Summary: Kidneys are
bean-shaped organs. These are very important organs of the body. The main
functions of kidneys include extracting waste from blood, balancing body
fluids, forming urine and contributing in other important functions of the
body. The onset of diabetes makes the work of kidneys tough and disrupts its
normal functioning. Impaired functions of kidneys give rise to kidney diseases.
This blog talks about diabetes and kidneys, symptoms of the kidney diseases and
the tips to prevent these diseases.
Diabetes and Kidneys: Diabetes increases blood glucose level. The surge in glucose level in
blood make the work of kidneys difficult as they have to filter more and more
blood. This increased work load starts putting burden on the filters. Slowly
and slowly they start becoming leaky and the useful substances, such as protein
fail to get filtered. It gets flushed out along with urine. It is a medical
condition known as microalbuminuria (having small amount of protein in the urine).
If the condition of microalbuminuria is allowed to worsen, it
will result into macroalbuminuria
(having large amount of protein in urine). If even in this stage, the kidney
complication remains untreated, the kidneys start losing their ability to
filter. Resultantly, waste products start getting deposited in the blood. In
that stage the filtration work is done through machine(dialysis). When even
dialysis does not produce the required result, kidney transplant becomes the
only solution.
In essence, better a person keeps diabetes under
control, the lower becomes the chance of getting kidney disease.
Symptoms
of the Kidney Disease: The problem with kidney diseases is that they do not
show symptoms unless the entire function is out of order. It is simply because
the kidneys start working hard to compensate for the failing capillaries.
However, some symptoms of these diseases (though the symptoms of two
individuals are not same) are as follows:
Ø
Fluid
Build Up
Ø
Loss
of Sleep
Ø
Weakness
Ø
Upset
Stomach
Ø
Poor
Appetite
Ø
Difficulty
in Concentration
Ø
Weight
Loss
Ø
Dry,
itchy Skin
Ø
Puffiness
around the Eyes
Ø
Muscle
Cramps
Ø
Needing
to Pass Urine more often than usual
Tips for the Prevention of Kidney Diseases:
Ø Control Diabetes, High
Blood Pressure and Heart Diseases: The precursors
of kidney diseases are diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases.
Therefore, controlling sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol will help
keep heart diseases at distance. Annual health check-up for those who are above
40 years also serve the purpose.
Ø Reduction in Salt
Intake: Salt triggers the formation of kidney stones. Apart,
it also increases the amount of sodium in diet and blood pressure. Therefore,
the intake of salt should not be more than five-six grams (one teaspoon) per
day. Apart, avoid restaurant food and stick to home-made food.
Ø Remain Hydrated: Drink adequate amount of water every day to keep yourself well hydrated.
It is simply because presence of enough fluid will help kidney flush out
sodium, urea and toxins from the body and nullify the possibility of developing
kidney diseases. The recommended dose of water for a healthy kidney is 4-6
glasses of water whereas people who have a kidney stone, should take 2 to 3
litre of water everyday to minimize the risk of developing new stones.
Ø Say No to Alcohol and
Smoking: Frequent intake of alcohol causes imbalances of
the body and hormonal control that disrupts the normal functioning of the
kidneys. Though smoking does not have any bearing on the functioning of the
kidneys, but it makes them less efficient. Smoking does also affect heart
health adversely that trigger kidney problems.
Ø Exercise Daily: Obesity is
closely associated with kidney-related problems; in fact, it doubles the
chances of developing kidney diseases. Therefore, doing exercise daily proves
to be extremely instrumental in keeping kidney diseases at bay, as it controls
the portion size.
----Ashish Jha