The month of March is National Kidney Month. Today (March 14th) is World Kidney Day.
We cannot live without functioning kidneys. Our kidneys support many important functions
in our bodies. Some people may think of kidney disease as only a problem for
the elderly. However, kidney disease can strike at any age and from various
causes.
It’s important to monitor the health of your kidneys by
seeing your health care provider for a few simple tests (blood and urine) on a
yearly basis. Chronic Kidney Disease
(CKD) can be silent, meaning you can have it and not know it until a very late
stage, once your kidney function has severely decreased.
Many things can damage your kidneys such as certain medications,
high blood pressure (also known as hypertension), diabetes, cardiovascular disease, infections,
trauma and some types of cancers. Of course, we cannot control something unforeseen
that may damage the kidneys such as trauma from an accident or a metastatic
cancer that’s incurable, however, we can control other factors that cause
kidney disease as listed below.
Exercising daily and eating a healthy diet both go a long
way in preventing chronic kidney disease. By doing these you’ll be on the right
track to controlling your blood pressure, helping to prevent cardiovascular
disease and diabetes. All three of these
diseases damage blood vessels. When the blood vessels to the kidneys become
damaged, the kidneys cannot work properly. If kidney function drops severely, a
patient needs dialysis to keep them alive.
Also, avoid prolonged use of NSAID drugs; medications such,
but not limited to, ibuprofen and naproxen. These over the counter medications
can damage the kidneys. There are prescription medications that also damage the
kidneys, so become familiar with the side effects of any medications you’re
on. *Talk to your health care provider for any questions or concerns you have about
your health.
Be kind to your kidneys and learn more about kidney health as part of your overall
plan for health and longevity.
