Hey there, viewers!
It’s never too late to correct bad habits.
These include habits that endanger your kidneys.
The kidneys work 24/7 to flush out toxins from your body.
If they stop working, the toxins will remain in your body.
In fact, the biggest problem with kidney damage is that it is often irreversible.
This means prevention is the only cure.
In today’s video, we will be talking about 7 innocent mistakes that get your kidneys
in trouble.
Are painkillers a factor?
Can fast food be putting them through stress?
What about all those supplements you eat for your health?
We will be talking about all of this AND more.
Overusing painkillers
Don’t get me wrong.
I don’t want you to suffer in silence.
If you’re in pain, you might need to pop a painkiller.
But if you use them too frequently, they’ll damage your kidneys.
Frequent use of pain meds can cause fluid retention, digestive issues, and increased
blood pressure.
All of these can directly impact your kidneys.
You might think all these risks are associated with prescription painkillers only.
Unfortunately, both over the counter meds AND prescriptions damage your kidneys.
Over the counter ones, like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen should not be taken regularly.
Especially if you want your kidneys to last you a lifetime.
In case you’re experiencing decreased kidney function, be careful of what type of pain
medication you’re taking.
There is a certain type, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, that reduce blood flow to the kidneys.
And don’t think if you’re healthy, you are safe from the side effects.
Taking high doses over a long period of time will damage your kidneys.
This is why doctors try to keep you on low doses for the shortest time possible.
Make it a habit to read the labels of medicines you are taking, and see what’s going inside
your body.
If you get head or stomach aches far too often, visit a doctor instead of just popping a pain
killer.
A lot of the time, we try masking our health problems by taking over the counter pills.
Are you fully aware of the risks of taking pain killers?
Tell us in the comment section.
Eating processed food regularly
If you’re a fan of processed food, I have news you are not going to like.
Time and again, healthcare experts tell us to stay away from it.
But the majority of discussion is centered around obesity and diabetes.
Did you know processed food can wreak havoc on your kidneys as well?
There are multiple reasons behind this.
They’re loaded with sodium and phosphorous.
Excess of both these minerals is bad for your kidney.
When your body has too much sodium to deal with, it tries to get rid of it by making
you pee again and again.
This means you keep losing fluids and calcium.
Calcium in the urine increases your risk of developing kidney stones.
Another problem with processed foods is that they contain added sugar.
You might not even realize how high your intake is increasing.
Your favorite cereals, sauces and breads all contain sugar.
This increases obesity and poses a high risk of you developing diabetes.
Both of these are a big contributory factor for kidney disease.
For the same reason, you need to steer clear of deli meats and frozen meals.
They are heavily processed!
So are there foods you should be avoiding specifically to keep your kidneys healthy?
Certainly.
The first one that needs to be struck off is soda.
I know how it sounds.
Soda and burgers make a wonderful pair.
Add fries to that and you feel on top of the world.
But sodas are just empty calories.
They offer no nutritional value, just extra calories and huge amounts of sugar.
Diet sodas are no better either.
There have been studies linking regular soda consumption to kidney damage, metabolic syndrome,
osteoporosis and dental issues.
And yes, butter and mayonnaise are on the list too.
They are high in saturated fats.
The fat-free versions are loaded with sodium.
So either way, they are bad for your kidneys.
Both saturated fats and trans fats stress them out.
Not drinking enough water
I don’t know about you, but making sure I drink enough water quite the task for me.
Blame it on a busy lifestyle or general ignorance, but it’s so easy to get dehydrated.
In fact, a lot of the time, the sweet cravings we have, that’s because our body is dehydrated
and asking you to drink water.
When you’re dehydrated, even your brain can’t think clearly and you get brain fog
making it difficult for you to concentrate.
But how can not-drinking enough water damage your kidneys?
Kidneys are sensitive to blood flow.
When you’re dehydrated, your blood pressure drops, which means blood flow to your kidneys
also drops.
That’s not all.
Your kidneys need you to be well-hydrated, so they can flush excess sodium and toxins
from your body.
And of course, dreadful kidney stones.
Drink plenty of water if you don’t want to experience the horrible pain of kidney
stones.
Adding table salt to your food
If you want to keep your kidneys young and healthy, cut back on the sodium.
That salt shaker on the dining room table, remove it.
When you eat foods loaded with sodium, you increase your risk of high blood pressure,
which is dangerous for your kidneys.
In fact, this is the leading cause of kidney failure.
So how do you cut back on the salt intake?
First of all, opt for in-season fruits and vegetables.
Avoid processed and pre-packaged foods.
This means no packaged meat, pre-made noodles or frozen meals.
Canned foods are a bad idea.
All of them will contain a high amount of sodium.
If you want a chickpea salad or bean soup, get them fresh, soak them for a few hours,
and boil.
Make it a habit to read labels.
The amount of sodium in the food will be listed on the label.
You can also use spices and seasonings that don’t contain salt to add more flavor to
your food.
This way it’s easy to cut back on salt without forcing yourself to eat tasteless food.
Natural foods like cottage cheese contain a high amount of salt.
I’m not asking you to stop eating them altogether.
Just eat in moderation.
On average, it will take about 6 to 8 weeks to undo this salt addiction.
Before we move ahead, here’s a video you might like.
Watch this to learn what happens to your body when you eat too much of sodium.
Eating too much meat
Are you eating meat all the time?
So much so, it can be a bit too much?
It could be damaging your kidneys.
Meat makes it difficult for your kidneys to remove acid from the blood.
In fact, there is a medical condition for when there’s so much acid in your blood
that your kidneys are unable to remove it.
This happens because of animal protein generating a high amount of acid in the blood while digestion.
You definitely need protein to grow, repair and maintain your body tissues.
But excess of everything is harmful.
Smoking and drinking
Lung cancer isn’t the only thing cigarettes leave you with.
It damages blood vessels, contributes to higher blood pressure and increases the risk of kidney
failure.
Quitting smoking decreases your chances of getting kidney cancer.
A study found quitting smoking for 16 or more years reduces the risk of the most common
form of kidney cancer in adults.
If you’re a heavy drinker who wants to see their kidneys happy and healthy, you need
to find a way to reduce your daily drinking.
Having more than four drinks a day doubles your risk of getting a chronic kidney disease.
Casual use of supplements
Do you purchase ‘natural’ supplements a lot?
You could be harming your kidneys and not even know it.
If you think everything labelled “natural” is good for your body, you’re wrong.
There are traditional medicines and herbs that can damage your kidneys.
For instance, many contain a plant-based ingredient capable of scarring your kidneys.
Since you’re curious to know, it is acid.
In fact, the FDA warns you to stay away from products containing certain acids.
You can read the labels to make sure that the product you are buying doesn’t contain
them.
Check with your doctor before starting any supplements long term.
Are you stuck with any of these habits?
Did you know about any of them before watching this video?
Let us know in the comments below.
We would love to hear from you!