March 12 : World Kidney Day

World Kidney Day is observed on Second Thursday of March every year and this year the date falls on March 12. The day is observed to create an awareness among the people globally, about the importance of the kidneys and also to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health issues.

World Kidney Day is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations. The theme for 2015 World Kidney Day is Kidney Health For All.

Precautionary Measures

• Kindly check your blood pressure – High BP accelerates kidney damage.
• Be Fit and active by doing regular exercise.
• No Smoking – It slows down the blood flow to the kidneys.
• Eat healthily and keep your weight in check.
• Regular monitoring of kidney function.
• Drink plenty of water – It helps the kidneys to clear sodium, urea, and other toxins from the body.

Factors associated with Kidney Diseases

• Diabetes
• High BP
• Heart Problems
• Genetic Kidney Problems

Knowledge is Wealth

• Currently there is no solution for people with end stage kidney failure. The available treatments are dialysis and transplantation. The later is not an easy alternative, as it is very costly. 
• Nephrology is the branch of Medicine that deals with the kidney functions and the diseases associated with Kidneys.
• Kidney regulated BP by maintaining Salt-Water balance. 
• Kidney serve as the natural filter of blood; they remove the toxic substances; produce hormones such as calcitriol and erythropoietin.