Chronic Kidney Disease Lifestyle Tips

“Your kidneys filter 200 liters (53 gallons) of fluid per day. Show them some love” – National Kidney Foundation

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing global health concern, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. According to the National Centre for Health Statistics, CKD is responsible for 17.4 deaths over 100,000 worldwide. Talk about a real downer, right? But here’s the good news: with the right lifestyle changes, we can slow down the progression of CKD before it spirals out of control. 

What are some lifestyle tips for managing CKD?

• Drink Water: Water helps your kidneys filter waste from your blood, much like regularly taking out the trash keeps your house clean. While the classic advice is to drink eight glasses a day, your actual need depends on factors like exercise, environment, overall health, and pregnancy or breastfeeding. You may need more water if you sweat a lot, live in a hot or high-altitude area, or have health conditions like infections, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or kidney stones. According to the Mayo Clinic, you’re drinking enough water if you don’t feel thirsty and your pee is light or colorless. To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water with each meal, between meals, before, during, and after exercise, and whenever you feel thirsty.
• Eat Healthy Foods: Eating fruits, veggies, and whole grains gives your body the right nutrients. This keeps your kidneys from getting overloaded with the bad stuff. Now, what does ‘bad stuff’ here include? Think of sugary cakes, biscuits, fried burger patties, syrup-soaked churros… and well, you get the picture! This is because all these fatty, greasy foods can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and promote obesity, both of which are major risk factors for CKD. Check out our 2-part series for some simple healthy meal ideas – https://community.wholistics.health/let-food-be-thy-medicine-what-i-eat-part-1/ and  https://community.wholistics.health/what-i-eat-part-2/

Chrysohoou et al. (2010) investigated the link between the Mediterranean diet and kidney function by studying over 3,000 men and women from Greece, aged 18 to 89. They measured blood levels of waste products filtered by the kidneys, and calculated the clearance rate, which indicates how quickly kidneys filter blood. Moreover, they also looked at how closely the people in the study were following the Mediterranean diet.

The results showed that individuals who closely followed the Mediterranean diet had higher clearance rates, indicating better kidney function, and lower levels of waste in their blood, suggesting more efficient waste removal. This study showed that sticking to the Mediterranean diet can enhance kidney function.

• Exercise Regularly: Exercise helps your heart pump blood better, which makes it easier for your kidneys to filter out waste. Imagine your heart and kidneys as a team working together to keep your body clean and strong. Exercise also helps control blood pressure, preventing high blood pressure from worsening kidney problems. Additionally, exercise helps manage blood sugar levels, which is crucial, especially for people with diabetes, as too much sugar in the blood can harm the kidneys. By reducing weight, exercise eases the burden on the kidneys, helping them function more effectively. Moreover, exercise improves mood and energy levels by releasing feel-good chemicals called endorphins in the brain, making it easier to handle health challenges.

You don’t have to run a marathon to help your kidneys; simple activities can make a big difference! Walking, biking, swimming, and dancing are all excellent forms of exercise. Even taking a stroll around your neighborhood or dancing in your living room can be beneficial. Interestingly, even yoga can play an important role in improving your kidney health! Pandey et al (2017) studied the effects of a 6-month yoga program on 54 patients with CKD. The patients were divided into two groups – the ‘yoga group’ and the ‘control group.’ The patients in the yoga group did specific yoga poses (called ‘asanas’) for at least 5 days a week, for 40-60 minutes each day. The researchers kept track of the patient’s blood pressure, how well their kidneys were working, and their quality of life. The results showed that in the yoga group, there was a significant drop in blood pressure. The levels of waste products in their blood, like urea and creatinine, also went down a lot. Moreover, their physical and mental well-being also improved. However, in the control group, the opposite happened – their blood pressure went up, their kidney function got worse, and their quality of life went down.

Overall, the researchers concluded that the 6-month yoga program was safe and very helpful for patients with CKD. So, what are you waiting for? Roll out that mat and let yoga transform your life today! Check out our previous blog on the science of yoga.

• Don’t Smoke: Smoking can damage your kidneys by making it harder for blood to flow through them. It is like clogging the pipes in your house, making it hard for water to flow. It should be particularly avoided if you have high blood pressure. This is because the chemicals in smoke can affect the way the medications work. According to the National Kidney Foundation, high blood pressure is one of the leading causes of kidney disease. Check out our blog on how you can quit.

Conclusion

CKD is a serious and growing health concern, but we can significantly improve our kidney health through simple lifestyle changes. Our kidneys, like well-oiled machines, rely on us for optimal functioning. Drinking enough water helps our kidneys efficiently filter waste. A balanced diet of healthy, whole foods supports our kidneys and regular exercise improves blood flow, reducing strain on these organs. Last but not least, if you’re a smoker, toss that cigarette or vape pen!

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive.” – Maya Angelou