Salt is essentially a mineral, besides giving food an interesting taste, it has no inherent medical benefit, and too much of it can actually kill you. People who eat too much salt, which many of us are guilty of, create an imbalance in their blood, giving their kidneys quite a challenge when it comes to removing excess water from the body.
According to The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average person should eat no more than one teaspoon of salt per day, which is about 2,300 milligrams. Keep in mind that various foods already come with a certain amount of sodium in them, so depending on your diet, you might actually be eating more salt than you should. Keep a watch out for the sodium content in pre-cooked and processed foods.
Keep Your Stress Levels In Check
Stress has been linked to various negative health consequences, both immediate and long-term. Some of the immediate side effects of stress include higher blood pressure and heart rate, a decrease in digestion functioning, and a weakened immune system. Chronic stress also leads to impaired decision-making, poor sleep, and unhealthy eating habits, thus creating a vicious cycle that rapidly leads to poor health.
Uncontrolled stress leads to kidney damage due to high blood pressure which leads to massive strain on your kidneys. If your goal is to live a healthy lifestyle and have healthy kidneys, avoiding and learning how to deal with stress can be one of the most beneficial skills for you to master.
However, Don’t Push Yourself Too Hard (At First)
If you’re one of the rare people who doesn’t just work out but also has a strong competitive drive as well, you might want to listen to the advice we’re about to share with you. When you first start a new physical activity, especially one that your body hasn’t had the chance to acclimate to yet, make sure not to push yourself too hard until you begin to feel comfortable with the activity.
The reason for this precaution is a syndrome called Rhabdomyolysis, which is caused by muscle breakdown. This happens when muscle tissue dies and gets released into the bloodstream, causing kidney overload and in almost half the cases, total kidney failure. This syndrome is quite rare, but it can only happen if you push yourself too hard at something that you’re not used to just yet.
Steer Clear Of Secondhand Smoke
Even people who don't smoke are at an alarmingly higher risk of heart disease and lung cancer if they spend several hours a day next to people who do. A recent scientific study on Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular Effects found that breathing secondhand smoke daily increases your risk of heart disease by up to 30%.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that “There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke." Try to stay away from people who smoke in the street, and explain to your family members why smoking next to you is extremely bad for your health. According to the National Kidney Foundation, kidney disease kills more than 90,000 Americans annually.
Don’t Ignore Your Body When You’re Sick
Everything from an unwashed hand to sharing space with sick people can eventually lead to you catching a common cold or worse, the flu. The average person will get sick 1-3 times a year, and the more time you spend ill, the more antibodies you produce to fight the infection/virus. These antibiotics may have a negative effect on your kidneys and cause them to become highly inflamed, so you should attempt to keep your colds as short as possible. But how?
First thing’s first, more than 70% of Americans report that they still go to work while they’re sick. This is problematic for two reasons. First, you dramatically increase the chance of someone else becoming sick. Second, it will take you much longer to heal from your cold if you’re sitting at a desk, working.