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Ways to Keep Your Kidneys Healthy

You may not be worried about this right now, but you should be aware!

(1) Don't Overdose on Certain Medications
NSAIDs are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen. If you take too much at once or take too much at once, they can damage your kidneys. Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for ulcers or GERD can increase your chances of developing chronic kidney disease. You should only take them if your doctor says you need them.

(2) Be Careful with Antibiotics
If you use these antibiotics regularly, they can damage your kidneys. This can happen even if you're very healthy, but it's more serious if your kidneys aren't working properly. Some types, such as penicillins, sulfonamides, and cephalosporins, are more likely to cause problems.

(3) Skip Herbal Supplements
Supplement manufacturers don't have to prove their products are safe, and some can damage your kidneys. These can be especially harmful if you have kidney disease because they can make your condition worse or affect how certain medications work. Talk to your doctor before trying any herbal supplements.

(4) Eat a healthy diet Your kidneys process everything you eat and drink, including anything that's bad for you, such as high amounts of fat, salt, and sugar. Over time, a poor diet can lead to high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and other conditions that are bad for your kidneys. A healthy diet includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, and few processed foods. (5) Watch your salt This mineral affects people in different ways. For some people, it seems to increase the amount of protein in their urine. If you already have kidney disease, this can harm your kidneys or make it worse. High amounts of salt can also increase your chances of developing high blood pressure (a typical cause of kidney disease) and kidney stones, which can be very painful and potentially damaging if left untreated. (6) Drink plenty of water Water helps carry important nutrients to your kidneys and carries waste products to your bladder in the form of urine. If you don't drink enough, the tiny filters in your kidneys can become clogged and lead to kidney stones and infections. Even mild dehydration can damage your kidneys if it happens too often. Four to six glasses a day is usually appropriate, but you may need more if you're sick or in hot weather. (7) Exercise
Like a healthy diet, this helps prevent conditions like diabetes and heart disease that can cause kidney damage. But don't try to go from couch potato to fitness freak in one day. Too much exercise can also damage your kidneys if you're not prepared. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes at least five days a week. If you haven't done it in a while, start slowly and talk to your doctor first if you have health problems.
(8) Get screened
It's important to know your risk for kidney disease. This is more likely if you or a close relative has heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of kidney failure. In these cases, your doctor may recommend specific kidney tests as part of your regular checkups. The earlier you catch it, the easier it is to treat, and sometimes even stop treatment.
(9) Be careful with your alcohol
If you're healthy, having one or two drinks is unlikely to harm your kidneys. But binge drinking (four or more drinks in less than two hours) can cause sudden, severe damage and can lead to long-term problems. Alcohol often dehydrates you, which can keep your kidneys from working properly and lead to weight gain, liver disease, high blood pressure, and other conditions that put more stress on your kidneys. (10) Quit smoking
Smoking increases your risk of kidney cancer and damages blood vessels, which can affect the kidneys by slowing blood flow to them. Additionally, smoking can interfere with certain medications used to treat high blood pressure. This is serious because uncontrolled high blood pressure is a leading cause of kidney disease.

(11) Manage health problems
The two most common conditions that affect the kidneys are diabetes and high blood pressure. A balanced diet and regular exercise can help control both. For people with diabetes, it's also important to keep a close eye on your blood sugar and take insulin when needed. For high blood pressure, check your numbers regularly with Biophilia Tracker and take all medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor.