Be Kind to Your Kidneys – Stop Doing These 5 Things

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.