You may be damaging your kidneys without realizing it.  Do you drink a lot of soda every day?  Even if it’s diet?  Do you smoke?  These habits are two of the top five that can be putting stress on your kidneys.  March 8th is World Kidney Day and March is National Kidney Month, sponsored by the American Kidney Foundation.  Your kidney works 24 hours a day filtering toxins out of your body.  If your kidney stops working your only alternative is using a dialysis machine and anyone who has ever done this can tell you it is not a pleasant way to spend a day.

You can be careful about what you ingest to protect yourself and your kidneys from long term damage starting right now!  Get tested with a simple Chemistry Panel to identify Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Calcium (Ca), Creatinine (Cr) and Glucose which check for a range of problems that affect the kidneys, including kidney disease.  Whether your test results show possible issues with your kidney  or not, you should stop doing the following 5 things to prevent future damage:

  1. Long term use of over-the-counter painkillers, known as NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs).  3-5% of new cases of kidney disease every year are blamed on the useruse of NSAIDs.
  2. Smoking: Smokers are more likely to need dialysis or kidney transplants due to the damage that smoking does to the kidneys.
  3. Consuming large quantities of salt.  I think we’ve all been made aware through the media that too much salt can cause hypertension (or high blood pressure) but this high blood pressure can damage the kidneys over time and is the leading cause of kidney failure.
  4. Drinking a lot of sodas every day, diet or not.  Studies show that consuming two or more sodas every day is linked with a higher risk of developing kidney disease.
  5. Exposure to the dye used in Angiograms and CT scans.  Discuss the risks with your doctor before you undergo a procedure like this.

Is avoiding some of these items worth it in the long run?  To live a normal life where I don’t need to be connected to a machine for natural bodily functions: I say yes!  You get to make your own choice.

Written by www.labtestingnow.com