wednesday

March is National Kidney Month, a great time to remind us of the importance of these two, fist-sized organs that are so vital to our health.

Here are some resources from the National Kidney Foundation that can help you keep your kidneys healthy:

Kidneys are important because they:

  • Filter blood
  • Keep the right amount of fluids in the body
  • Help make red blood cells
  • Help keep blood pressure under control

Risk factors for kidney disease include:

  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Being 60 years or older
  • Having a family member with kidney disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure
  • Being African American/Black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or Alaska Native

Some ways to protect kidneys are:

  • Keep blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol under control
  • Lose weight, if needed
  • Eat healthy meals
  • Take all medicines as prescribed
  • Get regular exercise
  • Don’t smoke
  • Limit alcohol
  • Avoid some over-the-counter medicines (such as aspirin, naxoproxin, or ibuprofen) because they can harm kidneys

Today’s Word of the Day is: gadzookery, a noun that means using archaisms or older phrases in your speech.

Thanks for listening!
-Joe