Be Kind to Your Kidneys – Stop Doing These 5 Things

August 16, 2019   |   24 Comments   |   85

You’ve probably thought a lot about the health of your heart and arteries, brain and eyes, but do you give much thought to the health of your kidneys? If you’re like most people, you probably don’t really give much thought to your kidneys, until something goes wrong.

Let’s face it, most of us take our kidneys and what they do for granted. But they are one of the MOST IMPORTANT organs in the body. Did you know your kidneys are responsible for filtering roughly 150 quarts of blood to produce 1-2 quarts of urine each and every day? Without your kidneys working properly, your body would not be able to filter toxins, waste and extra fluid out of the body.

Your kidneys also keep your electrolyte levels stable, which is very important for heart health and muscle health. They also produce hormones that regulate blood pressure, make blood cells and maintain strong bones. I bet you had NO IDEA your kidneys did all that!

Now that you understand just how important kidney health is, I’ve got some bad news for you…

You’re probably doing things every day that are damaging your kidneys. Most of us have horrendous daily habits that, over time, can impact the health of our kidneys. Here are some of the worst things you are doing for your kidney health:

Holding It

We’ve all been in those situations when nature calls and we have to hold it because we’re not near a bathroom. It happens. But there are some people who hold their bladder without a real need for it. They think they’re too busy and they CAN hold it so they WILL hold it. If you do this often enough, it can increase the urine pressure inside your kidneys and lead to incontinence and, even worse, renal failure.

From now on, when nature calls, don’t be a hero, just go to the bathroom.

Not Drinking Enough Water

In order for our kidneys to help flush out toxins and waste from our bodies, we have to give them enough fluids to do so. If you don’t drink enough water, toxins can begin accumulating in the blood, making you become very sick.

So now you will ask, “How much water do I need to drink?” This question has been asked by thousands of people over the past few years. And there is no one right answer. Some people eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. They don’t need to drink as much water as someone who eats very little fruits and vegetables.

The best way for you to know if you’re hydrated enough is to check the color of your urine. Dark, concentrated urine tells you you’re not drinking enough and need to get more water in.

But it’s also incredibly important to talk about electrolytes and hydration. There are some people who drink a gallon of water a day. What this does is flush the body of necessary electrolytes that keep the muscles (heart!) functioning properly. Don’t just start drinking a lot of water, thinking it will hydrate you. Hydration actually means having the right balance of water and electrolytes. It is the electrolytes that help the water get into your cells. Those people that drink a ton of water can become VERY dehydrated.

So, drink more water, and put a pinch of grey sea salt in it to get both H20 and electrolytes in your body.

Drinking Too Much Caffeine

Are you one of those people who HAS to have three giant mugs of coffee before you even start to wake up? While smaller amounts of caffeine have health benefits, drinking too much caffeine every day dehydrates our bodies, causes our blood pressure to go sky high, and our kidneys don’t like either one of those scenarios.

So, avoid drinking too much coffee, black tea, or sodas.

Drinking Too Much Alcohol

You’ve most likely heard that consuming too much alcohol is very bad for your liver – and it is. But alcohol consumption also negatively impacts the health of your kidneys. If you want to avoid kidney disease, it’s important to drink in moderation.

The toxins found in alcohol not only damage the liver, but also your kidneys. According to Kidney Health Australia and American Kidney Fund, one way to avoid kidney disease is to drink alcohol in moderation.

Limit Your Sugar Intake

Diabetes is one of the major causes of kidney disease. Limiting refined sugar and carbohydrate intake is an important step to ensuring you don’t develop type 2 diabetes. And this, in turn, is a major step to ensuring you protect the health of your kidneys.

If you would like more information on how to prevent and even reverse your type 2 diabetes, then I encourage you to pick up a copy of the book Smart Blood Sugar. You’ll learn the exact steps to take to maintain your blood sugar levels, and not just in the short-term, but for life, so you do not have to be dependent on medications.

If you or someone you know has type 2 diabetes and is concerned about the health of your kidneys, and your heart and overall health, then Smart Blood Sugar is, quite possibly, the most important book you’ll ever read. Click Here for more info.

 

24 Comments

  1. Carol Roy

    November 21, 2023 Reply

    So glad I just happened to see this on scanning My messages. Very helpful.

    Thank You for publishing the article

  2. Thomas Williams

    August 31, 2023 Reply

    Great info! Didn’t try to sell me anything! Awesome!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

  3. Brutus Morgan

    April 6, 2023 Reply

    Much Appreciated Article! Substantive and no sales pitch.

  4. Dr Musa

    October 20, 2022 Reply

    Great article and thank you for sharing!

  5. KARL SCHIEK

    February 5, 2022 Reply

    ALL I DRINK IS WATER AND GINGERALE, WITH NO CAFFINE GAVE UP COFFEE 55 YEARS AGO. NEVER HAVE TOUCHED ALCOHOL...... IM PRETTY DISAPLINED.. YOUR ARTICLE IS RIGHT ON..

  6. Jose Sanchez

    January 23, 2022 Reply

    I am a new recruit, I feel my money is already well spent . Just the info I’ve gotten so far is worth much more than that. I still haven’t received the book on hypertension. The kidney advice was great thank you very much.

  7. Gloria Zamora

    March 10, 2021 Reply

    Great information. I knew that our kidneys were one of the main organs but i did not know all they do, OMG. God did everything perfect. Thank you .

  8. Marlene J Zuercher

    March 7, 2021 Reply

    I am impressed with this article. Water is important but it is also important to note that even water, if you drink too much can also cause problems. You pointed that out in this article. A friend was almost hospitalized last year from the effects of drinking too much water. He passed this information on to all of friends.
    I am 84 years old and my husband is 89. We enjoy good health so far - prescription drugs I take thyroid (1 small pill) every morning. My husband takes 2 prescriptions. We attribute our good health to being avid square dancers for years and eating fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and meat in moderation.

    • D. Jones

      January 19, 2022 Reply

      Great article indeed. I had been telling my aunt that she needed to drink more water, a few years ago. She, remembered what I'd said. She doesn't like the taste of water. But remembering she needed to stay hydrated, she drank a days allowance all in one sitting! Yes, all at once! Thank goodness a gal friend of hers was facetiming with her the next day. (My aunt lived alone) My aunt was literally spinning in circles, hallucinating, and her friend that lives in another state called 911. Knowing something was terribly wrong. When the EMTs got there they had never seen my 75 yr old aunt before, so didn't know what is normal behavior for her. She was paranoid, & hallucinating, which is definitely NOT normal for her, she has always been sharp as a tack. The friend insisted that they take her in. Good thing they did! She had flushed all her electrolytes, and was why she was hallucinating. She was in the hospital for 3 days, with IV infusion, getting her electrolytes back in balance. Her potassium levels were dangerously low! She has heart problems to begin with, so thank goodness this didn't also throw her heart into an episode also. She was extremely lucky! I'm so glad her friend noticed the danger, called 911, & made them take her into the ER. This was all because of drinking what ultimately was close to a gallon of water at one sitting, not even spread out over the day. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing, just like this article talks about.

    • Nancy

      February 7, 2022 Reply

      Wish I could still square dance..lots of fun and exercise....keep going

  9. Gene Archer

    February 19, 2021 Reply

    Timely for me. A little more water and less soda 🥤 will be the message for my new life style. Recovering from one kidney removal and would like not to overwork the one that remains 😊

  10. Erma

    February 16, 2021 Reply

    I’m so thankful for report like that help to live a healthy life.

  11. Ron Wood

    February 13, 2021 Reply

    You are a great service to us, keep us informed. Ron

  12. B. Salvacion

    February 12, 2021 Reply

    This is very helpful and informative. Thank you for emailing it.

  13. Michael S.

    April 14, 2020 Reply

    This article showed up in my email at the very time I was sitting at my office desk thinking of ways to keep my kidneys functioning as they should. Thank you for sharing this article.

  14. Lee Fulller

    January 27, 2020 Reply

    From the very first time we talk I have been on on the 60 carbs per day and do all the things I have learn from your information. I’m about to be 63 in May. My blood pressure has started to be more normal now. And my energy are getting better. I have tag all our emails so I can put them in my folder. I have three kids that are growing up that I want to leave my knowledge behind to maybe they can see what they will need to do in their days if they get what I have. I truly believe in your suggestions. Thanks for all you have done for people like me. I have a future plan to finish few of my goals before I get to old. thanks lee ❤️

  15. Bartholomew Bongiorno

    January 5, 2020 Reply

    I do applaud your article and agree with many points you have brought forward.

  16. Ronald Nelson

    December 27, 2019 Reply

    My kidney is down to about 15%. That's what I am really concerned about.

  17. Tony

    August 16, 2019 Reply

    Read very carefully

  18. Rick Smoak

    August 16, 2019 Reply

    This article was were informative and interesting. THANKS,
    RICK SMOAK

  19. MARY LYLES

    August 16, 2019 Reply

    I WILL SHARE THIS ARTICLE.

  20. MARY LYLES

    August 16, 2019 Reply

    THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN MOST HELPFUL AND IT REMINDS ME OF MY WATER INTAKE ON A DAILY BASIS.THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

  21. Nancy H Landas

    August 16, 2019 Reply

    Now I understand how teaching for 33 years likely created my kidney failure. I had heard about this from other older teachers, but I had not even considered it for myself until reading this article. Thank you. I shall share this info with other younger teachers.

  22. Marian Massengill

    August 16, 2019 Reply

    This is the Most helpful article on kidneys that I have read in a long while. It helped me to understand Why I am having kidney problems. You could do a big favor by writing more on this subject. Thank you very much.

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