10 Most Common Habits That Damage Your Kidneys

One of the most important organs in the body are our kidneys because they help us detoxify our body and remove all the waste from our organism. This is a reason enough to keep them healthy at all times. Fatigue, bad breath, feeling cold, pain itchy skin, changed quantity and color of the urine, breathing problems, nausea, and anemia are the most common symptoms of kidney problems. In this article we will present you some common habits which negatively affect the kidneys.

Regular use of analgesics
Taking conventional medications to lower inflammation and fever on a regular basis can damage not only the kidneys, but other organs as well. these medications in fact decrease the blood flow to the kidneys, impair their function and that is why the long term use of pills can leaf to interstitial nephritis or acute kidney injuries.

Numerous studies confirmed the link between smoking and kidney damage. According to the American Association of Kidney Patients, smoking is the number one cause of end stage renal disease, which shows just how dangerous it is. Besides being harmful for our kidneys, smoking also increases the heart rate and blood pressure which leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and kidney disease as well.

Lack of sleep
A good night’s rest is vital for your overall health because lack of sleeping prevents the body from renewing tissues. As a result of that, your organs can be in danger of many diseases.

Insufficient water intake
Dehydration can harm the kidneys because in that situation, the blood is more concentrated and there’s less blood flow to the kidneys. As a result of that, the toxins accumulate in our body because the kidneys are prevented to do their job. The recommended daily amount of water is 10-12 glasses.

Delaying the urge to urinate
Make sure to pee the minute you feel the need, because delaying the urge to urinate can damage your kidneys. If you don’t pee on time, the urine remains in the bladder, thus allowing bacteria to multiply and cause a urinary tract infection.

Drinking too much alcohol
Excessive drinking of alcohol will damage your kidneys because this habit stores uric acid in the renal tubules, thus obstructing them and increasing the risk of kidney failure. Moreover, drinking alcohol leads to dehydration of the body which is why you should only drink 2 alcoholic beverages per day.

High salt intake
Avoid salt as much as you can because even 95% of the sodium is metabolized by the kidneys, and by consuming too much salt, your kidneys will work harder to excrete it. As a result of that, your kidneys will be harmed which will lead to other health issues as well.

High protein diet
The excessive consumption of both processed and red meat will increase the risk of kidney damage. The main role of the kidneys is to metabolize and eliminate nitrogenous waste from the body, a by-product of protein digestion. This means that high protein intake will raise the glomerular pressure and hyper filtration, thus increasing the metabolic load of the kidneys and the risk of kidney disease.

Too much caffeine
Entering too much caffeine in our organism will increase the blood pressure and overwork the kidneys. After some time, the kidneys will be damaged and the excretion of calcium in the urine will be increased as well, which will result in the development of kidney stones.

Ignoring common infections
Never ignore the symptoms of pharyngitis, tonsillitis, flu or cold because it can result in kidney damage. if you don’t treat the infections, the viruses or bacteria will damage your kidneys beyond repair.

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