Did you know your kidneys can work with just 20% of their capacity? That's why kidney diseases and conditions are “silent diseases.” Damage to your kidneys can go unnoticed for years.
Unfortunately, certain habits can lead to conditions that affect our kidneys, so it's important to learn what those habits are to avoid any of those “silent diseases.”
9 Habits that You Should Avoid to Prevent Damage to Your Kidneys
1. Painkillers 
Frequent use of painkillers can cause liver and kidney damage. To avoid injury, never use more than the prescribed dose.
2. Not drinking enough water
Not drinking enough water makes it hard to remove salt from your body. It can cause kidney stones and kidney failure. Drink enough water to flush out toxins and excess sodium from the kidneys.
3. Using too much salt
Adding too much salt in your cooking can harm your kidneys. It also increases your blood pressure, which can hurt your kidneys. Include plenty of herbs and spices in place of salt to add flavor to your food.
4. Smoking 
Smoking hurts your lungs, as well as your kidneys. The habit causes an increase in blood pressure, and uncontrolled blood pressure can affect kidney function and lead to severe damage. Smoking also slows blood flow to vital organs like kidneys, which lowers their ability to work well.
5. Alcohol abuse
Too much alcohol can stress your liver and kidneys alike. With heavy drinking, blood flow to the kidneys slow, which can change the filtration rate.
6. Low physical activity
Regular physical activity helps improve blood pressure and glucose metabolism. These two factors are key in improving kidney function.
7. Poor sleep habits
Your kidney function is also affected by the sleep-wake cycle. It coordinates the kidneys' ability to breakdown nutrients during the day and night. Chronic sleep deprivation impairs this function.
8. Refined foods
High intake of refined foods and sugar increases body weight. It can raise blood pressure and sugar levels, increasing the risk of kidney diseases. Avoid sneaky sources of processed foods like breakfast cereals and packaged foods.
9. Ignoring bathroom breaks
A full bladder increases urine pressure, which can hurt kidneys and lead to infections. Listen to your body and take bathroom breaks as needed.
Other things to keep in mind:
- If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, get regular checks for kidney function.
- Same applies if you take pain medications for chronic conditions like arthritis or pain.
- Too much intake of vitamins or herbal supplements may hurt your kidneys. Be watchful of such supplements.
Take charge of your health. Reduce the risk of diseases by eating healthy food and exercising on a regular basis.
TweetMany of us don't think about our kidneys on a daily basis, but just by changing these habits, you can take some steps to improve your kidney health.
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Yours in health and happiness,
Danette
P.S. Please share this with your friends and I want to hear from you too. Leave a comment below. Have you ever thought about the health of your kidneys?
