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 more intensely and “leak important substances like proteins,” Baker The other two factors “essentially put stress on the kidneys” and make them need to function more intensely and “leak important substances like protein,” Baker said.
How do you prevent kidney disease? Get your blood sugar under control. Research shows that if people focus on controlling their blood sugar, the risk of kidney disease is cut in half, and for those who already have kidney disease, it can be stopped from getting worse.
Frequent home testing and monitoring of blood sugar is one way to keep it under tight control. “Knowing your blood glucose levels before and 1 to 2 hours after you eat is 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 blood vessel health and also protects the kidneys,” Baker says. 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.
A healthy diet is key when it comes to lowering cholesterol. 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.
Ask your doctor
- What is my blood sugar goal?
- What is my blood pressure goal?
- What is my blood pressure goal?
- What is my blood pressure goal?
- What is my cholesterol goal?
- What should I eat to control my blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol?
- How do I exercise safely?
- Will the medications I take affect my kidney function?
- How often should I have my kidneys tested?
- How often should I have my kidney function tested?
- How often should I have my kidney function tested?
- How can I lower my blood sugar?
- How can I lower my blood sugar?