Your body does not function in autonomy. As you would know there are several different types of systems responsible for the functioning of your health. Your blood circulation, your digestion, your neuro system – all work in correspondence with one another. So it is a given that the health of our renal system, for instance, is responsible for your overall health.

But how do we make sure that our renal system is well and healthy? How do we care for our kidneys?

In this article, Dr Mohit Khirbat, a leading nephrologist at the CK Birla Hospital, the best kidney hospital in Gurgaon, shares his insights on what to do to keep your kidney healthy?

Top 8 actions for healthy kidneys

Your kidneys are small fist-sized bean-shaped organs located at the bottom of your rib cage. They are primarily responsible for filtering waste and toxins out of your body. Besides this, your kidneys also regulate the nutrients and excess water in your blood.

It is important that your kidneys are in their best health so that they can perform these routine functions. Here are some action steps you can take in your everyday life to maintain healthy kidneys:

Exercise regularly – Routine exercise and physical activity is an important factor for keeping your kidneys healthy. You must aim to exercise every day. If your lifestyle does not allow you to work out every day, you should make it a point to work out for 30-40 minutes, most days of the week. Daily exercise keeps your blood pressure in control and reduces your risk of chronic kidney diseases.

Keep a check on your blood sugar levels – The amount of glucose aka sugar in your blood is also a key component for keeping your kidneys healthy. When your blood sugar levels are high, your kidneys are compelled to filter excess blood. Additionally, high blood sugar levels can increase your risk of diabetes which can add to your risk of chronic kidney disease.

Eat a healthy diet – As the popular adage goes – you are what you eat. Adding a diet deficient in nutritious value can attract a variety of medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and kidney disease. To keep your kidneys functioning properly, you should eat a diet low in sodium, balanced in potassium and other minerals.

Stay hydrated and drink plenty of fluids – The more water or fluids you drink, the more toxins get secreted from your body. You should be consistent in your water intake as it helps your kidneys to remove sodium and other waste minerals in a timely manner. Try to drink as much as 8 glasses of water in a day. However, your daily water intake may alter depending upon your lifestyle, your activities, your climate and more.

Avoid smoking – It is a well-known fact that smoking is injurious for your overall health. It is also harmful specifically for your kidneys. It is because smoking damages your blood vessels and largely slows down the healing process. As a result, the flow of blood to your kidneys is disrupted or slowed down leading to an improper supply of oxygen and nutrition. Therefore, you should aim to completely avoid smoking. If you do not smoke, it is great advice to not start, if you do smoke, however, it is the best time to quit. If you need help to quit smoking, visit the CK Birla Hospital, the best kidney hospital in Gurgaon.

Know your risks – Every person is different. Your body’s ability to attract and deal with a certain condition is different from your friends. Like most medical ailments, chronic kidney disease also has certain risk factors. These risk factors make a person more vulnerable to developing kidney disease. Some common risk factors include:

• being over 60 years old
• being born at a low birth weight
• having cardiovascular disease
• family history of heart disease
• family history of high blood pressure
• having obesity

Want to learn more about keeping your kidneys healthy? Get personalised advice from leading doctors at the CK Birla Hospital, the best best kidney hospital in Gurgaon.