The two bean-shaped organs called kidneys are fist-size filters located below your rib cage and in the area near your middle back. The kidneys filter blood and remove waste, including urine, from your body. Kidney failure, which is often caused by...
Renal dialysis is effective when failed kidneys have been diagnosed by cleaning out harmful wastes that can build up and lead to raised blood pressure, excess fluid retention, and an inability to produce enough red blood cells.The general goals of...
Anemia and high blood pressure sometimes go hand in hand in people with kidney failure who are on dialysis. Dialysis, although necessary for a kidney patient's survival, carries certain complications. Healthy kidneys produce the hormone...
Kidney cancer can arise from any of the structures in the kidneys. According to the National Cancer Institute, it includes renal cell carcinoma, arising from the cells lining the small tubes of the kidney, renal pelvis carcinoma, arising from the...
Renal cancer, or kidney cancer, affects the kidneys, the pair of organs responsible for filtering waste and excess water from the blood. Each year, approximately 52,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with the disease, according to the American...
Fry bread--a specialty of many Native Americans--is a bread made from refined white flour, water or milk, sugar and salt, cooked by deep-frying in lard. Although fry bread is rich in cultural significance and an important part of daily life and...
The kidneys are a pair of organs located in the lower abdomen on each side of the spine that make up part of the urinary tract. The kidneys are responsible for making urine by removing wastes and fluid from the blood. Kidney cancer develops when...
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 57,750 people in the United States were diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma or kidney cancer in 2009. Obesity, high blood pressure, smoking, protracted kidney dialysis, and exposure to asbestos...
The kidneys are excretory organs that remove metabolic wastes and excess fluids. They also maintain the acid-base and electrolyte balance in the body. When kidney function deteriorates due to disease or damage, fluids and wastes build up in the...
More than 25 million Americans suffer from chronic kidney disease, and some 360,000 undergo regular dialysis treatment, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Although the disease is irreversible, a special diet while you're on dialysis can...
Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant. Crack is the name given to the freebase form of cocaine. Made by dissolving powder cocaine in water and an alkaloid such as ammonia, followed by adding a solvent, the result is a solid, which separates as a...
Vitamin D deficiency is a common problem among those with chronic kidney disease. Vitamin D is a mineral that is found in plant and animal sources, dietary supplements, as well as synthesized from exposure of your skin to sunlight. Low levels of...
Dialysis is the process of filtering waste and excess fluids from the blood that are normally excreted in the urine, states MayoClinic.com. Your body requires dialysis if your kidneys have failed or are no longer functioning at full capacity. You...
The National Cancer Institute estimates that over 58,000 individuals will be diagnosed with kidney cancer in the United States in 2010 and more than 13,000 people will die from the disease that same year. Treatment is most effective when the...
People with chronic kidney disease have to adjust their dietary habits by watching the amounts of sodium, phosphorus and potassium they consume in order to compensate for their failing kidneys. When they begin dialysis, they must continue to...
Diabetes is a disease of uncontrolled glucose production and not enough insulin to metabolize it. The chronic disease can progress quickly if blood sugars are not controlled. The complications of long-term uncontrolled diabetes can be devastating...
Salt, otherwise known as sodium chloride, is the main source of sodium in your diet. Sodium is an essential mineral needed for fluid balance, muscle contractions and transmission of nerve impulses. Your body only requires a small amount of sodium...
The kidneys remove waste and excess fluids from the body, which are excreted through urination. When a person has kidney failure, also known as renal failure, damaged kidneys are not able to filter the wastes and fluid and dangerous levels of both...
A solution to end-stage renal disease often involves a kidney transplant. A healthy donor kidney replaces the function of the diseased kidney during the surgical procedure. The diseased kidneys remain in place unless there are signs of infection,...
Renal insufficiency, also called renal failure or kidney failure, is poor performance of your kidneys that may be caused by renal artery disease and decreased blood flow to your kidneys. Talk with your physician about treatment options for your...
Creatine is an amino acid that helps to provide energy to the cells of the body, particularly the muscle cells. It is produced naturally by the body but is also available as a nutritional supplement. Adequate levels of creatine allow a person to...
Calcium is a mineral found mostly in bones and teeth. It is required for numerous functions in the body, including growth and maintenance of bones, nerve function and muscle contraction. The recommended daily allowance for calcium is 1,200 mg....
Similar to the kidney in shape and color, kidney beans provide a variety of minerals and vitamins, and so are generally beneficial for your health. If your kidneys are healthy, kidney beans can -- when consumed as part of a balanced diet --...
Most know that protein is needed for muscle. Protein also helps synthesize enzymes and repair damaged tissues. Protein requirements vary based on factors like diet, weight and activity level. Kidneys can be affected by excessive protein...
Health insurance is designed to help individuals pay for medical and health care, but getting covered isn't always easy, especially for those who have medical conditions that may make them undesirable for coverage by major health insurance...
Sodium is a mineral found naturally in food. Healthy kidneys remove excess sodium, which helps you maintain your fluid balance. When your kidneys have failed and no longer balance sodium and fluid levels in the body, restricting sodium is...
Renal disease or chronic kidney disease is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 26 million American adults have chronic kidney disease. The most common causes...
