When I was about seven years old, I was wondering why my Aunt Linda, the eldest sister of my mother, was always chewing ice and why her hand was always wrapped in a bandage. Before I could ever get clear answers to these questions that bugged my young mind, my aunt passed away. It was only when I grew older that I had a clear grasp of what caused the demise of my aunt, and it was due to kidney failure. It was my mother who explained everything to me and told me about her experiences when she accompanied Aunt Linda for her dialysis in the Clark Air Base Hospital when Clark was still functioning as an American Military Base. My mother shared with me that because my aunt was able to get free treatment and medicines in the said hospital, my aunt was able to prolong her life for at least one or two years.
When I asked my mom the cause of my aunt's illness, she only mentioned one thing---Aunt Linda was fond of junk food and salty dishes. Similarly, my former teacher who also became my colleague in DepEd Regional Office, Mam Girlie, also succumbed to kidney failure, and it was also because she loved to munch on chips and junk foods. I remember one time when I hitched a ride in her car, there was a big bag of chips sitting next to me in the back seat.
My mother reminded us well that since our family (from her side) has a history of chronic kidney disease, we must be careful about eating too much junk food, processed meat, and salty condiments and dishes. Ironically, my mother's family is mostly composed of meat vendors this is why we are really used to eating pork and processed foods such as tocino, longganiza, ham, and more. Well, when I was younger, I really had a knack for eating junk foods but as aged, I knew I had to take precautions and take care of my health.
This June, I take this opportunity to remind not only myself but everyone who will be reading this article to take care of their kidneys. Mandated by Presidential Proclamation No. 184 s.1993, the National Kidney Institute leads the yearly observance of the National Kidney Month. This year's theme is “Bato’y Alagaan Para sa Kinabukasan”.
However, taking care of our kidneys should not only be done during the celebration of the National Kidney Month, but it should be year-round, meaning it must be a healthy lifestyle for us to prevent the possibility of having chronic kidney disease. Here are some reminders of how we can take care of our kidneys:
Drink lots of water. Not only can we prevent kidney failures but generally speaking, drinking at least eight glasses of water and avoiding carbonated and alcoholic drinks is the best way to keep our body strong and healthy.
Avoid processed foods. Natural and organic is the only way to go when we want to be super healthy. Let us always remember that we are responsible for everything that goes inside our bodies, especially our food choices. It is okay to feast once in a while, and the key is consistency and discipline.
Maintain a healthy level of blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol. This can be achieved by having a proper diet and enough amount of exercise.
Control your weight. Staying fit and healthy should always be our number one priority, especially for us who are not getting any younger. When we age, we need to double our efforts in taking care of our bodies through a healthy lifestyle.
Get an annual physical annual exam. Being able to subject yourself yearly to physical and medical examinations will motivate us to keep healthy and fit. At the same time, we are able to identify any red flags and take timely steps to respond to any health situation our bodies might be experiencing.
To end, let us always remember that we only have one body to take care of. Prevention is always better than cure, and we need to make our bodies healthier and stronger as we age gracefully.