Protecting the Kidneys from Damage Especially if You’re Diabetic
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Posted On :
Aug-24-2011
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Article Word Count :
811
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Your kidneys work hard every day to remove waste products from your body. They also help keep your body’s chemicals in balance and help keep the amount of water in your body balanced.
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Your kidneys can be damaged by exposure to certain drugs or toxins, for example. These toxins may be in the form of any number of harmful chemicals that include heavy metals, solvents, pharmaceutical drugs and pesticides. There are also a number of conditions that can affect the kidneys and their ability to function: heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, liver disease, lupus and sickle-cell anemia are some examples.
Control Your Blood Sugar
With the help of your doctor, make sure that you have the medication and/or resources that you need to keep your blood-sugar levels stable. Remember that there are some relatively simple things that you can do to help keep your blood-sugar levels normal and help prevent diabetes from becoming a threat to your well-being.
Here is a list to help you out.
Eat a Low-fat, High-fiber Diet
Add to that plenty of raw vegetables and fruits, including vegetable juices. This will reduce your body’s need for insulin. It will also lower the level of fats in your blood, helping you maintain a healthy weight. Fiber helps prevent blood-sugar spikes, as it is more slowly digested than simple sugars are.
Get Protein from Vegetables
Eat lots of legumes like kidney, lima and navy beans. Some grains are also high in protein. Try “quinoa,” which has the most protein of all the grains and has a pleasing texture and taste. Soy protein is also a good source — it can help keep the levels of good cholesterol high in Type 2 diabetics.
Avoid Sugary Drinks
One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association studied the effects of soft drinks and the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The researchers found that women who drank more than one sugar-sweetened drink a day increased their risk of getting diabetes two-fold.1
Keep Dietary Ratios Balanced
What is an ideal ratio for carbohydrates, proteins and fats? Medical experts suggest that a diet consisting of 45% carbs, 40% healthy fats and 15% protein can benefit people with insulin resistance. Others maintain that a ratio of 50% carbs, 30% fats and 20% protein is a good balance. The important thing to remember is that carbs should not make up the bulk of your diet.
Monitor Your Kidney Function
Make sure to get regular urine and blood tests to monitor your kidney function. That way, you can keep track of any small problems before they become unmanageable.
Knowing that you have signs of early kidney damage, for example, could motivate you to try some lifestyle changes that could protect your kidneys from further wear and tear.
Check Your Blood Pressure Regularly
When you check your blood pressure regularly, you are kept abreast of the health of your heart. Heart conditions and heart disease can impair the function of your kidneys. By getting your blood pressure checked regularly by your doctor, you’ll know if you are within a healthy range.
If You Smoke, Quit
Smoking taxes the kidneys. Toxins enter your body when you breathe in smoke. It’s the job of the kidneys to try to flush all of these toxins out.
If you have a heart condition or diabetes and you know that your kidneys are already in danger, you should attempt to quit smoking. There are many resources out there to help you try to break an addiction to cigarettes.
Exercise Regularly
Exercise is one of the best ways to prevent Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and many other conditions. Being overweight can be a major factor in Type 2 diabetes. In one trial, called “The Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study,” researchers proved that exercise can protect against Type 2 diabetes.
The study included 522 overweight individuals with impaired glucose tolerance who were divided into two groups. One group was a control group and the other was an intensive lifestyle intervention group, which included increased physical activity of approximately four hours a week.
About High Blood Pressure & Your Kidneys
The complications of high blood pressure can be quite serious. You know that high blood pressure can lead to a stroke or heart attack, but did you know that it could also cause kidney damage?
If you already have kidney disease, maintaining healthy control of your blood pressure is essential when it comes to protecting your kidneys. Find out from your doctor what your “target” blood pressure is. Monitor your blood pressure regularly, as recommended by your doctor. Many pharmacies have self-serve blood-pressure monitors or sell blood-pressure cuffs that you can use easily at home.
If you find that your blood pressure is higher than it should be, speak to your doctor. You can also try these strategies to help lower your blood pressure.
• Exercise regularly
• Follow a low-fat, low-salt diet (such as the “DASH” diet)
• Keep a healthy body weight
• Reduce the amount of alcohol that you drink
• Try to quit smoking
• Ward off kidney stones
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Article Source :
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Keywords :
Kidney Function, High Blood Pressure , Blood Sugar , Saturated Fats, health news, health e-letter,
Category :
Health and Fitness
:
Diabetes
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