How staying hydrated can keep your kidneys healthy?
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- July 21, 2020
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- Updated: 2020/09/21
In the present world, kidney diseases are one of the most common ailments faced by people. It affects approximately 10% of people worldwide. Though the data for the total number of people affected in India is not clear and handy, according to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD), chronic kidney disease is the eighth leading cause of death in India.
Kidney diseases are also known as silent killers. These are majorly caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits such as eating habits, high blood pressure, smoking, and family history of kidney diseases.
One of the easiest ways to keep kidneys healthy is by drinking enough water and adapting to a healthy lifestyle. This is because the water helps kidneys to remove wastes from the blood in the form of urine. By keeping our body hydrated, the body opens up the blood vessels, which helps the blood to travel freely to the kidneys and also deliver essential nutrients. When the body is dehydrated, it becomes difficult for the kidneys to remove waste and makes it very difficult for the delivery system to work. Even mild dehydration can make you tired and impair the body’s functioning. Severe dehydration may lead to kidney damage, which is why it is very important to drink enough water, especially if someone lives in warm and humid areas.
Symptoms of Kidney Disease:
If kidney disease is detected at the initial stage it can help in avoiding damage. Some common symptoms of kidney disease are:
Sleeplessness – The impurities present in the blood when your kidneys fail to function properly making it difficult to sleep
Skin problems – Kidneys don’t generate the right amount of minerals resulting in dry and itchy skin
Swollen feet and ankles – Kidney malfunction leads to sodium retention resulting in swollen ankles and feet.
Loss of appetite – Toxin build-up reduces kidney function and lack of appetite.
Though kidney transplant prices in India are comparatively cheaper than other countries, But it is always advised to take the symptoms seriously and get it diagnosed at an early stage.
Here are some points about how drinking water can help the kidneys:
1. Prevents Kidney Stones and UTI:
These are the two most common medical conditions that can have an adverse effect on kidneys. When the body is dehydrated, crystals stick together and form kidney stones. Water prevents the crystals from accumulating easily and keeps the body safe from kidney stones. Besides, hydration also helps in dissolving the antibiotics that treat UTI. When the body is well hydrated, it becomes easy to flush out infection caused by bacteria.
2. Eight glasses of water are good but should not be the benchmark:
There is a common myth that most people believe in: they need to drink eight glasses of water in a day. The actual truth is there is no hard and fast rule that one must drink 8 glasses of water. The right amount of water required by the body to keep it dehydrated depends on the number of factors, such as climate conditions, physical activities, and the bodyweight of individual
3. Drinking too much water is also not good for kidney health:
Specifically for endurance athletes such as marathon runners, it is always advised not to drink excessive amounts of water. They may assume to drink extra amounts of water, which can dilute the sodium level in the blood. But this might cause, a dangerous condition which is known as hyponatremia or water retention.
4. Water cleanses the body, and keeps it toxin-free:
Every day, the body takes in toxins from food, beverages, air, and other environmental contaminants. These toxins cause physical imbalances, which makes the body feel fatigued and strange. Drinking water cleanses the body by helping organs like the kidneys filter waste from your blood and disposes of it. The more water you drink, the more toxins your body releases inside and out. This, in turn, makes your body feel energized and refreshed.
5. Treats different illness:
Keeping the body hydrated also helps in treating many illnesses. When a person is sick, it is vital to continue drinking liquids. The body is working hard to fight off viruses or bacteria that enter the body, so drinking enough liquids can help the person recover faster. Common health issues that hydration helps combat include headaches, kidney stones, colds, flu, and seizures.
6. Increases energy and brain function
Based on research studies, it shows hydration plays a very crucial role in how well the brain functions. Mild dehydration, ranging from 1%-3% water loss, causes issues with mood, concentration, headaches, memory, fatigue, anxiety, and overall brain performance for people of all ages. Everyday activities can cause water loss, so many doctors recommend carrying a water bottle everywhere you go and starting your day with eight to 12 ounces of water.
