Kidneys: the rules for keeping them healthy
Kidney disease is a silent disease that often develops slowly over the years and, if underestimated, can seriously affect the quality of life. However, kidney disease can be prevented and the health of these vital and precious organs can be preserved.
Here are some tips on how to keep your kidneys healthy.Staying fit: Following an active lifestyle and staying in good physical shape helps reduce blood pressure and therefore reduces the risk of Chronic Kidney Disease
Keep your blood sugar normal: About half of people with diabetes develop kidney damage, so it’s important for people with diabetes to get regular tests to check their kidney function. Kidney damage from diabetes can be reduced or prevented if detected early
Keep blood pressure under control: Few people know that hypertension causes not only strokes and heart problems, but also causes damage to the kidneys. The normal level of blood pressure is different in the various age groups
Eat healthy and control weight: proper nutrition can help prevent diabetes, heart disease and other conditions associated with Chronic Kidney DiseaseReduce your salt intake: The recommended sodium intake is 3-6 grams of salt per day (about a teaspoon). To reduce salt intake, try to limit the intake of the amount of processed foods and limit the addition of salt in dishes
Hydrate your body adequately: we know that an adult should drink between one and a half and two liters of water a day. Water helps the kidneys eliminate sodium, urea and toxins from the body and thus helps reduce the risk of kidney disease.
Recent studies show that drinking two liters of water a day can reduce the risk of kidney function declineDo not smoke: Smoking slows blood flow to the kidneys and this can impair kidney capacity and functionBeware of medications: Excessive intake of common over-the-counter medications such as NSAIDs and ibuprofen can cause kidney damage.
Kidney-saving diet
The experts of the National Dietitians Association (ANDI) give us some tips for a healthy diet that includes all those foods that are good for the kidneys and eliminate harmful and toxic foods.
First of all, it is important to follow the Mediterranean diet as carefully as possible and to include foods of plant origin in your diet. These foods are rich in antioxidants and vitamins, are low in calories and reduce the acidity of urine, facilitating the task of the kidneys.
An ideal kidney saver menu recommended by ANDI:consume common and whole grains at every meal;consume legumes (chickpeas, beans, broad beans, lentils, lupins, peas, soy) and fish at least twice a week;
eat once a week foods that contain original animal proteins, such as meat, cold cuts, eggs,cheeses and dairy products;eliminate visible fat;season with extra virgin olive oil adding it, when possible, raw;reduce the salt, especially the one added and replace it with herbs and spices.