Simple ways to take care of your kidneys for optimal health

What are kidneys?

Kidneys are one of the most vital organs for survival in a human body. They play a crucial role in regulating blood pressure as well as detoxifying the bloodstream of wasteful substances.

Where are kidneys located?

Every human body has two pair of kidneys, a right and left one, one on each side of your spine, located just below the ribcage.

How do kidneys work?

According to the National Institute of Health, kidneys filter about a half cup of blood per minute, purifying it of toxins and producing urine.

The urine travels from the kidneys to be stored in the bladder via a thin tube, originating from each kidney, called a ureter.

When your bladder is full, it excretes out urine through another tube-like structure termed as the urethra.

World Kidney Day:

World Kidney Day is celebrated on the 14th of March in order to raise awareness regarding the importance of this vital organ as well as its health maintenance.

For this year, we have a list of ways for you to keep your kidneys strong and healthy.

Stay hydrated:

The first and foremost step in taking care of your kidneys is to drink water. Keeping yourself hydrated increases the efficiency of blood filtration.

Water helps clear out sodium and toxins from the kidneys as well as lowers the risk of chronic kidney disease (CDK).

Monitor blood pressure:

High blood pressure can lead to kidney damage. The optimum range for blood pressure is 120/80. A reading above 139/89 falls in the category of hypertension, which may result in stress on the kidneys.

Regulate blood sugar through a balanced diet:

In high blood sugar levels, kidneys have to work extra hard to filter the blood which can lead to damage.

If you are someone with diabetes, it is crucial that you maintain your blood sugar levels with a careful diet and taking your medications or insulin, as recommended by your doctor.

If you do not have diabetes, it is equally important to maintain blood sugar levels by eating adequate amount of food from a balanced diet.

Avoid consumption of illicit substances:

Consumption of illicit substances such as alcohol, drugs or nicotine leads to the formation of kidney stones.

This also results in a high level of toxins in your blood which leads to extra strain on the kidneys, resulting in damage due to overworking.

Taking care of your kidneys is very important as the regulation of blood pressure and toxin levels in your blood are governed by these two tiny organs, that hold the reins to your overall health and well-being.