Category: Health Tips

What is Movember?
Every November, a band of perfectly ordinary men take on the brave task of Movember: growing a moustache for charity in a bid to raise awareness about men’s health – prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health issues such as depression.

The Movember Foundation is the only global charity focused solely on men’s health. The Foundation raises funds to deliver innovative, breakthrough research and support programs that enable men to live happier, healthier, and longer lives. Awareness and fundraising activities are run year-round by the Foundation, with the annual Movember campaign being globally recognized for its fun, disruptive approach to fundraising and getting men to take action for their health.

During Movember, men are challenged to grow a moustache, and men and women can be physically active and move or host a fundraising event. Not only do these commitments raise vital funds, they also generate powerful and often life-changing conversations

But where did Movember begin?

It started in Melbourne, Australia 10 years ago, when a group of friends decided to revive an old-fashioned trend – the moustache. 30 guys took part just to see what would happen, and when they realised how much fun it was, they started raising money the next year, starting by raising awareness for prostate cancer.

Facts

• Movember is about real men growing real moustaches and talking about real issues.
• The Moustache is a ribbon for men’s health.
• Movember’s vision is to have an everlasting impact on the face of men’s health.
• Mo Bros sporting upper lip hair effectively become walking talking billboards for the 30 days of Movember raising funds and much-needed awareness around the often ignored issues of men’s health.
• Mo Bros start the month clean-shaven, then grow and groom their moustache all month long.

Importance of Movember:
November has become “Movember” among health campaigners around the world as thousands of men adopt a well-groomed approach to male cancer awareness. Movember aims to raise the profile of diseases such as Prostate cancer and Testicular cancer.

While prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men, there are prevention steps men can take. Finding out if there is a family history of the disease will help, as men are 2.5 times more likely to develop prostate cancer if a father or brother has had it.

There are also lifestyle changes that can be made.

Exercising every day and taking more care of your diet can help. Men living in western countries are more likely to get prostate cancer than men in south and East Asian countries. This may be because of the western diet, which contains less fruit and vegetables and more dairy, red meat, sugar and processed foods.

It’s these lifestyle factors that need to be addressed by men in the Emirates in order for them to cut their risk of all cancers.

“Nationals and expats need to change their habits toward smoking and exposure to the sun. For other cancers, the risk cannot be significantly changed – but sometimes the mortality related to it can be reduced by detecting it earlier, such as in the case of prostate cancer.”

What is prostate cancer?

The prostate is a gland located immediately below the bladder, in front of the bowels. It produces fluid that protects and enriches sperm.Prostate cancer occurs when some of the cells in the prostate reproduce far more rapidly than normal, resulting in a tumour. If left untreated, prostate cancer cells may eventually spread from the prostate and invade distant parts of the body, particularly the lymph nodes and bones, producing secondary tumours in a process known as metastasis. One of the most worrying aspects of the disease is that most prostate cancers develop without men experiencing any symptoms in the early stages.

Know the risk factors
Prostate cancer only affects men, as women do not have a prostate gland. Risk factors in developing the disease include:

Age

• Older a man, the more likely he is to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Family History

• A man with a father or brother who developed prostate cancer is twice as likely to develop the disease.

Ethnicity

• Increased occurrence in black African and Afro-Caribbean males.

 

Symptoms
Not everyone experiences symptoms of prostate cancer. Many times, signs of prostate cancer are first detected by a doctor during a routine check-up.Some men, however, will experience changes in urinary or sexual function that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer. These symptoms include:

• A need to urinate frequently, especially at night
• Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine
• Weak or interrupted flow of urine
• Painful or burning urination
• Difficulty in having an erection
• Painful ejaculation
• Blood in urine or semen
• Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs

What is testicular cancer?

The testicles are part of the male reproductive system and are responsible for the production of male hormones (mostly testosterone) and sperm. Testicular cancer starts as an abnormal growth or tumour that develops in one or both testicles. There are several types of testicular cancer, but the most common is the germ cell tumour.

Who’s at risk?
The rate of men diagnosed with testicular cancer has doubled in the last 50 years. Early detection and knowing the risks is key.

• Young men between the age of 15-40 years.
• Men with a family history such as a brother or father diagnosed with testicular cancer.
• Men who have had a previous occurrence of testicular cancer.
• Men who have undescended testes at birth.

Diabetes and kidney failure
The main job of the kidneys is to remove waste from the blood and return the cleaned blood back to the body. Kidney failure means the kidneys are no longer able to remove waste and maintain the level of fluid and salts that the body needs.

One cause of kidney failure is diabetes mellitus, a condition characterised by high blood glucose (sugar) levels. Over time, the high levels of sugar in the blood damage the millions of tiny filtering units within each kidney. This eventually leads to kidney failure.

Around 20 to 30 per cent of people with diabetes develop kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy), although not all of these will progress to kidney failure. A person with diabetes is susceptible to nephropathy whether they use insulin or not. The risk is related to the length of time the person has diabetes.

There is no cure for diabetic nephropathy, and treatment is lifelong. Another name for the condition is diabetic glomerulosclerosis. People with diabetes are also at risk of other kidney problems, including narrowing of the arteries to the kidneys, called renal artery stenosis or renovascular disease.

Symptoms of kidney failure For people with diabetes, kidney problems are usually picked up during a check-up by their doctor. Occasionally, a person can have type 2 diabetes without knowing it. This means their unchecked high blood sugar levels may be slowly damaging their kidneys. At first, the only sign is high protein levels in the urine, but this has no symptoms. It may be years before the kidneys are damaged severely enough to cause symptoms. Some of the symptoms may include:

• Fluid retention (oedema of the legs or face)
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting.

Kidneys explained
The human body has two kidneys, one on either side of the spine beneath the lower ribs. Inside each kidney are about one million tiny units called nephrons. Each nephron consists of a small filter (glomerulus) attached to a tubule. Water that contains waste is separated from the blood by the filters and directed into the tubules. Much of the water is returned to the blood by the tubules, while the wastes are concentrated into urine. The urine is collected from the tubules by a funnel-like structure (renal pelvis). From there, the urine flows down a tube (ureter) that joins each kidney to the bladder.

Urine leaves the bladder via the urethra, the thin tube that connects to the outside of the body. Kidneys affected by diabetic nephropathy no longer work efficiently, and trace amounts of protein appear in the urine (microalbuminuria). The retained water and salts cause the characteristic fluid retention and, frequently, the blood pressure begins to rise.

The mechanism is unknown
It is clear that diabetes can lead to kidney disease, but just why high blood sugars should damage the glomeruli is unclear. High blood pressure (hypertension) is a known risk factor for kidney disease and people with diabetes are prone to hypertension. The renin-angiotensin system – which helps regulate blood pressure – is also thought to be involved in the development of diabetic nephropathy.

Other risk factors include cigarette smoking and family history. Diabetic nephropathy progresses steadily despite medical intervention. However, treatment can significantly slow the rate of damage.

Diagnosis methods
Diabetic nephropathy is diagnosed using a number of tests including:

• Urine tests – to check protein levels. An abnormally high level of protein in the urine is one of the first signs of diabetic nephropathy.
• Blood pressure – regular checks for raised blood pressure are necessary. Elevated blood pressure is caused by diabetic nephropathy and also contributes to its progression.
• Blood tests – to check the degree of kidney function.
• Biopsy – a small tag of tissue is removed from the kidney, via a slender needle, and examined in a laboratory. This is usually only performed when there is doubt about whether kidney damage is due to diabetes or to another cause.
• Kidney ultrasound – enables the size of the kidneys to be imaged and allows the arteries to the kidneys to be checked for narrowing that can cause decreased kidney function.

Treatment options There is no cure for diabetic nephropathy. Treatment must become ever more aggressive as the kidneys deteriorate towards failure. Medical options include:

• Prevention – this is the best form of treatment and includes good control of blood glucose levels and blood pressure.
• Medications – including medications to reduce high blood pressure, particularly angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers to curb kidney damage.
• Dialysis – or artificial kidney treatment. End stage kidney failure is the failure of the kidney to function at all. Dialysis involves either shunting the patient’s blood through a special machine (haemodialysis) that helps remove the wastes while preserving water and salts, or removing wastes through fluid introduced into the abdomen (peritoneal dialysis). Dialysis is required several times every week for the rest of the person’s life.
• Kidney transplant – a healthy donor kidney, obtained either from someone who has died or from a relative or friend, replaces the function of the diseased kidneys.

Risk reduction strategies
A person with diabetes can reduce their risk of diabetic nephropathy, or at least delay its onset, in a number of ways including:

• Strictly controlling blood sugar levels
• Making sure that blood pressure is well controlled
• Avoiding non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)
• Treating urinary tract infections promptly with antibiotics
• Drinking plenty of non-alcoholic fluids, preferably water
• Avoiding medical treatments that stress the kidneys, such as x-rays requiring the injection of contrast dyes
• Having regular tests to ensure the health of your kidneys.

Things to remember

• One of the causes of kidney failure is diabetes mellitus, a condition characterised by high blood glucose (sugar) levels.
• Over time, the high levels of sugar in the blood damage the millions of tiny filtering units within each kidney.
• There is no cure, and treatment must become ever more aggressive as the kidneys deteriorate towards failure.
• Treatment options include medications, dialysis and kidney transplant.

Why is good nutrition important for people with kidney disease?
Making healthy food choices is important to us all, but it is even more important if you have kidney disease (CKD). Good nutrition can help to:
Provide energy to do your daily tasks
Prevent infection
Avoid muscle-mass loss
Help maintain a healthy weight
Slow down the progression of kidney disease

What are the basics of good nutrition?
A well balanced diet gives you the right amounts of protein, calories, vitamins, and minerals each day. Eating a healthy diet, staying physically active and taking all your medicines as prescribed are all important parts to keeping you healthy and feeling well.

Wil I need to change my diet if I have kidney disease?
Your kidneys help to keep the right balance of nutrients and minerals in your body. But if you have kidney disease, your kidneys may not be able to do this job very well. You may need to make some changes to your diet.

Ask your doctor about meeting with a Registered Dietitian with special training in kidney disease. A dietitian can teach you to make the best food choices based on your lab tests and personal lifestyle. Making changes in your diet to better control diabetes and high blood pressure can also help to keep kidney disease from getting worse. Meeting with a dietitian is a covered service by Medicare. The service may also be a covered benefit by other types of insurance. You may need to call your insurance provider to find out if meeting with a dietitian is covered by your plan.

What kinds of changes will I need to make to my diet?
There is not one eating plan that is right for everyone with kidney disease. What you can or cannot eat may change over time, depending on how much kidney function you have and other factors. Also, if you are following a special diet for diabetes or heart conditions, you will need to continue to follow it as well.

People with kidney disease may need to control the amount of protein, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium in their diet. If your kidney disease gets worse, you may need to limit other nutrients as well. Your dietitian or healthcare provider will tell you if you need to do this based on your blood test results.

Why might I need to control protein, sodium, phosphorus, calcium, or potassium?
Eating the right amount of protein, sodium, potassium or phosphorus may help control the buildup of waste and fluid in your blood. This means your kidneys do not have to work as hard to remove the extra waste and fluid.

Protein
Your body needs protein to help build muscle, repair tissue, and fight infection. If you have kidney disease, you may need to watch how much protein you eat. Having too much protein can cause waste to build up in your blood. Your kidneys may not be able to remove all the extra waste. It is important to eat the right amount of protein each day. The amount of protein you need is based on your body size, your kidney problem, and the amount of protein that may be in your urine. Protein intake should not be too low, or it may cause other problems. Your dietitian or healthcare provider can tell you how much protein you should eat.

Sodium
Healthy kidneys control how much sodium is in your body. If your kidneys do not work well, too much sodium can cause fluid buildup, swelling, higher blood pressure, and strain on your heart. Your dietitian or healthcare provider can tell you the right amount of sodium you should have each day.

Potassium
Potassium works with the muscles, including the heart. Too much or too little potassium in the blood can be very dangerous. The amount of potassium you need is based on how well your kidneys are working and medications you are taking. Your dietitian or healthcare provider can tell you about foods that have potassium and the right amount for you to eat each day.

Phosphorus
As kidney function gets lower, extra phosphorus can start building up in the blood. High phosphorus levels can cause bones to get weaker. Your dietitian or healthcare provider can tell you if you need to limit goods that are high in phosphorus.

Calcium
Foods that are good sources of calcium are often high in phosphorus. Your dietitian or healthcare provider will tell you if you need to limit calcium. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking any over the counter vitamin D or calcium supplements.

Will I need to limit fluid?
Most people in the early stages of kidney disease do not need to limit the amount of fluids they drink. If you do not know your stage of kidney disease, ask your healthcare provider.

If your kidney disease gets worse, your dietitian or healthcare provider can let you know if you need to limit fluids and how much to drink each day.

How many calories do I need?
Every person is different. Calories are like fuel. If you don’t eat enough calories, you body will use protein for energy. This protein comes from your muscles. This can make you weak and may also cause damage to the kidneys. It is important to make sure you are getting the right amount of calories. The right amounts of calories are important to:

Help you stay at a healthy weight
Give you energy to do your daily tasks
Help your body use the protein in food to build muscle and tissues.
Too many calories can cause extra weight gain which can be a burden on the kidney. If you are overweight, some weight loss may be beneficial. If weight loss is desired or you have diabetes, you should meet with a dietitian to set up a plan based on your kidney blood tests, current food choices and daily activities.

Should I be taking any vitamin and mineral supplements?
Most people get enough vitamins and minerals to stay healthy by eating a variety of foods each day. You need to limit some foods because you have kidney disease that would have given you vitamins and minerals. If so, you may need to take special vitamins or minerals. You should only take the vitamins and minerals your dietitian or healthcare provider tells you to take because some may be harmful to people with kidney disease.

You should check with your healthcare provider before taking any medications you can buy without a prescription. Some over the counter medications may be harmful to people with kidney disease. You should also avoid taking herbal supplements.

If you have kidney stones, you may need to follow a special diet. First, your doctor will run tests to find out what type of stones you form. From these, the doctor can determine which diet changes may be right for you. A registered dietitian can help you make the necessary changes in your diet.

What is a kidney stone?
A kidney stone is a hard mass that forms from crystals in the urine. In most people, natural chemicals in the urine stop stones from forming.

Are all kidney stones the same?
No. The most common types of kidney stones are made from calcium and oxalate. Individual treatment for kidney stones depends on the type of kidney stones that are formed.

Is there a diet I can follow to prevent me from having more kidney stones?
Sometimes following a special diet may be enough to prevent you from forming more kidney stones. Other times, medications, in addition to a special diet, may be needed. Please note that not all dietary recommendations benefit all types of stone formers.

What kind of diet will I have to follow?
You may be asked to make changes to the amount of salt (sodium), calcium, oxalate, protein, citrate, potassium and fluid in your diet. A registered dietitian can help you with making these changes.

My doctor told me to drink a lot of fluids. How much is “a lot”? Does it matter what kind of fluid I drink?
Staying well hydrated by drinking enough water is one of the best measures you can take to avoid kidney stones. To lessen your risk of forming a new stone, it is very important that you drink at least three quarts (12 cups) of fluid throughout the day. In hotter weather, you may need to drink more to make up for fluid loss from sweating. This will help keep your urine less concentrated. Less concentrated urine reduces the risk of stone formation. Most of the fluid you drink should be water. Try to drink a glass of water before bed and if you wake during the night to use the bathroom, drink another glass before going back to bed.

I had a calcium stone. What type of diet should I follow? Will I have to avoid high calcium foods?
Calcium is not the enemy. If you have high calcium in the urine then sodium reduction is helpful for stone prevention. Instead of reducing your calcium intake, focus on limiting the sodium in your diet and pair calcium-rich foods with oxalate-rich foods. Extra sodium causes you to lose more calcium in your urine, putting you at risk for developing another stone. Your doctor will probably advise you to limit sodium to 2,000 milligrams each day. There are many sources of “hidden” sodium such as canned or commercially processed foods as well as restaurant-prepared and fast foods. A dietitian help you understand food labels and make changes in the amount of sodium that you eat. If you do not have high calcium in the urine then for stone reduction you might be better off focusing on other dietary changes. Your doctor or registered dietitian can help determine if you need more or less calcium and help you plan a diet that is healthful.

I had an oxalate stone. What type of diet should I follow? Do I need to avoid foods high in oxalate? Calcium oxalate kidney stones are the leading type of kidney stones. Oxalate is naturally found in many foods, including fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, grains, legumes, and even chocolate and tea. Some examples of foods that contain high levels of oxalate include: peanuts, rhubarb, spinach, beets, chocolate and sweet potatoes. The oxalate content of food can vary due to differences in such things as soil quality and state of ripeness. There may be variation in published data, too, as different methods may be used to determine the oxalate content of food.

Some research suggests that limiting high oxalate foods may help reduce your chance of forming another oxalate stone. However, many high oxalate foods are healthful so it is wise to not overly restrict your diet if not necessary. Most kidney stones are formed when oxalate binds to calcium while urine is produced by the kidneys. New research indicates that eating and drinking calcium and oxalate-rich foods together during a meal is a better approach than limiting oxalate entirely because oxalate and calcium are more likely to bind to one another in the stomach and intestines before the kidneys begin processing, making it less likely that kidney stones will form.

Talk with your doctor about how strictly you need to avoid oxalate-containing foods.

I had a uric acid stone. What does that mean? What type of diet should I follow?
Another common type of kidney stone is a uric acid stone. Red meat and shellfish have high concentrations of a natural chemical compound known as a purine. High purine intake leads  a higher production of uric acid which then accumulates as crystals in the joints, or as stones in the kidneys.

To prevent uric acid stones, cut down on high-purine foods such as red meat, organ meats, and shellfish, and foltolow a healthy diet that contains mostly vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and low fat dairy products. Limit sugar-sweetened foods and drinks, especially those that contain high fructose corn syrup. Limit alcohol because it can increase uric acid levels in the blood and avoid crash diets for the same reason. Eating less animal-based protein and eating more fruits and vegetables will help decrease urine acidity and this will help reduce the chance for stone formation.

You should also be sure to drink at least three quarts (12 cups) of water a day to help reduce the risk for stone formation. Making these healthy lifestyle changes can also help reduce your risk for developing gout because high uric acid is a leading risk factor for gout.

Is there anything else I can do with my diet to help prevent kidney stones? Reducing the amount of animal protein may help. Sources of animal protein include beef, chicken, pork, fish and eggs. Most people need only four to six ounces of high protein foods and three servings of milk or cheese a day. Check with your doctor or dietitian to be sure your protein intake is enough, but not too much.

Chronic kidney stones are often treated with potassium citrate. Studies have shown that limeade, lemonade and other fruits and juices high in natural citrate may offer similar stone-preventing benefits. It is believed that citrate in the urine may prevent the calcium from binding with other constituents that lead to stones. Also, some evidence suggests that citrate may prevent crystals that are already present from binding with each other, thus preventing them from getting bigger. Please note that juices made from actual limes and lemons contain higher levels of citrate and beware of the sugar content in juices, because this can increase kidney stone risk.

Will it help/hurt me to take a vitamin or mineral supplement?
The B vitamins (which include thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B6 and B12) have not been shown to be harmful to people with kidney stones. In fact, some studies have shown that B6 may actually help people with high urine oxalate. However, check with your doctor or dietitian for advice on the use of vitamin C, vitamin D, fish liver oils or mineral supplements containing calcium since some supplements can increase the chances of stone formation in some people.

1. Don’t Underestimate Your Sweat. Saunas, hot yoga and heavy exercise may be good for your health, but they also may lead to kidney stones. Why? Loss of water through sweating – whether due to these activities or just the heat of summer—leads to less urine production. The more you sweat, the less you urinate, which allows for stone-causing minerals to settle and bond in the kidneys and urinary tract.
Instead: Hydrate with H2O. One of the best measures you can take to avoid kidney stones is to drink plenty of water, leading you to urinate a lot. So, be sure to keep well hydrated, especially when engaging in exercise or activities that cause a lot of sweating.

2. It’s Not Just the Oxalate. Oxa-what? Oxalate is naturally found in many foods, including fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, grains, legumes, and even chocolate and tea. Some examples of foods that contain high levels of oxalate include: peanuts, rhubarb, spinach, beets, chocolate and sweet potatoes. Moderating intake of these foods may be beneficial for people who form calcium oxalate stones, the leading type of kidney stones. A common misconception is that cutting the oxalate-rich foods in your diet alone will reduce the likelihood of forming calcium oxalate kidney stones. While in theory this might be true, this approach isn’t smart from an overall health perspective. Most kidney stones are formed when oxalate binds to calcium while urine is produced by the kidneys.
Instead: Eat and drink calcium and oxalate-rich foods together during a meal. In doing so, oxalate and calcium are more likely to bind to one another in the stomach and intestines before the kidneys begin processing, making it less likely that kidney stones will form.

3. Calcium is Not the Enemy. But it tends to get a bad rap! Most likely due to its name and composition, many are under the impression that calcium is the main culprit in calcium-oxalate stones. “I still see patients who wonder why they are getting recurring stones despite cutting down on their calcium intake,” said Dr. Jhagroo. “I’ve even had patients say that their doctors told them to reduce their calcium intake.” A diet low in calcium actually increases one’s risk of developing kidney stones.
Instead: Don’t reduce the calcium. Work to cut back on the sodium in your diet and to pair calcium-rich foods with oxalate-rich foods.

4. It’s Not One and Done. Passing a kidney stone is often described as one of the most painful experiences a person can have, but unfortunately, it’s not always a one-time event. Studies have shown that having even one stone greatly increases your chances of having another. “Most people will want to do anything they can to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” said Dr. Jhagroo. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be the case that people make the changes they need to after their first stone event.” Research conducted by Dr. Jhagroo shows that those with kidney stones do not always heed the advice of their nephrologists and urinary specialists. About 15% of kidney stone patients didn’t take prescribed medications and 41% did not follow the nutritional advice that would keep stones from recurring.
Instead: Take action! Without the right medications and diet adjustments, stones can come back, and recurring kidney stones also could be an indicator of other problems, including kidney disease.

5. When Life Hands You Kidney Stones… don’t fret. And as the saying goes, “make lemonade.” It’s important to consider dietary remedies alongside prescription medications. While it may seem easier to just take a pill to fix a medical problem, consider what lifestyle changes will also make a big impact on your health.
Instead: Next time you drive past a lemonade (or limeade) stand, consider your kidneys. Chronic kidney stones are often treated with potassium citrate, but studies have shown that limeade, lemonade and other fruits and juices high in natural citrate offers the same stone-preventing benefits. Beware of the sugar, though, because it can increase kidney stone risk. Instead, buy sugar-free lemonade, or make your own by mixing lime or lemon juice with water and using a sugar substitute if needed. “We believe that citrate in the urine may prevent the calcium from binding with other constituents that lead to stones,” said Dr. Jhagroo. “Also, some evidence suggests that citrate may prevent crystals that are already present from binding with each other, thus preventing them from getting bigger.”

6. Not All Stones are Created Equal. In addition to calcium oxalate stones, another common type of kidney stones is uric acid stones. Red meat, organ meats, and shellfish have high concentrations of a natural chemical compound known as purines. “High purine intake leads to a higher production of uric acid and produces a larger acid load for the kidneys to excrete,” said Dr. Jhagroo. Higher uric acid excretion leads to lower overall urine pH, which means the urine is more acidic. The high acid concentration of the urine makes it easier for uric acid stones to form.
Instead: To prevent uric acid stones, cut down on high-purine foods such as red meat, organ meats, and shellfish, and follow a healthy diet that contains mostly vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and low fat dairy products. Limit sugar-sweetened foods and drinks, especially those that contain high fructose corn syrup. Limit alcohol because it can increase uric acid levels in the blood and avoid crash diets for the same reason..Eating less animal-based protein and eating more fruits and vegetables will help decrease urine acidity and this will help reduce the chance for stone formation.

Drink Lots of Water.
As dehydration increases in our bodies, creatinine levels begin to increase.

Limit Sodium Intake.
Avoid Fatty foods, Fast foods and heavily processed items.

Maintain a Healthy Diet.
Add lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet, replace white grains with whole wheat, and include barley and oats in your daily diet.

• Foods with Hig Protein
• Meat Intake
• Foods with High Potassium and Phosphorus

Avoid Vandium and Creati Supplements.
Supplying extra creatine to the body is potentially dangerous, as it increases the pressure on our kidneys and may cause heart problems or muscle cramps

Limit Strenuous Activities.
When you exercise excessively, the body converts creatine into creatinine at higher levels.

Try Home Remedies.
Home remedies that help lower the levels of creatinine in our bodies include chamomile tea, stinging nettle, dandelion root tea, cinnamon, astralagus and ginseng.

Use Medications
Medications such as diuretics, Ketosteril and calcium channel blockers also help with creatinine levels.

Fluids for Kidney Function
You may think drinking extra fluids is a no-brainer for increasing kidney function, but more isn’t always better. It is advisable you to drink just enough fluids to keep your urine either light yellow or colourless. A standard recommendation is 13 cups daily for men and 9 for women. Although that sounds like a lot, it includes both healthy fluids like filtered water and low-fat milk and also the water found naturally in fruits and vegetables. If you already have kidney disease, your doctor will advise you to drink much less so you don’t overwhelm your kidneys.

Cranberry juice has a decades-long association with kidney health, especially in preventing urinary tract infections

Fruits and Vegetables in the Diet
An overall healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables is a smart choice for keeping your kidneys in topnotch shape. Fresh produce is not only high in water content, but it also contains powerful nutrients like vitamin C and flavonoids that support the health of all your organs, including the kidneys. If your doctor advises a low-potassium diet for your kidney health, focus on fruits and veggies that are significantly lower in this mineral. Your best veggie options include:

• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Red peppers
• Celery
• Asparagus
• Cucumber
• Eggplant

Avoid seasoning your vegetable dishes with salt and salt substitutes, and opt instead for dried or fresh herbs, chopped garlic or onion and a splash of olive oil.

Among fresh fruits, you have a lot of delicious low-potassium options, including:

• Berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries
• Peaches
• Grapes
• Apples
• Watermelon

Stick to recommended serving sizes, though, because too much of any low-potassium food can end up having a lot of potassium.

Dietary Changes for Increasing Kidney Function
A dietitian may propose other modifications to your diet to increase your kidneys’ function, like reducing your overall protein intake from meats and other animal foods. Because kidney disease is often related to high blood pressure, you may also need to monitor your sodium intake, eschewing canned or frozen foods in favour of fresh, and avoiding processed meats like bacon and sausage.

Suggested dietary changes for kidney disease may involve limiting foods high in the mineral phosphorus, like cheese, milk and yogurt; and protein foods like oysters, sardines and liver.

How common are kidney stones?
Each year, more than half a million people go to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems. It is estimated that one in ten people will have a kidney stone at some time in their lives.

The prevalence of kidney stones in the United States increased from 3.8% in the late 1970s to 8.8% in the late 2000s. This increase was seen in both men and women, and both whites and blacks. The lifetime risk of kidney stones is about 19% in men and 9% in women. In men, the first episode is most likely to occur after age 30, but it can occur earlier. Other diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity may increase the risk for kidney stones.

What is a kidney stone?
A kidney stone is a hard object that is made from chemicals in the urine. Urine has various wastes dissolved in it. When there is too much waste in too little liquid, crystals begin to form. The crystals attract other elements and join together to form a solid that will get larger unless it is passed out of the body with the urine. Usually, these chemicals are eliminated in the urine by the body’s master chemist: the kidney. In most people, having enough liquid washes them out or other chemicals in urine stop a stone from forming. The stone-forming chemicals are calcium, oxalate, urate, cystine, xanthine, and phosphate.

After it is formed, the stone may stay in the kidney or travel down the urinary tract into the ureter. Sometimes, tiny stones move out of the body in the urine without causing too much pain. But stones that don’t move may cause a back-up of urine in the kidney, ureter, the bladder, or the urethra. This is what causes the pain.

Possible causes include drinking too little water, exercise (too much or too little), obesity, weight loss surgery, or eating food with too much salt or sugar. Infections and family history might be important in some people. Eating too much fructose correlates with increasing risk of developing a kidney stone. Fructose can be found in table sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

What are the most common types of kidney stones?

There are four main types of stones:
Calcium oxalate: The most common type of kidney stone which is created when calcium combines with oxalate in the urine. Inadequate calcium and fluid intake, as well other conditions, may contribute to their formation. Uric acid: This is another common type of kidney stone. Foods such as organ meats and shellfish have high concentrations of a natural chemical compound known as purines. High purine intake leads to a higher production of monosodium urate, which, under the right conditions, may form stones in the kidneys. The formation of these types of stones tends to run in families. Struvite: These stones are less common and are caused by infections in the upper urinary tract. Cystine: These stones are rare and tend to run in families.

What are the symptoms of a stone?
Some kidney stones are as small as a grain of sand. Others are as large as a pebble. A few are as large as a golf ball! As a general rule, the larger the stone, the more noticeable are the symptoms.

The symptoms could be one or more of the following:

• Severe pain on either side of your lower back
• More vague pain or stomach ache that doesn’t go away
• Blood in the urine
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fever and chills
• Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy

The kidney stone starts to hurt when it causes irritation or blockage. This builds rapidly to extreme pain. In most cases, kidney stones pass without causing damage but usually not without causing a lot of pain. Pain relievers may be the only treatment needed for small stones. Other treatment may be needed, especially for those stones that cause lasting symptoms or other complications. In severe cases, however, surgery may be required.

What should I do if I have these symptoms and think I have a stone?
See a doctor as soon as possible. You may be asked to drink extra fluid in an attempt to flush out the stone out in the urine. If you strain your urine and can save a piece of the stone that has passed, bring it to your doctor. Or, the stone may need to be removed with surgery.

How are stones diagnosed?
Diagnosis of a kidney stone starts with a medical history, physical examination, and imaging tests. Your doctors will want to know the exact size and shape of the kidney stones. This can be done with a high resolution CT scan from the kidneys down to the bladder or an x-ray called a “KUB x-ray” (kidney-ureter-bladder x-ray) which will show the size of the stone and its position. The KUB x-ray is often obtained by the surgeons to determine if the stone is suitable for shock wave treatment. The KUB test may be used to monitor your stone before and after treatment, but the CT scan is usually preferred for diagnosis. In some people, doctors will also order an intravenous pyelogram or lVP, a special type of X- ray of the urinary system that is taken after injecting a dye.

Second, your doctors will decide how to treat your stone. The health of your kidneys will be evaluated by blood tests and urine tests. Your overall health, and the size and location of your stone will be considered.

Later, your doctor will want to find the cause of the stone. The stone will be analyzed after it comes out of your body, and your doctor will test your blood for calcium, phosphorus and uric acid. The doctor may also ask that you collect your urine for 24 hours to test for calcium and uric acid.

Why does the doctor need to examine the contents of the stone?
There are four types of stones. Studying the stone can help understand why you have it and how to reduce the risk of further stones. The most common type of stone contains calcium. Calcium is a normal part of a healthy diet. The kidney usually removes extra calcium that the body doesn’t need. Often people with stones keep too much calcium. This calcium combines with waste products like oxalate to form a stone. The most common combination is called calcium oxalate.

Less common types of stones are: Infection-related stones, containing magnesium and ammonia called struvite stones and stones formed from monosodium urate crystals, called uric acid stones, which might be related to obesity and dietary factors. The rarest type of stone is a cvstine stone that tends to run in families.

Are there any long term consequences of having a kidney stone?
Kidney stones increase the risk of developing chronic kidney disease. lf you have had one stone, you are at increased risk of having another stone. Those who have developed one stone are at approximately 50% risk for developing another within 5 to 7 years.

What can I do to decrease the risk of kidney stones?
Drinking enough fluid will help keep your urine less concentrated with waste products. Darker urine is more concentrated, so your urine should appear very light yellow to clear if you are well hydrated. Most of the fluid you drink should be water. Most people should drink more than 12 glasses of water a day. Water is better than soda, sports drinks or coffee/tea. lf you exercise or if it is hot outside, you should drink more. Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup should be limited to small quantities.

Eat more fruits and vegetables, which make the urine less acid. When the urine is less acid, then stones may be less able to form. Animal protein produces urine that has more acid, which can then increase your risk for kidney stones.

You can reduce excess salt in your diet. What foods are high in salt? Everyone thinks of salty potato chips and French fries. Those should be rarely eaten. There are other products that are salty: sandwich meats, canned soups, packaged meals, and even sports drinks.

You want to try to get to a normal weight if you are overweight. But, high-protein weight loss diets that include high amounts of animal-based protein, as well as crash diets can add to the risk of stone formation. You need adequate protein, but it needs to be part of a balanced diet. Seek guidance from a registered dietitian when embarking on a weight loss diet or any dietary interventions to reduce the risk of kidney stones.

Don’t be confused about having a “calcium” stone. Dairy products have calcium, but they actually help prevent stones, because calcium binds with oxalate before it gets into the kidneys. People with the lowest dietary calcium intake have an increased risk of kidney stones. A stone can form from salt, the waste products of protein, and potassium. The most common type of kidney stone is a calcium oxalate stone. Most kidney stones are formed when oxalate, a by product of certain foods, binds to calcium as urine is being made by the kidneys. Both oxalate and calcium are increased when the body doesn’t have enough fluids and also has too much salt. Based on blood and urine tests, your doctor will determine which types of dietary changes are needed in your particular case.

Some herbal substances are promoted as helping prevent stones. You should know that there is insufficient published medical evidence to support the use of any herb or supplement in preventing stones.

Pediatric Urology
Pediatric Urology is a surgical subspecialty of medicine dealing with the disorders of children’s genitourinary systems. Pediatric urologists provide care for both boys and girls ranging from birth to early adult age. The most common problems are those involving disorders of urination, reproductive organs and testes.

How common are the problems?
Most people are unaware of the common urological problems of children. This is because they are not often discussed outside the family. Most people have heard of urinary tract infections, but do not know that these infections are associated with anatomical abnormalities in approximately 30% of all children who have them, and even a higher percentage in boys. Among the genital defects, abnormalities of the penis are the most common followed by undescended testicles.

Who cares for Pediatric Urological Problems?
Pediatricians often manage medical problems of the urinary tract and genitalia. Nephrologists are specialists in medical diseases of the kidney, and endocrinologists specialize in endocrine problems affecting the kidneys, like diabetes, and of some problems of the genitalia, like ambiguous genitalia. Patients may be referred to urology after seeing a pediatrician.

Some of the problems deal with are:

• Bladder control problems such as bedwetting and daytime urinary incontinence
• Undescended testes (cryptorchidism)
• Hypospadias
• Epispadias
• Urolithiasis (bladder and kidney stones)
• Chordee and other minor malformations of the penis
• Phimosis
• Urinary obstruction and vesicoureteral reflux
• Neurogenic bladder (e.g., associated with spina bifida)
• Antenatal hydronephrosis
• Tumors and cancers of the kidneys
• Repair of genitourinary trauma
• Genitourinary malformations and birth defects
• Prune belly syndrome
• Cloacal exstrophy, bladder exstrophy, and epispadias
• Ambiguous genitalia and intersex conditions