Rey Anthony Chiu
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 8, 2012 (PIA) – Diabetes still ranks top among the diseases that causes kidney malfunction, so that renal disease specialists drive for early detection to arrest further complications which may result in more serious problems.
At the Kapihan sa PIA Thursday, June 7, which highlights the commemoration of the National Kidney Month, nephrologists; kidney disease specialists push balanced diet and early disease detection as the best preventive ways to keep kidney diseases off.
Dr. Mayida Pureza Ybanez, Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) nephrologists emphasized during the hour-long radio forum on air that kidneys perform very vital life-maintaining functions like monitoring and regulating body fluids.
According to the National Kidney Transplant Institute’s (NKTI) Renal Disease Control Program (ReDCoP) information source material, kidneys excrete excess body fluids through urine, while it retains substances needed for the body’s continuing functions.
The kidneys also produce a hormone that controls the production of red blood cells by the bone marrow, Dr. Ybanez added.
Because the kidneys filter the blood, many medical professionals believe the kidneys are important organs in the control of blood pressure. This also means that high blood pressure, could be a sign of kidney malfunction.
Symptoms of the disease include fluid retention in the body, changes in urination including difficulty, frequency, blood or protein in the urine, anemia, hypertension, kidney stones and frequent urinary tract infections, according to ReDCop, which is a cooperation project with the Department of Health.
On this, Dr. Ybanes and Ramiro Community Hospital nephrologist Dr. Ronald Sales share information on keeping the kidneys at its prime and preventing any kidney related diseases.
While Dr. Ybanez said an annual urinalysis is a good start to track any problems with the kidney, she also said drinking lots of fluids daily, diet, hygiene and tracking one’s blood pressure have been proven effective agiants kidney malfunction.
Aside from these, Dr. Sales insists keeping a balanced diet dictum, going for low-salt, low-fat, low cholesterol food helps a lot.
At this, Dr Ybanez points out that preventing renal disease is a community effort, citing the month’s theme as: Ikaw at Ako, Panalo sa Malusog nga Bato.
We opt for more kidney disease awareness among Boholanos to stress the importance of advance information regarding diseases so as to accurately control the problem.
Bohol program coordinator Machiavelia Caliao also said they are into networking with barangay health workers to get the information across and make every household access information and services of the professionals. (30)