10 Common Habits That Are Destroying Your Kidneys

Hey there, welcome to the Natural Cures channel! How about drinking a glass of water while watching this video? This is your kidney's favorite drink! In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we don't pay much attention to them, but we should. They are responsible for essential functions for the proper functioning of the body. The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located in the belly, one on each side. They do a very important job of cleaning the blood and keeping the body healthy. They function as filters, removing the bad things from the blood. The kidneys remove urea, salt, and other waste that the body doesn't need. If these bad things stayed in the blood, they could harm us. The kidneys also help control the amount of water in the body. They produce urine, which carries out of the body the bad things filtered from the blood. When we drink a lot of water, the kidneys make more pee to eliminate the excess. In addition, the kidneys produce important hormones for the body. These hormones help control blood pressure and produce red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. Therefore, it is very important to take good care of the kidneys. The problem is that the kidneys do not always tend to show signs that they are not functioning well. However, most of the time, when the kidneys are not functioning well, they can manifest the following symptoms. Frequent urge to urinate, especially at night, nocturia. Consumption of little urine, urine with blood or foam, swelling in the legs, feet, face and eyes, edema, pain or pressure in the lower back, excessive tiredness and fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, itchy skin, pruritus, high blood pressure, anemia. If you suffer from diabetes or hypertension, you need to take double care with your kidneys. If this is your case and you present some of these symptoms, it is important to have a checkup to see how this important organ is functioning. Did you know that with healthy habits, it is possible to prevent serious kidney problems? If you want to always have healthy kidneys, then this video is for you. Check out now the main habits that harm the kidneys, the last three most people do and do not realize how harmful it is. Eating too much sugar Sugar consumption has been increasingly linked to weight gain and obesity. When we are overweight, we are at greater risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes. The two main causes of kidney disease It's not just salt that makes us bloated. Sugar also causes fluid retention, did you know that? Sugar also causes your pancreas to release more insulin. High insulin levels stimulate the kidneys to retain water and salt, something very harmful. On top of that, sugar also increases your blood pressure, can you believe it? Salt is not the only villain in this story. Imagine, then, if you eat a lot of sugar and salt. In addition to desserts, sugary drinks and sodas, avoid condiments, breakfast cereals and white bread. Pay attention to the ingredients when buying products at the supermarket. This way, you become more aware of what you are ingesting and avoid excessive sugar consumption. Abusing salt You've probably heard that too much salt increases blood pressure, haven't you? And not only that, it puts you at risk of kidney disease. If you ingest an excessive amount of salt, this can cause you to retain more water and salt in the body, and this can lead to high blood pressure. The result of this? Kidney damage If you believe that without salt, the food is tasteless, try using potassium-enriched salt. Potassium helps lower blood pressure and eliminate retained sodium in the body. You can also add flavor to your food with herbs and spices. Over time, you will adjust your palate to a diet with less salt, and soon you will notice when the food is too salty. We teach here on the channel how to make a delicious and healthy salt substitute. If you want to learn how to do it, click on the video that is being suggested above. Exaggerating alcohol Did you know that consuming more than 4 doses of alcohol per day doubles your risk of having a kidney disease? The ideal is to cut alcohol consumption, but if you don't want to give up drinking some drinks, try to reduce consumption. For men, it is recommended not to exceed 2 doses per day. For women, no more than 1 dose per day. If you are elderly, over 65, do not exceed 1 dose per day. Why you must be wondering? In addition to dehydrating the body, alcohol abuse can lead to hypertension. These two factors harm your kidneys. Smoking You've probably heard about the risks associated with smoking, haven't you? Smoking increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and lung cancer. But did you know that smoking can also blow up your kidneys? Smoking narrows your blood vessels, causing arteriosclerosis in the renal arteries. Smoking also reduces blood flow in the kidneys and accelerates the loss of kidney function. It is known that smokers are more likely to lose proteins through urine, and this is a bad sign. This condition indicates that your kidneys are starting to fail. In addition, smoking is a risk factor for kidney cancer. And those who overdo alcohol and smoke have a risk 5 times greater of developing chronic kidney disease compared to people who do not smoke or drink excessively. Eating processed foods You probably already know that we should avoid processed and ultra-processed foods. This is because they are significant sources of sodium and phosphorus. This also includes sodas, especially cola-based ones, which have a large amount of phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid weakens the bones and increases the risk of osteoporosis. If you already have kidney problems, you will need to limit phosphorus in your diet. Some studies have shown that high intake of phosphorus present in processed foods can be harmful to the kidneys. Instead, opt for eating real food, foods that you buy and prepare at home. Sedentary lifestyle Do you spend hours in front of the computer or TV? Do you sit for a long time at work and don't even get up to drink water? Do you pay for the gym and are always too tired to go? Well, lack of movement for long periods can harm your blood sugar and fat levels. Any prolonged session can be harmful. A meta-analysis with 13 studies on the risks of sitting for a long time pointed out that those who sit for more than 8 hours a day have an increased risk of dying. This risk is similar to that of an obese person or a smoker. If that wasn't enough, sitting for long periods has also been associated with the development of kidney diseases. Not sleeping right A good night's rest is extremely important for your overall health, for your memory, for your brain, for your heart, and also for your kidneys. Try to sleep 7 to 9 hours every day. What does a bad night's sleep cause? If you don't sleep well, your body interprets it as if you were in a stressful situation, in imminent danger. At this time, the sympathetic nervous system comes into play, which will increase your cortisol and adrenaline in your blood, preparing you to face this emergency. These two hormones also alter your hunger, including how much you eat and what you choose to eat. That's why, when you sleep poorly, you usually want to eat more sugar and more processed foods than usual. It's a way for the body to seek energy quickly. In other words, you will be hungrier. In addition, a bad night's sleep raises blood pressure and heart rate. For all these factors, one of the most affected organs ends up being your kidney. Not hydrating enough If you are not used to drinking a lot of water and getting dehydrated, this can be another habit that can lead to kidney disease. The kidneys need water to function well. When you are dehydrated, this can lead to acute kidney injury and even chronic kidney disease. How to know if you are hydrating enough? Normally, drinking 1.5 to 3 liters of fluid per day is a good goal for active people. But looking at the color of the urine and the frequency that you urinate can also be a good alternative. Is the urine clear? Are you urinating enough? You can already tell if the amount of water you are drinking is adequate. Now, those who already have kidney failure may need to restrict fluid intake because the kidney is so damaged that it cannot perform its function normally. Eating a lot of meat Animal protein generates large amounts of acid and toxins in the blood that can cause acidosis and be harmful to the kidneys. Toxins such as nitrogen and ammonia are released by the kidneys through animal protein, and excessive amounts make the kidneys need to filter excessively. This puts more pressure on the kidneys to filter and process all these substances, in addition to increasing the risk of kidney stones. Patients with chronic kidney disease usually need to limit the intake of animal protein, but of course, protein is necessary for growth, for your muscles, for your bones, and to help you not gain weight. So, there is no need to cut it out completely, but rather to seek moderation in its consumption. A balanced diet with fruits and vegetables has been pointed out as beneficial to the kidneys. Abusing anti-inflammatories Anti-inflammatories, like ibuprofen and others, are the main culprits of acute kidney injury due to medications. This is because many people take these medications to reduce pain, but without any control. If you want to keep your kidneys healthy, never make regular use of anti-inflammatories. If necessary, use them sporadically, for short periods, and avoid exceeding three consecutive days of use. Try to reduce the use of anti-inflammatories as much as possible. Your kidneys will thank you. But, of course, it's not just anti-inflammatories that damage the kidneys, several other medications can affect them, as is the case with some antibiotics and analgesics. If you don't have many of the habits above, congratulations! Most of these habits that we listed above not only harm the kidneys, but the body as a whole. If you have a lot of these habits, consider eliminating them from your life. You are the biggest responsible for your health. Your kidneys will thank you. If you want to learn more about how to improve kidney health, check out the video we are suggesting above.