Forbid me, but dont do this to your kidney! 10 habits to stop

Kidneys are vital organs that remove waste from the body and control water, electrolytes and blood pressure. They play a key role in activating vitamin D and cleansing the blood.

Our lifestyle and dietary habits are what make or break our body. Here are 10 things that your kidneys absolutely hate, so you should stop doing these if you haven’t already-

1.     Less water, more problems- You’ve probably heard this multiple times now, but we will say it again. Drink. More. Water. Staying hydrated helps kidneys do what they do best, flush out toxins. So drink up!

2.     Juice cleanses- No matter what your favorite Instagram fitness influencer says, juice cleanses aren’t always the best. Celery juice cleanses are even worse, and in one case, a person immensely damaged his kidneys after juice fasting. Sticking to a healthy and nutritious diet is the easiest way to good health.

3.     Holding your pee- Unless it is unavoidable, it’s important to empty your bladder once it’s full. Unnecessary pressure on the kidneys can lead to kidney stones.

4.     Consuming a diet that is too salty or sweet- While consuming salt or sugar in moderate amounts poses no threats, a diet that is extremely sweet can cause diabetes, the number one cause of kidney problems. A salty diet leads to high blood pressure, causing kidney stones and even fibrosis.

5.     Consuming alcohol- Kidneys do the essential job of removing toxins from the body, and so too much alcohol makes the kidneys work extra hard, often causing damage.

Also Read | Here are 5 signs of kidney disease you should not ignore

6.     Sleep deprivation- Sleep is an essential part in a happy and healthy life. When you’re running on little or no sleep, your kidneys feel off-balance. This is because our kidneys coordinate with our sleep-wake cycle to work better.

7.     Processed foods- Since processed foods are high in sodium, it’s best to avoid them as much as you can.

8.     Too many painkillers- Painkillers like Aspirin alleviate pain but come with the side effect of damaging your kidneys.

9.     Smoking- Smoking increases protein levels in urine, which can damage the kidneys.

10.  Sedentary lifestyle- If you tend to sit through the day, make sure you make exercise a part of your daily routine. Exercise can improve blood pressure and glucose metabolism, thus helping your kidneys stay healthy.

Also Read | What is insulin and how did its discovery change diabetes treatment?