Kidneys are the name given to two small organs in the form of brown beans. There is one on each side of the body at the waist level of the individual, under the rib cage on both sides of the spinal cord, near the back. They are similar in size. Urea binds to organs such as the kidney, bladder, and ureter, where urine is transported and stored.

Kidneys have very important and vital functions in the body. It cleans and filters the water, acids and wastes in the blood of the individual. They then convert these wastes into urine to be excreted from the body. However, if the kidneys are somehow sick, damaged, or covered with scar tissue, they cannot perform their normal job of maintaining a healthy balance between salts in the blood and minerals such as calcium and water.

Foods and Drinks That Harm the Kidneys

Protein

Protein is essential for a healthy diet. But if your kidneys are not working normally, eating high-protein foods can overwhelm them. You may need to eat small portions of different types of protein.

Salt

In some people, too much salt can raise blood pressure and accelerate kidney damage. It can also lead to kidney stones, which can cause nausea, severe pain, and difficulty urinating.

Cigaret

Not only does it worsen high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes (two leading causes of kidney disease), it can also affect the medications used to treat them. It also slows blood flow to the kidneys and can cause kidney problems in people who already have kidney disease.

Alcohol

Heavy chronic drinkers may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease. A single binge session (more than four or five drinks in less than 2 hours) rarely leads to acute kidney injury, and when this occurs, people usually do not need dialysis.

Acidic and Sugary Drinks

If you drink two or more diet sodas a day, you may be more likely to develop kidney disease. In one study, the kidneys of women who drank diet soda worked 30% less after 20 years, compared to other women. Also, drinking sugary drinks, including juice and soda, can increase the risk of kidney disease.

Dehydration

Your kidneys need water to function properly. Not getting enough - especially if this happens often - can cause kidney damage. How do you know you're drinking what you need? Your pee should be light yellow and white.

Painkillers

When taken regularly, large amounts of over-the-counter pain medications (acetaminophen, aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen) or the prescription NSAID Celebrex (celecoxib) can damage your kidneys.

Extreme Exercise

Working hard for too long can cause rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which damaged muscle tissue breaks down too quickly. This dumps substances into your blood that can damage your kidneys and make them fail.

Steroids

Some people take anabolic steroids to gain excess muscle. But they can damage the parts of your kidneys that filter your blood. This can swell your body parts, cause you to lose protein in your blood and cause high cholesterol.

Stomach Medicines

Medicines called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which reduce stomach acid, can cause kidney damage if taken for a long time. Some research suggests that taking too many PPIs may make you more likely to develop long-term kidney disease.

Strep Throat

When you have this infection, your body produces proteins called antibodies to fight it. Excess ones can settle in the filter parts of your kidneys and inflame them. It usually doesn't last long, but for some people, kidney damage can be permanent.