Improve your kidney function with simple lifestyle changes

by Katya Lukina

Staa Editor

On Sept. 5, the Sunshine Club’s guest speaker Dr. Victor Kabbany packed the room with a presentation on the early signs of kidney damage. Dr. Kabbany is a board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine and nephrology.

Kabbany said that a primary care provider or nephrologist can assess kidney health through the levels of creatinine in one’s blood work. Elevated levels of creatinine can indicate kidney problems. In addition, the color of urine (dark, brown or foamy) may also indicate a kidney disease and should be addressed by a professional.

“Another indicator of kidney health is the amount of eGFR in a blood work,” said Kabbany. A healthy eGFR (generally above 90) is a good indicator that the kidneys are working properly. This number can also be used to determine the safe amount of salt people can consume daily (in milligrams), which is eGFRx3. This is based on FDA recommendation of the salt consumption of no more than 3 grams (300 milligrams) per person.

Kabbany added that kidney health can be affected by high blood pressure, diet, lifestyle and genetics. “Paying attention to food labels, eating out less and cutting back on salt and processed food when possible can improve people’s general health especially as they get older,” said Kabbany. He added that substituting salt with black pepper, vinegar, citrus, onion or garlic could pay off significantly in the long run.

Kabbany works at MemorialCare of Los Alamitos and in Seal Beach Health and Rehabilitation Center.