National Kidney Month

March 2025

March is National Kidney Month & March 13 is World Kidney Day!

37 million American adults (age 20+) have chronic kidney disease, and 1 in 3 American adults are at risk for kidney disease.

This month, help raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to overall health and reduce the frequency & impact of kidney disease and associated health problems worldwide!

Get to Know Your Kidneys

No matter your age, or whether you have kidney disease, learning about your kidneys can prevent or slow the progression of kidney disease.

The Kidneys:

• Regulate fluid levels

• Activate vitamin D for healthy bones

• Filter wastes from the blood

• Directs production of red blood cells

• Regulate blood pressure

• Keep blood minerals in balance

Risk Factors for Kidney Disease

Early kidney disease usually doesn’t have any symptoms. Testing is the only way to know how well your kidneys are working. Get checked for kidney disease if you have:

• Diabetes

• Family history

• High blood pressure

• Age 60+

What tests do doctors use to diagnose & monitor kidney disease?

• A blood test that checks how well your kidneys are filtering your blood, called Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

• A urine test to check for albumin. Albumin is a protein that can pass into urine when the kidneys are damaged

Symptoms of Kidney Disease

• Swelling: face, hands, abdomen, ankles, feet

• Blood in urine / foamy urine

• Puffy eyes

• Difficult, painful urination

• Increased thirst

• Fatigue

Problems Kidney Disease Can Cause

• Nerve damage

• Cardiovascular disease

• Weak bones

• Heart attack

• High blood pressure

• Stroke

• Kidney Failure

• Anemia/low red blood cell count

Embrace a Kidney-Healthy Lifestyle!

• Be active for 30 minutes each day

• Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep at night

• Quit smoking & limit your alcohol intake

• Make healthy food choices

  • Cook with a mix of spices instead of salt

  • Serve foods without gravy or added fats

  • Eat foods made from whole grains

  • Slow down at snack time:

    • Eating a bag of popcorn takes longer than eating a slice of cake; peel & eat an orange instead of drinking orange juice