- What are the Kidneys?
Your kidneys are two small, bean-shaped organs in your lower back, just as the size of your fist. Even though they are small, kidneys do very important work every day.
2. Why Are Kidneys Important?
Kidneys keep your body healthy by:
- Filtering out toxins and waste through urine
2. Keep your bones strong
3. Help your body make red blood cells
4. Removing extra water as urine
5. Help control blood pressure and keep the right balance of minerals in your body
3. How can I keep my Kidneys Healthy?
You can protect your kidneys by:
- Drinking enough water
2. Eating healthy foods
3. Try to eat less salty and junk food
4. Avoid drinking too many sugary drinks
5. Stop smoking
6. Regular exercise and good sleep
7. Avoid over the counter medications and painkillers
8. Top three best kidney foods: Apples, Broccoli, Fish
Worst kidney foods: Caffeinated Sodas, Mayonnaise and butter, excess red meat, frozen ready to eat foods
4. How do I know if my Kidneys are not working well?
Most kidney problems don’t show symptoms until later stages and are silent. Kidneys are very polite organs—they don’t complain early, they keep working and suffer silently and by the time they shout the damage is already done. So, they don’t complain, they just resign. Hence, no symptom doesn’t mean no problem. That’s why routine blood & urine tests, blood pressure should be regularly checked starting as early as 18 years of age even if we don’t have any symptoms.
If your kidneys don’t work well, waste and water can build up in your blood, causing the following:
- Swelling in the feet or around the eyes
2. Constant tiredness
3. Foamy or bubbly urine
4. Feeling short of breath
5. Nausea, vomiting
6. Loss of appetite
7. Confusion, difficulty in concentration
8. Increased or decreased urine production
9. Change in urine color
Dr. Ankita D Patil
MBBS, MD General Medicine, DM Nephrology
Consultant – Nephrologist & Transplant Physician
