Take care of your kidneys
The body is made of many parts which play different and important roles to keep us healthy.
Today, we would look at kidneys because World Kidney Day was celebrated on March 12 to raise awareness of the importance of kidneys to our overall health.
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This year’s theme is: Kidney health for everyone everywhere – from prevention to detection and equitable access to care.
It is estimated that kidney disease currently affects about 850 million people worldwide.
Children are also at risk of kidney disease and it is, therefore, crucial to encourage education, early detection and healthy lifestyle in young people.
Kidneys and what they do
Most people have two kidneys. The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs and each kidney is about the size of a fist. They are located deep in the abdomen, beneath the rib cage.
Some people have described kidneys as washing machines for the blood in the body. This is because kidneys filter the blood and take out all the waste in the blood.
The kidneys send the waste onto the bladder in the form of urine.
Your kidneys:
* Make urine.
* Remove wastes and extra fluid from your blood.
* Control your body’s chemical balance.
• Help control your blood pressure.
• Help keep your bones healthy.
• Help you make red blood cells.
Causes of kidney disease in children
Kidney disease in children can be caused by:
• birth defects
• hereditary diseases
• infection
• nephrotic syndrome (a collection of symptoms that indicate kidney damage)
• systemic diseases (diseases such as systemic lupus and diabetes involve many organs or the whole body, including the kidneys)
• trauma (such as burns, dehydration, bleeding, injury, or surgery)
• urine blockage or reflux
Protect your kidneys
Here are a few rules to help you protect your kidneys from an early age:
Be active - Regular exercise and physical activity can help you feel better, and improve and maintain their health. Physical activity helps keep many parts of the body healthy, including bones, muscles, heart and kidneys
Eat healthy – Having a healthy diet will help you maintain an ideal body weight, reduce your blood pressure, prevent diabetes, heart disease and other conditions associated with chronic kidney disease.
Reduce sugar and salt – Young people love to add a lot of sugar and salt to their foods. But it is important to reduce the intake of sugar such as cutting down on sugary drinks, juices and snacks.
Too much sugar can increase the risk of diabetes as you grow older. High blood sugar can also put a strain on your kidneys. To reduce your salt intake, try and limit the amount of processed foods and salty snacks and do not add salt to food.
It will be easier to control the salt intake of children, if parents prepared food with fresh ingredients for the family.
Do not self medicate – Overusing some medications could be harmful to your kidneys so it is important to seek advice before you take any medicine.
Regular checkup – Parents should take their children for regular check ups.
Young people should also report any unusual symptoms such as feeling tired, difficulty sleeping, trouble concentrating, poor appetite, issues with urinating, swollen feet and ankles, and/or puffiness around their eyes for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.