Kidney diseases and modern lifestyle

June 23, 2020
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Overview

Obesity has become an international epidemic, and altering this epidemic by changing lifestyle factors is crucial to health and to the prevention of kidney disease today and in the future. Alcohol may have beneficial effects on renal function similar to those associated with cardiovascular disease; however, alcohol consumption is also a potential risk factor for the development of glomerular damage, hypertension, and hypertensive nephrosclerosis. In patients with diabetes, smoking increases the risk of developing nephropathy and progressing to end-stage renal failure. Smoking also reduces renal function and increases albuminuria or proteinuria in the general population.

The kidney

Kidneys are a pair of organs in the lower back, one kidney positioned on either side of the spine. The kidneys fulfill the important role of filtering blood and removing toxins from the body. The toxins are sent to the bladder which the body then removes through urine.Kidney failure occurs when kidneys cannot filter sufficient waste or toxins from the blood. Factors that can lead to kidney failure include toxic exposure to environmental pollutants, allergy to certain medications, acute and chronic diseases, severe dehydration, kidney trauma, etc.If any or more of these symptoms are experienced, then medical consultation at the earliest is advisable to check for kidney disease, and prevent further or irreversible damage to the kidneys Fatigue,Feeling cold,Shortness of breath,Feeling faint, dizzy,Inability to think clearly,Itchiness and Swelling in the hands or the feet are few Symptoms of kidney disease.

Lifestyle behavior Impact

Preventing the progression of chronic kidney disease is a high priority for patients and clinicians, to reduce the requirement for dialysis.Lifestyle interventions which modify behavioural risk factors such as poor diet and low physical activity can prevent progression of chronic kidney disease and life-threatening complications and improve quality of life and survival.Addressing behaviour change is particularly relevant in chronic kidney disease as lifestyle modification can be challenging. Poor adherence to diet, medication and other treatments is common in chronic kidney disease. Barriers to modifying lifestyle include low health literacy, conflicts with cultural norms, complicated nutritional requirements and safety concerns.A renal function panel is the group of tests that may be performed together to evaluate kidney (renal) function. The tests measure levels of various substances, including several minerals, electrolytes, proteins, and glucose (sugar), in the blood to determine the current health of your kidneys. Looking for a blood test panels near you?. Use Tuhealthy App for finding panel blood test near you.