❤️Kidney Health Thursdays❤️
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February 5, 2026 Kidney Health Thursday - LEARN ~ CHANGE~ LIVE 🫘Kidneys are vital for maintaining a healthy internal environment by filtering waste, regulating fluids and electrolytes, controlling blood pressure, and producing hormones necessary for red blood cell production and bone health. 🫘 ⚠️Risk factors for Kidney Disease⚠️ Diabetes High blood pressure Heart disease Obesity Family history of CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) Older age ℹ️Kidney Disease is progressive - the earlier you are aware, the better chance to slow or stop the progression of kidney disease. According to the Center for Disease Control, it is estimated that more than 1 in 7 people may have Chronic Kidney Disease in the US. Your chances of having CKD increase with age and 1 of 3 adults with diabetes and 1 in 5 adults with high blood pressure may have CKD ℹ️Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a condition in which your kidneys are damaged and cannot filter blood as well as healthy kidneys. Waste from the blood remains in your body and may cause other health problems. Kidney disease can also increase your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease. These problems may happen slowly over a long period of time. ℹ️End-stage renal disease (ESRD), also known as end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), is a medical condition where the kidneys have permanently stopped working and Renal Replacement therapy will be needed. ie: Dialysis or Transplant 🩸Creatinine: a waste product produced by muscle metabolism. It is filtered by the kidneys and excreted in the urine. Reference Range: Males: 0.7-1.3 mg/dL and Females: 0.6-1.1 mg/dL. 🩸Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): Waste product produced when the body breaks down protein. The kidneys filter urea nitrogen from the blood and excrete it in the urine. Reference Range: 7-20 mg/dL 🩸Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR): Test that helps doctors determine how well your kidneys are filtering waste & excess fluid from your blood. It's calculated from a blood test, your age, body size, and gender. A normal eGFR for adults is more than 90. Lower eGFR values may indicate kidney disease or damage. ❤️Questions to ask your doctor What is my Creatine? What is my eGFR? What is my BUN? What stage am I in? What can I do to keep my kidneys healthy (Diet, Exercise, medications) Are there things I need to avoid? Do I need to see a Nephrologist? ❤️Focus on a healthy lifestyle: Always ask your Doctor for your specific needs. Maintain a balanced diet (ask your Doctor and/or Dietitian for a plan) ex: Heart Healthy DIet Stay hydrated Manage blood pressure and blood sugar (if applicable) Exercise regularly Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol Avoid NSAIDs (Class of medications that reduce pain, inflammation, & fever) * Aspirin * Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) * Naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox) * Ketoprofen (Orudis) * Diclofenac (Voltaren) Be Mindful of Over-the-Counter Drugs and ask your physician before taking them. ℹ️Resources: South Plains Kidney Foundation: www.SouthPlainsKidney.Org Center for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/kidney-disease/about/index.html American Kidney Fund: https://www.kidneyfund.org/kidney-health-for-all American Diabetes Association: https://diabetes.org/ American Heart Association: https://www.heart.org/