March is National Kidney Month

March is National Kidney Month

Most people have two kidneys which are about the size of your fist. The kidney are organs that are in your lower back one each side of your body. Kidneys help maintain your overall health by various methods:

• They filter out waste--about 200 liters of blood each day is filtered.

• Kidneys regulate the body's salt, potassium and acid content.

• Kidneys help remove drugs from the body.

• Kidneys help balance the body's fluids.

• Kidneys release hormones that help regulate blood pressure.

• Kidneys can provide an active form of vitamin D that helps in the promotion of strong, healthy bones.

• Kidneys help control the production of red blood cells.

A few Quick Facts on Kidney Disease for you to know

• Kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death in the U.S.

• More than 30 million Americans have kidney disease, and most don’t know it.

• There are over 95,000 people waiting for kidney transplants.

• More than 590,000 people have kidney failure in the US today.

People can live full and happy lives with just one kidney, too.

A helpful website is www.kiney .org