TELL observes National Kidney Awareness Week

National Kidney Awareness Week is celebrated from September 6 to 10, presenting an opportunity to address the issues concerning kidney health, kidney donation and transplants.

According to Stella de Kock of Transplant Education for Living Legacies (TELL), over two million people worldwide receive treatment with dialysis or a kidney transplant.

She said the lack of education in the medical field and the public at large around the situation is only making matters more difficult.

“South Africa is one of 12 African countries that do kidney transplants and the only one that does transplants from dead donors. Living donors are becoming a life-saving alternative for patients that can find a matching donor.

This would either be a family member, living-related donor, a friend, unrelated living donor, a stranger or analtruistic donor,” she said.

De Kock said these living donors go through extensive tests to ensure that they will be able to withstand the operation and that they are healthy enough to live with one kidney.

Paul Nel donated his kidney to his daughter, Tanya, in June this year.

“Paul did not hesitate to go for tests to see if he was a match to be a donor for his daughter. The transplant was postponed twice, first due to Tanya’s access (fistula failing) and the second time due to Covid-19. Both father and daughter are doing very well after the operation,” said de Kock.

Eight golden rules for kidney health

You don’t think about your kidneys and the work that they do until they don’t function anymore.

You can lose up to 90% of your kidney function before showing any signs or symptoms. World Kidney Day, a global awareness campaign, has developed eight golden rules to follow to ensure you keep your precious kidneys healthy.

1. Monitor and control your blood pressure

• It is good practice to know high blood pressure can damage your kidneys and cause Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), which can progress to End Stage Renal Failure (ESRD).

• Normal blood pressure is 120/80, if your blood pressure is above this level when measured on two different days, consult your healthcare provider. You ought to then discuss lifestyle and dietary changes that you need to make to control your blood pressure.

2. Control your blood sugar level

Many people who are diabetic develop ESRD; therefore, it is important to maintain your blood sugar levels and have your kidney function tested regularly.

With early detection, the progression to ESRD from diabetes can be reduced or even prevented.

3. Get moving

Some of the benefits of regular exercise are:

• Maintaining your ideal body weight

• Reduce blood pressure

• Reduce the risk of developing CKD

4. Eat a healthy diet and keep your weight stable

The reason for eating a healthy diet is that it can prevent a lot of lifestyle-related diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and other chronic condition associated with chronic renal failure. Keeping your weight in check puts less stress on all your organs.

Limit your salt intake to five to six grams a day, a teaspoon. Processed food contains a lot of salt, it is best to prepare your meal from fresh ingredients whenever possible.

5. Drink enough water

Your kidneys will thank you for looking after them. Drinking enough water helps clear your system of excess minerals, such as sodium, potassium and phosphates, which can cause damage to your organs and ultimately lead to death.

The ideal amount of fluid you need to take will be influenced by how active you are and the climate you stay in, health conditions, pregnancy and breastfeeding. Consult your doctor on the appropriate fluid intake for your condition.

6. Don’t start to smoke and quit if you do

Smoking causes less blood to reach your kidneys, which in turn causes them not to function properly. As stated above, if your kidneys don’t function properly they cannot clear your body of excess minerals and toxins.

7. Avoid taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication regularly

If you take over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen regularly, you could be putting your health at risk of developing CKD. Consult your healthcare professional to manage your pain and protect your kidneys.

8. Get your kidney function checked regularly if you are in the high-risk group

You are considered to be at a high risk to develop CKD if you have:

• Diabetes

• Hypertension

• A family history of kidney disease

• Are obes

Unfortunately, there is no cure for CKD, but it can be prevented and the progression to ESRD can be managed. Make sure that you follow the eight golden rules to look after your kidneys.

The beans (kidneys) in your body will thank you.