Warning signs of kidney problems – Newstrends
Connect with us

Health

Warning signs of kidney problems

Published

on

You are always tired

Kidneys filter waste from your blood and ship it out in your pee. When your kidneys don’t work right, toxins can build up. One common tipoff is fatigue. You may feel spent, weak, or have trouble concentrating.

Kidneys make a hormone that tells your body to create red blood cells. If you have fewer of them, your blood can’t deliver as much oxygen to your muscles and brain as they need.

Poor sleep

Studies show a possible link between sleep apnea and chronic kidney disease (CKD), which over time damages your organs and may lead to kidney failure. Sleep apnea may hurt your kidneys in part by preventing your body from getting enough oxygen. CKD in turn may cause sleep apnea by narrowing your throat, toxin buildup, and other ways.

Itchy skin

This may happen if your kidneys can’t flush out toxins and they build up in your blood.  That can cause a rash or make you itch all over. Over time, your kidneys may not be able to balance the minerals and nutrients in your body. This can lead to mineral and bone disease, which can make your skin dry and itchy.

Swollen face and feet

When your kidneys can’t get rid of sodium well, fluids build up in your body. That may lead to puffy hands, feet, ankles, legs, or a puffy face. You might notice swelling especially in your feet and ankles. And protein leaking out in your urine can show up as puffiness around your eyes.

Muscle cramps

Cramps in your legs and elsewhere can be a sign of poor kidney function. Imbalance in the levels of sodium, calcium, potassium, or other electrolytes can interrupt how your muscles and nerves work.

Breathlessness

When you have kidney disease, your organs don’t make enough of a hormone called erythropoietin. The hormones signal your body to make red blood cells. Without it, you can get anemia and feel short of breath.

Another cause is fluid buildup. You might have a hard time catching your breath. In serious cases, lying down may make you feel like you’re drowning.

Foggy head

When your kidneys don’t filter all waste out of your body, the toxins can affect your brain. Anemia also may block your brain from the oxygen it needs.

You may feel dizzy and have trouble with concentration and memory. You may even become so confused that you have trouble with simple tasks.

Foul breath

When your kidneys can’t filter out waste, it can cause a condition called uremia. That can make your mouth smell. Also, toxins in your bloodstream can give food a metallic or off taste.

Low appetite

Kidney disease can cause nausea or vomiting and upset your stomach. That may leave you with little craving for food. That sometimes may lead to weight loss.

Foamy, brown, or bloody urine

Bubbly pee could be a sign of too much protein called albumin. That can result from kidney issues. So can brownish or very pale urine. Faulty kidney function also may let blood leak into your bladder. Blood in your urine also can be caused by kidney stones, tumors, or an infection.

Source: WebMD

Eight ways to keep your kidney healthy

Here are some tips to help keep your kidneys healthy.

Keep active and fit through regular exercise

Control your blood sugar

Monitor blood pressure

Monitor weight and eat a healthy diet

Drink plenty of fluids

Don’t smoke

Be aware of the amount of over-the-counter pills you take

Have your kidney function tested if you’re at high risk.

Source: www.healthline.com.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Health

Artificial sweeteners found in bread, other food can damage kidney, experts warn

Published

on

Artificial sweeteners in bread, other food can damage kidney, experts warn

Experts have expressed worry over increased consumption of artificial sweeteners found in bread, pastries and biscuits.

A report by The PUNCH says these are now being used by bakeries and food processing companies in place of sugar, which experts note as posing serious health risks to the people.

They also cautioned against using artificial sweeteners for weight loss or to reduce the ‘risk of noncommunicable diseases’.

They warned that long-term use could cause diabetes, heart-related issues and kidney problems.

According to the recent guidelines on Non-Sugar Sweeteners, the World Health Organisation warned against the use of NSS to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases, insisting that NSS are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value.

The WHO urged people to reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether and should start early in life to improve their health.

It noted that the recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review which suggests that the use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children.

READ ALSO:

The report quotes Director for Nutrition and Food Safety, WHO, Francesco Branca, as saying, “Replacing free sugars with NSS does not help with weight control in the long term. People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugar intake, such as consuming food with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages.

“NSS are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value. People should reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether, starting early in life, to improve their health.

“The recommendation applies to all people except individuals with pre-existing diabetes and includes all synthetic and naturally occurring or modified non-nutritive sweeteners that are not classified as sugars found in manufactured foods and beverages, or sold on their own to be added to foods and beverages by consumers.”

The WHO listed non-sugar sweeteners as acesulfame K, saccharin, aspartame, advantame, cyclamates, neotame, sucralose, stevia and stevia derivatives, saying that long-term consumption of these may be harmful to health.

“The recommendation does not apply to personal care and hygiene products containing NSS, such as toothpaste, skin cream, and medications, or to low-calorie sugars and sugar alcohols (polyols), which are sugars or sugar derivatives containing calories and are therefore not considered NSS,” it added.

A Nutritionist and Founder, Corlerns Foods Ltd, Awka, Anambra State, Obiora Chukwunulu, said the reason many people use NSS following the over 150 per cent increase in the cost of free sugar is because many sugar substitutes taste sweeter than sugar.

He said, “A very little quantity of this is needed to sweeten foods and drinks, yet it is cheaper.

“The quantity of sugar you will need to sweeten a 50-litre of dough will cost you a fortune but just a little quantity of saccharin, which will cost you less, will do justice to it. What N500 saccharin will do, N1,000 sugar will not do.”

Artificial sweeteners in bread, other food can damage kidney, experts warn

Continue Reading

Health

Fresh diphtheria outbreak kills four in Kano

Published

on

Fresh diphtheria outbreak kills four in Kano

No fewer than four children have reportedly been killed in a fresh outbreak of diphtheria disease in villages in the Mingibir Local Government Area of Kano State.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the local government’s Information Officer, Tasiu Yahaya Dadin-Duniya, and made available to a Kano-based radio station, Arewa Radio, 28 others have been hospitalized.

The statement read, “Four children have died of diphtheria, and 28 children have contracted the disease in Kwarkiya, Kuru, Kunya, and Minjibir Villages in Minjibir Local Government Area of the state.

READ ALSO:

“The Interim Management Officer of the local government, Muhammad Yakubu Kunya, has called on the authorities and stakeholders to immediately reach out to the Minjibir local government to protect the health of the communities.”.

According to the statement, the district head of the local government has requested traditional rulers and Islamic experts in the area to enlighten the people and pray for relief.

When contacted, Ibrahim Abdullahi, the State Ministry of Health’s Public Relations Officer, stated that the report had been passed to the State Director of Public Health, who has yet to confirm or deny the outbreak.

Continue Reading

Health

Kwara govt to begin HPV vaccine in secondary schools to stop cervical cancer

Published

on

HPV Vaccine administered in secondary schools

Kwara govt to begin HPV vaccine in secondary schools to stop cervical cancer

The Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo-Kawu, disclosed this on Tuesday in Ilorin when the Advocacy Team from the Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency paid her a courtesy visit.

Modibbo-Kawu said that the ministry would do everything possible to ensure the success of the vaccination in the state, adding that every organisation and relevant stakeholders would be consulted.

READ ALSO:

She expressed optimism that the programme would be given adequate priority while urging members of the team to abide by laid down principles guiding their work during the exercise and making the state the best.

Earlier, Dr Michael Oguntoye, the Team Leader and Director, Primary Health Care System, disclosed that the purpose of the visit was to inform the ministry of the forthcoming vaccination. He commended the state government for efforts toward bringing healthcare delivery to the doorsteps of the people at affordable rates.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the HPV vaccine is to protect girls between the ages of nine and 14 from cervical cancer before any exposure to the virus.

Kwara govt to begin HPV vaccine in secondary schools to stop cervical cancer

Continue Reading

Trending

Skip to content