Kidneys are one of the most vital organs we need to keep our body functioning properly. These bean-shaped organs are located just beneath our ribcage, one on each side. These amazing organs are just about a size of your fist, yet they are designed to carry out some of the most important functions for our body, such as filtration of blood.
Why do we need kidneys?
Kidneys are specialised organs that filters waste material from our blood, such as urea, excess salts, etc. therefore keeping our blood fresh and healthy. Moreover, kidneys also help in removing excess water from our body in the form of urine. In case there is a shortage of water in our body, the kidneys reduce the water absorption process, so that the water level in our body is balanced.
In addition, the metabolic waste produces by cells is also thrown out of the body by kidneys. If all these toxic waste materials pike up in our body, we might die. Thus, kidneys have an important job to perform in keeping us healthy.
Also, it plays a part in producing red blood cells when there is a shortage of these cells in our body. The kidney releases a hormone called “erythropoietin” that signals the bone marrow to increase the production of red blood cells. As a result, the kidneys make sure that we do not suffer from the lack of fresh blood.
How to keep our kidneys healthy?
Seeing that there is a lot of stuff that our kidneys perform, we need to make sure that these organs stay healthy and in a working condition. So, what can we do to ensure that our kidneys remain healthy?
- Drink plenty of water
When we drink lots of water, the waste material dissolves in the fluid and then the kidneys help in its removal. Filtering out sodium, urea, and other toxic materials is necessary because if they accumulate in our body, it can lead to the development of chronic kidney diseases or kidney failure. Hence, you should drink at least 2 to 3 litres of water every day.
- Exercise and stay fit
Exercising regularly helps in keeping our blood pressure in check. Thus, it may not increase beyond the favoured level which might cause chronic kidney diseases. So, we should run, cycle, or walk more in order to keep our kidneys fit.
- Take healthy food
We need to keep a strict check on our diet. Too much intake of salt can cause kidney diseases. The ideal amount of salt a person should take is only 5-6 grams each day. Anything more than this can be a reason for kidney damage.
- Stay away from smoking
This might be the hardest part for some of you, but it is true that smoking can cause kidney cancer. This is because when we smoke, the amount of blood that flows to our kidneys reduce. When this happens consistently, the kidneys lose their ability to function properly, thus causing cancer. So, you must not smoke if you want your kidneys to stay healthy.
- Do not consume pills unnecessarily
The pills we take in are broken down by our kidney. If we eat them unnecessarily in large amounts, the kidneys may not be able to break them down as quickly, thus causing chronic kidney diseases. Hence, you should avoid the intake of oral pills as far as possible.
Conclusion:
Now, you are well-aware about what important tasks our kidneys perform to keep our body working. So, try to implement on all the above steps in order to make sure that your kidneys stay healthy and carry out their functions effectively.
