUCH ALCOHOL
Alcohol is a toxin which causes a lot of stress on the liver and kidneys. That’s why drinking excessive amounts can lead to severe kidney damage, so you should always try to drink in moderation.
If you drink excessive amounts of alcohol, the uric acid will be stored in the renal tubules, causing tubular obstruction which raises the risk of developing kidney failure. Furthermore, alcohol leads to dehydration and impedes the normal kidney functioning. The healthy amounts of alcohol consumed on a daily basis are 1 drink for women and older people, and 2 drinks for men.
IGNORING COMMON INFECTIONS
Ignoring of coughs, colds, flu, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, and other common infections, can cause serious kidney damage. Those with kidney disease have often reported to had no rest when they have been sick, and these are often weather sensitive people who often get ill. If you don’t treat your common infection, the viruses or bacteria can cause kidney damage. Therefore, whenever you get a common infection, treat it properly and on time. We really hope you find this article helpful and don’t forget to share it with your friends and family. Thank You
SMOKING CIGARETTES
Smoking is not only bad for kidneys, but for almost every organ in our body, as stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The relation of smoking and kidney disease has been shown by many studies. As the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) explains, smoking is the number one cause for ESRD (end stage renal disease). Smoking increases the heart rate and blood pressure, as well as decreases the blood flow and narrows the blood vessels in kidneys. This unhealthy habit can aggravate existing kidney disease, and can speed up the loss of kidney functions. The best way to prevent this is to stop smoking, as this habit is harmful for every part of your body.
LACK OF SLEEP
A lot of people ignore the importance of proper sleep because of their busy lifestyle. A 6 to 8 hour sleep is crucial for a person’s overall health. The organ tissues renew while you are sleeping, so if you don’t get enough sleep you will interrupt this process, which will lead to damage of many organs, including the kidneys.
DELAYING THE URGE TO URINATE
One of the main causes of kidney damage is not emptying your bladder on time. In this way, the urine will remain in the bladder for a longer period, allowing multiplying of the bacteria breeding in the urine. These dangerous bacteria can lead to kidney or urinary tract infection. Retaining the urine can cause urinary incontinence and renal failure as it increases the pressure on the kidneys. If you are one of those who habitually postpone the urge to urinate, it’s time to change that before it’s too late.
REGULAR USE OF ANALGESICS
Many people take analgesics, or over-the-counter painkillers, to lower inflammation and fever, and to control pain. However, this habit can cause damage on kidneys, and on other organs as well. According to a research, over-the-counter analgesics can decrease the blood flow to the kidneys and worsen their functioning. Long-term or heavy use of analgesics causes acute kidney injury or interstitial nephritis which is a chronic kidney disease.Those who have reduced kidney function should consult their doctor before taking any painkiller. Analgesics should be taken for the shortest time and at the lowest dose possible, even for those with normal kidney function.
CONSUMING TOO MUCH CAFFEINE
If you consume too much caffeine, your blood pressure will be increased, which will burden the function of kidneys. Over longer periods, this can cause kidney damage. Kidney International has published a 2002 study according to which the consumption of caffeine is strongly related to kidney stones. Caffeine can raise the excretion of calcium in urine. Nevertheless, most people won’t have any problem if they consume caffeine in moderate amounts.
HIGH PROTEIN DIET
Excessive intake of protein-based foods like red meat can raise the risk of kidney disease. Kidneys have another important role, and that is to metabolize and eliminate nitrogenous wastes from the body, which are by-products of the protein digestion. High intake of protein chronically raises the glomerular pressure and hyper filtration, thus increasing the metabolic load of kidneys, which increases the risk of developing kidney issues.
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