Kidney care

If size were to be the sole criterion of an organ's importance, kidneys would be dismissed lightly. At 120 to 140 grammes each, these twi...

If size were to be the sole criterion of an organ8217;s importance, kidneys would be dismissed lightly. At 120 to 140 grammes each, these twin pouches are certainly lightweight. But were they to go on strike even for a day, our entire system would collapse.

So impressed was Dr Homer Smith, a scientist, by their functions that he wrote: 8220;Bones can break, muscles can atrophy, glands can loaf, even the brain can go to sleep without immediate danger to survival. But should the kidneys fail, neither bones, nor muscles, glands or brain can carry on.8221;

Dr K S Chugh, former head of the Department of Nephrology, PGI, couldn8217;t agree more. Listing the activities of these twin organs, he says: 8220;They balance the body8217;s fluids. If you are short of water, they will conserve it, but if you have an excess of it, they will quickly excrete it.8221; He adds: 8220;Kidneys also help in regulating blood pressure and growth of bones. Besides this, a hormone they produce controls the synthesis of blood.quot;

So if you have anaemia, defective bone growth or BP, blame it on these twins. But thank god they are only misbehaving and not refusing to function. For, acute renal failure, as it is called, can even cost your life.

But don8217;t worry. Although Dr Chugh says kidneys have a mind of their own and there is no saying what they will do next, he admits it is possible to keep them in good humour. Here is a list of his do8217;s:

Drink a lot of water, especially in the summer. This helps avoid concentration of urine which can lead to formation of kidney stones.

Avoid food with an excess of calcium if you are prone to stones. Drink soft water. n People with a family history of diabetes or BP should keep their weight down. Even others could do with less fat.

Cut down on salt to steer clear of BP.

It is vital to detect diabetes at the earliest. This disease is the most common cause of kidney failure in Indians above the age of 40. Diabetes, if not controlled early, leads to protein in the urine, warns Dr Chugh.

Avoid gorging on proteins.

And having done all this, just relax. As Dr Chugh puts it: 8220;There is no knowing what the kidneys are up to, but you can keep them from getting into mischief by taking care of yourself and by visiting the doctor at the first sign of any danger signals8221;.