8 THINGS YOU CAN START DOING TODAY
Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about our kidneys.
Your heart gets plenty of attention. Your brain certainly does. We worry about cancer, cholesterol, blood pressure, and whether we’re getting enough exercise.
But your kidneys?
They quietly show up for work every day, filter your blood, balance fluids and minerals, help control your blood pressure, and remove waste.
No complaints. No vacation days.
And that’s part of the problem.
Kidney disease can develop quietly for years before you notice anything is wrong.
By the time symptoms appear, significant kidney function may already have been lost.
The good news is that many of the same things I recommend for protecting your heart and brain also help protect your kidneys.
And you don’t need a complicated “kidney detox.” Your kidneys are the detox system.
Your job is to help protect them.
Here’s where I would start.
1. Know Your Blood Pressure
If I had to pick one of the biggest threats to your kidneys after 50, high blood pressure would be near the top of the list.
Your kidneys contain an enormous network of tiny blood vessels that filter your blood.
Think about a garden hose.
If you continually push water through that hose at excessive pressure, eventually you’re going to put additional stress on the system.
Something similar can happen inside your kidneys.
Over time, uncontrolled high blood pressure can damage those delicate blood vessels and reduce the kidneys’ ability to function properly.
There’s another problem.
Kidney disease itself can make blood pressure harder to control.
So the two conditions can feed each other.
Dr. Mike’s Take
Don’t assume your blood pressure is normal because you feel fine.
High blood pressure usually causes no symptoms.
Know your numbers, and if you have high blood pressure, work with your healthcare professional to get it under control.
Protecting your blood pressure is one of the best things you can do for your heart, brain, and kidneys at the same time.
That’s a pretty good return on your investment.
2. If You Have Diabetes, Blood Sugar Matters
Diabetes is another major cause of chronic kidney disease.
When blood sugar remains elevated over time, it can damage the tiny filtering units inside the kidneys. Early on, those damaged filters may begin allowing protein—particularly albumin—to leak into the urine.
You probably won’t feel it happening. That’s why regular kidney testing is particularly important if you have diabetes.
Two tests I want you to recognize are:
eGFR, which estimates how well your kidneys are filtering your blood.
And:
Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), which looks for protein leaking into your urine.
Good diabetes management isn’t just about today’s glucose reading.
It’s about protecting your eyes, nerves, blood vessels, heart—and kidneys—for years to come.
3. Be Careful With NSAID Pain Relievers
This one surprises people.
Medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen belong to a group called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs.
They can be very useful medications.
But “over the counter” doesn’t mean “risk-free.”
NSAIDs can reduce blood flow to the kidneys. For many healthy people, occasional use as directed may not cause a problem.
The risk becomes more concerning if you:
- Already have kidney disease
- Are dehydrated
- Have heart failure
- Take certain blood pressure medications or diuretics
- Are older
- Use NSAIDs frequently or in high doses
I have seen plenty of people over the years who considered ibuprofen almost like a vitamin.
Back hurts? Ibuprofen.
Knee hurts? Ibuprofen.
Played golf? Better take some ibuprofen just in case.
That’s not how I want you using these medications.
Remember This
If you’re taking an over-the-counter pain reliever regularly, make sure your doctor knows about it.
There may be safer options depending on your medical history.
4. Stay Hydrated—But Don’t Turn It Into a Competition
You’ve probably heard that you need to drink eight glasses of water every day.
Or perhaps you’ve seen someone walking around carrying a water bottle large enough to hydrate a small village.
You don’t need to force gallons of water into yourself to “flush out” your kidneys. For most people, the goal is simply to avoid becoming chronically dehydrated.
Your needs vary depending on your activity, weather, diet, medications, and medical conditions.
A practical approach is to drink regularly throughout the day and increase fluids when you’re sweating more.
However, some people with heart failure, advanced kidney disease, or other medical conditions may actually need to limit fluids.
So more isn’t always better.
Hydration should be appropriate—not heroic.
5. Watch the Salt
Too much sodium can contribute to high blood pressure and fluid retention, both of which can place additional stress on your kidneys.
And most of the sodium in the American diet isn’t coming from the salt shaker.
It comes from processed and restaurant foods.
Think:
- Deli meats
- Canned soups
- Frozen meals
- Chips and snack foods
- Pizza
- Fast food
- Sauces and dressings
You don’t need to eat bland chicken and broccoli for the rest of your life.
Start by eating more foods that actually look like food.
Vegetables. Fruit. Whole grains. Beans. Nuts. Fish. Lean meats.
Then look at food labels.
You may be surprised where the sodium is hiding.
6. Exercise Regularly
You knew I was going to get here eventually.
I am The Exercise Doc, after all.
Exercise doesn’t directly scrub your kidneys clean. What it does is improve many of the conditions that determine whether your kidneys remain healthy.
Regular exercise can help:
Lower blood pressure.
Improve blood sugar control.
Maintain a healthier body weight.
Improve cardiovascular health.
All of those things help create a healthier environment for your kidneys.
You don’t need to train for a marathon.
A combination of regular aerobic activity and strength training is a great place to start.
Walking counts. Cycling counts. Swimming counts. Resistance bands count. Lifting weights counts.
The best exercise program is the one you’ll actually keep doing.
7. Don’t Smoke
Smoking doesn’t just damage your lungs.
It damages blood vessels throughout your body.
Remember, your kidneys depend on a healthy blood supply.
Smoking is associated with a greater risk of kidney disease and can accelerate kidney damage in people who already have it.
If you smoke, quitting may be one of the most powerful things you can do for your long-term health.
Your lungs will thank you. Your heart will thank you. Your kidneys won’t send you a thank-you card, but they’ll benefit too.
8. Be Skeptical of Supplements and “Kidney Detoxes”
I wish supplements were always harmless.
They’re not.
Some herbal products and supplements can interact with medications or potentially harm the kidneys. The risks can become greater if you already have impaired kidney function.
And then there are the products advertised as:
Kidney cleanses.
Detox teas.
Natural kidney flushes.
Here’s my question:
What exactly are we flushing?
Your kidneys already filter waste from your bloodstream all day long.
You don’t need to cleanse your kidneys.
You need to protect them.
Before starting a supplement—especially if you have kidney disease or take several medications—talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Don’t Forget the Most Important Step: Know Your Numbers
Here’s the tricky thing about chronic kidney disease.
You can lose kidney function and still feel perfectly normal.
No pain. No warning light. No little voice saying: “Hey Mike, your eGFR is dropping.”
That’s why testing matters.
If you’re at increased risk—particularly because of diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or a family history of kidney disease—ask your healthcare professional whether you should have kidney testing.
The two tests I especially want you to recognize are:
eGFR — an estimate of kidney filtration.
Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) — a test looking for abnormal protein leakage into the urine.
And remember something we discussed previously:
The trend often matters more than one isolated result.
An eGFR that has remained stable for years tells a different story from one that is steadily declining.
Dr. Mike’s Prescription
If you want to protect your kidneys after 50, don’t make it complicated.
Start here:
Know your blood pressure.
Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
Avoid unnecessary or excessive NSAID use.
Stay appropriately hydrated.
Cut back on excessive sodium.
Exercise regularly.
Don’t smoke.
Be cautious with supplements and detox products.
And if you’re at increased risk, make sure your kidney function is actually being checked.
Notice something?
There isn’t anything very glamorous on that list.
No special powder.
No 14-day kidney cleanse.
No exotic berry discovered deep in the Amazon rainforest.
It’s mostly the same boring advice doctors have been giving for years.
But boring doesn’t mean ineffective.
The Bottom Line
Your kidneys are remarkably resilient organs.
But they aren’t indestructible.
And because early kidney disease often produces no obvious symptoms, waiting until your kidneys tell you something is wrong isn’t a particularly good strategy.
Protect the blood vessels that feed them.
Control the conditions that damage them.
Be careful with medications and supplements that can hurt them.
And know your kidney numbers.
The goal isn’t simply to keep your kidneys healthy today.
It’s to keep them quietly doing their job when you’re 70, 80, 90, and beyond.
Because healthy aging isn’t just about living longer.
It’s about protecting the organs that allow you to keep living the life you want.
Quick Takeaway
If you remember only three things:
1. Control blood pressure and blood sugar.
These are two of the biggest modifiable threats to kidney health.
2. Be careful what you put into your body.
Regular NSAID use, smoking, excessive sodium, and questionable supplements can create unnecessary kidney risk.
3. Know your numbers.
If you’re at increased risk, ask about eGFR and urine albumin testing.
Kidney disease is often silent.
Prevention shouldn’t be.