Kidney Damage Can Be Traced to Your Unhealthy Habits

The kidney is one of the most important organs of the human body. Just because you cannot see the two kidneys located right below your rib cage does not take away from their importance in keeping you healthy. It is the key organ that is responsible for filtering toxins out of our blood stream.

Important Kidney Functions

Before we get to some of the common habits that damage your kidneys, let’s look at some of the important functions performed by this organ on a daily basis.

It is the premier organ that is responsible for reducing the accumulation of waste and other toxic substances inside the body.

It is also true that a well-functioning kidney will help stabilize the levels of electrolytes like phosphate, sodium, and potassium.

It is one of the key organs that create better hormones to help regulate your blood pressure.

Not only does it help in the creation of red blood cells, for good healthy kidneys can help in the development of stronger bones.

Habits that Contribute to Kidney Failure Symptoms

Like I always tell my friends and co-workers, unhealthy habits will eventually take a toll on your health whether you like it or not. Every time you drink, smoke, or refuse to drink enough water you’re doing damage to your kidneys.

These two organs are essential to how fast your body can get rid of toxins. Unfortunately, the continuation of certain filthy “enjoyable” habits eventually lead to signs of kidney failure. We humans are sometimes tone-deaf when it comes to taking good care of our body.

The habits listed are not the complete list, but they are the most significant ones you should pay careful attention to if you want your kidney to help you stay healthy and younger looking into your old-age.

1 – Try to Drink More Water

I am well aware that some of the water from our city taps contain few bad substances, but it is still better to drink that water than none at all. Preferably, I would suggest you invest in bottled spring water since most of the carcinogens have been filtered out.

The more water you drink, the faster your kidneys can filter out all those nasty organisms before they can do major damage. Lack of water contributes to reduced blood flow to the kidneys.

When you do not drink enough water your blood becomes concentrated, which negatively affects the ability of the kidney to get rid of the toxins within the body. When the toxins are allowed to get comfortable within your internal organs, the more health woes you’ll experience.

While it would be futile to get into the debate of how much water you should be drinking on a daily basis, it certainly should be your primary fluid if you want your kidney to remain healthy. The truth still remains that water is good for your internal organs, especially your kidneys.

2 – Curtail Your Salt In-Take

Most people just consume salt as if it is part of a healthy diet, but it is not. I can assure you that if a little kid never tasted salt, they would still enjoy eating most of the meals prepared by health conscious parents.

Salt is metabolized by the kidney through the food you consumed, which makes the organ work overtime. When you have too much salt within your system the kidneys views that as toxins that need to be eliminated. The kidney can only do but so much, especially if it is bombarded with filthy substances on an hourly basis.

3 – Try not to Delay Using the Bathroom

Do not try to walk around with a full bladder, for constantly delaying your need to urinate can cause problems for your kidney. It is not wise to let the urine in your bladder fester for too long, for the bacteria present can start to multiply.

Delayed bathroom break do contribute to urinary tract infection, which can ultimately lead to kidney infection. When nature calls do your best to go right away, for quicker elimination of urine stored in your bladder will help your kidneys function better.

4 – Sugar is Not Good for You

The intake of sugar is just as deadly as salt, but I can just see the look of disgust on your face. Apart from the fact that too much sugar alters the natural functioning of your taste buds, your kidney will also be working overtime to get rid of the substance, if you consume too much.

Please do not kid yourself by thinking you only eat very little sugar, for this substance is included in the majority of the foods we all consume on a daily basis. Most of your fast foods contain sweeteners in one form or another.

5 – Limit Your Animal Protein Consumption

While some proteins can be considered good for you, too much red meat increases the metabolic load your kidney will be dealing with. Do also remember that the animals are fed all kinds of medical substances, which are eventually transferred to humans. If you want to improve the overall health of your kidney, try to limit your intake of red meat.

6 – Get Enough Sleep

When your parents told you to get enough sleep they knew what they were talking about. It is only when you sleep do most of your internal organs including the kidneys, perform the most essential functions.

During sleep, you’re nothing consuming any food ingredients, which means your kidneys are calculating the best ways to eliminate all the stuff you ate and drank for the day. Good quality sleep will allow you to age gracefully with youthful looking skin.

7 – Reduce Your Coffee Addiction

From my perspective, an addiction is something you do on a daily basis. Coffee is just as bad for your kidneys just like salt and sugar. High consumption of caffeine increases your blood pressure, which ultimately leads to extra work for your kidneys.

Also, remember, caffeine can be found in other drinks, so be mindful of that. You can read about this study from Kidney International, which detailed how too much coffee can cause kidney stones.

8 – Alcohol Consumption Will Damage Your Kidneys

Do not be fooled by what you see in the movies, for most of the actors on major movies are paid to at least pretend they’re drinking alcohol. Just because so many people do it, does not make the behavior good for your kidney health. Most people would tell you that only excessive drinking would cause kidney problems.

What you’re not told is that each drink takes a toll on many of your internal organs, including your kidneys. It is the accumulation of all the toxic substances that eventually causes kidney failure. Alcohol is considered an intoxicant, and it is capable of doing major kidney damage over a long period of time.

Other Bad Habits

Smoking is very bad for your health. When you smoke, you put your entire internal organs at risk. Just like alcohol, the consequences of your smoking might not show up right away, but you can be sure it is on the way with many health woes, which also includes kidney problems.

Be careful of painkillers, for some of the included ingredients can do significant damage to your kidneys. Most over-the-counter painkillers or analgesics as they are scientifically known, are capable of reducing blood flow to your kidneys, which in turn impacts negatively on the way it functions.

If you’re overweight, chances are you probably eat too much. Obesity places too much strain on your kidneys and it is actually a sign that the filtration process performed by this essential organ is stalled and not working properly. Get off your butt and do some physical exercises on a daily basis to shed the extra pounds.