July 20, 2020
Kidney Health
You have two kidneys, with one located on each side of your spine, just above your waist, in your abdominal cavity. They
are small but very important organs that clean your blood by removing waste and excess fluid from your body, and they
regulate your blood pressure by balancing the salt, mineral, and water content in your blood. Because they perform
many life-sustaining functions, kidney damage or disease can severely worsen your quality of life or could even be fatal.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
CKD is a condition in which the kidneys are damaged and cannot filter blood as well as they should. When this occurs,
excess fluid and waste from the blood remain in the body and can cause other health problems such as heart disease
and stroke. CKD usually gets worse over time and, if left untreated, can progress to kidney failure and early
cardiovascular disease. If the kidneys stop working, dialysis or a kidney transplant is needed for survival. CKD affects
10% of the worldwide population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 48% of people with
severely reduced kidney function and who are not on dialysis are not even aware they have CKD. With early diagnosis
and treatment, it is possible to stop or slow the progression of kidney disease. To help prevent CKD and lower the risk
of kidney failure, you need to control risk factors for CKD, get tested yearly, make lifestyle changes, take medicine as
needed, and talk to your health care team regularly.
Maintaining Healthy Kidneys
Following are some tips for keeping your kidneys healthy:
Drink plenty of liquids. When you don’t drink enough liquids, toxins can build up in your body because the pressure
to push them through to the urinary tract isn’t sufficient. The best liquid to drink is pure, clear water that has had
the chlorine removed.
Avoid drinking too much caffeine. When you are dehydrated, your kidneys must work harder to pump out fluid and
toxins. Caffeine acts as a diuretic, causing the body to lose fluids (potentially excessively). Although drinking a cup
or two of coffee may help get you going in the morning, it may not help your kidneys. And remember that caffeine
is also found in many soft and sports drinks.
Cushion your body when driving or operating equipment. Potholes, road bumps, and rough terrain transmit
vibrations through the vehicle or equipment into your body, potentially resulting in kidney bruising and damage.
Adding a quality seat cushion to the driver’s or operator’s seat can reduce the vibrations that your body receives.
Occupations at risk for kidney damage include taxi drivers, truck drivers, and mechanized equipment operators.
Take frequent breaks. If you sit at work, get up and move around often. If you drive a lot for long periods of time,
take a break and park your vehicle, get out, and stretch your legs. By getting up out of your chair or out of your
vehicle, your blood circulates better and your body’s other organs also benefit from the change in position.
When nature calls, act promptly. When you need to go, go! Postponing elimination means the kidneys (or bowels)
may begin reabsorbing the very toxins they are trying to pass out of the body.
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July 20, 2020
Topic: Kidney Health TRAINING SIGN-IN SHEET
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