What Can I Do to Optimize My Kidney Health?

Are you wondering why you should worry about optimizing your kidney health when you feel fine? Here’s why.

One in seven adults develops chronic kidney disease, and once it develops, it can’t be cured or reversed. Your odds are dramatically higher if you’re African American.

Compared to other races, Black people have a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure (the primary causes of kidney disease) and progressing to kidney failure. 

Optimizing your kidney health can prevent chronic kidney disease and slow kidney damage after the disease develops.

As a kidney specialist serving the Detroit community, Deon Middlebrook, MD, is dedicated to helping people prevent kidney disease, recommending lifestyle changes that promote kidney health and support your well-being. Let’s explore the steps you can take to stay healthy.

Prevent kidney disease causes

The top two causes of kidney disease are Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood sugar permanently damages the blood vessels your kidneys use to filter blood (removing wastes and excess fluids). Hypertension decreases the blood supply to your kidneys by injuring the arteries.

Like kidney disease, both conditions are incurable once they develop, but they’re highly preventable. Avoiding them keeps your kidneys healthy.

The following recommendations will help you prevent Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease.

Lose weight

Being overweight or obese is the primary cause of Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Carrying extra weight also puts extra stress on your kidneys, increasing the risk of damaging the organ’s delicate structures.

After kidney disease develops, excess weight accelerates kidney damage, bringing on kidney failure faster.

Losing weight depends on limiting calories and increasing exercise, but there’s nothing easy about reaching your healthy weight and keeping the weight off.

Most people who are overweight have hormonal and nutritional imbalances that sabotage their efforts. If you struggle with weight, connect with us, and we’ll help.

Follow a healthy diet

The foods you eat can support your health or contribute to disease. Consuming excessive salt raises your blood pressure, while eating more potassium-rich fruits and vegetables lowers it. A diet packed with unhealthy fats, refined carbohydrates, and sugar contributes to Type 2 diabetes. 

Eating a balanced diet of whole grains, lean protein, beans, nuts, fruits, and vegetables helps prevent Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

The quality of your diet is more important if you’re cutting calories because limiting the amount you eat makes it harder to get enough nutrients.

If chronic kidney disease develops, your diet is a crucial part of your treatment. We work with you to create a customized kidney-friendly eating plan that reduces the stress on your kidneys and slows kidney damage.

Stay active

Regular exercise reduces blood sugar, lowers blood pressure, and helps you reach and maintain your healthy weight. Beyond that, exercise helps you sleep better, eases anxiety and depression, and boosts your heart health.

Exercise doesn’t need to be vigorous and shouldn’t be boring. The key is getting consistent exercise, and the best way to do that is by choosing an activity you enjoy. You might want to take a daily walk with friends, stream music and dance, or go swimming.

Stop smoking

Whether you smoke or live in a household where you breathe second-hand smoke, the chemicals you inhale damage your blood vessels. The damage makes it easy for cholesterol to stick to the artery walls, block the arteries, and cause hypertension and kidney disease.

Schedule a kidney disease risk assessment

You don’t need to figure out how to optimize kidney health alone. We often schedule preventive appointments to assess your risk and help you create a plan that fits your lifestyle and protects your kidney health.

Call our office, Deon D. Middlebrook MDPC, today or request an appointment online to learn more about optimizing your health.