Search

One in three Americans is at risk for kidney disease due to high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. High blood pressure is a leading cause of kidney disease and increases your risk of developing a heart attack or stroke. There is no cure, but treatment and lifestyle changes, including taking high blood pressure medications, following a healthy diet and exercising regularly can lower blood pressure.

Even if you’re taking...

Each year in the United States, about 51,000 adults will be diagnosed with kidney cancer. The exact cause of kidney cancer is unclear, but having advanced chronic kidney disease may place you at increased risk for developing kidney cancer. Other risk factors include: smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, family history of kidney cancer, chronic kidney disease, exposure to radiation therapy or carcinogenic chemicals, and long-term use of...

The terrible pain of kidney stone disease may be more common in people with metabolic syndrome -- a cluster of five traits that also sets the stage for heart disease and stroke, according to new research.

In fact, the prevalence of kidney stone disease was tripled among individuals who had all five traits of metabolic syndrome in a study published this month in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, the official publication of the...

Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, MA, RD Duane Sunwold

Spices and herbs have long been used to improve the taste, aroma and appeal of food. Now there’s evidence that these kitchen staples not only please our palate, but they may actually help improve our health. Research shows potential benefits of spices and herbs, which are rich in antioxidants and excellent sources of other vitamins and minerals. Modern science has begun to examine the...

What do you do if you have a headache, fever, or muscle pain? Chances are you go to the local drug store to pick up an over–the–counter (nonprescription) pain medicine. These drugs are the medicines most often used by Americans. Pain medicines, also called analgesics, help relieve pain, fever, and even inflammation. These medicines may help with arthritis, colds, headache (including migraine), muscle aches, menstrual cramps,...

Drinking alcohol affects many parts of your body, including your kidneys. A little alcohol—one or two drinks now and then—usually has no serious effects. However, excessive drinking–more than four drinks daily—can affect your health and worsen kidney disease. When experts talk about one drink, they are talking about one 12–ounce bottle of beer, one glass of wine, or one ounce (one shot) of “hard liquor....

Skim milk, cantaloupe and brown rice may be the keys to preserving kidney function. According to research, eating poorly, smoking and obesity can cause kidney disease in otherwise healthy people.

Researchers led by Alexander Chang, MD of Loyola University Medical Center found that people with...