Kidneys Need Care, Too

According to the National Kidney Foundation, 37 million people in the U.S. have kidney disease – but only 10% know it.

National Kidney Month, observed annually in March, aims to change that. Kidney Month seeks to raise awareness about the importance of kidney health, educate the public about kidney disease, and encourage individuals to take steps to protect their kidneys.

Your kidneys – those two bean-shaped organs located on either side of your spine – play critical roles in maintaining the body's health by filtering waste, regulating fluid and electrolyte balance, producing hormones, and maintaining the body's overall health. Fun fact: Your kidneys filter all of your blood up to 25 times a day!

And just because you have two kidneys doesn’t make them half as important as other organs. Kidneys are workhorses in your body and if they aren’t firing at 100%, neither are you.

While genetics play a role, for the most part, you control your kidneys’ health. First, give them less waste to filter by eating a balanced diet low in sodium and high in fruits and vegetables, staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water, limiting alcohol intake, and quitting smoking, if applicable. Also, exercise regularly, manage your blood pressure and blood sugar levels (especially if you have diabetes), and monitor your cholesterol levels.

And if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney disease – or if you are over age 65 – talk with a healthcare professional at SageWest Medical Grou about your risk for kidney disease. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease and kidney failure, as about one out of three adults with diabetes have a kidney disease.

Common kidney diseases include:

• Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): A long-term condition in which the kidneys gradually lose their ability to filter waste products from the blood.
• Glomerulonephritis: Inflammation of the tiny filters (glomeruli) in the kidneys that can damage them over time.
• Diabetes-Related Kidney Disease: Damage to the kidneys caused by high blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
• Kidney Stones: Hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form in the kidneys and can cause pain and other symptoms.
• Infections: Bacterial or viral infections of the kidneys, such as pyelonephritis.
• Vasculitis: Inflammation of blood vessels in the kidneys.

Some of these conditions can ultimately cause kidneys to be unable to function and require dialysis, a medical treatment used to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys are not functioning properly. Dialysis can last three to four hours per session and typically requires three sessions per week.

No one wants this disease, or the dialysis it might require.

Take steps to promote kidney health, starting with a healthy diet and exercise. Ask your provider (if you need one, click here) about your risk factors and additional steps you can take to keep your kidneys doing the amazing things they do. Most of all, find out if you are one of the many who are unaware they even have a kidney ailment, and if so, get started on the appropriate treatment plan.