Kidneys have many vital functions that are essential to the overall normal functioning of the human body. The mere fact that they filter all the blood in the body from waste particles makes our kidneys simply amazing. They secrete the wastes and excess water in the urine, control body chemicals, help control blood pressure, and keep our red blood cells and bone cells healthy. So it’s essential to take care of our kidneys as they might be affected by many diseases including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, anemia and diabetes. Additional risk factors include kidney stones, smoking, and obesity.
What is Chronic Kidney Disease?
Each kidney is made up of millions of tiny filters called nephrons. Over time, nephrons can become damaged by diabetes, high blood pressure, or other causes and affect the kidney normal functions, a condition called chronic kidney disease
Chronic kidney disease can:
- Lead to end-stage renal disease or stage 5 of chronic kidney disease.
- A person with advanced renal disease will need hemodialysis (a treatment that uses a machine to filter the blood) or a kidney transplant to survive.
- Early detection and treatment can slow or prevent the progression of kidney disease and heart failure.
- Heart disease is the major cause of death for all people with chronic kidney disease.
Simple lifestyle steps can help you keep your kidneys in good shape:
- Keep fit and active
- Keep regular control of your blood sugar level
- Monitor your blood pressure
- Eat healthy and keep your weight in check
- Maintain a healthy fluid intake and drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day
- Do not smoke
- Do not take over-the-counter pills on a regular basis
- Always inform your physician if you have kidney disease in the family