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National Kidney Month

March 8, 2022, 4:35 pm

March is National Kidney Month, so it’s a great time to learn more about our kidneys and how to keep them healthy.

You have two kidneys that are each about the size of a fist. They filter your blood to remove waste that your body doesn’t need, along with extra water, which turns into urine. They also keep your whole body healthy by keeping a good balance of water, salts, and minerals in your blood and by making hormones that help control your blood pressure, make red blood cells, and keep your bones healthy. All of this work done by your kidneys helps to keep your nerves, muscles, and other parts of your body working normally.

Kidneys are important for your whole body’s functioning, but 33% of American adults – that’s about 1 in 3 people – are at risk for kidney disease. Some of these risk factors include:

  • Smoking,
  • Being overweight,
  • Having diabetes,
  • Having high blood pressure,
  • Family history of kidney disease.

Take this one-minute quiz from Kidney.org to find out if you have any common risk factors that could lead to kidney disease.

Here are some ways you can help keep your kidneys healthy:

  • Quit smoking
  • Manage your blood sugar – some resources for managing diabetes are offered by CoxHealth,
  • Control your blood pressure – get it measured at regular visits to your doctor,
  • Eat healthy – avoid too much sodium, sugar, and fats,
  • Get moving – try to get regular exercise,
  • Avoid taking over-the-counter pain medicines like ibuprofen long-term – taking these too often and for too long can cause problems for kidney function.

Discuss your kidney health with your doctor. They can help you get the needed tests to check your kidneys and can also give you tips on staying healthy.

If you would like to read more about kidney health and preventing kidney disease, visit this page on the CDC website for some helpful information.

 

Sources:

Your Kidneys & How They Work | NIDDK (nih.gov)

7 Golden Rules of Kidney Disease Prevention | National Kidney Foundation

Kidney conscious decisions keep you healthy - Mayo Clinic Health System