Bisdak Babbles

Many of us are taking our health for granted. At times, we give more attention to the body parts that we could plainly see. Have you lately wonder how are your kidneys doing?

Well, I am. Especially because a very close aunt and an uncle died because of kidney failure. And recently, I was told that a neighbor died due to the same ailment. That neighbor lost her husband 2 years ago due to kidney failure also.

I’ve done some research and I’m sharing with you what I learned:

Facts:
The kidney are powerful chemical factories that perform the following functions:

• remove waste products from the body
• remove drugs from the body
• balance the body’s fluids
• release hormones that regulate blood pressure
• produce an active form of vitamin D that promotes strong, healthy bones
• control the production of red blood cells

Chronic Kidney Disease:
This is having some type of kidney abnormality such as protein in the urine, and having decreased kidney function for three months or longer.

Some of the common kidney diseases are: kidney stones and urinary tract infections. Polycystic kidney disease is characterized by the formation of kidney cysts that enlarge over time and may cause serious kidney damage and even kidney failure.

Chronic kidney disease may be brought about by diabetes, high blood pressure, congenital diseases, or some hereditary factors. Using large numbers of over-the-counter pain relievers for a long time, toxins, pesticides and illegal drugs such as heroin or crack are also harmful to the kidneys.

Detection:
Fortunately, chronic kidney diseases are easy to detect even at an early stage. Simple, routine tests of our urine, blood, and blood pressure can show early signs of kidney problems. Once detected, it is possible to slow down and even stop chronic kidney disease by taking medicines and changing some of our living habits.

How much do you know about kidneys?
You may take this *test* to evaluate how much you know about kidneys.

To know more about kidneys, please visit the following websites:
1. National Kidney Foundation
2. World Kidney Day