To keep your kidney healthy

World Kidney Day 2014: 5 expert tips to keep your kidneys healthy    For several years, kidney disease was thought to be rare. But today owing to modernisation and unhealthy lifestyle, people are silently suffering from kidney disease. It is important for you to realise that you are responsible for the condition of your kidneys. The more you increase the load on them, the faster they will deteriorate. In this article, we highlight some simple yet effective ways that can help you to minimize stress on kidneys and protect them with inputs from our experts Dr Deepa Jayaram, consultant in nephrology and renal transplantology and Dr Salil Jain, senior consultant, Nephrology and Renal Transplant, FMRI. Be physically active and eat right: ‘Maintaining an active lifestyle in order to control weight is one the golden rules to prevent kidney disease,’ says Dr Jayaram. There is a well-established relationship between obesity and kidney disease. A study has shown that obesity or being overweight almost doubles your chances of developing kidney problems. Regular exercise will not only keep you physically fit but will also act as a preventive measure against kidney disease. Exercising should be coupled with eating the right food and controlling portion size. Control diabetes and BP: Several cases of kidney disease as a secondary illness are now becoming evident. People with diabetes and hypertension should therefore be extra careful about their health. Both experts highlight that controlling blood sugar levels by adhering to prescribed medications and making lifestyle changes can be the key to keep kidney disease at bay. ‘Keep your blood pressure at the target set by your health care provider. This can delay or prevent kidney failure,’ Dr Jain explains. Cut down salt intake: Avoiding excessive salt in the diet is also important because salt increases blood pressure which directly affects kidney health. ‘With increased salt, the volume status of your kidneys will rise which will put further strain on them,’ says Dr Jayaram. Quit smoking: Tobacco accelerates deterioration of kidney function. People who smoke also have a higher risk of developing heart disease, which then contributes to reduction in kidney function. Take up regular screening: ’There is a need to encourage systematic screening for CKD in all patients with diabetes and hypertension,’ says Dr Jain. Diabetes and hypertension are the leading contributors of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and therefore people with high blood sugar and uncontrolled BP have a higher risk of developing CKD. ‘Kidney disease is asymotmatic (symptomless), so people should take charge of their kidneys and get them screened regularly. Especially people who are obese, smoke a lot, have a family history of kidney disease should take up annual screening. This will help you to take corrective measures right at an early stage,