It Is Possible To Live Healthily With A Kidney Disease

“I was a healthy young man, and I thought I was invincible before I was diagnosed with kidney disease”…Sean Smith

Apart from detoxifying the body through the removal of waste and toxins from blood passed out in urine, which no alien to a lot of people, the kidney plays other crucial roles like regulation of blood pressure, water content, maintenance of bone strength and electrolytes (that is potassium, sodium which humans cannot live without). A kidney dysfunction amounts to derangement of the above like irregularly controlled blood pressure leading to hypertension. Healthily functioning liver, heart and other organs of our body is due to a kidney in good shape.

The UN migration agency reports in 2019 that, a kidney costs about $262,000 on the black market in the Middle East, an equivalent of over than GHc 1.5 million. It is advised that, if you have 2 kidneys sitting inside of you then, it is important to keep it well just like the way you will treat a fortune you have in the bank.

All over the world, the World Kidney day which happens to be 11th March 2021, is the day set aside to commemorate, sympathize with people living with kidney disease and to sensitize the rest of the population on habits that harm the world’s most expensive organ, the kidney and best practices to keep the kidney healthy.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), there has been a steady increase in the prevalence of kidney disease of more than 32% from 2005 to 2015. Additionally, about 10 million people all around the world die of kidney disease and related complications annually. In Ghana, a little over 13 in 100 people live with chronic kidney disease. It has therefore become very imperative that we have this discourse to inform, educate and advise on how to protect the kidney and to live well even if the unfortunate of kidney disease happens. Numerous causes and risk factors of kidney disease exists but the five (5) taking center stage at the moment are diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, family history of a kidney disease and obesity.

It is relieving to hear that a well control and management of the above is good enough to protect anyone from kidney disease. Boiling meat is strongly advised as a healthy substitute for frying.

A WHO recommended regular aerobic exercise regimen of 150minutes per week is good enough to check inappropriate weight gain issues (obesity).

Prefer to take the stairs rather than the elevator to protect your kidney today.

Resorting to natural sugars in honey, fruits and vegetables rather than processed sugar in canned foods and soft drinks improves kidney health.

Adequate treatment of a simple Urinary Tract infection (UTI) by completing the dose for the prescribed number of days is also helpful.

Taking at least 6-7 sachets of water (matching 3 liters of water daily) is strongly advised and mandatory to have a well-functioning kidney.

Desist from self-medicating when ill.

Desist from taking herbal concoction not approved by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).

This is because some of these preparations strenuously put pressure on the kidney to remove improperly purified components. Chronically taking these have a deleterious effect on the kidney. In Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, herbal preparations is coming up as a major cause of kidney disease. The above list looks trivial, easy and less expensive to implement and can easily be thrown into the dark; but it is worth noting that it is much more expensive to live with a deranged kidney and astronomical to have it replaced through organ acquisition and transplantation.

People live healthily and sometimes even longer than the normal population with diagnosed kidney diseases. This can be attained by reduction is salt intake, religiously taking your prescribed medicines, honoring your scheduled time to see the doctor for reviews and to go for regularly dialysis, visit the doctor even on unscheduled days when you are unwell, reduce alcohol intake but stop smoking.

I would love to encourage that we all give emotional support to Persons living with Kidney Disease in the society. Also, wearing of your mask and obeying the COVID-19 protocols will greatly help because chronic kidney disease present itself as a comorbidity that worsens COVID-19.

YOUR KIDNEY HEALTH IS YOUR WEALTH.

MICHAEL BAAH BINEY

Final year Medical Student

University For Development Studies

[email protected]