The kidneys are located under the rib cage and are ones of the most important body organs. Namely, they cleanse the blood of toxins and excess fluids, regulate blood pressure, help the production of red blood cells, and balance the electrolyte levels.
All in all, the kidneys are just one large filter and they are made from millions filtering units and each with every one of them purifying a small amount of blood. Every day, both of your kidneys filter about 120 to 150 quarts of blood. They also produce around 2 quarts of urine on daily basis.
Therefore, it is of high importance to keep them healthy and quickly treat any problems that might occur. In case of kidney failure, or kidney issues, one experiences the following 8 early signs:
Urination changes
Kidney failure is often indicated by signs like changed urine color, trouble urinating, pain during urination, foamy urine and an increased urge to urinate.
Fatigue
The healthy kidneys produce a hormone known as EPO that ensures proper red blood cell production, which causes adequate oxygen distribution throughout the body.
Yet, if the amount of red blood cells in the body is reduced, they are not able to deliver oxygen to the organs, and one suffers from tiredness and fatigue.
Swelling
When the kidneys cannot function properly, they do not eliminate the excess fluids from the body, and this causes swellings in different body areas.
Back pain
Sudden back pain, especially in the area around the kidneys, is a clear sign of kidney problems.
Dizziness and loss of focus
Your kidneys might be endangered if you often feel disoriented or dizzy.
Skin Rashes
Toxins start to accumulate in the body if the kidneys do not remove them on time, leading to skin rashes, and dry and irritated skin.
Shortness of breath
The lack of oxygen in the body and the reduced count of red blood cells causes a shortness of breath.
Metallic taste in the mouth
You might suffer from some kind of kidney issue if you experience severe appetite changes, or you feel a metallic taste in your mouth.
To support the health of the kidneys and prevent additional issues, you should exercise regularly, avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, and eat a healthy diet, rich in antioxidants, that will prevent free radical damage in the body.
What to do to protect your kidneys and prevent them from harm
- First of all, it is very important to get tested and to check if you have any kind of a kidney disease
- You should do regular testing of your blood sugar level and your blood pressure
- If you are a smoker, try to quit smoking (smoking can do a severe damage your kidneys.)
- Be careful with your food regime (there are a lot of healthy diets that can improve your overall health status and immune system. Try one of those.)
- Stop drinking (alcohol plays a huge role in damaging your kidneys. Try to reduce your drinking or just quit drinking.)
- Last but not least, start exercising (try to do some exercises at least three times a week. This will improve your body and health, consequently your kidneys will be protected).
Source: Kingdemic