Potassium is an important mineral in the body responsible for heart health. Potassium is also important in maintaining blood pressure, water balance, muscle control and nerve function. People such as athletes or those engaging in high physical...
Kidneys are responsible for filtering your body's blood and controlling your fluid levels. Although you have two of them, you really need only one to function. However, your kidneys are extremely important to your overall health. Knowing the...
The kidneys filter the blood removing waste products and excreting excess body water. Hence, kidney function affects the health of the entire body. When disease strikes the kidneys, local and body-wide symptoms may develop. The symptom pattern...
Water composes 66 percent of the human body and is needed for a number of body functions, including filtering minerals out of your body and making up the blood. This is why physicians and fitness experts emphasize drinking water. However, there is...
Electrolytes are particles that become electrically charged when they are distributed in body fluids. They are needed for muscle contraction, nerve conduction, fluid volume regulation, blood pressure, acid-base balance and cell function....
Eat a well balanced and nutritious diet, following the recommended daily intake of magnesium. The U.S. recommended daily allowance guidelines quote varying amounts of magnesium for men and women, children and adults that can be found at the...
Edema, or water retention, can be caused by medication, hormonal disturbances or have other medical origins. Speaking with your health-care provider will help to determine the root causes of your water weight. You can reduce water weight by...
Renal failure, also known as kidney failure, is the major reason for electrolyte imbalance. Sodium, the most abundant electrolyte in the body, affects how much urine the kidneys produce and plays a role in the transmission of nerve impulses. Too...
A protein is a type of compound that makes up linear chains of amino acids. Metabolism breaks down proteins into amino acids to become the building blocks of muscle. The most basic molecules of proteins are hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen....
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, affects roughly one in three American adults, and can cause significant health problems for the person with the condition. Hypertension can also occur in children. Along with beneficial lifestyle...
Your kidneys are brownish colored bean-shaped organs located on each side of the body beneath the diaphragm muscle and near the low back. Each kidney contains 1 million filtering units and filters your blood at a rate of 2.2 pints per minute to...
If you have chronic kidney disease or are starting treatment with dialysis, you will need to make adjustments to your diet to support your kidney function, reports Medline Plus. A good diet for the kidneys should contain a healthy balance of...
Your body naturally produces creatine, which plays a role in energy production for your skeletal muscles. Commercially manufactured creatine claims to improve the energy output of strength athletes and improve muscle growth. Creatine ester, or...
Your child's normal body temperature is 100 degrees when taken rectally and 99 degrees when taken orally. A temperature higher than this indicates your child has a fever. Fever is a beneficial response to infections and indicates that your child...
BUN, or blood urea nitrogen, is a test performed on a blood sample as an indirect test of your kidney function. Urea is a non-toxic waste product produced by your body to remove toxic ammonia produced by biochemical reactions. The BUN value from...
Body fat stored in the abdominal region has been linked to an increase risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. In a study based at the University of Cambridge in the UK, researchers determined that waist to hip ratio (waist larger...
If you suffer from fluid retention and bloating, you may want to add naturally diuretic foods to your intake. Many foods and beverages act as diuretics by encouraging the elimination of excess water from the body. Be sure to drink enough water...
One of the kidneys' main functions is to filter waste from the body and pass it along through the urinary tract for elimination. Kidneys are prone to developing stones and reduced function due to problems with blood pressure and an imbalance of...
Losing weight is a long-term commitment. It requires a permanent change in your eating habits in addition to daily exercise. The main goal when trying to lose weight is to lower your caloric intake. You need to burn more calories than you take...
Whey protein is a highly digestible source of protein often used as a supplement to improve muscle strength and body composition. Whey protein makes up 20 percent of the protein in milk, whereas casein makes up the other 80 percent. Fast-acting...
Research indicates that those with ALS may have been exposed to greater amounts of environmental toxins, or have difficulty clearing toxins from the body. Take steps to support your body's ability to eliminate toxins and metabolic waste products....
Sodium is often associated with high blood pressure and several expert resources, including the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recommend consuming no more than 2,300mg per day. Individuals over...
Water aids weight loss in numerous ways; it boosts your metabolism, helps fill your stomach and burns a few calories. To gain these benefits, however, you only need to drink water in moderation. Excessive water drinking, especially in a short...
To lose weight efficiently and safely, you must follow a long-term plan to change your lifestyle and eating habits. This includes eating healthier and incorporating more physical activity into your daily routine. The most important part of losing...
Diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas does not secrete enough insulin to break down the glucose or sugar in your blood stream and move it back into the cells to leave the body. Factors such as obesity and pancreatic disease may cause the...
Your kidneys carry out functions essential for good health. They filter blood, regulating its concentration of salt, water, glucose and other compounds. They also cleanse the blood, removing toxins and waste products from digestion of food, and...
The average human body is about 60 percent water, and you lose water every day through perspiration, breathing and urination. It is important to replenish water stores daily so the body can function properly. Athletes and others who perspire...
Artichoke extract is one of the few herbal remedies that has been through clinical trials and experiments to yield favorable results. Artichoke extract has been proven to aid with everything from diabetes to curing a hangover. One of the favorable...
Excess weight takes diet and exercise to eliminate, but the equation requires one other element. Water is required by your body to help kidney function as well as to flush toxins from your body. What you might not realize is the role that water...