The pair of kidneys you have are vital organs to your health since they help filter your blood, produce hormones, absorb minerals, neutralize acids and eliminate toxins and excess water from the body. Keeping these organs functioning right is essential, but did you know some of the habits you unconsciously do daily could cause damage to your kidneys? It is true, which is why knowing these habits could help keep your kidneys in optimal health.
1- Not Drinking Proper Amounts of Water
Water is essential for helping the kidney filter the blood and eliminates toxins and waste from the body. Without plenty of water, toxins and waste accumulate causing the kidneys to work harder, which results in kidney damage. If you are not consuming enough water each day it is time to start.
2- Delaying the Urge to Urinate
If you are in the middle of a daily task and feel the urge to go, it is best to take that bathroom break instead of trying to hold the urine in. Delaying the urge to urinate can actually cause bacteria to spread to the kidneys causing a urinary tract infection, which is also commonly known as kidney infection. Anytime the kidneys suffer from a bacteria infection, it increases their risks of becoming damaged and working poorly.
3- Consuming too Much Sodium
Without sodium our kidneys would not function properly, but consuming too, much of it can also have an adverse affect on the organs. Anytime there is too much sodium in the body your blood pressure rises, which causes stress on the kidneys. If your kidneys are stressed daily from consuming large amounts of salt it is time to reduce the intake of it before you cause your kidneys horrible damage.
4- Overusing Pain Medications
Overusing pain medications known as analgesic can damage the kidneys severely causing renal failure or chronic kidney disease. Analgesics shouldn’t be used daily unless a doctor recommends it for a particular health conditions. It is also wise to use pain medications properly and always follow the recommended dosages.
5- Drinking too Much Coffee
Coffee is beneficial to the body in moderate amounts, but consuming it too much can cause kidney stones since caffeine increases urinary calcium levels. Drinking too much coffee can also rise blood pressure levels, which as we talk about a short while ago can also cause damage to the kidneys.
6- Consuming too Much Protein
Kidneys are essential for metabolizing and excreting nitrogens placed into protein products. High amounts of proteins containing nitrogens can be damaging to the organs so reducing the intake of meats can help keep your kidneys functioning properly. Red meats can also cause the kidneys to work harder when consumed in large amounts so reducing your intake of these types of meats can also help.
7- Drinking too Much Alcohol
Having a glass of wine or a beer once in awhile is fine, but drinking too much each day can stress out the kidneys and cause them to fail. Always drink alcohol in moderations.
8- Smoking
Smoking pollutes the body, which causes the kidneys to work harder to flush the pollutants out. Smoking also causes free radical cells that cause cancers and diseases, which could affect the kidneys tremendously. Smoking even prevents the proper flow of blood, which could potentially cause kidney damage and disease. Quitting smoking can restore health and help reduce stress on the organs so they can function properly.
Now that you know some of the habits that harm the kidneys, you can work on quitting these bad habits to help keep your kidneys healthy and functioning properly.
