NATURAL REMEDY FOR KIDNEY FAILURE

The Kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located close to the back. Although this pair of organs is relatively small, they are responsible for ensuring that the blood circulating in our body is free from harmful organisms, waste products and excess water. Your kidneys work extra hard to ensure your continued well-being. Every day, 20% of the blood pumped by the heart or approximately 200 quarts of blood passes through your kidneys for cleansing purposes. Every day, at least 2 quarts of unwanted waste materials are sifted from the blood before it is even allowed to return to general circulation.

Each of these tiny organs is composed of about a million tinier units called "nephrons". Inside these nephrons, a tiny blood vessel ("glomerulus") is intertwined with a tiny urine-collecting tube (tubule). As blood passes through these nephrons, a complex interaction occurs between the glomerulus and the tubule which results in the elimination of wastes in the blood. These waste materials then enter the urinary tract and end up being excreted in the urine.

Aside from sifting the unwanted materials from the blood, the kidneys also take charge of the following functions:

• Regulation of the composition of the blood. Maintenance of the ideal concentrations of vital substances and ions in the blood
• Sustaining the proper volume of water in the body
• Eliminating toxic wastes from the body
• Maintaining the acid-base concentration of the blood
• Normalizing blood pressure
• Promoting the production of red blood cells
• Maintaining the ideal calcium level in the body

Despite the numerous tasks performed by the kidneys to ensure our safety, it is sad to note that there are a lot of people who neglect to take care of their kidneys properly.

World Health Organization (WHO) statistics reveal that the death rate from intrinsic kidney and urinary tract disease was one million in the year 2002; ranking twelfth on the list of major causes of death In sub-Saharan Africa, and indeed also in Nigeria, hypertension and diabetes mellitus are among the leading causes of end-stage renal disease. By 2020, the burden of diabetes and cardiovascular disease will have increased by 130% in Africa alone.

TYPES OF KIDNEY DISEASE
Glomerulonephritis
This refers to diseases that damage the glomeruli structures (inflammation) within the kidney responsible for the filtration in the kidneys. Diseases that are not properly treated help the body to produce antibodies and the kidneys in a bid to deal with them may get overburdened.

Analgesic Nephropathy
This does damage to the kidneys as a result of wrong or misuse of analgesics without proper prescription over a long time. Bleaching Creams and soaps containing heavy metal (mercury) may overburden the kidneys.

Polycystic Kidney Diesease
An inherited kidney disease that causes large fluid filled cysts to develop in the kidney. These cysts may eventually crowd out normal kidney tissues, thus reducing its effectiveness or even or even cause its functions to cease. Other diseases may include:

Sickle Cell Disease
Through reduced blood flow and oxygen, which will stress kidney functioning.

Drug Nephropathy
Damage to the kidneys because drugs and use of medications have destroyed the kidneys. Indiscriminate use of anti-malaria drugs can damage the kidney.

Other Causes
Kidney disease also has other causes, which include collagen vascular disease such as lupus, cancer, congenital defects.

CAUSES OF KIDNEY FAILURE
Kidney failure may show no symptoms until it reaches an advanced stage. However, some identified causes include:

Hypertension
Is the leading cause of kidney failure in Nigeria. This refers to a higher than normal amount of blood pressure. It may cause no symptoms until it is advanced. This is why it is often referred to as a “silent killer”. Because hypertension causes no symptoms and medications are expensive and may cause unwanted side effects, many find compliance with required treatment difficult and this further compound the problem of hypertension related kidney disease.

Diabetes
This is the second leading course of kidney failure in Nigeria. This in general means that blood glucose levels are excessively high.
Type I diabetes occurs when the body's immune system destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreases. Type II diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin or cannot use insulin properly.
Tiny amounts of proteins in urine are an early sign of kidney damage in patients with diabetes.

HIV/AIDS 
This is fast becoming one of the major causes of kidney failure in Nigeria. HIV/AIDS will increase load on the kidneys and may lead eventually to its failure.

Prevention
So, what can we do to prevent this from happening? We need to start taking care of our health and to pay attention to our kidneys as well. To avoid developing kidney troubles, it is therefore necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You may start by considering the following tips:

1. Drink plenty of fluids.
   We've all heard that drinking eight to ten glasses of water each day promotes better health, but do you know why? Although the kidneys act as more of a filter than a reservoir, toxins can build up if there isn't enough water pressure to push them through to the urinary tract for excretion.


2. Avoid caffeine.
   Don't get hooked on drinking multiple cups of caffeine beverages each day. Your kidneys will be forced to work harder and pump out fluid and a toxin when they become dehydrated by caffeine's purging effect and more active by its metabolism-boosting powers. If you find that you are urinating several times a day more than you used to, try cutting back on caffeine products to see if that helps. Too much caffeine isn't good for your body in many ways, and kidney stress is one of them.


3. Cut back on bumpy road rides.
   Long-distance truck drivers may have a higher incidence of kidney bruising or damage than people in other occupations. Until the possible link is confirmed or disproved, try to take long rides in comfortable seats, and stop for frequent breaks to get out of the vehicle and stretch your legs, which will be good for your back as well as your kidneys and other organs.


4. Eat cleansing foods.
   Nigeria is full of good, nourishing foods. Water melon juice helps to reduce bacteria in the urinary tract by keeping it from sticking to tissues where it can build up and cause an infection. A few glasses of this refreshing beverage each week might be enough to promote better kidney health. Some practitioners claim that white rice is a good food for cleansing the body. You may want to include this in your diet on occasion, as well.
   You will feel better about taking control of your health when you use tips like these to protect your kidneys.

Treatment

The typical renal patient has a 3 to 5 hour dialysis treatment; three times per week and dialysis can only replace only about 10% to 15% of the function of healthy kidneys. In Nigeria, each session of dialysis treatment will cost an average of N 25, 000.00 (twenty- five thousand Naira) or N 75, 000 per week or N 900, 000 per year, a cost much more than the average Nigerian worker can bear.

The incidence of kidney disease cuts across most ages and the prevalence is among patients aged between 20 and 50 years. This means that a significant number falls within the working population and may pose a serious threat to the future of Nigeria's economy. This means that something must be done now. All hands must be on deck to offer solutions to this problem.

Kidney failure or end stage renal disease is becoming a major issue in Nigeria due to increase in its incidence. Available statistics indicate that kidney failure is increasing world -wide by approximately 7% annually and incidence in Nigeria could be as high as 10 per million population.

A kidney transplant, which costs at least N 4.5 million, provides the patient with a healthy kidney from a donor but it often requires a lot more in terms of finances. When donors (which so far in Nigeria have been living relatives, spouses or friends) is found, their suitability for surgery is determined and they are tested to determine if their blood type and other issue factors match the patients. Some of these investigations are done abroad and this helps to compound the cost of the surgeries. After the surgery, transplant patients must take immunosuppressant drugs, which keep their bodies from fighting and destroying the transplanted organ and these drugs must be taken for life with a combination of other drugs, which are usually not in stock by regular pharmacists due to their high cost. When required, they are often imported specially for the patients' use.

Natural Remedies

• Protein is restricted to decrease the protein load on the kidney and slow down the progression of kidney disease.
• Sodium may be restricted to improve blood pressure control and to avoid fluid accumulation.
• Potassium is restricted if it is not excreted effectively and levels in the blood are high. When you have too much potassium in your blood, dangerous heart rhythms may result.

When you have kidney failure, the amount of urine your body produces may decrease. The amount of fluids you can drink each day is based on the amount of urine you produce in a 24-hour period. Other considerations on whether fluid must be restricted are the amount of fluid you retain, the level of sodium in your diet, whether you use diuretics, and whether you have congestive heart failure.

Your diet will determine whether you survive kidney disease or not. Limit the amount of sodium [salt, common in canned food, fast-foods, processed cheese, and smoked meats. Instead, use lemon, herbs, and other spices to improve the flavor of your meals. 
Kidney patients should limit the amount of protein they eat. Learn about the sources of protein. Most people know that meats, fish, and dairy products contain protein. They may not know that foods such as breads, cereals, beans and vegetables also contain protein. As a general rule, avoid processed food. Keep away from milk, yogurt, or ice cream. Avoid nuts, peanut butter, seeds, lentils, peas, and beans. Avoid drinks such as beer, cola drinks, and cocoa. Since the kidney is a sensitive organ in the body, consult your health care provider for prescription of herbal remedies. Self-medication could be fatal.