World Kidney Day 2021: Top Tips To Live An Active Life With Kidney Disease

The World Kidney Day is observed on the 2nd Thursday of March each year with the primary objective of spreading awareness around the globe on the need for identifying kidney disease as a significant public health problem. Regular screening in high-risk group population helps in the early identification of the disease. The theme for World Kidney Day 2021 is 'Living Well with Kidney Disease'. To mark the day educative seminars, conferences and awareness runs are being organised. On World Kidney Day 2021, let us use this opportunity to spread awareness about the causes of kidney diseases and how these can be prevented.

World Kidney Day 2021: Know the causes of kidney diseases and how to prevent these

Causes of Kidney Diseases

The common causes of kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, urine infections, kidney stones, excessive use of pain killers, kidney infection and others. Obesity, lack of physical exercise, not drinking enough water, smoking and family history, are also some of the risk factors.

Also read: Can Diabetes Cause Kidney Stones? What Is The Link? Know Tips For Diabetics To Control The Risk

How can you prevent kidney disease?

• Drink adequate amount of water, very less or excessive consumption of water are both harmful to your kidneys
• Avoid excess use of painkillers and over the counter medicines
• Avoid zealous use of protein supplements
• In case of urine infections or kidney stones do not neglect them and get them treated at the earliest
• Keep diabetes in control with adequate lifestyle and diet changes
• Smoking is harmful to the body in several ways and kidney is no exception
• Blood pressure should be routinely checked frequently as it is an early marker of kidney disease

Conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure can increase the risk of kidney diseases
Photo Credit: iStock

Tips for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients

If you already have kidney disease you can control your problems up to great extent by keeping track of these tips.

1. Avoid excess sodium

CKD patients need to reduce overall salt intake. Sodium helps maintain the water level in the body but if the kidneys are not functioning well, extra Sodium can lead to water retention which can cause swollen ankles, high blood pressure, shortness of breath and more.

Also read: World Kidney Day 2021: Here's How Lockdown Led To A Rise In Kidney Ailments

2. Reduce intake of phosphorus

Phosphorus can be found in meat, poultry, nuts and beans. When kidneys are damaged, they are unable to discharge phosphorus you don't need and this leads to a higher risk of heart disease.

3. Avoid food with extra potassium

Found in bananas, potatoes, tomatoes, oranges and melons and a host of other fruits, potassium needs to be avoided as the kidney cannot filter out the extra potassium and it can lead to an excess of it in your blood. Reduce your overall sodium intake throughout the day.

Also read: World Kidney Day 2021: Expert Busts Common Myths About Kidney Stones

Take note of these and live well with kidney diseases.

(Dr. Ravi Bansal is Senior Consultant - Nephrology at PSRI Hospital, New Delhi)

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