Do you know that Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 10% of the global population?
The 2010 Global Burden of Disease study revealed a significant rise in CKD-related deaths, from 27th in 1990 to 18th in 2010, second only to HIV/AIDS.
Currently, over 2 million people worldwide rely on dialysis or kidney transplants to survive, yet this may represent only 10% of those in need of treatment.
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located at the bottom of your rib cage, on both sides of your spine. They work to remove waste products from the blood and return the clean blood to the body.
How much do you know about these vital organs and the crucial role they play in your overall well-being?
Let’s take a closer look at how your kidneys work and why they’re essential to your health.
What The Kidneys Do: Essential Functions For Overall Health
The primary function of your kidneys is to:
- Filter waste products from your blood, removing toxic materials and excess substances that your body doesn’t need.
- Regulate the amount of water in your body to maintain a delicate balance, keeping your cells and tissues healthy and functioning properly.
In addition, your kidneys also produce essential hormones that:
- Help regulate blood pressure by sending signals to other parts of your body to control the contraction and relaxation of blood vessels. The hormone involved is called renin.
- Maintain healthy blood acidity levels by removing excess hydrogen ions and regulating pH levels.
- Stimulate the production of red blood cells in your bone marrow, ensuring your body has a sufficient supply of oxygen-carrying cells. The hormone involved is called erythropoietin.
- Activate Vitamin D, the hormone obtained from early morning sunlight and diet, to support the health of your bones and muscles.
How The Kidneys Work: The Amazing Filtering Process
Your kidneys are amazing filtering organs!
They are made up of millions of tiny functional units called nephrons. Each nephron has a filter (glomerulus) and a tube (tubule).
The glomerulus filters your blood, allowing fluid and small molecules to pass through while retaining larger ones, such as proteins and blood cells, inside.
Then, the tubule reabsorbs essential substances, such as water, minerals, and nutrients, from the filtered molecules back into the bloodstream, and also removes excess acid. Â What’s left becomes urine.
Blood enters the kidneys through the renal artery and is filtered by the glomeruli in the nephrons.
Cleaned blood then leaves through the renal vein.
This happens constantly, with your kidneys filtering about 150 quarts of blood every day. Almost all of the filtered fluid is reabsorbed, leaving only 1-2 quarts to become urine.
How To Keep Your Kidneys Healthy
Here are some tips for maintaining your kidneys so your kidneys can help you stay alive.
- Regular Exercise: Regular exercise is very effective in preventing debilitating kidney diseases. Exercise has a significant impact on your overall health, helping to regulate blood pressure, boost heart health, and even improve your mood. The best part is that its effectiveness isn’t dependent on how strenuous it is; it could be something as simple as walking, dancing, or cycling.
- Eat a balanced diet: To protect your kidneys, it is essential to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Avoid kidney-damaging foods. Diseases that can result from unhealthy eating habits, like obesity and diabetes, can lead to potential kidney damage.
- Monitor blood pressure: High blood pressure can damage the kidneys because it places additional strain on them. Aim for a healthy reading of 120/80. If your reading is consistently above 140/90, consult a doctor about monitoring, lifestyle changes, and potential medication.
- Drink enough water: Staying hydrated is essential and can’t be overemphasised for kidney health. Aim to drink at least 1.5-2 litres of water daily to help clear toxic substances from your kidneys, reducing the risk of chronic kidney disease.
- Quit smoking to protect your kidneys: Smoking damages blood vessels, reducing blood flow and increasing the risk of kidney diseases. While quitting can lower your risk, it may take years to fully recover and match the risk level of a non-smoker.
- Take prescribed drugs only: The drugs you take should be prescribed by a professional and dispensed to you by a professional. Be cautious with over-the-counter (OTC) pain meds, as excessive use can harm your kidneys. Do not engage in self-medication and shy away from all forms of drug abuse that include overdose, not following prescription instructions, skipping drugs and underdosing.
- Regular check-up: The next best thing after prevention is early detection. Make it a habit to visit the hospital regularly for general health check-ups.
CONCLUSION
The kidneys are vital to keeping us alive. The work of the kidneys is too crucial to be undermined. Hence, we have a role to play in maintaining our kidneys. It’s high time you ditch dirty habits and help your kidneys help you.
