kidney health your goals for 2020
Hello, this is Katherine, welcome to 00Kidney!
The new year is coming and everyone has made their list of resolutions.
Wait, what?!? you haven’t made one yet?
Don’t worry, in today’s video, my very personal top ten list of resolutions to improve your kidney health in 2020.
Because I know that you want to make a huge difference in the health of your kidneys this year, and I want to give you some helpful tips to start!
But, while everyone makes new year resolutions, not everyone achieves them!
So today I’m not just going to focus on the goals, but I will also show you How to Follow Through on Them!
Before we start, don’t forget to share this video with anyone you know that is suffering from chronic kidney disease and may want to make their 2020 healthier!
So, here’s my top 10!
Number 10 show your kidneys some love!
The kidneys are some of the most important organs in the body. Even the Ancient Egyptians knew this.
When embalming a body, they left only the brain and the kidneys in position, because they used to believe that these organs held a higher value.
Today, we know that the kidneys are essential for balancing the body’s internal environment.
They help regulate fluid levels and blood pressure, and if they do not work properly, a lot of health problems can arise.
HOW to show them some love?
Get an annual kidney check-up.
Get checked for creatinine levels and kidney function.
Do a blood test for creatinine to calculate your estimated glomerular filtration rate.
This number, GFR, tells how well your kidneys are working to remove wastes from your blood.
Knowing what your creatinine levels and GFR are is really important for managing your diet and various other aspects of your life.
Speak with your healthcare provider about getting these tests.
And, if you are not sure if you have kidney disease, remember to get a urine test, right?
Get checked for protein in the urine, because this is one of the earliest signs of kidney disease.
Being diagnosed early means kidney disease can be treated early to keep it from getting worse!
Number 9 never stop fighting for your kidney health
As a kidney patient, there’s one thing you should always keep in mind.
The battle against kidney disease is a long, strenuous one, but you can make it.
You can improve your kidney function and you can get back at least some of your renal health.
You will have to be strong and you will have to fight, and, especially if you are in the advanced stages, this is going to take a lot of strength and courage.
Because kidney disease and renal failure are terrifying illnesses that are taking an incredible toll on the world population.
But don’t let the fear stop you from fighting for a better kidney health.
HOW to achieve this goal?
Well, you are already on the right path! You are watching me, right? This means that you are brave enough to face the problem. This is not something everyone can do!
But remember that the battle for kidney health is a march, not a sprint, and you need to keep being focused on the target during the whole year. So keep being strong!
Number 8 Eat vegetables before eating a meal
Oh, here is a very easy, but still useful, resolution for the new year.
But why should you resolve to eat veggies before the meal? Well, according to studies, there are several benefits you can get from doing this.
First of all, it improves your nutritional status, which is really important if you want to improve your kidney health.
Also, you would end up eating more vegetables, since you would be eating them when you’re still hungry.
So you’ll get more vitamins, fiber and micronutrients in your diet.
But it’s not just that.
There’s also evidence to suggest that eating a vegetable salad before a meal can help reduce the total calories eaten at that meal.
It will also help with glycemic control. Remember, eating a salad before the meal will prevent spikes in insulin and blood sugar.
HOW TO ACHIEVE THIS
to get these benefits, be sure to prepare or select a vegetable salad with a low-calorie dressing. Choosing the salad appetizer over higher calorie starters is also a great weight management strategy to use, for example, when dining out at a restaurant.
In addition, it’s an easy way to meet your vegetable goals for the day!
Resolution number 7, sit less and stand more.
They say that sitting is the new smoking.
Recent research has linked sitting for 8 hours or more a day with developing kidney disease.
And I know that most people have to sit 8 hours or more for their job, but most of us go way beyond that.
We sit on the couch, we sit while riding the bus or while driving, and during dinner, just to name a few!
I’m sorry to tell you this, but this is really unhealthy!
So your 2020 could be the year you take a stand! SORRIDI
HOW TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL?
Set alarms on your phone! Then, Take a 1—3 minute break every hour, or so, during the day – to stand and move around. Also, taking the stairs, walking during a break or noon time, could be great ways to sit less.
A lot of people pace during phone calls, and even that helps.
Then get a step counter! I’ll show you one thing: I always wear a fitness tracker. This tells me how many steps I take during the day and makes me more motivated to move more!
Number 6, stop skipping breakfast
Breakfast didn’t earn its reputation as the most important meal of the day for no reason.
It breaks the overnight fasting period, replenishes your supply of essential nutrients and keeps your energy levels up throughout the day.
And, when it comes to the health of your kidneys, it has another fundamental property: it helps avoiding blood sugar spikes.
There are studies that show you’re less likely to overeat during the day if you eat a healthy breakfast in the morning.
Because, when you skip breakfast, first, your blood sugar decreases. This could look as a good thing, because the kidneys don’t like high blood glucose levels.
But the brain uses glucose too. So when the blood sugar levels go down, you will feel irritable, confused and fatigued.
And then your body goes into survival mode.
This causes your cells and body to crave food which causes you to eat a lot.
We usually tend to crave unhealthy foods and all attempts at eating healthy go out the door. When you are that hungry, anything goes.
Skipping meals can also cause your metabolism to slow down, which can cause weight gain or make it harder to lose weight.
SO, HOW TO ACHIEVE THE goal of stop skipping meals?
Try following these tips:
Eat smaller, frequent meals throughout the day, rather than skipping meals. This will also help with blood glucose control.
Always have an healthy snack around, like an apple or some low sodium crackers to hold you over until your next meal.
Plan your meals in advance or prepare them the night before.
Set an alarm to ring at lunchtime if you are going to be running around all day.
Resolution number 5 STOP catching the flu!
This is a great resolution for people with kidney disease!
The flu, bad colds, pneumonias are more dangerous for people suffering from chronic diseases.
They can weaken the body’s strength and increase inflammation, making health and kidney problems even worse.
Not to mention that people with kidney disease cannot even take regular antibiotics, because of the risk for further kidney damage.
So stop catching the flu, right?
OK, I know, I know. Stopping catching the flu looks more like a genie-granted-wish than a new year resolution.
But, trust me, it can be a lot more achievable than you think!
HOW TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL
First of all, get your flu shot, if you still haven’t got it. Flu season starts by the end of October and peaks between November and March, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so you’re still in time for the annual flu shot.
Then, keep your hands away from your face, mouth and nose.
Especially when you have touched any surface that could have been contaminated by the flu virus, like maybe a light switch or a door handle or anything that was touched by many other people.
So don’t touch your face without washing your hands first.
Also bring with you a bottle of hand sanitizer gel for those days when you don’t even have the time to wash your hands.
Resolution number 4, Sleep more. Do it for your kidneys!
There are plenty of reasons to hit the sack earlier to make sure you’re catching enough sleep each night. Studies suggest that irregular sleep patterns and insufficient sleep are linked to decreased kidney function.
When it comes to a good night’s rest, most people require about 7 hours.
A large study shown that people who slept five hours or less a night had a 65 percent greater risk of rapid decline in kidney function, compared with people sleeping seven to eight hours a night.
How to achieve this goal?
If you have troubles falling asleep, take some time to decompress in the evening and focus on relaxing your body and mind.
Think of this as your time to power down: Maybe read a comforting book, or enjoy some soothing music.
Your kidneys need to rest for recovering, just like you do.
Number 3 Get specific about your goals
This is a great way to get more motivated and focused on the goal of improving the health of your kidneys.
WHY?
A new study published in PLOS One shows that Individuals are more likely to be happier and achieve their goals when they have specific goals in mind rather than very general and vague objectives.
Depressed individuals, on the other hand, describe their goals in more general and abstract terms, which may contribute to their lack of motivation and goal attainment, according to the researchers.
HOW TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL
For example, a very vague and unhelpful goal would be:
“I want to be happy.”
“I want to be successful.”
“I want to be healthier.”
On the surface, there is nothing wrong with these goals. Everyone wants to be happy and healthier, right?
However, the biggest issue with them is that they don’t give you any clear idea on what actions you need to take to actually achieve them.
So you would end up… doing nothing.
If your goal is just “I want to be healthy” then you need to dig deeper.
More specific and helpful goals would include:
“I want to take at least 8000 steps every day”
“I want to improve my nutritional status by eating 5 portions of vegetables every day.”
“I want to sleep 8 hours every night” ALRIGHT?
Be as specific as possible and you’ll often find a much clearer picture of what you need to do in your life.
These goals are much more useful because they describe a specific action we can do.
At the end of the day, you can’t travel in a new direction in your life if you don’t have a clear idea of where you want to go.
New year resolution number 2
Ditch the table salt and still eat tasty foods
Shake the salt habit. Break up with the salt shaker is a great way to help your kidney health.
Too much sodium in the diet can increase blood pressure, make the heart work harder, thicken and stiffen blood vessels.
Higher salt and sodium consumption have been linked to increased risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
Don’t worry though – this doesn’t mean you have to settle for bland tasting food!
HOW TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL
Use spices! People tend to eat more sodium than they should because they don’t like insipid food.
But with the right spice everything can still taste amazing and be healthy!
Use oregano to make your chicken taste so much better!
Use thyme for beef, poultry, and soups. Thyme can also be paired with other Mediterranean spices like marjoram and oregano.
Use cayenne pepper to make your dishes hot! Great for flavoring scrambled eggs, cayenne is one of the healthiest spices!
Use ginger to give a sweet and hot flavor to your recipes! Ginger goes great with a number of different Thai, Indian and Chinese dishes, including hot and sour soup and stir fry.
It is also very healthy, just a little bit of it can help relieving an upset stomach.
And the Number 1 is…
Eat less processed foods
Ok, this one is definitely on my list of new year resolutions too. Because, let’s face it, just removing processed and packaged foods from the diet is all the detox most people really need.
The problem with highly processed foods is, they are usually loaded with sodium for shelf stabilization, sugar for taste… and added fats, including saturated and trans fats, for mouth feel.
Researches have linked all of these ingredients to chronic health problems, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, some types of cancer, and kidney disease.
SO, HOW TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF EATING LESS PROCESSED FOODS?
Do diet while shopping! It’s a lot easier to avoid eating processed and unhealthy foods when you don’t have them around right? So start your diet at the supermarket.
Don’t know what to exactly avoid? Watch this video for more info!
This is all for today, thank you for watching!
About the Author
Michaelw Hi, my name is Michael and in this blog I'm gonna share the story of how I got off kidney dialysis for good. Getting off dialysis isn't easy at all, and that's why I'm trying to help people as much as I can.
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