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T H E W E S L E Y H E R A L D Page 12

F O R Y O U R O W N H E A L T H : C H R O N I C K I D N E Y D I S E A S E ( C K D )

Throughout my life, I’ve heard many stories about people who have had
kidney issues, for one reason or another. Whether it was from years of
heavy drinking to simply not drinking enough water, in most of those
cases, these people ended up on dialysis in order to literally stay alive.
Although, I knew of most of them, and some at a distance, it didn’t hit
home for me until recently when my Wife called me at work to tell me
that her Mom (my Mother-in-Law) had to be rushed to the hospital be-
cause of the extreme swelling in her legs and her shortness of breath -
both common symptoms of kidney failure (this will be discussed later in
the article). That’s when “ish” got real!! My Mother-in-Law, if not treated
immediately, could literally die within days!
Chronic Kidney Disease or “CKD” is when your kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood the way they
should. The disease is called “chronic” because the damage to your kidneys happens slowly over a
long period of time. The kidneys are located in the middle of the back, just below the ribcage. The kid-
neys’ main job is to filter extra water and wastes out of your blood to make urine. To keep your body
working properly, the kidneys balance the salts and minerals - such as
calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium - that circulate in the
blood. Your kidneys also make hormones that help control blood pres-
sure, make red blood cells, and keep your bones strong. When the kid-
neys aren’t working properly, they become damaged where waste
builds up in your body, making your body toxic, and thus, poisoning
your system. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion, CKD is common among adults in the United States. More than 30
million American adults may have CKD.
You are at risk for kidney disease if you have:

 Diabetes - Diabetes is the leading cause of CKD. High blood glu-
cose, also called blood sugar, from diabetes can damage the blood vessels in your kidneys. Almost
1 in 3 people with diabetes has CKD.

 High Blood Pressure - High blood pressure is the second leading cause of CKD. Like high blood
glucose, high blood pressure also can damage the blood vessels in your kidneys. Almost 1 in 5
adults with high blood pressure has CKD.
 Heart Disease - Research shows a link between kidney disease and heart disease. People with
heart disease are at higher risk for kidney disease, and people with kidney disease are at higher risk
for heart disease. Researchers are working to better understand the relationship between kidney
disease and heart disease.

 Family history of kidney failure - If your mother, father, sister, or brother has kidney failure, you are
at risk for CKD. Kidney disease tends to run in families. If you have kidney disease, encourage