The kidneys filter the blood and eliminate the waste products through urine. The waste deposition is sometimes in the form of excessive calcium, uric acid and other undesirable contents. It causes the urine to get highly saturated. The solid depositions then turn into stone like formations, also termed as renal lithiasis or calculi. There are different kinds of kidney stones, which are differentiated based on its varied constituents. Kidney stones cause excruciating pain and uneasiness. Frequent urination and discomfort during urination, presence of blood in the urine, are some major signs of kidney stones.

Kidney stones can be prevented by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet with sufficient nutrients:

Calcium and oxalate-rich food should be consumed together. This leads to the binding of calcium and oxalate together in the stomach intestines, before they can be processed in the kidneys. This helps to control the formation of calcium and oxalate depositions in the kidneys.
Do not cut down on calcium. Since most of the kidney stones are found to be calcium depositions, many people tend to cut down on their calcium intake. It is important to continue with food that is rich in calcium such as milk. However, it is necessary to reduce intake of other calcium supplements. Decrease in calcium can lead to degeneration and deformation in bones and muscles.
Too much of red meat consumption and high fat dairy products can lead to the formation of stones in the kidneys. Animal protein is rich in purine that increases uric acid, saturating the urine and creating stones. It is important to balance your diet by including lots of green vegetables, whole grains, fibres, fruits and low-fat dairy products. Opt for non-animal protein such as lentils or legumes.
Cut down on sugary and aerated drinks. They contribute to the formation of depositions due to their high and unhealthy levels of fructose and preservatives.
Reduce or abstain from alcohol. Alcohol is known for its multiple disadvantages to the human body. It has also been found to increase the levels of uric acid in blood.
Keep your body hydrated. Drink adequate quantity of water throughout the day, preferably 3 litres or more depending on your physical activities. It prevents the solidification of the depositions and helps to eliminate wastes smoothly.
Increase the intake of anti-oxidants in the form of green tea, dark chocolates and fruits.
Lower the intake of salt. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a urologist.

Kidney Stones - 8 Diet Tips to Prevent It!

The first commandment of healthy living is to eat plenty of fresh fruits. However, did you know that some fruits are healthier than others? Fruits do not have any added sugars but many fruits are rich in natural sugar. However, here are 11 fruits which have lowest sugar content.

Limes and lemons: Limes and lemons are known as sour fruits. While they are rich in vitamin C, they do not contain a lot of sugar. Freshly squeezed lime juice and hot water is the perfect drink to curb your appetite and raise metabolism.
Raspberries: Raspberries are rich in fiber but have only a little more than a teaspoon of sugar per cup. This makes them the perfect fruit to start the day with.
Strawberries: Strawberries may taste sweet but a cup of fresh strawberries has only about 7 grams of sugar. However, a cup of strawberries has enough vitamin C to take care of your daily requirements.
Blackberries: A cup of these berries also has minimal sugar. Along with fiber, these fruits are also rich in antioxidants. These berries also help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other such conditions.
Kiwi: Did you know that kiwis are technically berries? Each kiwi has less than 6 grams of sugar but is very rich in vitamin C.
Grapefruit: A grapefruit is a perfect breakfast. These citrus fruits are rich in fiber and low in sugar. Half a grapefruit contains only 52 calories and minimal sugar. They are also rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium.
Avocado: Avocados are naturally low in their sugar content. One raw avocado has less than a gram of sugar. However, they are full of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and potassium.
Watermelon: Summer would be incomplete without watermelons. Though they taste sweet, watermelons are very low in sugar. A cup of watermelon has less than 10 grams of sugar.
Cantaloupe: Cantaloupes are rich in vitamin A but a cup of this fruit has only about 14 grams of sugar. They are also rich in vitamin B, magnesium and fiber.
Oranges: Eating an orange is the best way to boost our vitamin C levels and keep infections away. One orange typically contains less than 70 calories and 12 grams of sugar.
Peaches: A medium sized peach has less than 13 grams of sugar. This is an example of how taste can be deceptive when it comes to calories.
Given the sugar content in these fruits, it would be a great idea for the diabetics and weight watchers to include them in their diet and have a healthy and hearty meal. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

11 Best Fruits That Are Low In Sugar Content!

Potassium is an essential mineral which is known as an electrolyte. Electrolytes are responsible for maintaining the ionic balance of your body. Other electrolytes are sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, chloride. These electrolytes bear an electric charge which manages the electrical activity of your health system. Potassium also helps the muscles of the body to function properly. In fact, it has its contribution in regulating blood pressure; a crucial role for a healthy heart.

Potassium deficiency is a kind of medical condition which is known as hypokalemia. The normal level of potassium in the human body should be in between 3.5-5.0 mmol/L. But the deficiency in potassium can cause severe problems including muscle weakness, nerve disorders, heart problems, etc. Kidney is the organ which is known to manage the potassium balance by removing the extra potassium through urine.

Causes of potassium deficiency:

Lack of potassium in diet
Dehydration
Diarrhoea
Too much sweating
Several medicines also cause potassium deficiency

Signs of potassium deficiency:

You are getting wiped out too often: Like it is discussed before that potassium is responsible for your muscles to work actively. Each and every cell needs the required amount of potassium to work effectively. So, a little deficiency of potassium can leave you exhausted throughout the day. If your normal working routine leaves you exhausted and if you are sweating too often, then there is a chance that you are suffering from hypokalemia.
High blood pressure: Potassium plays an important role in maintaining the blood pressure by helping in relaxing the blood vessels. Low potassium can cause the blood vessels to get constricted, due to which your blood pressure increases.
Muscle weakness: Potassium plays a significant role in building the strength of your muscles. Lack of potassium can easily cause muscle weakness, aches and spasms.
Irregular heartbeat: Anything regarding your heart problem can scare you badly; especially when you experience sudden skipped heart rate or when your heart rate doubles. Low potassium can cause such palpitations and skipped heartbeat.
Feeling dizzy: Lack of potassium in your body can slow down your heart rate and make you feel dizzy or you may feel that you are going to faint. Though many other medical conditions can be responsible for such symptoms but hypokalemia is one of them.
Constipation: Potassium deficiency can affect your overall health. You might encounter symptoms like bloating, abdominal cramping etc.
Numbness and tingling: Potassium is significant in keeping your nerves healthy. Potassium deficiency can make you experience numbness, needle sensations on your feet, wrist, etc.
These are the signs that people encounter when they suffer from hypokalemia. Hypokalemia can make you feel extremely sick and it causes several diseases which are discussed above. It is always advisable to visit a doctor when you encounter any of these above mentioned symptoms.

Potassium Deficiency - 7 Signs You Are Suffering From It!

5 reasons you will see blood in urine

The condition in which blood appears in the urine is known as hematuria. The loss of blood in this condition could be gross or microscopic depending on the cause of the condition. There are several causes why blood may appear in the urine. Whatever the cause may be, hematuria is mostly indicative of a serious medical condition.

Here are 5 reasons that cause blood to appear in the urine.

1. Infection

Infections like urethritis, pyelonephritis, cystitis or infection in any other body organ along the urinary tract is one of the most common causes of hematuria. Such bacterial infection in the urethra can also infect the kidneys and the urinary bladder. It results in the urge to urinate frequently and also causes blood to appear in the urine.

2. Kidney stones and bladder stones

Another reason that can cause blood to appear in the urine is the presence of stones in the kidney or bladder. These stones are crystallized minerals that are formed in the kidney or the bladder but fail to pass through the urinary tract. They cause blockage and pain and result in hematuria.

3. An enlarged prostate

An enlarged prostate is a common cause of the appearance of blood in the urine in men who are in their middle ages or older. Enlargement of the prostate gland causes the urethra to be compressed. This prevents the urethra from getting fully emptied while urination.

4. Polycystic kidney disease

PKD is a kidney disorder in which cysts filled with fluid form in the kidneys and impair the kidneys, causing them to fail entirely at times. It is an inherited disease and causes blood to appear in the urine.

In children who are between 6-10 years of age, kidney disorder after streptococcal glomerulonephritis can be a possible cause of hematuria.

5. Cancer

A cancerous kidney, bladder or prostate gland can also cause blood to appear in the urine. It is another major cause of hematuria but usually occurs in older patients.




5 Reasons You Will See Blood in Urine

What are the functions of the kidney? 

The kidneys filter waste and excess fluid from the blood. As kidneys fail, the waste accumulates in the body. The two most important enzymes, which kidney makes are erythropoietin & renin. Erythropoietin are made by the kidneys if there is less oxygen in the blood. It tells the bone marrow to make more red blood cells. So this means there will be more oxygen carried in the blood.

Renin is made by the kidney if there is low blood pressure, low volume of blood, or too low salts in the blood Renin make the blood vessels smaller and tells the adrenal gland to make aldosterone. It also makes a person feel thirsty and all of this makes the blood pressure go up. Since Kidney plays a very important role in the overall functioning of the body, it s very important to take care of its health. 

Let s have a look on various kind of kidney disease including the one which are chronic:

Kidney stones
Kidney Infections
Glomerulonephritis
Congenital Kidney disease
Diabetic Nephropathy
Hypertensive Nephropathy
Cancer 

Now what is Chronic Kidney Disease?
Chronic kidney disease include conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to keep healthy by doing the jobs listed, if it gets worse, wastes can build to high levels in the blood and make person sick.
Chronic kidney disease is caused by diabetes, high blood pressure and other disorders.

What causes chronic kidney disease?
The two main causes of chronic kidney disease are diabetes & high blood pressure which are responsible for up to two third of the cases. Other conditions that affect the kidney are:
1. A group of diseases that cause inflammation and damage to the kidney s filtering unit.
2. Inherited disease such as poly cystic kidney disease.
3. Malformation that occur as a baby develop in mother s womb.
4. Lupus and other disease that affect the body s immune system.
5. Repeated urinary infections.

What are the symptoms of chronic kidney disease?
1. Feel more tired and have less energy
2. Have trouble concentrating
3. Poor appetite
4. Trouble sleeping
5. Muscle cramping at night
6. Swollen feet and ankles
7. Puffiness around the eyes especially in the morning
8. Dry itchy skin
9. Need to urinate more often, especially at night. 
In case of the similar symptoms one needs to get it diagnosed and connect with the physician for good care and treatment. Stay Healthy!

Chronic Kidney Disease - 9 Symptoms that Can Help You Detect it 

A kidney stone is like a small rock that forms in the kidney. Stones form when certain chemicals in the body clump together. A stone can either stay in the kidney or travel through the urinary system by passing though the urine and not causing any harm.

What are the symptoms?

Very small stones might pass through the urinary system without causing much pain. Larger stones can block the flow of urine if they get stuck in the ureters or urethra. Kidney stones do not usually cause any symptoms until they start to pass. Some symptoms might include:

Extreme pain in your back or side that will not go away

Nausea

Blood in your urine

Fever and chills

Who are at risk ?

Anyone can have a kidney stone, but it may be more likely if you:

Are male and are overweight

Have had kidney infections

Have a family member with kidney stones

Have had kidney stones before

Eat a lot of animal protein (such as meat and eggs)

Do not drink enough liquids

Have certain medicines which can cause kidney stones

How are kidney stones treated?

Treatment depends on the location and size of the kidney stone. Drinking plenty of water and taking some medicines can help a small stone to pass more easily. For problem stones, there may be a few options:

Lithotripsy uses shock waves to break a large stone into smaller pieces that can pass.

Ureteroscopic Stone Removal uses a small tool to get and remove stones stuck in the ureters.

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy uses surgery to remove large stones from the kidneys.

Depending on the location of the kidney stone and many other factors the doctor decides on the most suitable procedure.

How can I prevent kidney stones?

If you have had kidney stones before, you are more likely to have kidney stones again. To help keep stones from forming, try to:

Drink 10 to 12 glasses of water each day

Eat less salt (sodium), meat and eggs

Find out what type of stone you have

Ask your doctor for a urine test

Talk to your doctor about your medicines and other tests for kidney stones

Do NOT reduce the calcium in your diet without talking to your doctor first! Studies show that limiting calcium in your diet may not stop kidney stones from forming and may harm your bones.

Kidney Stones - Are They Troubling You?

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