Your kidneys plays a vital role in preventing you from the accumulation of toxins and unnecessary waste or says extra fluid that helps to maintain a healthy balance of water, minerals and salt in your body.
If there is no balance of minerals, salt and water, your tissues, nerves and muscles will not be able to function and therefore you need to take care of your kidneys. However, there are certain habits you need to take care of to protect your kidneys. Therefore, today we will discuss some habits that can harm your kidney and how you need to change those habits to prevent your kidney from various risks.
9 Habits to Change to Protect your Kidneys:
1. Excess use of painkillers:
People who are suffering from any kind of kidney disease should use painkillers nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs because this can harm their kidneys. It is always better to have a painkiller if it is really needed or as prescribed by your doctor and if possible, try to not have more than the recommended.
2. Excess sodium intake:
If you always add more salt or consume foods that contain excessive salt, you are risking your kidneys. Excess consumption of sodium can cause high blood pressure problems and therefore it is also harmful to your kidneys. Therefore, limit your sodium intake and only consume as per the daily requirement.
3. Having processed food items:
When you have too many processed foods, and therefore it is essential for you to understand that this type of food harms your health. Processed foods contain high phosphorus and sodium it which is not good for your kidneys. Especially people who are suffering from kidney problems should avoid having processed food items.
4. Not consume required fluids:
if you are someone who is not consuming enough fluids on a daily basis, this can become a barrier to clear toxins and sodium from your system. People with kidney stone problems are advised to drink plenty of fluid (3 to 4 litres in a day) to help the stones pass through urine.
5. Lack of sleep:
sleeping is important for your overall health because your kidney function is regulated by the sleep-wake cycle that is helpful to coordinate the kidney’s workload over 24 hours. Therefore, it is important to live an active lifestyle. For people who are active, work out and do a lot of physical activity for sleeping is not a tremendous task. Especially if we compared active people with the ones who spend their entire day at one place doing no physical activity.
6. Excess sugar intake:
People who consume too much sugar are prone to develop various health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure, which further leads to kidney problems. So, make sure you reduce the consumption of excess sugar, added sugar and sometimes check the ingredients list to find out the hidden sugar as well. Foods like white bread, buns, cereals and condiments contain sugar so you should always check before you buy any product.
7. Smoking &Alcohol:
People who smoke too much are prone to damage their kidneys along with other health risks. Smoking increases the protein level in the urine, which is a symptom of kidney damage. Consumption of alcohol is a way to develop chronic kidney diseases, especially when the alcohol consumption is over three to four drinks a day.
8. Less physical activity:
If you are someone who sits for hours and hours and does no physical activity or less physical activity, this might not be good for your kidneys. People who live a sedentary lifestyle are prone to develop more health problems, compared to others who live an active and healthy lifestyle. The more physical activity you do, the more your lungs, kidneys, blood circulation, metabolism and blood pressure stay good.
9. Excess consumption of meat:
If you are eating too much meat, this can cause damage to your kidneys because excess consumption of meat increases the acid in the blood and this is damaging to your kidneys. Acidosis is a condition where your kidneys become incapable of eliminating the acid-fast enough from your body.
Foods that are good for Kidney Health:
1. Bell peppers.
2. Red grapes.
3. Cauliflower.
4. Cabbage.
5. Blueberries.
6. Sea bass.
7. Egg white.
8. Garlic.
9. Cranberries.
10. Macadamia nuts.
11. Buckwheat.
12. Onions.
13. Radish.
14. Olive oil.
15. Bulgur.
16. Pineapple.
17. Skinless chicken.
18. Arugula.
19. Turnips.
Also, if you try to change above mentioned lifestyle habits, you can improve your kidney health and prevent various chronic conditions. This will not only improve your kidney health but will also improve your overall health.