The kidneys, which are two bean-shaped organs located at the bottom of your rib cage, perform many important functions in the body.
Functions of kidneys:
- Filtering out excess water and impurities in the blood, they regulate the body's pH level, salt and potassium and produce hormones that control the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the entire body.
- Kidneys help in the production of vitamin D that adsorb calcium used for building bones and regulating muscle function.
- Keeping the kidneys healthy enables the body to expel waste properly.
- Due to worsening lifestyle habits, our kidneys get affected, leading to risk factors for acute kidney injury (AKI), which if left unchecked could lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD).
According to Dr Mohit Khirbat, Consultant, Nephrology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, before knowing how to keep the kidneys healthy, it is important to first understand what leads to kidney failure.
Why do our kidneys fail? "The most common cause is diabetes, which forms 50 per cent of the cases. The other 20-25 per cent of the cases are related to hypertension. Other conditions like kidney stones, urinary tract infections (UTI), and inflammatory disorders are also common causes. The most important thing you can do to keep your kidneys healthy is to do a regular check-up," said Dr Mohit Khirbat.
How to protect kidneys:
- A low salt diet will keep your kidneys healthy in the long run.
- Obesity is also one of the leading causes of kidney disease. Don't eat junk food as it can add to excessive weight gain and obesity causes renal dysfunction.
- Avoid smoking as it directly affects the kidneys.
- If you've had kidney stones in the past, this is the right time to take action.
- Keeping yourself active and drinking lots of water every day help the kidneys to function properly and prevent future damage.
Source: India Today
