World Kidney Day - 11 March 2021

This day aims to make people aware of kidney diseases worldwide and inform them of their prevention. Chronic kidney disease currently affects about 850 million people worldwide.

Being diagnosed with kidney disease can be quite a challenge. Its diagnosis and treatment, particularly in more advanced states of the disease, has a great impact, interfering with the patient's ability, family and friends to participate in daily activities such as work, travel and socialization, in addition to other effects such as fatigue, pain , depression and sleep problems.

In Portugal, more than 20,000 patients are dependent on dialysis or transplantation.

The organization of World Kidney Day declared in 2021 the year of “living well with kidney disease”. The aim is to increase education and awareness about the effective treatment of symptoms, the active involvement of the patient and their encouragement to maintain their participation in society. While measures to prevent kidney disease and its progression are important, patients with kidney disease, including those who depend on dialysis or transplant and their caregivers, should feel supported, especially during the pandemic and other challenging periods that may come up.

The kidney is a bean-shaped organ, with average dimensions in the order of 11 cm and weighing around 200g. It is located in the posterior region of the abdomen, located on each side of the lumbar spine. The kidneys are connected to an excretory system made up of ureters, which are like two channels that aim to drain the urine into the bladder.

This organ has a fundamental role in regulating the water volume of our organism, eliminating what is in excess and retaining what is necessary, through a complex mechanism of excretion and reabsorption.

In addition, it is capable of eliminating a wide range of drugs and substances resulting from body metabolism. It has the ability to produce hormones that regulate blood pressure, bone metabolism and the production of red blood cells.

According to several studies, in a simplified way, each person needs a liter daily for every 30 kg of weight, every day of the week, weekends, holidays and holy days. If you sweat a lot, for sport reasons, or at room temperature, you should compensate for that sweating with at least half a liter to a liter of extra water that day.

Our body is mostly made up of pure water, the numbers vary, but it is estimated that we are about 70% made up of pure water. We are not 70% of soup, juice or tea, just water. Therefore, in the absence of water, the body is prepared to use even the water that makes up an apple or a carrot, but to say that it is the same has hydration terms, it is not.

So, although everything can be accounted for to hydrate a body, to do it in the correct and most effective way for toning the kidney, we should opt for pure water.

There are several factors that can compromise the functionality of the kidneys, such as:

Abuse of anti-inflammatories and antibiotics
Low fluid intake
Dietary factors
Chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure
Bad lifestyle habits can lead to worsening kidney function, which can trigger more serious illnesses.