I bet you didn’t know that you could lose 90% of your kidney function without a clue.  So, maintaining your kidney health is pretty critical.  Two conditions that can make that problematic are high blood pressure and diabetes.  But, there are eight conditions we should monitor to ensure proper kidney health.

1. Blood Pressure

Obviously, this is the first condition.  If you have elevated blood pressure, your kidneys are susceptible to damage, leading to CKD (chronic kidney disease)- which will inevitably result in ESRD (end state renal failure). If you blood pressure exceeds 130/80 mm Hg, it’s time to alter your diet, modify your lifestyle- because even blood pressure medication won’t necessarily stop the potential renal damage.

2. Blood Sugar Levels

As stated above, diabetic conditions inexorably lead to ESRD.  So, watching your blood sugar levels is a key performance indicator (KPI).  Again, lifestyle changes and diet (we are talking about Type 2 diabetes, which is controllable) are the key factors to modify.

3. Exercise

Not only can exercise help us maintain our body weight, reduce our blood pressure level, it can reduce our chances to develop CKD.  Moreover, exercising 150 minutes a week keeps our brain AND our body running at peak performance.  Walking 6 miles a week is great for brain homeostasis and attitude adjustment- but not quite enough to maintain or achieve body health.

4. Healthy Diet

This is a key consideration in precluding diabetes, heart disease, and a slew of other chronic diseases that can also lead to CKD.  Moreover, if our weight is under control, we effect less stress on all our internal organs. A healthy diet includes avoiding processed foods, salt over 6 g a day (that’s about a teaspoon), along with consuming a slew of fresh vegetables.

5. Hydrate

Drinking enough water ensures that our kidneys can clear excess minerals that can damage internal organs and upset our nervous system.  Despite those old rules of how much water to imbibe, the need is a function of our climate, how active we are, if we are pregnant or breastfeeding, and our general health.  (For example, when I contracted pneumonia of the calf [and then necrotizing fasciitis], I needed to drink some 4 liters of water a day.)

6. Smoking is Verboten

Do I really need to explain this?  The only thing you may not know is that smoking restricts blood flow, which means your kidneys may not be getting enough blood to fully function.

7. No OTC anti-inflammatory medication (avoid as much as possible)

NSAID’s (ibuprofren, naproxen) and aspirin are not going to lead you to better health.  (That includes the concept of consuming a baby aspirin daily.  I’ve written about that here and here.)

8. If you have diabetes, are obese, or have blood pressure- get your kidney function checked routinely

Remember, there is NO cure for CKD.  We can prevent it, we can minimize the effects, but the condition is not reversible. So, be safe and make sure your kidneys are working to keep you healthy.

If I can keep you folks off dialysis or needing a transplant, then I’ve done my job.