How To Avoid Kidney Complication: Tips For A Healthy Kidney

 

How To Avoid Kidney Complication: Tips For A Healthy Kidney

There are many reasons why you’d be interested in keeping your kidneys healthy and avoiding kidney complications. For example, you may have been diagnosed with kidney disease or disease of the urinary tract and would like to stay ahead of any future complications. 

 

Or, perhaps you are feeling symptoms that seem out of the ordinary and want to understand what they mean and if they’re normal or not.

 

 No matter your reason, there are several things you can do to maintain good kidney health and reduce the risk of developing kidney complications in the future. Here are some tips to keep your kidneys healthy and avoid developing complications down the line.

Take Care Of Your Diet

The first and most important thing you can do to protect your kidneys is stay away from foods that are high in sodium. Your kidneys remove excess fluid, sodium, and water-soluble waste products such as creatinine through urine. 

 

If you consume too much salt, your kidneys will have to work overtime—which can cause it to deteriorate over time. Aim for a daily intake of less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day (about 1 teaspoon).

 

 Check nutrition labels for hidden sources of sodium (like soups or packaged meals), and don’t add any extra salt at dinner. 

 

Instead, flavor dishes with herbs and spices like black pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or ginger. You can also try lemon juice on fish or chicken if you need something acidic to cut through rich flavors.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water can help prevent kidney complications. You need to consume at least two liters of water every day, and it’s better if you drink even more than that. 

 

Dehydration is one of the main causes of kidney stones, so staying hydrated will help you avoid them. However, most people don’t realize that they don’t consume enough water until they become dehydrated.

 

 The best way to know how much water you need is by checking your urine. If it’s clear or light yellow, then you’re good; if it’s dark yellow or amber-colored, then you should probably drink some more water. 

 

It’s also a good idea to keep a bottle of water with you throughout the day. That way, when you feel thirsty, you won’t have to wait for something to quench your thirst—you already have something on hand!

Maintain A Healthy Weight

Being overweight puts strain on your kidneys and can speed up kidney damage. Maintaining a healthy weight is an easy way to help keep your kidneys healthy.

 

 If you are already at a healthy weight, maintaining that weight will help keep you safe from kidney problems in the future. Talk with your doctor about how to maintain a healthy weight if you’re currently overweight or obese. 

 

Your doctor may suggest ways for you to lose some pounds safely, such as cutting back on sugar-sweetened drinks and eating more fruits and vegetables. 

 

You may also want to consider joining Weight Watchers or another support group for people who want to lose weight but have trouble doing it alone.

Manage Your Stress Levels

Stress can be hard on your kidneys, which has a large role in regulating your blood pressure. Studies have shown that individuals who experience moderate to high stress levels have a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease. 

 

Reducing your stress is one of many steps you can take to protect yourself from kidney complications. Start by getting enough sleep, and making time for fun hobbies and activities that don’t leave you stressed out. 

 

Exercise also helps reduce stress; consider joining a gym or signing up for yoga classes if you haven’t already. You might even want to try meditation—it’s been shown to help manage stress levels and lower anxiety. 

 

If all else fails, reach out to friends or family members for support when you need it most. Talking about your worries with someone close to you can go a long way towards relieving your stress. 

 

Remember that it’s perfectly normal to feel stressed out sometimes—but make sure you know what signs of serious stress are, so you know when something is wrong.

Limit Or Avoid Alcohol Consumption

It’s best to keep alcohol consumption at a minimum, as drinking too much can damage your kidneys. One drink is 12 ounces of beer (5% alcohol content), five ounces of wine (12% alcohol content) or one ounce of liquor (40% alcohol content). 

 

While moderate amounts of these beverages won’t hurt your kidneys, too much can put you at risk for chronic kidney disease and even end-stage renal disease. 

 

You should also avoid energy drinks, which contain large amounts of caffeine and sugar—both things that are bad for your kidneys. 2. Don’t smoke: Smoking damages your blood vessels, which decreases blood flow throughout your body—including to your kidneys.

Know Your Family History

If you know that your family has a history of kidney disease, it’s important to take special care to avoid complications. This means visiting your doctor for regular checkups and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 

 

It also means avoiding certain drugs, foods and situations that can cause acute kidney injury or dysfunction. 

 

If your kidneys aren’t working well, you could end up in chronic renal failure—which would require dialysis treatment and possibly a transplant. With proper preventative measures, however, you can help keep your kidneys functioning at their best. 

Regularly monitor Your Blood Pressure, etc.

People with kidney disease should monitor their blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and protein in their urine. If you have end-stage renal failure you’ll need to see a nephrologist at least four times a year. 

 

People with Stage 4 or earlier chronic kidney disease should be tested at least three times a year. These are just guidelines; if your health care provider finds something out of whack during an exam, he or she may want to conduct more tests as needed. 

 

Also, keep an eye on your potassium levels—low potassium is common among people with CKD. Be sure to talk to your doctor about any new symptoms or concerns you might have.

 

 He or she will guide you on what follow-up testing is appropriate for your situation.