Risks, Prevention for Chronic Kidney Disease

Today’s life is fast, swift and at the same time result oriented. However this fast paced lifestyle has put the most important aspect under risk – Your life and your health. Majority of people settle with self medication, self neglect and postpone their doctor appointment. Preventive health checks are avoided and one misses the warning signs and symptoms.

Kidneys are important:

One needs to understand that every organ is important. Just like your heart and lungs, your kidneys are responsible too. Any imbalance in your body can affect your other vital organs. Hence, it’s important that one is aware of the factors that may increase your risk of chronic kidney disease, they include:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Smoking
• Obesity
• High cholesterol
• Family history of kidney disease
• Age 65 or older

You can lower your risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and other chronic diseases!

Lifestyle diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular conditions can cause damage to your kidneys. Significant evidence indicates being obese, not getting enough physical activity, smoking, harmful alcohol consumption and unhealthy eating – are major risk factors for many chronic diseases.

To protect your kidneys, these tips can help

• Be aware of your family medical history – if close blood family relatives have had kidney disease or other chronic disease, you may be ‘at risk’ too? Ask what their health problems were and be aware of the risk.

• If you are at ‘increased risk’ of developing kidney disease –Review with Nephrologist

• Eat a healthy diet full of fresh fruit and vegetables.

• Maintain healthy weight for your height – being overweight increases your risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure which are major risk factors for kidney disease.
• Be aware of your Body Mass Index (BMI) – be aware of low Glycaemic Index (GI) foods – enter < 55)
• Be a non-smoker – smokers are 3 times more likely to have reduced kidney function, and 4 to 5 times greater risk of heart attack and stroke!
• Make physical activity a regular habit – 30 minutes of regular moderate-intensity physical activity.
• Drink water instead – water satisfies thirst without any calories or kilojoules.
• Drink alcohol in moderation – limit alcohol to 2 standard drinks per day for men, 1 per day for women.
• If you have diabetes, maintain good blood glucose control.
• Take medications as prescribed by your doctor.
• Maintain a positive ‘stay well’ attitude, do things that help you to relax and reduce stress.