From controlling the urge to pee to popping too many painkillers to sitting for too long, these are some of the things that can cause kidney damage.
Every organ in your body is there for a reason. They each have a role to play, and if even one of them stops working, it can throw off an entire process in your body, or worse, spiral into something much worse. One important function that your body performs is the entire process of flushing out unwanted substances. And one of the main organs active in this process is your kidneys. With one on each side of your spine, what your kidneys do is send waste or toxins to your bladder, which is what makes you want to urinate every now and then during the day. It is your kidneys that filter out toxins from your blood which is transported to your bladder. And if your body experiences kidney failure, then the pair fails at removing enough waste from your blood.
There are a number of common everyday habits that can jeopardize the effectiveness of your kidneys or put extreme pressure on them. Knowing what they are and being conscious of them can help you put an end to habits that get in the way of well-functioning kidneys. These are some of the things that you should avoid doing:
Drinking enough water is extremely essential for your body, and one of its benefits is supporting your kidneys in filtering out sodium and toxic substances from your body. When you ensure that you’re drinking the ideal amount of fluids, it can also lessen your chances of experiencing chronic kidney diseases. Ideally, 3–4 pints of water is a healthy intake of water, however, it also depends on gender, environment, weather, physical activity, and other factors.
The health of your kidneys also depends on the level of salt you consume every day. It’s always best to limit your intake to 5–6 grams of salt (roughly a teaspoon) as your daily sodium intake. Apart from maintaining a well-balanced diet, another effective thing to do is cutting out processed food from your diet. It is said that processed foods contain high levels of sodium and phosphorus, which can hamper the functioning of your kidneys.
Once in a while, you might not be able to urinate when you feel like and will have to control the urge. But making it a regular thing, ignoring the sensation or putting it off for long can cause your kidneys or bladder to hurt. In addition to this, it can also be a factor that leads to forming kidney stones in certain people.
While protein is important in maintaining a well-balanced diet, it is also crucial to make sure that you’re not overburdening your kidneys with too much protein. It’s always better to seek medical help when you want to know how much meat is healthy for you to consume or the ideal amount of animal protein for your body so that it does not produce excessive amounts of acid in your blood. Protein has an important role to play in your body, but when you have too much of it, your kidneys might not be able to eliminate the acid properly. It’s always better to have good sources of protein like eggs, fish, nuts and healthy amounts of meat that is balanced with enough fruits and veggies in your diet.
If you tend to pop an aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen for quick relief, it’s essential that you do not do so regularly. Consuming too many of them can have negative effects on your kidneys. Therefore, it’s always best to make sure you’re not having more than what is recommended so that your kidneys don’t have to bear the side-effects.
Having diabetes or high level of sugar in your blood can have adverse effects on your kidney, as it is said that roughly 50 percent of individuals with diabetes experience kidney damage. For people diagnosed with diabetes, it is recommended that regular tests are conducted to ensure that the kidneys are functioning properly, as the damage can be controlled if they are detected early enough. Moreover, always make sure that you are not consuming too many sugary foods so that your blood sugar levels are maintained.
Apart from a string of adverse health effects that smoking can have, it also limits the blood flow to your kidneys, which can get in the way of their functioning. It is also said that the habit of smoking can have a 50 percent increase in your chances of developing kidney cancer. Another effect that smoking can cause is having protein in your urine, which is said to be a sign of kidney damage. Consuming extreme amounts of alcohol on a regular basis can also increase the risk of developing chronic kidney disease.
If you have high blood pressure, it can be a factor that limits the adequate flow of blood to your kidneys, which can lead to kidney failure. If you have issues with blood pressure, it is important to regularly monitor your pressure levels and make the necessary lifestyle and dietary changes to counter high levels. This is because it’s not only strokes and heart attacks that are linked with high blood pressure, but kidney damage is also a common effect of it.
Important factors of your lifestyle, like your sleep cycle and your daily physical activity, also have a role to play in your kidneys' functioning. The manner in which your kidney functions over 24 hours is actually linked with the time you sleep at night and the time you wake up in the morning. In addition to this, being physically inactive or having a job that requires you to sit in one place for prolonged periods of time can also increase your chances of developing kidney disease. This could be because exercise is linked with two crucial factors that play a role in your kidney’s health – blood pressure and glucose metabolism.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/kidney-failure#causes
https://www.worldkidneyday.org/faqs/take-care-of-your-kidneys/8-golden-rules/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321408.php
https://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/ss/slideshow-hurt-kidneys
https://www.kidney.org/content/10-common-habits-that-may-harm-your-kidneys
Disclaimer : This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
