Protecting the Kidneys from Damage Especially if You’re Diabetic

Your kidneys work hard every day to remove waste products from your body. They also help keep your body’s chemicals in balance and help keep the amount of water in your body balanced. Sometimes, certain risk factors can put the kidneys in danger. Your kidneys can be damaged by exposure to certain drugs or toxins, for example. These toxins may be in the form of any number of harmful chemicals that include heavy metals, solvents, pharmaceutical drugs and pesticides. There are also a number of conditions that can affect the kidneys and their ability to function: heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, liver disease, lupus and sickle-cell anemia are some examples.
If you have another underlying condition, especially diabetes, there are steps that you can take to help protect your liver from damage. According to researchers, about half of those who have diabetes will develop early signs of kidney damage. Unfortunately, though, early kidney damage doesn’t’ really have any symptoms.
It’s important, if you have diabetes, to get regular tests to check your kidney function. It also makes sense to be aware of the risk of kidney damage so that you can do as much as you can to stop it from happening.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are two of the leading causes of kidney disease. If you have diabetes, you can reduce your risk of kidney damage by managing your blood-sugar levels. If you have high blood pressure, you can help protect your kidneys by getting your blood pressure to a healthy level.
There is much that you can do to help manage these two conditions, or in some cases, to prevent them. By doing so, you’ll benefit your overall health, not just your kidney function.
Control Your Blood Sugar
With the help of your doctor, make sure that you have the medication and/or resources that you need to keep your blood-sugar levels stable. Remember that there are some relatively simple things that you can do to help keep your blood-sugar levels normal and help prevent diabetes from becoming a threat to your well-being.
Here is a list to help you out.
Eat a Low-fat, High-fiber Diet
Add to that plenty of raw vegetables and fruits, including vegetable juices. This will reduce your body’s need for insulin. It will also lower the level of fats in your blood, helping you maintain a healthy weight. Fiber helps prevent blood-sugar spikes, as it is more slowly digested than simple sugars are.
Get Protein from Vegetables
Eat lots of legumes like kidney, lima and navy beans. Some grains are also high in protein. Try “quinoa,” which has the most protein of all the grains and has a pleasing texture and taste. Soy protein is also a good source — it can help keep the levels of good cholesterol high in Type 2 diabetics.
Avoid Saturated Fats
That goes for trans-fats and hydrogenated oils, too. These oils, which are usually found in fast foods, can increase your risk for getting diabetes. Instead, use healthy oils like olive, sesame, flax, pumpkin, walnut and sunflower oils. Take a walk down the oil isle in your local health-food store. You’ll be surprised at the number of varieties that are available. Give some of them a try — you might discover a new taste that you like. Just take note that some oils are better at retaining nutrients than others when heated. Other oils may be best used only for salad dressings and in baking.
Avoid Smoking
Tobacco can constrict your blood vessels and reduce your circulation. It is very important to keep your circulation healthy and robust, especially if you are already diabetic.
Avoid Sugary Drinks
One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association studied the effects of soft drinks and the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The researchers found that women who drank more than one sugar-sweetened drink a day increased their risk of getting diabetes two-fold.1
Keep Dietary Ratios Balanced
What is an ideal ratio for carbohydrates, proteins and fats? Medical experts suggest that a diet consisting of 45% carbs, 40% healthy fats and 15% protein can benefit people with insulin resistance. Others maintain that a ratio of 50% carbs, 30% fats and 20% protein is a good balance. The important thing to remember is that carbs should not make up the bulk of your diet.

Monitor Your Kidney Function
Make sure to get regular urine and blood tests to monitor your kidney function. That way, you can keep track of any small problems before they become unmanageable.
Knowing that you have signs of early kidney damage, for example, could motivate you to try some lifestyle changes that could protect your kidneys from further wear and tear.
Check Your Blood Pressure Regularly
When you check your blood pressure regularly, you are kept abreast of the health of your heart. Heart conditions and heart disease can impair the function of your kidneys. By getting your blood pressure checked regularly by your doctor, you’ll know if you are within a healthy range.
If You Smoke, Quit
Smoking taxes the kidneys. Toxins enter your body when you breathe in smoke. It’s the job of the kidneys to try to flush all of these toxins out.
If you have a heart condition or diabetes and you know that your kidneys are already in danger, you should attempt to quit smoking. There are many resources out there to help you try to break an addiction to cigarettes.
Exercise Regularly
Exercise is one of the best ways to prevent Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and many other conditions. Being overweight can be a major factor in Type 2 diabetes. In one trial, called “The Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study,” researchers proved that exercise can protect against Type 2 diabetes.
The study included 522 overweight individuals with impaired glucose tolerance who were divided into two groups. One group was a control group and the other was an intensive lifestyle intervention group, which included increased physical activity of approximately four hours a week.
The subjects in the intervention group were more likely to report changes in dietary and exercise habits than subjects in the control group were. Success in achieving exercise goals in the intervention group was 86%. The incidence of diabetes after four years in the intervention group was 11%, while it was 23% in the control group. The risk of diabetes was reduced by 58% in the intervention group — an outcome that was directly associated with exercise.2
About High Blood Pressure & Your Kidneys
The complications of high blood pressure can be quite serious. You know that high blood pressure can lead to a stroke or heart attack, but did you know that it could also cause kidney damage?
If you already have kidney disease, maintaining healthy control of your blood pressure is essential when it comes to protecting your kidneys. Find out from your doctor what your “target” blood pressure is. Monitor your blood pressure regularly, as recommended by your doctor. Many pharmacies have self-serve blood-pressure monitors or sell blood-pressure cuffs that you can use easily at home.
If you find that your blood pressure is higher than it should be, speak to your doctor. You can also try these strategies to help lower your blood pressure.
• Exercise regularly
• Follow a low-fat, low-salt diet (such as the “DASH” diet)
• Keep a healthy body weight
• Reduce the amount of alcohol that you drink
• Try to quit smoking
• Ward off kidney stones
Kidney Stones: Should You Be Concerned?
Passing a kidney stone can be a very painful experience. Aside from the pain, kidney stones also increase your risk of suffering kidney damage and urinary-tract infections. According to researchers, one in 10 Canadians will experience a kidney stone during their lifetime.
Kidney stones are usually made of a substance called “calcium oxalate,” but the stones may also be made of “uric acid” or “cystine.” There are usually four options available when you are diagnosed with a kidney stone:
1. Pass the stone when you urinate
2. Have it surgically removed
3. Have it dissolved with medication
4. Have it broken up through a special procedure using high-energy shock waves (“extra-corporeal shock wave lithotripsy” (ESWL))
The best course of treatment will depend on factors such as the type and size of the stone.
What can you do to avoid a kidney stone? Drink lots of water! Aim for at least two liters (about eight glasses) of water daily. If you are exercising, you’ll need to drink even more, as your body will lose some fluid through perspiration, and this fluid will not pass through your kidneys.
Keep a healthy body weight. Recent studies show that weight gain and obesity increase your risk of getting a kidney stone.
Consume a diet that has normal dietary amounts of calcium and is low in salt and animal protein.
If you’ve had kidney stones in the past, you may need to avoid or restrict certain foods in your diet (e.g., foods that are high in oxalate, such as organ meats or chocolate). Your doctor can advise you on this.

SIGN UP FOR THE DOCTORS HEALTH PRESS E-BULLETIN AND RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF TOP 12 BRAIN BOOSTING SUPER FOODS!

http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/subscribe/bb/index.php?sb=DHPART&affid=wd496&subid=pd1