's motd Tuesday February 22, 2011 - Kidneys

[Guest guest]

KIDNEY TALK

Tuesday, 22 February 2011

Years ago, I loved watching Saturday

Night Live when Mike Myers did his Coffee

Talk segment. In fact, I got to appear on the

segment with him once and boy, was it ever fun! But

today, we're gonna have a talk that's no laughing

matter at all. Today, we're going to have a Kidney

Talk.

Your kidneys are an extremely

important pair of organs in your body. And the

function they perform is so important. They're shaped

like a pair of giant kidney beans. (I'm sure that's

where kidney beans got their name.) So, what do your

kidneys do? Well, let me tell you.

Those kidneys help rid your body of all the toxins

from your body and send you to the bathroom on a

regular basis to "get rid" of them. Truth is, many of

us take our kidney's function for granted. Some

people end up with kidney disease, which is often

genetic. But some people get the disease as a result

of not taking very good care of their kidneys. When

your kidneys are not doing their job, people suffering

from kidney disease build up harmful toxins in their

blood streams.

Back in the 80's when I was making lots of shopping

mall appearances, I'd also sometimes visit kidney

dialysis centers to spend time with and encourage the

patients. I have to tell you, those visits were hard

for me. I must say, the patients were in good

spirits, despite what they were going through. See,

they had to make a trip to the dialysis center so a

machine could do the job their kidneys normally

performed.

During the procedure, all the

blood is removed from a person's body, is filtered and

cleansed by a machine then put back into their

bodies. And don't forget, they have to do this

multiple times a week. To past the time, many of them

read books or work on a crochet project. When I

visited some of the centers, I'd see some of them

saying the ry. I was glad to be there to bring a

smile to their faces and make them laugh, despite what

each of them was going through. Without the procedure

performed by the dialysis machines, these people would

not survive. And now you see why your kidneys are so

important.

That's why it's so important for you to get your

annual physical so your doctor can make sure your own

kidneys are always working properly. If you have

kidney disease, please, listen to every word of advice

your doctor gives you and follow that advice.

Some people are fortunate enough, after being on a

waiting list for years to receive a kidney

transplant. I pray for them because I know that

kidney disease is a very tough condition to live with.

Now I'm going to tell you how to

keep your kidneys healthy. First off, be sure you

drink those eight, 8-ounce glasses of water I'm always

telling you to drink. Remember, your body is made up

of 60% water and you have to be sure to keep your body

flushed with plenty of good-old H20. We talked a

little while ago about drinking sodas, both regular

and diet. They're not good for your kidneys either.

In fact, people who drink lots of soft drinks are

twice as likely to develop kidney disease as those who

don't. And like all parts of your body, those kidneys

of yours will benefit from eating plenty of fruits

& vegetables, low-fat dairy products and lots of

whole grain products. And by the way, a recent study

showed that these foods also help ward off kidney

stones. I know a few people who've had kidney

stones and they tell me that they're very

painful. And oh, I do not like pain! (Who

does?)

And one more thing, I believe

exercise helps keep those kidneys of yours strong and

healthy, too. Working out aids your circulation so

you're keeping fresh blood cruising through those

hard-working kidneys of yours as you're dancing your

heart out!

Okay, now that we've had our little Kidney Talk, go

and have yourself a nice, tall glass of ice-cold water

and toast those hard-working kidneys of yours!

Love,