1117 days ago • 2 minute read

How to help your staff improve their kidney health

How to help your staff improve their kidney health How to help your staff improve their kidney health

When it comes to keeping your people happy in the workplace, kidney health probably isn't the first thing that springs to mind. However, these small but powerful little organs are key to our overall health and shouldn't be overlooked.

Our kidneys (alongside our liver) do all the detoxing our body needs, by constantly filtering our blood, removing waste particles and keeping our balance of water, essential minerals and salts stable (a process called homeostasis).

Here are three key things LiveSmart's Dietician and Clinical Lead, Emma Pryke highlights that you can encourage your team to do to keep their kidneys healthy and happy:

  1. Keep blood pressure in good check - ideally, our blood pressure should be at or below 120/80 (although not lower than 90/60), in order not to damage the delicate filtration system within our kidneys. Getting to know your blood pressure by having it checked with LiveSmart, your local pharmacy, or your GP surgery is an important first step, as high blood pressure often has no immediate symptoms.

  2. Eat a healthy diet - avoid high salt, high fat, processed foods as these tend to contribute to excess weight gain, whilst salt in particular gives your kidneys extra work to do. Instead, choose a diet high in vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains as these foods are naturally low in salt and rich in vitamins, minerals and trace elements which keep your body functioning optimally.

    Our data shows that 26% of LiveSmart users would like their employer to provide or improve the selection of healthy food available and 8% would like sugary or unhealthy snacks removed from their office environment completely!

  3. Stop smoking - smoking affects your circulation, reducing blood flow to the kidneys (as well as everywhere else!) and decreasing their ability to function optimally. It also increases your risk of kidney cancer by 50%.

Some key insights from our LiveSmart user database show us at first health assessment:

  • 56% of users don’t reach the minimum recommended 5 servings of fruit and veg daily - this reduces to just 36% of users at re-assessment!
  • 36% of users are actively aware of and aiming to reduce their salt intake - by repeat assessment, this number climbs up to 46%!
  • 25% of users are current smokers, but 22% have managed to quit a previous smoking habit. By repeat assessment, this number grows to 27% who class themselves as an ex-smoker!

    Testing for kidney function is included within several of our packages and is performed via a finger-prick blood test at home, so your staff can see a true picture of their health with our comprehensive fuss-free health assessment.

    If you’re interested in how LiveSmart can support your people to look after their health, contact us! www.getlivesmart.com

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