Kidney health 9 common habits that can seriously damage your kidneys

Kidney diseases are among the most dreaded diseases since treating kidney disease is not only expensive but also getting a kidney transplant can be difficult.

Some of the common habits we have can dangerously damage your kidneys and you need to stop them asap.

Here are some of them:

1. Holding urine

Once you get that call of nature, get up and relieve your bladder as soon as possible. Urine contains toxins that can be harmful to your bladder if held for longer periods.

2. Not drinking enough water

I know water is tasteless but you must take more than 1.5 liters of water each day if you care about your health. Drinking enough water helps the kidney to flush out toxins that may damage the kidneys.

3. Salt

Go slow on your salt shaker and try as much as possible to minimize your consumption of salt. The Sodium Chloride present in salt can lead to hypertension. Hypertension is one of the leading causes of kidney diseases.

4. Alcoholism

Your kidneys ensure that all the harmful substances are eliminated out of your body. When you drink heavily, you overload your kidneys and they are not able to filter toxins as required.

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5. Over the counter drugs

We are all victims of taking pain relievers every time we have a slight headache. While they help us relive the pain, pain killers are not friendly to your kidneys especially when consumed on a regular basis.

6. Excess proteins

Proteins are good for your body but very dangerous when consumed in large amounts. The by product of protein digestion is ammonia which is toxic and needs to be neutralized. Much protein consumption is thus an extra job for the kidney which may be an overload.

7. Smoking

However much you love your cigars, they are not only harmful to your lungs but also your kidneys. Smoking constricts and hardens your veins which leads to high blood pressure. Any habit that could lead to high blood pressure must be avoided by all means.

8. Failure to exercise

Frequent exercise saves you the risk of getting kidney diseases. Try and jog every morning or take a walk if you cannot go to the gym.

9. Inadequate sleep

Every part of your body needs good rest including the kidneys. When you are asleep, your kidneys undergo a renewal process to enable them function properly when you are awake.