Keep Your Kidneys Healthy

Maintaining the health of your kidneys start with a yearly screening for microalbunmin. This a very specific test that look for small amounts of protein in the urine that cannot be detected by the usual “dipstick” test done during a routine urinalysis. It is, however, important to know that an infection, severe stress, heart, failure, or strenuous exercise before a screening test can also cause increase levels of protein in your urine. You should have a positive screening test confirmed with a full 24-hour microalbumin test If the second test is positive you should then be started treatment that will return this number of normal.

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KIDNEY STONES
If you have had kidney stones recently it would be best to concentrate your healing efforts on the detoxifying and tonifying of your kidneys. The best method for this is to drink plenty of water. Increasing fluid intake in general, reduces the amount of minerals that can build up in your kidneys that form stones, or gravel. Plus the fluids will push through any toxins that may stagnate in the kidneys; essentially helping in the process of detoxification.

KIDNEY INFECTIONS
If you recently had a kidney infection, you may already be on a series of antibiotics, and I would recommend including acidophilus bacterium in your diet. The medicine you are on unfortunately has the side effect of killing all the good bacteria in your system as well as the one that caused your infection. A good food source of acidophilus is yogurt; ideally with added cultures. Just be sure it is not too sugary though, as this can work against the benefits.

DETOXIFICATION
Detoxification is the key to overall kidney and urinary tract health. Eating berries or drinking the juice is extremely beneficial. In particular blueberries, cranberries, acai and noni berries; since they are extremely high in antioxidants. Also, cranberry has been shown to help keep the bladder and ureters acidic and inhospitable for bacteria to grow, protecting the whole urinary tract.

Here are some tips that you could easily utilize.

1. Drink lots of water

The body is composed of 60 – 70 % of water. Without water, cells would not survive and biochemical and physiologic processes in the body would not occur properly. The common knowledge is to drink at least eight glasses a day. You could do better if you increase your intake: two glasses upon waking up, one glass before and after every meal and two glasses before going to bed.

Drinking water before each meal will also lessen your “hunger” for more carbohydrates thus is a supportive measure when you are dieting. Ice-cold water is not advisable, as cold temperatures will deter the metabolism of foodstuff. Lipids are hardened and are more difficult to digest. The kidney responds to water intake accordingly. A healthy kidney would reabsorb what the body needs and dispense any excess. The more frequently you drink, the more you micturate. This action would enhance the excretion of metabolic wastes and would retain the integrity of the kidneys, making it healthy.

2. Avoid salty foods

Sodium chloride is the chemical name of our common table salt. Sodium and chloride are electrolytes and are responsible in maintaining water electrolyte balance and the acidity and alkalinity of blood. If they are ingested in excess, they can cause an imbalance and cause their accumulation in the kidneys, which would lead to kidney dysfunction eventually. A healthy kidney needs lots of water to “cleanse” it of impurities and of metabolic wastes.

3. Avoid alcohol

Alcohol is a diuretic, a substance that causes frequent urination or micturation, but it also causes the prevention of the excretion of other substances like uric acid. This would result to kidney stones or gouty arthritis. Uric acid is one of the causes of nephrolithiasis or kidney stones. A healthy kidney would properly excrete uric acid and other waste products.

4. Don’t control your urge to urinate

If you feel like urinating, then do not stop the urge. Go and relieve yourself. The kidneys could only hold as much water as it can. Although kidney cells are elastic, imagine if that elasticity is persistently brought to its full capacity. Eventually it will wear out. One exercise for urinary incontinence is to control your urge to urinate, but well, you do not have that condition, so go on, and use the john.

5. Live a healthy life

The body is like one, oiled machinery. If one portion is not functioning well, then everything is affected. Eat well, sleep well, and live well. Meat fat can cause several diseases, so chomp on your veggies. Smoking can cause lung cancer, so throw out those life-threatening sticks.