By Leslie McReynolds | National Kidney Foundation of Arizona
The number of Americans at risk for kidney disease is 33%, yet 90% of those who have it are unaware because its symptoms often present as everyday ailments. Who hasn’t had a long day and explained away their fatigue, sore back or swollen feet?
Still, more individuals die of kidney disease each year than prostate cancer or breast cancer. Early detection is key, as it can offer the chance to make life changes that prevent or delay kidney disease progression.
March is National Kidney Month, dedicated to raising awareness of the urgent need for early detection and prevention. It’s the perfect month for you, your friends and loved ones to learn the current health of their kidneys!
Risk factors
Start by recognizing whether you have one of the top risk factors:
- Diabetes: If left uncontrolled, type 2 diabetes can harm the small vessels of the kidneys, affecting their ability to filter toxins.
- High blood pressure: People with high blood pressure may not be aware of it because few noticeable symptoms occur. Get your blood pressure checked frequently, and if your results are high, follow your doctor’s recommendations.
- Family history of kidney disease: If you have a family history of kidney disease, you’ll want to monitor your kidney function.
- Older age: As we age, our bodies naturally lose kidney function. Yearly kidney function tests are a great way to keep track of it.
- Overweight: Being overweight puts people at risk of many conditions, including kidney disease. However, changing your diet and exercise habits while following health care recommendations may help you get back to a healthy weight.
Are you at risk? Take a quick, 3-minute quiz to find out now at azkidney.org/quiz.
Get tested
How can you find out how your kidneys are doing? It’s as simple as giving a blood sample.
Your GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is a calculation of how well your kidneys are filtering waste out of your body. The lower your GFR, the less your kidneys are filtering for you. Once your kidneys reach a low enough number, you will need to have a machine clean your blood for you instead, which is a treatment called dialysis.
At your next doctor’s visit, you can request that your GFR be tested — especially if you are already running labs for a different reason.
The National Kidney Foundation of Arizona also provides free community health screenings across Arizona throughout the year, where you can receive on-site labs and a physician consultation within an hour. The goal of the screening is to identify kidney disease and other related health issues and offer resources to take next steps to manage them.
If your GFR is low, your next step may be to see a nephrologist, or a doctor who specializes in renal (kidney) care.
Take care of your kidneys now
Follow these healthy habits to take charge of your kidney health now:
- Know your GFR
- Manage blood pressure and monitor glucose levels
- Take medicine as prescribed and avoid overuse of NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen
- Keep a healthy weight
- Make moving your body part of your every day
- Get your rest
- Quit smoking
Knowing our kidney health may not feel like a priority in our busy lives, but the impact of not knowing until it’s too late can be life-changing, not just to ourselves but also to our families. Dialysis and kidney transplants are the only treatments for late-stage kidney failure — so taking proactive steps is key. This National Kidney Month, put your health first and take the first steps to knowing more about your kidneys.
Editor’s note: Leslie McReynolds is chief executive officer of the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona, based in Phoenix. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
