Kidney disease takes the lives of over 90,000 Americans each year, according to the National Kidney Foundation. This number is higher than both breast and prostate cancer. As we know, our kidneys are very important and are vital for living a long and healthy life. Which means we have to keep them healthy to achieve that. By making small changes to your sleeping habits and diet, you can decrease your chance of having kidney disease.
Replace Salt With Herbs
We all know adding salt to dishes makes them taste better, but it can also disrupt the balance in your blood, making your kidneys have to work harder to remove water from your body. In 2018, research was done for the Journal of Clinical Hypertension. It proved that eating too much salt can directly lead to kidney disease. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that people limit their salt (sodium) intake to one teaspoon per day. That’s about a third less than what the average American consumes.
Replace Salt With Herbs
Limit Your Intake Of Painkillers
There was a study conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine that discovered that heavy use of painkillers like Tylenol or Advil results in 5,000 cases of kidney failure in the United States each year. It’s been noted that the most dangerous time to take any painkillers is after fasting for a period of time. Of course, taking the occasional painkiller for a headache or backache is fine. The reason painkillers are bad is due to the fact that they decrease blood flow to the kidneys. After a while, this can cause an excessive amount of stress to the kidneys.
Limit Your Intake Of Painkillers
Don’t Underestimate A Cold
According to the CDC (the Center for Disease Control0, the average person gets two to three colds a year. While these colds seem more annoying than anything, you shouldn’t treat them like they’re harmless. If you leave colds untreated, your body will produce more and more antibodies. Over a period of time, they will start to become unhealthy for the kidneys. If you feel sick, go see a doctor.
Don’t Underestimate A Cold
Don’t Wait To Use The Restroom
Did you know that postponing going to the bathroom is one of the biggest causes of kidney disease? The longer the urine stays in the body, the worse it is. It’s a hub for bacteria that shouldn’t be in the body anymore, so the longer it sits, the more bacteria it creates. Eventually, this bacteria can make its way to your kidneys. When that happens, you’ll wish it didn’t.
Don’t Wait To Use The Restroom
Say Goodbye To Those Cigarettes
It’s not a secret in this day and age that smoking is terrible for your lungs and heart. However, did you know that it’s just as bad for your kidneys? In 2000, a study was done for the Annals of Internal Medicine. Chain smokers, both current and former, are at a much higher risk for kidney disease. Using things like cigarettes create creatinine in the body, which is unhealthy for the kidneys. While former smokers have a slightly lower risk for this disease than current smokers, it’s never too late to quit.
Say Goodbye To Those Cigarettes
Try To Avoid Processed Foods
To keep food fresh for longer, companies usually add a large amount of sodium that’s very dangerous for your kidneys, as we’ve stated. Other than sodium they use other ingredients in processed foods that have higher amounts than you should be consuming. These ingredients are potassium and phosphorus, which in small amounts, are good for you. However, having too much of either could be damaging. Even though kidneys filter through potassium levels, having too high an intake can stress out the organs. Make sure to limit the amount and frequency of processed foods you’re eating.
Try To Avoid Processed Foods
Stay Away From Soda
Soda provides absolutely no nutrients to your body other than sugar. In a 12-ounce soda, there is as much sugar as you’d consume by eating three-and-a-half doughnuts. Yes, really. Research has already proven that drinking two or more sodas a day will double your risk of getting kidney disease. Sugar isn’t the only bad ingredient in this case, however. Because of the high amount of phosphoric acid in soda, it increases the risk of kidney problems.
Stay Away From Soda
Get Enough Sleep
In the University of Chicago, researches have proven that bad sleep habits can lead to an increased risk of kidney disease. People who slept 6.5 hours a day showed a 19% increase in their chance of kidney failure as opposed to those who got a full night’s sleep. When you stay up late, your kidneys do, too. With time, a lack of sleep can exhaust your kidneys and lead to failure.
Get Enough Sleep
Don’t Stop A Prescription Early
Yes, it’s tempting to quit your prescription early once you feel better, but that’s actually a terrible idea. Stopping a prescribed medicine before your illness is completely cured is bad for your kidneys. Especially taking medications that help blood pressure or pain. They can severely damage your kidneys if used sporadically instead of regularly. Your kidneys love routine and changing medication routines too often will confuse your body.
Don’t Stop A Prescription Early
Do Your Homework On Supplements
Yes, it’s normal to take daily vitamin supplements. However, many people don’t know how high some of the dosages actually are. Taking too much of any vitamin is bad for you – specifically to your kidneys. The supplements that are most dangerous for kidneys when taken too much are cranberry, willow bark, wormwood oil, licorice, geranium, and vitamin C. In fact, taking too much vitamin C and cranberry can drastically increase the chance of getting kidney stones. Even natural supplements like turmeric can be harmful when combined with some medicines.
Do Your Homework On Supplements
Keep Your Exercise Routine In-Tact
Exercising isn’t only for people who want to lose weight. It’s essential for everyone since it has a direct effect on the body’s internal health. According to the National Kidney Foundation, regular exercise lowers blood pressure, improves sleep quality, and enhances muscle function. All these things come together to reduce the risk of kidney disease. It doesn’t have to be anything as difficult as training for a marathon. 150 minutes of light exercise a week is all you need. Whether it’s biking or walking, it works all the same.
Keep Your Exercise Routine In Tact
Exercise In Moderation
Exercising is healthy, yes. But, you need to be careful not to work yourself too hard. Surprisingly, there’s a real risk of working yourself to death. When you do workouts that are too difficult for your body, it can’t handle it. When injuring several muscles at a time, the body releases enzymes that are harmful to the kidneys. 40% of the time, this results in kidney failure. It’s called Rhabdomyolysis, and it’s rare but still very dangerous. Most cases occur during someone’s first exercise class when they don’t know their body’s limits. You have to slowly build up your muscle strength, not go all out on day one.
Exercise In Moderation
Go Easy On Energy Drinks
As of late, scientists are calling for the FDA to start to regulate the ingredients in their energy drinks. However, no changes have been made just yet. In one study done by Frontiers in Public Health, kidney disease has been linked to energy drink consumption, especially in young kids. Having too much caffeine can increase the blood pressure and stress levels in the body, which can lead to kidney disease. Another risk in consuming too many energy drinks is having too much of the amino acid, taurine, which is very dangerous for people who already have kidney disorders.
Go Easy On Energy Drinks
Are You Getting Enough Water Each Day?
Kidneys are mainly there to filter the water out of the body. This is one of the reasons keeping hydrated is so important. According to the National Hydration Council, kidney stones are often the result of chronic dehydration. The reason behind this is when you don’t drink enough water, your urine has a higher concentration of minerals that can crystallize inside your kidneys, creating stones. There is no set amount of water you have to drink, but it’s estimated to be about nine cups a day for women and 13 for men. It’s mostly based on how thirsty you feel.
Are You Getting Enough Water Each Day?
Watch Your Red Meat Intakes
Eating red meat every once in a while isn’t such a bad thing. However, eating too much of it is dangerous for your kidneys over time. It’s been confirmed by the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology that red meat can be toxic for the kidneys if consumed in high amounts or too often. On the other hand, plant-based proteins actually repair kidney injury. Replacing one serving of red meat a week with a plant-based protein will actually lower the risk of you getting kidney disease by 62%.
Watch Your Red Meat Intake
Get Those Legs Moving
If you happen to have a desk job that doesn’t involve too much moving, you should be more aware of how often you’re standing up during the day. In a research study done in 2018, it was found that just one extra hour of physical activity a day can seriously decrease the risk of your kidneys failing. It wasn’t certain why sitting down increased the chance for kidney disease, but some researchers think it has something to do with blood glucose and cholesterol levels. In other words, the more you stand up and walk around, the healthier your kidneys will be.
Get Those Legs Moving
Reduce Butter Habits
Lately, it has become somewhat of a trend for people to recommend replacing butter with margarine. However, it might not be the best idea for the sake of your kidneys. Margarine contains different, but still harmful things in it. The fats that are found in both butter and margarine raise cholesterol levels, which is dangerous for the kidneys. Having small amounts of butter isn’t dangerous, but don’t eat it every day.
Reduce Butter Habits
Don’t Overeat
During the holiday season especially, people seem to forget the amount of food that should be eaten in a meal on average. Overeating can seriously strain the kidneys, and the more you eat, the more your kidneys have to sort through. The most deadly eating combination is consuming too much protein, carbs, and fat together. Seeing as most holiday dinners include all three, it’s important to be careful about what you’re putting in your body.
Don’t Overeat
Try To Lower Stress Levels
Being too stressed all the time or too often can easily lead to kidney disease. It’s been proven that stress is harmful to your kidneys, but they’ve yet to figure out exactly why. Some think that stress leads to higher blood pressure, which in turn can scar your kidneys over a period of time. High-stress levels also lead to less eating and sleeping which both can also cause distressing kidneys.
Try To Lower Stress Levels
Use A Sugar Substitute
Just like anything else, sugar is okay to have in small amounts and won’t harm your kidneys. The serious health concern only comes into play when your blood sugar levels are too high. High blood sugar levels and diabetes force your kidneys to filter too much blood which can cause your kidneys to develop diseases. The University of Montreal conducted research that found a strong tie between diabetes and kidney disease. Diabetes can cause kidney disease and vice versa. To lower your chances of getting either, limit your sugar intake and make sure to keep your glucose levels in check.
Use A Sugar Substitute
Artificial Sweeteners Also Aren’t So Good
While substituting sugar with Splenda can lower the calorie count, artificial sweeteners are doing more harm than good to your body. In 2009, a study found that drinking diet soda in place of regular increases the risk of kidney disease by up to 30%. Two or less artificially-sweetened treats a day won’t do much harm to your kidneys according to research, but there needs to be more research done on the matter. Try to use honey or stevia instead of Splenda.
Artificial Sweeteners Also Aren’t So Good
Moderate Drinking
When you drink alcohol, you’re making your kidneys essentially work overtime to filter out the harmful things you’re ingesting. Which is why overdrinking can be dangerous. Overdrinking is having more than four alcoholic drinks every day. At the same time, research has shown that drinking a glass of something every day could actually lower your risk for kidney disease by 30%. So, drink in moderation.
Moderate Drinking
Steer Clear Of Body Enhancements
While steroids and body enhancement drugs can improve muscle strength, they’re also destroying your kidneys. Research has found that 90% of bodybuilders have developed scarring from using these kinds of medications. After they stopped using those medications for some time, their kidneys eventually healed. Steroids can also raise your cholesterol levels, lower levels of protein in the blood, and cause swelling in your body. All these things are harmful to your kidneys.
Steer Clear Of Body Enhancements
Monitor Your Heartburn Medication
While some heartburn medications are perfectly fine to take every day, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are not. Research suggests that these medications that suppress the acid in your stomach can harm your kidneys. Taking them too often will raise your risk of kidney disease by 26%. Other types of heartburn medications like H2 Blockers, don’t have these kinds of harmful side effects. If you take heartburn medicine every day, think about switching to an H2 Blocker if you aren’t already taking one.
Monitor Your Heartburn Medication
Check Up On Your Blood Pressure Levels
Blood pressure is known as “the silent killer” for a reason. It doesn’t show any symptoms when something’s not right. The American Heart Association says that everyone needs to get their blood pressure checked at the very least once every two years. The longer you push it off after that amount can put you at risk of kidney disease since high blood pressure is very dangerous to the blood vessels inside your kidneys. If the blood vessels fail, the kidneys fail too. Once this happens, the blood pressure can rise quickly which is very dangerous.
Check Up On Your Blood Pressure Levels
You Don’t Need So Much Coffee
One cup of coffee a day is perfectly fine, but several cups every day is not. Caffeine instantly raises the blood pressure, which can hurt your kidneys when you have too much. Research has yet to confirm how much coffee is too much, but just be aware of these effects. The National Kidney Foundation has done the research and recommends people stick to less than four cups of coffee a day. Also, make sure to be wary of coffee additives like cream or syrup since these are typically high in sugar and fat.
You Don’t Need So Much Coffee
Don’t Eat Too Much Shellfish
At times, seafood can have serious health benefits, but eating too much will start to hurt your kidneys over time. Research done in 2014 by the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology discovered that shellfish contain a harmful and possibly toxic chemical called domoic acid. It’s also named “Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning”. It can seriously hurt your kidneys. Even in small quantities, this acid can harm the kidneys. Eating a lot of seafood doesn’t have as many benefits as people might think. In fact, it’s a lot more harmful than people know.
Don’t Eat Too Much Shellfish
Medical Photos Can Be Harmful
Even though most people typically don’t get MRIs too often, they can still be harmful to the kidneys. The dye used to contrast colors in the body can cause some problems. The side effect of these dyes is a new disease named “Contrast-Induced Nephropathy” (CIN). It causes kidneys to completely fail for up to three days. Fortunately, CIN is reversible, but all the same, it’s dangerous.
Medical Photos Can Be Harmful
Stick To Only The Good Kinds Of Fat
The human body requires healthy fats in order to stay healthy. These are monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The bad fats that tend to worry people are trans fats. These are usually found in processed foods like refrigerated dough and creamers. One study fone for the British Medical Journal found that saturated fat isn’t bad for the heart, but trans fat increases the risk of diseases by 21%.
Stick To Only The Good Kinds Of Fat
One Drink Per Day Can Be Healthy
Back in 2001, a study in the Postgraduate Medical Journal analyzed more than 100 studies and came to the conclusion that drinking in moderation helps the heart. One drink a day can lower the risk of heart disease, but drinking too much can increase the same risk. It’s a fine line. One drink is about 12 oz of beer or 5 oz of wine.
One Drink Per Day Can Be Healthy
Sleep For Seven Or More Hours
In 2014, research was published on the habits of people they’ve been studying for more than 10 years. It was proven that getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night will significantly increase the odds of having a healthy heart. Deep sleep releases chemicals that lower the heart rate and blood pressure. Not getting enough sleep can increase the risk of heart problems by 58%.
Sleep For Seven Or More Hours
Keep Your Stress In Check
When you are very stressed, your breathing becomes quicker, your muscles tense, and your heart rate speeds up. All these things can have serious implications for your heart health. Chronic stress will eat away at your heart over time, even if you don’t generally have a prior risk of heart disease. There is a difference between feeling a normal amount of stress or anxiety as opposed to having chronic stress problems. Participating in stress-relieving activities every day for 10-15 minutes can seriously help chronic stress.
Keep Your Stress In Check
Eat More Fruits And Veggies
It’s not a question of which fruits and veggies are good for the heart. It’s more of a question of which fruits and veggies you’re going to eat to keep your heart healthy. Studies have shown that five servings – about 2.5 cups – of fruits and veggies a day can lower the risk of heart disease. 10 servings can decrease the risk of heart disease by 28% and the risk of premature death by 31%.
Eat More Fruits And Veggies
Cut Back On The TV Binging
In 2015, there was data released after 20 years of studying 70,000 women. At the beginning of the study, almost each of those women suffered from diabetes or heart disease. By the end of it, most of them cut their risk of a heart attack by a whopping 92%! One habit they all had in common was they limited their TV watching to 7 hours a week. When you spend too much time watching TV, you’re spending less time exercising in favor of staying still. In fact, watching TV four 4 hours a day has been proven to be more dangerous than sitting at a desk job all day.
Cut Back On TV Binging
Exercise For Fifteen Minutes Each Day
It’s no secret that exercise is great for the body. From strengthening the heart to reducing stress levels and even lowering the blood pressure, exercise has countless benefits. Authors of The American Journal of Medicine have analyzed exercise intensity needs and discovered that only 15 minutes of exercise daily can drastically improve a person’s lifespan. Only 15 minutes of walking or doing any kind of physical activity can lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Exercise For Fifteen Minutes Each Day
Being Social Can Help Your Heart
It has been proven by research that having a healthy and fulfilling social life and a group of friends can significantly decrease the risk of heart disease. Researches from Boston Scientific believe that having positive social interactions can reduce the levels of stress and depression. Both of which can raise the risk of heart disease. So, the next time you want to skip out on plans with friends, you might want to reconsider it.
Being Social Can Help Your Heart
Drink Plenty Of Water
Not drinking enough water leads to dehydration, as we all know. Well, dehydration leads to an unhealthy heart. Drinking five glasses of water a day will significantly improve heart health. Drinking less than two glasses of water every day will weaken the heart and over time can lead to serious heart disease. The thicker the blood is, the more it needs to work to pump through the body, and it will get more tired. Drinking enough water will lower the blood viscosity and reduce strain on the heart muscles.
Drink Plenty Of Water
Stand Up Frequently
Sitting at a desk all day not only puts a strain on the eyes but also on the heart. In 2015, 41 studies proved that sitting all day increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even cancer. In another study done in 2019, it was shown that standing for an extra hour every day will decrease the risk of heart disease by 26%. There are little things you can do to still get work done while watching out for your health. You can get a standing desk, take short walks throughout the day (to the bathroom, to get water, etc.), and park your car a little farther away to force yourself to walk a little more.
Stand Up Frequently
Measure Blood Pressure
Studies have proven that having high blood pressure is the leading cause of heart disease. It can lead to hypertensive heart disease, meaning that the heart is thickened and arteries are narrowed. The American Heart Association advocates strongly that high blood pressure should be at the very top of your healthcare priorities list. Even if you don’t have high blood pressure at the moment, you should always be working to avoid it.
Measure Blood Pressure
Always Check Up On Yourself
Just because you haven’t had health problems in the past doesn’t mean you don’t need to worry about having health problems in the future. If you haven’t been monitoring your blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar for over a year, you should. It’s recommended to check your blood pressure once a year, blood sugar once every 3 years, and cholesterol once every 4-6 years. Never assume your body isn’t at risk of these diseases. Just because you seem healthy doesn’t mean you don’t have to monitor health risks.
Always Check Up On Yourself
Know What Your BMI Should Be
While weight is typically seen as being a superficial conversation, to doctors, it’s more about the actual heart and body health rather than physical appearance. One study done in 2018 appeared in JAMA Cardiology and showed that having a high Body Mass Index (BMI) can increase the risk of heart disease. Talk to your doctor about what your BMI should be and try to keep to a healthy lifestyle. Don’t base your BMI on online charts since there are many more factors that contribute other than height and weight.
Know What Your BMI Should Be
Brush Your Teeth Every Day
You might not have known this, but gum disease has a lot of the same risks as heart disease does. According to Harvad Health, bacteria found in your gums can travel to the blood vessels which in turn can inflame the arteries and create blood clots, increasing the risk of a stroke. While in 2012 the American Heart Association stated that it’s not always the case with gum disease, you should still brush and floss your teeth twice a day.
Brush Your Teeth Every Day
E-Cigarettes Are Extremely Harmful
You might be under the impression that smoking an e-cigarette instead of a real one is safer. However, according to a research author for BMJ, “no safe level of smoking exists for cardiovascular disease”. One study done in 2017 proved that smoking just one cigarette a day can lead to heart disease and stroke in the future. E-cigarettes don’t lower these odds. Rather, adding e-cigarettes into your routine can increase them. A lot of states started banning e-cigarettes in 2019 once they discovered a lot of illnesses that were contracted from vaping. E-cigarettes increase the risk of heart attacks and developing coronary artery disease.
E Cigarettes Are Extremely Harmful
Stay Away From Secondhand Smoke
Standing near people who are smoking and inhaling their secondhand smoke can seriously impact your heart health. In a study done by Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular Effects, it’s been found that inhaling secondhand smoke still increases the risk of heart disease by 30%. Try limiting your interaction with smoke in general, whether it’s smoking or being near someone who’s smoking. Secondhand smoke can cause you to inhale over 7,000 chemicals. 70 of which can cause cancer.
Stay Away From Secondhand Smoke
Vitamins and Minerals
Having a diet that’s filled with whole foods and plenty of fresh produce is super important for your overall health as well as your kidney function. Plenty of vitamin and mineral deficiencies like vitamin B6, C, and D can increase the risk of kidney stones or even kidney failure.
Vitamins And Minerals
Avocado
We’ve all heard how nutritious and healthy avocados are and how great they are for the heart with plenty of good fats, fiber, and antioxidants. Well, despite the fact that they normally are a healthy addition to someone’s diet, people who have kidney problems have to steer clear od them. The reason for this is that avocados are a rich source of potassium. One cup – approximately 150 gr – of avocado has 727 mg of potassium. This is double the amount than that of a medium banana. Due to this fact, avocados, and guacamole should be avoided if someone has to watch their potassium intake.
Avocado
Canned Foods
Typical canned foods like soups and beans are usually bought because they’re cheap and convenient. However, most canned foods have high amounts of sodium since salt is added to preserve the product for longer. As a result, it’s often recommended that people with kidney disease avoid or limit their consumption of canned foods. Choosing foods with less sodium or even with no salt is usually best. Another way to reduce salt in these items is by draining foods like canned beans and tuna – this decreases the amount of sodium by 33-80% depending on the product.
Canned Food
Whole-Wheat Bread
Choosing the right bread for people with kidney disease can be somewhat confusing. A lot of the time, whole wheat bread is recommended over refined, white flour bread. While it is a healthier option thanks to its higher fiber content, white bread os usually recommended for people with kidney disease. The reason for this is because whole wheat bread has a lot of phosphorus and potassium. The more bran and whole grains in the bread, the higher those contents are. Either way, most breads contain high amounts of sodium – whole wheat or not.
Whole Wheat Bread
Brown Rice
Like whole wheat bread, brown rice is a whole grain with higher levels of potassium and phosphorus than white rice. One cup of cooked brown rice has 150 mg of phosphorus and 154 mg of potassium. One cup of cooked white rice has only 69 mg of phosphorus and 54 mg of potassium. Some good substitutes for rice are bulgur, buckwheat, pearled barley, and couscous since they’re nutritious and have less phosphorus.
Brown Rice
Banana
Everyone seems to know that bananas have high levels of potassium, right? While they naturally have low sodium amounts, one medium banana has 422 mg of potassium. If you eat a banana every day, it could be a challenge to keep your potassium intake under 2,000 mg a day. Unfortunately, plenty of other tropical fruits also have high amounts of potassium. However, pineapples have less potassium than other tropical fruits and can be a better alternative.
Banana