Not monitoring yourself, only to one day find out you have kidney disease, and then trying to minimize the damage is not a good approach. It is important to look after the kidneys and get regular check-ups done, particularly if you are at risk of kidney diseases. That way, if there are any early signs of kidney disease, you have the best chance of avoiding what can become irreversible damage.
Even before that though, there are basic steps you can take to help protect your kidneys in the hopes that you never have to travel down that path. Some easy tips to begin with are:
- Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of fluids is important to keep your kidneys healthy. It is recommended to try and drink around half your body weight in ounces each day. If you have special health considerations, you may need to consult with your health provider for specific recommendations.
- Avoid regular use of over-the-counter pain medications: Long-term use of NSAIDs can cause damage to your kidneys.
- Keep your blood sugars controlled: Kidney damage due to diabetes can be prevented by reversing insulin resistance and eliminating diabetes.
- Normalize your blood pressure: Adopting healthy lifestyle habits will help keep it under control reduce stress on the kidneys.
- Avoid smoking in any form: Whether it is active, passive, or vaping, all are bad for your kidneys. Smoking can also increase the risk of heart diseases and kidney cancer.
- Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese puts you at risk of kidney diseases.
- Stay active: Regular physical activity helps protect you from kidney diseases and risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.
- Eat a clean, healthy diet: Focusing on fruits and vegetables and avoiding processed foods can help you keep your kidneys healthy. Limit your added salt consumption as much as possible.
