The latest statistics show about 2.4
million Canadians suffer from chronic renal failure, and nearly 95 per cent
have never been told by a health care professional that they have kidney
disease or dysfunction. "One of the issues that we see is
that people are just not diagnosed quickly enough in terms of knowing that they
are at risk for kidney disease," Terry Young, president of the Ontario
branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada, told CTV News[5].
He said one in 10 Canadians have kidney disease and millions
more are at risk, adding that kidney failure is "one of the big health
challenges" Canada is facing[5].
Kidney Functions
Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist.
They are located just below your rib cage, one on each side of your spine.
Every day, two kidneys filter about 120 to 150 quarts of blood to produce
about 1 to 2 quarts of urine. Urine flows from your kidneys to your bladder
through tubes called ureters. Your bladder stores urine until releasing it through
urination.
There are three kidney functions[6].
·
removing waste
products from the body, keeping toxins from building up in the bloodstream
·
producing hormones
that control other body functions, such as regulating blood pressure and
producing red blood cells
·
regulating the levels
of minerals or electrolytes (e.g., sodium, calcium, and potassium) and fluid in
the body
Signs of kidney failure
Kidney disease usually progresses silently, often destroying most of the
kidney function before causing any symptoms. Therefore, people at risk of
developing kidney failure should be evaluated regularly by urine and blood test[4].
Cause of Kidney Failure
The most common causes of chronic renal
failure in North America are diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2 diabetes) and high
blood pressure[6].
Treatment of Kidney Failure
When kidneys can't
function at all, kidney dialysis or a transplant is the only way to remove the
body's waste products.
Kidney Transplant
In American, there are 122,000 people waiting for kidney
transplanted. Most of them cannot wait till death. There are at least 22 people
dying due to kidney failure every day. There are 15,000 people got kidney
transplanted from those dying or accidental people. There are 5,000 people got
their kidney transplanted from living people who donate their kidney. Protecting
you kidney is essential to your health life.
Dialysis
Kidney dialysis uses a
special machine to filter harmful wastes, salt, and excess fluid from your
blood. it restores the blood to a normal, balanced state.
You cannot live without at least one functioning kidney.
Dialysis is the only way to replace your kidney function currently. Without a
kidney transplant, you will need dialysis for the rest of your life.
Maintaining and protecting your kidneys is most important for your healthy
life.
There are ways to protect your kidney[1][2][3].
1 Eat healthier
foods. high in sodium and phosphorus additives
can have negative effects to your kidneys. Eating more fruits and vegetables,
whole grains, legume, low GI foods.
2 Limiting salt and caffeine. Limiting salt and caffeine intake is
especially important if you have high blood pressure, which is the second
leading cause of kidney disease and also increases your risk for heart attack
and stroke.
3 Set aside time to
relax. Find something you feel relax. Taking vacation, window shopping etc.
4 Exercise regularly.
When you exercise, your body releases endorphins – chemicals
that have been shown to boost mood and reduce feelings of pain. Regular
exercise can also help lower high blood pressure and even small amounts of
physical activity have been proven to lower stress levels.
5 Maintain a positive
attitude and outlook. How you think impacts
how you feel, so maintaining a positive outlook and reducing stress can play an
important role in staying healthy.
6 Get plenty of sleep.
7 Do not take over-the-counter pills on a regular basis. Common drugs
such non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen are known to cause
kidney failure if taken regularly.
8 Do not smoke. Smoking slows
the flow of blood to the kidneys. When less blood reaches the kidneys, it
impairs their ability to function properly. Smoking also increases the risk of
kidney cancer by about 50 percent.
9 Drink 1.5 to 2 litres (3 to 4 pints) of water per day. According to researchers in Australia and
Canada, drinking plenty of fluid helps the kidneys
clear sodium, urea and toxins from the body which, in turn, results in a
“significantly lower risk” of developing chronic kidney disease.
10 Monitor blood
pressure and blood glucose if you are diabetes. Although many
people may be aware that high blood pressure can lead to a stroke or heart
attack, few know that it is also the most common cause of kidney damage.
11 Limit alcohol
intake.
12 Lose
weight if you are overweight.
Supplements
B vitamins, especially vitamin B12, are important for proper kidney function because they help keep dangerous homocysteine levels from building up in the blood. Homocysteine damages blood vessels and is associated with many diseases of aging, including chronic renal failure.
For optimum kidney health and overall good health, I recommend taking a high-quality vitamin B complex that contains at least the following dosages: : 50 mg each of thiamine, riboflavin (B2), niacin/niacinamide, B6, and pantothenic acid, plus 400 micrograms of folic acid/folate, 12 mcg of B12, and 100 mcg of biotin.[7]
Essential (well balanced nutrition contains B complex daily) , Biomega
Note: do NOT take B complex only supplements because balanced nutrition is the key. Taking only one supplement may cause other nutrition shortage, causing in-balanced in your body system.
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Reference
[1]National kidney foundation. http://www.kidney.org/content/stressed-10-ways-protect-your-kidneys.
[2]The World Kidney Day. http://www.worldkidneyday.org/faqs/take-care-of-your-kidneys/8-golden-rules
[3]National Institute of Diabetes,
Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/Diabetes/prevent-diabetes-problems/Pages/keep-your-kidneys-healthy.aspx
[4]Kidney foundation of Canada. http://www.kidney.ca/warning-signs
[7]http://www.drmicozzi.com/the-deadly-disease-often-ignored-by-modern-medicine
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