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:
Cook with a mix of spices instead of salt.
Choose veggie toppings such as spinach, broccoli, and peppers for your pizza.
Try baking or broiling meat, chicken, and fish instead of frying.•Serve foods without gravy or added fats.
Try to choose foods with little or no added sugar.
Gradually work your way down from whole milk to 2 percent milk until you’re drinking and cooking with fat-free (skim) or low-fat milk and milk products.
Eat foods made from whole grains—such as whole wheat, brown rice, oats, and whole-grain corn—every day. Use whole-grain bread for toast and sandwiches; substitute brown rice for white rice for home-cooked meals and when dining out.
Read food labels. Choose foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Slow down at snack time. Eating a bag of low-fat popcorn takes longer than eating a slice of cake. Peel and eat an orange instead of drinking orange juice.
Try keeping a written record of what you eat for a week. It can help you see when you tend to overeat or eat foods high in fat or calories.Make physical activity part of your routine.
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:
- 12 ounces of beer
- 5 ounces of wine
- 1.5 ounces of liquor
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.