Kidneys are organs underneath your rib cage, on both sides of the spine. The organs are essential in your body for removing wastes and extra fluids, which helps maintain a healthy balance of salts, minerals, and water in your bloodstream. However, when you have kidney failure, wastes in your bloodstream accumulate to dangerous levels, and the chemical composition of your blood becomes imbalanced. Therefore, you will require dialysis therapy for blood cleaning and filtering. Your nephrologist will determine the right Evergreen Park dialysis access for you. Your doctor may create dialysis access by relying on a central venous catheter (CVC), an AV fistula, an AV graft, or a PD catheter.
For example, an AV fistula is dialysis access that involves surgically connecting an artery and vein in your non-dominant arm or leg. The surgical procedure causes an enlarged and strengthened vein, leading to an increased flow of your blood.
You can avoid needing hemodialysis and dialysis access by keeping your kidney healthy. Consequently, below are tips that can help protect the health of your kidneys.
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Exercise regularly
Keeping yourself physically active through sports, activities, or exercises can minimize your risk of kidney disease by lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Although the function of your kidney can gradually decline as you age, still, you can maintain healthy kidneys by adhering to healthy lifestyle choices.
Mild to moderate activities you can perform include walking, swimming, cycling, skiing, gardening, doing household chores, dancing, and jogging.
Remember that strenuous physical activity and exercise can also affect your kidneys.
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Maintain healthy blood sugar
If you have diabetes, the accumulation of glucose in your bloodstream can lead to dangerous levels, destroying your kidneys.
Because your cells cannot adequately utilize the sugar in your blood, your kidneys work harder to detoxify your blood. As a result, severe kidney damage can cause a life-threatening condition.
Maintaining a healthy blood sugar level can assist in preventing or reducing kidney destruction.
Also, strive to maintain healthy blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause your blood vessels to narrow, damaging and weakening your kidneys and other organs throughout your body.
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Limit the use of some medications
Be careful when using over-the-counter pain medications. For example, research shows that prolonged use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen can harm your kidneys.
Moreover, limit your use of Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), medications that reduce the amount of stomach acid created by glands lining the stomach.PPIs can treat GERD, peptic ulcers, and H. pylori.
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Eat healthy diets
Healthy food choices that can promote the health of your kidney and general health include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Some types of whole grains you can consume are oats and brown rice.
Also, stay hydrated, stop smoking and using tobacco products, and lower your consumption of salt and added sugars. Use spices instead of salt when you are cooking.
Contact Vascular Specialists today to schedule an appointment with a dialysis access specialist.
