Even though our kidneys are one of the most important organs in our bodies, we often overlook them and take them for granted. These bean-shaped organs are important for a number of reasons. They filter our blood and create urine so our body can discreet toxins. It is very important to look after the kidneys to keep our body functioning as normal. Want to know what you can do to help them out? Here are five helpful steps to take.
Control Your Sugar Levels
Sugar can be very detrimental to our health for a number of reasons. If your blood sugar levels are too high, then you could develop diabetes. Most people who have diabetes will have some form of kidney damage. So keeping your blood sugar down is very important! Your doctor will be able to help you maintain low levels, though there is one thing you can start doing now. Start eating a healthy diet! If you cut out sugary foods and drinks from your diets, you will be reducing your chances of diabetes and kidney damage.
Exercise
Exercising helps us stay fit and healthy. It is also super beneficial to our kidneys! We are more at risk from Chronic Kidney Disease if we have high blood pressure. One of the best ways to reduce blood pressure is through regular exercising. If you are completely new to exercising, just take things easy to start off with. Begin by walking more instead of driving and taking the stairs rather than lifts. Ideally, you need to be doing at least 150 minutes of exercise each week.
Drink Plenty
Kidney stones can be very painful according to KidneyAtlas. There’s one easy way to keep them at bay. Drink lots of fluids! You should be drinking enough if you already drink between 1.5 and 2 litres a day. If not, you need to start! Of course, the type of drinks we have can make a difference too. Water is the best liquid we can have. You should also keep caffeine and fizzy drinks down to a minimum. You can still enjoy these as a treat now and again, but they shouldn’t be your main source of fluids.
Eat Healthy
To keep on top of your health, in general, we are often told we should follow a healthy and nutritious diet. This can also specifically help out our kidneys as well! This way, your body will be able to get all the vitamins and minerals that it needs on a daily basis. You should also reduce the amount of fatty and salty foods, which could increase your chances of weight gain. Increase your portions of fruit and veg each day, and try to eat plenty of protein. Cut down on your alcohol intake as well. Alcohol can raise your blood pressure, which we have already seen is bad for your kidneys.
Follow all these steps for happy and healthy kidneys. Not only that, though. You’ll also see an improvement in your overall health and fitness!
