Emphasize On High Proteins But In Limited Quantities
Protein is very much essential to maintain proper functions of each organ and repairing of damaged tissues. In case you compromise with the functions performed by liver or kidney, you should stay aware that eating protein in excessive amounts might cause strain in different organs.
High protein is available from poultry items, meat, eggs and fish. Low proteins, on the other side, are available from vegetables and various whole grains. You should make sure to maintain a perfect balance between the two different types of proteins, as both are very much essential to retain good health. You should discuss with a good dietitian about the exact amount of grams of protein, which you require on daily basis.
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.
Monitor Weight And Eat A Healthy Diet
People who are overweight or obese are at risk for a number of health conditions that can damage the kidneys. These include diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease.
A healthy diet thats low in sodium, processed meats, and other kidney-damaging foods may help reduce the risk of kidney damage. Focus on eating fresh ingredients that are naturally low-sodium, such as cauliflower, blueberries, fish, whole grains, and more.
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Tips For Maintaining Healthy Kidneys
By Virginia Irwin-Scott, DO, Nephrologist Virtua Nephrology
They may be small in size, but the two fist-sized organs located near the bottom of your rib cage certainly pack a punch when it comes to keeping you healthy and on the go.Your kidneys keep your body healthy and in a state of balance by filtering waste products, excess water, and other impurities from your blood. They also help your body absorb calcium for bone and muscle health and regulate blood pressure and salt and potassium levels.With all of these important tasks, its important to keep them healthy. Heres what you can do:
Great Juices For Kidneys And Bladder
- Blueberry juice has antioxidant powers and protects the urinary system, prevents infections, and prevents bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall. It cleans our kidneys and bladder and must be consumed daily.
- Carrot juice, besides being very tasty and refreshing, is perfect for purifying the blood and facilitates kidney function.
- Grape juice is a marvelous source of minerals. It helps us eliminate uric acid, and promotes a healthy heart rate.
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What Happens If My Kidneys Fail
Without treatment, you couldn’t live if your kidneys weren’t filtering harmful waste and excess water from your body. So thank goodness for science!
More than 40,000 people in the UK live with kidney failure. Some have had a kidney transplant, but more than half have regular dialysis. There are two main kinds of dialysis – in the most common kind, haemodialysis, you spend about three four-hour sessions a week ‘hooked up’ to a machine that filters all the toxins from your body. Many people live for years on this regular treatment. Having a kidney replacement removes the need for dialysis but involves taking regular medicines to stop your body rejecting your kidney.
Golden Rules Of Prevention
Kidney diseases are silent killers, which will largely affect your quality of life. There are however several easy ways to reduce the risk of developing kidney disease. Check out the 8 Golden Rules!
Secondary Prevention slowing disease progression:
Key preventive measures have been defined and proven successful in those with early stages of CKD as secondary prevention measures, which help slow disease progression and protect against both kidney and cardiovascular disease, such as:
- Reduction of high blood pressure -the lower the blood pressure , the slower the GFR decline
- Specific medications to reduce proteinuria as well as lower blood pressure angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers
- Reduce salt intake to lower blood pressure
- Control of glucose, blood lipids and anemia
- Smoking cessation
- Increase of physical activity
- Control of body weight
Treatment: Clinical research over the last two decades has shown the potential benefit of blockade of the renin-angiotensin system by medicines known as ACE inhibitors and ARBs. This can significantly delay the progression of CKD, especially in people with diabetes and hypertension at relatively low cost.
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For Urinary Tract Infections
Since three of the most common causes of kidney discomfort occur in the urinary tract, here are some remedies to relieve pain in the kidneys related to the urinary tract:
1. Stay Hydrated
Hydration is key to relieving pain in the kidneys since water will help flush bacteria out of the body. Plus, staying hydrated will help clear out the urinary tract as a whole and work to eliminate any possible infections.
Many specialists recommend the 8×8 rule, meaning you should drink eight 8 oz. glasses of water a day. However, water intake is highly dependant on you and your health, so take this article into consideration when determining your daily amount of water intake.
2. Drink Cranberry Juice
While not scientifically proven, cranberry juice is known to be a remedy for urinary tract infections. If you choose to alternate between cranberry juice and water, be sure to choose a cranberry juice that isnt packed full of additional sweeteners. A cranberry supplement or pure cranberry juice is always the best way to go!
3. Take Probiotics
Its no secret that probiotics are beneficial for you, especially when it comes to fighting bacteria and kidney pain. Studies show that probiotics can improve kidney function and assist in processing waste too.
4. Drink Parsley Juice
You can also mix parsley into a smoothie to make drinking it more bearable. Check out these recipes for inspiration!
5. Take a Warm Epsom Salt Bath
6. Apply Heat
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Limit Sodium Intake In Your Diet
Salt or sodium acts as an essential mineral used widely in varieties of preserved foods. Consumption of sodium in excessive amounts may cause water imbalance in the human body and thereby, place strains on kidneys. Moreover, salt leads to retention of water, particularly in individuals suffering from malfunctioning of liver, kidneys or both of them.
Excess water may result in cardiovascular system strain and increase the chances of stroke or heart attack. Hence, before you should buy and consume any canned or frozen food item, you should check the nutrition labels to know the amount of sodium present in it. You should remember that you might get sodium in plenty of amounts naturally via healthy foods rather than consuming it as any additive ingredient.
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What Is The Difference Between Back Pain And Kidney Pain
Here are the things you can watch out for to tell if you have back pain or youre having kidney pain:
Ask Your Health Care Provider Questions
Ask your health care provider the following key questions about your kidney health during your next medical visit. The sooner you know you have kidney disease, the sooner you can get treatment to help protect your kidneys.
Key questions for your health care provider:
- What is my glomerular filtration rate ?
- What is my urine albumin result?
- What is my blood pressure?
- What is my blood glucose ?
- How often should I get my kidneys checked?
Other important questions:
- What should I do to keep my kidneys healthy?
- Do I need to be taking different medicines?
- Should I be more physically active?
- What kind of physical activity can I do?
- What can I eat?
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Take Care With Antibiotics
These bacteria-fighting drugs can damage your kidneys if you use them too often. It can happen even if youâre perfectly healthy, though itâs more serious if your kidneys donât work as well as they should. Some types, like penicillin, sulfonamides, and cephalosporins, are more likely to cause problems.
What Should You Ask Your Doctor
Here are some key questions that you can ask your doctor:
- What is my GFR?
- What is my urine albumin result?
- What is my blood pressure?
- What is my blood glucose ?
Other important questions:
- What happens if I have kidney disease?
- What should I do to keep my kidneys healthy?
- Do I need to be taking different medicines?
- Should I be more physically active?
- What kind of physical activity can I do?
- What can I eat?
- Do I need to talk with a dietitian to get help with meal planning?
- Should I be taking ACE inhibitors or ARBs for my kidneys?
- How often should I get my kidneys checked?
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What Happens If I Can No Longer Work
If you have to stop work or work part-time because of CKD, you may find it hard to cope financially.
You may be entitled to one or more of the following types of financial support:
- if you have a job but cannot work because of your illness, you are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay from your employer for up to 28 weeks
- if you don’t have a job and cannot work because of your illness, you may be entitled to Employment and Support Allowance
- if you’re aged 65 or over, you may be able to get Attendance Allowance
- if you’re caring for someone with CKD, you may be entitled to Carer’s Allowance
- you may be eligible for other benefits if you have children living at home or a low household income
Can You Prevent Kidney Infections
Prevention of urinary tract and kidney infection primarily focuses on reducing the associated risk factors. As mentioned earlier, the majority of urinary tract infections are caused by the bacteria gaining entry into the urinary system through the urethra. Therefore, personal hygiene plays an important role in preventing kidney infection.
Examples of preventative measures include:
- Emptying the bladder after sexual intercourse or wiping from front to back after going to the bathroom may significantly reduce the chance of developing kidney infection in women.
- Drinking plenty of fluids has been shown to be the single most effective measure for preventing urinary tract infections.
- In individuals with long-standing urinary catheters, routinely scheduled changing of the catheter as well as regular cleaning around the catheters entry into the urethra are important steps in prevention of urinary tract infections.
- If kidney stones are the predisposing factor to repeated kidney infections, the removal of the stone and preventing future stones from forming may be necessary. These individuals may be referred to a specialist for further evaluation and removal of kidney stones.
- Cranberries and cranberry juice can be beneficial in preventing kidney infections. It is important to note that cranberries may not treat an existing kidney infection, but have been found to be a simple preventive measure in addition to the other measures listed above.
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Dietary Calcium And Kidney Stones
Only lower your calcium intake below that of a normal diet if instructed by your doctor. Decreased calcium intake is only necessary in some cases where absorption of calcium from the bowel is high.
A low-calcium diet has not been shown to be useful in preventing the recurrence of kidney stones and may worsen the problem of weak bones. People with calcium-containing stones may be at greater risk of developing weak bones and osteoporosis. Discuss this risk with your doctor.
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Maintain A Healthy Weight
Obesity is one of the risk factors most predictive of CKD onset. Ironically, the disease itself can lead to significant weight loss, as CKD can cause loss of muscle mass as it progresses. When weight loss in CKD patients occurs, they may need to focus on getting enough nutritionally dense calories to maintain a healthy weight.
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Herbs For Kidneys And Bladder
- Nettle and dandelion: diuretic, clean the kidneys and eliminate uric acid
- Parsley: can be consumed raw or as an infusion, cleans the kidneys. To make an infusion: boil a handful of parsley for 10 minutes in 2 liters of water. Strain and store in the fridge. Drink it within 5 days and then take a break for a week. This will cleanse our kidneys and will eliminate any residual salt from the walls.
We must remember that the health of our kidneys and bladder depends on our diet. Avoid foods high in fat, salt, alcohol, and sweets. These foods make our kidneys stop filtering and purifying our blood correctly. As a result, we could suffer from kidney stones or have heart problems.
Taking care of our health is essential for improving quality of life. Therefore, we should pay extra attention to our diet. Additionally, include a few of the foods we have talked about.
If you do this and also some daily exercise, avoid stress and try to relax more, you will notice positive changes. Without a doubt, its worth it!
20 May, 2022
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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Tips To Take Care Of Your Kidneys
Our kidneys play a vital role in excreting drugs and toxins in the body but sometimes sheer numbers can be overwhelming and they need some help from us. You may need to undergo some detoxing therapy and you certainly need to be constantly on guard against the many drugs and other toxins that can actually harm your kidneys.
Tips To Protect Your Kidneys And Keep Them Healthy
Every thirty minutes, your kidneys filter all of the blood in your body, removing toxins from the blood, excreting them in urine, and preventing damage to all of your organs. Your kidneys also regulate the alkaline/acid balance in your body, preventing you from becoming dangerously acidic.
Regulating acid and toxins is dangerous work. Your kidneys are vulnerable to toxic overload if you dont protect them.
There are three types of serious kidney disease acute renal failure, chronic kidney disease, and end stage renal disease.
Acute renal failure is when your kidneys abruptly stop working because of an injury or ingesting toxic substances. ARF may respond well to treatment, if the kidneys are not severely damaged.
When kidneys gradually lose the ability to function, it is typically due to chronic kidney disease or CKD, the most common type of kidney ailment. Often, there are no symptoms of CKD until the condition has advanced. Then patients may experience numbness or swelling in the hands and feet, frequent urination, nausea, anemia, and poor appetite.
Finally, end stage renal disease is a serious condition in which there is no or very little kidney function remaining, and the damage to the kidney is permanent. At this point, a patient is looking at daily dialysis sessions or a kidney transplant.
Ready for some good news? Kidney diseases are largely preventable. And there are ten steps you can take to keep your kidneys healthy and strong.
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