Most Common(Ten)bad Habits That Cause Kidney Failure/damage

This posting was necessitated as a result of the death of
Nollywood actor Muna Obiekwe. May his soul rest in peace,
Amen.
When lalasticlala (actor) posted news of his death recently
and stated the cause of death as kidney failure I was
shocked and decided to look into the cause of kidney
failure, I was indeed enlightened about kidney disease. I
found out a lot , but most surprising were habits that most
Nigerians engage in which could cause kidney damage.
1. Delayed emptying of your bladder -Retaining urine in
your bladder for a long time on a daily basis when pressed
is a very bad idea. Long-term full bladder is easy to cause
the bladder damage. That the urine stays at bladder for a
long time can cause the bacteria breeding easily, once the
urine refluxes back to ureter and kidneys, the toxic
substance cam result in the kidney infections, then urinary
tract infection, and then nephritis, even Uremia. So when
nature calls, answer it without delay.
2. Consuming too much salt – No more than 5.8 grams of
salt should be eaten daily, so take it easy with that salt
shaker.
3. Consuming too much meat – According to Harvard
University, too much protein in your diet can harm the
kidneys. The by product of protein digestion is
ammonia – a toxin your hard-working kidneys need to
neutralize. More protein means more effort for the
kidneys, which can, over time, lead to decreased function.

4. Not drinking enough water – Our kidneys need to get
properly hydrated to perform their functions. If we don’t
drink enough, the toxins can start accumulating in the
blood, as there isn’t enough fluid
to drain them through the kidneys. Drink about 12 glasses
of water a day. An easy way to see if you’re drinking enough
is to check the colour of your urine. The lighter in colour,
the better.

5. Consuming too much caffeine – We often consume more
caffeine than we think we do. Caffeine is in many soft
drinks and sodas, and before you know it, your blood
pressure goes through the roof and your kidneys start
complaining. Take it easy on the likes of Fanta, Coke, 7Up,
Fayrouz, etc
6. Improper and untimely treatment of infections – Treat
infections properly and on time and complete medication
dosage.
7. Pain-killer abuse – Taking excessive amounts of
analgesics to relive pain is a no no!
8. Too much alcohol consumption – The toxins found in
alcohol not only damage the liver, but also your kidneys.
According to Kidney Health Australia and American Kidney
Fund, one way to avoid kidney disease is to drink alcohol in
moderation.
9. Lack of exercise – Exercise is another good way to
protect your kidneys. A large study published in 2013 in the
Journal of the American Society of Nephrology suggested
that postmenopausal women who
exercised had 31% lower risk of developing kidney stones.
Generally speaking, maintaining a healthy weight will
reduce your chances of kidney stones, so get moving.

10. Smoking -Smoking has been linked to arthrosclerosis.
The narrowing and hardening of blood vessels affects the
blood supply to all vital organs, including the kidneys.
According to the study published in Clinical Pharmacology
and Therapeutics,
two cigarettes a day are enough to double the number of
endothelial cells present in your blood. This is a signal of
arterial damage. Clinical Journal of the American Society of
Nephrology cites many
different studies conducted since 2003 which all link
smoking to decreased kidney function.