How Can You Make Your Kidney Function Better

What Food Items Should You Limit In Kidney Disease

Many food items that are part of a typical healthy diet may not be right for you if youre suffering from kidney disease. If you are diagnosed with kidney disease, your doctor may recommend limiting certain food items such as

Depending upon the stage of your kidney disease, your doctor will advise you to reduce the potassium, phosphorus and protein levels in your diet.

Ways To Keep Your Kidneys Happy

Did you know that March is National Kidney Month? This is a time of year to raise special awareness about kidney health and to share facts on ways to keep kidneys healthy. 1 in 3 Americans is at risk for kidney disease.

More than 26 million Americans already have a kidney disease. The problem is most are not aware, because there are no signs of kidney disease until it has progressed. There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution for preventing kidney problems, such as kidney stones.

The good news is there are some actions you can take to improve the chances of keeping those kidneys happy! Here are five things to consider:

Drink plenty of fluids to help the kidneys work well. This is also the best way to prevent kidney stones.

Don’t smoke. Smoking slows the flow of blood to the kidneys, which may reduce their function. Smoking also raises the risk of kidney cancer by about 50 percent.

Eat healthy, low fat foods to cut your risk of high blood sugar and high blood pressure. Exercise can also help keep your blood pressure and sugar levels under control.

If you take over-the counter painkillers, like ibuprofen and naproxen, daily for everyday pain or joint swelling, then talk to your doctor about checking your kidney function. These drugs can cause harm to the kidneys if taken too often over a long period.

If you have high blood pressure or high blood sugar, then have your kidney function monitored on a regular basis.

Nutrition And Low Kidney Function

Food is what our bodies use for growth, homeostasis, and healing. This is why its important for you to consult with a dietician who is knowledgeable about kidney disease. Youll need to find and maintain a balance between the levels of electrolytes, minerals, and fluid in your body.

A modified diet for chronic kidney disease may include adjustments to your intake of the following food items:

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How Is It Tested

As part of standard blood tests, your doctor can check the creatinine level to assess kidney function. Creatinine is released from muscle cells into the blood stream.

Creatinine is one of the things that the kidneys filter from the blood. If the kidneys start to lose some function, blood creatinine level rises. The creatinine level is used to calculate an estimate of the GFR and provide an estimate of your kidney function.

Most people who have a minor reduction in kidney function can take steps to not keep the kidneys from getting worse. If the function is somewhat low but stable, you may need to see your doctor only once per year. If the GFR is declining or it is already under 50, it’s best to see a kidney doctor, if for no other reason than to become educated.

How high blood pressure damages the kidneys High blood pressure can cause tiny cracks in the lining of arteries, which provide a breeding ground for fatty deposits that hamper blood flow. As the arteries that feed blood to the kidneys narrow, the body produces renin, a hormone that makes small arteries narrow further. This worsens high blood pressure, causing even more kidney damage. Over time, restricted blood flow can damage or destroy the nephrons, the tiny filtering units inside your kidneys.

Keep Your Kidneys Healthy

Your kidneys arent very bigeach is about the size of your fistbut they do important work. They keep you healthy by maintaining just the right balance of water and other substances inside your body.

Unfortunately, if your kidneys start to malfunction, you might not realize it for a long while. Kidney disease usually doesnt make you feel sick until the problem becomes serious and irreversible. March is National Kidney Month, a perfect time to learn more about how to keep your kidneys healthy and how to catch problems early.

Your kidneys are 2 reddish, bean-shaped organs located on either side of your spine in the middle of your back. Their main job is to filter your blood. Each kidney contains about a million tiny filters that can process around 40 gallons of fluid every dayabout enough to fill a houses hot water heater. When blood passes through the kidney, the filters sift and hold onto the substances your body might need, such as certain nutrients and much of the water. Harmful wastes and extra water and nutrients are routed to the nearby bladder and flushed away as urine.

Your kidneys also produce several hormonesMolecules sent through the bloodstream to signal another part of the body to grow or react a certain way.. These hormones help to control your blood pressure, make red blood cells and activate vitamin D, which keeps your bones strong.

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Be Aware Of The Amount Of Otc Pills You Take

If you regularly take over-the-counter pain medication, you may be causing kidney damage. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , 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 youre coping with pain.

If youre at high risk of kidney damage or kidney disease, its a good idea to have regular kidney function tests. The following people may benefit from regular screening:

• people who are over 60 years old
• people who were born at a low birth weight
• people who have cardiovascular disease or have family with it
• people who have or have a family history of high blood pressure
• people who are obese
• people who believe they may have kidney damage

A regular kidney function test is a great way to know your kidneys health and to check for possible changes. Getting ahead of any damage can help slow or prevent future damage.

Before You Begin: Finding Your Gfr

1Take the test. Your doctor can test your GFR by administering a creatinine blood test. Creatinine is a waste product present in your blood. If the amount of creatinine contained within a sample is too high, your kidneys’ filtering ability is likely too low.XResearch source

Alternatively, your doctor might administer a creatinine clearance test, which measures the amount of creatinine in both your blood and urine.

2Understand your numbers. Your test results are only one factor involved in calculating your GFR. Doctors also take into consideration your age, race, body size, and gender when determining the actual GFR rate.

If your GFR is 90 mls/min/1.73m2 or greater, your kidneys are considered to be in good health.XResearch sourceXTrustworthy SourceMedlinePlusCollection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of MedicineGo to source

GFR between 60 and 89 mls/min/1.73m2 puts you into stage two chronic kidney disease . A rate between 30 and 59 mls/min/1.73m2 puts you into stage three CKD, and rate between 15 and 29 mls/min/1.73m2 are considered stage four CKD.

Once your GFR dips below 15 mls/min/1.73m2, you are in stage five CKD, which means your kidneys have failed.

3Talk with your doctor. Your doctor can provide you with additional detail regarding your GFR score and how it impacts your life. If your numbers are lower than they should be, your physician will probably recommend some type of treatment, but the specifics may vary from patient to patient.

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What Can You Do To Improve Your Gfr And Prevent Further Kidney Damage

In most cases, kidney disease is a chronic and gradually progressing disease. While its possible to improve your GFR, youre more likely to do so with acute kidney injuries rather than with chronic kidney disease. For most people with chronic disease, positive lifestyle changes may help slow the loss of kidney function.

Some studies have shown that GFR may increase over time in people at all stages of kidney disease by:

• Vitamin D deficiency is very common, and many people arent aware that theyre deficient. If you think you have a deficiency, talk with your doctor and get your blood levels tested. To increase your vitamin D levels, you can spend more time in the sun or add more vitamin D-rich foods to your diet.
• Resolving other metabolic conditions.Metabolic disorders are complex and can present in many forms. Work with your doctor to find a treatment plan that addresses the root cause.

Here are other things you can do to help reduce further damage to your kidneys.

Live Well With Chronic Kidney Disease

Taking an active role to manage your CKD will help you feel better and improve your overall well-being.

Taking an active role in managing your chronic kidney disease can improve your overall well-being. Learn what you can do to feel your best.

Kidneys that work properly are critical to keeping you healthy. If you have CKD, your kidneys cant filter blood as well as they should, and this can lead to other health problems, such as heart disease and stroke.

While its not possible to reverse kidney damage, you can take steps to slow it down. Taking prescribed medicine, being physically active, and eating well will help. Youll also feel better and improve your overall well-being.

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Keep Slim To Help Your Kidneys

Being too heavy raises your blood pressure, which is bad for your kidneys. Try to keep yourself at a healthy weight by keeping active and not overeating.

Your body mass index is a helpful way of checking whether you’re a healthy weight. You can use the healthy weight calculator to work out your BMI.

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, cycling or swimming, every week.

What Not To Eat

1. Apricots: Great for fiber but full of potassium, apricots are not ideal for those with kidney disease. The potassium content is even higher in dried apricots, so those need to be avoided entirely as part of any renal diet.

2. Avocados: For a healthy individual, avocados are nutritious and beneficial, but for those with kidney problems, these fruits can be harmful. Avocados contain almost double the amount of potassium of bananas.

3. Bananas: Full of potassium, bananas can reduce kidney efficiency. Tropical fruits in general are high in potassium, but pineapples prove to be more kidney-friendly.

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Keeping potassium levels low prevents hyperkalemia, a dangerous condition where your blood has too much potassium. When combined with renal failure, hyperkalemia can cause serious damage to your heart.

4. Brown Rice: Brown rice contains more potassium and phosphorus than white rice, so it can place unnecessary strain on already damaged kidneys. With portion control, some brown rice can be consumed as part of a balanced renal diet.

5. Canned Foods: Soups, as well as canned vegetables, are popular because of their convenience. The high sodium content is what gives these items a long shelf life but also makes them dangerous for impaired kidneys.

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It is best to look for low-sodium options if you do purchase canned foods.

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Hypertension And Kidney Health

Hypertension which is another name for high blood pressure is the No. 2 cause of chronic kidney disease in the United States. In fact, 80 percent to 85 percent of people with chronic kidney disease have hypertension.

Chronic kidney disease can cause hypertension likewise, hypertension can cause chronic kidney disease. Regardless of which came first, its vital to have blood pressure well-controlled and to take medications that help off-load pressure on the kidney.

Do Not Smoke Or Drink Too Much Alcohol

Try to stop smoking completely and limit the amount of alcohol you drink.

Both men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week on a regular basis.

Drinking too much alcohol and smoking both raise your blood pressure. High blood pressure is one of the most common causes of kidney disease.

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S To Keeping Your Kidneys Healthy

Start by asking your doctor for blood panel readings of your BUN and creatinine levels and your eGFR numbers.

Test
Kidney damage	Greater than 60 mg/min

Scores from these tests tell you how strong your kidneys are now. Because kidney diseases can be symptom-free, you may not notice anything wrong before youve suffered irreparable damage. To prevent getting in that situation, I advise you to:

Drink lots of water. This is the most important step in keeping your kidneys strong. At a minimum, I recommend you drink one-half ounce of water for every pound you weight, so a 200 pound man would drink 100 ounces of water every day. That may sound like a lot, but its really just ten 12oz glasses a dayabout one 12 oz glass every two hours. Drink more after strenuous exercise or if you live in a dry climate.

Take daily probiotics. Probiotics help your kidneys process waste materials and contribute to overall digestive health. A recent clinical trial involving patients with chronic kidney disease found that the group taking probiotics improved kidney function test scores as well as overall quality of life.

Drink green juice. Green foods aid in detoxification. I juice cilantro, a kidney-friendly herb, with water, lemon juice, and honey. If you dont juice, a greens supplement is a good alternative.

Eat kidney-supportive foods, in addition to cilantro and its relative parsley, try these:

Watermelon

Olive oil

Stop smoking or other uses of tobacco. The toxins damage your kidneys.

Control Your Blood Sugar

People with diabetes, or a condition that causes high blood sugar, may develop kidney damage. When your bodys cells cant use the glucose 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.

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What Foods Help Repair Kidneys

What Foods Help Repair Kidneys? Center

If you have chronic kidney disease, it is crucial to track food and fluid intake because diseased kidneys cant remove waste products from the body like healthy kidneys can. Here are kidney-friendly foods that can help repair your kidneys and help you stay healthier longer

Other food items that you can have include

• Cranberries
• Tortillas

Can Kidney Function Be Restored

Your kidneys are responsible to many body functions, especially to provide normal and healthy-balance blood. They can filter about a quarter of blood in the body every day, filtering what to remove and what to keep. This aggressive task puts them at risk of getting damaged, particularly if you have lifestyle or environmental factors that make them work harder than usual. There are several ways to help keep and improve your kidney function. But can it be restored?

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The Water Hydration Technique

You know how most of us generally go for long periods without water, become thirsty and scull the next available glass in about 30 seconds? Have you ever thought what this does to your body? No? I dont blame you.

The actual fact of the matter is that every time you a drink a glass of water in a hurry, you are placing pressure on kidney function. How? Well, seeing as one of the functions of the kidneys is to keep the fluid levels in the blood stream balanced, by drinking a full glass of water at once you are essentially dumping a large amount of water into the blood stream, which the kidneys now need to balance out . By drinking slowly, a mouthful at a time, you reduce the pressure on the kidneys and increase hydration. Sound too simple to do any good? Good. Now try it.

Can The Kidneys Repair Themselves

Regeneration is, of course, the key of the natural mechanism of the bodys cells to repair themselves. Many medical conditions are not able to be cured and become chronic because theyre a consequence of serious or even permanent damage to tissues or organs beyond the ability of the bodys natural repair mechanism.

Kidney disease can be acute or chronic. Again, it can lead to a condition called end-stage kidney failure, when the kidney stops working. When the kidney is damaged beyond repair, kidney transplantation or dialysis is the answer of the treatment but this is not a cure. Even people with kidney transplant can still have chronic kidney disease and may require some of the other medicines.

Actually, many parts of your body are designed almost perfectly. For some that are vulnerable to get damaged because of their aggressive job, they are also naturally designed to quickly repair themselves. But this natural repair ability is limited.

And the same goes for your kidneys. They are one of some parts of the body that actually ranks very highly in their natural ability to repair themselves. But this regeneration is also limited.

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