World Kidney Day 2013: Reduce the risk of Kidney Diseases

Campaigns and physical activities are being organized today on World Kidney Day (WKD) 2013. The aim of World Kidney Day is to spread awareness among people about the importance of the kidneys, helping reduce the impact of kidney disease and encouraging preventive behaviors among people.

International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF) together organized World Kidney Day for the first time.

On this day, various kidney educative class in schools, physical activity events like walk, cycle ride and jogging are organized to keep people fit and healthy.

At present 8-10% of adult population is suffering from one or the form of kidney damage.

Cause of Kidney Diseases:

• Half of the people suffering from diabetes develop kidney damage.

• High blood pressure is the most common cause of kidney damage.

• Smoking increases the risk of Kidney Cancer by 50 % among people.

• Diabetes, hypertension and heart disease are the most common causes of CKD.

Here is how to reduce the risk of Kidney Diseases?

• Keeping oneself fit and healthy is an easy way to stay away from any types of diseases. Every person must eat healthy diets and regularly exercise to keep diseases at bay. Exercises, walking, running and cycling helps to reduce your blood pressure and thus reduces the risk of Chronic Kidney Disease.

• Reduce the salt intake. People suffering from high-blood-pressure and diabetes are asked to reduce their salt intake. It is also necessary to do so when a person is suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease.

• Say No to Fast food, junk food, restaurant food and any type of Unhealthy food that not only leads to other type of disease but also harms your kidney.

• It is very very important to drink water in excess quantity. Even if you are not thirsty drink water as it cleanses your Kidney from any toxin. A person must drink at least 1.5 to 2 litres of water per day.

• Any type of fluids like fruit juices, milk and vegetables soups helps the kidneys clear sodium, urea and toxins from the body, which reduces chronic kidney disease.

• Smoking is injurious to Kidneys as it slows down the flow of blood to the kidneys resulting in impairing their ability to function properly.

Early stages of Chronic Kidney Disease are easily cured. Further stages of CKD require a long treatment process. However in some cases when CKD goes undetectable, it eventually leads to kidney failure and only way to survive is dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Kidney diseases lead to death if not cured and hence it is necessary to take it seriously. Chronic Kidney Disease if identified at an early stage is more curable and hence people suffering from diabetes, low-blood-pressure, high-blood-pressure and hypertension must undergo systematic screening for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) from time to time.