Taking care of your kidneys is important for many reasons. The kidneys process body waste by filtering excess water, toxins, and other impurities from the blood. The kidneys also activate vitamin D to maintain healthy bones, make hormones that regulate blood pressure, and control red blood cell production. They also regulate salt, potassium, phosphorus, and pH in the body.

Tips to keeping kidneys healthy include:

Staying hydrated helps your kidneys clear sodium and toxins from the blood. Aim for at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water daily. If you have a history of kidney stones, drink a little more water to help prevent stones from depositing in the kidneys.

Eat a balanced diet that is low in sodium and processed meats. Try eating fresh fruit, veggies, whole-grain, fish, and food low in sodium. Avoid excess protein.

Exercise regularly to help keep your blood pressure and cholesterol within normal range, and to help keep your kidneys and heart healthy. Try walking, running, cycling, or even dancing.

Control your blood sugars and intake of sugar. When your cells cannot use the sugar in your blood the kidneys have to work extra hard to filter it out.

Long-term use of over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen and naproxen may cause kidney damage. Make sure to talk with your doctor if you are using NSAIDS long term. If you have kidney issues talk to your doctor about kidney safe treatments to cope with pain.

Stop smoking. Smoking can damage the bodies blood vessels causing slower blood flow throughout the body and to the kidneys, which may reduce the kidneys’ function.

There are tests your doctor can run to see how healthy the kidneys are. One of the tests is called a kidney function test. Your doctor should be running this test routinely if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or have any kidneys issues. 

 

Sources: Healthline, National Kidney Foundation, and Cleveland Clinic 

 

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.

 

Osteoporosis is a slow progressive disease that weakens bones to the point they become weak and brittle and then break easily. It is known as a silent disease because you experience no symptoms until you break a bone, most often in bones in the hip, backbone, and wrist. Both women and men can have osteoporosis, but it is more common in women after menopause because of the decrease in estrogen.

Doctors can run bone density tests to find out how strong your bones are. Bone density is at its highest in people in their late 20s and then starts to weaken around the age of 35. As people age, bone loss happens more quickly, and bone growth is slower. In time this causes the bone to weaken, and osteoporosis may develop. It is recommended that ages 50 – 64 get a baseline, 65 and older get tested once, and then ask the doctor about repeating the test. There are exceptions for younger people who have risk factors for serious bone loss. 

There are things you can do to help prevent the disease and fractures.

• Eating foods high in calcium and vitamin D
• Women and men ages 18 to 50 need 1,000 mg of calcium a day and 1,200 mg daily for women above 50 years and men above 70 years. If you have a history of kidney stones talk to your doctor before adding calcium.
• Eating protein and food rich in vitamin K, zinc, and magnesium can help keep bones healthy 
• Staying physically active such as weight training, walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, tennis, and dancing
• Quitting smoking
• Drink alcohol in moderation
• Women and men can consider the pros and cons of hormone therapy
• Taking medications to prevent fractures in people who are diagnosed with osteoporosis
• Prevent falls by creating a safe environment or using canes or walkers for additional stability

Sources: National Institute on Aging, Medical News Today, Healthline, and Mayo Clinic

 

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.

 

Most of us have heard of prebiotics and probiotics. Now nutritionists and the natural health community are talking about postbiotics. Postbiotics are essentially the byproduct of prebiotics and have recently been found to be beneficial to the body. Postbiotic components includes short chain fatty acids, cell components, proteins, metabolites, and peptides.

 

The research for postbiotics is fairly new and it’s believed some of the benefits are:

– Increase insulin sensitivity helping to fight pre-diabetes and type II diabetes

– Boost your metabolism

– Improve your immune system

– Reduce inflammation

– Help heal leaky gut by promoting motility or the movement of waste through the digestive tract.

 

Postbiotics supplements are new and available on the market, however, you can naturally increase the production with food. Foods that increase postbiotics in the gut are fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, kimchi, soft cheeses, kefir, sourdough bread, buttermilk, kombucha, pickled veggies, and tempeh.

There may be more in the news this year about postbiotics boosting your health, and if probiotics upset your stomach or digestive system, then maybe postbiotics are worth a try.

Sources: Today’s Dietitian, U.S. News Health, and Today.com

 

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.

 

Are you feeling tired, having mood changes, getting sick often? Do you experience muscle weakness or pain, joint pain, allergies, asthma, brain fog, elevated blood sugar, high blood pressure, or have weak bones? If that’s the case, you may not be getting enough Vitamin D. A study in Nutrition Research Journal in 2011 found that 41.6% of US adults are not getting a sufficient amount. With Vitamin D you need the right amount to keep your body functioning well and your doctor can run blood tests to figure out the perfect balance. It is important to keep Vitamin D balanced because too much can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, constipation, poor appetite, weight loss, weakness, frequent urination, painful muscles, excessive calcium in the blood, kidney damage, kidney stones, and high blood pressure.

You may be asking why Vitamin D is important for the body. It has many important benefits such as maintaining healthy bones by aiding with the absorption of calcium, helping regenerate genes and cell growth, preventing osteoporosis and rickets (softening and weakening of the bones in children), and helps the immune system. The main way we get Vitamin D is through sun exposure, food, and nutritional supplements.

To get a sufficient amount of Vitamin D we need sun exposure for at least 15 – 20 minutes three days a week. 

Food that are naturally high in Vitamin D include salmon, tuna, mackerel, beef liver, cheese, mushrooms, and egg yolk.

Foods that have Vitamin D added include milk, breakfast cereals or grain products, yogurt, and orange juice.

Many people do not know that they have a Vitamin D deficiency because the symptoms are very non-specific. If you think you may be deficient, talk to your doctor and they can run blood work to check your levels. 

Sources: Medical News Today, Medline Plus, Mayo Clinic, and Healthline

 

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.

 

Many of us are not motivated to add greenery to our plates. If that is the case, then you do not realize all the health benefits they provide. Research has shown green vegetables help with colon health, cancer, and heart health. They contain minerals, folate, antioxidants, and flavonoids which help decrease free radicals from damaging cells in your body and can lower your risk of cancer and many diseases. Some can contain lutein and beta-carotene which support eye health and may reduce risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Green foods can help increase energy, immunity, strengthen bones, increase gut health, and detox your body. Start adding a little greenery to each meal and your health will benefit from it.

Here are some examples and their benefits.

• Kale contains vitamin K which helps with bone health and blood clotting. It is also high in fiber helping with colon health. Kale is an excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids, decreasing free radical damage in the body which decreases cancer risk, and helps the immune system work effectively so it can fight disease. Some studies show kale can regulate blood sugar with a meal. It also contains lutein and beta-carotene which support eye health and may reduce risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
• Microgreens are young greens sprouted from seeds of herbs and vegetables. They are flavorful and packed with vitamin C, E, and K.
• Beet greens are rich in vitamin A and K, fiber, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium. They also contain antioxidants beta-carotene and lutein.
• Seaweed contains iron and zinc, and is a good source of iodine, helping with thyroid function.
• Bok Choy contains selenium, helping with proper thyroid function, immunity, cognitive function, and cancer prevention.
• Green beans are high in fiber which can help lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar. 
• Asparagus is an excellent source of fiber, an array of vitamin B, and folate. 
• Broccoli is rich in vitamin C, K, folate, potassium, manganese, and iron.
• Collard Greens are good sources of vitamin K and help with healthy bones.
• Kiwi contains fiber, vitamin C, and folate. Research suggests that kiwi contains serotonin and eating them regularly could help people fall asleep faster and have a longer and better quality of sleep.
• Swiss Chard is rich in vitamin A, C, K, potassium, and manganese.
• Spinach is packed with folate, vitamin A, K, and manganese. 
• Romaine lettuce is a good source of vitamin A and K.
• Turnip greens are high in vitamins A, C, K, folate, calcium, and manganese. They also contain several antioxidants that help decrease stress in the body. 
• Avocados contain healthy fats that help with cholesterol levels and heart health. It is also high in vitamin E which helps with free radicals, memory & cognitive function. Avocados also contain lutein which helps with preventing age related macular degeneration. They are high in fiber helping with colon health and maintaining healthy weight.

Keep in mind to eat well balanced meals daily. Watch out for some medications such as Warfarin (Coumadin) as it interacts with foods high in vitamin K. Also, if you have stomach/bowel issues and kidney disease you may want to talk to your physician about making any changes in your diet.

 

 

Sources: Healthline, WebMD, Everyday Health, and Medical News Today

 

 

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.