How to keep your kidneys healthy

I recall seeing an interesting poster at the hospital when I used to take my mother there for her check-up. It said,”you can be alive if your brain is dead. but if your kidneys stop functioning, you are really dead” or some such thing. Point was – with a temporarily non-functional brain, the body can still be “alive”. But kidneys fail, and that’s the true end.

A word about the kidneys first:

Obviously, our kidneys are one of the most important organs that perform a critical role in keeping our body healthy and functioning properly. Every day, the kidneys are responsible for filtering around 200 quarts of blood and among these are 2 quarts of extra water and waste products, which is expelled as urine. The kidneys also perform the role of producing some hormones as well as the regulation of blood chemical levels.

With so many responsibilities, cases of abnormalities in the organ like kidney disease, kidney stones, infections etc. could happen, especially if a person does not take extra care.  So how to keep your kidneys healthy?

Here are some valuable – and easy tips.

5 tips to keep kidneys healthy

1. Drink plenty of pure water daily.
   Everyone knows that drinking adequate water  is not only important for the kidney, but to many other functions of the body as well. It helps maintain the volume and concentration of blood, aids in digestion, regulates body temperature and flushes out toxins in the body.Studies show that if you don’t have enough water, it can result in  kidney stones, and drinking water may help in preventing them.
2. When you have to go, go.
   One of the major functions of our kidney is to filter the blood in our body. When it is done filtering, extra water and waste products are stored into our urinary bladder, where it waits to be excreted. However, our urinary bladder can only hold only about 14 ounces of water. Holding in our need to urinate increases the size of the urinary bladder than it should be, and when we pee, the bladder does not completely empty. Not emptying the bladder all the way can lead to a condition called Urinary Tract Infection because the bladder becomes a perfect spot for bacteria to grow. These bacteria may cause an infection, go all the way to the urethra and up to the kidney. This now will become the cause of kidney infection called pyelonephritis.
3. Drink raw juice
   Fresh fruits and vegetable juices have been seen and proven to contain many nutrients that help in promoting the body’s health and aid in treating some diseases as well. Stick to those freshly squeezed ones where nutrients can be easily absorbed into the bloodstream and distributed all through out the body.  Lemon juice is effective in dissolving stones of uric acid in the bladder. Juice of fresh ripe pumpkin can also help get rid of kidney stones.
   
4. Eat Right
   Almost everything that happens inside our body is affected by the kind of foods that we eat. This is probably one of the largest contributors to kidney health. If the foods you eat are toxic and unhealthy, then it will eventually affect body organs, including the kidney. Too much salt, processed foods, fast food, fatty foods, sugar, dairy etc. are to be avoided.For healthy kidneys, avoid foods that are high in potassium, sodium and protein. Though these are necessary for the body, too much can trigger kidney diseases. Stick to low-potassium and low-phosphorus foods, green tea, watermelon, asparagus, celery and fish. Omega-3 also helps in kidney function.  Other foods that could help strengthen the kidney include salmon and trout, as well as other herbs and vegetables like  spring onions, onions, fennels, beetroot, parsley, celery, garlic, chives, ginger, dandelion and cloves.
5. Watch your weight
   Extra weight and obesity can affect a person’s over-all health. Recent studies have shown that obese people are more prone to develop kidney stones and kidney cancer. Obesity affects the kidney and  increases the risk of developing kidney stones.

Living a healthy and active lifestyle is the best way to reduce the risk of diseases. If kidney diseases develop, it is important to consult a doctor immediately to find out the proper course of action to take.