Exercising and Kidney Health
People with kidney problems experience severe fatigue, loss of strength, breathlessness, weakness, and muscle wasting. They often suffer from a loss of capacity for physical activity primarily due to the buildup of toxins in the body, since kidneys cannot properly flush them out. Not only this, most kidney patients gradually become anemic, which makes them feel extremely tired. As a result, the person loses motivation to do anything and consequently, loses fitness and strength, thus becoming more tired. Exercise can be safe for such people, which can help improve kidney and heart health.
Is It Time To Get Active for Kidney Patients?
Kidney disease is related to cardiovascular health. Moreover, when your kidney function is compromised, it can affect your overall health, including heart, muscles, and bones. With exercise, you can reduce the risk to your heart and improve overall quality of life. Besides, exercise helps
- Control weight
- Protect the heart
- Reduce muscle wasting
- Strength building
- Improve joint health, strengthen bones and joints
- Reduce cholesterol and control blood pressure to boost heart health
- Control blood-sugar levels
- Promote motivation, self-confidence and improve sleep
- Improve bone density and reduce risk of falls
- Improve dialysis efficiency
- Lift mood, morale
The inclusion of structured exercise training can prove beneficial for people facing multiple health problems, including kidney disease.
Exercise for Kidney Health
Regular exercising can help reduce the risk of premature death in kidney patients from cardiovascular problems, since chronic kidney disease limits your exercise capacity. Exercise slows down the rate of kidney decline and improves cardio health. Not only this, pushing your body for some activity can help kidney patients improve respiratory function and manage breathlessness, which is a common symptom in kidney disease.
Exercise is one of the best ways to improve overall health, including kidney function. Besides physical benefits of exercising, there are psychological advantages for people with kidney disease. With exercise, you may improve mental outlook, feel more energetic, and deal with the challenges that come with renal disease. Exercising can help boost self-confidence and stave off depression to fight the disease. Walking is the best exercise for kidney and heart patients.
Consult your doctor before starting an exercise regimen to understand your condition and the extent to which you can stretch your body.
A diagnosis of kidney disease can come as a shock to most people. But with some lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking or drinking alcohol, improving dietary regimen, and making healthful diet choices, you can transform your sedentary lifestyle into an active one and choose better health and quality of life for yourself.