Pakistan’s rank is eighth among the countries in the prevalence of kidney diseases worldwide. According to a report, about 20, 000 Pakistanis die every year due to kidney diseases. This means, almost 55 Pakistanis die every day (on average) due to kidney diseases. Kidneys are the filters that work for you their whole life without ever retiring.
Among kidney diseases chronic kidney disease, kidney stones. Kidney stones, glomerulonephritis, and polycystic kidney diseases are most prevalent. For instance, in chronic kidney disease (CKD) there happens a gradual loss of kidney function over a period of time.
CKD has five stages and stage three is considered the most common and a pretty much advanced stage. Initially, there are generally no symptoms of CKD. But later symptoms may include leg swelling, feeling tired, vomiting, loss of appetite, and confusion.
If you’re suffering from kidney disease or determinant to avoid any you need to be very careful about your diet and should follow some general rules to keep your kidneys safe and healthy.
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Exercise and active lifestyle
Being physically active reduces your blood pressure and hence the risk of chronic kidney disease is O.K. to start with a few minutes of exercise or a morning walk if you have never been that active physically. You may start with small, doable exercises. Just exercise for 2-5 mins daily when starting out and you can increase when your exercise skills have the difficulty level of 2-5 mins.
Use apps like the 30 Days Fitness Challenge, Home Workout, Nike Training Club App, etc. which guide you through exercises, track your progress. Exercise is essential because it increases the rate of blood that’s filtered through the kidneys. It also helps muscle function, lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, keeping a healthy body weight, and improving sleep.
Stay Hydrated
Never dare to stop water intake because it can be very harmful to your kidneys. It can lead to kidney pain. Water is great for your kidneys if you stay hydrated throughout the day. Here you should also know the borderline which says that excess of everything is bad and this is why drinking too much water isn’t healthy either.
Research shows staying that hydrated reduces the risk for kidney stones and urinary tract infections. Water helps the kidneys to remove wastes from the blood in the form of urine, it also helps blood vessels to stay open so that blood can travel freely to kidneys, and deliver essential nutrients to them. Moreover, the color of urine indicates if you’re hydrated or not. If it’s deep yellow-colored, then you need to drink water. If it’s pale yellow or transparent (white) then it means you’re hydrated.
Avoid self-medication
Self-medication is one of the main reasons for kidney diseases. If you are taking certain medicines for chronic pain or arthritis, talk to your doctor about better ways to manage the pain and monitoring your kidney health.
Healthy diet
As most kidney diseases are caused by high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases so it is very important to have a healthy diet. Eat healthy because it’ll help in maintaining a healthy weight and blood pressure. Prevention against diabetes and high blood pressure would keep the kidneys healthy.
Less salt intake
Reduce your salt intake to 5-6 grams daily (around a teaspoon). Let go of junk and low-quality or at least reduce their consumption. It is far better to go for a homemade diet because in homemade food you can manage your salt intake.
Say no to smoking
Smoking slows down the blood flow in blood vessels which in effect decreases the flow of blood in the kidneys. When kidneys don’t get enough blood flow, they can’t function at optimal levels. Furthermore, smoking also increases the risk of kidney cancer (by 50%) and high blood pressure which also damages the kidneys.
Never ignore kidney pain
Do not ignore if you are feeling any irregular symptoms pertaining to your kidneys. Go to the physician for a detailed check-up or arrange an online appointment for yourself especially due to coronavirus-related social distancing. After all, it’s never too late to do what is right.
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