Be Kind to Your Kidneys

To mark World Kidney Day, we are raising awareness Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), a condition that affects one in ten adults in the UK. 

This is where kidneys do not work as well as they should.

CKD can be present without any symptom, but even then it can affect your overall health and increases your risk of other conditions such as heart disease and stroke. For some people. CKD can reach a more serious stage where it can cause the kidney to fail to do their work and the person becoming very ill.

It can affect anyone, but it is more common in people who are over 60 years old, of Afro-Caribbean and South Asian heritage.

• Diabetes and high blood pressure are also common causes of CKD.
  
  
• CKD is typically diagnosed with a blood test and urine test.

There are many steps you can take to being kind to your kidneys in order to prevent CKD - or if you do have CKD, prevent it from worsening.

If it is in an early stage this may just mean monitoring your kidney health with your doctor.

Be kind to your kidneys by

• Keeping a healthy diet – drinking a good amount of water through the day, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, reducing our salt intake and managing our alcohol within the recommended 14 units a week if you drink. For more information please see www.wandsworth.gov.uk/healthylifestyle
  
  
• Exercising regularly – aiming for 2.5 hours of aerobic activity such as fast walking or cycling, as well as strength exercises ideally at least 2 days of the week www.wandsworth.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/public-health/your-health/healthy-lifestyle/physical-activity
  
  
• Stopping smoking – check out support services near you www.wandsworth.gov.uk/stopsmoking
• Being careful with over the counter medications such as non steroidal anti inflammatory drug ibuprofen – avoiding taking them longer than recommended or needed.
  
  
• Managing your health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and gout – taking your prescribed medication as advised by your doctor, attend your regular checks with your GP and check in on your blood pressure this World Kidney Day - Do you know your numbers?

To see if you are at risk of kidney disease take the free online kidney health check. It only takes two minutes: www.kidneyresearchuk.org/kidney-health-information/kidneyhealthcheck/

If you are 40 years old and over, without any preexisting conditions (such as diabetes or hypertension you) can be invited for an NHS Health Check at pharmacies and GPs. The check can help to spot early signs or contributing factors to CKD.

For more information on Chronic Kidney Disease, please see www.nhs.uk/conditions/kidney-disease/prevention/