These Habits Are Damaging Our Kidneys!
It's hard to notice when we do our kidneys
harm. Even if 80% damaged, kidneys can still do their job, and so we
rarely realize they're struggling. Often, even common daily habits can
cause your kidneys continual damage, and when you finally discover
something's wrong, it's too late.
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Our kidneys are incredible organs that work
very hard. By themselves, they absorb minerals and nutrients, produce
hormones, act as a filter for toxins in our blood, produce our urine and
maintain a normal acid to alkaline ratio. We cannot live without our
kidneys functioning properly. The Chinese, for example, have looked at
the kidneys as a site of essential life force for centuries.
If you're serious about looking after
yourself, then taking care of your kidneys should be one of your primary
concerns. If you want to make sure your kidneys thrive and continue to
serve you in the coming years ahead, here's a helpful list of habits you
should definitely avoid:
1. Drinking Soda
A study conducted on employees working at Osaka University in Japan
found that drinking 2 or more soda drinks a day (either diet or regular)
may well be connected to a higher risk of kidney disease. The study
included 12,000 people, and those who drank larger quantities of soda
were found to have protein in their urine, which is one of the first
signs of kidney damage. However, early detection can reverse the disease
with proper treatment.
2. A Deficiency in Vitamin B6
The healthy function of our kidneys also depends on a healthy diet,
especially one that contains certain nutrients. According to a study
carried out at the University of Maryland, a vitamin B6 deficiency
increases the risk of the formation of kidney stones. For healthy kidney
function, a person should have at least 1.3 milligrams of vitamin B6 in
their food every day. The best sources for this vitamin are fish, beef
liver, potatoes, starchy vegetables, chickpeas and non-citrus fruits.
3. Lack of Exercise
Another good way of protecting your kidneys is to get some exercise. A
comprehensive study published in 2013 in the Journal of the American
Society of Nephrology found that postmenopausal women who exercised had a
striking 31% less risk of developing kidney stones.
4. Smoking
Perhaps not surprisingly, smoking has been
linked to atherosclerosis - the narrowing and hardening of blood vessels
- which influences the blood supply going to all the major organs,
including the kidneys. According to a study published in Clinical
Pharmacology and Therapeutics, just smoking 2 cigarettes a day is enough
to double the number of endothelial cells (the cells that line our
blood vessel walls) present in your bloodstream. This is a sign of
arterial damage.
5. Magnesium Deficiency
Magnesium helps our body to slow down the absorption of calcium. If we
don't get enough magnesium, we get overloaded in calcium and, once
again, develop kidney stones. To prevent this from happening, add some
leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts or beans to your diet. Another good source
of magnesium is fresh avocados.
6. Not Drinking Enough Water
One of the most important things for our kidneys is for them to get
hydrated enough to perform their functions. If we don't get enough water
in our system, toxins start accumulating in our blood because there
isn't enough fluid to take them through the kidneys. The National Kidney
Foundation recommends drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day.
An easy way to check if you're drinking enough is to make sure your
urine is a light color or clear. If it's dark, you're not drinking
enough. You can check the color of your urine with this helpful guide.
7. Not Emptying Your Bladder Fast Enough
When you hear the call to pee, you should listen to it. Obviously, we're
not always in the right situation to pee right when the need arises,
but if you 'hold it in' on a regular basis, it will increase the
pressure of urine on your kidneys, which can lead to renal failure or
incontinence.
8. Disrupted Sleep
I just love a good night's sleep and, as it
turns out, so do my kidneys. According to Science Daily, a chronic
disruption in our sleep can cause kidney disease. Dr. Michael Sole,
Cardiologist and Professor of Medicine and Physiology at the University
of Toronto, says kidney tissues get renewed during the night while we're
sleeping, so when we can't sleep without constant interruptions, our
kidneys suffer direct damage.
9. Having Too Much Sodium in Our Diet
Salt is an important nutrient, but it can cause a disaster when taken in
excessive amounts. Over-consumption of sodium will raise your blood
pressure and put a lot of strain on your kidneys. We recommend limiting
yourselves to no more than 5.8 grams (0.2 ounces) of salt per day. So
put down that salt shaker!
10. Consuming Too Much Caffeine
We usually drink more caffeine than we think we do. It's in coffee, tea,
soft drinks and sodas - before you know it, your body is full of
caffeine, which causes your blood pressure to shoot through the roof,
and your kidneys to suffer damage.
11. Consuming Too Much Protein
According to a study conducted at Harvard University, an overdose of
protein in our diet can cause our kidneys damage. When we digest
protein, our body produces a byproduct - ammonia. Ammonia is a toxin
that your already hardworking kidneys need to neutralize. This means
that the more protein we consume, the harder we make our kidneys work,
which can eventually lead to kidney failure.
12. Abusing Pain-Killers
Many of us have a daily routine of taking
medications. When we suffer from pain, our first reaction is usually to
swallow a pill. They do help the pain, but you should think twice before
taking too many. All pharmaceutical drugs have side effects, and many
of them cause kidney or liver damage. Check out some natural painkillers
you can find or make at home. That said, some drugs SHOULD be taken,
which brings us to my next point...
13. Not Taking Certain Drugs
You Need
If you suffer from high blood pressure and/or type 2 diabetes, two very
common conditions these days, you will probably also suffer kidney
damage. Don't leave these conditions untreated - take your daily meds to
reduce your blood pressure and control your insulin levels. Without
them, you're almost guaranteed to suffer kidney damage.
14. Not Treating Common Infections
Sometimes, we all get lazy and ignore a simple cold or a flu, which can
push our body to the brink of exhaustion. Studies have shown, however,
that people who do not rest or treat their infections often end up with
kidney disease.
15. Consuming Too Much Alcohol
Now this is a no-brainer. The toxins in alcohol not only damage the
liver, like many believe, but they are also something your kidneys
simply hate to deal with. According to Kidney Health Australia and the
American Kidney Fund, one good way of avoiding kidney failure is
drinking alcohol in moderation.