Ever wonder why they say ‘bless you’ whenever you sneeze? It’s because your heart stops for a millisecond as a result of your sneeze. This also means that even your heart steals a teeny-tiny break once in a while.
But there is a set of organs in our body that do not rest and sweat even for a millisecond. They are found on either side of your spine and their appearance makes you feel like you have swallowed two big-sized beans, forgot to digest them and they made a permanent place for themselves at your lower-back. Yes, they are kidneys, the natural corporation cleaners of your body and the very organs that do not get the care they deserve.
Kidneys are not limited to filtering the waste products from the blood. They involve in regulating the body pH, potassium and salt levels. Apart from these functions, kidneys produce a hormone called ‘erythropoietin’ which is essential in the regulation of red blood cells’ production.
Now, all these functions make the health of kidneys sound important to you? Many fail to realize the same and it would be too late before they start genuinely caring for their kidneys’ wellness. This blog is an attempt to give you all the reasons why you should be more concerned about your kidney health.
Before you dive into the wellness of kidneys, let’s look into the risk factors, symptoms and the common health issues that are prevalent in kidneys.
You are under risk of a kidney disease if you fall under any of the following:
- You’re above 60 years
- You’ve been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease
- Your birth-weight was pretty low
- You have a family history of high blood pressure
- Your birth-weight was pretty low
- You are overweight
Remember, these factors can only increase your chances of a kidney disease. It does not mean you have a kidney disease if you fall under any of these categories. You could not strike off the chances even if you do not have any of these risk factors.
Unlike many chronic health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions that remain silent for a longer time, kidney diseases have the tendency to show clear signs or symptoms. The earlier you could spot them, the easier you could cure them with the help of expert medical help.
Here are a few early to advanced symptoms that are common for most of the kidney-related health conditions. Ensure you seek immediate medical help if you observe any of the following symptoms.
- Reduced urine output or blood in it
- Painful urination and swelling in the limbs
- Shortness of breath and drowsiness
- Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet
- Increased drowsiness and confusion
- Constant pain in the chest
Diagnosis and treatment for most of the kidney conditions has become more promising, thanks to the new and path-breaking revelations in the medical science sector. However, the person might require dialysis or transplant based on the stage of the kidney condition. This happens mostly in the advanced stages.
Tips to Take Care of the Wellness of Your Kidneys
You don’t have to do something extraordinary to ensure your kidneys are healthy or to ensure your overall well-being for that matter. Read further to know what exactly you should be doing to protect them.
1. Stay Active
The golden rule to be in good health are eat right, sweat tight and health checks in regular intervals.
You can chose a simple brisk walk to intense workout. Especially, regular walking proves to be effective in elderly people. This is one of the reasons why seniors who live in premium assisted living facilities and luxury senior living homes go for a walk.
2. Weight and Diet on Check
Perfect health condition of any organ is attained through maintaining a perfect balance of diet and weight. Remember? Overweight and obesity are in the risk factors of kidney-related health conditions.
3. Health Checks at Regular Intervals
The importance of regular medical checkups could not be emphasized in keeping your kidneys healthy. Even though you are following all the healthy living practices, it should not let you lose grip on the importance of health checks.
Ensure your kidneys are checked as per your doctor’s advice, twice in a year at least. This helps you find the abnormalities or diseases in their starting stages. Finding the conditions in their earlier stages makes the cure inevitable.
If you could ensure these 3 golden rules are followed, you are ticking all the right boxes to be in good health.
Remember, the shape of your good health is determined by the shape of your kidneys and your kidneys health is determined by the shape of your body. It is an on-going and continuous cyclic process and you wouldn’t want to mess with it.
