March is National Kidney Month and this year we celebrate World Kidney Day on March 12. In honor of this health awareness month, here are five facts about the kidneys that may surprise you:
- It doesn't take two to tango. The kidneys are located in your back, just below the rib cage, and most people are born with two kidneys. You only need one kidney though, making it possible to donate a kidney to someone else while you're still living.
Anyone can get kidney disease at any age. However, according to a new report, more than 50 percent of Americans currently aged 30 to 49 will develop kidney disease in their lifetime. This outweighs the risk of developing more commonly talked about diseases such as breast cancer and diabetes.
So what can you do about this alarming trend? Take five for your kidneys with these simple things everyone can do to protect their kidneys and prevent kidney disease:
- Get tested! Often kidney disease has no physical symptoms until the late stages, making annual screening for those at risk critical. The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) recommends yearly urine and blood testing for those with high blood pressure, diabetes or a family history of kidney failure, and for those over age 60. Ask your healthcare practitioner for an ACR urine test and a GFR blood test if you're at risk, or get screened for free though the NKF's KEEP Healthy program by visiting kidney.org to find a screening near you.
Have a kidney question? Post it in the comments below.