Hearts Get all the Love – But Kidneys Need Love Too!
“Heart Your Kidneys“ is a public awareness campaign for March, National Kidney Month
Celebrated every year in March is National Kidney Month and on the second Thursday of March, is World Kidney Day (WKD) (March 9). This global campaign aims at increasing awareness of kidney disease and its associated problems worldwide. The message for WKD 2017 is “Kidney Disease and Obesity.” In 2014, worldwide over 600 million adults were obese. Obesity increases the risk of developing major risk factors of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), like diabetes and high-blood pressure, and it has a direct impact on the development of CKD and end stage renal disease (ESRD). The good news is that obesity, as well as CKD, is largely preventable.
The National Kidney Foundation is committed to prevention and encourages anyone with diabetes, high-blood pressure, or a family history of kidney disease to speak with their doctor this month and ask about getting tested. “It only takes two simple tests at the doctor’s office to check your kidney health. Even if you inherit kidney disease, you may be able to slow it down with lifestyle changes,” said Arti K. Gupta, M.D., from Dallas Nephrology Associates (DNA).
To raise public awareness of kidney disease, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is encouraging all Americans to “Heart Your Kidneys” (#heartyourkidneys) on World Kidney Day and throughout the month of March, National Kidney Month. The new public awareness campaign seeks to lift the kidneys to the status of other, better-understood, vital organs like the heart so that people understand what kidneys do and why they are vital to sustaining life. “When it comes to vital organs, hearts get all the love. Kidneys get the short end of the stick,” said Kevin Longino, CEO, National Kidney Foundation. “But kidneys are essential to keeping you healthy—when your kidneys stop working, so do you. Trust me, I know,” added Longino, who received a kidney transplant 12 years ago.
Free and Open to the Public: On Thursday, March 9, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. the National Kidney Foundation and Dallas County Health & Human Services Department (DCHHS) will offer free kidney screenings to all county residents at DCHHS, 2377 North Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75207. To further commemorate World Kidney Day and bring awareness to the disease the NKF is hosting a Patient & Community Kidney Friendly Luncheon on Sunday, March 12 from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Double Tree Hotel Dallas Campbell Centre. For more information about these events contact the NKF office at 214.351.2393.
Take Five Steps
The National Kidney Foundation recommends that everyone take five healthy steps to protect their kidneys. 1) GET TESTED - Ask your doctor for a urine test and a blood test annually. 2) REDUCE USE OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES - Many over-the-counter medications, like ibuprofen or aspirin, may ease aches and pains, but may harm your kidneys. 3) CUT PROCESSED FOODS - Processed foods are a significant source of sodium, nitrates and phosphates, which have been linked to cancer, heart disease and kidney disease. 4) EXERCISE REGULARLY – 30 minutes of regular exercise will help you control your blood pressure and lower your blood sugar levels, which are vital to kidney health. 5) STAY WELL HYDRATED - Drinking plenty of water and avoiding sugary beverages helps your kidneys clear sodium and other toxins from the body.
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most comprehensive and longstanding organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease. For more information about the NKF visit www.kidney.org. For more about the Dallas/North Texas location, visit the website at www.nkft.org