March is National Kidney Month. Your kidneys act like a filter to remove wastes and extra fluid from your body. Your kidneys filter about 200 quarts of blood each day to make about 1 to 2 quarts of urine.

Here are some easy steps to take care of your kidneys.

1-Drink your water! Water helps alleviate kidney stones and urinary track infections. Unsure how much? I tell my clients 1/2 ounce for every pound of body weight. For example, if you weigh 130-thats 65 ounces so roughly 1/2 gallon. That is different for everyone so check the color of you urine. Dark yellow indicates dehydration.

2-Over the counter pain medicines, such as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen) may alleviate your aches and pains, but they also put extra work on your kidneys. Reduce your regular use of NSAIDs and never go over the recommended dosage.

3-Processed foods can be a significant sources of sodium, nitrates and phosphates, and have been linked to cancer, heart disease and kidney disease. Eat ‘God’s Garden’. Fresh, non-processed foods with lots of colors.

4-Control your high blood pressure and diabetes. They are the leading cause of kidney disease and kidney failure.

Want more information on what you can do to love your kidneys? Check out the National Kidney Foundation at www.Kidney.org.

Need help hitting your health goals? That is what I do! I am a health coach who helps my clients hit their personalized health goals. When is the last time you sat down and talked about your health? Schedule a FREE consultation to see if I can help you.

Helping people getting healthier is my passion and I bet its more fun than ya think!

Stay healthy my friends,

Valerie Thompson