How to keep your kidneys healthy

1. Don't overdo certain medications.

NSAIDs, including ibuprofen and naproxen, are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. When you take too many at once or take them too often, they will hurt your kidneys. And long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for an ulcer or GERD can increase your chances of chronic kidney disease. Only if your doctor says you need them, you can take them.

2. Be careful with antibiotics.

If you use them too often, these bacteria-fighting medicines will harm your kidneys. It can happen even if you're perfectly healthy, but if your kidneys don't work as well as they should, it's more serious. Other forms are more likely to cause problems, such as penicillin, sulfonamides, and cephalosporins.

3. Avoid supplements with herbs.

Supplement producers are not required to prove that their products are safe, and some may harm your kidneys. If you have kidney disease, these can be particularly harmful because they can make the condition worse or change how certain medications function. Talk to your doctor about herbal supplements before you try.

4. Eat Healthily.

The kidneys absorb whatever you eat or drink, even whatever is bad for you, such as lots of fat, salt, and sugar. A bad diet can lead to high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and other conditions on your kidneys over time. A healthy diet has lots of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, and few processed foods.

5. Watch Your Salt.

The mineral has various effects on people. For some, the amount of protein in their urine seems to be increasing. If you already have it, it can damage your kidneys or make kidney disease worse. Your risk of high blood pressure, a common cause of kidney disease, and kidney stones are also increased by lots of salt, which can be very unpleasant and can cause damage without treatment.

6. Drink Enough Water.

Water helps your kidneys get important nutrients and transfer waste in the form of urine into your bladder. If you don't drink enough, you can avoid the tiny filters within your kidneys and lead to stones and infections in your kidneys. If it happens frequently enough, even mild dehydration can damage your kidneys. Four to six cups a day are usually okay, but if you're sick or out in the heat, you might need more.

7. Exercise.

It helps to prevent diseases such as diabetes and heart disease that can lead to kidney damage just like a healthy diet. But don't attempt to go in a day from couch potato to gym rat. If you're not ready for it, too much exercise can also hurt your kidneys. Work your way up to at least five days a week for 30 to 60 minutes. If you haven't done it in a while, start slowly, and first check with your doctor if you have health problems.

8. Get Screened.

Knowing your risk of kidney disease is important. You or close relatives are more likely to have heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or a history of kidney failure in the family. In these cases, as part of your regular check-up, your doctor may suggest specific kidney tests. The sooner you catch it, the easier it is to treat it and even stop it at times.

9. Be Careful with Alcohol.

If you're healthy, a drink or two is unlikely to hurt your kidneys. But binge drinking (having more than four drinks in less than two hours) can cause sudden, serious damage and possibly lead to long-term problems. And alcohol can often dehydrate you, which can keep your kidneys from working well and lead to weight gain, liver disease, high blood pressure, and other conditions that put more stress on your kidneys.

10. Quitting Tobacco.

Smoking increases your risk of kidney cancer and damages the blood vessels that affect your kidneys by slowing blood flow to them. In addition, smoking may affect certain drugs that treat high blood pressure. This is serious, as uncontrolled high blood pressure is the leading cause of kidney disease.

11. Manage health issues.

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two most common conditions that affect the kidneys. Balanced diet and regular exercise will help you keep both under control. For diabetes, it is also important to keep a close eye on your blood sugar and take insulin when you need it. Check your numbers regularly for high blood pressure and take all medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor.