by Rhonda Buffington

Created on: November 07, 2010

Your kidneys perform functions that are essential to life. You have two kidneys which are a little larger than a deck of cards. They are located just below the rib cage, near your back. Although you can survive with one kidney, if both kidneys fail, your body dies.

What Your Kidneys Do

The kidneys act as filters to clean the blood. They get rid of waste products from your blood, which prevents the buildup of deadly toxins. It keeps your blood clean by filtering the blood of waste products through your urine. Kidneys also regulate the body’s salt, potassium and pH levels. Kidneys also play an important role in red blood cell production, blood pressure regulation and calcium metabolism.

The following suggestions may help keep your kidneys healthy so they can do their job easier.

Annual Screenings

It is important to have annual screening during your regular physical to check for the presence of blood or protein in the urine. A blood test can check kidney function and see if your electrolytes are stable.

Drink Plenty of Water

Keep yourself well hydrated by drinking several glasses of water every day.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Eat a healthy diet and limit protein. Kidneys must filter a by-product of protein metabolism called blood urea nitrogen (BUN) out of your blood, so eating more protein than your body needs causes a greater workload on your kidneys. Limit your alcohol consumption and restrict your intake of salt and caffeine.

Control Blood Pressure

Hypertension can be very damaging to the kidneys. Make sure you keep your blood pressure well controlled and monitor it regularly with a home blood pressure device.

Limit Over-the-Counter Pain Pills

Avoid excessive use of anti-inflammatory drugs such as NSAIDS. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen, Naproxen and aspirin may cause kidney damage and kidney disease if taken regularly. Acetaminophen like Tylenol, Midol and others can also cause kidney damage, if used regularly. If your kidneys are healthy and you use over-the-counter pain medications for emergencies only, it probably would not pose significant danger. In addition, taking an aspirin a day for a healthy heart should not pose any danger, but always check with your doctor if you are unsure or have concerns.

Quit smoking or any other use of tobacco products.

Avoid repeated exposure to the IV dyes required in certain medical tests.

Eating plant-based foods that are minimally processed, getting regular exposure to sunlight and fresh air (without over exposure), physical and emotional rest and being physically active is the best prevention for not only helping keep your kidneys healthy, it is also beneficial for overall health.

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