Enrich Your Kidney Healthy by Staying Fit

Kidney stone disease has become relatively common affecting 7-15% of the world population. This chronic kidney disease has a recurrence rate of 30% in 10 years. Persons diagnosed with chronic kidney disease need not despair as there are several ways to stay fit even with kidney disease. The first thing they have to do is to consult a urology expert and understand the dos and don'ts of coping up with their illness. Knowing what diet and exercise for kidney health could benefit them should be the next thing they ought to do. If kidney stone patients can follow the diet and exercise recommendations of kidney health specialists strictly, they can definitely control and cure kidney stone disease.

Can a person with kidney stone disease exercise?

Definitely, yes. Persons with kidney stone disease  MUST exercise but only after they consult a urology expert and get their approval.  The nature of their health condition is best known to the urology specialist and depending on that, the physician may advise on which exercises are ideal for that patient.

Exercise has a lot of benefits for patients with chronic kidney disease as seen below.

1. A person becomes fit and active with exercise as it increases oxygen intake and blood circulation
2. Appetite and digestion improve due to exercise.
3. Muscles and bones become stronger with exercise.
4. Exercise lowers blood pressure and cholesterol
5. Exercise wards off obesity and helps to maintain body weight
6. Sleep improves after exercise.
7. Kidneys function better when you exercise.

What type of exercise for kidney health should one follow?

Exercise is very good for kidney health but people with chronic kidney disease often feel tired when they do exercise. That is why it is best to consult urology expert before they begin exercising.

Here is a list of do's and don'ts that a patient affected by kidney stone disease should follow regarding exercise for kidney health

• Exercise thrice a week on alternate days
• 30 minutes of exercise is enough for each day
• Exercise in the morning or evening
• Do not exercise during the hot hours
• Never exercise immediately after a meal. Wait for at least 30 in after a meal to exercise.
• Do not do rigorous exercise
• Exercises involving continuous activity are ideal for patients with kidney stone disease as they require continuous muscle movement.
  • Walking.
  • Swimming,
  • Aerobic dancing
  • Bicycling
  • Skiing
• Low-level strength exercise with high repetitions and low weights are ideal.
• Avoid lifting heavyweights.
• If you are breathing hard while you exercise, slow down.
• Never exercise when you are muscles are sore.
• You should feel comfortable when you exercise. Do not push yourself.
• Take rest for 30 min after you exercise
• After an exercise session, you should feel normal within 1 hour.
• Exercise makes you thirty. But for drinking the right amount of fluids, it is best you consult urology expert.

Why you should consult urology expert for fluid intake after an exercise session?

If you are a patient who has chronic kidney disease in the later stage, your fluid intake must be regulated to avoid fluid build-up in your body. Exercise may leave you thirsty as you lose fluids through sweat. But depending on the stage of your chronic kidney disease, your urology expert or dietician will monitor the urine output and then, prescribe the fluid intake. If your urination is less and sweating is more, the urology expert may increase your fluid intake. Some patients with kidney stone disease have polyuria and urinate often. For such patients, the fluid intake has to be regulated.

Exercise has a positive effect on patients with kidney stone disease. According to the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, with 150 minutes of weekly exercise, patients with chronic kidney disease showed an 11% increase in aerobic capacity with improved heart function and weight loss.

Exercise and fitness may not cure chronic kidney disease but it will prevent further damage to the kidney by keeping the other body parts functioning in peak condition.