Health tips to take care of your kidney!

In commemoration of world kidney day, we thought it wise to reiterate on tips to preserve your kidney as well as possible symptoms you should never ignore.

Tips for a healthier kidney are:

1 Pause! Grab a glass of water which you would be sipping while reading this write up. Drinking water is the number 1 tip, never go hydrated and also remember you don't need to be thirsty to drink .

2 Limit salt intake: Excessive salt consumption increases blood pressure which may reflect on the function of the kidney. Normally, 2,300mg salt (equal to a teaspoon) is the daily recommendation. This should be decreased in children and people with CKD (chronic kidney disease), cardiac issues, portal hypertension, high blood pressure, taking more salt increases the risk of formations of urinary stones.

3 Over-the-counter pain medications: Mix a strong one for me... this singular statement has put a lot of people over the bar. Avoid unnecessary use of over-the-counter pain killers like Indomethacin, Combiflam, Ibuprofen, Aspirin as these can harm the kidneys especially when taken for a long period of time in heavy dosages.

4 Metal- containing herbal tea: In as much as unadulterated herbal teas are good for you, most of them flying around have metal which substantial quantity or long time usage can predispose one to a condition known as "Tubulointerstitial nephritis" thus, a step closer to kidney failure.

5 Cosmetics: Most whitening body creams contains metals and substances that when applied topically gets to the blood stream, then all the way down to the kidney. Try to evaluate if it is a fair trade to exchange your kidney for what you call "flawless half-caste skin tone"

6 Avoid overexertion/over-exhaustion of the muscles:

Working out and leaving an active life is essential, but try not to overdo it. A hand full of people are not aware that muscle injury is dangerous for kidney health and can sometimes leads to protein leakage in the bloodstream, which in turn can potentially lead to kidney failure, through a condition called rhabdomyolysis.

Finally, below are possible symptoms you should never sweep under the carpet:

– Any change in color or consistency or frequency of urination – Presence of foul-smelling urine – Foam in urine – Burning sensation while peeing – Swelling around eyes, bilateral lower limbs – Weakness, anorexia, easy fatigability – Nausea, the tendency to vomit, vomiting episodes – Dry, itchy skin – Detection of new-onset hypertension or anemia (low hemoglobin) – Back pain or lower abdominal pain

2021 world kidney day tagged, " living well with kidney disease". In my opinion, walk tirelessly to avert it. If you have had someone close who suffered from kidney related issue you might understand me better.