Metabolic Health
Here's How to Make Your Kidneys Healthier via Lifestyle Choices.
Kidney diseases are rising, causing mortality and suffering, but there are viable solutions to lower the risks of disorders.
Purpose of the Article
Every organ in the body has a specific function for survival and prosperity. Related to major diseases, I wrote about the heart, brain, liver, and lungs. In this article, I focus on kidneys.
My focus on kidneys in this article is the concerning statistics on kidney diseases. While most diseases are declining, kidney diseases are rising.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), “Kidney diseases have risen from the world’s 13th leading cause of death to the 10th. Mortality has increased from 813,000 in 2000 to 1.3 million in 2019.”
These stats show that we are doing something wrong, affecting our kidney health. Science and technology are increasing, but kidney health is decreasing.
As dealing with diseases is challenging, I always highlight the importance of preventative measures with lifestyle changes. I met people suffering from kidney diseases. The quality of their life significantly dropped.
Key Points
1 — Importance of kidneys for our health
2 — An introduction to kidney diseases, including symptoms and causes
3 — How to reduce risk factors through lifestyle habits
Critical Functions of Kidneys
Kidneys play many roles in the body.
The primary role of kidneys is to cleanse the body of toxins and throw them into the urine. The UK Kidney Health reports, “the two kidneys together filter 200 liters of fluid every 24 hours.”
The human body comprises a substantial fluid, mainly water and blood. Fluids keep electrolytes for various bodily functions.
The kidneys play a critical role in balancing these electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
The kidneys are central to maintaining these correct balances and the effective functioning of all body cells.
Less known but an important function of kidneys is the creation of hormones. For example, kidneys secrete renin, erythropoietin, and Vitamin D.
Renin is critical to regulating blood pressure. Erythropoietin is essential for the production of red blood cells. Vitamin D is converted by nutrients or sunlight, which is crucial for many functions in the body.
Why Kidney Diseases Matter
As kidneys have critical functions, kidney diseases can threaten the body’s homeostasis and lead to dysfunction.
When the kidneys cannot do their functions, the body cannot get rid of toxins constantly accumulated in the body.
The mentioned hormones cannot be produced, affecting other organs in the body. When our electrolytes get imbalanced, we face serious health issues.
In short, kidney diseases causing the loss of functionality can put the body in a vulnerable position. The kidneys look so small, but kidney disease is not a non-trivial matter for our health and well-being.
Causes for Kidney Diseases
I summarize the causes of kidney diseases based on information provided by the Mayo Clinic.
1 — Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
2 — High blood pressure
3 — Glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the kidney’s filtering units).
4 — Interstitial nephritis (an inflammation of the kidney’s tubules and surrounding structures)
5 — Polycystic kidney disease or other inherited kidney diseases
6 — Prolonged obstruction of the urinary tract (e.g., enlarged prostate, kidney stones, and some cancers)
7 — Vesicoureteral (reflux, a condition that causes urine to back up into the kidneys)
8 — Recurrent kidney infection called pyelonephritis
Risk Factors for Kidney Diseases
The key risk factors as documented by the Mayo Clinic are diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, smoking, obesity, racial background (e.g., Black, Native American, or Asian American), family history of kidney disease, and abnormal kidney structure.
Symptoms of Kidney Diseases
As pointed out by Mayo Clinic:
“Signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease develop over time if kidney damage progresses slowly. Loss of kidney function can cause a buildup of fluid, body waste, or electrolyte problems.”
The common symptoms are:
“Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, weakness, sleep problems, urinating more or less, decreased mental sharpness, muscle cramps, swelling of feet and ankles, dry/itchy skin, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, and chest pain.”
A Clear Risk Pattern for Several Organs
Type II diabetes and cigarette smoking affect several organs, including the heart, brain, lungs, liver, and kidneys. The body is an integrated system. All organs are connected in some ways.
One health mistake can make a ripple effect causing multiple diseases. Type II diabetes is one of these conditions impacting 442 million people. The well-known cause of metabolic disorders is insulin resistance affecting the body’s homeostasis.
I mention insulin resistance in my health articles as it adversely affects our metabolic and mental health. Here are three tips for eliminating insulin resistance and shrinking your waistline.
I introduced type II diabetes in an article. Thus, I won’t repeat the details here. Instead, readers can check the article titled Why 442 Million People Live Diabetic and What We Can Do About it.
I also wrote an article about the adverse effects of cigarette smoking and the practical ways to quit it. Here is the link: Three Tips to Quit Smoking Permanently.
Reduce the Risk Factors for Kidney Diseases with Healthy Lifestyle Habits
1- Maintain a healthy body composure and weight
Unfortunately, visceral fat creates risk factors for multiple diseases, including kidney disease.
As I wrote many articles about this topic, I linked the articles here as a reference to prevent duplication.
Reduce Abdominal Fat and Increase Lean Muscles with Two Practical Steps
I documented numerous success stories from those who lost fat sustainably.
To maintain a healthy body composure and weight, we need to understand the Sugar Paradox: Key to Solve Metabolic and Mental Health Disorders.
2 — Make the body Insulin and Leptin Sensitive
Related to the previous point, the critical mechanism to maintain a healthy weight is to make the body insulin and leptin sensitive.
Hormonal balance is critical for physical and mental health.
For example, the functioning of metabolic hormones determines our weight and health, as I explained in this article titled Why Fat Loss Has Nothing to Do with Calories.
When the body becomes insulin and leptin sensitive, it is also easier to make it fat-adapted for using stored fat as an energy source leading to an accessible and sustainable fat loss.
By making the body insulin sensitive and fat-adapted, we can reduce the risks of type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease, heart disease, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, and some cancers.
3 — Quit Smoking
As smoking is a critical risk factor for the development of kidney disease, quitting it is a wise option. Refraining from other toxins can also reduce the risks.
Tests and Treatment Options for Kidney Diseases
As causes and symptoms of kidney disorders are well-documented in the literature, getting our kidney functions checked with a referral from family doctors is vital.
Based on abnormalities in our blood and urine tests, our physicians can refer to nephrologists specializing in kidney health.
Family doctors usually add kidney health tests in annual checks. However, those who experience symptoms need to proactively ask for additional tests.
Kidney health tests are affordable and usually covered by Medicare or equivalent healthcare systems in many countries.
Final Words
Kidneys are vital organs to survive and thrive.
Kidney diseases are widespread and rapidly increasing. They cause millions of death and unnecessary suffering globally. For example, kidney diseases are now among the top ten death causes.
Living with kidney diseases can reduce our life satisfaction.
Therefore, taking preventative measures to minimize risks with lifestyle changes is a wise option. Regular tests and seeking support from family doctors and nephrologists are valuable options.
We need to be careful with prediabetes which is usually overlooked, as mentioned by CDC. Unfortunately, type II diabetes adversely affects our organs, including the kidney. Insulin resistance is one of the causes affecting the homeostasis of the body.
By defeating insulin resistance and making the body insulin sensitive, we can reduce the risks of kidney diseases.
As smokers have higher risks of kidney disease, it is critical to quit smoking.
In addition, reducing stress and inflammation via healthy lifestyle habits like good nutrition, restorative sleep, regular exercise, fun, hobbies, rest, and mindfulness practices can improve our defense system and contribute to homeostasis.
As several medical conditions adversely affect the development and progress of kidney diseases, getting them checked and addressed by qualified healthcare professionals is critical.
Let’s keep our kidneys functional and healthy with lifestyle habits and seek support when needed.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
I aim to increase the hormonal intelligence of my readers and write about neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, GABA, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, adrenaline, glutamate, and histamine.
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Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, and Major Diseases.
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