People don’t often think about their kidneys (the body’s filtration system), but if they have diabetes, they need to protect them.
Why?
“There are three factors that can cause kidney disease. The first is high blood sugar,” said Dr. Jason C. Baker, an endocrinologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. “If blood sugar is consistently high, it can lead to kidney damage – not only to the blood vessels that supply blood to the kidneys, but also to the part of the kidney that filters the blood.”
High blood pressure and high cholesterol are two other factors that damage blood vessels and “essentially put stress on the kidneys,” making them need to function with greater intensity and “leak important substances like protein “, Baker said.
How do you prevent kidney disease?
How do you prevent kidney disease?
Get your blood sugar under control. Research shows that if people focus on controlling their blood sugar well, the risk of developing kidney disease is cut in half, and for those who already have kidney disease, it can be stopped from getting worse.
Frequent testing and monitoring of blood sugar at home is one way to keep it under tight control. “Knowing your blood glucose levels before and 1 to 2 hours after you eat is very important to know if the food or drink you’re consuming is right for you,” Baker said.
In addition to eating foods that help control blood sugar, it’s important to follow a low-sodium diet, such as an anti-hypertensive diet, Baker suggests. Studies have shown that an anti-hypertensive diet focuses on eating vegetables, fruits, low-fat milk, whole grains, fish, and nuts – and limiting salt, meat, and sweets – to help lower blood pressure. In addition, talk to your doctor about blood pressure-lowering medications, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, to see if blood pressure-lowering medications are right for you.
What next?
“Exercise is important for vascular health and also protects the kidneys,” Baker said. Start slowly and stick to 30 minutes a day. “Or even just take 10 minutes to exercise. That means taking the stairs instead of the elevator,” he says.
When it comes to lowering cholesterol, a healthy diet is key. But patients also need to know their family history, because cholesterol levels can be influenced by genes. Ask your doctor what your cholesterol level should be, Baker said.