How Healthy Are Your Kidneys?
Here's what you need to know about your kidney health
Publisher's note: We're all totally into reading and writing, but it's important to up our health awareness. Today's guest writer, María Nieves Campistrús, is a nephrologist in Uruguay who travels the world with her husband and still keeps an eye on healthy living. She offers crucial advice for all of us to consider.
As a nephrologist, I have treated chronic kidney disease patients in their various stages for over 35 years. In Uruguay, we have learned the benefits of caring for these patients as early as possible. Given the serious consequences of chronic kidney disease progression, it's crucial to initiate treatment early and appropriately. Maximizing opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment at the primary care level is key to preventing the disease from advancing.
Let me share one such experience with you.
“Good morning, Doctor, I came to see you because I was diagnosed with chronic renal disease,” said Antonio when we met years ago. He was a robust 62-year-old carpenter.
With his somewhat trembling voice, he added: “I have high blood pressure, like everyone else in my family, and my creatinine level has increased. That’s why my doctor sent me to you.”
“I realize that I’m going to end up on dialysis, like my mother,” he said with his eyes visibly wet.
Then I remembered his mother; I had treated her in the same institution many years before. She had suffered greatly in her last months.
I responded: “I understand your concerns, but things are different now. We have better knowledge of the disease and its evolution and access to new drugs to reduce its progression. You and I will work together to stabilize your condition for as long as possible. You will see that it is possible! We´ll need your wife´s help”.
Eight years later, before I retired, Antonio and his wife came to say goodbye. They were returning from a trip to Spain to visit his ancestor's town. Both in their 70s and happy, they had followed a healthier diet, using very little added salt, and Antonio had to take only a daily pill to control his arterial pressure. His creatinine level had increased slightly, but it did not pose any risk.
Detect early and protect kidney health
(This chapter is written with the support of https://www.worldkidneyday.org/2025-campaign/ and my attachments.)
World Kidney Day is a global campaign to raise awareness of the importance of kidneys, including preventive behaviors, risk factors, and how to live with kidney disease.
Since its inception in 2006, World Kidney Day has been a global campaign, returning every March to raise awareness of the importance of kidneys. This initiative, led by the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations, aims to extend kidney health awareness to all corners of the world.
The kidneys are genuinely remarkable organs, performing a multitude of essential tasks to keep us healthy.
The kidneys remove toxins and excess water from the blood. They also help control blood pressure, produce red blood cells, and keep bones healthy.
The kidneys control bloodstream levels of many minerals and molecules, including sodium and potassium, and help control blood acidity. They carefully control the salt and water in the body to maintain blood pressure.
To do this, your kidneys filter the entire blood supply around 400 times daily.
Control how your kidneys function! All patients with diabetes and hypertension must be systematically screened for chronic kidney disease.
What is Chronic Kidney Disease?
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the progressive loss of kidney function over months or years. Even though it is extremely common, with 1 in 10 adults having some form of kidney damage, it's also largely preventable.
CKD is estimated to affect approximately 850 million people worldwide[1]. However, if detected early and treated timely, CKD can be managed effectively, preventing it from progressing to kidney failure and severe complications.
Main facts to remember:
CKD is a silent disease. People with CKD have no signs or symptoms until the late stage of the disease.
CKD usually does not go away. Instead, it progresses unless early treatment to slow or halt the disease is ensured.
CKD can progress to kidney failure — a condition when kidneys cannot maintain their function anymore, posing a life-threatening risk.
CKD increases the risk of premature death from associated cardiovascular disease.
CKD is more common among specific age and ethnic groups due in part to high rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.
What can you do for your kidneys?
There are several ways to reduce the risk of developing kidney disease, and many of them involve simple lifestyle changes that can make a big difference.
Here are the Eight Golden Rules
Stay fit and active. This can help maintain an ideal body weight, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of chronic kidney disease.
Eat a healthy diet. This can help you maintain an ideal body weight, reduce your blood pressure, and prevent diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions associated with Chronic Kidney Disease.
Reduce your salt intake. Limit processed and restaurant food, and do not add salt to it. Preparing food with fresh ingredients will make it easier to control your salt intake.Check and control your blood sugar. About half of people with diabetes do not know they have it. Therefore, you must check your blood sugar level for your general body checkup. This is especially important for those approaching middle age or older. About half of people with diabetes develop kidney damage, but this can be prevented or limited if the diabetes is well controlled. Check your kidney function regularly with blood and urine tests.
Check and control your blood pressure. About half of people with high blood pressure do not know they have it. Therefore, you should check your blood pressure for your general body checkup. This is especially important for those approaching middle age or older. High blood pressure can damage your kidneys, especially associated with other factors like diabetes, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases. Effective blood pressure control can reduce the risk. If your blood pressure is persistently elevated, you should consult your doctor to discuss the risks, the need for lifestyle modification, and medication treatment.
Ensure an appropriate fluid intake. The right level of fluid intake for any individual depends on many factors, including exercise, climate, health conditions, age, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. Normally, this means 8 cups, or approximately 2 liters (quarts) per day, for a healthy person in a comfortable climate.
If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease, your fluid intake may also need to be adjusted. Consult your doctor about the appropriate fluid intake for your condition.Don’t smoke. Smoking slows the flow of blood to the kidneys. When less blood reaches the kidneys, it can decrease their ability to function normally. Smoking also increases the risk of kidney cancer by about 50 percent.
Don’t take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory/painkiller pills regularly.
Common drugs such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS)/painkillers (e.g., drugs like ibuprofen) can harm the kidneys if taken regularly. If you have kidney disease or decreased kidney function, taking just a few doses can damage your kidneys. If in doubt, check with your doctor or pharmacist.Get your kidney function checked if you have one or more of the ‘high risk’ factors:
you have diabetes
you have hypertension
you are obese
you have a family history of kidney disease.
Remember: Kidneys work quietly, so they get sick in silence
This year, World Kidney Day is March 13. However, we must maintain our health throughout the year.
Remember, the kidneys are as important as the heart, liver, and other vital organs. As people over 60, our health and quality of life depend on our current behavior and preventive screening.
I will very much appreciate your comments and questions. I am at your disposal.
PS. If you enjoy this post, please share it with your friends. You will help them recognize simple ways to improve their health and future quality of life. Thank you.
Find Maria on Medium, writing delightful stories about her travels with her husband. At Substack, she is @marianievescampistrus.
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Thank you, Susan. I hope this article reaches many people who can benefit from the information provided. I understand that it can be challenging to follow all the advice, and I don't always succeed. However, I believe that making the effort is worthwhile, and it can become a habit over time.
This is such an interesting and important post that could significantly improve our health. With a graduate degree in Human Anatomy—and several physiology courses along the way—I can attest to Dr. Campistrus's assertion about what a remarkable function our kidneys play. Yet, for the most part, they work invisibly on our behalf all day every day. The great thing about the list of healthy practices she listed is that they will promote health in many other ways too.