There are so many different important roles that the kidneys perform all the time. Two of the most noteworthy ones include removing impurities and toxins from the blood before it is taken back to the heart and keeping the blood pressure within what’s regarded as the healthy and normal range.
Because of this, having kidney disease can put your overall health in peril. Failure to put the problem under control can easily pave the way for end-stage kidney failure, which is something that requires you to undergo dialysis, a treatment that does some of the important tasks that are carried out by a pair of healthy kidneys.
Due to the fact that kidney failure is usually permanent, having it means that you have no choice but to undergo dialysis for as long as you are breathing. If this sounds completely terrifying and disheartening, then keep on reading to learn how to take good care of your kidneys and thus fend off dialysis.
Opt for Healthy Eating
Experts say that you should steer clear of unhealthy foods such as processed ones and those that are found abundantly at fast food joints. That’s because they tend to be very high in sodium, something that can damage the kidneys in a couple of ways: by increasing the blood pressure (more on this below) and leaving those bean-shaped organs overworked (more on this below, too).
Keep the Blood Pressure Healthy
If you want to keep your kidneys in an excellent shape, make sure that your blood pressure reading stays below 120/80 mm Hg. It’s for the fact that constantly having high blood pressure can cause damage to the kidneys as well as so many other vital organs of yours. In order to keep your blood pressure within the normal range, opt for healthy eating and living — it’s really that simple!
Fend Off High Blood Sugar
It’s not just high blood pressure that can put your kidneys in grave danger, but also high blood sugar levels. It’s for a couple of reasons, doctors say. First, the presence of too much blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and cause the blood pressure to soar, which is something that’s bad for the kidneys. Second, the kidneys can end up overworked as it attempts to eliminate excess sugar molecules from your bloodstream.
Remain Properly Hydrated
Most people consume about 2 liters of water per day to ensure that their skin is well-hydrated from the inside out. However, there are far more important reasons why you should glug down sufficient amounts of water daily, and one of those is to keep your kidneys out of harm’s way. Staying hydrated helps save your kidneys from becoming overworked as it makes the removal of anything that’s not supposed to be in your blood easier.
Ditch Cigarette Smoking
It’s common knowledge that smoking is a habit that’s bad for the lungs and kidneys. Did you know that it’s also terrible for your kidneys? That’s because poisonous substances present in cigarette smoke can damage the blood vessels, including those that are situated in those pair of bean-shaped organs of yours. If you’re a cigarette smoker, quit without any delay. If you’re not, stay away from anyone who does — inhaling secondhand smoke is just as deadly as smoking.
Limit Intake of Medications
A lot of people are aware of the fact that taking a lot of OTC and prescription medications can wreak havoc on the liver. Sadly, not too many know that administering pharmaceutical pills and capsules at high doses and for extended periods of time can also put the kidneys in danger. By the way, you should also be wary of taking tons of supplements, including herbal ones that are 100 percent natural!
