Causes n Prevention Of Kidney Disease

Kidneys are the organs that help filter waste products from the blood. They are also involved in regulating blood pressure, electrolyte balance, and red blood cell production in the body.

Symptoms of kidney failure are due to the build-up of waste products in the body that may cause weakness, shortness of breath, lethargy, and confusion. Inability to remove potassium from the bloodstream may lead to abnormal heart rhythms and sudden death. Initially kidney failure may cause no symptoms.

Kidney disease is most often caused by other conditions that put a strain on the kidneys.

High blood pressure (hypertension) and diabetes are the most common causes of kidney disease. The evidence indicates that high blood pressure causes just over a quarter of all cases of kidney failure. Diabetes has been established as the cause of around a quarter of all cases.

Blood pressure is a measure of the pressure your heart generates in your arteries with each pulse. Too much pressure can damage your body's organs, leading to heart disease, stroke and worsening of kidney function.

The cause of around 90% of cases of high blood pressure is unknown, although there appears to be a link between the condition and a person’s general health, diet, and lifestyle.

Known risk factors for high blood pressure include:

·         age (the risk of developing high blood pressure increases as you get older)

·         family history of high blood pressure (the condition seems to run in families)

·         being of African-Caribbean or south Asian origin

• ·         obesity
• ·         lack of exercise
• ·         smoking
• ·         excessive alcohol consumption
• ·         high amount of salt in your diet
• ·         high-fat diet
• ·         stress

Hypertension causes damage by putting strain on the small blood vessels in the kidneys. This prevents the filtering process from working properly.

Prevention Of Kidney Disease

Diet

A healthy diet is important for preventing chronic kidney disease. It will lower the amount of cholesterol in your blood and keep your blood pressure at a healthy level. Eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (5 A DAY) and whole grains.

Limit the amount of salt in your diet to no more than 6g (0.2oz) a day. Too much salt will increase your blood pressure. One teaspoonful of salt is equal to about 6g.

Avoid eating foods high in saturated fat because this will increase your cholesterol level.

Foods high in saturated fat include:

• meat pies
• sausages and fatty cuts of meat
• butter
• ghee (a type of butter often used in Indian cooking)
• lard
• cream
• hard cheese
• cakes and biscuits
• foods that contain coconut oil or palm oil
• Eating some foods that are high in unsaturated fat can help decrease your cholesterol level. Foods high in unsaturated fat include:
• oily fish
• avocados
• nuts and seeds
• sunflower oil
• rapeseed oil
• olive oil

Alcohol

Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol will cause your blood pressure to rise, as well as raising cholesterol levels in your blood. Therefore, sticking to the recommended alcohol consumption limits is the best way to reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension) and CKD.

The recommended limits for alcohol are:

3-4 units of alcohol a day for men

2-3 units of alcohol a day for women

A unit of alcohol is equal to about half a pint of normal strength lager, a small glass of wine or a pub measure (25ml) of spirits.

Exercise

Regular exercise should help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of developing CKD.

At least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (such as cycling or fast walking) every week, is recommended.

Read more about health and fitness.

Painkillers

Kidney disease can be caused by the improper use (such as taking too many) of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen.

If you need to take painkillers, make sure you follow the instructions. This can help to avoid kidney damage.