Facebook Instagram Youtube
View All Events View All Announcements

World Kidney Day: Preventing Chronic Kidney Disease

Thursday March 12, 2020

One in three people in the United States is at increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

CKD means your kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood the way they should. “The disease is called “chronic” because the damage to your kidneys happens slowly over a long period of time.” Says Kali Nichols, Director of Personal Health and Disease Prevention.“This damage can cause wastes to build up in your body. CKD can also cause other health problems.” You are more likely to develop kidney disease if you havediabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and/or a family history of kidney failure. In recognition of World Kidney Day, BHSJ offers the following tips on how to prevent Chronic Kidney Disease:

Make healthy food choices. Choose foods that are healthy for your heart and your entire body: fresh fruits, fresh or frozen vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Eat healthy meals, and cut back on salt and added sugars. Aim for less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium each day. Try to have less than 10 percent of your daily calories come from added sugars.

Tips for making healthy food choices:

Be active for 30 minutes or more on most days. If you are not active now, ask your health care provider about the types and amounts of physical activity that are right for you.

Aim for a healthy weight. If you are overweight or have obesity, work with your health care provideror dietitian to create a realistic weight-loss plan.

Get enough sleep. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.

Stop smoking. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, stop. Ask for help so you don’t have to do it alone. You can start by calling the national quitline at 1-800-QUITNOW or 1-800-784-8669. For tips on quitting, go to Smokefree.gov. visit site

Limit alcohol intake. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your blood pressure and add extra calories, which can lead to weight gain. If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to one drink per day if you are a woman and two drinks per day if you are a man. One drink is:

Explore stress-reducing activities. Learning how to manage stress, relax, and cope with problems can improve emotional and physical health. Physical activity can help reduce stress, as can mind and body practices such as meditation, yoga, or tai chi.

Manage diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, the best way to protect your kidneys from damage is to keep blood glucose numbers close to your goal. Checking your blood glucose, or blood sugar, level is an important way to manage your diabetes. Your health care team may wantyou to test your blood glucose one or more times a day.

Keep your blood pressure numbers close to your goal. The blood pressure goal for most people with diabetes is below 140/90 mm Hg.

Take all your medicines as prescribed. Talk with your health care provider about certain blood pressure medicines, called ACE inhibitors and ARBs, which may protect your kidneys. The names of these medicines end in –pril or –sartan.

Be careful about the daily use of over-the-counter pain medications. Regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, can damage your kidneys.

Organization Information

Annual Reports

Administration

Organization Documents

- Strategic Plan
- Mission and Vision
- Agency Organization Chart