(NC) Actively taking care of your health can transform your life and help you become your best self. One crucial aspect of overall wellness is focusing on your kidney health. Your kidneys do much more than simply filter out waste; they play a vital role in regulating water levels, balancing minerals in your body, and assisting in hormone production.

Sadly, many Canadians are not aware of these important functions, and even less is known about the prevalence of kidney disease, its risk factors, and the fact that, unfortunately, there is no cure for kidney failure.

Maintaining good kidney health is essential for survival, and it all starts with awareness. Here are three tips to help keep your kidneys in top shape.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle
It’s no secret that a healthy lifestyle can have a profound impact on your health. Making any of these changes can improve your body’s ability to heal and recover rapidly.

• Fuel your body with nutritious foods,
• Exercise regularly,
• Reduce stress,
• Limit alcohol consumption,
• Maintaining a healthy weight,
• Move away from smoking

Know your risk factors
A healthy lifestyle is a great way to boost your defenses against illness and disease. However, some factors influencing your kidney health may be beyond your control, including:

• Age,
• Ethnic background,
• Family history of kidney disease,
• Past health challenges,
• Use of certain medications.

The good news is that you can still take proactive steps to safeguard your health. Risk assessment tools like the quick quiz at kidney.ca/risk can help identify your personal risk factors and guide a discussion about your kidney health with your medical care team.

Be mindful of your health
Besides lifestyle choices and awareness of risk factors, you also want to make sure you stay mindful of changes in your health over time, especially if you have pre-existing conditions) as they can put you at risk for kidney disease. In fact, with symptoms not appearing until advanced stages, certain health issues may start with an unnoticeable kidney decline that may gradually cause other health issues to emerge.

Monitoring your health makes prevention, early detection, and treatment possible, not just for kidney disease, but for other illnesses as well. By doing so, you will empower yourself to act when necessary, protecting your health and quality of life.

You can learn more about the statistics on kidney disease in Canada at kidney.ca