World Kidney Day is on 14th March 2013!

On this occasion, let us all take a pledge to take small, simple steps to protect our kidneys. It really isn’t that difficult. The trouble is it is really important. Here are some simple things you can do to protect your kidneys:

– Keep your blood sugar and blood pressure under control: Diabetes and Hypertension are the leading causes of kidney disease. It is very important to keep these under control.

– Stay fit – do some exercise regularly. We tend to get so caught up in our work that we keep postponing this. Remember, all you need is 30 minutes. Can’t we even pull out 30 minutes from our work for exercise? Especially if it going to give us many healthy years?

– Drink only moderately if you must. Never binge. Never overdo it.

– Don’t smoke. No concessions here. There are absolutely no benefits. Only very disastrous consequences.

– Drink plenty of water – the elixir of life! Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Make a plan to reach this goal. Don’t leave it open ended. Measure out the quantity in a bottle and make sure you finish it.

– Don’t self-medicate – Painkillers and antibiotics must be taken with extreme caution. This year’s World Kidney Day focus is Acute Kidney Injury, one of the causes of which is this. They might give you relief but the long term consequences are dangerous.

– Get a medical check-up regularly – especially if you are at risk. Once a year, a complete medical check up can’t be that big a problem, right?

Simple things like these can give you complete peace of mind when it comes to your kidneys. Your kidneys are at work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, doing things for you that you aren’t even aware of. You owe them a little effort!

Happy World Kidney Day!