7 behaviors that damage the kidneys but many people do, the last 2 things surprise everyone

The kidneys are very important organs but are also very vulnerable to small daily actions.

Many people have the misconception that the kidneys are only important for men. In fact, the kidneys have many functions that ensure the life and normal functioning of the human body regardless of age or gender. Professor Liu Bicheng of the Department of Nephrology of Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University (China) said that when it comes to the main functions of the kidneys, we cannot ignore filtering blood and waste.

At the same time, the kidneys also help regulate blood volume and excrete urine. The kidneys also have endocrine functions, producing renin, erythropoietin, active vitamin D3, prostaglandins, kinins. and participating in the metabolism of vitamin D3 and glucose in some cases.

Despite the increasing material life and progress in the field of medicine, kidney diseases are still difficult to cure completely. The most common kidney diseases include: kidney failure, kidney stones, glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, acute pyelonephritis and kidney cancer. They make patients live their whole lives with much pain, inconvenience and cannot live without medical intervention.

Professor Liu emphasized that the best way is to protect and prevent kidney diseases early, and stay away from the following 7 behaviors that damage the kidneys:

1. Drinking too little water

According to scientific research, a normal person should supplement 1.5 - 2 liters of water per day, not including other types of liquids. If not provided with enough water, it will affect the normal metabolism of the kidneys. Over time, toxins and waste will accumulate in the kidneys, increasing the metabolic burden of the kidneys and impairing kidney function.

Chronic dehydration also leads to the production of urine with higher concentrations of minerals and waste. This can lead to the formation of kidney stones and cause many serious kidney diseases. One way to know if your body is drinking enough water is to look at the color of your urine.

Lack of water is one of the leading causes of kidney damage. (Illustration photo).

2. Eating too much salt

Eating too much salt causes excess sodium, while sodium is mainly excreted through the kidneys. This habit, if prolonged, will cause the kidneys to work too hard and overload. This leads to decreased function and disease.

Not to mention, eating too much salt also causes the body to absorb more water, leading to increased blood circulation to the glomerulus, forcing the kidneys to work harder to filter blood, which in the long run will damage the kidneys.

3. Staying up late

Professor Liu said that night is the best time for the kidneys to rest, adjust and repair. If you stay up late for work or entertainment, the kidneys will have to work too hard, reducing their ability to repair themselves.

No matter what the reason, you should not stay up late regularly to protect your health (Illustration photo)
. Staying up late also causes imbalance in the endocrine and immune systems. This disrupts the internal environment of the body, making it easy to cause infections, including kidney disease. Staying up late regularly also leads to high blood pressure, thus increasing the risk of kidney disease.

4. Holding urine

When it comes to kidney-damaging behaviors, holding urine cannot be ignored. Frequent retention of urine will increase pressure on the kidneys and delay the process of eliminating toxins from the body. The most direct harm of this is damage to the bladder and loss of control of urination. If repeated for a long time, it is difficult to avoid kidney failure, kidney stones and other serious urinary disorders such as chronic nephritis or uremia.

5. Drug abuse

Drug abuse, including taking the wrong medication or taking too much, directly affects the kidneys by causing inflammation or damage to the anatomical structures of the kidneys. It can also cause indirect toxicity by altering blood flow to the kidneys or creating endogenous toxins for the kidneys. The most common disease caused by drug abuse is kidney failure, even life-threatening acute kidney failure.

6. Not paying attention to keeping the waist and lower back warm

Many people will be surprised to know that keeping warm and protecting the waist area is important for kidney health. However, traditional medicine believes that frequently exposing the waist area can affect the blood circulation, making it easier to catch a cold and damage the kidneys. Therefore, no matter how much you like it, you should limit wearing clothes that expose this area when going out. In winter, you need to pay more attention to keeping the waist area warm. If you experience unusual pain in the waist area, you should also be careful of kidney disease.

7. Use tea to sober up

Drinking alcohol is of course harmful to the kidneys, but if you use tea to sober up, not only will it not work, it will also be more harmful to the kidneys, especially with strong tea. According to Professor Liu, alcohol is excreted through the kidneys before it can be broken down, the kidneys are stimulated by a large amount of ethanol, thereby damaging kidney function.