FUNCTION OF KIDNEY:

WHY ARE KIDNEYS IMPORTANT?

HOW TO LOOK AFTER OUR KIDNEYS:

KIDNEYS

WHAT ARE KIDNEYS?

We have two kidneys in our bodies, with each bean-shaped organ being the size of a fist. They are located near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage and are reddish brown in colour. They are very important organs in the body and without at least one kidney we will not survive.

Some of the amazing work our kidney does includes: Remove waste such as urea which are toxic to the body by

forming urine which you take out when you go to bathroom

Maintain water-salt balance in the body so cells work properly

Provide normal blood pressure and volume Make hormones that make red blood cells and keep our

bones and muscles strong.

Our kidneys maybe small in size but they do a lot of amazing work in the body. Every hour a person’s blood supply flows through the kidneys about 12 times. Each day, kidneys process around 200 litres of blood, with around 1 to 2 litres of waste leaving the body as urine.

In each kidney, blood is filtered through millions of mini filters‐ called ’nephrons. Waste material and chemicals the body doesn’t want from this filtering process become urine and are passed from the kidneys into the bladder and taken out of the body when you are in the bathroom. However sometimes useful things like proteins and water or salt maybe taken back into the body as they need it.

We can look after our kidneys by: 1. Drinking lots of water: Water is fat-free and is needed for

many chemical reactions to occur in the body. Water ensures our urine is not too thick and so we don’t suffer from kidney stones.

2. By not smoking: People who smoke are more likely to have problems with their kidney as well as lung cancer and stroke.

3. Control alcohol drinking: Alcohol increases blood pressure and kidneys do not function well.

4. Eating healthy and staying fit: People should eat lots of fresh food such as fruits and vegetables and avoid foods high in salt and fat. Also exercising daily burns up more fat and energy, so the kidneys have to do less work.

FUNCTION OF KIDNEY: