The kidneys are shaped like kidney beans and the same color as red beans, so they are called 'kidneys'. The kidneys have so many different functions that they are called the "scavenger of the body." This is because it is involved in metabolic processes such as regulating salt and water accumulated in the body, and helping blood vessels constrict and relax.
However, not many people pay attention to kidney health, perhaps because the kidneys do not have a problem if one of the two sides is removed. However, the kidneys are often quite advanced to the point where they are called silent killers. This is because there are no obvious symptoms in the early stages, and there are no symptoms until the disease is severely advanced. Kidney disease occurs only when 70~90% of the tissue is damaged. When kidney problems occur, waste accumulates, and the whole body swells due to the inability to urinate properly.
Most cases of CKD do not heal well. I need dialysis and a kidney transplant. One in seven people over the age of 35 has CKD.The number of CKD patients increased from 113,400 in 2011 to 170,000 in 2015. That's why early management is so urgent. Let's take a look at 10 things you need to know for kidney health.
First, keep a good eye on your blood pressure
The American College of Cardiology and the College of Cardiology have published a standard for high blood pressure of 130 or higher. This means that you should keep your blood pressure below 130.
High blood pressure can damage blood vessels, reducing and damaging the function of the kidneys, which are made up of clumps of blood vessels. This can lead to poor kidney function due to poor blood supply. This is because if blood pressure is consistently high, the tiny cell membranes of the kidneys are damaged, resulting in loss of blood vessel function and a decrease in the ability to excrete wastes, leading to kidney failure.
Second, don't overeat protein
There are people who don't exercise and only consume protein shakes in excess. Excess protein is the kidneys. When proteins enter the body, nitrogen byproducts are produced. The kidneys are responsible for filtering them out of the blood, and if they are repeatedly consumed in excess, they put a load on the kidneys and their function is impaired. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, excessive protein intake causes a lot of nitrogen waste to form in the body during the metabolic process, putting an excessive burden on the kidneys, which are responsible for filtering wastes
Third, do not abuse painkillers
Overuse of over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, can cause kidney damage and disease. Because NSAIDs are excreted by the kidneys, they can be toxic to the kidneys. The risk is particularly high if you have reduced kidney function or take NSAIDs in combination with certain blood pressure-lowering drugs, such as diuretics or ACE inhibitors, or angiotensin receptor blockers.
Fourth, exercise regularly at least 3 times a week
Regular exercise is not only good for your kidneys, but also for your body. A study by King's College Hospital in London found that regular light exercise (three times a week) significantly slowed the rate at which kidney function deteriorated in people with chronic kidney disease.
Fifth, eat foods that are high in antioxidants
According to Davita, which operates more than 2,100 dialysis centers in the U.S., eating foods high in antioxidants can help prevent chronic inflammation and help the kidneys. This is because chronic inflammation damages blood vessels in the heart and kidneys.
Recommended foods include red bell peppers (1/2 cup red bell pepper = 1 mg sodium, 88 mg potassium, 10 mg phosphorus, lycopene as an antioxidant), cabbage (1/2 cup green cabbage = 6 mg sodium, 60 mg potassium, 9 mg phosphorus, phytochemicals as antioxidants), onions(1/2 cup onion = 3 mg sodium, 116 mg potassium, 3 mg phosphorus, flavonoids, antioxidants), etc.
Sixth, avoid low-chlorine gold
We all know that it's good to eat briskly for kidney health. However, using low-chlorine to make bland food can be poisonous. Low-sodium salt is salt that is mixed with additives such as potassium chloride to reduce the sodium content, which is low in sodium but contains much more potassium. It is not good for people with kidney disease to eat foods that are high in potassium. In particular, patients with acute renal failure have poor kidney function and are unable to excrete potassium properly.
Increased potassium levels can lead to hyperkalemia. Professor Kim Jin-wook of the Department of Family Medicine at Korea University Guro Hospital advised, "The realistic healthy diet is not to eat salt at all, but to reduce it," and "it is advisable to control salt intake by not eating soup in your usual diet or using a little less salt than usual when cooking food."
It's also less salty than regular salt, so if you eat salty as usual, you'll end up using a larger amount, and you'll end up using regular salt. On the contrary, you may consume more salt, so you need to be careful. In addition to low-sodium salt, foods that contain a lot of potassium include tomatoes, oranges, baked potatoes, bananas, and spinach. When eating vegetables with a high calcium content, it is best to soak them in water for a couple of hours before blanching them.
Seventh, do regular blood creatinine tests
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the nine lifestyle tips to prevent CKD is to take a creatinine test. This is because CKD has no specific symptoms until it becomes severe, so it is important to get tested in advance. Creatinine is one of the most common waste products produced by the body. When kidney function decreases, the ability to filter waste is weakened, which leads to higher creatinine levels.
If you do a blood test at a health center or hospital, your creatinine level will be listed on the test result sheet. [Korean Society of Nephrology-Sitemap-What is My Kidney Function?]to enter your age and creatinine level and check your kidney function.
Eighth, watch your urine carefully
If you've seen the movie <Gwanghae> you may remember the king's bewilderment at the sight of the palace ladies watching the process of relieving themselves. In fact, it is said that during the Joseon Dynasty, fishermen closely observed the king's feces. This is because you can tell your health status by the shape and color of your stool. The same goes for urine.
Urine is an indicator of kidney health. If the urine is foamy and does not go off easily, especially if it remains after flushing, kidney disease should be suspected. In addition, it is important to keep in mind that holding urine for a long time is not good for kidney health. When the bladder is filled with urine, urine pools in the kidneys, causing damage.
Ninth, watch out for MRI and CT scans
MRI and CT scans are important instruments that, when used well, can save lives. However, the contrast agents used during MRI and CT scans can also cause side effects on the kidneys. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, contrast nephrotoxicity can occur within 3 days after the administration of contrast medium, which is a decrease in kidney function without any specific cause. People with reduced kidney function, such as diabetics, heart failure, and people over the age of 70, need to be careful. It can be helpful to get fluids beforehand.
Tenth, if you're worried about urinary stones, drink water and lemonade
People who are concerned about urinary stones, especially those who have had them before, should be more cautious of recurrence.
You need to drink about 8~10 glasses of water a day, and if you don't drink water well, you can slowly increase it to about one cup a day to meet the recommended amount. If your urine is dark yellow, it means you are not drinking enough water yet. A good way to stay hydrated is lemonade in addition to water. This is because the citric acid in lemons prevents the formation of stones.
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