.Taking Care of Your Kidneys

What Are Your Kidneys?

You have two kidneys inside your body that are designed for filtering your blood before manufacturing urine. By releasing this urine, you are removing the toxins and excess water from your body. These bean-shaped organs are located on the right and left side of your upper abdominal area. 

Conditions That Affect Your Kidneys

Kidney disease is common, but you can protect these organs in several ways. Some of the conditions that can affect your kidneys include:

• Urinary tract infections
• Kidney stones 
• Chronic disease
• Renal cysts
• Cancerous tumors

If you have a problem with your kidneys, then it can be a temporary condition that is treatable, or it can become a chronic problem that is irreparable. In some cases, your kidneys will malfunction, requiring you to undergo dialysis to remove the toxins from your blood. 

Six Ways To Care For Your Kidneys

There are several ways to care for your kidneys to avoid developing a health problem that requires dialysis, medication or an organ transplant. Here are the ways to care for your kidneys.

1: Reduce Your Sodium Consumption

If you consume a lot of sodium, then your kidneys must work harder to remove the substance from your blood. Sodium also increases your blood pressure leading to water retention, and both of these problems can also damage the functions of your kidneys. 

2: Maintain Your Body’s Cholesterol Levels 

When you have a high cholesterol level, this sticky substance collects on the interior surfaces of your blood vessels, making it more difficult for your kidneys to remove toxins from your blood. 

3: Control Your Blood Glucose Levels

Researchers believe that high blood sugar is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease. If you have diabetes mellitus, then you must control your blood glucose levels by consuming the right foods along with injecting insulin appropriately. 

4: Take Your High Blood Pressure Medication

When your physician prescribes high blood pressure medication, make sure you take it to protect your kidneys. If you have high blood pressure, then it damages your body’s blood vessels. As your blood vessels harden, your body struggles to transport blood through your kidneys. 

5: Don’t Gain Weight

When you are overweight, you will have excess fat, making it more difficult for your kidneys to function properly. If you are obese, then you are more likely to have other health problems that lead to kidney disease, including diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. 

6: Protect Your Heart 

To prevent kidney disease, you must protect your heart because your heart pumps the blood that travels through the blood vessels to reach your kidneys. If your heart is not working correctly, then your body’s blood may not reach the kidneys so that the excess water and toxins are removed. 

The Tiny Implantable Drug that's Taking on the Fight Against HIV

Historically, a gin and tonic consumed daily was a means to help protect British soldiers from catching malaria in tropical environments. It was a prophylactic that helped prevent the disease from taking hold. Quinine is the active ingredient that kills malaria, and it is quite bitter. So, British soldiers began adding water, sugar, gin and lime to cover the taste. Thus was born the modern cocktail.

This same general principle of prophylaxis is being applied today to the prevention of HIV/AIDS. Since this disease cannot be cured, prevention is a primary focus of new research. This strategy is called pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP for short. It involves daily doses of medications known to protect against the infection. When taken consistently, it can substantially reduce the risk of catching HIV and subsequently developing AIDS.

It works much the way a gin and tonic was thought to protect against malaria. It prevents the virus from taking hold and successfully spreading throughout the body. When taken consistently, it can reduce the risk of infection with HIV from sex by upwards of 90 percent. However, missing a single dose can lower the effectiveness.

In sub-Saharan Africa, it is an unrelenting epidemic. According to statistics from 2013, there were 24.7 million people living with HIV in that part of the world. They accounted for 71 percent of all HIV cases in the world.

For a long list of reasons, consistent use of medication is a big challenge in this part of the world. Thus, a current focus of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a tiny implantable drug pump from a Boston-based company called Intarcia Therapeutics. The pump is the size of a matchstick, yet can hold either a six- or twelve-month supply of PrEP medication.

It can be implanted under the skin in a physician's office. The procedure is said to be painless. Since it is an outpatient procedure, it is also relatively quick and easy. Once done, the patient is protected for the six months or one year that it lasts.

There are still many details to work out. It will be some years before it is available on the market. The intent is to make it as easy to use as possible in order to try to curb the current epidemic, especially in less developed parts of the world. Simply containing the epidemic and preventing further spread is the best hope at this time.

The pump may eventually be used as a delivery mechanism for other drug therapies aimed at other serious medical conditions. In fact, Intarcia is currently working to get FDA approval for a variation of the pump intended to provide treatment for type 2 diabetes.

A new high tech drug pump the size of a matchstick is currently being developed as a means to consistently deliver prophylactic medication to protect against HIV. This pump would allow people to see a doctor once or twice a year to get the protection they need from this currently incurable dread disease.

Taking Care of a Pet is Great for Your Mental Health

A cat or dog running around the house is either a blessing or burden in your mind. Although pets take some effort on a daily basis, their presence is largely positive. As you grow into your senior years, you'll notice marked changes in your mind and body. By having a pet in your life, it's possible to improve your mental health without any medications in sight.

Fighting Off Stress

Stress affects everyone at any age. As you grow older, however, stress can be more serious than it was in your 20s or 30s. Taking care of a pet changes this scenario. Try petting your furry friend for a few minutes. The sensation of the fur, warmth and possible purring contributes to a relaxed state of mind. There's an actual rhythm to this motion, which also creates less stress. Focusing on the animal's needs takes your worries away for a moment. Relieving stress for only a few minutes a day is enough to make a difference in your life.

Encouraging Physical Activity

Pets will jump, run and walk around your home and yard with pride. Play with your furry friends to feel and look young. Throw a ball, and follow your pet around the yard. They'll love the engagement while you benefit from the positive, health effects. Dogs definitely get you moving because they require daily walks. Take them out on a leash so that they can use the bathroom and enjoy the fresh air. The outside air also improves your outlook on life as you soak in the vitamin D from the sunlight.

Warding Off Loneliness

Loneliness is a reality for many seniors. Their children and grandchildren may be in other cities, or spouses can be ill. A pet can quickly fill the day with happiness and love. These animals love you unconditionally. They'll be thrilled to see you arrive home at the end of the day. Feeling lonely creates mental decline over time as you seek out social situations otherwise. The pet makes you feel good so that you're more inclined to be social with others as loneliness becomes a distant memory.

Breaking the Ice

You might have a shy personality, which makes social situations difficult. Let your pet do the socializing as you meet new people. The pet draws in a new person, and you're given the chance to start a conversation. You might go to a dog park or beach as a way to meet other people with pets. Use this common attribute to forge bonds that will last for many years ahead. Leaning on friends and your favorite pets is a great way to stay mentally alert.

Bringing On the Laughter

It's a fact that laughter is good medicine. A good laugh releases positive hormones throughout your body. These hormones directly affect your brain. You'll feel happy with the day even if some setbacks are present. Your pet might do funny things throughout the day, which brings on laughter on a regular basis. Allow yourself to feel the humor, and your mental health improves as a result. People who live in an unhappy bubble without pets in their life can easily succumb to depression and other mental decline.

Typical pets are the furry types, but you might have a different animal in mind. Almost any animal can help you on a mental level. Care and play with it each day so that the feelings are mutual. Your mental happiness will grow exponentially in response.