10 Common Bad Habits That Cause Kidney Failure

(Photo: Kidney disease hospital in China)

This post is in memory of the late Nollywood actor, Muna Obiekwe. May
his soul rest in peace.

1. Delayed emptying of your bladder-Retaining urine in your bladder
for a long time on a daily basis when pressed is a very bad idea.
Long-term full bladder is easy to cause the bladder damage. That the
urine stays at bladder for a long time can cause the bacteria breeding
easily, once the urine refluxes back to ureter and kidneys, the toxic
substance cam result in the kidney infections, then urinary tract
infection, and then nephritis, even Uremia. So when nature calls,
answer it without delay.

2. Consuming too much salt- No more than 5.8 grams of salt should be
eaten daily, so take it easy with that salt shaker.

3. Consuming too much meat- According to Harvard University, too much
protein in your diet can harm the kidneys. The by product of protein
digestion is
ammonia - a toxin your hard-working kidneys need to neutralize. More
protein means more effort for the kidneys, which can, over time, lead
to decreased function.

4. Consuming too much caffeine- We often consume more caffeine than we
think we do. Caffeine is in many soft drinks and sodas, and before you
know it, your blood pressure goes through the roof and your kidneys
start complaining. Take it easy on the likes of Fanta, Coke, 7Up,
Fayrouz, etc

5. Not drinking enough water- Our kidneys need to get properly
hydrated to perform their functions. If we don't drink enough, the
toxins can start accumulating in the blood, as there isn't enough
fluid
to drain them through the kidneys. Drink about 12 glasses of water a
day. An easy way to see if you're drinking enough is to check the
colour of your urine. The lighter in colour, the better.

6. Improper and untimely treatment of infections- Treat infections
properly and on time and complete medication dosage.

7. Pain-killer abuse- Taking excessive amounts of analgesics to relive
pain is a no no!

8. Too much alcohol consumption- The toxins found in alcohol not only
damage the liver, but also your kidneys. According to Kidney Health
Australia and American Kidney Fund, one way to avoid kidney disease is
to drink alcohol in moderation.

9. Smoking-Smoking has been linked to arthrosclerosis. The narrowing
and hardening of blood vessels affects the blood supply to all vital
organs, including the kidneys. According to the study published in
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, two cigarettes a day are
enough to double the number of endothelial cells present in your
blood. This is a signal of arterial damage. Clinical Journal of the
American Society of Nephrology cites many
different studies conducted since 2003 which all link smoking to
decreased kidney function.

10. Lack of exercise- Exercise is another good way to protect your
kidneys. A large study published in 2013 in the Journal of the
American Society of Nephrology suggested that postmenopausal women who
exercised had 31% lower risk of developing kidney stones. Generally
speaking, maintaining a healthy weight will reduce your chances of
kidney stones, so get moving.
--kidney- support.org