Chronic diseases love hanging out together, and it is why if you have hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, you may also already have chronic kidney disease. More than 35.5. million people, or 1 in 7 Americans, have chronic disease, and that number is growing. The bad thing is that many people will not know they have a chronic kidney condition until a health event causes the kidneys to slow their function or stop working altogether. The two most significant risk factors are high blood sugar and blood pressure. 

 

Pay close attention to your health to lower your risk factors for chronic kidney disease. For example, if you have diabetes, get your blood sugar checked regularly and take the medications you are prescribed to keep it under control.  

Work with your healthcare provider on a plan to keep your blood pressure under control. Your plan could be a combination of medicine, diet, and exercise. 

Make sure to also: 

  • Stop or do not start smoking. 
  • Be careful in your use of over-the-counter medications like Ibuprofen and Naproxen and any other pain relievers called NSAIDs. 
  • Stay hydrated with water, especially if you are a coach, a construction worker, or a landscaper working for long periods in the heat. 

Acute kidney injury signs may include: 

Too little urine leaving the body 

Swelling in the legs, ankles, and around the eyes 

Fatigue or tiredness 

Shortness of breath 

Confusion 

Nausea  

Seizures or coma in severe cases 

Chest pain or pressure (https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/AcuteKidneyInjury) 

 

Chronic damage may show up as: 

Foamy urine, urinating (peeing) more often or less often than usual 

Itchy and/or dry skin, breath smelling fishy or like ammonia 

Difficulty sleeping, feeling tired, achy, or having muscles cramping 

Nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss without trying to lose weight https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/about-chronic-kidney-disease 

Our everyday habits are important because everything we do for good health comes back to the simple steps of eating well, exercising, and making healthy lifestyle choices.