How (And Why) You Should Protect Your Kidneys

In recognition of World Kidney Day, we’re sharing some insight on why your kidneys are important, why seniors face the greatest risk of developing chronic kidney disease, and how to keep them healthy!

Your kidneys are one of the most important organs in your body. Unfortunately, many of us can neglect the kidneys and simply don’t understand its many functions. What makes it scary is that you can lose up to 90% of your kidney function before experiencing any symptoms of kidney disease…

Although kidney disease can affect an individual at any age, it is most frequent in seniors, so be sure to bring it up to your doctor as well as your loved one’s doctor or family this month to keep it at bay and take control of your kidney health.

Your kidneys are responsible for cleaning your blood helping the body get rid of waste. They also balance certain elements in your blood, like sodium, potassium, and calcium. As a result, the male hormones produce red blood cells which help control your blood pressure.

As you imagine, many health issues can stem from unhealthy kidneys, including kidney stones (or calcium buildups), kidney cancer, and even kidney failure.

Chronic kidney disease is just one of the terrible diseases many adults develop as they get older, and impacts 1 in 10 people worldwide, and can impact individuals in various ways and in ranges of severity. When it comes to seniors, older adults make up 50 percent of nephrology patients, and almost forty percent of adults over 60 have some form of chronic kidney disease.

So, make it a priority this month pay extra attention to the impact CKD can have on your loved one’s life or even your own health.

Before evaluating your chances of having or developing CKD, it’s key to know the risk factors. Risk factors include being over 50, high blood pressure, diabetes, if you smoke, if you’re overweight, if your family has a history of kidney disease, and if you’re of African, Hispanic, Aboriginal, or Asian descent.

How can you prevent it? Make sure you follow a healthy lifestyle and seriously watch what you eat and how often you or your loved one are getting physical activity, which can easily counteract symptoms of being overweight or having high blood pressure. Drink lots of water, and avoid sugary beverages and sweets, and don’t buy that large coffee every morning. Last but not least, you will need to quit smoking, as you know it won’t just stop CKD, but countless other diseases like stroke, cardiac arrest, and cancer.