MYMEDITIMES: Your kidneys are two of the working parts of your body. They do a lot of work every day. Your kidneys filter out the stuff balance the fluids in your body regulate your blood pressure and help your body work properly. Because they do all this work behind the scenes it is easy to forget about them until something goes wrong. The good news is that you can prevent a lot of kidney problems by making some changes to your daily life.
Here are seven things you do every day that might be hurting your kidneys.
Not Drinking Water
Water helps your kidneys get rid of the bad stuff in your blood. When you do not drink water your kidneys have to work even harder. This can make it harder for your kidneys to get rid of waste. Over time this can increase your chances of getting kidney stones and other problems. Everyone needs to drink an amount of water but drinking water throughout the day is one of the easiest ways to help your kidneys.
Eating Much Salt
If you eat too much salt it can raise your blood pressure. High blood pressure is one of the reasons why kidneys get damaged. A lot of processed foods and packaged snacks have a lot of salt in them. You can help your kidneys by choosing foods and checking the labels to see how much salt is in them.
Relying on Painkillers Often
Painkillers can be helpful sometimes but taking them too often can hurt your kidneys. These medicines can reduce the blood flow to your kidneys. This is especially true for people who already have kidney problems. You should always follow the instructions on the label. Talk to a doctor if you need to take painkillers all the time.
Ignoring High Blood Pressure
blood pressure can hurt your kidneys over time. You might not even know you have blood pressure but it can still cause problems. You should get checkups with your doctor to see if you have high blood pressure. If you do you can help your kidneys by eating a diet exercising and taking medicine if you need to.
Eating Much Sugar
If you eat too much sugar it can make you gain weight and increase your chances of getting diabetes. Both of these things can hurt your kidneys. You can help your kidneys by choosing to eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains of sugary foods.
Sitting for Long Periods
If you sit around all day it can hurt your health. It can also hurt your kidneys. Exercise can help your blood flow. Keep your weight under control. Both of these things are good for your kidneys. Even a short walk or some light stretching can make a difference.
Skipping Regular Health Checkups
A lot of kidney problems do not cause symptoms until they are very advanced. If you get checkups with your doctor you can catch any problems early. This can help you get treatment and stay healthy in the long run.
Your kidneys do a lot of work to keep your body healthy. The choices you make every day can have an impact on how well your kidneys work. Drinking water eating a diet exercising and getting regular checkups are all simple things you can do to help your kidneys. If you make some changes, to your life you can help your kidneys and stay healthy for a long time.
