Kidneys are one of the sensitive organs of the body that is vital for life and complications arising in this organ can pose serious health risks.
When there is a rise in blood sugar levels due to diabetes the blood vessels and nephrons in the kidneys gets damaged due to which the functioning of the kidney gets hampered.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
With the primary function of the kidney i.e. the ability to remove waste products and extra fluid from the body getting hampered, there is a high chance of kidney failure.
To keep the kidneys in good health, it is necessary for people with diabetes to follow these five effortless steps regularly-
1. Strict blood sugar control
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The first step that people with diabetes must religiously follow to boost kidney health is to keep the blood sugar levels in their target range as much as possible. Consult your doctor for the right kind of diet and exercise. With the appropriate forms of exercise and diet along with the consumption of medicines regularly without being forgetful can really a long way in keeping your blood sugar levels in control thereby improving your overall health. Meanwhile, don’t forget to go for periodic home monitoring of blood sugar levels so that you can know about the health conditions that you are currently facing.
2. Monitoring of blood pressure.
High blood pressure can also lead to kidney damage. People with high blood pressure should also take care to monitor their health with the right kind of lifestyle changes. According to the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC), diabetic patients should always try to keep their Blood Pressure (BP) levels below 140/90 mm/Hg (or the target your doctor sets). Apart from staying away from sugar, people with diabetes should eat food products with lower amount of sodium or keep their salt intake levels as minimum as possible.
3. Abstaining from tobacco and alcohol
People with diabetes should stay away from tobacco completely because it poses serious health hazards for kidneys. Meanwhile, it is also better to stop the consumption of alcohol as heavy drinking can cause acute kidney failure. Heavy drinking is defined by the US- CDC as 15 or more drinks a week for a man and 8 or more drinks in a week for a woman.
4. Making the necessary lifestyle changes
Besides abstaining sugary products, healthcare experts recommends regular exercise, low salt intake (<2 g/day) and weight management as the best remedy for boosting kidney health for diabetic patients. Meanwhile, low protein intake in case of existing kidney disease and avoiding junk foods are also recommended.
5. Regular health checkup
People with diabetes must never hesitate from visiting the doctor for regular health checkups at the proper time period or whenever they are called. Meanwhile, late visits to the doctor should never be done to keep your health in a good condition. It is always recommended that diabetic patients must visit the doctor immediately whenever there is an alarming rise in blood sugar levels. The best kind of healthcare advise can only be provided by your doctor.