How to Prevent Kidney Failure

Many people don't understand the importance of keeping their kidneys healthy and preventing kidney complications or even worse, kidney failure.  Your kidneys get rid of wastes, filter the blood and then go back through the blood stream through your veins. This gives your blood supply the proteins that you need to stay healthy.

• Avoid over-the-counter pain medication:  Medications like Ibuprofen, Advil and Motrin are known to cause kidney issues and/or failure if taken too often.  Over-the-counter pain killers contain an ingredient called acetaminophen, which can be poisonous to the kidneys.  Only take these medications for emergencies.


• Drink a lot of water:  Water cleanses your kidneys and gets rid of all the toxins and chemicals that are not supposed to be in your system.  The more water you drink, the better your chances are of not developing kidney health issues.


• Quit smoking:  Smoking cigarettes is one of the absolute worst things you can do for your kidneys.  Smoking slows down the blood flow process to your kidneys.  If the blood flow comes to a halt, the more of a chance you have of impairing your kidneys and their functions.


• Eat nutritiously:  Eat a well-balanced diet and avoid saturated fats.  It is a good idea to eat natural protein enhanced foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean poultry and fish.  However, you do not want to go overboard with the protein as too much protein in a diet can cause kidney damage.


• Talk to your doctor:  If kidney damage and/or failure runs in your family then speak to your doctor about these concerns.  You and your doctor can come up with a great diet plan to avoid these issues, as well as receive regular urine or blood tests to check your kidneys periodically.