How to maintain healthy kidneys naturally

The kidneys are vital to your body’s ability to process and remove waste, and keeping them healthy is important for your body’s long term health as well. Complications in the kidneys can affect other organs or tissues, and in some severe cases, they can be fatal.
Protecting the kidneys and keeping them healthy is something you have a lot of control over. There are several elements of kidney health and disease prevention that are affected by your daily habits.

Secrets to Keeping Your Kidneys Healthy

Avoid prolong use of certain medications

Continuous intake of medications becomes toxic substances in the body. Organs such as the liver and kidneys to some extent are affected. Almost all medications are toxic but some are much more harmful than others. For example, prolong use of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin are known to cause damage to the kidney.

Adequate intake of water

Water being a major filter in the body, is adequately needed by the kidneys to remove toxins, waste products and unwanted compounds from the body. Due to that, drinking enough water at regular intervals throughout the day helps your kidneys function properly. Besides that, it also prevents them from getting too congested or calcified. Drink about six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Drink more during hot summer months or when exercising strenuously.

Get regular exercise

Regular cardiovascular exercise is a great way to maintain your weight, which fosters kidney health. Obesity strains the heart and blood vessels, which leads to higher blood pressure and eventual kidney damage. Begin by simply walking around your neighborhood, then gradually to a more challenging terrain with some hills. Thirty minutes of exercise five times a week is a good start, and an hour is even better. Treadmills and cycling are also great for cardiovascular exercise.

Maintain healthy blood pressure

High blood pressure damages blood vessels throughout the body, including the small arteries within the kidneys that are so important for its filtrating ability. As such, keep your blood pressure normal. Eat a low-salt diet, reduce stress and maintain a healthy weight to help maintain normal blood pressure.

Eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies.

A healthy, low-salt diet is healthy for the kidneys because it keeps blood pressure in check. For the most part, fresh fruits and veggies are low in sodium, high in vitamins and minerals, and a good source of antioxidants, which is all beneficial for the cardiovascular system and the kidneys. Fruits and veggies are also good sources of water, which the kidneys need to properly filtrate the blood.

Take food supplements

Eating a nutritious diet certainly reduces the risk of experiencing any nutritional deficiencies, but supplementing can be beneficial and make up for any gaps in your diet. Supplements that have demonstrated to be beneficial to kidney health in studies include vitamin D, potassium and omega-3 fatty acids.

Quit smoking

Smoking cigarettes on a regular basis is one of the most harmful things you can do to your body. Cigarette smoke damages nearly every organ and blood vessel in the body. Smoking is bad for the kidneys because the toxins that become dissolved in the bloodstream damage the small blood vessels and “filters” inside the kidneys.

Stop drinking alcohol

Alcoholic beverages is strongly associated with numerous types of cancer and organ damage, including the kidneys. Alcohol damages their delicate internal structure, making them unable to filter your blood and balance fluids / electrolytes.