For Your Benefit 4 The ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTOR Larry McGann General Secretary-Treasurer Chairman Trustees continued on page 10 National Kidney Month is an important time of the year to focus on kidney health and raise awareness of the prevalence of kidney disease. Kidney disease affects millions of people in the United States, with one in three adults at risk of developing it. Kidney disease is often silent and can go undetected until it has advanced. March is National Kidney Month and it is a great time for people to take steps to protect their kidneys and learn about the risks of kidney disease. The kidneys perform life-saving functions and when kidney function is negatively affected, the entire body suffers. You have two kidneys, each about the size of an adult fist. They are located on either side of the spine just below the rib cage. Although they are small, the kidneys perform many complex and vital functions that keep the rest of the body in balance. The Kidneys: • Help remove waste and excess fluid • Filter the blood, keeping some electrolytes, vitamins, other substances while removing others • Make vitamins that control growth • Release hormones that regulate blood pressure • Help regulate blood pressure, red blood cells and the amount of certain nutrients in the body, such as calcium and potassium Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) CKD is a serious and progressive condition that occurs when the kidneys fail to filter waste products from the blood. Renal failure is the end stage of CKD and can be either acute or chronic. Acute renal failure occurs suddenly, while chronic renal failure develops gradually over time. CKD is caused by a variety of medical conditions and lifestyle choices. Common causes include: • Diabetes • Hypertension • Glomerulonephritis • Polycystic Kidney Disease • Some lifestyle factors such as: o Smoking o Obesity o Poor diet March is National Kidney Month; March 9th is World Kidney Day!
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